Recognition template enhancement

A library of L unenhanced images (pixel bit maps) is enhanced for optical character recognition (OCR) with respect to a pre-existing group of G input symbol classes for creating a library of G recognition enhanced templates (pixel bit maps) of the G input symbol classes. The enhancement is accomplished by comparing each image of the library with each pixel version of each symbol class (forming V sets of L comparisons), and weighting the images with the highest potential for confusion. Divergent pixel version are further divided into sub-classes, each with a sub-image which evolves into a sub-template. A primary comparison C* and a secondary comparison C** are identified from the L comparisons within each of the V sets of comparisons. A recognition margin is determined between each pair of identified comparisons C* and C**. The single pair of identified comparisons C* and C** is selected forming the smallest recognition margin M*. The single pair of images Ij* and Ij** underlying the pair of identified comparisons C* and C** is identified. Certain pixels of the closest pixel image Ij* and the next closest pixel image Ij** are weighted in order to increase the recognition margin M* therebetween. The steps are iterated until the library of pixel images (and sub-images) has become a library of enhanced symbol templates (and sub-templates). The weighted pixel abberations generated in the enhanced templates (and sub-templates) are not present in the corresponding symbol of the pre-existing group of G input symbol classes (and sub-classes).