INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD AND APPARATUS

A classification tree which allows direct recoginition of an input pattern such as image or sound without extra processing such as pre-processing of unprocessed pattern data having high order characteristic variables is prepared. Information processing method and apparatus conduct hierarchical pre-processing for hierarchically pre-processing a learning pattern, prepares a classification tree based on the learning pattern processed by the hierarchical pre-processing and conducts the recognition by using the classification tree.