9. Apparatus for recognizing a speech pattern as a string of predetermined reference words according to claim 8 further characterized in that said time registering means comprises: means operative in each level reference word time registration responsive to the reference word feature signals and the level speech pattern segment feature signals for generating a time registration correspondence signal for each level speech pattern segment frame, means responsive to the level speech pattern segment frame for generating a maximum allowable correspondence signal for said speech pattern segment frame and means responsive to said time registration correspondence signal of a speech pattern segment frame exceeding the maximum allowable correspondence signal for said speech pattern segment frame for terminating the time registration of said level reference word.
8. Apparatus for recognizing a speech pattern as a string of predetermined reference words according to claim 1 further characterized in that said time registering means comprises: means operative in each reference word time registration of the current level responsive to the reference word feature signal and the speech pattern segment feature signals for selecting a range of reference word frames for each speech pattern segment frame, and means operative at each speech pattern segment frame responsive to the reference word registration lower limit frame being equal to or exceeding the reference word ending frame for terminating the time registration of said reference word.