IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,934,251
Granted Patent B2
US 9,934,251 · App. 13/629,338 · Granted Apr 3, 2018

Search supporting system, search supporting method and search supporting program

Inventors: Hideya Inoue (Yokohama, JP); Toru Iwaoka (Yotsukaido, JP); Michiko Noborisaka (Yokohama, JP); Masayuki Hatori (Soka, JP); Tomohide Hamada (Yokohama, JP); Yutaka Iwasaki (Yokohama, JP); Hideki Sasaki (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
G06F17/30256G06F17/30247G06Q30/0282G06Q30/06G06Q30/0601
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,934,251
App. No.
13/629,338
Granted
Apr 3, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a database, product image data is accumulated. A search portion acquires product image data having the image characteristics information that is the same as or similar to the image characteristics information that indicates the characteristics of the image of input image data from the database for the input image data. A search server outputs information on another product that is different from the product corresponding to the product image data together with the product image data acquired by the search portion.

Claims (50)

1. A search supporting system comprising:

a memory that stores instructions; and

a computer that is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to:

receive an input image,

extract a contour of the input image and generate image data of the contour,

determine a product type of a target based on the image data of the contour,

search a database, based on the type of the target and on preference information of a user, to select a first target image that best coincides with the contour by comparing image characteristics information that represents characteristics of an image of the image data of the contour with image characteristics information that represents characteristics of the first target image that is included in the database, the preference information being accumulated in the database for each of a plurality of product types, and

output, together with the first target image, a second target image on a display, the second target image being different from the first target image and being from the database.

2. The search supporting system according to claim 1 , wherein the preference information includes at least one of form, color, shape, and texture.

3. The search supporting system according to claim 1 ,

wherein target information is stored in the database in association with the first target image, and

wherein the target information associated with the first target image is output.

4. The search supporting system according to claim 3 , wherein the target information includes at least one of a name, a sales store, and a price.

5. The search supporting system according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a user terminal that provides the input image; and

a server device that includes the memory, the computer and the database.

6. The search supporting system according to claim 1 , wherein the second target is of the same type as the first target.

7. The search supporting system according to claim 1 , wherein the second target is of a different type than the first target.

8. The search supporting system according to claim 1 ,

wherein

the second target is of a type that is different than the type of the first target and that can be combined with the first target.

9. The search supporting system according to claim 8 ,

wherein the second target image is extracted based on the preference information that is accumulated in the database.

10. The search supporting system according to claim 8 ,

wherein the computer is further configured to:

generate a composed image acquired by composing the first target image and the second target image, and

output the composed image on the display.

11. The search supporting system according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a user terminal that provides the input image; and

a server device that includes the memory, the computer and the database.

12. The search supporting system according to claim 1 ,

wherein

the second target is of a different type that can be purchased in combination with the first target with high probability.

13. The search supporting system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a user terminal that provides the input image; and

a server device that includes the memory, the computer and the database.

14. The search supporting system according to claim 1 , wherein the input image data is input by a user terminal.

15. The search supporting system according to claim 1 , wherein the input image data is stored in a user terminal in advance.

16. A method of supporting a search, the method being performed by a computer executing instructions stored in a memory, the method comprising:

receiving an input image;

extracting a contour of the input image and generating image data of the contour;

determining a product type of a target based on the image data of the contour;

searching a database, based on the type of the target and on preference information of a user, to select a first target image that best coincides with the contour by comparing image characteristics information that represents characteristics of an image of the image data of the contour with image characteristics information that represents characteristics of the first target image, the preference information being accumulated in the database for each of a plurality of product types; and

outputting, together with the first target image, a second target image on a display, the second target image being different from the first target image and being from the database.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a search supporting program that causes a computer to perform the operations of:

receiving an input image;

extracting a contour of the input image and generating image data of the contour;

determining a product type of a target based on the image data of the contour;

searching a database, based on the type of the target and on preference information of a user, to select a first target image that best coincides with the contour by comparing image characteristics information that represents characteristics of an image of the image data of the contour with image characteristics information that represents characteristics of the first target image, the preference information being accumulated in the database for each of a plurality of product types; and

outputting, together with the first target image, a second target image on a display, the second target image being different from the first target image and being from the database.

Priority Claims (2)
JP 2008-205730 · Aug 8, 2008 · national
JP 2008-262035 · Oct 8, 2008 · national
Continuity (3)
Division 12461328 · Aug 7, 2009
Provisional Application 61136293 · Aug 26, 2008
Related Publication 20130022275A1 · Jan 24, 2013