Image recognition apparatus and method for recognizing a pattern within

Abstract

A learning pattern is classified into a plurality of patterns by a classifying means. The result of the classification, as well as the representative feature quantity calculated by the representative feature quantity operating unit, are stored in a dictionary storing unit in respective regions. Upon recognition, after feature quantities of unknown input patterns are extracted from the feature quantity extracting unit, the similarity operating unit arithmetically operates the similarity between the input pattern and respective learning patterns for respective regions. The point accumulating means searches a dictionary storing unit and accumulates points corresponding to a rank for respective learning patterns included in class having the upper rank from the highest to a lower similarity for respective regions. The recognition result candidate outputting unit outputs the recognition result candidate in accordance with the order of the higher accumulated point for the learning pattern. Therefore, the present pattern recognition can decrease the memory capacity of the dictionary and the number of the calculations.