US6236985B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for searching databases with applications such as peer groups, collaborative filtering, and e-commerce
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1998-10-07
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Granted: 2001-05-22
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Expires: 2018-10-07
Abstract
Abstract A method of analyzing information in the form of a plurality of data records. Each data record includes one or more data values. The data values are partitioned into a plurality of data signatures. Data values of data signatures are compared to data values of data records. Based on the result of the comparison an index is associated with each data record. A bound corresponding to the index is calculated based on a user defined target value and an objective function. If desired, information may be analyzed for finding peer groups in e-commerce applications.
Inventors
- 👤 Charu Chandra Aggarwal
- 👤 Joel Leonard Wolf
- 👤 Philip Shi-lung Yu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 19:25
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q40/00; G06Q40/04; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/20; G06F16/22; G06F16/2228; G06F16/2237; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99932; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99936
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of analyzing information in the form of a plurality of data records, each data record including at least one data value of a plurality of data values, said method comprising the steps of: (a) partitioning the plurality of data values into a plurality of data signatures; (b) comparing ones of the plurality of data signatures to a data record of the plurality of data records; (c) associating an index with the data record based on the result of step (b); and (d) calculating a bound corresponding to the index and based on a user defined target value and an objective function.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of analyzing information in the form of a plurality of data records, each data record including at least one data value of a plurality of data values, said method comprising the steps of: (a) partitioning the plurality of data values into a plurality of data signatures; (b) comparing ones of the plurality of data signatures to a data record of the plurality of data records; (c) associating an index with the data record based on the result of step (b); and (d) calculating a bound corresponding to the index and based on a user defined target value and an objective function.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the objective function is a function of a match number and a hamming distance.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the index is a Boolean index.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of partitioning the plurality of data values, further comprises the steps of: calculating a distance between a first data value of the plurality of data values and a second data value of the plurality of data values; and detecting a plurality of clusters of ones of the plurality of data values based on the distance.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein steps (b)-(c) are repeated until each respective data record of the plurality of data records is associated with a respective index of a plurality of indices, and step (d) is repeated until a respective bound corresponding to each respective index of the plurality of indices is calculated.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method according to claim 5 , further comprising the steps of: (a) sorting respective ones of the plurality of indices based on the respective bound; (b) searching ones of the plurality of data records based on sorted ones of the plurality of indices; and (c) detecting at least one of the plurality of data records that is comparable to the user defined target value based on the objective function.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of analyzing information in the form of a plurality of data records, each data record including at least one data value of a plurality of data values, said method comprising the steps of: (a) partitioning the plurality of data values into a plurality of data signatures; (b) comparing ones of the plurality of data signatures to a data record of the plurality of data records; (c) associating an index with the data record based on the result of step (b); and (d) calculating a bound corresponding to the index and based on at least one of a plurality of user defined target values and an objective function.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of analyzing information in the form of a plurality of data records, each data record including at least one data value of a plurality of data values, said method comprising the steps of: (a) partitioning the plurality of data values into a plurality of data signatures; (b) comparing ones of the plurality of data signatures to a data record of the plurality of data records; (c) associating an index with the data record based on the result of step (b); and (d) calculating a bound corresponding to the index and based on at least one of a plurality of user defined target values and an objective function.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 7 , wherein the index is a Boolean index.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method according to claim 7 , further comprising the steps of: (e) repeating steps (b)-(c) until each respective data record of the plurality of data records is associated with a respective index of a plurality of indices; and (f) repeating step (d) until a respective bound corresponding to each respective index of the plurality of indices is calculated.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
76 words
The method according to claim 9 , further comprising the steps of: (g) sorting respective ones of the plurality of indices based on the respective bound; (h) searching ones of the plurality of data records based on sorted ones of the plurality of indices; and (i) detecting at least one of the plurality of data records that is comparable to at least one of the plurality of user defined target values based on the objective function.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 10 , wherein the objective function is chosen by the user.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of data records is obtained by measuring physical attributes of a plurality of objects.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method according to claim 10 , wherein an interactively defined number L of the plurality of data records that are comparable to m user defined target values of the plurality of user defined target values are detected.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein the plurality of data values represent a plurality of items for sale, the plurality of data records are a plurality of transaction records associated with a plurality of customers, and the L data records detected are L transaction records of the plurality of transaction records, the L transaction records comprising a peer group of the m user defined target values.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method according to claim 14 , wherein ones of the plurality of items for sale are provided to a customer based on an intersection between a promotion list and ones of the plurality of items for sale of ones of the L transaction records of the peer group.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
121 words
The method according to claim 15 , further comprising the steps of: (j) comparing a total number of the ones of the plurality of items for sale provided to the customer with a given value r; (k) repeating steps (h)-(i) to detect L′<L transaction records comprising the peer group of the m user defined target values, if the total number of the ones of the plurality of items for sale provided to the customer is greater than r; and (l) repeating steps (h)-(i) to detect L′>L transaction records comprising the peer group of the m user defined target values, if the total number of the ones of the plurality of items for sale provided to the customer is smaller than r.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 10 , wherein the objective function is interactively specified by a user.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 17 , wherein the objective function is interactively specified for each repetition of steps (d)-(i).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
135 words
An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for analyzing information in the form of a plurality of data records, each data record including at least one data value of a plurality of data values, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect: (a) partitioning the plurality of data values into a plurality of data signatures; (b) comparing ones of the plurality of data signatures to a data record of the plurality of data records; (c) associating an index with the data record based on the result of step (b); and (d) calculating a bound corresponding to the index and based on a user defined target value and an objective function.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
135 words
An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for analyzing information in the form of a plurality of data records, each data record including at least one data value of a plurality of data values, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect: (a) partitioning the plurality of data values into a plurality of data signatures; (b) comparing ones of the plurality of data signatures to a data record of the plurality of data records; (c) associating an index with the data record based on the result of step (b); and (d) calculating a bound corresponding to the index and based on a user defined target value and an objective function.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
141 words
An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for analyzing information in the form of a plurality of data records, each data record including at least one data value of a plurality of data values, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect: (a) partitioning the plurality of data values into a plurality of data signatures; (b) comparing ones of the plurality of data signatures to a data record of the plurality of data records; (c) associating an index with the data record based on the result of step (b); and (d) calculating a bound corresponding to the index and based on at least one of a plurality of user defined target values and an objective function.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
141 words
An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for analyzing information in the form of a plurality of data records, each data record including at least one data value of a plurality of data values, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect: (a) partitioning the plurality of data values into a plurality of data signatures; (b) comparing ones of the plurality of data signatures to a data record of the plurality of data records; (c) associating an index with the data record based on the result of step (b); and (d) calculating a bound corresponding to the index and based on at least one of a plurality of user defined target values and an objective function.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
81 words
An article of manufacture as recited in claim 20 , the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture further comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect: (e) repeating steps (b)-(c) until each respective data record of the plurality of data records is associated with a respective index of a plurality of indices; and (f) repeating step (d) until a respective bound corresponding to each respective index of the plurality of indices is calculated.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
98 words
An article of manufacture as recited in claim 21 , the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture further comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect: (g) sorting respective ones of the plurality of indices based on the respective bound; (h) searching ones of the plurality of data records based on sorted ones of the plurality of indices; and (i) detecting at least one of the plurality of data records that is comparable to at least one of the plurality of user defined target values based on the objective function.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
41 words
An article of manufacture as recited in claim 22 , wherein an interactively defined number L of the plurality of data records that are comparable to m user defined target values of the plurality of user defined target values are detected.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
71 words
An article of manufacture as recited in claim 23 , wherein the plurality of data values represent a plurality of items for sale, the plurality of data records are a plurality of transaction records associated with a plurality of customers, and the L data records detected are L transaction records of the plurality of transaction records, the L transaction records comprising a peer group of the m user defined target values.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
138 words
A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing an analysis of information in the form of a plurality of data records, each data record including at least one data value of a plurality of data values, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect: (a) partitioning the plurality of data values into a plurality of data signatures; (b) comparing ones of the plurality of data signatures to a data record of the plurality of data records; (c) associating an index with the data record based on the result of step (b); and (d) calculating a bound corresponding to the index and based on a user defined target value and an objective function.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
138 words
A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing an analysis of information in the form of a plurality of data records, each data record including at least one data value of a plurality of data values, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect: (a) partitioning the plurality of data values into a plurality of data signatures; (b) comparing ones of the plurality of data signatures to a data record of the plurality of data records; (c) associating an index with the data record based on the result of step (b); and (d) calculating a bound corresponding to the index and based on a user defined target value and an objective function.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
144 words
A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing an analysis of information in the form of a plurality of data records, each data record including at least one data value of a plurality of data values, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect: (a) partitioning the plurality of data values into a plurality of data signatures; (b) comparing ones of the plurality of data signatures to a data record of the plurality of data records; (c) associating an index with the data record based on the result of step (b); and (d) calculating a bound corresponding to the index and based on at least one of a plurality of user defined target values and an objective function.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
144 words
A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing an analysis of information in the form of a plurality of data records, each data record including at least one data value of a plurality of data values, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect: (a) partitioning the plurality of data values into a plurality of data signatures; (b) comparing ones of the plurality of data signatures to a data record of the plurality of data records; (c) associating an index with the data record based on the result of step (b); and (d) calculating a bound corresponding to the index and based on at least one of a plurality of user defined target values and an objective function.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
219 words
A method of searching a computer database for at least one of a plurality of data records that is comparable to a user defined target value, each data record including at least one data value of a plurality of data values, said method comprising the steps of: (a) partitioning the plurality of data values into a plurality of data signatures; (b) comparing ones of the plurality of data signatures to a data record of the plurality of data records; (c) associating an index with the data record based on the result of step (b); (d) calculating a bound corresponding to the index and based on the user defined target value and an objective function; (e) repeating steps (b)-(c) until each respective data record of the plurality of data records is associated with a respective index of a plurality of indices; (f) repeating step (d) until a respective bound corresponding to each respective index of the plurality of indices is calculated; (g) sorting respective ones of the plurality of indices based on the respective bound; (h) searching ones of the plurality of data records based on sorted ones of the plurality of indices; and (i) detecting said at least one of the plurality of data records that is comparable to the user defined target value based on the objective function.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
219 words
A method of searching a computer database for at least one of a plurality of data records that is comparable to a user defined target value, each data record including at least one data value of a plurality of data values, said method comprising the steps of: (a) partitioning the plurality of data values into a plurality of data signatures; (b) comparing ones of the plurality of data signatures to a data record of the plurality of data records; (c) associating an index with the data record based on the result of step (b); (d) calculating a bound corresponding to the index and based on the user defined target value and an objective function; (e) repeating steps (b)-(c) until each respective data record of the plurality of data records is associated with a respective index of a plurality of indices; (f) repeating step (d) until a respective bound corresponding to each respective index of the plurality of indices is calculated; (g) sorting respective ones of the plurality of indices based on the respective bound; (h) searching ones of the plurality of data records based on sorted ones of the plurality of indices; and (i) detecting said at least one of the plurality of data records that is comparable to the user defined target value based on the objective function.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method of searching a computer database according to claim 27 , wherein the plurality of data records are stored on a server computer, and the user defined target value is provided by a client computer.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of searching a computer database of claim 28 , wherein the plurality of data records which are stored on the server computer and said at least one data value included in each data record are collected from the client computer.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-05-21 | 2004-11-20 | 2005-05-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-05-21 | 2008-11-20 | 2009-05-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-05-21 | 2012-11-20 | 2013-05-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |