Search supporting system, search supporting method and search supporting program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11615135-B2
Application number	US-202017099996-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2020
Priority date	Aug 8, 2008
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

In a database, product image data is accumulated. A search portion acquires product image data having the image characteristics information that is the same as or similar to the image characteristics information that indicates the characteristics of the image of input image data from the database for the input image data. A search server outputs information on another product that is different from the product corresponding to the product image data together with the product image data acquired by the search portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A search supporting system comprising:
a combined product database in which attribute information of product items acquired from image media including at least one of fashion journals, fashion catalogs, and designer's collection information on the Internet is accumulated for each same category;
a combination information database in which, for each of the product items, combination information with another product item of a different category that is used in combination with the each of the product items is stored;
a product item database in which attribute information of product items that are sold is stored;
a similar-item searching portion that selects the image data of a product input by a user and a candidate group of the product items of which attribute information is the same as or similar to that of the image data from the combined product database;
a combination searching portion that, in correspondence with each of the product items of the candidate group, searches for other product items that are combined with the each of the product items from the combination information database; and
a product-item searching portion that searches for image data of a product item that is the same as or similar to the image data of the another product item of the combination that is selected by the user from combinations of the product item and the another product item from the product item database based on the attribute information of the image data and outputs the image data of the another product item as a recommended product.

2. A search system comprising:
a reception unit that receives, from a terminal, information related to a first category of product items specified by a user;
an extraction unit for extracting one or more merchandise items belonging to the first category indicated by the information received by the reception unit;
a display control unit for displaying, as one or more images on a display unit of the terminal, image data of individual product items included in the one or more merchandise items extracted by the extraction unit, wherein:
the reception unit receives, from the terminal, selection information indicating which of the one or more images displayed on the display unit is selected by the user;
the display control unit selects either (i) a selected product item corresponding to the selection information received by the reception unit or (ii) a same or similar category product item belonging to the same or similar category as the first category to which the selected product item belongs;
the display control unit causes the display unit to display an image of a combination product item together with an image of the selected product item or of the same or similar category product item, the combination product item being selected from a plurality of combination product items that (i) are each to be combined with the selected product item or the same or similar category product item and (ii) each belong to a second category that is associated with the selected product item or the same and similar category product item and is indicated by information about the second category;
the one or more merchandise items are clothing and accessories; and
the information about the second category is obtained from an image medium including at least one of fashion magazines, fashion catalogs, and designer's collection information on the Internet and is generated based on data accumulated for the combination product items.

3. The search system according to claim 2 , wherein the reception unit receives attribute information indicating attributes of the user, the attribute information indicating at least one of the user's gender, the user's age, and the user's preferences.

4. The search system according to claim 2 , wherein
the display control unit causes the display unit to display a plurality of computer-generated three-dimensional human images corresponding to each of a plurality of body types, and
the receiving unit receives an operation of selecting one of the displayed three-dimensional human images.

5. The search system according to claim 4 , wherein the display control unit superimposes the image of the selected combination product item on the three-dimensional human image selected by the operation received by the reception unit.

6. The search system according to claim 4 , wherein the display control unit superimposes and causes to be displayed on the display unit an image of a human face captured by an imaging unit on a face part of the three-dimensional human image.

7. The search system according to claim 2 , wherein the display control unit superimposes and causes to be displayed on the display unit the image of the selected combination product item on an image of a person together with the image of the selected product item or of the same or similar category product item.

8. A retrieval method, comprising:
receiving, from a terminal, information related to a first category of product items specified by a user;
extracting one or more merchandise items belonging to the first category indicated by the received information;
causing to be displayed, as one or more images on a display unit of the terminal, image data of individual product items included in the extracted one or more merchandise items;
receiving, from the terminal, selection information indicating which of the one or more images displayed on the display unit is selected by the user;
selecting either (i) a selected product item corresponding to the received selection information or (ii) a same or similar category product item belonging to the same or similar category as the first category to which the selected product item belongs; and
causing the display unit to display an image of a combination product item together with an image of the selected product item or of the same or similar category product item, the combination product item being selected from a plurality of combination product items that (i) are each to be combined with the selected product item or the same or similar category product item and (ii) each belong to a second category that is associated with the selected product item or the same and similar category product item and is indicated by information about the second category, wherein
the one or more merchandise items are clothing and accessories, and
the information about the second category is obtained from an image medium including at least one of fashion magazines, fashion catalogs, and designer's collection information on the Internet and is generated based on data accumulated for the combination product items.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to:
receive, from a terminal, information related to a first category of product items specified by a user;
extract one or more merchandise items belonging to the first category indicated by the received information;
cause to be displayed, as one or more images on a display unit of the terminal, image data of individual product items included in the extracted one or more merchandise items;
receive, from the terminal, selection information indicating which of the one or more images displayed on the display unit is selected by the user;
select either (i) a selected product item corresponding to the received selection information or (ii) a same or similar category product item belonging to the same or similar category as the first category to which the selected product item belongs; and
cause the display unit to display an image of a combination product item together with an image of the selected product item or of the same or similar category product item, the combination p

Assignees

• Nikon Corp

Inventors

• Inoue Hideya
• Iwaoka Toru
• Noborisaka Michiko
• Hatori Masayuki
• Hamada Tomohide
• Iwasaki Yutaka
• Sasaki Hideki

Classifications

• G06F16/5854

  using shape and object relationship · CPC title

• G06F16/5862

  using texture · CPC title

• G06F16/5838 Primary

  using colour · CPC title

• G06F16/583

  using metadata automatically derived from the content · CPC title

• G06Q30/06

  Buying, selling or leasing transactions · CPC title