Fundamental pattern discovery using the position indices of symbols in a sequence of symbols

摘要

The present invention relates to computer-implemented methods for finding patterns in patterns in a set of k-sequences of symbols (where k2) and to a computer readable medium having instructions for controlling a computer system to perform the methods. Patterns of symbols common to each 2-tuple of sequences are identified. Each identified pattern of symbols is represented by a position index numerical array (PINA), which is a set of position indices, each of which denotes the location in a selected reference sequence at which each symbol in the pattern occurs. The position index numerical array (PINA) representations of patterns of each tuple at any order “n” may be combined with the PINA pattern representations of all other tuples at that same order “n” or with the pattern representations in any selected m-tuple, where m may have any integer value from 2 to (n−1). The patterns in the resulting tuple are identified from the position index numerical arrays (PINAs) produced by the intersection of the set of position indices in each position index numerical array (PINA) in one tuple with the set of position indices in each position index numerical array (PINA) in the other tuple. The intersection is performed by sequentially comparing each position index of one pattern with each of the position indices of the other pattern. The position index numerical array representing the identified pattern in the resulting tuple is converted into its corresponding symbols by mapping the indices in the numerical array to the respective symbols in the reference sequence.