JP2006004062A - Image database creation device and image search method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To create a database flexibly responding to needs of a user for each user without any restriction by a conventional fixed concept of an image database for allowing image search from various viewpoints. <P>SOLUTION: By this image database creation device, a user collects desired images from the Internet and creates an original electronic album. This image database creation device is provided with a means extracting an image from the Internet based on a keyword inputted by the user, a means automatically adding the extracted image to the electronic album, and a means searching for a desired image from the electronic album. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for creating an image database that flexibly meets the needs of individual users.

In general, an image database that can store and retrieve a large amount of images is stored in an image database such as an electronic album in an image acquired using a digital camera or a scanner. As a form in which a user obtains a desired image from such a database, first, there is a method of accessing the database via a charging service created by the provider and obtaining the desired image (Patent Document 1). ). In particular, in recent years, customer services such as the Web have increased due to the development of the Internet. Further, when such a service is not used, a method is adopted in which individual users find arbitrary images from various sites and store the downloaded images on a hard disk or the like.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-134343

  However, the above prior art has the following problems in order for a user to obtain a favorite image.

  First, for example, when using a customer service, there is a problem that since it is usually a billing system, if there are a large number of images to be acquired, a huge amount of money is spent. In addition, since the database is large, it takes time to search for a desired image from the database. In addition, even in a database storing a large amount of images, it has been difficult to find an image that satisfies the user's request.

  On the other hand, when a user is an individual and collects favorite images to create an electronic album, there are many problems such as shooting with a digital camera or reading from a scanner, and there are also problems on the network. When acquiring an image using information retrieval technology, first, a keyword is input, and a search is made for an appropriate image while looking at the hit pages one by one. It took. In addition, since there are cases where no image is present on the hit page, there are many useless processes.

  In addition, in the technique of automatically creating an electronic album using the contents and features of images on the network as the search means, an image category is created from image contents and feature extraction, and an electronic album is constructed. However, this method has a problem in that it is limited to rough image classification such as CG, photo, and icon, and the user cannot search for a truly desired image.

  Thus, at present, there is no method or system for creating an image database in which a user collects his / her favorite images on a personal computer.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and individual users collected image data from the Internet by a simple method, added the image data to an electronic album, and collected favorite images. An object of the present invention is to provide an image database creation device and search means that can create an electronic album of your own.

  The present invention provides means for sending a keyword to a plurality of third-party search engines, and means for extracting image data matching the keyword and information related to the image by analyzing a response (hit page) from the third-party search engine And means for downloading the image, and means for displaying a thumbnail image of the image and information about the image (attached information) to the user. Furthermore, a means for adding an arbitrary image from the displayed thumbnail images to the electronic album, a date and a keyword to be searched and collected from a third-party search engine, and a keyword are set in advance, and automatically stored in the database without human intervention. It has the means to add.

  If comprised in this way, the image which represents the page can be extracted by analyzing the HTML document of the page hit by the keyword search. Further, the display result of the present system can display the search result in an easy-to-understand manner for the user, and only the selected image can be added to the electronic album. In addition, the image database creation process can be automated.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain image data on a network by the same operation method as a search engine web search using a keyword, and a user can easily construct a database. is there. When searching and collecting image data using only a search engine so far, it is necessary to enter a keyword, open each hit page one by one, and check whether there is an image. In this system, only the page with the image is extracted from the hit pages, and the thumbnail of the image and one column of attached information are displayed, so what kind of image can be obtained at one time. Since it is possible to know whether it exists, it is possible to greatly reduce the labor of image search so far, and it is straightforward without waste. Furthermore, since processing is performed by typing in a keyword once, the number of inputs and the number of wasted screens displayed can be greatly reduced, and the Internet connection cost can be reduced.

  In addition, it does not require special knowledge about images, and images can be collected in the same way as a general Web search that has been experienced so far, so even beginners and users who are not familiar with images can find their own favorites. The image database can be created by a simple method. In addition, since seasonal image information can be obtained from the Internet and can be freely added to and deleted from the database, a flexible image database can be constructed. As a result, there is no such thing as having a large number of images as in previous data systems, but it is difficult to find a favorite image. Furthermore, since the time and keywords to be collected from the Internet can be registered in advance and automatically added to the database, the user's labor can be greatly reduced. In addition, image search from the database does not require image categories, so you can search by combining keywords freely, that is, you can search from an infinite number of categories. The desired image data can always be obtained from the new information. In addition, keywords automatically collected from the Internet are automatically added to an image, so that the user can save time and effort to set a keyword for each image, and a smooth image search can be performed.

  DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram that most clearly represents the characteristics of an image search support system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a graphical user interface (hereinafter abbreviated as GUI) of the system. Reference numeral 101 denotes a GUI of this system. Reference numeral 102 denotes a character field for typing in a keyword. Reference numeral 103 denotes a thumbnail image display unit for displaying a search result. Reference numeral 104 denotes an image name. Reference numeral 105 denotes an HTML document URL. 106 is an image database display unit, 107 is a button for additionally saving an image selected in the thumbnail image display unit 103 to the database, and 108 is a search for thumbnail display of images stored in the image database. Keywords and URL.

  In this system, a word related to (symbolizing) a user's desired image is typed in as a keyword for web search. This keyword is sent to a third-party search engine, and the HTML document of the hit page is analyzed. In this case, in addition to the network address of the hit page (HTML file), search the <IMG> tag in the HTML document and extract the attached information about the image such as the network address, name, and size of the image. Record in memory. In addition, after the image data is downloaded and recorded in the system, a thumbnail image of the image data is created and displayed to the user together with the attached information.

  When the user selects his or her desired image and clicks the save button 107 with a mouse or the like, it can be additionally stored in the image database.

  In addition, when the URL of the image is double-clicked, it is possible to move to a URL including the image.

  Next, a description will be given based on the system configuration diagram of FIG. An initial search unit 202 that searches for a keyword input from the character field 101 in FIG. 1, an image information extraction unit 203 that extracts image data and attached information included in a hit page, a downloaded image, and a creation from the image An image information recording unit 204 for recording the thumbnail image and the attached information, a display unit 205 for displaying the thumbnail image and the attached information on the screen, and a keyword for typing in using an input device such as a keyboard. The input unit 206 includes a keyboard, a mouse for selection, and the like, an image data storage unit for storing image data, and a control unit 201 that controls these processing units.

  Next, the flow of processing for collecting similar images from the Internet based on the input keyword will be described in detail based on the processing flow diagram of FIG.

Description of Step S11 When activation of the image search support system of the present invention is started, a main window for displaying an image is first created, and the GUI shown in FIG.

  In the input unit 206, a keyword is input. For example, from the input field 102 in FIG. 1, type “Christmas” and “Lease” with a space, and press the “Search” button to start the next process.

Description of Step S12 Here, the keyword typed in by the user from the 102 input field in FIG. 1 is sent to the third-party search engine, the hit page is fetched, and saved in a text file.

Explanation of Step S13 Here, the text file saved in the file in Step S12 is opened, and the HTML document is analyzed. It is possible to analyze the characteristics of the HTML data representation and extract the words used in the tags. FIG. 4 shows an example of a hit page after a web search using “Christmas” and “Lease” as keywords. Hereinafter, a method for extracting image data included in the page and information (attachment information) about the image will be described in detail using this example.

  First, the network address of the hit page is extracted and recorded in the image information recording unit 204.

The address is displayed as “HTML document URL” as indicated by 105 in FIG.
Next, it is checked whether the <IMG> tag exists in the text file. If it does not exist, the text file is deleted because it is not a search target. If the <IMG> tag exists, the network address of the image defined by the SRC attribute in the <IMG> tag is extracted.

  Further, as a description of the contents of the image, text defined by the ALT attribute is extracted and is set as “image name” as indicated by 104 in FIG. In this case, it will be “Herbal lease”.

When the image size is extracted from the height and width attributes, xsize = 200 and ysize = 267.
<Img SRC = "tokusetu-image / kosumosu / candle.jpg" ALT = "herb lease" BORDER = 0 height = 267 width = 200>
Description of Step S14 The image information extracted in this way is recorded in the image information recording unit 204. (See Figure 5)
Further, the image is downloaded from the network address of the image, and the image data is temporarily recorded in the image information recording unit 204. At this time, the keywords are added to the image by setting a plurality of priorities such as a first keyword, a second keyword,. In a later search process, the search process can be performed based on the priority order of the keywords.

  In addition to generating a real-time database, this system provides a method for further simplifying database creation by registering the date and time to be added to the database and keywords in advance. For example, in the example of FIG. 6, the time when a third-party search system is operated, the search keyword, and how many of the total number of searches to be added to the database are set in advance, and are automatically stored in the database. An example of adding is shown.

Description of Step S15 Here, the actual image data and the values of xsize and ysize of each image are read from the recording unit to create a thumbnail image. Thumbnail images are created based on ysize.

  Since the image data is different in size, if displayed as it is, the image data is unbalanced and is not easy to see for the user. Therefore, the ysize of the thumbnail image is reduced to, for example, 100 pixels and displayed without changing the ratio of the size in the X direction and the y direction. In this case, if the original image is ysize = 267 xsize = 200, the xsize of the thumbnail image is xsize = 100/267 × 200 = 75 pixels. If the ysize of the original image is smaller than 100, a thumbnail image is created with the original size. Thus, by displaying the thumbnail images with the same size, the user can grasp the contents of the images at a glance and select a desired image from them.

Description of Step S16 Here, the thumbnail image created in the above step, the name of the image, and the URL of the HTML document are displayed on the 103 thumbnail image display unit in FIG. Click the thumbnail image to display the actual image. If the user wants more information about the selected image, or wants to search for a similar image, the user clicks on the “image name” in 104 in FIG. 1 instead of the thumbnail image. The page shown with the URL shown at 105, that is, the network address of the image data is displayed. In this case, since the page is an HTML file, it is easiest to use a WWW browser.

Description of Step S17 Here, the image to be added to the database is selected by clicking with the mouse or the like from the images displayed in the above step.

Description of Step S18 Here, the image selected in the above step (clicked with the mouse) is read from the recording unit and added to the database.

First, when the user presses the save button 107 in FIG. 1, the thumbnail image and the actual image selected in the above step are saved in a predetermined directory. The directory structure shown in FIG. 7 shows a directory where image data is stored. For example, a directory name of a searched keyword is created, a directory with the name of the image is created thereunder, and a thumbnail image and an actual image are displayed. The image is saved. When the storage process is completed, the thumbnail image of the added image is displayed in the image database display unit 106 in FIG. At this time, the keyword, the name of the image, and the URL input in the input field 102 of FIG. 1 are also displayed together with the thumbnail image.
Next, processing for retrieving an arbitrary image from the image database will be described in detail based on the flow of FIG.

Description of Step S21 Here, a keyword is selected. For example, the user inputs “Christmas” from the 801 input field in FIG. 8 or selects it from the keyword display section 802.

Description of Step S22 Here, an image is selected from the database information of FIG. 5 based on the keyword input in the above step. The keywords are searched in the order of the first keyword, the second keyword, etc., and the selected images are rearranged in order of priority and displayed on the 803 image database display unit in FIG.

Description of Step S23 Here, when the thumbnail image of the image selected and displayed in the above step is selected, the actual image can be displayed and saved in an arbitrary storage location. When a URL, that is, a network address of the image data is selected, a page describing the image is displayed. In this case, since the page is an HTML file, it is easiest to use a WWW browser.

  An object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium recording a program code of software that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus stores the storage medium. Needless to say, this can also be achieved by reading and executing the program code stored in the.

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

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

  Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) operating on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.

  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 function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

Diagram showing features of the present invention (GUI of the present invention) System configuration diagram of the present invention The figure which showed the preparation procedure of the image database of this invention Example Example of HTML document of hit page Example of image database information Example settings table for automatically collecting and adding images to the image database Example image database directory structure Example of GUI for searching from image database The figure which showed the search process from the database of this invention Example

Claims (7)

An image database creation device that allows a user to collect desired images from the Internet and create an original electronic album,
Extraction means for extracting an image from the Internet based on a keyword input by a user;
Image database creation means for adding the image extracted by the extraction means to the electronic album;
An image search device comprising image search means for searching for a desired image from the electronic album. The image extracting means includes:
Sending means for sending the above keywords to multiple third-party search engines, and analyzing HTML documents of responses (hit pages) from third-party search engines, and image data and information about images (attached information) 2. An information extracting means for extracting (), and a display means for creating a thumbnail image of the extracted image and displaying the thumbnail image so as to be easily seen by a user in the GUI of the present system. Image search device.   2. The image search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image database creating means includes means for adding an image extracted from the Internet to the image database for each keyword. The keywords have any number of priorities, such as first keywords, second keywords,
2. The image search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the search means performs a search with a priority added in an image search from a database.   The image database creating means includes a function for predesignating a date and a keyword to be added to an electronic album and a keyword, a function for automatically downloading an image from the Internet based on designated information, and a designated number of the images. 2. The image search apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a function of automatically adding an image to an image database.   2. The image search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image search means has a function of searching with a keyword added to each image when a database is created.   The image search means has, as auxiliary information, a means for displaying the URL of a page where an image exists and the name (description) of the image, and has a function of obtaining related information related to an image other than the image. The image search device according to claim 1.

Images