45. A pattern recognition method for providing an identity for an unknown pattern segment, comprising the steps of: segmenting image information into unknown pattern segments; determining distance values between an unknown pattern segment and at least one known pattern segment based on plural respectively different distance functions; providing plural candidates for the unknown pattern segment, each of the plural candidates corresponding to a different one of the plural respectively different distance functions; comparing said plural candidates so as to determine whether or not said plural candidates are comparable; outputting one of said plural candidates as the identity of the unknown pattern segment in a case where said comparing step determines that said plural candidates are comparable; and performing detail processing to determine the identity of the unknown pattern segment, wherein said detail processing step is selectably performed so as to determine the identity of the unknown pattern segment in a case where said comparing step determines that said plural candidates are not comparable.
48. A method according to claim 45, wherein said step of determining distance values includes calculating the distance values between the unknown pattern and the at least one known pattern.