Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Tomomi Takata

Yuji Kobayashi

Hidetomo Sohma

Hirotaka Shiiyama

Koichi Magai

Hiroshi Tojo

Masahiro Matsushita

Hidetomo Sohmai

A image processing apparatus extracts a plurality of feature points, comprising a local feature amount, from an inputted image, and a region information that relates to the feature point, identifies at least one of the plurality of feature points, associates the feature point thus identified with a feature point with a high relational degree between the feature point thus identified and a region that is denoted by the region information of the feature point thus identified, and registers the feature point thus identified and associated as an index of the inputted image.

Image processing apparatus and image retrieval method

When retrieving an image from an archive of stored images that is similar to an inputted image, an image-processing apparatus () extracts more than one characteristic point from the inputted image (S), computes a characteristic amount for the characteristic points thus extracted (S), and evaluates the fluctuation in the characteristic amount when a prescribed alteration is applied to the inputted image (S). The image-processing apparatus selects a characteristic point from among the characteristic points thus extracted from the inputted image, and retrieves (S) a stored image that is similar to the inputted image, in accordance with the characteristic amount of the characteristic point thus selected.

Image-processing apparatus and image-processing method

A plurality of feature points are extracted from an inputted image, and a feature amount is computed with regard to the feature point thus extracted. A prescribed plurality of alterations, i.e., a rotation, an enlargement, or a reduction, are applied to the inputted image, a plurality of altered feature amounts are estimated with regard to the feature point, and an image is retrieved from among stored images that are stored upon a storage apparatus and that is most similar to the inputted image, in accordance with the plurality of the estimated altered feature amounts.

A search request input processing unit holds an input query word in a query word holding unit. An associative word unfolding processing unit acquires associative words in association with the query word held in the query word holding unit with reference to an associative word dictionary. An image content search processing unit using associative words makes a keyword search of image information on the basis of the obtained associative words and the query word. A sensory pattern unfolding processing unit obtains the query word and sensory patterns corresponding to associative words of the query word, and searches image information using feature amounts of the obtained sensory patterns. A search result integration processing unit integrates the search results obtained by the image content word search processing unit and sensory pattern search processing unit.

Information search apparatus and method, and computer readable memory

An information input apparatus for inputting content information and obtaining attribute information for identifying the content information. By transmitting the obtained attribute information to other apparatuses when the content information is input, attribute information can be easily added to the content information. Then, the attribute information added to the content information can be distributed.

Information input apparatus, information input method, control program, and storage medium

Metadata corresponding to each segment is added to a content. Each metadata describes a metadata item such as the dominant color or person of the segment. Each metadata item describes metametadata for representing an editing content to the content that influences the effectiveness of the metadata item. When the content is edited, an information processing apparatus adds to the metametadata a description representing executed editing. From the metametadata, the information processing apparatus which processes the content can determine the effectiveness of each metadata item. As a result, the effectiveness of each metadata can be reliably determined.

Information processing apparatus and method that determines effectiveness of metadata for editing information content

An information processing method according to the present invention for editing multimedia content including metadata includes a receiving step and a determining step. In the receiving step, operation information about an editing operation is received. In the determining step, it is determined whether or not the metadata is usable for the edited multimedia content in accordance with the operation information and a property of the metadata in which a change in the reliability of the metadata due to the editing operation is written.

Information processing method and apparatus

According to this invention, upon managing a plurality of data by individually appending meta data used to search for the data, an input sheet that describes predetermined candidates of meta data is prepared, the user selects meta data from the candidates of meta data, and the selected meta data is saved in association with the data. Upon making a search, a data search is conducted using meta data, and after the data found by search are partially provided to the user, the user selects desired data. In this way, everyone can easily and efficiently append information for a search to data to be managed.

Data management system, data management method, and program

An image search apparatus acquires associative words in relation to an input query word, and makes a keyword search of image information on the basis of the obtained associative words and input query word. Parallel to the keyword search, the apparatus acquires a query word and sensory patterns corresponding to the query word, and makes a feature amount search using the feature amounts of the obtained sensory patterns. A search result integration process integrates these search results at weight ratios which are set in advance to obtain final search results. In this manner, the multimedia information wanted can be accurately extracted with respect to the input query word.

Information search apparatus and method

An apparatus has an image content word holding unit for storing multimedia information, and content words each of which verbalizes a concept expressed in the multimedia information, and an associative word dictionary for storing content words, associative words associated with the content words, and non-associative words which one does not bilaterally associate with the content words in correspondence with each other. The apparatus acquires associative words corresponding to an input query word from the associative word dictionary, and searches multimedia information on the basis of the acquired associative words using a search processing unit. Also, the apparatus acquires non-associative words corresponding to the input query word from the associative word dictionary, and searches multimedia information on the basis of feature amounts corresponding to the acquired non-associative words using the search processing unit. A search result integration processing unit integrates first and second search results obtained by the search processing unit on the basis of the second search results.

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Yokohama, Japan

Tomomi Takata