The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 01, 2005
Filed:
Nov. 08, 2000
Toshiki Kindo, Kanagawa, JP;
Hideyuki Yoshida, Kanagawa, JP;
Takehiko Shida, Kanagawa, JP;
Natsuki Oka, Tokyo, JP;
Toshiki Kindo, Kanagawa, JP;
Hideyuki Yoshida, Kanagawa, JP;
Takehiko Shida, Kanagawa, JP;
Natsuki Oka, Tokyo, JP;
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for retrieving images which allows easy retrieval of a desired image from an image database stored in an electronic or optical recording medium or a communication network. As the first step of searching, through the menu entry section, the user enters multi-leveled retrieval requests for the keywords associated with an image. Received the requests, the retrieval section evaluates the user's necessity for the image based on at least the entered requests and the number of the requests. Then the retrieved image is displayed on the screen, according to the calculated necessity. The method and apparatus thus provide the user with a much-needed image in order of precedence by qualifying the user's necessity for the image.