Abstract: A multimedia integrated retrieval apparatus includes a feature value extracting unit calculating a feature value of single media data; a media information storage unit storing the feature value and storing composite media data in association with the single media data; a retrieval processing unit identifying other pieces of single media data corresponding to the single media data; a retrieval controlling unit, generating structural body data that includes a first node indicative of the single media data, a second node indicative of the another piece of single media data, a first link connecting the first node to the second node, a third node indicative of another composite media data, and a second link connecting the third node to the second node, if the another piece of composite media data including the another piece of single media data is present; and a display unit displaying the structural body data.

Abstract: Thumbnails of pages of a key document are arranged sequentially according to a page order in a row. Thumbnails of pages of a target document are arranged sequentially according to a page order in a row parallel to the row of the key document. A key page of the key document is compared with each page of the target document. When a page of the target document that is most similar to the key page is found, the row of the target document is shifted in a horizontal direction so that the page of the target document that is most similar to the key page is positioned next to the key page.

Abstract: An image retrieval method includes reading from a first database a first image group mapped to an object as a retrieval target, and extracting an image feature quantity of a plurality of images of the first image group. A second image group mapped to an object as a search key is read from a second database and an image feature quantity of a plurality of images of the second image group is extracted. Similarity is determined between the first image group and the second image group, based on the image feature quantity of the plurality of images of the first image group and the image feature quantity of the plurality of images of the second image group. On an output device, as retrieval results, the plurality of images of the first image group are displayed in order of similarity of the object as the retrieval target based on determined similarity.

Abstract: A symbol display device that displays a symbol for data while disposing the symbol at a coordinate position indicated by the data concerned, includes a pre-movement image position obtaining unit that records into a recording unit a pre-movement coordinate position at which the symbol is disposed; an image moving unit that moves the symbol to a coordinate position indicated by an instruction upon reception of the instruction; a post-movement image position obtaining unit that records, into the recording unit, a post-movement coordinate position of the symbol moved by the image moving unit; and a connection line drawing unit that connects the post-movement coordinate position and a pre-movement coordinate position by a line, and changing the line thickness of the connecting line or the size of the symbol.

Abstract: A computer-readable recording medium that stores a program for causing a computer to edit an electronic document including a plurality of hierarchically arranged objects. The program makes a computer execute extracting an object from the electronic document including the hierarchically arranged objects representing one of a text, an image, a drawing and a table; determining whether the extracted object is superimposed by a user specified area serving as a masking area of a target document input by a user; and converting, into different information, information included in an area of the object determined to be superimposed by the user specified area.

Abstract: According to an aspect of an embodiment, a method of operating an apparatus having a display device for analyzing a plurality of images each representing a similar item, includes the steps of: displaying the plurality of the images in parallel by the display device; enabling a user to select partial regions of the images such that each of the partial regions represents a similar portion of the each item; extracting information associated with each of the partial regions of the images; and displaying data of the information of each of the partial regions in parallel in a format different from that appeared in the images.

Abstract: The present invention relates to three-dimensional model retrieval apparatus and method.

Abstract: This invention discloses an image retrieval apparatus. The image retrieval apparatus comprises an unlabelled image selector for selecting one or more unlabelled image(s) from an image database; and a main learner for training in each feedback round of the image retrieval, estimating relevance of images in the image database and a user's intention, and determining retrieval results, wherein the main learner makes use of the unlabelled image(s) selected by the unlabelled image selector in the estimation. In addition, the image retrieval apparatus may also include an active selector for selecting, in each feedback round and according to estimation results of the main learner, one or more unlabelled image(s) from the image database for the user to label.

Abstract: According to an aspect of an embodiment, a method for searching a set of image data from a database which contains a plurality of sets of image data, at least one of the sets of the image data being associated with text data, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining keyword information; detecting first set of image data in said database associated with text data corresponding to said keyword information; and detecting second set of image data in said database on the basis of the feature of an image represented by said first set of image data.

Abstract: According to an aspect of an embodiment, a method for searching image data representing an image from a database by using a query image, the image data including information indicative of a shape of a contour of the image, comprising: obtaining a query image data representing the query image; extracting information indicative of a shape of a contour of the query image; and determining the image data in the database on the basis of correlation of the topological characteristics of the shapes of the contours of the images and the query image.

Abstract: A computer readable recording medium stores an information attachment program for attaching meta-information to multimedia data executed by a computer. The program causes the computer to perform an acquisition step of acquiring a search word of a text search done at a search site; a monitoring step of monitoring whether or not a search frequency of the search word acquired in the acquisition step satisfies a predetermined criterion; a determination step of determining whether or not at least a portion of the search word matches a character recognition processing result of the multimedia data when the search frequency of the search word is determined to satisfy the predetermined criterion in the monitoring step; and a registration step of registering the search word as meta-information of the multimedia data when, as a determination result of the determination step, the search word matches the character recognition processing result.

Abstract: A design support apparatus extracts feature data corresponding to design data to be searched upon receiving the design data to be searched. The apparatus checks the extracted feature data against the feature data associated with the feature associated information, ordering the design data associated with the feature associated information in descending order of similarity to the design data to be searched, retrieving one piece of the ordered design data. The apparatus generates a classification hierarchy consisting of pieces of classification data obtained by classifying a set of the retrieved design data based on a degree of feature similarity using the feature data associated with the feature associated information. The apparatus selects the design information closely associated with the classification data by fetching the design information corresponding to the design data contained in the classification data from the design associated information associating the design data and the design information.

Abstract: This invention is to enable retrieving of a content the searcher imagines in mind. The search method includes: obtaining a query brain image representing a brain activity state of a searcher when perceiving or imagining the content to be retrieved; identifying the content corresponding to the query brain image by using a structure associating a content with a brain image representing the brain activity state when perceiving the content; and outputting the content corresponding to the query brain image. Thus, by using the query brain image, without specifically indicating the content such as a drawing, the searcher can extract the pertinent content only by imaging the content.

Abstract: A pattern retrieving unit includes an acquiring unit that acquires a representative pattern image; a setting unit that sets a use condition of a type of shape feature of the representative pattern image; a receiving unit that receives a query pattern image used as a query; a determining unit that determines the type of shape feature of the representative pattern image to be the type of shape feature of the query pattern image, based on the use condition; a retrieving unit that retrieves a pattern image identical or similar to the query pattern image, using determined type of shape feature; and an output unit configured to output a result of retrieval by the retrieving unit.

Abstract: Thumbnails of pages of a key document are arranged sequentially according to a page order in a row. Thumbnails of pages of a target document are arranged sequentially according to a page order in a row parallel to the row of the key document. A key page of the key document is compared with each page of the target document. When a page of the target document that is most similar to the key page is found, the row of the target document is shifted in a horizontal direction so that the page of the target document that is most similar to the key page is positioned next to the key page.

Abstract: A window picture (robust window picture) is selected as a model window picture, which is unlikely to be influenced by the variations in an environment and selected irrespective of the variations in an environment of pictures assumed to be inputted in a recognition phase. Alternatively, a window picture (stable window picture) is selected as a model window picture, in which the changes in a feature value are small even though an environment is varied. For example, a tracking window picture group is obtained from a registered picture group in which an environment is continuously varied, by tracking window pictures of a basic registered picture. Then, a static extraction window picture is obtained by extracting window pictures as independent pictures from a series of pictures. Then, a window picture selected both in the tracking window picture group and in the static extraction window picture is set as a robust window picture, and picture matching is conducted using the robust window picture.

Abstract: A method of assisting analysis of a production process assisting work for analyzing the relationship between quality factors and characteristic of a product and a program product and a recording medium for the same, comprising receiving a designation of a factor from a user at a computer, arranging images corresponding to said image data related to the received factor in a virtual space in a display device connected to the computer (S13), displaying the virtual space in which the images are arranged in the display device (S14), repeating the designation reception, arrangement, and display until the user judges that there is similarity between adjoining images in the displayed images, receiving designation of at least one image by the user from images having similarity between adjoining images (S15), automatically extracting common factors among factors of the designated image (S16), receiving a hypothesis of a relationship between the common factors designated by the user and quality of products, and verifyin

Abstract: A method of assisting analysis of a production process assisting work for analyzing the relationship between quality factors and characteristic of a product and a program product and a recording medium for the same, comprising receiving a designation of a factor from a user at a computer, arranging images corresponding to said image data related to the received factor in a virtual space in a display device connected to the computer (S13), displaying the virtual space in which the images are arranged in the display device (S14), repeating the designation reception, arrangement, and display until the user judges that there is similarity between adjoining images in the displayed images, receiving designation of at least one image by the user from images having similarity between adjoining images (S15), automatically extracting common factors among factors of the designated image (S16), receiving a hypothesis of a relationship between the common factors designated by the user and quality of products, and verifyin

Abstract: A multimedia information arranging apparatus that utilizes various feature values contained in multimedia information, carries out a flexible retrieval and classification and displays the information in an information set arrangement space is provided. An information set obtaining portion 10 obtains information sets. An axis setting portion 20 assigns the feature value of the media information to an information set arrangement space axis so as to set the information set arrangement space. A feature value extracting portion 30 extracts the feature value from each of the media information of the obtained information set, and an information set arranging portion 40 arranges the information sets in the information set arrangement space according to their feature values. An information displaying portion 50 displays the information set arrangement space in such a manner as to be seen from a predetermined display viewpoint.

Abstract: The variations in appearance of an object caused by the variations in a capturing environment are estimated to be modeled, and the object model thus obtained is previously registered in a database. Picture information of an object to be a recognition target is input, and the input picture information is matched with the previously registered object model. The similarity with respect to the registered object model is determined, and the type of the object to be a recognition target is output, which is determined to be most similar among the registered object models. Information of a plurality of pictures captured by changing the relative position and posture of an object is input, and the variations in appearance of an object caused by the possible variations in a capturing environment are estimated to be modeled based on the input information of a plurality of pictures.