The use of a one-stage dynamic programming algorithm for connected word recognition

This paper is of tutorial nature and describes a one-stage dynamic programming algorithm for file problem of connected word recognition. The algorithm to be developed is essentially identical to one presented by Vintsyuk [1] and later by Bridle and Brown [2] ; but the notation and the presentation have been clarified. The derivation used for optimally time synchronizing a test pattern, consisting of a sequence of connected words, is straightforward and simple in comparison with other approaches decomposing the pattern matching problem into several levels. The approach presented relies basically on parameterizing the time warping path by a single index and on exploiting certain path constraints both in the word interior and at the word boundaries. The resulting algorithm turns out to be significantly more efficient than those proposed by Sakoe [3] as well as Myers and Rabiner [4], while providing the same accuracy in estimating the best possible matching string. Its most important feature is that the computational expenditure per word is independent of the number of words in the input string. Thus, it is well suited for recognizing comparatively long word sequences and for real-time operation. Furthermore, there is no need to specify the maximum number of words in the input string. The practical implementation of the algorithm is discussed; it requires no heuristic rules and no overhead. The algorithm can be modified to deal with syntactic constraints in terms of a finite state syntax.