JP2007183858A - Image retrieval system, image retrieval device, and computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate retrieval of target data by performing thumbnail-display of images whose retrieval conditions match with that of a key image. <P>SOLUTION: A CPU 24 acquires an image database 12 from a PC server 10 by executing a program stored in a ROM 22, and stores it in a database 26. The CPU 24 retrieves an image whose retrieval condition matches with that of the key image specified by an input device 25 from the image database 12 stored in the database 26. The CPU 24 acquires the image corresponding to the retrieval condition with a thumbnail image contracted from image contents 11 of the PC server 10, and displays the thumbnail image group of the acquired image on a display 30. The CPU 24 acquires the image selected from the thumbnail image group of the retrieval result from the image contents 11 of the PC server 10, and displays it in its original size on the display 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image search system, an image search device, and a computer program that can present an image related to a key image.

  In recent years, the storage capacity of digital cameras and PC storage media that store image data has increased, and a large amount of image data can be accumulated and stored.

  Along with this, a technique capable of efficiently retrieving a desired image from a large amount of image information is desired.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, date information and subject identification information are added to record image data on a recording medium, and related image groups having the same date information and subject identification information are searched from the recording medium. A technique for facilitating a search for a desired image by classifying and displaying the images is disclosed.

However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, it is not possible to select a predetermined image and search for and display a related image having the same identification information as that image.
JP 2001-5902 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an image search system, an image search device, and a computer program that can search for an image that is related to a key image. To do.

  To achieve the above object, an image search system according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a storage unit that stores a plurality of images and attribute information of the plurality of images, and a plurality of images from the storage unit. Storage means for acquiring and storing the attribute information, input means for receiving an input of an image as a search key from a user, and attribute information with which the attribute information matches by extracting attribute information from the image as the search key From the attribute information of the plurality of images stored in the storage means, and an image output means for obtaining and displaying an image having the attribute information searched by the search means from the storage means And.

  For example, the search means further comprises means for accepting an input of search conditions from a user, and attribute information that matches the attribute information extracted from the search key image and the input search conditions is stored in the storage means. You may search from the attribute information of the stored several image.

  For example, the image output means may acquire an image having attribute information searched by the search means from the storage means and output it for thumbnail display.

  For example, the attribute information of the image stored in the storage unit and the attribute information extracted from the image that is the key of the search by the search unit may be attribute information added by the imaging unit to identify at the time of image generation. Good.

  An image search device according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a storage unit that acquires and stores attribute information of a plurality of images from a predetermined device, an input unit that receives an input of an image serving as a search key from the user, Attribute information is extracted from an image serving as a search key, and attribute information that matches the attribute information is searched from attribute information of a plurality of images stored in the storage unit, and the attribute searched by the search unit Image output means for acquiring an image having information from the predetermined device and outputting the image for display.

  A computer program according to a third aspect of the present invention includes a storage unit that acquires and stores attribute information of a plurality of images from a predetermined device, an input unit that receives input of an image serving as a search key from the user, Attribute information extracted from an image serving as a search key, and attribute information that matches the attribute information is searched from the attribute information of a plurality of images stored in the storage unit, and the attribute information searched by the search unit It is made to function as an image output means which acquires the image which has it from the said predetermined | prescribed apparatus, and outputs it for displaying.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to extract and display a related image whose attribute information matches that of a key image. Thereby, it is possible to easily search for the target data.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image search system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a PC server 10, a search device 20, and a display 30.

  The PC server 10 stores image content 11 and an image database 12. The PC server 10 is connected to the search device 20 via a LAN (Local Area Network).

  The image content 11 stores a plurality of image data.

  The image database 12 is a database including the attribute information of the file name, shooting date, camera name, resolution, number of colors, and image address stored in the image content 11 as shown in FIG.

  The search device 20 is a device that acquires data for searching for an image from the PC server 10 and outputs the data to the display 30. In addition, the search result is displayed on the display 30. The search device 20 includes a communication control unit 21, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 22, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 23, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 24, an input device 25, a database 26, and a display control unit. 27.

  The communication control unit 21 is connected to the PC server 10 via a LAN. The communication control unit 21 acquires the image database 12 from the PC server 10 under the control of the CPU 24. The communication control unit 21 acquires image data from the image content 11 of the PC server 10 and transfers the acquired image data to the display control unit 27. The communication control unit 21 can also acquire the image data as a thumbnail image that is a reduced version.

  The ROM 22 stores a program for controlling the operation of the CPU 24.

  The RAM 23 functions as a work area for the CPU 24. The RAM 23 stores a table T described later.

  The input device 25 is a device by which the user inputs the start of image search. In addition, the user can select or input image search information (file name, shooting date, camera name, resolution, number of colors). Further, the user is caused to select an image to be displayed in the original size from the thumbnail image group as a search result.

  The database 26 stores the contents of the image database 12 acquired from the PC server 10.

  The display control unit 27 converts the image data acquired from the image content 11 of the PC server 10 into a format that can be displayed on the display 30 under the control of the CPU 24. Then, the converted image is output to the display 30. In addition, the display control unit 27 displays information necessary for image search on the display 30.

  The CPU 24 acquires the image database 12 from the PC server 10 by executing a program stored in the ROM 22 and stores it in the database 26. Then, the image database 12 stored in the database 26 is searched for an image whose search condition matches the key image designated by the input device 25. The CPU 24 acquires an image corresponding to the search condition as a thumbnail image reduced from the image content 11 of the PC server 10, and displays a thumbnail image group of the acquired image on the display 30. Further, an image selected from the thumbnail image group as a search result is acquired from the image content 11 of the PC server 10 and displayed on the display 30 in the original size.

  The display 30 is a device that displays information and images necessary for image search. The display 30 is connected to the search device 20.

  Next, the operation of the image search system having the above configuration will be described with reference to the drawings.

  When the power of the search device 20 is turned on, first, the CPU 24 controls the communication control unit 21 to acquire the image database 12 from the PC server 10. The acquired data is stored in the database 26.

  When the user performs an operation for displaying an image, the search device 20 displays the image data stored in the image content 11 of the PC server 10 as a thumbnail on the display 30 as shown in FIG. Here, the image content 11 stores a large number of image data, and the display 30 displays thumbnail images of the stored image data side by side.

  On the display 30, a search condition 31 and a search button 32 are displayed together with the thumbnail image. As shown in FIG. 3B, the search condition 31 can be specified according to the situation by date, camera name, resolution, number of colors, and the like.

  The search condition 31 includes attributes such as date, camera name, resolution, and number of colors that are automatically added to image data when an image is captured by the digital camera 100 and stored in the storage medium 101 as shown in FIG. Use information. For this reason, it is not necessary to add special information to the image.

  The search button 32 is a button for selecting a key image from thumbnail images as shown by a broken line in FIG. 3A and starting a search for an image that matches the image and the search condition 31.

  As described above, when a key image is selected from a number of thumbnail images and the search button 32 is pressed, the search device 20 starts the search process shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  First, the CPU 24 of the search device 20 acquires information on items specified in the search condition 31 of the key image from the image database 12 stored in the database 26 (step S11).

  Then, the image database 12 stored in the database 26 is searched for image data having the same information as the information acquired in step S11 (step S12).

  When image data having the same information is retrieved in step S12 (step S13; Yes), the CPU 24 has the file name I1 of the image data retrieved in step S12 and the address of the image data as shown in FIG. A table T composed of I2 is created and stored in the RAM 23 (step S14).

  Then, the CPU 24 controls the display control unit 27 to discard the currently displayed thumbnail image, and controls the communication control unit 21 and the display control unit 27 to store the image data of the table T stored in the RAM 23. A thumbnail image of the image data is acquired from the address I2, and the image selected as a key and the acquired image group are displayed as thumbnails on the display 30 (step S15).

  If no image data is retrieved in step S12 (step S13; No), the display 30 indicates that no corresponding image exists (step S16).

  Note that if the enlargement display is selected during the thumbnail image group display before or after the search process, the CPU 24 controls the communication control unit 21 and the display control unit 27 to control the PC server 10. The image data of the actual size is acquired from the image content 11 and displayed on the display 30.

As described above, related images in which the search condition 31 matches the key image can be displayed as thumbnails. Thereby, the target data can be easily searched. Since various search conditions 31 can be set, images having relevance under various conditions can be displayed.
Image data search can also be performed in the image database 12 in the PC server 10, but the image database 12 is acquired from the PC server 10 and the image data search is executed in the search device 20. The search process can be performed.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation and application are possible.

  In the above embodiment, the table T composed of the file name I1 and the address I2 of the retrieved image data as shown in FIG. 5 at step S14 of the flowchart shown in FIG. However, a table as shown in FIG. 5 may be stored in advance on the PC server, and the search device 20 may obtain or refer to the table.

  In the above-described embodiment, the image serving as the search key is selected from the image data stored in the image content 11 of the PC server 10, but the image serving as the search key is input from the input device 25 from the outside. And an image related to the input image may be searched.

  In the above embodiment, the searched images are displayed as thumbnails. However, if related images can be presented, they may be reproduced sequentially.

  In the above embodiment, the search device 20 and the PC server 10 are connected via the same local area LAN. However, as shown in FIG. 7, the PC server 10 is installed on the Internet 40 and the search device 20 You may make it connect with the PC server 10 via the internet 40. FIG.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example of an image search system having a configuration in which the PC server 10 and the search device 20 are connected via a LAN has been described. Instead, an image search system constructed in a single device may be used.

  Further, the search screen displayed on the display 30 shown in FIG. 3A of the above embodiment is merely an example, and any screen can be used as long as it can select an image to be a search key and specify a search condition. Is optional.

  In the above embodiment, the program executed by the CPU 24 is stored in the ROM 22, but may be stored in advance in an arbitrary storage medium or stored in an arbitrary storage medium via a network. Further, a computer storing the program may be caused to function as the search device 20.

It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the image search system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of an image database. It is a figure which shows an example of a search screen, (a) shows an example of the display of a display, (b) shows the example of search conditions. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of a search process. It is a figure which shows the table comprised by the file name of image data, and the address of image data. It is a figure for demonstrating the attribute information attached | subjected at the time of an image pick-up. It is a figure which shows the structure of the modification of an image search system.

Explanation of symbols

10 PC server 20 Search device 30 Display 40 Internet

Claims (6)

Storage means for storing a plurality of images and attribute information of the plurality of images;
Storage means for acquiring and storing attribute information of the plurality of images from the storage means;
An input means for receiving an input of an image as a search key from a user;
Search means for extracting attribute information from the image serving as the search key, and searching for attribute information matching the attribute information from the attribute information of a plurality of images stored in the storage means;
An image output means for acquiring an image having attribute information searched by the search means from the storage means and outputting it for display;
An image search system comprising:   The search means further includes means for receiving an input of a search condition from a user, and the attribute information extracted from the image serving as the search key and attribute information matching the input search condition are stored in the storage means. The image search system according to claim 1, wherein search is performed from attribute information of a plurality of images.   3. The image search system according to claim 1, wherein the image output unit acquires an image having attribute information searched by the search unit from the storage unit and outputs the acquired image for thumbnail display. 4.   The attribute information of the image stored in the storage unit and the attribute information extracted from the image that is the key of the search by the search unit are attribute information added by the imaging device for identification at the time of image generation. The image search system according to claim 1, 2, or 3. Storage means for acquiring and storing attribute information of a plurality of images from a predetermined device;
An input means for receiving an input of an image as a search key from a user;
Search means for extracting attribute information from the image serving as the search key, and searching for attribute information matching the attribute information from the attribute information of a plurality of images stored in the storage means;
An image output means for obtaining an image having the attribute information searched by the search means from the predetermined device and outputting it for display;
An image search apparatus comprising: Computer
Storage means for acquiring and storing attribute information of a plurality of images from a predetermined device;
Input means for accepting input of an image as a search key from the user;
Search means for extracting attribute information from an image which is a key for the search, and searching for attribute information matching the attribute information from attribute information of a plurality of images stored in the storage means;
An image output means for acquiring an image having attribute information searched by the search means from the predetermined device and outputting the image for display;
A computer program that functions as a computer program.

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