1. A method comprising: providing a reference pattern corresponding to a pattern signal, and one or more competing patterns; dividing the reference pattern and the one or more competing patterns into pattern segments, the pattern segments of the competing patterns identified with corresponding pattern segments of the reference pattern; generating a set of training patterns by replacing one of the pattern segments in the reference pattern with a corresponding competing pattern segment from one of the competing patterns or from a pre-defined confusion pattern; for each of the one or more training patterns, applying a pattern recognition model to evaluate a relative degree of correspondence of the reference pattern with the pattern signal compared to a degree of correspondence of the training patterns with the pattern signal, wherein the pattern recognition model incorporates correspondence parameters to features of the reference pattern and the training patterns; and revising the correspondence parameters to increase the relative degree of correspondence of the reference pattern with the pattern signal compared to a degree of correspondence of the training patterns with the pattern signal.