Patent ID: 8670605

Claim:
An identification method performed by a computer to identify a data point distribution area on a coordinate plane, the identification method comprising: a distribution representative point selection step of: dividing an area on the coordinate plane into two or more divided areas in a manner such that the divided areas radiate from a division center point, the division center point being an arbitrary point and a center point of the divide areas, plural data being expressed as data points on the coordinate plane, the plural data constituting a data group to be determined, each of the plural data including two variables as a pair, the data point distribution area being a distribution area of the data points, and selecting, in each of the divided areas, from among the data points in the divided area, a data point having the greatest distance from the division center point as a representative point of the data point distribution area; and a determination step of: determining whether there is an overlapping area where a distribution representative point area overlaps a determination area, the distribution representative point area being defined by connecting the representative points with lines, the determination area being a specific area set on the coordinate plane, and determining, when there is the overlapping area, that the data group to be determined is a relevant data group.