ABSTRACT
The image retrieval from the distributed image
servers using a sketched image was confirmed to be
superior to that using keywords. In accordance with
experimental and analytical studies of electronic
encyclopedia, the total processing time of the image
retrieval using a sketched image was much shorter
than that of the image retrieval using keywords, and
the volume of data required for the image retrieval
using a sketched image was much smaller than that
for the image retrieval using keywords. Even if not
familiar with English, the user can easily access to
the desired image databases using the sketched image
at high speed. It is very important that the image
retrieval using a sketched image is not restricted by
the users' ages, knowledge, and languages since the
users can easily access to the image databases from
the user terminals without keyboards. The concept of
the image retrieval using a sketched image will
provide a new criteria for designing a new type of TV
sets. This new type of TV sets, containing the
multimedia user terminal functions as well as the
conventional TV receiver functions, is proposed
based on the results of the image retrieval using a
sketched image.