Using the distance distribution for approximate similarity queries in high-dimensional metric spaces

We investigate the problem of approximate similarity (nearest neighbor) search in high-dimensional metric spaces, and describe how the distance distribution of the query object can be exploited so as to provide probabilistic guarantees on the quality of the result. This leads to a new paradigm for similarity search, called PAC-NN (probably approximately correct nearest neighbor) queries, aiming to break the "dimensionality curse". PAC-NN queries return, with probability at least 1-/spl delta/, a (1+/spl epsiv/)-approximate NN-an object whose distance from the query q is less than (1+/spl epsiv/) times the distance between q and its NN. Analytical and experimental results obtained for sequential and index-based algorithms show that PAC-NN queries can be efficiently processed even on very high-dimensional spaces and that control can be exerted in order to tradeoff the accuracy of the result and the cost.