Image Query Processing Based on Multi-level Signatures

This paper describes the processing of queries, expressing conditions on the content of images, in large image databases. The query language assumes that a semantic interpretation of the image content is available (i.e. an image symbolic interpretation), as result of an image analysis process. The image query language addresses important aspects of the image interpretations resulting from image analysis, by defining partial conditions on the composition of the complex objects, requirements on their degree of recognition, and requirements on their position in the image interpretation. Particular emphasis is given on the definition of suitable content-based access structures to make more efficient the query processing. An approach based on multi-level signatures is adopted. The query is pre-processed on the signatures to jilter-out most of the images not sati~ing the query. Finally, an evaluation of the efficiency and precision of the signature technique is given.