At&t Investments UK LLC

At&t Laboratories Cambridge Limited

David Andrew Sinclair

Kenneth Robert Wood

A technique is provided for classifying images in a library () for subsequent selective retrieval. Each library image is segmented () into a plurality of coherent regions. Each of the regions is analysed in respect of a plurality of visual properties, each of which is ascribed a number according to the value of the visual property. The property numbers are then compared () with bands of the available property range and a computer-readable character, such as a letter of the alphabet, is ascribed to each of the property values. The characters are then arranged () in a predetermined order to form a region character string. The strings for each region are then indexed () to form an index () of the images by region character string. For image retrieval, a target image () is analysed in the same way to form region character strings which are then supplied to a text retrieval system () for detecting matches with entries in the index (). Library images having matching regions are retrieved from the library ().

Method of and apparatus for classifying an image

A technique is provided for classifying images in a library () for subsequent selective retrieval. Each library image is segmented () into a plurality of coherent regions. Each of the regions is analyzed in respect of a plurality of visual properties, each of which is ascribed a number according to the value of the visual property. The property numbers are then compared () with bands of the available property range and a computer-readable character, such as a letter of the alphabet is ascribed to each of the property values. The characters are then arranged () in a predetermined order to form a region character string. The strings for each region are then indexed () to form an index () of the images by region character string. For image retrieval, a target image () is analyzed in the same way to form region character strings which are then supplied to a text retrieval system () for detecting matches with entries in the index (). Library images having matching regions are retrieved from the library ().

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Cambridge, United Kingdom

David Andrew Sinclair