Patent ID: 8874573

Claim:
An information processing apparatus comprising: a data retrieval unit that obtains at least two element data; a dissimilarity calculation unit that calculates a dissimilarity between the at least two element data obtained by the data retrieval unit; a transition cost calculation unit, including a processor, that calculates a cost of transition from one of the at least two element data obtained by the data retrieval unit to another of the at least two element data which is different from the one of the at least two element data based on the dissimilarity calculated by the dissimilarity calculation unit and at least two transition cost coefficients; and a distance calculation unit that calculates an element distance representing a degree of dissimilarity between the at least two element data by using the dissimilarity calculated by the dissimilarity calculation unit and the cost calculated by the transition cost calculation unit, wherein when the transition is from a dissimilarity having a small value to a dissimilarity having a relatively large value, the transition cost calculation unit calculates a first transition cost based on a first transition cost coefficient, and when the transition is from a dissimilarity having a large value to a dissimilarity having a relatively small value, the transition cost calculation unit calculates a second transition cost based on a second transition cost coefficient.