Patent ID: 7707005

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: employing a processor executing computer readable instructions to perform the following acts: sampling a population data set to derive a sample data set; creating a sample histogram based on the sample data set; scaling values of the sample histogram and deriving an estimate histogram representative of the population data set, wherein the scaling comprises scaling a number of distinct values associated with each bin of the sample histogram based on at least the following: determining whether the sample data set includes at least a pre-determined number of duplicate values relative to the population data set; determining whether the estimate of distinct values is less than a Chao estimator; setting the estimate of distinct values in the population data set equal to the number of distinct values observed in the sample data set when the sample data set includes at least the pre-determined number of duplicate values; and setting the estimate of distinct values in the population data set equal to the Chao estimator when the estimate of distinct values in the population data set is less than the Chao estimator, the Chao estimator being calculated according to the following equation: D = d + f 1 2 2 ⁢ f 2 , wherein D is indicative of the estimated number of distinct values in the population data set, d is indicative of the number of distinct values in the sample data set, f 1 is indicative of the number of values that appear exactly once in the sample data set, and f 2 is indicative of the number of values that appear exactly twice in the sample data set.