Method, apparatus, and system for searching for image and image-related information using a fingerprint of a captured image

摘要

An apparatus, method, and system for searching for images and image-related information are described in which the image information search system includes: an image reproducing apparatus reproducing or capturing an image; and an image/information search server searching for image/information associated with the captured image. In the image and image-information search apparatus and method, a user can easily acquire his or her desired image file or image-related information while he or she is watching images, even when he or she does not know any detailed identification information associated with his or her desired image.

主权项

1. An image reproducing apparatus comprising:
an image capturing unit for capturing an image; a communicator for transmitting a request for image or information associated with the captured image to a server; and a controller for determining whether the image reproducing apparatus is able to generate a fingerprint of the captured image, and if it is determined that the image reproducing apparatus is able to generate the fingerprint of the captured image, the image reproducing apparatus extracts the fingerprint of the captured image from the captured image and transmits the fingerprint of the captured image to a server without transmitting the captured image to the server, and if it is determined that the image reproducing apparatus is not able to generate the fingerprint, the image reproducing apparatus transmits a request for an image, including the captured image or information associated with the captured image to the server.