10. A method of recognizing an input character string according to claim 9 further characterized in that said reference character set selection step comprises searching said groups in order of most to least correspondence responsive to the group correspondence signals; in each group search, combining the input character correspondence signals for each reference character set of the group responsive to the reference character sets of the group and the input character correspondence signals; selecting a candidate reference character set responsive to the combined correspondence signals; and identifying the candidate set having the closest correspondence to the input character string jointly responsive to the combined correspondence signal of the candidate set and the correspondence signals of the predetermined groups.
10. A method of recognizing an input character string according to claim 9 further characterized in that said reference character set selection step comprises searching said groups in order of most to least correspondence responsive to the group correspondence signals; in each group search, combining the input character correspondence signals for each reference character set of the group responsive to the reference character sets of the group and the input character correspondence signals; selecting a candidate reference character set responsive to the combined correspondence signals; and identifying the candidate set having the closest correspondence to the input character string jointly responsive to the combined correspondence signal of the candidate set and the correspondence signals of the predetermined groups. 11. A method for recognizing an input character string according to claim 10 further characterized in that said closest corresponding candidate set identification step comprises; at the termination of each group search, comparing the candidate set combined correspondence signal with the correspondence signals of the unsearched groups; and identifying the candidate set as the input character string responsive to the candidate set correspondence signal being less than the correspondence signals of the unsearched groups.