1. A method for identifying patterns by means of a pattern registration means and a data processing means, wherein each pattern comprises at least one unknown stroke generated by relative movement between a pattern-forming means and a pattern-accommodating means of said pattern registration means, said pattern registration means being operative to generate first signal information represented by first signals, said first signal information being representative of stroke information about said unknown stroke, said data processing means being provided with prestored second signal information represented by second signals, said second signal information including templates corresponding to template strokes, said data processing means being operative to generate third signals representing third signal information in response to said first signals and said second signals, said third signal information comprising identity labels for use in developing coded information which identifies said patterns, said method comprising: defining templates from said second signal information wherein at least one of said templates is a confusion group template, each said confusion group template being derived from information about at least two of said template strokes; generating distance metric values representative of closeness of stroke shape between said first signal information and said second signal information for at least each one of said confusion group templates; and determining from said distance metric values which of said confusion group templates or which of said stroke templates yields the least of said distance metric values to obtain an identity label for said unknown stroke by ignoring decision criteria for distinguishing between selected template strokes whenever said selected template strokes are included in a common one of said confusion group templates.