Patent ID: 11941045
Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Field: Computer technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 0:
1. An image searching apparatus comprising a computer executing instructions to cause the computer to function as:
a searching unit configured to search a plurality of search target images for an image relating to a query image based on a first similarity between the query image and each of the plurality of the search target images, and to rank a part of the plurality of search target images, wherein the first similarity is estimated by a first evaluation scheme;
a first obtaining unit configured to obtain a feedback indicating at least one of correct or incorrect regarding the image searched by the searching unit;
a second obtaining unit configured to obtain an evaluation of an effect of changing a similarity evaluation scheme from the first evaluation scheme to a second evaluation scheme by re-ranking the part of the plurality of search target images based on a second similarity between the query image and the search target image and the second similarity is estimated by the second evaluation scheme generated based on the feedback; and
a control unit configured to control, in accordance with the evaluation, whether to perform a search for the image from the plurality of search target images for the image relating to the query image based on the second similarity,
wherein the second obtaining unit, when evaluating that the effect is effective, displays information for proposing to a user the search from the plurality of search target images for the image relating to the query image based on the second similarity.