Generating a representative sub-signature of a cluster of signatures by using weighted sampling
View Patent ↗A method and a system are provided for generating a representative sub-signature of a particular cluster of signatures. In one example, the system reads a sub-signature of a signature of the particular cluster. The system calculates a first factor for the sub-signature. The first factor is based on how many signatures contain the sub-signature. The signatures are in the particular cluster. The system calculates a second factor for the sub-signature. The second factor is based on how many signatures in other clusters contain the sub-signature. These other signatures in other clusters are not in the particular cluster. The system calculates an effectiveness score for the sub-signature. The effectiveness score is based on at least the first factor and the second factor. The system then determines one or more representative sub-signatures for the particular cluster. The one or more sub-signatures are based on one or more effectiveness scores calculated by the system.
1. A method for generating a representative sub-signature of a particular cluster of signatures, the method comprising:
reading a sub-signature of a signature of the particular cluster, wherein the signature includes an identifier of an item;
calculating a first factor for the sub-signature, wherein the first factor is based on how many signatures in the particular cluster contain the sub-signature;
calculating a second factor for the sub-signature, wherein the second factor is based on how many signatures in other clusters contain the sub-signature;
calculating an effectiveness score for the sub-signature, wherein the effectiveness score is based on at least the first factor and the second factor;
determining one or more representative sub-signatures for the particular cluster, wherein the one or more sub-signatures are based on one or more effectiveness scores; and
at least one of:
reading one or more additional sub-signatures of a signature of the particular cluster;
calculating a first factor for each additional sub-signature;
calculating a second factor for each additional sub-signature; and
calculating an effectiveness score for each additional sub-signature,
wherein calculating the first factor comprises increasing the first factor as the number of signatures containing the sub-signature in the particular cluster increases,
wherein calculating the second factor comprises increasing the second factor as the number of signatures in other clusters containing the sub-signature increases, and
wherein calculating the effectiveness score comprises dividing the first factor by the second factor.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the effectiveness score comprises giving more weight to the first factor as compared to the second factor, wherein the first factor is more accurate for determining the effectiveness score than is the second factor.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the effectiveness score comprises giving less weight to the first factor as compared to the second factor, wherein the second factor is more accurate for determining the effectiveness score than is the first factor.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising optimizing the generation of the representative sub-signature of the particular cluster, wherein the optimizing comprises considering sub-signatures that are likely to be effective representative sub-signatures of the particular cluster.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising optimizing the generation of the representative sub-signature of the particular cluster, wherein the optimizing comprises eliminating from consideration at least one of:
one or more sub-signatures that are unlikely to be an effective representative sub-signature of the particular cluster;
one or more sub-signatures by using the first factor;
one or more sub-signatures that do not occur in at least a predetermined percentage of signatures of the particular cluster; and
one or more sub-signatures that do not occur in at least fifty percent of the signatures of the particular cluster.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signature includes at least one of:
a computer-readable format; and
a computer-readable string of characters that comports with a coding standard.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the item includes at least one of:
a CD;
a DVD;
a Blu-ray Disc;
an album;
a song;
a track; and
a chapter.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signature includes at least one of:
an audio fingerprint;
an audio identifier;
a video identifier;
a disc identifier;
a CD identifier;
a DVD identifier;
a Blu-ray Disc identifier;
a media identifier;
a high definition media identifier;
a human fingerprint;
a human footprint;
an animal fingerprint;
an animal footprint;
a handwritten signature;
an eye print;
a biometric identifier;
a retinal identifier;
a retinal scan;
a DNA identifier;
a DNA profile;
a genetic identifier; and
a genetic profile.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signature includes a computer-readable string of characters that comports with a coding standard, and wherein the coding standard includes at least one of:
alphabet;
alphanumeric;
decimal;
hexadecimal;
binary;
American Standard Code for Information Interchange;
Unicode; and
Universal Character Set.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signature includes an identifier that is initially not computer-readable, and wherein the method further comprises converting the identifier into a computer-readable signature.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the sub-signature comprises a subset of the computer readable signature, and wherein the identifier that is initially not computer-readable includes at least one of:
a human fingerprint;
a human footprint;
an animal fingerprint;
an animal footprint;
a handwritten signature;
an eye print;
a biometric identifier;
a retinal identifier;
a retinal scan;
a DNA identifier;
a DNA profile;
a genetic identifier; and
a genetic profile.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein a cluster includes a set of alternative signatures that are likely to be identifiers of a same item.
13. A system for generating a representative sub-signature of a particular cluster of signatures, wherein the system includes at least one processor configured to perform the steps of:
reading a sub-signature of a signature of the particular cluster, wherein the signature includes an identifier of an item;
calculating a first factor for the sub-signature, wherein the first factor is based on how many signatures in the particular cluster contain the sub-signature;
calculating a second factor for the sub-signature, wherein the second factor is based on how many signatures in other clusters contain the sub-signature;
calculating an effectiveness score for the sub-signature, wherein the effectiveness score is based on at least the first factor and the second factor; and
determining one or more representative sub-signatures for the particular cluster, wherein the one or more sub-signatures are based on one or more effectiveness scores; and
at least one of:
reading one or more additional sub-signatures of a signature of the particular cluster;
calculating a first factor for each additional sub-signature;
calculating a second factor for each additional sub-signature; and
calculating an effectiveness score for each additional sub-signature,
wherein calculating the first factor comprises increasing the first factor as the number of signatures containing the sub-signature in the particular cluster increases,
wherein calculating the second factor comprises increasing the second factor as the number of signatures in other clusters containing the sub-signature increases, and
wherein calculating the effectiveness score comprises dividing the first factor by the second factor.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein calculating the effectiveness score comprises giving more weight to the first factor as compared to the second factor, wherein the first factor is more accurate for determining the effectiveness score than is the second factor.
15. The system of claim 13 , wherein calculating the effectiveness score comprises giving less weight to the first factor as compared to the second factor, wherein the second factor is more accurate for determining the effectiveness score than is the first factor.
16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured for optimizing the generation of the representative sub-signature of the particular cluster, wherein the optimizing comprises considering sub-signatures that are likely to be effective representative sub-signatures of the particular cluster.
17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured for optimizing generation of the representative sub-signature of the particular cluster, wherein the optimizing comprises eliminating from consideration at least one of:
one or more sub-signatures that are unlikely to be an effective representative sub-signature of the particular cluster;
one or more sub-signatures by using the first factor;
one or more sub-signatures that do not occur in at least a predetermined percentage of signatures of the particular cluster; and
one or more sub-signatures that do not occur in at least fifty percent of the signatures of the particular cluster.
18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the signature includes at least one of:
a computer-readable format; and
a computer-readable string of characters that comports with a coding standard.
19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the item includes at least one of:
a CD;
a DVD;
a Blu-ray Disc;
an album;
a song;
a track; and
a chapter.
20. The system of claim 13 , wherein the signature includes at least one of:
an audio fingerprint;
an audio identifier;
a video identifier;
a disc identifier;
a CD identifier;
a DVD identifier;
a Blu-ray Disc identifier;
a media identifier;
a high definition media identifier;
a human fingerprint;
a human footprint;
an animal fingerprint;
an animal footprint;
a handwritten signature;
an eye print;
a biometric identifier;
a retinal identifier;
a retinal scan;
a DNA identifier;
a DNA profile;
a genetic identifier; and
a genetic profile.
21. The system of claim 13 , wherein the signature includes a computer-readable string of characters that comports with a coding standard, and wherein the coding standard includes at least one of:
alphabet;
alphanumeric;
decimal;
hexadecimal;
binary;
American Standard Code for Information Interchange;
Unicode; and
Universal Character Set.
22. The system of claim 13 , wherein the signature includes an identifier that is initially not computer-readable, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured for converting the identifier into a computer-readable signature.
23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the sub-signature comprises a subset of the computer-readable signature, and wherein the identifier that is initially not computer-readable includes at least one of:
a human fingerprint;
a human footprint;
an animal fingerprint;
an animal footprint;
a handwritten signature;
an eye print;
a biometric identifier;
a retinal identifier;
a retinal scan;
a DNA identifier;
a DNA profile;
a genetic identifier; and
a genetic profile.
24. The system of claim 13 , wherein a cluster includes a set of alternative signatures that are likely to be identifiers of a same item.
25. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium retrievably storing one or more instructions for generating a representative sub-signature of a particular cluster of signatures, wherein the one or more instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
reading a sub-signature of a signature of the particular cluster, wherein the signature includes an identifier of an item;
calculating a first factor for the sub-signature, wherein the first factor is based on how many signatures in the particular cluster contain the sub-signature;
calculating a second factor for the sub-signature, wherein the second factor is based on how many signatures in other clusters contain the sub-signature; and
calculating an effectiveness score for the sub-signature, wherein the effectiveness score is based on at least the first factor and the second factor; and
determining one or more representative sub-signatures for the particular cluster, wherein the one or more sub-signatures are based on one or more effectiveness scores; and
at least one of:
reading one or more additional sub-signatures of a signature of the particular cluster;
calculating a first factor for each additional sub-signature;
calculating a second factor for each additional sub-signature; and
calculating an effectiveness score for each additional sub-signature,
wherein calculating the first factor comprises increasing the first factor as the number of signatures containing the sub-signature in the particular cluster increases,
wherein calculating the second factor comprises increasing the second factor as the number of signatures in other clusters containing the sub-signature increases, and
wherein calculating the effectiveness score comprises dividing the first factor by the second factor.
26. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signature includes at least one of:
an audio fingerprint;
an audio identifier;
a video identifier;
a disc identifier;
a CD identifier;
a DVD identifier;
a Blu-ray Disc identifier;
a high definition media identifier;
a human fingerprint;
a human footprint;
an animal fingerprint;
an animal footprint;
a handwritten signature;
an eye print;
a biometric identifier;
a retinal identifier;
a retinal scan;
a DNA identifier;
a DNA profile;
a genetic identifier; and
a genetic profile.
27. The method of claim 1 , wherein the effectiveness score is inversely proportional to the second factor.
28. The system of claim 13 , wherein the effectiveness score is inversely proportional to the second factor.
29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the effectiveness score is inversely proportional to the second factor.