摘要:
An information searching system includes an encoding apparatus and a searching apparatus. The encoding apparatus inputs information to be stored, encodes the input information in layers, and then stores the resulting per-layer encoding information in a database. The searching apparatus acquires information that has been thus encoded in layers in order from the upper layers thereof, compares the encoded information for an acquired search query to the encoded information for potential matches on a per-layer basis, decodes the information for the potential matches that resemble the search query on the basis of the comparison results, and then outputs the decoded information for the potential matches that resemble the search query. In so doing, searches are conducted rapidly and with reduced computational load.