Spatial inference and similarity retrieval of an intelligent image database system based on object's spanning representation

In this paper, we presented a novel image representation method to capture the information about spatial relationships between objects in a picture. Our method is more powerful than all other previous methods in terms of accuracy, flexibility, and capability of discriminating pictures. In addition, our method also provides different degrees of granularity for reasoning about directional relations in both 8- and 16-direction reference frames. In similarity retrieval, our system provides twelve types of similarity measures to support flexible matching between the query picture and the database pictures. By exercising a database containing 3600 pictures, we successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of our image retrieval system. Experiment result showed that 97.8% precision rate can be achieved while maintaining 62.5% recall rate; and 97.9% recall rate can be achieved while maintaining 51.7% precision rate. On an average, 86.1% precision rate and 81.2% recall rate can be achieved simultaneously if the threshold is set to 0.5 or 0.6. This performance is considered to be very good as an information retrieval system.     

Similarity retrieval of iconic image database

The perception of spatial relationships among objects in a picture is one of the important selection criteria to discriminate and retrieve the images in an iconic image database system. The data structure called 2D string, proposed by Chang et al., is adopted to represent symbolic pictures. The 2D string preserves the objects' spatial knowledge embedded in images. Since spatial relationship is a fuzzy concept, the capability of similarity retrieval for the retrieval by subpicture is essential. In this paper, similarity measure based on 2D string longest common subsequence is defined. The algorithm for similarity retrieval is also proposed. Similarity retrieval provides the iconic image database with the distinguishing function different from a conventional database.     

Spatial reasoning and similarity retrieval for image database systems based on RS-strings

In this paper, we propose a rotation-invariant spatial knowledge representation called RS-string. Then we present the string generation algorithm to automatically generate RS-strings for segmented pictures. We also propose the spatial reasoning and similarity retrieval algorithms based on RS-strings. The similarity retrieval algorithm is much more flexible than all previous 2D string representations because our approach can consider every possible view of a query picture. Thus the system does not require the user to provide a query picture which must have the same orientation as that of a database picture. Finally, we provide several examples to demonstrate the capabilities of spatial reasoning and similarity retrieval based on the RS-string representation.     

Reasoning about pictures and similarity retrieval for image information systems based on SK-set knowledge representation

Spatial reasoning and similarity retrieval are two important functions of any image information system. Good spatial knowledge representation for images is necessary to adequately support these two functions. In this paper, we propose a new spatial knowledge representation, called the SK-set based on morphological skeleton theories. Spatial reasoning algorithms which achieve more accurate results by directly analysing skeletons are described. SK-set facilitates browsing and progressive visualization. We also define four new types of similarity measures and propose a similarity retrieval algorithm for performing image retrieval. Moreover, using SK-set as a spatial knowledge representation will reduce the storage space required by an image database significantly.     

Image retrieval by texture similarity

Accuracy and efficiency are the two important issues in designing content-based image retrieval systems. In this paper, we present an efficient image retrieval system with high performance of accuracy based on two novel features, the composite sub-band gradient vector and the energy distribution pattern string. Both features are generated from the sub-images of a wavelet decomposition of the original image. A fuzzy matching mechanism based on energy distribution pattern strings serves as a filter to quickly remove undesired images in the database from further consideration. The images passing the filter will be compared with the query image based on composite sub-band gradient vectors which are extremely powerful for discriminating detailed textures. Through several extensive experiments by exercising our prototype system with a database of 2400 images, we demonstrated that both high accuracy and high efficiency can be achieved at the same time by our approach.     

Inference and retrieval of facial images

Attempts have been made to extend SQL to work with multimedia databases. We are reserved on the representation ability of extended SQL to cope with the richness in content of multimedia data. In this paper we present an example of a multimedia database system, Computer Aided Facial Image Inference and Retrieval system (CAFIIR). The system stores and manages facial images and criminal records, providing necessary functions for crime identification. We would like to demonstrate some core techniques for multimedia database with CAFIIR system. Firstly, CAFIIR is a integrated system. Besides database management, there are image analysis, image composition, image aging, and report generation subsystems, providing means for problem solving. Secondly, the richness of multimedia data urges feature-based database for their management. CAFIIR is feature-based. A indexing mechanism,iconic index, has been proposed for indexing facial images using hierarchical self-organization neural network. The indexing method operates on complex feature measures and provides means for visual navigation. Thirdly, special retrieval methods for facial images have been developed, including visual browsing, similarity retrieval, free text retrieval and fuzzy retrieval.     

Worst case analysis of a greedy algorithm for graph thickness

In this paper, we consider a greedy algorithm for thickness of graphs. The greedy algorithm we consider here takes a maximum planar subgraph away from the current graph in each iteration and repeats this process until the current graph has no edge. The greedy algorithm outputs the number of iterations which is an upper bound of thickness for an input graph G=(V,E). We show that the performance ratio of the greedy algorithm is .     

Robust visual similarity retrieval in single model face databases

In this paper, we introduce a novel visual similarity measuring technique to retrieve face images in photo album databases for law enforcement. Though much work is being done on face similarity matching techniques, little attention is given to the design of face matching schemes suitable for visual retrieval in single model databases where accuracy, robustness to scale and environmental changes, and computational efficiency are three important issues to be considered. This paper presents a robust face retrieval approach using structural and spatial point correspondence in which the directional corner points (DCPs) are generated for efficient face coding and retrieval. A complete investigation on the proposed method is conducted, which covers face retrieval under controlled/ideal condition, scale variations, environmental changes and subject actions. The system performance is compared with the performance of the eigenface method. It is an attractive finding that the proposed DCP retrieval technique has performed superior to the eigenface method in most of the comparison experiments. This research demonstrates that the proposed DCP approach provides a new way, which is both robust to scale and environmental changes, and efficient in computation, for retrieving human faces in single model databases.     

Graph-based retrieval of building information models for supporting the early design stages

Building information modeling (BIM) principles are transforming today’s communication and working processes in the field of construction, however the early design phases are only rarely supported and information technology is therefore not exploited to its full potential. The early design phases are characterized by an iterative process of searching for plausible solutions. A common approach is to refer to similar examples, which are conventionally found using keyword-based search strategies.To this end we propose a method for indexing spatial configurations along with a sketch-based input method for search strategies that uses so-called semantic fingerprints of buildings. The topology of spatial configurations is extracted from building information models and represented as graphs. For both building information models and the user sketches, the extracted graphs are used as the basis for a subgraph-matching algorithm facilitating an intuitive novel query method for researching similar reference examples. The system is able to present corresponding existing solutions to even rudimentary sketches or fragments of a design idea. In addition to graph matching and sketch-based interaction, more recent BIM-based approaches are also taken into account.     

Attention-based similarity

A similarity measure is described that does not require the prior specification of features or the need for training sets of representative data. Instead large numbers of features are generated as part of the similarity calculation and the extent to which features can be found to be common to pairs of patterns determines the measure of their similarity. Emphasis is given to salient image regions in this process and it is shown that the parameters of invariant transforms may be extracted from the statistics of matching features and used to focus the similarity calculation. Some results are shown on MPEG-7 shape data and discussed in the paper.     

Locally adaptive subspace and similarity metric learning for visual data clustering and retrieval

Subspace and similarity metric learning are important issues for image and video analysis in the scenarios of both computer vision and multimedia fields. Many real-world applications, such as image clustering/labeling and video indexing/retrieval, involve feature space dimensionality reduction as well as feature matching metric learning. However, the loss of information from dimensionality reduction may degrade the accuracy of similarity matching. In practice, such basic conflicting requirements for both feature representation efficiency and similarity matching accuracy need to be appropriately addressed. In the style of “Thinking Globally and Fitting Locally”, we develop Locally Embedded Analysis (LEA) based solutions for visual data clustering and retrieval. LEA reveals the essential low-dimensional manifold structure of the data by preserving the local nearest neighbor affinity, and allowing a linear subspace embedding through solving a graph embedded eigenvalue decomposition problem. A visual data clustering algorithm, called Locally Embedded Clustering (LEC), and a local similarity metric learning algorithm for robust video retrieval, called Locally Adaptive Retrieval (LAR), are both designed upon the LEA approach, with variations in local affinity graph modeling. For large size database applications, instead of learning a global metric, we localize the metric learning space with kd-tree partition to localities identified by the indexing process. Simulation results demonstrate the effective performance of proposed solutions in both accuracy and speed aspects.     

A database system of mechanical components based on geometric and topological similarity. Part II: indexing, retrieval, matching, and similarity assessment

This paper presents an approach for retrieving and matching similar designs in a database of mechanical components. The retrieval and matching process is based on the geometric and topological similarity between mechanical components. The process constitutes five steps: (i) transforming the component from the CAD system in STEP format, (ii) building an attributed graph for it, (iii) abstracting the graph into some geometric entities, (iv) retrieving a set of similar graphs based on the abstracted data, and (v) matching the graph of the new design with each graph on the set of similar graphs. This paper addresses the last three steps. Retrieving and matching mechanical parts based on their shape has many applications such as cost estimation and process planning. Matching similar parts and calculating a similarity index for them has applications in manufacturing evaluation, design by case-based reasoning, robotics, and computer integrated manufacturing. Having a database system of mechanical components based on part shape serves in all of these applications.     

ICICLE: A semantic-based retrieval system for WWW images

In this paper, we present ICICLE (Image ChainNet and Incremental Clustering Engine), a prototype system that we have developed to efficiently and effectively retrieve WWW images based on image semantics. ICICLE has two distinguishing features. First, it employs a novel image representation model called Weight ChainNet to capture the semantics of the image content. A new formula, called list space model, for computing semantic similarities is also introduced. Second, to speed up retrieval, ICICLE employs an incremental clustering mechanism, ICC (Incremental Clustering on ChainNet), to cluster images with similar semantics into the same partition. Each cluster has a summary representative and all clusters' representatives are further summarized into a balanced and full binary tree structure. We conducted an extensive performance study to evaluate ICICLE. Compared with some recently proposed methods, our results show that ICICLE provides better recall and precision. Our clustering technique ICC facilitates speedy retrieval of images without sacrificing recall and precision significantly.     

Image retrieval based on shape similarity by edge orientation autocorrelogram

This paper introduces a new feature vector for shape-based image indexing and retrieval. This feature classifies image edges based on two factors: their orientations and correlation between neighboring edges. Hence it includes information of continuous edges and lines of images and describes major shape properties of images. This scheme is effective and robustly tolerates translation, scaling, color, illumination, and viewing position variations. Experimental results show superiority of proposed scheme over several other indexing methods. Averages of precision and recall rates of this new indexing scheme for retrieval as compared with traditional color histogram are 1.99 and 1.59 times, respectively. These ratios are 1.26 and 1.04 compared to edge direction histogram.     

Web image retrieval using majority-based ranking approach

Web image retrieval has characteristics different from typical content-based image retrieval; web images have associated textual cues. However, a web image retrieval system often yields undesirable results, because it uses limited text information such as surrounding text, URLs, and image filenames. In this paper, we propose a new approach to retrieval, which uses the image content of retrieved results without relying on assistance from the user. Our basic hypothesis is that more popular images have a higher probability of being the ones that the user wishes to retrieve. According to this hypothesis, we propose a retrieval approach that is based on a majority of the images under consideration. We define four methods for finding the visual features of majority of images; (1) majority-first method, (2) centroid-of-all method, (3) centroid-of-top K method, and (4) centroid-of-largest-cluster method. In addition, we implement a graph/picture classifier for improving the effectiveness of web image retrieval. We evaluate the retrieval effectiveness of both our methods and conventional ones by using precision and recall graphs. Experimental results show that the proposed methods are more effective than conventional keyword-based retrieval methods.