Patent ID: 7184577

Claim:
A method for indexing a plurality of images in a database, each image in said database having within it an object of the same type, comprising the steps of: digitizing each of said plurality of images in said database into an array of descriptors; separating said descriptors into a plurality of index groups; calculating for at least one of said plurality of images in said database an index value corresponding to one of said index groups: providing a first index level, a second index level, and a pre-set number: wherein said first index level has a first index value, said second index level has a second index value, said first index level having a first list of buckets, said second index level having a second list of buckets, and said buckets each hay inn a counter: if said counter of a bucket in said first index level is lamer than said pre-set number, then said bucket in said first index level has a second index level, and said counter is the sum of counters of said buckets in said second index level; if said counter of said bucket in said first index level is less than or equal to said pre-set number, then said bucket in said first index level has a list of image templates, and the number of said image templates is said counter; wherein each said image template comprises a plurality of said descriptors.