7. A speech recognition apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising matching period deciding means for determining a matching period for each of the recognizable units in the input speech by using estimated duration values for the recognizable units, and wherein the matching means carries out said matching and recognition results decisions such that each of the recognizable units is matched within a matching period determined by the period deciding means.
1. A speech recognition apparatus which recognizes input speech input to said apparatus, the input speech including plural recognizable units which have a shorter duration than the input speech, said apparatus obtaining a recognition unit corresponding to each recognizable unit and outputting final recognition results by successively connecting each obtained recognition unit, said apparatus comprising: speech period sensing means for detecting a speech period by sensing a beginning and an end of the input speech; duration training means for calculating a relationship between durations of recognition units by using influencing factors which influence the duration of the recognition units; duration estimation means for estimating a duration of each of the recognizable units within the input speech by using the speech period of the input speech detected by the sensing means and a duration relationship calculated by the training means; and matching means for matching a recognition unit to a recognizable unit to produce a final recognition result based upon durations estimated by the estimation means.