Image filing method

Abstract: An image filing method, in which a plurality of images are registered one by one, and the registered images are retrieved by adding a retrieval condition so as to be simple and not require time and labor at the registration and retrieval times. A plurality of symbols for featuring objects in the images are set in advance, and the images are registered corresponding to the selected symbols. At the image retrieval time, the symbols are selected, and the images corresponding to the selected symbols are read out.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION i) Field of the Invention: The present invention relates to an image filing method using a database system in which a plurality of images are registered in storage means and retrieval of the registered images is executed by specifying retrieval conditions. ii) Description of the Related Arts: In general, in an image data base, when image data are registered, a specific feature amount of each image is automatically calculated, and by registering its calculation result as retrieval information, the retrieval by using the feature amount of each image can be carried out. On the basis of such a viewpoint, as shown in Fig. 1, a conventional image filing system has been proposed, as disclosed in Japanese patent Laid-Open No. Sho 63-254856. In Fig. 1, the image filing system includes a CPU 1 for controlling the whole system, an image input part 2 for inputting multi-valued images from the outside, an image storage part 3 for storing the multi-valued images, an image retrieval part 4 for retrieving the multi-valued images stored in the image storage part 3 by using their retrieval information, an operational terminal part 5 for inputting operational instructions such as registration and retrieval instructions to the image retrieval part 4, an image display part 6 for displaying the multi-valued image input from the image input part 2 or the reproduced multi-valued image retrieved from the image storage part 3 by the image retrieval part 4, a spectrum distribution calculation part 7 for calculating a spectrum distribution, that is, one item of statistical information of the multi-valued images input from the image input part 2, and a density distribution calculation part 8 for calculating a density distribution, that is, another item of statistical information of the multi-valued images input from the image input part 2. Next, the operation of this image filing system will be described. The operation of the image filing can be roughly divided into two operations such as a registration operation and a retrieval operation. Firstly, at the registration time, a user inputs a suitable key word as retrieval information for an image from the operational terminal part 5. Also, a spectrum distribution of a multi-valued image to be registered is calculated in the spectrum distribution calculation part 7. Further, a density distribution of the multi-valued image to be registered is calculated in the density distribution calculation part 8. Then, from the obtained spectrum and density distributions, an expected value of the spectrum distribution as a measure of sharpness and an expected value of the density distribution as a measure of brightness are calculated. and the calculated values are registered together with other retrieval information. Secondly, the operation at the retrieval time will be described in connection with Fig. 2. In an example shown in Fig. 2, a name having a common character "WEST" in its head and an unlimited symbol "*" in its latter part as a key word of names is input from the operational terminal part 5. Then, by a retrieval using this key word in the image retrieval part 4, a list of relevant images such as A, B, C and D is displayed and the firstly retrieved image A is displayed in the image display part 6. Next, when an instruction for a brighter and sharper image on the basis of the image A displayed in the image display part 6 is input from the operational terminal part 5. an expected value f1 of the spectrum distribution and an expected value g1 of the density distribution, that is, the retrieval information of the image A are compared with those of the other images, and the image D having a larger expected value f2 of the spectrum distribution and a larger expected value g2 of the density distribution is retrieved and displayed in the image display part 6. In the conventional image filing system, as described above, after performing the keyword retrieval, an auxiliary secondary retrieval using the feature amounts such as the expected values f1 and g1 of the spectrum and density distributions is executed. Hence, the keyword input operations are required at the image registration and retrieval times, and it takes a lot of time and labor. In particular, the keyword registration operation at the image registration time is so important that how to give the key words may determine the performance of the whole image filing system. That is, it is necessary to allot key words which are readily identifiable with the images to be registered by an operator at the image registration time. Further, since there are different reasons between individuals for giving the key words, a registration error and a retrieval error is apt to occur. and as a whole. the registration operation and the retrieval operation become complicated. Further, in a color image, when the retrieval is performed by using the measures such as the sharpness and the brightness as the feature amounts of the image, an image which does not sufficiently represent these feature of the color image can not be retrieved. Transactions of the IEICE, Vol. E72, no. 6, June 1989, Tokyo JP, pages 771 - 781, Yamamoto A., Takagi, M. "Extraction of Object Features and Ito Application to Image Retrieval" refers to an image retrieval method based on the contents of an image. There image contents are visual features of objects in the image. Each object is represented as symbolic figures and the attributes of each object, such as location, relative relation, size, area, shape, are defined to each image data. However, in addition to these attributes, some other attributes for describing the details of objects can be considered. Those are, for example, colour information or characteristics of texture of object region in an image. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention, as defined in claim 1 to provide an image filing method in view of the problems of the prior art, which is capable of performing a registration operation and a retrieval operation of images in a simple manner and performing a retrieval operation in an exact and quick manner on the basis of features of color images. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional image filing system; Fig. 2 is a schematic view showing a retrieval process of the conventional image filing system shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a schematic view showing a registration picture screen of an image data base system for performing an embodiment of an image filing method according to the present invention; Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing an algorithm for carrying out a skin color area extraction in the image data base system shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a schematic view showing a data structure of the image data base system shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a schematic view showing a position and a size of a symbol in the image data base system shown in Fig. 3; and Fig. 7 is a schematic view showing a retrieval picture screen of the image data base system shown in Fig. 3. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In this embodiment, in a color image, objects featuring in colors are recognized and the positions and sizes of the objects as the retrieval information are stored. Fig. 3 shows a registration picture screen of an image data base system and Fig. 7 shows a retrieval picture screen of the same. In Fig. 3 the registration picture screen includes an image display part 9, a register button 13 and a keyword register button 20. After the user recognizes the image displayed in the image display part 9, a pointer is moved on the register button 13 and a mouse is clicked to calculate a position and a size of an object with a feature in color. The calculation result is registered to a file form data base file, as shown in Fig. 5. That is, the only manual operation at the registration time is the clicking of the register button 13. Further, as additional information, an input of a keyword is possible. That is, the pointer is moved on the keyword register button 20 and the mouse is clicked to open a keyword input column (not shown). Hence, the key word input by the user as the retrieval information can be stored. An algorithm for calculating the position and size of the object of the color image with the feature in color will now be described in connection with Fig. 4. In this instance, a skin color area is recognized and a position and a size of a person will be calculated. (1) In a color space (hue, saturation and lightness) of three color attributes, areas are divided in advance. That is, in the CIE1976L* a* b* uniform color space determined by the CIE (International Commission on Illumination), the L* coordinate is defined as the lightness value. Then, a polar coordinate transformation of the a* b* plane is performed, and a distance from the origin and an angle around the origin are determined to the saturation and the hue, respectively. Next, in this color space of the hue, saturation and lightness, predetermined conditions are settled to determine a skin color area, a green area and a blue area. Then, for the input image, RGB (red, green and blue) data of pixels are mapped in the color space of the three color attributes, and it is discriminated which color area the image is included in. By this operation, a specific symbol of the color area is determined. (In Fig. 4, only a skin color extraction is shown and a person as a specific symbol is determined.) (2) Then, a picture screen is divided into a plurality of blocks of a predetermined size, and a pixel density every color area in each block is calculated. When there exists the color area beyond a certain threshold value, this block is determined to the block (for example, a skin color block) of this color area. (3) Next, the continuous same color blocks are integrated as the same area. (4) Then, the coordinates (x o , y o ) of the central position of the continuous blocks are calculated. Also, as the size of the continuous blocks, a minimum circle having a radius r o for covering the continuous blocks around the coordinates (x o , y o ) is calculated. In this case, the calculated central coordinates (x o , y o ) and the radius r o of the circle are registered along with the kinds of the color areas. As described, by processing the clicked registered image, a data base is constructed. The data structure obtained at this time is shown in Fig. 5). Also, the central coordinates (x o , y o )) of each symbol 11 at this time is settled, as shown in Fig. 6. For example, an image with a file code 0001 including retrieval information that there is a person of a size r o = 15 in a position (20, 28) is registered. Next, Fig. 7 shows the retrieval picture screen of the image data base system. The retrieval picture screen includes an abstract image formation area 17, a symbol menu 10 having a plurality of symbols 21 corresponding to objects with features in color, a symbol magnifying button 23, a symbol reducing button 24 and a symbol erase button 14. The user selects one symbol 21 specific in the color area, and the selected symbol 21 is displayed in the abstract image formation area 17. The setting of the size of the symbol 21 will be described as follows. That is, a circle 22 is displayed so as to surround the symbol 21 marked with "presently selected" within the abstract image formation area 17. In this state, the pointer is moved on the symbol magnifying button 23 and the mouse is clicked to magnify the circle 22 by one unit. Further, the pointer is moved on the symbol reducing button 24 and the mouse is clicked to reduce the circle 22 by one unit. As described above, within the abstract image formation area 17, the position of the symbol 21 is set and the size of the symbol 21 is set by the size of the circle 22 surrounding the symbol 21 to determine the retrieval condition. Then, the pointer is moved on the retrieve button 16 and the mouse is clicked to execute the retrieval. At the retrieval operation time, first, the color area of the selected symbol within the abstract image formation area 17 is discriminated. By this color area discrimination, this symbol as the symbol specific in the color area specifies the kind of the object shown in Fig. 5. Next, with respect to a position (x 1 , y 1 ,) and a size r 1 , of the symbol 21 set within the abstract image formation area 17, by using predetermined threshold values ℓ th and r th (feature amount range), the following formulas are evaluated for each of the symbols. (x 1 - x o ) 2 + (y 1 . - y o ) 2 < ℓ th 2 r 1 - r o < r th For all symbols 21 set within the abstract image formation area 17, the images having file codes of which these formulas (1) and (2) are true are retrieved as the target images. For example, under the retrieval conditions set within the abstract image formation area 17 on the retrieval picture screen shown in Fig. 7 it is assumed that the x-, y- and r-coordinates of the position of the tree symbol are 50(x1), 20(y1) and 15(r1). Assuming that the threshold values ℓ th and r th are 5 and 10, respectively, the above described formulas (1) and (2) are evaluated as follows. (X 1 - X o ) 2 + (y 1 - y o ) 2 = 9 < ℓ th 2 = 25 r 1 - r o = 5 < r th = 10 Since both formulas are true, when the retrieval is executed, the image with the file code 0003 having the values x o , y o and ro satisfying the above formulas (3) and (4) can be retrieved. As described above, by registering the positions and sizes of the objects with the features in color as the retrieval information in the data base of the images, the only image registration operation is the recognition of the image and the mouse clicking on the register button 13. Hence, the work time of the registration to the data base is largely reduced, and the individual difference in the image registration work by operators can be completely removed. Further, the retrieval based on the color classification of the color images can be carried out. In this embodiment, although the threshold values ℓth and rth for representing the feature amount ranges of the images for the retrieval are predetermined, the threshold values ℓth and rth can be adapted to be changed by the operator in the retrieval picture screen with the result of the same effects as those of the aforementioned embodiments. In such a case, when a number of target images are retrieved, by reducing the threshold values ℓth and rth, the range of the target images can be readily narrowed and thus the exact and quick retrieval can be performed.

Claims: An image filing method using a database system in which a plurality of images are registered in storage means and retrieval of the registered images is executed by specifying retrieval criteria, comprising the steps of: a) dividing a color space into a plurality of color areas and associating with each color area a symbol selected from a plurality of symbols corresponding to objects with features in colors specific to the respective color areas; b) mapping pixels of an image to be registered to color areas on the basis of coordinates which are calculated by using RGB data of the pixels constituting the image, thereby indentifying regions of an image to be registered on the basis of their color content; c) automatically registering the images into the storage means and associating with each image retrieval information comprising selected symbols corresponding to regions identified on the basis of their color content, and information indicative of the size and position of said regions within the image; and d) retrieving images in accordance with retrieval criteria comprising one more specified symbols of said plurality of symbols and information indicative of the size and position of the regions corresponding to the specified symbols within the image.

Inventors: KATOH MASATOSHI, KOIKE KEIICHI, TANAHASHI MARIKO, KATOH, MASATOSHI, KOIKE, KEIICHI, TANAHASHI, MARIKO, Katoh, Masatoshi, c/o Mitsubishi Denki K.K., Koike, Keiichi, c/o Mitsubishi Denki K.K., Tanahashi, Mariko, c/o Mitsubishi Denki K.K.
Applicants: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP, MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1993
Main classification: G06F17
IPC codes: G06F17