Imputation using a neural network

A computer program comprising code embodied on computer readable storage and configured so as when run on a computer apparatus to perform operations of automatically:

• dividing a portion of input data into a sequence of smaller input elements;
• identifying a plurality of points in the sequence at which missing or erroneous data is potentially to be imputed;
• for each respective one of said points:
• in a first search step, generating a respective set of one or more paths for the respective point, wherein each path comprises a candidate element to potentially replace the missing or erroneous data at the respective point, and an associated probability score, the probability score being generated by a first neural network as a function of some or all of the input elements before and/or after the respective point in the sequence, and
• in each of a plurality of subsequent successive search steps, selecting a set of one or more of the preceding paths from one or more of the preceding search steps to extend, the selection being based on the associated probability scores, and generating a respective set of one or more extended paths from each respective one of the selected set of preceding paths, each extended path comprising the candidate element or elements from the respective preceding path combined with an additional candidate element, and an associated probability score for the combination, this probability score being generated by the first neural network as a function of some or all of the input elements before and/or after the respective point in the sequence, and as a function of the probability score for the respective preceding path;
• and
• performing a comparison between at least some of the paths including comparing between paths from different ones of the search steps, and based thereon outputting a selection of one or more results wherein each result comprises the respective element or combination of elements of a respective one of the compared paths.

Computer apparatus programmed to perform operations of automatically:

• dividing a portion of input data into a sequence of smaller input elements;
• identifying a plurality of points in the sequence at which missing or erroneous data is potentially to be imputed;
• for each respective one of said points:
• in a first search step, generating a respective set of one or more paths for the respective point, wherein each path comprises a candidate element to potentially replace the missing or erroneous data at the respective point, and an associated probability score, the probability score being generated by a first neural network as a function of some or all of the input elements before and/or after the respective point in the sequence, and
• in each of a plurality of subsequent successive search steps, selecting a set of one or more of the preceding paths from one or more of the preceding search steps to extend, the selection being based on the associated probability scores, and generating a respective set of one or more extended paths from each respective one of the selected set of preceding paths, each extended path comprising the candidate element or elements from the respective preceding path combined with an additional candidate element, and an associated probability score for the combination, this probability score being generated by the first neural network as a function of some or all of the input elements before and/or after the respective point in the sequence, and as a function of the probability score for the respective preceding path;
• and
• performing a comparison between at least some of the paths including comparing between paths from different ones of the search steps, and based thereon outputting a selection of one or more results wherein each result comprises the respective element or combination of elements of a respective one of the compared paths.