Method and apparatus for creating a pattern recognizer

A processing system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor and storing code which, when executed by the processor, causes the processing system to perform a set of operations for adding a new observer to a network of observers, the network including a plurality of observers operatively coupled to each other in successive stages, each stage including at least two observers, each of the plurality of observers configured to produce an output in response to recognizing a different type of pattern in an input image;
• the set of operations including
• configuring the new observer to recognize a pattern in the input image based on output of at least two observers of the plurality of observers, wherein configuring the new observer includes, responsive to input from a user,
• specifying a set of upstream observers from which the new observer is to receive input;
• specifying a set of pattern filters using which the new observer is to process input from upstream observers,
• specifying a location in the input image to which to initialize each of the pattern filters, and
• selecting the size of a pattern filter based on a user selection of a subset of the image.

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• first logic to use a first plurality of observers in a network of observers, to identify a plurality of units, of an input image, that represent a feature;
• second logic to use a second plurality of observers in the network of observers, to attempt to recognize, in the input image, a pattern from each of a plurality of pattern types, based on outputs of the first plurality of observers, each observer of the second plurality of observers being configured to recognize a different type of pattern;
• and
• third logic to add a new observer to the network of observers, to recognize a new pattern based on output of at least one observer of the second plurality of observers.