Character recognition system for determining a class of similarity based on computer distance with a smallest value indicating close similarity

摘要

This invention provides a sorting method and apparatus, in which identification codes and numeric information to be sorted assigned to these identification codes are entered. When there are a plurality of identification codes having equal numeric information, a first one of these identification codes is written in a first memory at an address corresponding to the numeric information. Next, if there is an identification code from a second identification code onward having numeric information equal to the abovementioned numeric information, this identification code is written in a second memory at an address corresponding to the previously entered identification code. The identification codes thus stored are read out in the order of the addresses of the first memory. When the first identification code has been stored at an address of the first memory, identification codes from the second onward having numeric information the same as that of this identification code are read out of the second memory, with the stored identification code serving as a read starting address of the second memory and the identification code read from the read starting address serving as the next read address.