Apparatus and method for augmenting data in handwriting recognition system

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for generating training data for a recognition system the method steps comprising:

• establishing a plurality of data classes;
• collecting samples of user-generic data for each of the data classes;
• dividing the samples of user-generic data of a data class into one or more data subclasses, wherein each data subclass represents a different form of the data class;
• collecting samples of user-specific data and associating the samples of user-specific data with corresponding ones of the data classes;
• and
• augmenting user-specific data for a given data class, if necessary, with samples of user-generic data associated with the given data class and corresponding data subclasses, wherein the augmented user-specific data comprises training data for the recognition system.

A data recognition apparatus, comprising:

• an input device for collecting samples of user-generic data and samples of user-specific data;
• a storage medium for storing the samples of user-generic data and user-specific wherein the stored samples of user-generic data are assigned into a plurality of data classes, wherein the samples of user-generic data of a data class are further divided into one or more data subclasses each representing a different form of the data class, and wherein the samples user-specific data are associated with corresponding ones of the data classes:
• an augmentation unit adapted to augment user-specific data for a given data class, if necessary, with samples of user-generic data associated with the given data class and corresponding data subclasses;
• and
• a training unit adapted to train the data recognition system using the augmented user-specific data.