Digital spectrum of file based on contents

Abstract

A digital spectrum defines and communicates a file's informational characteristics. A file's informational position may be represented as a vector in an N-dimensional space, where each dimension is defined by a symbol. A position along the axis of any given dimension is described by the frequency of occurrence of that symbol. Relative to the origin of the space, the file's position can be computed. Comparing positions reveals similarity, or not, of the files. Another method uses the digital spectrum to define a line graph. Each symbol and its frequency define points on the line. A distance function between two spectra line graphs is computed. Comparing values from the distance functions reveals similarity, or not, of the files. Also, total numbers of bits in the files are extracted by knowing the lengths of the original bits corresponding to every symbol. A symbol bit length spectrum is also defined.

1 . In a computing system environment, a method of determining a digital spectrum of a file stored on a computing device, the file having a plurality of symbols representing an underlying data stream of original bits of data, comprising determining a number of occurrences of each said symbol in the file. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further including determining how many different symbols (N) are in the plurality of symbols thereby defining an N-dimensional space. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further including determining a magnitude of the file based on the determined number of occurrences 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further including determining similarity of the file to another file by computing a distance function between the magnitudes of the file and the another file. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further including determining a number of the original bits of data represented by an entirety of the determined number of occurrences of said each symbol in the file. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further including determining each of the original bits of data for every symbol of the plurality of symbols. 
     
     
         7 . In a computing system environment, a method of determining a digital spectrum of a file stored on a computing device, the file having a plurality of symbols, comprising:
 determining original bits of data for every said symbol; and   determining a number of occurrences of said every symbol in the file.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further including determining how many different symbols (N) are in the plurality of symbols thereby defining an N-dimensional space, the determined number of occurrences being used to create an ordered vector in the N-dimensional space. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further including determining a magnitude of the file based on the ordered vector relative to an origin of the N-dimensional space. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further including determining a number of occurrences of every symbol in a second file. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further including creating a second ordered vector in the N-dimensional space for the second file. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further including determining a second magnitude of the second file relative to the origin of the N-Dimensional space. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 13 , further including comparing the second magnitude of the second file to the magnitude of the file to determine similarity of the files. 
     
     
         14 . In a computing system environment, a method of determining similarity of two or more files stored on one or more computing devices, each said file having a plurality of symbols representing an underlying data stream of original bits of data, comprising:
 determining a number of occurrences of every said symbol in said each file; and   comparing the number of occurrences between the files.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said each file has a same total number of different symbols (N) thereby defining an N-dimensional space, the determined number of occurrences being used to create an ordered vector in the N-dimensional space for said each file. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further including determining a magnitude of said each file based on the ordered vectors relative to an origin of the N-dimensional space. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the comparing further includes comparing the magnitudes of said each file. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further including determining for said each file a total number of the original bits of data. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further including determining for said each file a series of bits representing each of the original bits of data for said every symbol of the plurality of symbols. 
     
     
         20 . A computer program product having executable instructions for loading on a computing device that undertake the method of  claim 1 .