Structural patterns or discrete events? A link between pattern recognition and discrete-event systems

There is an interesting analogy between recognition of noisy, distorted, or incomplete structural patterns using the weighted distance based on symbol-to-symbol operations and modelling of actual discrete-event systems, where different types of uncertainty can occur. A method of analysis and modelling of a complex system´s behaviour represented by a sufficiently long time series of formal symbols is considered. The ideas and techniques of structural pattern recognition are utilized and, alternatively, a logical discrete-event system producing the given sample path is considered. An application of the method for solving a problem of practical interest is mentioned.