• ETRI Journal
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.246-248
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• 2007

Query-by-example (QBE) is a well-known method for image retrieval. In reality, however, an example image to be used for the query is rarely available. Therefore, it is often necessary to find a good example image to be used for the query before applying the QBE method. Query-by-layout (QBL) is our proposal for that purpose. In particular, we make use of the visual descriptors such as the edge histogram descriptor (EHD) and the color layout descriptor (CLD) in MPEG-7. Since image features of the CLD and the EHD can be localized in terms of a$4{\times}4$ sub-image, we can specify image features such as color and edge distribution on each sub-image separately for image retrieval without a query image. Experimental results show that the proposed query method can be used to retrieve a good image as a starting point for further QBE-based image retrieval.

• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.30 no.7_8
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• pp.703-712
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• 2003

With the explosive growth n the numbers and sizes of imaging technologies, Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) has been attacked the interests of researchers in the fields of digital libraries, image processing, and database systems. In general, in the case of query-by-image, in user has to select an image from database to query, even though it is not his completely desired one. However, since query-by-sketch approach draws a query shape according to the user´s desire it can provide more high-level searching interface to the user compared to the query-b-image. As a result, query-by-sketch has been widely used. In this paper, we propose a Java-based image retrieval system that consists of sketch query and image classification. We use two features such as color histogram and Haar wavelets coefficients to search similar images. Then the Leave-One-Out method is used to classify database images. The categories of classification are photo & painting, city & nature, and sub-classification of nature image. By using the sketch query and image classification, w can offer convenient image retrieval interface to user and we can also reduce the searching time.

• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.551-562
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• 2000

Content-based image retrieval system retrieves an image from a database using visual features. Among approaches to express visual aspects in queries, 'query by sketch' is most convenient and expressive. However, every 'query by sketch' system has the query imperfectness problem. GContent-based image retrieval system retrieves an image from a database using visual features. Among approaches to express visual aspects in queries, 'query by sketch' is most convenient and expressive. However, every 'query by sketch' system has the query imperfectness problem. Generally, the query image produced by a user is different from the intended target image. To overcome this problem, many image retrieval systems use the spatial relationships of the objects, instead of pixel coordinates of the objects. In this paper, a query-converting algorithm for an image retrieval system, which uses the spatial relationship of every two objects as an image feature, is proposed. The proposed algorithm converts the query image into a graph that has the minimum number of edges, by eliminating every transitive edge. Since each edge in the graph represents the spatial relationship of two objects, the elimination of unnecessary edges makes the retrieval process more efficient. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm leads the smaller number of comparison in searching process as compared with other algorithms that do not guarantee the minimum number of edges.

• Journal of Information Management
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.71-94
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• 2011

Query by visual example is the principal query paradigm for expressing queries in a content-based image retrieval environment. Query by image and query by sketch have long been purported as being viable methods of query formulation yet there is little empirical evidence to support their efficacy in facilitating query formulation. The ability of the searcher to express their information problem to an information retrieval system is fundamental to the retrieval process. The aim of this research was to investigate the query by image and query by sketch methods in supporting a range of information problems through a usability experiment in order to contribute to the gap in knowledge regarding the relationship between searchers' information problems and the query methods required to support efficient and effective visual query formulation. The results of the experiment suggest that query by image is a viable approach to visual query formulation. In contrast, the results strongly suggest that there is a significant mismatch between the searchers information problems and the expressive power of the query by sketch paradigm in supporting visual query formulation. The results of a usability experiment focusing on efficiency (time), effectiveness (errors) and user satisfaction show that there was a significant difference, p<0.001, between the two query methods on all three measures: time (Z=-3.597, p<0.001), errors (Z=-3.317, p<0.001), and satisfaction (Z=-10.223, p<0.001). The results also show that there was a significant difference in participants perceived usefulness of the query tools Z=-4.672, p<0.001.

• Journal of KIISE:Computing Practices and Letters
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.303-317
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• 2002

In this paper, we design and implement E-COIRS enabling users to query with concepts and image features used for further refining the concepts. For example, E-COIRS supports the query "retrieve images containing black home appliance to north of reception set. "The query includes two types of concepts: IS-A and composite. "home appliance"is an IS-A concept, and "reception set" is a composite concept. For evaluating such a query. E-COIRS includes three important components: a visual image indexer, thesauri and a query processor. Each pair of objects in an mage captured by the visual image indexer is converted into a triple. The triple consists of the two object identifiers (oids) and their spatial relationship. All the features of an object is referenced by its old. A composite concept is detected by the triple thesaurus and IS-A concept is recolonized by the fuzzy term thesaurus. The query processor obtains an image set by matching each triple in a user with an inverted file and CS-Tree. To support efficient storage use and fast retrieval on high-dimensional feature vectors, E-COIRS uses Cell-based Signature tree(CS-Tree). E-COIRS is a more advanced content-based image retrieval system than other systems which support only concepts or image features.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 2004

We designed and implemented a medical image query system, including a relational database and DBMS (database management system), which can visualize image data and can achieve spatial, attribute, and mixed queries. Image data used in querying can be visualized in slice, MPR(multi-planner reformat), volume rendering, and overlapping on the query system. To reduce spatial cost and processing time in the system. brain images are spatially clustered, by an adaptive Hilbert curve filling, encoded, and stored to its database without loss for spatial query. Because the query is often applied to small image regions of interest(ROI's), the technique provides higher compression rate and less processing time in the cases.

• Journal of the Korean Society for information Management
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.135-158
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• 2011

The ability of the searcher to express their information problem to an information retrieval system is fundamental to the retrieval process. Query by visual example is the principal query paradigm for expressing queries in a content-based image retrieval environment yet there is little empirical evidence to support its efficacy in facilitating query formulation. The aim of this research was to investigate the usability of the query by colour method in supporting a range of information problems in order to contribute to the gap in knowledge regarding the relationship between searchers' information problems and the query methods required to support efficient and effective visual query formulation. The results strongly suggest that the query method does not support visual query formulation and that there is a significant mismatch between the searchers information problems and the expressive power of the retrieval paradigm.

• Journal of the Korean Society for information Management
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.37-60
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to investigate image search query reformulation patterns in relation to image attribute categories. A total of 592 sessions and 2,445 queries from the Excite Web search engine log data were analyzed by utilizing Batley's visual information types and two facets and seven sub-facets of query reformulation patterns. The results of this study are organized with two folds: query reformulation and categorical transition. As the most dominant categories of queries are specific and general/nameable, this tendency stays over various search stages. From the perspective of reformulation patterns, while the Parallel movement is the most dominant, there are slight differences depending on initial or preceding query categories. In examining categorical transitions, it was found that 60-80% of search queries were reformulated within the same categories of image attributes. These findings may be applied to practice and implementation of image retrieval systems in terms of assisting users' query term selection and effective thesauri development.

• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.141-152
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• 2005

A new emotion-based image retrieval method is proposed in this paper. Query emotion descriptors called query color code and query gray code are designed based on the human evaluation on 13 emotions('like', 'beautiful', 'natural', 'dynamic', 'warm', 'gay', 'cheerful', 'unstable', 'light' 'strong', 'gaudy' 'hard', 'heavy') when 30 random patterns with different color, intensity, and dot sizes are presented. For emotion image retrieval, once a query emotion is selected, associated query color code and query gray code are selected. Next, DB color code and DB gray code that capture color and, intensify and dot size are extracted in each database image and a matching process between two color codes and between two gray codes are peformed to retrieve relevant emotion images. Also, a new relevance feedback method is proposed. The method incorporates human intention in the retrieval process by dynamically updating weights of the query and DB color codes and weights of an intra query color code. For the experiments over 450 images, the number of positive images was higher than that of negative images at the initial query and increased according to the relevance feedback.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2003

Various methods have been studying to maintain and apply the multimedia inform abruptly increasing over all social fields, in recent years. For retrieval of still images, we is implemented content-based image retrieval system in this paper that make possible to retrieve similar objects from image database after segmenting query object from background if user request query. Query image is processed median filtering to remove noise first and then object edge is detected it by canny edge detection. And query object is segmented from background by using convex hull. Similarity value can be obtained by means of histogram intersection with database image after securing color histogram from segmented image. Also segmented image is processed gray convert and wavelet transform to extract spacial gray distribution and texture feature. After that, Similarity value can be obtained by means of banded autocorrelogram and energy. Final similar image can be retrieved by adding upper similarity values that it make possible to not only robust in background but also better correct object retrieval by using object segmentation method.