IMAGE-BASED SEARCH INTERFACE

1 . An image processing method for providing a web user with a pre-populated search interface, comprising:

(a) receiving an image from a source;

(b) analyzing the image to identify the subject matter within the image;

(c) generating a search tag based on the subject matter within the image; and

(d) sending the search tag to the source.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying positional information of a first object in the image;

generating a first search tag based on the first object;

linking the positional information of the first object to the search tag based on the first object;

identifying positional information of a second object in the image;

generating a second search tag based on the second object;

linking the positional information of the second object to the search tag based on the second object; and

sending the first search tag and the second search tag, and respective positional information, to the source.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein steps (b) and (c) are automatically performed by a computer-implemented image recognition engine.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein steps (b) and (c) are performed by crowdsourcing.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the search tag is an informational query, a navigational query, a transactional query, a connectivity query, or a syntax-specific standardized query.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the search tag is used to pre-populate the search interface.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the search tag is sent to the source upon a user's activation of the image.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the user's activation of the image is a mouse-over event.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating contextually relevant content based on the search tag; and

sending the contextually relevant content to the source.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the contextually relevant content is displayed proximate to the search interface.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the contextually relevant content is selected from the group consisting of: an advertisement creative, a hyperlink, text, and an image.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

conducting an Internet search based on the search tag; and

sending the Internet search results to the source.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the Internet search results are displayed proximate to the search interface.

14 . A computer-implemented method for providing an Internet search interface, comprising:

displaying a digital image on a web browser; and

upon a web user's activation of the image, presenting to the user a pre-populated search interface.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the user's activation of the image is a mouse-over event.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

providing a hyperlink proximate to the search interface, wherein the hyperlink is generated based on an object within the image.

17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

displaying an advertisement creative proximate to the search interface, wherein the advertisement creative is selected based on an object within the image.

18 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

displaying content specific advertising proximate to the search interface, wherein the content specific advertising is generated based on an object within the image.

19 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

displaying content specific information proximate to the search interface, wherein the content specific information is generated based on an object with the image.

20 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

analyzing the image to identify one or more objects within the image;

generating a search tag based on the one or more objects within the image; and

pre-populating the search interface with the search tag.