Patent ID: 7065250
Filing Date: 2006-06-20
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
1. A method of classifying a digital image, said method comprising the steps of: segmenting the digital image into a plurality of substantially homogeneous regions; processing the plurality of regions to provide a region adjacency graph for the digital image, the region adjacency graph representing spatial adjacency between the plurality of regions of the digital image; labeling at least one of the regions of the region adjacency graph with one of a plurality of predetermined semantic labels to provide a labeled region adjacency graph; providing a set of plural predetermined patterns of semantic labels, wherein each predetermined pattern of semantic labels corresponds to one of plural stereotypes each representing a different classification of a digital image; analyzing the labeled region adjacency graph to identify one or more of the plural predetermined patterns of semantic labels in the labeled region adjacency graph; assigning corresponding ones of the plural stereotypes to the digital image in accordance with which of the plural predetermined patterns were identified in said analyzing step, such that the assigned stereotype describes the plurality of regions of the digital image and represents a classification of the digital image; and storing the assigned stereotypes and the digital image in one or more databases of digital images, wherein the digital image is retrievable from the one or more databases using a search for the assigned stereotype.