Sparse Keyword Data Analysis Using Bayesian Pattern Mining

Keyword data analysis aims to extract and interpret meaningful relationships from large collections of text documents. A major challenge in this process arises from the extreme sparsity of document–keyword matrices, where the majority of elements are zeros due to zero inflation. To address this issue, this study proposes a probabilistic framework called Bayesian Pattern Mining (BPM), which integrates Bayesian inference into association rule mining (ARM). The proposed method estimates both the expected values and credible intervals of interestingness measures such as confidence and lift, providing a probabilistic evaluation of keyword associations. Experiments conducted on 9436 quantum computing patent documents, from which 175 representative keywords were extracted, demonstrate that BPM yields more stable and interpretable associations than conventional ARM. By incorporating credible intervals, BPM reduces the risk of biased decisions under sparsity and enhances the reliability of keyword-based technology analysis, offering a rigorous approach for knowledge discovery in zero-inflated text data.