Patent ID: 8706737

Claim:
A method for processing a top-k query, comprising: receiving, by a processor of an application server operated by a service provider of a core internet protocol network, the top-k query with a value for a number of samples and a value of a confidence parameter, wherein the top-k query is received from a user endpoint device; sampling, by the processor of the application server, in accordance to the number of samples; determining, by the processor of the application server, a top-k weight of a sample top-k set; bounding, by the processor of the application server, the top-k weight in an interval having an upper bound and a lower bound where the top-k weight is in the interval with a probability equal to one minus the value of the confidence parameter; and providing, by the processor of the application server, a response to the top-k query in accordance with the upper and lower bounds.