JP2000029901A - Device for retrieving image and method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a user to easily narrow down images to be obtained as a retrieved result, and to easily obtain an intended image even when the keywords of plural meanings of a word are obtained by the extension of a retrieval keyword. SOLUTION: The extended keywords of words are registered in a different notation dictionary part 4 so that the extended keyword can be obtained for each meaning of a word having plural meanings. The extended keyword of a retrieval keyword inputted through an input device 1 and held by a retrieval keyword buffer 5a is obtained for each meaning by referring to the different notation dictionary part 4, and held in an extended keyword buffer 5c by a central processor 6. Then, the priority order of the extended keywords held in the extended keyword buffer 5c is decided according to the priority order of the meaning of a word registered in the different notation dictionary part 4, and an image is retrieved by using the extended word as the retrieval keyword according to the priority order.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image retrieval apparatus and an image retrieval method for retrieving image data such as photographs and pictures. In particular, the present invention relates to an image search device and an image search method for performing an image search using a keyword assigned to each image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a method in which a keyword for search is assigned to each image data, and a keyword assigned to an image is searched by a search keyword input by a user to perform an image search. In this type of image search technology, the search keyword is extended with synonyms and synonyms, etc., so that the search image can be extracted even if the search keyword input by the user does not completely match the keyword assigned to the image. Widening is being done.

The meaning of the input search keyword is 1
If there is only one, a similar image can be obtained as a search result even if the keyword is expanded using a synonym or a synonym. However, when a search keyword has multiple meanings, synonyms and synonyms for those meanings are:
It is expanded by the number of meanings. As a result, a large number of dissimilar images, that is, a large number of images not intended by the user are also displayed as search results, and it is difficult for the user to obtain a desired image.

[0004] Usually, when a large number of search keywords exist, the number of images required tends to increase. That is, when the search keyword is expanded by synonyms or synonyms, the number of images required increases. When exchange with an image database for image search and image display is performed via a network or the like, handling a large number of images lowers the processing speed in drawing an image and deteriorates operability. Eventually, expansion of the search keyword results in a reduction in processing speed and deterioration in operability.

In particular, when an English keyword is expanded to a Japanese keyword, there are many cases where a plurality of patterns are translated into Japanese, so that the above-described situation is likely to occur.

[0006]

For example, suppose that the user inputs "JAPAN" as a search keyword. According to the above prior art, in this case, "JAPAN" is translated into Japanese,
Two keywords "Japan" and "lacquerware" are created.
Therefore, the keyword is extended by synonyms or synonyms corresponding to two meanings, and an image having the extended keyword is obtained as an image search result. However, the user would have searched for an image with either meaning. For example, if the user wants to obtain an image of "Japan", the image of "lacquerware" is not intended. If an image far from the intended one is included in this way, a state occurs in which it is difficult to obtain a target image.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and has as its object the purpose of expanding the search keywords so that even if a plurality of keywords with meanings can be obtained, an image obtained as a search result can be obtained. An object of the present invention is to make it easy to narrow down an image and to easily obtain an image intended by a user.

[0008]

An image retrieval apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object has, for example, the following configuration. That is, a dictionary for registering extended words of a word, and for a word having a plurality of meanings, an extended word dictionary for registering an expanded word for each meaning so as to be able to be acquired, and an input search with reference to the extended word dictionary Acquiring means for acquiring an extended word of a keyword for each meaning; determining means for determining a priority of the extended words acquired by the acquiring means so that the extended words belonging to the same meaning have a continuous use order; A search unit for searching for an image using the obtained expanded words as search keywords sequentially according to the priority determined by the determination unit.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image search method including, for example, the following steps. That is, the extended words of the word are registered, and for words having a plurality of meanings, the extended words of the input search keyword are acquired for each meaning by referring to the extended word dictionary that registers the expanded words for each meaning. An obtaining step, a determining step of determining the priority of the expanded words obtained in the obtaining step, such that the extended words belonging to the same meaning have a continuous use order, and according to the priority determined in the determining step. A search step of performing an image search using the acquired expanded words as search keywords in sequence.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a storage medium for storing a control program for causing a computer to implement the image search method.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the image retrieval apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the image search device according to the present embodiment stores an input device 1 for inputting a search keyword, a display device 2 for displaying an image of a search result, and the like, and stores an image and a keyword for the image. The main part is constituted by an image data unit 3, a different notation dictionary unit 4, a storage device 5 for storing various data and programs, and a central processing unit 6 for controlling the entire system. It is clear that the image search device of the present embodiment can be realized by a general personal computer or the like.

In the above configuration, the different notation dictionary unit 4 includes:
For words, synonyms, synonyms, extended words such as Japanese translations, etc. are stored for each meaning, and groups for each meaning are stored in the order of most frequently used, or used frequency information is held. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a data configuration example of the different notation dictionary unit 4 according to the present embodiment.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, "JAPAN" is divided into the meaning of "Japan" and "lacquer ware", and "Japan" is divided into "lacquer ware".
Frequency information is held so as to be used more preferentially. Synonyms or synonyms for these words are expanded and stored. In addition, the division for each meaning is divided depending on whether or not they are significantly different when compared with related images.

Further, the present embodiment is characterized in that the English notation of the different notation dictionary unit 4 holds English notation information that distinguishes uppercase and lowercase for each meaning (FIG. 2). For example, the English notation for “lacquer ware” is information in which the first letter is “japan” with a lowercase letter, and the English notation for “Japan” is information with the first letter with a capital letter “Japan”. Originally, English notations often have different meanings depending on whether the first character is uppercase or lowercase, or whether all characters are uppercase. Therefore, "English notation" is held so that the meaning intended by the user can be estimated based on the input keyword information.

The storage device 5 has a buffer area for storing search keywords (search keyword buffer 5a).
Or a buffer area (conversion keyword buffer 5b) for storing keywords generated for searching for different notation dictionaries in English keywords, and a buffer area (extended keyword buffer 5c) for holding expansion keywords obtained by referring to the different notation dictionary unit 4. ) Etc.

The image data section 3 stores the image data and also stores the keyword assigned thereto in association with the image data. In the present embodiment, when the keyword is English, the keyword is given in a case-sensitive manner. For example, "Japan" for Japanese images
However, "japan" is given as a keyword to the image of the lacquer ware.

In the present embodiment, when the searched image data is displayed on the display device 2, the image data is grouped for each of the obtained meanings, and the display is performed according to the priority.

Next, the operation of the image retrieval apparatus of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described. 3 and 4
5 is a flowchart illustrating an image search procedure performed by the image search device according to the present embodiment.

First, in step S11, a search keyword for an image is obtained from the input device 1 shown in FIG. The acquired search keywords are stored in the search keyword buffer 5a in the storage device 5 shown in FIG. next,
In step S12, it is determined whether or not the search keyword is an English keyword. This is determined based on whether the input keyword is composed of an alphabetic character string or based on, for example, English notation information included in the different notation dictionary 4. If it is determined in step S12 that the search keyword is an English keyword, step S1
Proceed to 3. In step S13, the search keyword composed of the alphabetic character string is converted into a keyword composed entirely of uppercase alphabetic characters so as to be used for the search of the variant notation dictionary unit 4. The keyword obtained in this way is called a conversion keyword. If the search keyword is composed of all uppercase letters, the search keyword becomes the conversion keyword as it is. The obtained conversion keyword is stored in the conversion keyword buffer 5b in the storage device 5 shown in FIG.

Next, in step S14, the extended words (extended keywords) corresponding to the inputted search keywords are acquired in a state of being grouped for each meaning by referring to the different notation dictionary unit 4. The obtained expanded keyword is stored in the expanded keyword buffer 5c. When the search keyword is an English keyword, an expansion word is acquired using a keyword in which all of the characters are uppercase letters. Next, in step S15, if the search keyword is an English keyword, English notation information is further acquired with reference to the different notation dictionary unit 4. This is to acquire how the keyword of the alphabet character string which distinguishes uppercase and lowercase alphabetic characters corresponds to the expansion word of each meaning group. Further, in step S16, the frequency information for each meaning group acquired in step S14 is acquired with reference to the different notation dictionary unit 4.

For example, if the search keyword is "Japan", a conversion keyword "JAPAN" is created in step S13. Then, in step S14, "JAPA" is stored in the index of the different notation dictionary unit 4.
N "is searched, and the expansion words" lacquer, lacuer, lacquered war
e, lacquer work, lacquerware ... (Group 1), "Japan, J
apanese, Japan, Japan, Japan ... "(Group 2). As shown in this extended word acquisition example, when a Japanese translation is registered as an English keyword in the variant notation dictionary unit 4, the word included in the Japanese translation is used as a key, and Search the index,
Include the obtained expanded words.

Thereafter, in step S15, the English notation information is obtained for each group with reference to the different notation dictionary unit 4. The English notation information indicates a case-sensitive character array. In this case, “japan” is obtained as the English notation information of Group 1 and “Japan” is obtained as the English notation information of Group 2. Then, in step S16, each frequency information is obtained. According to the variant notation dictionary unit 4 shown in FIG.
Group 1 is “2” and group 2 is “1”.

Next, in step S17, the display order of the meaning group is determined based on the English notation information and the frequency information obtained in steps S15 and S16. If the search keyword is not an English word, refer only to the frequency information,
The display order is determined in the order of the group having the highest frequency. For example,
If "favorite" shown in FIG. 2 is a search keyword,
The group for “affection” includes a group 1 composed of “affection, favor” and a group 2 composed of “account”. Since the frequency information of group 1 is “1” and group “2”, the keywords are group 1 (“affection”, “affection”, “favor”) and group 2 (“count”) in that order.

On the other hand, if the search keyword is an English word, the arrangement of uppercase and lowercase characters in the English word notation information obtained in step S15 matches the arrangement of uppercase and lowercase characters in the character string input as the search keyword. Give high priority. That is, the English word notation information obtained in step S15 is compared with the search keyword stored in the search keyword buffer 5a, and the meaning group including the English notation having the same arrangement of uppercase and lowercase letters is preferentially selected. To be displayed. When the English word notation information is not included, or when the frequency information is prioritized over the English word notation information, the priority may be determined by ignoring this information.

For example, when "japan" is a search keyword, information of group 1 whose English notation information is "japan" has priority. In this case, the priority of the keyword is group 1 ("japan", "lacquer", "lacuer", "lacquered war"
e) "lacquer work""lacquerware"), group 2 ("Japan""Jap
anese "," Japan "," Japan "," Nihon ").

Next, in step S18, the number of image data that can be displayed on the display device 2 is determined. Here, the number of image data that can be displayed is the number of images that can be displayed in a window for displaying the image of the search result opened on the display device.

Next, in step S19, in accordance with the priority determined in step S17, the expansion words in the group having the higher priority are sequentially acquired, and the image data having the keyword matching the expansion is obtained in the image data unit 3.
Search from. Then, Step S20 and Step S
At 21, the image obtained as a result of the search and the keyword of the image are displayed on the display device 2. Step S22
In, it is determined whether or not an image can be displayed (whether or not the number of displayable images acquired in step S18 has been exceeded). If the image can be displayed, steps S20 and S21 are repeated.

If the search for the displayable number has been completed or the search for the image data has been completed, the group information of the extended words acquired in step S14 is displayed on the display device 2 in step S23. In this example, if the search keyword is an English keyword, its Japanese translation is displayed, and if it is a Japanese keyword, its synonym is displayed together with the group number. For example, if the search keyword is "ja
In the case of “pan”, “group 1: lacquer” and “group 2: Japan” are described as examples of group information. At this time, the group information display indicating the currently displayed group is highlighted so that the group to which the displayed image belongs can be known.

When the display of the search result is completed as described above, the flow advances to step S24 to wait for a user input. If the user inputs a next search command, the process proceeds from step S24 to step S19. In steps S20 and S21, images are searched for a new number of displayable images and displayed.

If the user changes the display group in the input waiting state, the process proceeds to step S2.
Then, the process proceeds from step 5 to step S26. The group change operation can be performed by selecting a group that is not highlighted in the group information displayed in step S23. In step S26, the changed group is acquired, and the expanded keyword used for the search is changed accordingly (can be selected from the expanded keyword buffer 5c). Then, by returning the process to step S19, an image search is executed using the changed extended keyword. For example, in the above example, when an instruction to change to group 2 is given, the expansion words (“Japan”, “Japanes
e "," Japan "," Japan ", and" Japan "are searched in steps S19 to S22.

If an image selection operation is performed by the user in the input waiting state, the process proceeds from step S27 to step S28. In step S28, processing is performed on the selected image. In this processing, the selected image is provided to the user. For example, when pasting the image selected by the user to a certain document, the image is copied to the clipboard. Then, in step S29, the keyword of the selected image is obtained. Next, in step S30, step S2
It is determined to which group the keyword obtained in step 9 belongs, and if there are a plurality of groups, the frequency information of the different notation dictionary unit 4 is set so as to give priority to the group to which the selected image belongs. (Step S3
0).

As described above, in the present embodiment, as described above, the images are grouped according to their meanings, the display priority is determined, and the images are displayed, so that the user can easily obtain the images.

In the above-described embodiment, the priority order for displaying images is determined in consideration of the English notation information (for example, the case of the input keyword), but the priority order is determined only by the frequency information. No problem. Also,
Conversely, even if the user does not have the frequency information, the present invention can be applied to a case where the group in which the search keyword is included in the English notation information is preferentially displayed. That is, when the search keyword is English notation, a group in which the English notation information (upper and lower case) matches may be prioritized without using the frequency information.

Note that the different notation dictionary unit 4 according to the present embodiment
Although used at the time of image search, the present invention is also applicable when automatically adding an extended keyword to an image keyword input by a user. For example, when the user assigns a keyword "lacquer" to a certain image, "japan" may be assigned as an English keyword to the image, and "Japan" may not be assigned. Similarly, if the user is "Japan"
When the keyword is added, "Japan" is added as an extended keyword, and "lacquer" is not added. As a result, it is possible to appropriately perform keyword assignment automatically.

As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, when a keyword is created with a plurality of meanings from an input search keyword, grouping is performed for each meaning and priority is set, and priority is set according to the priority. Perform an image search.
Therefore, the intended image can be easily searched.

Further, when a desired image is selected from the search result, the priority can be learned based on the use state of the image, such as increasing the priority of the group including the selected image. . For this reason, a search according to the search situation of the user can be performed.

When the keyword is extended from English to Japanese, the keyword is extended to Japanese by distinguishing the case of the input alphabetic character string. As a result, it is possible to preferentially search for and display an image intended by the user.

The present invention can be applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, etc.), but can be applied to a single device (for example, a copier, a facsimile). Device).

Another object of the present invention is to provide a storage medium storing a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or an apparatus, and to provide a computer (or CPU) of the system or the apparatus.
And MPU) read and execute the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD
-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. ) May perform some or all of the actual processing, and the processing may realize the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the program code is read based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the CPU included in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, even when a keyword having a plurality of meanings can be obtained in the expansion of a search keyword, it is possible to easily narrow down the images obtained as a search result, and it You can easily find the image you want.

[0046]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an image search device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of a different notation dictionary unit according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an image search procedure performed by the image search device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an image search procedure performed by the image search device according to the embodiment.

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A dictionary for registering extended words of a word,
An expansion word dictionary for registering words having a plurality of meanings so that expansion words can be obtained for each word meaning, and an obtaining means for obtaining an expansion word of an input search keyword for each word meaning with reference to the expansion word dictionary. Deciding means for deciding the priority order of the extended words acquired by said acquiring means so that the extended words belonging to the meaning of the term have a continuous use order; and said acquired extension according to the priority order decided by said deciding means. An image search apparatus comprising: a search unit configured to search for an image using words sequentially as search keywords. 2. The extended word dictionary, in the case where one word has a plurality of meanings, has priority information for each of the meanings, and the determining unit determines that extended words belonging to the same meaning are consecutive. 2. The image search device according to claim 1, wherein the priority of the extended words acquired by the acquisition means is determined so that the use order and the order of the meaning unit follow the priority information. 3. A selection means for selecting a desired image from the images searched by the search means; and priority information of the expanded word dictionary based on the meaning of a keyword belonging to the image selected by the selection means. 3. The image search device according to claim 2, further comprising: an updating unit that updates the image. 4. The extended word dictionary further registers English notation information that distinguishes uppercase and lowercase for each meaning of words of the English character string, and the determining unit inputs the English character string as a search keyword. 2. The image search according to claim 1, wherein when the search keyword is input, a high priority is given to an extended word belonging to a meaning whose uppercase and lowercase letters of the input search keyword match the English notation information. apparatus. 5. The extended word dictionary further registers a Japanese translation word for each word of the English character string according to meaning, and the acquiring unit determines that the input search keyword is an English character string word. 2. The image according to claim 1, wherein, by referring to the extended word dictionary, a corresponding Japanese translation word and an extension word of the Japanese translation word are acquired for each meaning and used as an extension word of the search keyword. Search device. 6. An extended word of a word is registered, and a word having a plurality of meanings is referred to an extended word dictionary for registering an expanded word for each meaning so as to obtain an expanded word of the input search keyword. An acquiring step of separately acquiring, a determining step of determining a priority order of the extended words acquired in the acquiring step so that the extended words belonging to the same meaning have a continuous use order, and a determining step of determining in the determining step A search step of performing an image search by sequentially using the acquired expanded words as search keywords according to a priority order. 7. The extended word dictionary, when one word has a plurality of meanings, has priority information for each of the meanings, and in the determining step, the extended words belonging to the same meaning are consecutive. 7. The image search method according to claim 6, wherein the priority of the expanded words acquired in the acquiring step is determined so that the use order and the order of the meaning unit follow the priority information. 8. A selection step of selecting a desired image from the images searched by the search step; and priority information of the extended word dictionary based on the meaning of a keyword belonging to the image selected by the selection step. The image search method according to claim 7, further comprising: updating an image. 9. The extended word dictionary further registers English notation information that distinguishes uppercase and lowercase for each meaning of words in the English character string, and in the determining step, the English character string is input as a search keyword. 7. The image search method according to claim 6, wherein when the search keyword is input, a high priority is given to an expansion word belonging to a meaning whose uppercase and lowercase letters of the input search keyword match the English notation information. Method. 10. The extended word dictionary further registers Japanese translation words for each meaning of words in the English character string, and in the acquiring step, when the input search keyword is a word in the English character string 7. The image according to claim 6, wherein the extended word dictionary is referred to, a corresponding Japanese translation word and an extension word of the Japanese translation word are acquired for each meaning, and this is set as an extension word of the search keyword. retrieval method. 11. A storage medium for storing a control program for causing a computer to perform an image search process for performing an image search using a search keyword, wherein the control program registers an expanded word of a word and a plurality of meanings. For the word having the word, refer to the expansion word dictionary that registers the expansion word by semantics so that the expansion word of the input search keyword can be obtained according to the word meaning, and the expansion word belonging to the same meaning is A code of a determining step for determining a priority of the expansion words obtained in the obtaining step so as to have a continuous use order; and a search keyword for sequentially searching the obtained expansion words according to the priority determined in the determining step. And a code for a search step of searching for an image by using the storage medium.