1. In a pattern recognition system including means for scanning a space to define discrete elemental areas for recognition of individual patterns, said system including means for associating said areas with respective signal levels corresponding to a measured characteristic, the improvement characterized by: means for identifying a pattern among a predefined set of recognizable patterns, said identifying means including means for storing pattern identity information for respective members of said set of recognizable patterns based on a predefined alignment in the scanning space and means for comparing the identity information with said signal levels to identify a recognizable pattern from said set thereof; means for measuring the coordinates of one or more selected alignment features based on said signal levels for the respective areas; means for storing ideal feature alignment coordinates for each recognizable pattern; means for computing the differences between the measured feature coordinates and the ideal feature coordinates for a recognizable pattern that has been identified by said identifying means; and means for adjusting the coordinates of a subsequent space for scanning in accordance with said coordinate differences to enhance the pattern alignment capabilities of the pattern recognition system.