US Patent 11853377 Image searching method and apparatus

Apparatus for performing searching of a plurality of reference images, the apparatus including one or more electronic processing devices that search the plurality of reference images to identify first reference images similar to a sample image, identify image tags associated with at least one of the first reference image, search the plurality of reference images to identify second reference images using at least one of the image tags and provide search results including at least some first and second reference images.