Patent ID: 8718803

Claim:
A method for calculating measures of similarity between time signals, comprising automatically performing the following stages: a) acquiring data of at least a first time-variable signal and data of a second time-variable signal, over at least part of the duration of each signal; b) comparing each of said data acquired from said first signal with at least a part of said data acquired from said second signal to evaluate the level of similarity between them; c) assigning a predetermined positive value to every two compared data if the result of said comparison is greater than a determined threshold, and a zero if it is less than said determined threshold, creating a data set with said positive values and said zeros ordered in time; d) determining at least a first time sequence with at least part of said is predetermined positive values and said assigned zeros of said data set, formed by a series of consecutive sub-sequences of positive values, separated by discontinuities formed by one or more zeros; e) obtaining a series of accumulated results for at least each of said consecutive sub-sequences, adding up the positive values included in at least each sub-sequence; and f) selecting the highest result from among said accumulated results obtained in said stage e), and establishing said selected result as indicative of the level of similarity between said two signals; wherein, to compensate possible differences in the speed of said signals, or in part of them, said stage e) comprises obtaining an accumulated result for each determined point i, j of a positive value, of each of said sub-sequences, adding said positive value to the accumulated result of maximum value, from among at least the following three accumulated results obtained in an analogous manner: an accumulated partial result at an immediately previous point i−1, j−1 of said sub-sequence, an accumulated result at a point i−2, j−1 of a sub-sequence of a second time sequence, and an accumulated result at a point i−1, j−2 of a sub-sequence of a third time sequence, wherein, for each sub-sequence starting after a discontinuity, the method comprises starting the operation of adding up its positive values which offers an accumulated result for said sub-sequence, independently of the accumulated result or results of one or more sub-sequences prior to said discontinuity.