Patent ID: 7499916

Claim:
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising: initiating a search for images based on at least one query keyword in a query, wherein the search further comprises: identifying, during the search, first images having associated keywords that match the query keyword; extracting low-level features from the first images; and identifying second images using pattern matching that contain the low-level features similar to those of the first images, wherein the low-level features comprise color, shape, and texture and the low-level features do not match the search query; ranking the first and second images; presenting the first and second images to a user, wherein the second image is an example image; and receiving feedback from the user as to whether the first and second images are relevant to the query further comprising: assigning a first weight to an association between the query keyword and the first images deemed relevant by the user and/or assigning a second weight to an association between the query keyword and the example image, in order to rank the images, wherein the first weight is greater than the second weight; and storing the first weight and/or second weight on a computer-readable medium.