Categorical Uncertainty Sampling for Efficient Image Retraining

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Solution Overview

Problem

Training and retraining machine learning algorithms for image object detection is time-consuming and resource-intensive, requiring significant processor cycles and data.

Innovation Solution

A method that selects images with the highest uncertainty for training and retraining, using uncertainty scores to prioritize and group images by class, and adjusts the sample size based on class difficulty to optimize the training process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional machine learning training methods are used with random sampling, then the model can be trained with a diverse dataset, but the training process requires tremendous amounts of time and processor cycles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemodel accuracyVSAvoidtraining time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The trained model evaluates itself by generating uncertainty scores for unlabeled images, automatically identifying which images would be most beneficial for retraining. This self-assessment mechanism eliminates the need for external expert judgment or random sampling strategies, allowing the system to autonomously select the most valuable training data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the model's own prediction uncertainties as feedback to guide the selection of training images. By measuring how uncertain the model is about its predictions on unlabeled images, the system creates a feedback loop that directs retraining efforts toward images that will most improve model performance, rather than using random or uniform sampling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If comprehensive image datasets are used for training, then the model achieves better generalization, but the processor cycles and computational resources required increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemodel robustnessVSAvoidcomputational resource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the most informative subset of images from the available unlabeled dataset by using uncertainty sampling. Instead of processing comprehensive datasets, the method identifies and extracts specifically those images with highest uncertainty scores, which are then used for retraining. This extraction principle reduces the volume of data that needs to be processed while maintaining training effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies different selection criteria to different regions of the data space by evaluating uncertainty locally for each unlabeled image. Rather than treating all images uniformly, the method identifies local regions of uncertainty in the feature space and selectively samples from those regions, ensuring computational resources are focused on the most critical areas for model improvement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If random sampling is used to select training images, then the selection process is simple and unbiased, but the training efficiency is low and resources are wasted on already well-known examples

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraining efficiencyVSAvoiduncertainty information
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces the mechanical random sampling process with an intelligent selection process based on uncertainty estimation. Instead of relying on probabilistic random selection, the method uses the model's uncertainty scores to deterministically identify the most valuable training images, substituting computational intelligence for random mechanical selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS20250308210A1Machine learning using categorical uncertainty sampling
Publication Date: 2025.10.02 LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
  • US20250308210A1 patent drawing
  • US20250308210A1 patent drawing

AI summary

A system identifies and selects the best image to use to retrain a machine learning algorithm, thereby creating the best model. The best image is identified by determining the image, in an object identification, that has the most uncertainty. In addition to determining uncertainties for images, the system uses priority scores, groupings and orderings of subsets of images by the priority scores, computing a complement of recall or difficulty measure, and selecting images based on the difficulty measure.