WO1998052119A1 - Method and system for image retrieval - Google Patents

Method and system for image retrieval Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1998052119A1
WO1998052119A1 PCT/US1997/009256 US9709256W WO9852119A1 WO 1998052119 A1 WO1998052119 A1 WO 1998052119A1 US 9709256 W US9709256 W US 9709256W WO 9852119 A1 WO9852119 A1 WO 9852119A1
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Prior art keywords
similarity
database
image
regions
images
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PCT/US1997/009256
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French (fr)
Inventor
Shih-Fu Chang
John R. Smith
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The Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York
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Priority to JP54918598A priority Critical patent/JP2001525959A/en
Priority to CA002290445A priority patent/CA2290445A1/en
Priority to PCT/US1997/009256 priority patent/WO1998052119A1/en
Publication of WO1998052119A1 publication Critical patent/WO1998052119A1/en

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    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06FELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F16/00Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
    • G06F16/50Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor of still image data
    • G06F16/58Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
    • G06F16/583Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually using metadata automatically derived from the content
    • G06F16/5854Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually using metadata automatically derived from the content using shape and object relationship
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06FELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F16/00Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
    • G06F16/50Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor of still image data
    • G06F16/58Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
    • G06F16/583Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually using metadata automatically derived from the content
    • G06F16/5838Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually using metadata automatically derived from the content using colour

Definitions

  • This invention relates to computerized image retrieval and, more specifically, to retrieval based on image database querying .
  • the images can be included in an image database.
  • querying based on image content can be combined with querying based on spatial location.
  • queries can be directed to region feature similarity and region spatial location similarity in combination. If desired, the relative spatial arrangement of regions can also be taken into account.
  • Fig. 1 is an example of an image with regions for inclusion in a database.
  • Fig. 2 is a tabular display of a representation of the regions of Fig. 1.
  • Fig. 3 is an example of an image with regions for database querying.
  • Fig. 4 is a tabular display of a representation of the regions of Fig. 3.
  • Fig. 5 is a flow diagram of database query processing for discriminating based on region feature and region absolute spatial location.
  • Fig. 6 is a flow diagram of database query processing for discriminating based on the relative location of regions.
  • the following description is primarily in terms of method steps for execution by a suitable processor under program control .
  • the program may originate as software, or, for greater efficiency, it may be embodied at least in part in dedicated firmware or hardware.
  • a prototype system embodying features as described has been formulated in the JAVA language .
  • the system can operate on suitable hardware such as a SUN Workstation, a Silicon Graphics Workstation, or a PC with a Pentium processor, for example.
  • an image database to be queried has tabular form, with each record or table entry representing a region of an image.
  • a record includes an image identifier, a region identifier, a region attribute and, for geometric characterization, the x- and y- coordinates of the centroid of the region, the width and height of the region, and the area of the region.
  • the table may be generated by manual keyboard entry based on visual inspection of images. Alternatively, if a suitable pattern recognition system is available, table generation may be automated. To illustrate database entries, the image 10 shown in Fig. 1 and having been given the identifier "T" can be represented by the table entries shown in Fig. 2.
  • region 100 (t 0 , stretching across the bottom of the image, below a broken line) ; region 101 (t 1( bounded by a rectangle drawn with broken lines) ; region 102 (t 2 , bounded by a rectangle drawn with chain-dotted lines) , region 103 (t 3 , bounded by a rectangle drawn with broken lines) ; and region 104 (t 4 , stretching across the top of the image, above a broken line) .
  • the x,y-coordinates, the width w, and the height h of each region are given in percent of the respective maximal values.
  • the values x, y, w and h define a "bounding rectangle" for each region, so that the area of a region is less than or equal to w times h. As illustrated, regions may overlap, and their union need not cover the image.
  • the attribute f may simply represent color, for example, with color being represented by known means, e.g., by a color histogram or by color sets.
  • Other simple attributes which may be used include texture and shape, and such attributes may be combined into more complex attributes.
  • a search query is expressed correspondingly.
  • a query region table may be formed as shown in Fig. 4.
  • Fig. 5 illustrates query processing for finding database entries based on the query. The general aim is to find images that contain arrangements of regions similar to those in the query.
  • the database regions are searched for a feature match (step 51) and a spatial match (step 52) .
  • a suitable metric for comparing the spatial information such as x, y, h, w and area of the query region with the corresponding information for the database regions .
  • Suitable metrics include Euclidean distance and other Minkowski distances, and quadratic metrics whose definition involves a square matrix which expresses the relative similarity between the components of a vector.
  • a metric can also include weights which may be different for each of the geometric parameters .
  • thresholds are applied to the computed feature and spatial distances. Thus, if a distance exceeds the threshold, the database region is not included for further consideration. Instead of, or in addition to using separate thresholds for spatial and feature similarity as shown in Fig. 5, thresholding can be applied also to the combined region distance or score, i.e. before saving a region match in step 53. Distances may be combined by simple addition, or by suitable weighting followed by addition, for example.
  • "k-loop" feature similarity processing analogous to step 51 and spatial similarity processing analogous to step 52 may be carried out in parallel instead of pair-wise sequentially as illustrated in Fig. 5.
  • Parallel processing then yields two sets of regions, namely (i) those which meet feature similarity regardless of spatial similarity, and (ii) those which meet spatial similarity regardless of feature similarity.
  • a "join" operation will be required. After joining, a final thresholding operation can be performed.
  • multiple processors may also be used for parallel processing within steps 52 and 53.
  • Image matches are obtained as a result of the "join" operation in step 54, producing all those database images which meet each one of the region requirements of the query.
  • a query may result in an image being saved in step 54 more than once, namely for different combinations of its regions which satisfy the query. Such multiplicity may be helpful to a user of the system; otherwise, duplicates can be deleted by a simple one-pass search of the saved images . If the relative spatial location or arrangement of regions is not important to a user, the computation may terminate at this point (jS) , though preferably after the saved images are sorted by score.
  • a process can be used as illustrated by Fig. 6, using so-called 2-D strings.
  • Generation of 2-D strings at this point, i.e. after similarity processing, may be termed "query-time 2-D string generation" .
  • a 2-D string For a query image, a 2-D string includes the x- coordinates of the centroids of the regions, arranged as an increasing sequence, followed by the y-coordinates of the centroids, also arranged as an increasing sequence.
  • the coordinates of those regions are used which were matched against the query image regions .
  • the 2-D string of the query image is formed in step 61, and, in step 62, this string is matched against the 2-D strings from each of the saved images.
  • step 63 only in case of a match, the database image is saved, so that only those images are ultimately sorted and produced in step 64 which have a 2-D string which matches the 2-D string of the query image.
  • 2-D strings can be produced after rotation of the coordinate system, e.g. by 45°.
  • Such 2-D strings are defined analogously, using coordinates x' and y' of the centroids in the rotated coordinate system.

Abstract

In a system in which database images are represented by regions having specified feature attributes and spatial location attributes, image queries can be directed to region feature similarly and region spatial location similarity in combination. If desired, the relative spatial arrangement of regions can also be taken into account.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMAGE RETRIEVAL
Technical Field
This invention relates to computerized image retrieval and, more specifically, to retrieval based on image database querying .
Background of the Invention
With advances in computer hardware technology, it has become possible to store, manipulate and transmit large numbers of images. When represented in computer- tractable form, the images can be included in an image database.
Systems have been developed, typically in the form of computer software, for image database management and image retrieval. For example, as disclosed in U.S. Patent 5,493,677, issued February 20, 1996 to Balogh et al . , images can be retrieved by searching text associated with the images for a match with a query. Systems have also been developed which use image content descriptors, for querying by image content. Such a system is disclosed in U.S. Patent 5,579,471, issued November 26, 1996 to Barber et al . and in the paper by W. Niblack et al . , "The QBIC Project: Querying Images by Content Using Color, Texture, and Shape", in Storage and Retrieval for Image and Video Databases, Wayne Niblack, Editor, Proc . SPIE 1908, pp. 173-187 (1993) .
Summary of the Invention
We have recognized that, for greater accuracy in retrieving images from an image database, querying based on image content can be combined with querying based on spatial location. Thus, in a system in which each image is represented by a plurality of regions having feature attributes and spatial location attributes, queries can be directed to region feature similarity and region spatial location similarity in combination. If desired, the relative spatial arrangement of regions can also be taken into account.
Brief Description of the Drawing
Fig. 1 is an example of an image with regions for inclusion in a database.
Fig. 2 is a tabular display of a representation of the regions of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an example of an image with regions for database querying.
Fig. 4 is a tabular display of a representation of the regions of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a flow diagram of database query processing for discriminating based on region feature and region absolute spatial location.
Fig. 6 is a flow diagram of database query processing for discriminating based on the relative location of regions.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments
The following description is primarily in terms of method steps for execution by a suitable processor under program control . The program may originate as software, or, for greater efficiency, it may be embodied at least in part in dedicated firmware or hardware. A prototype system embodying features as described has been formulated in the JAVA language . The system can operate on suitable hardware such as a SUN Workstation, a Silicon Graphics Workstation, or a PC with a Pentium processor, for example.
Conveniently, an image database to be queried has tabular form, with each record or table entry representing a region of an image. A record includes an image identifier, a region identifier, a region attribute and, for geometric characterization, the x- and y- coordinates of the centroid of the region, the width and height of the region, and the area of the region. The table may be generated by manual keyboard entry based on visual inspection of images. Alternatively, if a suitable pattern recognition system is available, table generation may be automated. To illustrate database entries, the image 10 shown in Fig. 1 and having been given the identifier "T" can be represented by the table entries shown in Fig. 2. Included are : region 100 (t0, stretching across the bottom of the image, below a broken line) ; region 101 (t1( bounded by a rectangle drawn with broken lines) ; region 102 (t2, bounded by a rectangle drawn with chain-dotted lines) , region 103 (t3, bounded by a rectangle drawn with broken lines) ; and region 104 (t4, stretching across the top of the image, above a broken line) .
The x,y-coordinates, the width w, and the height h of each region are given in percent of the respective maximal values. The values x, y, w and h define a "bounding rectangle" for each region, so that the area of a region is less than or equal to w times h. As illustrated, regions may overlap, and their union need not cover the image.
The attribute f may simply represent color, for example, with color being represented by known means, e.g., by a color histogram or by color sets. Other simple attributes which may be used include texture and shape, and such attributes may be combined into more complex attributes.
A search query is expressed correspondingly. For example, for the search pattern shown in Fig. 3, a query region table may be formed as shown in Fig. 4. For a database and a query, e.g. with entries as illustrated by Figs. 2 and 4, respectively, Fig. 5 illustrates query processing for finding database entries based on the query. The general aim is to find images that contain arrangements of regions similar to those in the query.
According to Fig. 5, starting at "o-", for each region in the query, the database regions are searched for a feature match (step 51) and a spatial match (step 52) . For spatial matching, this involves using a suitable metric for comparing the spatial information such as x, y, h, w and area of the query region with the corresponding information for the database regions . Suitable metrics include Euclidean distance and other Minkowski distances, and quadratic metrics whose definition involves a square matrix which expresses the relative similarity between the components of a vector. A metric can also include weights which may be different for each of the geometric parameters .
Similar metrics can be used for feature matching (ft) . For example, if color histogram information is included in terms of components "red", "green" and "blue", a 3-component Euclidean metric can be used. Analogously, this applies when such information is included in terms of components "hue", "saturation" and "intensity" .
For efficiency, as shown in Fig. 5, thresholds are applied to the computed feature and spatial distances. Thus, if a distance exceeds the threshold, the database region is not included for further consideration. Instead of, or in addition to using separate thresholds for spatial and feature similarity as shown in Fig. 5, thresholding can be applied also to the combined region distance or score, i.e. before saving a region match in step 53. Distances may be combined by simple addition, or by suitable weighting followed by addition, for example.
If multiple processors are available, "k-loop" feature similarity processing analogous to step 51 and spatial similarity processing analogous to step 52 may be carried out in parallel instead of pair-wise sequentially as illustrated in Fig. 5. Parallel processing then yields two sets of regions, namely (i) those which meet feature similarity regardless of spatial similarity, and (ii) those which meet spatial similarity regardless of feature similarity. Thus, to obtain the desired set of regions which meet both types of features, a "join" operation will be required. After joining, a final thresholding operation can be performed. Advantageously, multiple processors may also be used for parallel processing within steps 52 and 53.
Image matches are obtained as a result of the "join" operation in step 54, producing all those database images which meet each one of the region requirements of the query. A query may result in an image being saved in step 54 more than once, namely for different combinations of its regions which satisfy the query. Such multiplicity may be helpful to a user of the system; otherwise, duplicates can be deleted by a simple one-pass search of the saved images . If the relative spatial location or arrangement of regions is not important to a user, the computation may terminate at this point (jS) , though preferably after the saved images are sorted by score.
For discriminating further based on relative spatial location of regions, a process can be used as illustrated by Fig. 6, using so-called 2-D strings. Generation of 2-D strings at this point, i.e. after similarity processing, may be termed "query-time 2-D string generation" . For a query image, a 2-D string includes the x- coordinates of the centroids of the regions, arranged as an increasing sequence, followed by the y-coordinates of the centroids, also arranged as an increasing sequence. For a database image, correspondingly, the coordinates of those regions are used which were matched against the query image regions .
The 2-D string of the query image is formed in step 61, and, in step 62, this string is matched against the 2-D strings from each of the saved images. In step 63, only in case of a match, the database image is saved, so that only those images are ultimately sorted and produced in step 64 which have a 2-D string which matches the 2-D string of the query image.
Instead of or in addition to 2-D strings including x- and y-coordinates of centroids as described, 2-D strings can be produced after rotation of the coordinate system, e.g. by 45°. Such 2-D strings are defined analogously, using coordinates x' and y' of the centroids in the rotated coordinate system.

Claims

CLAIMS :
1. A method for retrieving image representations from an image database, comprising: for each of a plurality of regions of a query image, searching the database for image regions which match the query region with respect to at least one feature similarity and at least one spatial similarity; and joining the matched image regions.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in searching the database, feature similarity and spatial similarity of the database image regions are ascertained pair-wise sequentially.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in searching the database, feature similarity and spatial similarity are ascertained using separate processes in parallel.
4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising saving those database images which include the joined image regions.
5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising sorting the saved images.
6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising discriminating among the saved images based on relative location of the joined regions.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein discriminating among the saved images comprises comparing 2-D strings.
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the 2 - D strings comprise x- and y-coordinates of region centroids .
9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the 2- D strings comprise x' - and y' -coordinates of region centroids, in a rotated coordinate system.
10. The method according to claim 6, further comprising sorting the discriminated images.
11. The method according to claim 4, further comprising deleting duplicates from the saved images.
12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the feature similarity comprises color similarity.
13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the feature similarity comprises texture similarity.
14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the feature similarity comprises shape similarity.
15. A system for retrieving image representations from an image database, comprising: means for searching the database, for each of a plurality of regions of a query image, for image regions which match the query region with respect to at least one feature similarity and at least one spatial similarity; and means for joining the matched image regions.
16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the means for searching the database comprises means for ascertaining feature similarity and spatial similarity of the database image regions pair-wise sequentially.
17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the means for searching the database comprises means for ascertaining feature similarity and spatial similarity in parallel .
18. The system according to claim 15, further comprising means for saving those database images which include the joined image regions.
19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising means for sorting the saved images.
20. The system according to claim 18, further comprising means for discriminating among the saved images based on relative location of the joined regions.
21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the means for discriminating among the saved images comprises means for comparing 2-D strings.
22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the 2-D strings comprise x- and y-coordinates of region centroids.
23. The system according to claim 21, wherein the 2-D strings comprise x' - and y' -coordinates of region centroids, in a rotated coordinate system.
24. The system according to claim 20, further comprising means for sorting the discriminated images.
25. The system according to claim 18, further comprising means for deleting duplicates from the saved images.
26. The system according to claim 15, wherein the feature similarity comprises color similarity.
27. The system according to claim 15, wherein the feature similarity comprises texture similarity.
28. The system according to claim 15, wherein the feature similarity comprises shape similarity.
PCT/US1997/009256 1997-05-16 1997-05-16 Method and system for image retrieval WO1998052119A1 (en)

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FR2801992A1 (en) * 1999-12-03 2001-06-08 Canon Kk Image searching method from database in computer, involves comparing two data items indicating region of interest in new image and representing visual content characteristic of example image
EP1184796A1 (en) * 2000-08-29 2002-03-06 Sudimage Method of associative navigation in a multimedia database
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GB2381615A (en) * 2001-08-23 2003-05-07 Hewlett Packard Co System and method for facilitating image retrieval
GB2417801A (en) * 2004-09-07 2006-03-08 Pepperdog Ltd Image processing apparatus
AT514355A1 (en) * 2013-05-17 2014-12-15 Ait Austrian Inst Technology Used to select digital images from an image database
AT514355B1 (en) * 2013-05-17 2017-01-15 Ait Austrian Institute Of Technology Gmbh Used to select digital images from an image database
CN106815272A (en) * 2015-12-02 2017-06-09 杭州海康威视数字技术股份有限公司 A kind of image search method, apparatus and system

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