Method and device for displaying or searching for object in image and computer-readable storage medium

1. A method of representing an object appearing in an image or a sequence of images, by processing signals corresponding to the image, the method comprising:

deriving a plurality of peak height coordinate values for peaks of an outline of the object in curvature scale space on the basis of the signals, and

applying a non-linear transformation to the peak height coordinate values to generate a representation of the outline.

2. An apparatus configured to implement a method as claimed in claim 1 .

3. A computer program stored on a computer-readable-medium for implementing a method as claimed in claim 1 .

4. A computer system programmed to operate according to a method as claimed in claim 1 .

5. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable process steps for implementing a method as claimed in claim 1 .

6. A method for representing an object appearing in an image, comprising:

determining a curvature scale space representation for an object outline to generate a plurality of curves representative of said outline;

determining peaks and associated peak coordinates for said, plurality of curves; and

generating a shape descriptor for said outline using a non-linear transformation applied to y-coordinate values of said peak coordinates.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

storing said shape descriptor as a description for said object in a memory.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein said non-linear calculation being in the form of y′=a*Y b +c, where a, b, and c are predetermined constants.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein b being greater than zero and less than 1.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein b being greater than or equal to 0.25 and less than or equal to 0.75.

11. A method for representing an object appearing in an image, comprising:

determining a curvature scale space representation for an object outline to generate a plurality of curves representative of said outline;

determining peaks and associated peak coordinates for said plurality of curves; and

generating a shape descriptor for said outline using a scaling transformation applied to y-coordinate values of said peak coordinates.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

storing said shape descriptor as a description for said object in a memory.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein said scaling calculation being in the form of y′=a 0 +a 1 *y, where a 0 and a 1 are predetermined constants.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein b being greater than zero and less than 1.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein b being greater than or equal to 0.25 and less than or equal to 0.75.

16. A method for representing an object appearing in an image, comprising:

determining a curvature scale space representation for an object outline to generate a plurality of curves representative of said outline;

determining peaks and associated peak coordinates for said plurality of curves using a binomial filter having at least three predetermined coefficients; and

generating a shape descriptor for said outline using a non-linear transformation applied to y-coordinate values of said peak coordinates.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

storing said shape descriptor as a description for said object in a memory.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein said non-linear calculation being in the form of y′=a*Y b +c, where a, b, and c are predetermined constants.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein b being greater than zero and less than 1.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein b being greater than or equal to 0.25 and less than or equal to 0.75.