Abstract

In a pattern selecting device for use in combination with a pattern collating device for collating an input pattern with a plurality of registered patterns to produce first through N-th candidate pattern signals indicative of first through N-th candidate patterns which have first through N-th candidate degrees of similarity relative to the input pattern, where N represents an integer which is not less than two and is not greater than the number of the registered patterns, a processing unit processes (n+1)-th through the N-th candidate pattern signals and produces an approximation signal representative of an approximation variable related to (n+1)-th through the N-th candidate degrees, where n is variable from 1 toward N. An estimating unit estimates an n-th estimated degree for an n-th candidate pattern with reference to the approximation variable to produce an estimated signal representative of the n-th estimated degree. A deciding unit decides whether or not a ratio of the n-th estimated degree to the n-th candidate degree is not smaller than a predetermined value and produces an output numeral representative of n-th candidate pattern when the ratio is not smaller than the predetermined value. Instead of the ratio, it is possible to use a weighted mean value of the n-th candidate degree and the ratio of the n-th estimated degree to the n-th candidate degree.