IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,103,692
Granted Patent B2
US 8,103,692 · App. 12/488,884 · Granted Jan 24, 2012

Search system using images

Assignee: Jeong Tae Kim
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,103,692
App. No.
12/488,884
Granted
Jan 24, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A search system using images is provided in which when a user does not know a relevant URL or search keyword correctly while surfing the Internet, he or she can search a desired website using only an image. The search system using images according to the present invention comprises an image search server and a user terminal. The image search system comprises: an image conversion section for converting the image included in the website information and the to-be-searched image uploaded by the user into search format images; an image search section for comparing eigen values of both the to-be-searched image uploaded by the user and the search image included in the website information and detecting the website information having a matching eigen value; and a storage section for storing the detected website information, the image included in the website information, and information regarding eigen values.

Claims (24)

1. A search system using images comprising:

an image search server for searching for an image included in website information, wherein the image search system comprises:

An image conversion section for converting the image included in the website information and the to-be-searched image uploaded by the user into search format images, the image conversion section including a unit color management module for extracting the number of and the ratio between unit colors included in both the image included in the website information and the to-be-searched image uploaded by the user, as eigen values

A collective region management module for converting a degree of collection of the colors for a certain region in each of both the image included in the website information and the to-be-searched image submitted by the user as eigen values;

An image search section for comparing an eigen value of the to-be-searched image uploaded by the user, which has been extracted in the image conversion section 120 with an eigen value of the search image included in the website information, which has been extracted in the image conversion section, and detecting the website information having a matching or similar eigen value;

a storage section for storing the detected website information, the image included in the website information, and information regarding eigen values for the converted search format images;

and a user terminal for allowing a user to register and submit a to-be-searched image in the image server.

2. The search system according to claim 1 , wherein the image conversion section further comprises a hash value management module for extracting hash values for the image included in the website information and the to-be-searched image submitted by the user as eigen values.

3. The search system according to claim 1 , wherein the image search section further comprises an entire or partial matching selection module for adjusting an error range for a comparison result of the compared eigen values.

4. The search system according to claim 1 , wherein the image conversion section further comprises a non-compression format conversion module for converting the image included in the website information and the to-be-searched image submitted by the user into non-compression format images.

5. The search system according to claim 4 , wherein the image conversion section further comprises a hash value management module for extracting hash values for initial files of the image included in the website information and the to-be-searched image submitted by the user as eigen values.

6. The search system according to claim 4 , wherein the image search section further comprises an entire/partial entire or partial matching selection module for adjusting an error range for a comparison result of the compared eigen values.

7. The search system according to claim 1 , wherein the image conversion section further comprises a hash value management module for extracting hash values for of the image included in the website information and the to-be-searched image submitted by the user as eigen values.

8. The search system according to claim 1 , wherein the image search section further comprises an entire or partial matching selection module for adjusting an error range for a comparison result of the compared eigen values.

9. The search system according to claim 1 , wherein the image conversion section further comprises a representative color management module for reducing the image at a ratio, reconstructing each of the reduced images in a representative color among the colors of respective pixels based on an arbitrarily simplified color palette, and extracting the reconstructed representative color as the eigen value.

10. The search system according to claim 9 , wherein the image conversion section further comprises a hash value management module for extracting hash values for initial files of the image included in the website information and the to-be-searched image submitted by the user as eigen values.

11. The search system according to claim 9 , wherein the image search section further comprises an entire or partial matching selection module for adjusting an error range for a comparison result of the compared eigen values.

12. The search system according to claim 1 , wherein the image conversion section further comprises a linear or multi-linear pattern management module for extracting the linear or multi-linear pattern information between single or plural patterns in the pattern unit as the eigen value based on the value designated to the color of each pixel of the image in the case where the values of a linear or multi-linear pattern of pixels, or the colors are adjacent to each other in a pixel unit.

13. The search system according to claim 12 , wherein the image conversion section further comprises a hash value management module for extracting a hash value for an initial file of the image included in the website information and the to-be-searched image submitted by the user as an eigen value.

14. The search system according to claim 12 , wherein the image search section further comprises an entire or partial matching selection module for adjusting an error range for a comparison result of the compared eigen values.

15. The search system according to claim 1 , wherein the image service further comprises:

a web service section for providing an Internet access service and then transmitting website information including a search image, in which the to-be-searched image of a user is registered, to the user terminal to allow the user terminal to output the transmitted website information; and

a search engine for searching for the website information.

16. The search system according to claim 1 , wherein the image service comprises a search image registering interface screen for allowing the user terminal connected thereto through the Internet to register the search image.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2015
From: KIM, JUNG-TAE
To: ODD CONCEPTS INC.
Reel/Frame 037166/0342 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2009
From: KIM, JEONG-TAE; MOON, SANG-WHAN; AHN, JIN-MYEONG
To: KIM, JEONG-TAE
Reel/Frame 022855/0879 →
Priority Claims (2)
KR 10-2008-0071018 · Jul 22, 2008 · national
KR 10-2009-0001073 · Jan 7, 2009 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100023507A1 · Jan 28, 2010