1. A computer implemented method for forming a database of stored patterns, each stored pattern being string of characters, the method comprising an act of causing a computer having a processor to execute instructions encoded upon a memory, such that upon execution, the processor performs operations of: creating an output neuron for each stored pattern; creating a connection for each character in the stored pattern to the output neuron; setting a delay of the connection depending on a location of each character in the stored pattern; and summing a number of connections for each stored pattern.