Patent ID: 7881525

Claim:
A reference data optimization apparatus which performs calculation of distances equivalent to similarities between input data of a pattern search target and a plurality of reference data and which is used for pattern recognition for selecting, as recognition data, reference data of a smallest distance present in a recognition area decided by a threshold value and which optimizes the reference data for the pattern recognition by learning the recognition data, comprising: an input data fetching unit configured to fetch, as many as a fixed number of times, input data corresponding to the reference data to be selected as the recognition data; a gravity center point operating unit configured to obtain a gravity center point of a distance distribution between the input data of the fixed number of times fetched by the input data fetching unit and the respectively corresponding reference data; a reference data moving unit configured to move a position of the reference data to be positioned in the gravity center point obtained by the gravity center point operating unit; and a recognition area control unit configured to control reduction or enlargement recognition areas by changing the threshold value to prevent overlap between the recognition areas set in reference data adjacent to each other, at the movement of the position of the reference data.