Multi-Label Learning With Incomplete Assignments

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing multi-label learning methods face challenges in handling incomplete label assignments, particularly when dealing with large datasets where fully labeled training sets are impractical due to high labeling costs or errors, leading to inefficiencies in content tagging and classification.

Innovation Solution

A stacked modeling approach is employed, where an initial level predicts label applicability using feature information from partially labeled training instances, with additional levels trained using previous predictions to refine ground-truth label sets, leveraging label correlations to improve classification accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If fully labeled training sets are used for multi-label learning, then classification accuracy is improved, but labeling costs and time consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclassification accuracyVSAvoidlabeling time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by using incomplete label assignments where only a subset of labels is provided for each training instance rather than requiring complete labeling. This allows the system to achieve acceptable classification performance with reduced labeling effort, directly addressing the contradiction between accuracy and time cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism through a probabilistic model that handles missing labels by estimating the likelihood of label applicability. This intermediary layer allows the system to work with incomplete data while maintaining classification accuracy, resolving the contradiction between full labeling requirements and practical time constraints.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If incomplete label assignments are used to reduce labeling costs, then productivity increases, but measurement precision and classification accuracy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelabeling throughputVSAvoidclassification accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter representation by using probabilistic label assignments instead of binary present/absent labels. This allows the system to encode uncertainty and partial information in a mathematically tractable form, maintaining classification accuracy while accepting incomplete labeling for higher productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary action by pre-processing incomplete label assignments into a probabilistic format before training. This preliminary transformation enables the subsequent learning algorithm to effectively utilize incomplete data, achieving both high productivity from reduced labeling and maintained accuracy through proper data preparation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If traditional multi-label learning methods are applied to large-scale data, then processing speed decreases, but handling incomplete labels becomes feasible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandling incomplete labelsVSAvoidprocessing speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the multi-label learning problem into independent binary classification tasks for each label, processed through a probabilistic framework. This segmentation allows parallel processing and efficient handling of large-scale incomplete label data, maintaining speed while improving adaptability to incomplete assignments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20230222386A1System and method for large-scale multi-label learning using incomplete label assignments
Publication Date: 2023.07.13 YAHOO ASSETS LLC
  • US20230222386A1 patent drawing
  • US20230222386A1 patent drawing
  • US20230222386A1 patent drawing

AI summary

At least one label prediction model is trained, or learned, using training data that may comprise training instances that may be missing one or more labels. The at least one label prediction model may be used in identifying a content item's ground-truth label set comprising an indicator for each label in the label set indicating whether or not the label is applicable to the content item.