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Microsoft Seeks Patent For "Search By Sketch"

Posted by samzenpus on from the composite-search dept.

theodp writes "So, how does one search for images that aren't tagged with keywords? Google does offer its sometimes-spotty search by image, but what if you don't have an image handy that looks like what you're searching for? Microsoft, reports GeekWire, offers a solution that's 'a little like playing Pictionary with a search engine — drawing a sketch and seeing if the algorithm can return pictures that match it.' That's the concept behind Microsoft Research's patent-pending 'MindFinder' project, which has already been incorporated into a Windows Phone app called Sketch Match. A patent application made public Thursday notes that touch computing makes sketching easier than ever, making one wonder if we'll be 'giving Bing the finger' with Windows 8!"

5 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. Testing would be interesting by Rogerborg · · Score: 5, Funny

    Could they make it work for the 5% of sketches that aren't boobs or dongs?

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  2. Already Done by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Already done here for LaTex symbols: http://detexify.kirelabs.org/classify.html

    Please please please don't approve the patent. I haven't read it, but according to the summary there's nothing new about it.

  3. Re:Interesting concept, but... by zill · · Score: 5, Informative

    Sounds like you're talking about Google Goggles.

  4. Patent the concept or specific algorithm? by rollingcalf · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I oppose software patents in general, but if this patent covers their specific algorithm I don't really have a problem with that.

    The trouble is that regardless of whatever algorithm they describe in the patent, the patent can be used to sue others who use a different algorithm to implement the same concept.

    So they can get a patent on an ineffective algorithm for image search, wait for somebody else to create a better algorithm that is actually effective, then sue the implementor of the better algorithm. The patent effectively covers the concept, not the algorithm, hindering innovation by preventing others from implementing their own different algorithms for the same concept.

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  5. Rtriever by cyrano.mac · · Score: 5, Informative

    Rtriever has been doing exactly the same thing since 2006. http://labs.systemone.at/retrievr/