1. Apparatus for recognizing an input data stream, comprising: a receiver for receiving the input data stream; an interface for randomly selecting any one portion of the received data stream, and forming a plurality of feature time series waveforms respectively corresponding to distinct portions of the received data stream; a memory for storing a plurality of feature distinctiveness maps of stored candidate patterns; and processor structure for: (i) computing distinctiveness of each feature of the input stream and constructing a map of the rank ordering of said distinctiveness, (ii) computing a distance metric between the input feature distinctiveness map and the plurality of feature distinctiveness maps of stored candidate patterns, (iii) correlating the plurality of feature time series waveforms with the plurality of feature distinctiveness maps of stored candidate patterns in an order determined by the computed distance metrics, (iv) designating a recognition when a feature correlation joint probability between the plurality of feature time series waveforms and at least one of the plurality of feature distinctiveness maps of stored candidate patterns reaches a predetermined value, and outputting a recognition signal after the feature correlation joint probability reaches the predetermined value.