METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CALCULATING AN INDEX KEY

摘要

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method of calculating an index key (140) for a template (105), the index key (140) for use in a database system applying continuous classification. The index key relates the template to a set of templates (110). The template (105) and the respective templates in the set of templates (110) each comprise a plurality of multi- value elements wherein each of the multi- value elements has one of at least three values. The method comprises calculating (125) an element-based distance metric for each template element of at least one subset of the template elements, the element-based distance metric being based on the difference of the respective template element from an average template element value computed over the set of templates (110). The precision of the element-based distance metric is determined by an estimate of the differentiating capability of the respective template element. The method further comprises generating (135) an index key (140) comprising multiple calculated element-based distance metrics. The invention further relates to a method of providing an index key for a template comprised in a database system applying continuous classification as well as a system and method of searching a candidate template in a database system applying continuous classification.