IP Library Granted Patent US 7,203,358
Granted Patent B2
US 7,203,358 · App. 10/528,729 · Granted Apr 10, 2007

Method and device for measuring similarity between images

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,203,358
App. No.
10/528,729
Granted
Apr 10, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method is disclosed for measuring similarity between images, comprising the performance of the following steps for each of the images: segmentation of the image into segments, classification of the segments as a function of their orientation to give classes, calculation of a histogram of the number of segments as a function of class, calculation of a histogram of the number of pixels belonging to the segments of one and the same class as a function of class, and comparing, for each image, the histograms calculated above to their respective histograms calculated for each of the rest of the images to give a measurement of similarity.

Claims (22)

1. Method of measuring similarity between images, comprising:

performing, for each of the images, the following steps:

(a) segmentation of the image into segments,

(b) classification of the segments as a function of their orientation to give classes,

(c) calculation of a histogram of the number of segments as a function of class,

(d) calculation of a histogram of the number of pixels belonging to the segments of one and the same class as a function of class,

comparing, for each image, the histograms calculated above to their respective histograms calculated for each of the rest of the images to give a measurement of similarity.

2. Method according to claim 1 , also calculating a third histogram corresponding to the distribution of the segments about the centre of gravity of each class.

3. Method according to claim 2 , wherein, to calculate the third histogram, it performs a calculation of the standard deviation of the distances from the middles of the segments of a class to the centre of gravity of the class considered.

4. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that wherein the comparison of the histograms consists of a subtraction of the ordinates class by class and of a sum, over the set of classes, of the subtraction result obtained for each class.

5. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the histograms are coded according to the MPEG-7 standard.

6. Method of clustering images of a database, wherein the clustering is performed as a function of the measurements of similarity according to the method of claim 1 to give clusters of images.

7. Method of creating video summaries, implementing a selection of at least one of the images of at least one cluster calculated according to the method of claim 6 .

8. Method of video indexation, implementing a selection of at least one of the images of at least one cluster calculated according to the method of claim 6 , as indexation image.

9. Device for measuring similarity between images, comprising a circuit capable of

receiving digital data defining the images

performing, for each of the images, the following steps:

(a) segmentation of the image into segments,

(b) classification of the segments as a function of their orientation to give classes,

(c) calculation of a histogram of the number of segments as a function of class,

(d) calculation of a histogram of the number of pixels belonging to the segments of one and the same class as a function of class,

comparing, for each image, the histograms calculated above to their respective histograms calculated for each of the rest of the images to give a measurement of similarity.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 10, 2018
From: THOMSON LICENSING DTV
To: INTERDIGITAL MADISON PATENT HOLDINGS
Reel/Frame 046763/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2017
From: THOMSON LICENSING
To: THOMSON LICENSING DTV
Reel/Frame 043302/0965 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 21, 2017
From: THOMSON LICENSING S.A.
To: THOMSON LICENSING
Reel/Frame 042303/0268 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 2, 2007
From: THOMSON LICENSING S.A.
To: THOMSON LICENSING
Reel/Frame 018963/0636 →