Shape-based search of a collection of content

Abstract

Shape-based search of a collection of content associated with one or more images of inventory items (“inventory images”) is enabled at least in part by associating the collection of content and/or its associated inventory images with representative refinement shapes. Inventory items may be grouped into categories and at least one refinement shape may be created for each of the categories. A refinement-shape hierarchy may be created by arranging the refinement shapes into parent and child refinement shapes. Inventory images may be associated to at least one of the refinement shapes of the refinement-shape hierarchy based at least in part on similarities between the refinement shapes and shapes of the inventory items reflected in the inventory images.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,
 causing a plurality of images of inventory items to be associated with at least one of a plurality of refinement shapes based at least in part on similarity between a first plurality of texture histogram descriptors associated with the refinement shapes and a second plurality of texture histogram descriptors associated with the inventory items; 
 receiving information for a search request specifying at least one of the refinement shapes; and 
 providing search results including at least a reference to at least one of the images of the inventory items associated with the at least one of the refinement shapes specified in the search request.