Patent ID: 8666998

Claim:
A computer implemented method comprising: determining a first characteristic for a first data set of a plurality of data elements, wherein the first characteristic includes a first set of metric values indicating properties for the plurality of data elements within the first data set; comparing said first data set with at least one of a second data set of a plurality of data elements and a single data value by at least one of the following: determining a second characteristic for the second data set, wherein the second characteristic includes a second set of metric values indicating properties for the plurality of data elements within the second data set, and calculating a similarity of said first data set with said second data set based on a comparison of said first and second characteristics; and determining a third characteristic for the single data value, wherein the third characteristic includes a third set of metric values indicating properties for the single data value, and calculating a similarity of said first data set with said single data value based on a comparison of said first characteristic and said third characteristic.