Patent ID: 7584187

Claim:
A detecting method for detecting a closed pattern, which is a maximum set of items common to a set of transactions, based on history information which records a set of items including targets of transaction processing as items for each transaction, comprising: a step where an information processing unit records array variables where each of first closed patterns obtained for a first itemspace consisting of a predetermined set of items is considered as an element; a selection step where the information processing unit selects items, which are not included in said first itemspace, as additional items; an arrangement accessing step where the information processing unit reads the elements of said array variables recorded in the recording unit from the first element in sequence; a generating step where the information processing unit sequentially generates an additional pattern by adding said additional item selected by the selection unit to said first closed pattern indicated by the element read by said array access unit; a comparing step where the information processing unit obtains a set of transactions including the whole of said additional pattern by searching the transactions including any items included in said additional pattern generated by the generating unit from said history information in said database device; obtains a set of transactions including the whole of said first closed pattern by searching transaction including any items included in said first closed pattern from said history information in said database device; and compares the obtained set of transactions including the whole of said additional pattern with a set of transactions including the whole of said additional pattern obtained for each of said first closed patterns as the set of items; a step where the information processing unit excludes an item(s) indicating said first closed pattern from said array variables, adds an element indicating a sum of sets of said first closed pattern and said additional pattern to a next of the end element of said array variables, and records the element, on condition that the set of transactions for said additional pattern compared by said comparing unit matches the set of transactions for any of said first closed patterns; and adds an element indicating said additional pattern to a next of end element of said array variables and records the element, on condition that the set does not match the other set; and a step where the information processing unit detects each of elements of the array variables recorded in said recording unit as a second closed pattern, which is a closed pattern in a second itemspace, by determining that a process for the whole of said additional pattern is completed, on condition that the element read by the arrangement accessing unit includes said additional item or on condition that said element is the end element of the array variables.