Patent ID: 8831363

Claim:
A pattern recognition apparatus that sequentially performs pattern recognition with respect to a plurality of input data, comprising: a pattern matching unit that performs pattern matching of a plurality of stages that refer to respectively different parameters at each stage with respect to each of the plurality of input data in sequence from a first stage until a matching result is false; a fixed parameter holding unit that fixedly holds a parameter that is referred to in pattern matching from the first stage until a predetermined stage among pattern matching of the plurality of stages, during pattern recognition with respect to the plurality of input data; a variable parameter holding unit that rewritably holds a parameter that is referred to in pattern matching of a stage after the predetermined stage among pattern matching of the plurality of stages; a selecting unit that selects one of the fixed parameter holding unit and the variable parameter holding unit as a unit for the pattern matching unit to refer to a parameter from; and a writing unit that rewrites a parameter held in the variable parameter holding unit, wherein the selecting unit selects the fixed parameter holding unit in pattern matching from the first stage to the predetermined stage or in a case where a result of a preceding stage is a false, and selects the variable parameter holding unit in pattern matching of respective stages after the predetermined stage if the result of the preceding stage is a true, and wherein the writing unit rewrites a parameter held in the variable parameter holding unit with an unheld parameter without changing the parameter being held in the fixed parameter holding unit in pattern matching of respective stages after the predetermined stage, if the result of the preceding stage is a true.