Chapter 1.

Introduction

Huan Van Nguyen, Ph.D.

(huan.nguyen@inha.ac.kr)

Dept. of Information & Communication Engineering

Inha University
 What is Pattern Recognition?
 “The act of taking in raw data and taking
an action based on the category of the
data“

 Comparing with:
◼ Machine learning
◼ Data manining
◼ Image processing
◼ AI

 The study of how machines can observe

the environment,
◼ learn to distinguish patterns of interest fro
m their background, and
◼ make sound and reasonable decisions abou
t the categories of the patterns
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 What is Pattern Recognition?
 To classify data (patterns) based on
either a priori knowledge or on information
extracted from the patterns
◼ Pattern: a description of an object of
interest
◼ Recognition: classification of a pattern to
a category (or class)

 Example of “patterns”
◼ Fingerprint images
◼ Human face
◼ Speech signal
◼ Human shape
◼ Satellite image
◼ Ultrasound image
◼ Etc
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 Applications of PR
 Computer Vision and Image Understanding
 Speech Recognition and Understanding
 Character Recognition
 Radar Analysis
 Underground Resource Exploration
 Biometrics
 Medical Diagnosis
 Remote Sensing
 Factory Automation
 Defense

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 Major Approaches of PR
 Statistical PR
◼ Recognizes patterns by their statistical
properties generally expressed in various
probability functions.
 Syntactic (Structural) PR
◼ Recognizes patterns by their rules and
grammars.
 Neural Network PR
◼ Recognizes patterns using artificial NNs
modeling the properties of biological NNs.

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Typical PR Process
 “TYPICAL” Pattern Recognition System

1. Modeling: need a mathematical description for each class

- Hypothesize a class of models
- Process the sensed data
- Choose the best corresponding model

2. Preprocessing: input signal (image) is preprocessed to simplify

subsequent operations without loosing relevant information

3. Segmentation: region of interest (ROI) is isolated from one another

and from the background

4. Feature extraction: reduce the data by measuring certain “features”

or “properties”

5. Classification: features are passed to a classifier that evaluates the

evidence presented & makes a decision

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Example
 Satellite image
◼ Data: hyperspectral
image.
◼ Features: pattern of
the each material
◼ Final goal : classify
the surface/detect
some types of
material

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Example
 Spectral library

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Example
 Spectral matching methods:
n
ED(x, y ) = x − y 2
=  ( xi − y i ) 2
i =1 x is mean vector
 
y is input vector
x, y
SAM (x, y ) = arccos 
 x  y 
 2 2 
 x
   2 ,x  y
x, y 
2 2
NSAM (x, y ) = arccos   RN y
 x  y  RN =  2
 2 2   y 2 ,y  x
 x 2 2
 2

 Classifier:
M (n) = max( NSAM1,...,NSAM n )

C (x) = index ( M (n)) = n

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Unsupervised clustering

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 Material selection

Water

BACK
 Material selection

Road

BACK
 Material selection results

Tree

BACK
 Pattern Recognition Systems
1. Sensing
 Transducers such as a camera
 Design of sensors is beyond the
scope of this course.

2. Segmentation and Grouping

 To distinguish individual objects and
separate them from the background

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Pattern Recognition Systems
3. Feature Extraction:
◼ Goal:
 To characterize an object to be recognized by measurements
whose values are very similar for objects in the same category,
and very different for objects in different categories.
◼ Problem- and domain-dependent
◼ Requires the knowledge of domain
◼ Invariant features
 Feature values are invariant to irrelevant transformations of the
input
 TRS-Invariant: Invariant to translation, rotation, and scaling
◼ Influencing factors to Feature extractor
 Occlusion
 Projective distortion
 (Sampling) Rate
 Deformation
 Illumination
◼ Feature Selection: To select the most valuable features from a
larger set of candidate features.
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 Pattern Recognition Systems
4. Classification
◼ To assign the object (or pattern) to a category based on the
feature vector provided by the feature extractor.
◼ In practice, perfect classification is impossible ➔ To determine the
probability for each of the possible categories.

◼ Noise
 Causes the variability of feature values for patterns in the same
category.

◼ What is the best way to design a classifier to cope with this

variability? ➔ This course mainly focuses on the design of
classifiers.

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 Pattern Recognition Systems
5. Post Processing
◼ The post-processor uses the output of the classifier to decide on
the recommended action.

◼ Error Rate
 Simplest measure of classifier performance
 Can we predict the minimum or the maximum error rate?
◼ Risk
 Total expected cost
 Can we estimate the risk?
◼ Context
 Input-dependent information other than from the target pattern
itself
 T/-|E C/-|T
◼ Multiple Classifiers
 Each classifier operating on different aspects of the input.
 How to draw a conclusion when they disagree? ➔ Fusion of the
evidence

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 Design Cycle
1. Data Collection
◼ The more, the better; but cost…
2. Feature Choice
◼ Simple to extract, TRS-invariant,
insensitive to noise, distinguishing
◼ Requires Prior Knowledge
3. Model Choice
◼ Probability models; Classifier models
4. Training
◼ Validating the model and designing the classifier
5. Evaluation
◼ Overfitting: perfect for the training samples, but
poor for new samples
6. Computational Complexity
◼ #Feature dims, #Patterns, #Categories

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 Learning and Adaptation
 We use learning because all practical or interesting PR problems are
so hard that we cannot guess classification decision ahead of time
 Any method that incorporates information from training samples in
the design of a classifier employs learning
 Approach:
◼ Assume some general form of model
 Parametric models
 Nonparametric models
◼ Use training patterns to learn or estimate the unknown parameters.
 Bayesian estimation, Maximum likelihood estimation
 Parzen window estimation, k-NN estimation

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 Learning and Adaptation
1. Supervised Learning
◼ Teacher provides a label for each pattern in a training set
◼ Objective: Reduce sum of the costs for these patterns
◼ Issues: How to make sure the learning algorithm
 Can learn the solution.
 Will be stable to parameter variation.
 Will converge in finite time.
 Scale with # of training patterns & # of input features.
 Favors “simple” solutions.

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 Learning and Adaptation
2. Unsupervised Learning (Clustering)
◼ There is no explicit teacher.
◼ System forms clusters or “natural groupings” of the input
patterns.
◼ Often the user will set the hypothesized number of different
clusters ahead of time.
Ex: k-Means algorithm, Fuzzy c-means algorithm

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 Learning and Adaptation
3. Reinforcement Learning (Learning with a critic)
◼ No desired category is given. Instead, the only teaching feedback
is that the tentative category is right or wrong, but does not say
specifically how it is wrong.
◼ Typical way to train a classifier:
 Present an input
 Compute its tentative label
 Use the known target category label to improve the classifier

◼ How can the system learn from such nonspecific feedback?

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 Summary of Ch 1.
 Introduction of PR and various applications
 Terms and definitions in PR
 Processes in typical PR systems

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 Reading Assignment #1
 Appendix
◼ A.2 Linear Algebra
◼ A.3 Lagrange Optimization
◼ A.4 Probability Theory
◼ A.5 Gaussian Derivates and Integrals

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