Patent ID: 6988107

Claim:
A method of reducing a model database for use with a handwriting recognizer comprising the steps of: (a) processing a plurality of models to form a model set that has a higher accuracy for character recognition, the model set having a first size, wherein the processing includes; (i) running a tuning set through a recognizer: (ii) forming an alternate list of best match models for each tuning sample within the tuning set; and (iii) generating respective errors lists for models within the model set, wherein each errors list indicates, for the errors list's corresponding model, any error causing matches that are ranked higher in any of the alternate lists than the errors list's corresponding model and wherein each errors list indicates, for the errors list's corresponding model, any occurrences in the alternate lists where the errors list's corresponding model is an error-causing match that is ranked higher than a correct match; and (b) replacing at least one model from the model set with another model to form a revised model set, the revised model set having a second size smaller than the first size, wherein at least one of the alternate lists of best match models and the errors lists is used to select the another model so that a recognition accuracy of the revised model set is minimally adversely affected relative to the model set's recognition accuracy.