27. Apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said pattern recognition means further comprises confidence level determining means for determining confidence level of said plural candidates based on the distance values from said classification means.
27. Apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said pattern recognition means further comprises confidence level determining means for determining confidence level of said plural candidates based on the distance values from said classification means. 30. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said confidence level determining means determines the confidence level based on a comparison of the distance values returned by the different distance functions.