Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110235902 | PRE-COMPUTING DIGESTS FOR IMAGE SIMILARITY SEARCHING OF IMAGE-BASED LISTINGS IN A NETWORK-BASED PUBLICATION SYSTEM - A system and method, which may be an offline method, extracts relevant image features about listing items in a network-based publication system for enabling image similarity searching of such listing items. When a seller lists an item, an image of the item is uploaded and may be sent to a picture processing service, which generates several digests. The digests are compressed data structures each representing a particular image feature such as edge, color, texture, or words. These digests are then stored in a search database, where the digests can be used to retrieve listings by image similarity at scale. A similar process can be performed for a query listing for searching the search database for items similar to the query listing. | 09-29-2011 |
20110238659 | TWO-PASS SEARCHING FOR IMAGE SIMILARITY OF DIGESTS OF IMAGE-BASED LISTINGS IN A NETWORK-BASED PUBLICATION SYSTEM - Using a processor, receiving, a query including a query image. A database is searched for a set of images similar to the query image, using a two-pass search. The results of the searching are then provided, the results including image members of the set of images similar to the query image. The first pass may be performed using a TF-IDF algorithm and the second pass ranks a predetermined number of results from the first pass by a best match algorithm or other type of algorithm. The type of second pass algorithm may be selectable by a user. If an end signal is not detected, a further two-pass search may be made based on a subsequent query having a subsequent query image. The subsequent query image may one of the results of the previous two pass search. A subsequent query image may change from an image of a product of a first product category to an image of a product of a second product category. | 09-29-2011 |
20110314031 | PRODUCT CATEGORY OPTIMIZATION FOR IMAGE SIMILARITY SEARCHING OF IMAGE-BASED LISTINGS IN A NETWORK-BASED PUBLICATION SYSTEM - A weighted combination of attributes including but not limited to color, shape, pattern, brand, style, size, and material may be used to rank items when searching for similar items of a given category on an ecommerce system website. The weights on each attribute may be optimized by using feedback from users, the feedback indicating the importance of each attribute to a purchaser when searching for similar items of various categories. Alternatively, click-through patterns from the ecommerce system website can be mined and used to optimize the importance of each attribute to users by item category. The optimum attribute weights for that items category are used to rank the results in a search for similar items in that category. | 12-22-2011 |
20120128239 | IMAGE QUALITY ASSESSMENT TO MERCHANDISE AN ITEM - Image-based features may be significantly correlated with click-through rates of images that depict a product, which may provide a more formal basis for the informal notion that good quality images will result in better click-through rates, as compared to poor quality images. Accordingly, an image assessment machine is configured to analyze image-based features to improve click-through rates for shopping search applications (e.g., a product search engine). Moreover, the image assessment machine may rank search results based on image quality factors and may notify sellers about low quality images. This may have the effect of improving the brand value for an online shopping website and accordingly have a positive long-term impact on the online shopping website. | 05-24-2012 |
20120207389 | IDENTIFYING PRODUCT METADATA FROM AN ITEM IMAGE - A metadata extraction machine accesses an image that depicts an item and identifies an attribute of the item and a descriptor that specifies a value for the identified attribute. The machine identifies the attribute and the descriptor based on an analysis of the accessed image that includes distinguishing a foreground portion of the image from a background portion of the image. Distinguishing a foreground portion from the background portion may include segmenting the image to identify the foreground and background portions. Some or all of the analysis may be performed by the machine. The machine then stores the identified descriptor of the item as metadata of the item. | 08-16-2012 |
20130262447 | METHOD AND SYSTEM TO PROVIDE INLINE REFINEMENT OF ON-LINE SEARCHES - Method and system to provide in-line refinement of online searches is described. The system may include a listing access module, an attribute selector, a filter control generator, and a presentation module. The listing access module may be configured to access a listing submitted to an on-line trading platform. The attribute selector may be configured to select an attribute in the listing. The filter control generator module may be configured to link the attribute to a search filter. The presentation module may be configured to present the attribute in the listing as a filler control in a presentation of the listing. | 10-03-2013 |
20130262463 | METHOD AND SYSTEM TO PROVIDE SMART TAGGING OF SEARCH INPUT - Method and system to provide smart tagging of search input are described. In one example embodiment, as a user types search terms or keywords into a search box, a computer-implemented system for smart tagging links one or more keywords presented in the search box with an additional presentation. The additional presentation may include a hover window containing additional information associated with the keyword. | 10-03-2013 |
20130262507 | METHOD AND SYSTEM TO PROVIDE INLINE SAVED SEARCHES - Method and system to provide inline saved searches are described. In one example embodiment, inline saved search provides on-click access to saving, editing, and retrieval of saved searches. A notification of new item listings in any subsequently performed searches may also be built in. | 10-03-2013 |
20130263044 | METHOD AND SYSTEM TO PROVIDE A SCROLL MAP - Method and system to provide a scroll map are described. A system to provide a scroll map includes a scroll presentation module, a selection module, and a bookmarking module. The scroll presentation module may be configured to present search results as a scroll presentation. The selection module may be configured to identify a certain listing from the search results in response to a selection request. The bookmarking module may be configured to display a marker associated with the selected listing directly on the scroll bar. | 10-03-2013 |
20130275412 | METHOD AND SYSTEM TO PROVIDE VIDEO-BASED SEARCH RESULTS - Method and system to provide video-based search results are described. A search results video may be present to a user details from listings that match certain search criteria. When a select request associated with the search results video is detected, a listing rendering module presents the selected listing on the display device. | 10-17-2013 |
20130325955 | ON-LINE COMMUNITY NETWORK OF SETS - Method and system to provide users with access to authoritative sets of various collectable items and to permit users create and manage their own sets based on the respective authoritative sets are described. An authoritative set may be a collection of images representing collectable items. Access to an authoritative set may be provided via a web site that facilitates a community space where users can compare their collected sets to the authoritative set and determine what products may be missing for their user's set. | 12-05-2013 |
20140105489 | PRE-COMPUTING DIGESTS FOR IMAGE SIMILARITY SEARCHING OF IMAGE-BASED LISTINGS IN A NETWORK-BASED PUBLICATION SYSTEM - A system and method, which may be an offline method, extracts relevant image features about images in a network-based publication system for enabling image similarity searching of such images. An image is uploaded and may be sent to a picture processing service, which generates digests. The digests are compressed data structures each representing a particular image feature such as edge, color, texture, or words. These digests are then stored in a search database, where the digests can be used to retrieve images by image similarity at scale. A similar process can be performed for an image query for searching the search database for images similar to the query image. | 04-17-2014 |
20140164146 | IMAGE QUALITY ASSESSMENT TO MERCHANDISE AN ITEM - Image-based features may be significantly correlated with click-through rates of images that depict a product, which may provide a more formal basis for the informal notion that good quality images will result in better click-through rates, as compared to poor quality images. Accordingly, an image assessment machine is configured to analyze image-based features to improve click-through rates for shopping search applications (e.g., a product search engine). Moreover, the image assessment machine may rank search results based on image quality factors and may notify sellers about low quality images. This may have the effect of improving the brand value for an online shopping website and accordingly have a positive long-term impact on the online shopping website. | 06-12-2014 |
20140324836 | FINDING SIMILAR ITEMS USING WINDOWS OF COMPUTATION - A first database search is performed for images similar to a first query image, and a first plurality of images that result from the first database search are provided. The first plurality of images are selectable to provide a second query image. A second database search is performed for images similar to the second query image, and a second plurality of images that result from the second search are provided. The second plurality of images are selectable to provide a third query image. A third database search is performed for images similar to the third query image; and a third plurality of images that result from the third database search are provided. The third plurality of images are selectable for providing a fourth query image. The search can continue to additional depths. Similarity may be determined by pixel color gradients using windows of computation. | 10-30-2014 |
20140372449 | IMAGE-BASED INDEXING IN A NETWORK-BASED MARKETPLACE - A method and system to index and search item listings in a network-based publication system, such as a network-based marketplace. For example, a listing query may be received from a user, the listing query including a query image. The query image may then be processed to generate a plurality of index sets. Each index set of the plurality of index sets may correspond to a respective portion of the query image and may comprise a set of index values. Each index value of the set of index values may be indicative of an image attribute, such as light intensity, for a respective sub-portion of the corresponding portion of the query image. At least one result image from a database of listing images may be identified by comparing the plurality of index sets for the query image to pre-compiled index sets in an index database. Each pre-compiled index set may be associated with at least one listing image which, in turn, may be associated with an item listing on a network-based marketplace. | 12-18-2014 |