Incremental agglomerative clustering of digital images

A computer program product including one or more non-transitory machine-readable media having instructions encoded thereon that when executed by at least one processor causes a process to be carried out for incremental agglomerative clustering of digital image data, the process comprising:

• sampling, by the at least one processor, fewer than all of a plurality of existing digital image fingerprints from a first hierarchical data cluster of digital image fingerprints stored in a data storage device, the first hierarchical data cluster excluding a new digital image fingerprint;
• clustering, by the at least one processor, the new digital image fingerprint and the existing digital image fingerprints sampled from the first hierarchical data cluster to produce a second hierarchical data cluster of digital image fingerprints, the second hierarchical data cluster including the new digital image fingerprint;
• mapping, by the at least one processor, the second hierarchical data cluster to the first hierarchical data cluster;
• determining, by the at least one processor, that a majority of the existing digital image fingerprints in the first hierarchical data cluster match the new digital image fingerprint, wherein the first hierarchical data cluster includes a plurality of different hierarchical data clusters, wherein the determining includes determining which one of the different hierarchical data clusters includes the majority of the existing digital image fingerprints that match the new digital image fingerprint, and wherein the mapping includes mapping the second hierarchical data cluster to the one of the different hierarchical data clusters including the majority of the existing digital image fingerprints that match the new digital image fingerprint;
• and
• storing the mapping in the data storage device.

A system for incremental agglomerative clustering of digital image data, the system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a storage operatively coupled to the at least one processor and for storing instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to carry out a process for incremental agglomerative clustering of digital image data, the process comprising:
• clustering a new digital image fingerprint and fewer than all of a plurality of existing digital image fingerprints in a first hierarchical data cluster to produce a second hierarchical data cluster of digital image fingerprints, the first hierarchical data cluster excluding a new digital image fingerprint and the second hierarchical data cluster including the new digital image fingerprint;
• mapping the second hierarchical data cluster to the first hierarchical data cluster;
• determining that a majority of the existing digital image fingerprints in the first hierarchical data cluster match the new digital image fingerprint, wherein the mapping includes mapping the second hierarchical data cluster to the first hierarchical data cluster including the majority of the existing digital image fingerprints that match the new digital image fingerprint,
• wherein the first hierarchical data cluster includes a plurality of different hierarchical data clusters, wherein the determining includes determining which one of the different hierarchical data clusters includes the majority of the existing digital image fingerprints that match the new digital image fingerprint, wherein the mapping includes mapping the second hierarchical data cluster to the one of the different hierarchical data clusters including the majority of the existing digital image fingerprints that match the new digital image fingerprint;
• and
• storing the mapping in a data storage device.