22. A pattern recognition device comprising: data input means for receiving various inputted recognition data comprising a plurality of consecutive recognition elements; data storing means for storing a plurality of items of standard data each made up of a plurality of consecutive standard elements, said plurality of items of standard data having a predetermined correspondence to prescribed recognition data; element storing means for storing a predetermined tree structure of data, said tree structure having a root node and a plurality of subordinate nodes, each said subordinate node corresponding to one of said standard elements; said plurality of subordinate nodes being linked by a number of parent nodes, said number of parent nodes being smaller than a number of said subordinate nodes, said parent nodes each corresponding, on average, to a plurality of mutually similar ones of said standard elements; data dividing means for generating said plurality of consecutive recognition elements from said inputted recognition data; parent distance calculating means for calculating respective parent node distances of similarity for each of said recognition elements; parent node selecting means for selecting ones of said parent nodes based on a magnitude of said respective parent node distances of similarity; subordinate distance calculating means for calculating respective subordinate node distances of similarity for each of said recognition elements for only ones of said subordinate nodes linked to said selected parent nodes; distance storing means for storing, only once, in order, at predetermined positions, said respective parent node distances of similarity, and for storing, in order, at other predetermined positions, only said respective subordinate node distances of similarity for said subordinate nodes of said selected parent nodes; position storing means for storing, as position data, the storage positions of said distances read from said distance storing means for each item of parent node identification data; distance reading means for reading said position data according to the identification data of said parent nodes and, then, reading said distances; distance accumulating means for calculating respective standard data item distances for consecutive ones of said recognition elements by accumulating said read distances; and result outputting means for outputting standard data, for which said accumulated distances are smallest, as the recognition result.
22. A pattern recognition device comprising: data input means for receiving various inputted recognition data comprising a plurality of consecutive recognition elements; data storing means for storing a plurality of items of standard data each made up of a plurality of consecutive standard elements, said plurality of items of standard data having a predetermined correspondence to prescribed recognition data; element storing means for storing a predetermined tree structure of data, said tree structure having a root node and a plurality of subordinate nodes, each said subordinate node corresponding to one of said standard elements; said plurality of subordinate nodes being linked by a number of parent nodes, said number of parent nodes being smaller than a number of said subordinate nodes, said parent nodes each corresponding, on average, to a plurality of mutually similar ones of said standard elements; data dividing means for generating said plurality of consecutive recognition elements from said inputted recognition data; parent distance calculating means for calculating respective parent node distances of similarity for each of said recognition elements; parent node selecting means for selecting ones of said parent nodes based on a magnitude of said respective parent node distances of similarity; subordinate distance calculating means for calculating respective subordinate node distances of similarity for each of said recognition elements for only ones of said subordinate nodes linked to said selected parent nodes; distance storing means for storing, only once, in order, at predetermined positions, said respective parent node distances of similarity, and for storing, in order, at other predetermined positions, only said respective subordinate node distances of similarity for said subordinate nodes of said selected parent nodes; position storing means for storing, as position data, the storage positions of said distances read from said distance storing means for each item of parent node identification data; distance reading means for reading said position data according to the identification data of said parent nodes and, then, reading said distances; distance accumulating means for calculating respective standard data item distances for consecutive ones of said recognition elements by accumulating said read distances; and result outputting means for outputting standard data, for which said accumulated distances are smallest, as the recognition result. 24. A pattern recognition device according to claim 22 that is formed as a single chip.