US6404937B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for image retrieval
Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1999-03-25
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Granted: 2002-06-11
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Expires: 2019-03-25
Abstract
Abstract An image retrieval method and an image retrieval apparatus are disclosed in which it is possible to identify in which image-information recording medium or in which group an image to be retrieved is included. The image retrieval apparatus has a recording controller for recording image information on a disk drive or a hard disk drive. A reduction/expansion controller generates an index picture of a predetermined group of the image information. A retrieval-information storage unit generates index picture IDs, medium IDs, and folder IDs while correlating the above different types of IDs with each other, and stores the IDs together with the index pictures. With this arrangement, a desired item of image information is retrieved by using the index pictures, the index picture IDs, the medium IDs, and the folder IDs. It is thus possible to obtain a target image by sequentially checking the index picture visually.
Inventors
- 👤 Hideyuki Agata
- 👤 Yoshiyuki Fujiwara
- 👤 Hiroyuki Bando
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:32
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/32; H04N1/32101; H04N1/32128; G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/50; G06F16/54; H04N1/32106; H04N1/32122; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3225; H04N2201/3226; H04N2201/3247; H04N2201/325; H04N2201/3254; H04N2201/3274; H04N2201/3277
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
An image retrieval apparatus comprising: image data recording means for recording image data on an image data recording medium; index picture generating means for generating an index picture based upon a predetermined portion of said image data; image-group ID-code generating means for generating an ID code of the index picture, an ID code of the image data recording medium, and an ID code of the predetermined portion while correlating the ID code of the index picture with the ID code of the image data recording medium and the ID code of the predetermined portion; and retrieval-information storage means for storing the index picture with the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion; wherein a desired item of image data is retrieved by using the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
163 words
An image retrieval apparatus comprising: image data recording means for recording image data on an image data recording medium; index picture generating means for generating an index picture based upon a predetermined portion of said image data; image-group ID-code generating means for generating an ID code of the index picture, an ID code of the image data recording medium, and an ID code of the predetermined portion while correlating the ID code of the index picture with the ID code of the image data recording medium and the ID code of the predetermined portion; and retrieval-information storage means for storing the index picture with the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion; wherein a desired item of image data is retrieved by using the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
An image retrieval apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion are recorded on said image data recording medium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
An image retrieval apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion are printed on a label, and the label is adhered to the image data recording medium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
147 words
An image retrieval method comprising the steps of: recording image data on an image data recording medium; generating an index picture based upon a predetermined portion of said image data; generating an ID code of the index picture, an ID code of the image data recording medium, and an ID code of the predetermined portion while correlating the ID code of the index picture with the ID code of the image data recording medium and the ID code of the predetermined portion; and storing the index picture with the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion; wherein a desired item of image data is retrieved by using the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
147 words
An image retrieval method comprising the steps of: recording image data on an image data recording medium; generating an index picture based upon a predetermined portion of said image data; generating an ID code of the index picture, an ID code of the image data recording medium, and an ID code of the predetermined portion while correlating the ID code of the index picture with the ID code of the image data recording medium and the ID code of the predetermined portion; and storing the index picture with the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion; wherein a desired item of image data is retrieved by using the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
66 words
An image retrieval method according to claim 4 , wherein the step of storing stores a retrieval word in correspondence with the index picture, the image data recording medium, and the predetermined portion, wherein the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion are output in correspondence with the retrieval word.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
An image retrieval method according to claim 4 , wherein the index picture is stored by selecting a desired item of image information.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
159 words
A storage medium for recording a program implementing an image retrieval method, said image retrieval method comprising the steps of: recording image data in an image data recording medium; generating an index picture based upon a predetermined portion of said image data; generating an ID code of the index picture, an ID code of the image data recording medium, and an ID code of the predetermined portion while correlating the ID code of the index picture with the ID code of the image data recording medium and the ID code of the predetermined portion; and storing the index picture with the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion; wherein a desired item of image data is retrieved by using the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
159 words
A storage medium for recording a program implementing an image retrieval method, said image retrieval method comprising the steps of: recording image data in an image data recording medium; generating an index picture based upon a predetermined portion of said image data; generating an ID code of the index picture, an ID code of the image data recording medium, and an ID code of the predetermined portion while correlating the ID code of the index picture with the ID code of the image data recording medium and the ID code of the predetermined portion; and storing the index picture with the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion; wherein a desired item of image data is retrieved by using the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
65 words
A storage medium according to claim 7 , wherein the step of storing stores a retrieval word in correspondence with the index picture, the image data recording medium, and the predetermined portion, wherein the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion are output in correspondence with the retrieval word.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A storage medium according to claim 7 , wherein the index picture is stored by selecting a desired item of image data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
201 words
An image printing apparatus comprising: image data recording means for recording image data on an image data recording medium; index picture generating means for generating an index picture based upon a predetermined portion of said image data; image-group ID-code generating means for generating an ID code of the index picture, an ID code of the image data recording medium, and an ID code of the predetermined portion while correlating the ID code of the index picture with the ID code of the image data recording medium and the ID code of the predetermined portion; retrieval-information storage means for storing the index picture with the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion; and printing means for printing the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion on a label, said label being adhered to said image data recording medium; wherein a desired image is retrieved by using the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined group.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
201 words
An image printing apparatus comprising: image data recording means for recording image data on an image data recording medium; index picture generating means for generating an index picture based upon a predetermined portion of said image data; image-group ID-code generating means for generating an ID code of the index picture, an ID code of the image data recording medium, and an ID code of the predetermined portion while correlating the ID code of the index picture with the ID code of the image data recording medium and the ID code of the predetermined portion; retrieval-information storage means for storing the index picture with the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion; and printing means for printing the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined portion on a label, said label being adhered to said image data recording medium; wherein a desired image is retrieved by using the ID code of the index picture, the ID code of the image data recording medium, and the ID code of the predetermined group.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-06-10 | 2005-12-10 | 2006-06-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-06-10 | 2009-12-10 | 2010-06-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-06-10 | 2013-12-10 | 2014-06-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |