Patent ID: 6496813
Filing Date: 2002-12-17
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
Classification apparatus, notably for use in the recognition or the characterisation of odours, comprising:means for acquiring, by a plurality of channels during a learning phase, raw data representing a plurality of instances of a plurality of different classes; a processing unit for processing said raw data so as to determine, for each class (j), characteristics common to the different instances of this class; and a neural network for outputting a classification, into one of the classes, of an instance presented to said classification apparatus, said neural network comprising an input layer, an output layer and at least one intermediate layer disposed between the input and output layers, the output layer comprising a plurality of neurones each being adapted to recognise instances of a respective class from the plurality of classes; characterised in that the processing unit determines for each class (j) a sub-space (SEj) in which the instances of this class (j), for which raw data has been obtained, are optimally separated from the instances of all the other classes, said sub-space (SEj) being defined by a set (VDj) of one or a plurality of synthetic variables (V), and determining the discrimination sub-space (SED) which comprises the sub-spaces of all of the classes, said sub-space (SED) being defined by the plurality of variables (VD) comprised in the sets (VDj) of synthetic variables of the plurality of classes; and in that the input layer of the neural network comprises a plurality of neurones each corresponding to a respective variable (V) of the plurality of synthetic variables (VD) which define the discrimination sub-space (SED).