Abstract: A system and method for determining image similarity. The method includes the steps of automatically providing perceptually significant features of main subject or background of a first image; automatically providing perceptually significant features of main subject or background of a second image; automatically comparing the perceptually significant features of the main subject or the background of the first image to the main subject or the background of the second image; and providing an output in response thereto. In the illustrative implementation, the features are provided by a number of belief levels, where the number of belief levels are preferably greater than two. The perceptually significant features include color, texture and/or shape. In the preferred embodiment, the main subject is indicated by a continuously valued belief map.

Abstract: A method for representing an image in terms of the shape properties of its identified segments of interest involves analyzing each segment of interest to automatically identify one or more of its perceptually significant components and then representing each perceptually significant component in terms of its shape properties, e.g., by means of Fourier descriptors. The image segment is then characterized as a composition of the shape properties of its perceptually significant components. By repeating the foregoing steps, the image is represented as a composition of its characterized segments. This technique can then be used to archive and retrieve images based on the shape properties of identified segments.

Abstract: A system and method for determining image similarity. The method includes the steps of automatically providing perceptually significant features of main subject or background of a first image; automatically providing perceptually significant features of main subject or background of a second image; automatically comparing the perceptually significant features of the main subject or the background of the first image to the main subject or the background of the second image; and providing an output in response thereto. In the illustrative implementation, the features are provided by a number of belief levels, where the number of belief levels are preferably greater than two. The perceptually significant features include color, texture and/or shape. In the preferred embodiment, the main subject is indicated by a continuously valued belief map.