Patent ID: 6725196
Filing Date: 2004-04-20
Classification: G06K,G10L

Abstract:
A method of matching a first sequence of patterns representative of a first signal with a second sequence of patterns representative of a second signal, the method comprising the steps of:matching the first signal with the second signal using a matching process which processes each first signal pattern in sequence and which propagates a plurality of paths using predetermined path propagation constraints, each path representing a possible matching between a sequence of second signal patterns and a sequence of first signal patterns ending at a current first signal pattern being processed, and each path having an associated cumulative score representative of the closeness of the match; controlling the matching step during the processing of the current first signal pattern by: (i) defining a range of cumulative scores a predetermined amount from a current best cumulative score of a current best path representing the current best match between a sequence of second signal patterns and a sequence of first signal patterns ending at the current first signal pattern being processed; and (ii) discarding some but not all of the paths having a cumulative score within said range of cumulative scores.