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.
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. 12. A method for recognizing an input character string according to claim 11 further characterized in that said group correspondence signal forming step comprises: assigning each reference character to a predetermined class; selecting a group for each reference character set responsive to the classes of the characters in said reference character set; responsive to the correspondence signals for each input character, selecting a class correspondence signal for said input character; and combining the selected class correspondence signals to generate a correspondence signal for each group.