where the points are on a positive diagonal the character is classified iii and where the points are on a negative diagonal the character is classified iv thus four characters may be identified from the group having two type 1 points and zero type 3 points based upon a simply determined relationship between the two points those skilled in the art will immediately recognize that a much larger number of characters can be recognized from other subgroups based simply upon the spatial relationship between the type 1 and type 3 points and that if the total number n of characters points selected based on this description is considered sufficient a remarkably simple and efficient character recognition scheme is provided however in other embodiments of the subject invention a larger value for n may be desired in this case the characters must be further described thus at 62 in fig7 the characters classified in classification 3 are further described in accordance with geographical features this description shows that one character has a bay opening to the northeast two characters have bays opening to the northeast over bays opening to the southwest one character has a bay opening to the southwest one character has a bay opening to the southwest adjacent to a bay opening to the northeast two characters have bays opening to the west over bays opening to the.