Patent ID: 6466516
Filing Date: 2002-10-15
Classification: G06F,G06K

Abstract:
A method for characterizing a spatial arrangement among a pre-selected number N of data points of a three-dimensional time series distribution of pre-selected duration in a display/operating system wherein a classification of the spatial arrangement of said time series distribution is required, said method comprising the steps of:inputting said time series distribution of no more than N data points and no longer than said pre-selected time interval into said display/operating system; determining the difference in value of a first measure &Dgr;Y between the data point in said time series distribution having the greatest value of the first measure and the data point in said time series distribution having the smallest value of the first measure; determining the difference in value of a second measure &Dgr;Z between the data point in said time series distribution having the greatest value of the second measure and the data point in said time series distribution having the smallest value of the second measure; creating a virtual volume having a geometric volume containing said time series distribution of data points, said geometric volume being equal to N*&Dgr;Y*&Dgr;Z; subdividing substantially the entirety of said geometric volume of said virtual volume into a plurality k of cubes, each said cube having the same shape and defining the same volume value; determining a number m of said cells containing at least one of said data points of said time series distribution; determining an expected number M of cells containing at least one of said data points in said time series distribution in the event that said time series distribution is random in structure; and characterizing said input time series distribution as clustered in the event that m is less than M, random when m is equal to M, and uniform when m is greater than M.