Fuzzy logic voting method and system for classifying e-mail using inputs from multiple spam classifiers
OwnerWei Lininventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for classifying e-mail messages as spam by combining outputs of a plurality of spam classifiers or classification tools using a fuzzy logic voting algorithm or formula are provided. According to one embodiment, a first classification value associated with an e-mail message and a second classification value associated with the e-mail message are received. The first classification value and the second classification value being indicative of whether the e-mail message is spam. Then, a single, aggregated classification value for the e-mail message is generated by combining the first classification value and the second classification value using a fuzzy logic-based voting mechanism.
Claims16
A computer-implemented method comprising:
- receiving a first classification value associated with an e-mail message that is an output of a first classification tool and a second classification value associated with said e-mail message that is an output of a second classification tool, said first classification value and said second classification value indicative of whether said e-mail message is spam;
- and
- generating a single, aggregated classification value for said e-mail message by combining said first classification value and said second classification value using a fuzzy logic-based voting mechanism,
- wherein said first classification value and said second classification value represent probabilities P1 and P2, respectively, and said single, aggregated classification value represents a combined probability Pcombined, and wherein said fuzzy logic-based voting mechanism includes a voting formula comprising:
- Pcombined=(P1×P2)/((P1×P2)+(1−P1)(1−P2)).
A computer-implemented method for classifying an e-mail message, said method comprising:
- receiving a first classification result representing an output of a first e-mail classification tool's analysis of said e-mail message, said first classification result associated with a first confidence level;
- receiving a second classification result representing an output of a second e-mail classification tool's analysis of said e-mail message, said second classification result associated with a second confidence level;
- achieving an improved confidence level over that of said first confidence level and said second confidence level by generating a single, aggregated classification value based on a combination of said first classification result and said second classification result using a fuzzy logic-based voting mechanism;
- and
- determining whether said e-mail message is spam by comparing said single, aggregated classification value to a spam threshold value,
- wherein said first classification result and said second classification result represent probabilities P1 and P2, respectively, and said single, aggregated classification value represents a combined probability Pcombined, and wherein said fuzzy logic-based voting mechanism includes a voting formula comprising:
- Pcombined=(P1×P2)/((P1×P2)+(1−P1)(1−P2)).
A machine readable storage medium that stores instructions for a computer system to operate an e-mail classification system, said e-mail classification system comprising:
- a plurality of spam classifiers produced by a plurality of spam classification tools, each spam classifier of said plurality of spam classifiers configured to determine whether an e-mail message is spam;
- a classifier conversion module operating based on said instructions for said computer system and configured to convert outputs of said plurality of spam classifiers into standardized values indicative of a likelihood that said e-mail message is spam;
- and
- a voting mechanism operating based on said instructions for said computer system and configured to combine said standardized values into a single, aggregated classification output indicative of whether said e-mail message is spam using a fuzzy logic-based voting formula,
- wherein said standardized values comprise at least a first standardized value and a second standardized value, wherein said first standardized value and said second standardized value represent probabilities P1 and P2, respectively, and said single, aggregated classification output represents a combined probability Pcombined, and wherein said fuzzy logic-based voting mechanism includes a voting formula comprising:
- Pcombined=(P1×P2)/((P1×P2)+(1×P1)(1−P2)).
A machine readable storage medium that stores instructions for a computer system to operate a voting mechanism, said voting mechanism comprising:
- an e-mail classification receiving means of said voting mechanism operating on said computer system for receiving a plurality of e-mail classification results generated by a plurality of e-mail classification tools;
- a confidence means of said voting mechanism operating on said computer system for assigning a confidence level to said plurality of e-mail classification results based at least in part on historical data associated with said plurality of e-mail classification tools;
- and
- a voting chairman means of said voting mechanism operating on said computer system for combining said plurality of e-mail classification results into a final, aggregated e-mail classification value via a fuzzy logic-based voting formula,
- wherein said plurality of e-mail classification results comprise at least a first e-mail classification result and a second e-mail classification result, wherein said e-mail classification result and said e-mail classification result represent probabilities P1 and P2, respectively, and said single, aggregated e-mail classification value represents a combined probability Pcombined, and wherein said fuzzy logic-based voting mechanism includes a voting formula comprising:
- Pcombined=(P1×P2)/((P1×P2)+(1−P1)(1−P2)).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.