Integrated spatial and feature image query

Abstract

We present a new system for querying for images by regions and their spatial and feature attributes. The system enables the user to find the images that contain arrangements of regions similar to those diagrammed in a query image. By indexing the attributes of regions, such as sizes, locations and visual features, a wide variety of complex joint spatial and feature queries are efficiently computed. In order to demonstrate the utility of the system, we develop a process for the extracting color regions from photographic images. We demonstrate that integrated spatial and feature querying using color regions improves image search capabilities over non-spatial content-based image retrieval methods.