IP Library Granted Patent US 8,045,800
Granted Patent B2
US 8,045,800 · App. 12/025,703 · Granted Oct 25, 2011

Active segmentation for groups of images

Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,045,800
App. No.
12/025,703
Granted
Oct 25, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods of segmenting images are disclosed herein. The similarity of images in a set of images is compared. A group of images is selected from the set of images. The images in the group of images are selected based on compared similarities among the images. An informative image is selected from the group of images. User-defined semantic information of the informative image is received. The group of images as a graph is modeled as a graph. Each image in the group of images denotes a node in the graph. Edges of the graph denote a foreground relationship between images or a background relationship between images. One or more images in the group of images are automatically segmented by propagating the semantic information of the informative image to images in the group of images having a corresponding graph node that is related to a graph node corresponding to the informative image. Segmentation results can be refined according to user provided image semantics.

Claims (31)

1. A computer-implemented method of segmenting images, comprising:

comparing similarity of images in a set of images;

selecting a group of images from the set of images, wherein the images in the group of images are selected based on compared similarities among the images;

selecting from the group of images an informative image;

receiving user-defined semantic information of the informative image;

modeling the group of images as a graph, wherein each image in the group of images denotes a node in the graph, and wherein edges of the graph denote a foreground relationship between images or a background relationship between images; and

automatically segmenting one or more images in the group of images by propagating the semantic information of the informative image to images in the group of images having a corresponding graph node that is related to a graph node corresponding to the informative image.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing similarity of images in a set of images includes constructing a code book based on words of the images in the set of images.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein selecting a group of images comprises selecting using similarities of the words of each image.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein selecting the informative image comprises selecting an image in the group of images with the higher number of non-overlapping words in relation to other images in the group of images.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting errors in a segmented image from the one or more images segmented from the group of images;

receiving user-defined refined semantic information regarding the segmented image;

automatically segmenting other images in the group of images that are related to the segmented image by propagating the refined semantic information of the segmented image to the other images having a corresponding node that is related to a node corresponding to the segmented image via at least one edge.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding nodes of the images in the group of images are related to the graph node corresponding to the informative image if the graph contains at least one edge between the corresponding nodes and the graph node.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising classifying an image in the set of images using background and foreground classifications.

8. A non-signal computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform acts comprising:

selecting a group of images from a set of images, wherein the images in the group of images are selected based on similarities among the images in the set of images;

selecting from the group of images an informative image;

receiving user-defined semantic information of the informative image;

modeling the group of images as a graph, wherein each image in the group of images denotes a node in the graph, and wherein edges of the graph denote a foreground relationship between images or a background relationship between images; and

automatically segmenting one or more images in the group of images by propagating the semantic information of the informative image to images in the group of images having a corresponding graph node that is related to a graph node corresponding to the informative image.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein comparing similarity of images in a set of images includes constructing a code book based on words of the images in the set of images.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein selecting a group of images comprises selecting using similarities of the words of each image.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein selecting the informative image comprises selecting an image in the group of images with the higher number of non-overlapping words in relation to other images in the group of images.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , the acts further comprising:

detecting errors in a segmented image from the one or more images segmented from the group of images;

receiving user-defined refined semantic information regarding the segmented image;

automatically segmenting other images in the group of images that are related to the segmented image by propagating the refined semantic information of the segmented image to the other images having a corresponding node that is related to a node corresponding to the segmented image via at least one edge.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the corresponding nodes of the images in the group of images are related to the graph node corresponding to the informative image if the graph contains at least one edge between the corresponding nodes and the graph node.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , the acts further comprising classifying an image in the set of images using background and foreground classifications.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2014
From: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 034542/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 4, 2008
From: TANG, XIAOOU; YANG, QIONG
To: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 020505/0567 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 60943247 · Jun 11, 2007
Related Publication 20080304743A1 · Dec 11, 2008