Patent ID: 6226408
Filing Date: 2001-05-01
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
A computer implemented method for unsupervised identification of associated sets of data items in a collection of data items without using labels encoded in the data items, the method comprising the operations of:representing each data item by an input vector having a plurality of components representing portions of the data of the data item;quantizing the plurality of input vectors by associating each input vector with a closest one of a number of cluster centers, the number of cluster centers less than the plurality of data items, each of the input vectors contributing to each cluster center;linking the cluster centers with edges to form a graph, each edge between two cluster centers weighted according to a density of the input vectors between the two cluster centers;encoding each input vector as an encoded vector having a coded vector component for each cluster center, each vector component determined as a function of a distance between the input vector and the respective cluster center, and a distance between the respective cluster center and a cluster center nearest the input vector;repeating the operations of quantizing, linking, and encoding using the encoded vectors as the input vectors until a termination condition is satisfied; andfor each encoded vector remaining after the termination condition is satisfied, labeling the data item associated with the encoded vector with a label associated with nearest cluster center.