Image Retrieval Method Based on Structural Description of Image.

This paper describes an image retrieval method that uses an abstract matching and browsing technique. Each image in database is divided into segments and each segment is represented by its color, shape, and position (each represented image is called a segment image). The user creates a key image consisting of colored rectangular areas. This key image and the segment images in the database are compared and segment images are selected according to their similartity with the key image. Similarity is measured based on color, position, size, and geographical relation of each area. The user selects the desired image by browsing through the seleced segment images. It is experimentally shown that a desired image can be retrieved easily by using the proposed method.