Patent ID: 6334129
Filing Date: 2001-12-25
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A data processing apparatus for extracting, from a set of data having a vector format stored in a database, a first prescribed number of items of data having a high degree of similarity with a query vector, comprising:a database storing a set of data having a vector format;list creation means for creating lists of data in each of which data of said database is sorted in order of decreasing strength of respective one component of a vector;list-priority decision means for deciding a priority of each list;input means for inputting the query vector;selection means for successively selecting, from the lists based upon the list priority and ranking in each list, a second prescribed number of items of data not yet output;similarity calculation means for calculating a degree of similarity between the query vector and each of only the second prescribed number of items of data selected by said selection means;output means for outputting one item of data, from the second prescribed number of items of data successively selected by said selection means, based upon degree of similarity between each of the second prescribed number of items of data and the query vector; andcontrol means for controlling said selection means, said similarity calculation means, and said output means to repeat operations until the first prescribed number of items of data are output from said output means.