function [n_cand,Cand_models]=dec_ord_sm(Model,InpPat);

n_cand=0;
n_s_b=Model.n_s_m;

for i=1:n_s_b
   if length(Model.Sub_Model(i).var)==1
      if Model.Sub_Model(i).int_knots==0
 	   	% there is one to reduce
     		% see if we can remove it
         if Model.Sub_Model(i).order==2
            if Model.n_s_m>1
              	% yes we can
           		n_cand=n_cand+1;
					Cand_models(n_cand)=Model;
               if i>1
                  S_M=Model.Sub_Model(1:i-1);
               end   
		        	S_M(i:Model.n_s_m-1)=Model.Sub_Model(i+1:n_s_b);
      		   Cand_models(n_cand).Sub_Model=S_M;
               Cand_models(n_cand).n_s_m=Cand_models(n_cand).n_s_m-1;
            end    
         else
            % just reduce the order
            n_cand=n_cand+1;
				Cand_models(n_cand)=Model;
            Cand_models(n_cand).Sub_Model(i).order=Cand_models(n_cand).Sub_Model(i).order-1;
            n_k=Cand_models(n_cand).Sub_Model(i).n_Knots
            Cand_models(n_cand).Sub_Model(i).Knots=Cand_models(n_cand).Sub_Model(i).Knots(2:n_k-1);
            Cand_models(n_cand).Sub_Model(i).n_Knots=n_k-2;
            Cand_models(n_cand).Sub_Model(i).n_fun=Cand_models(n_cand).Sub_Model(i).n_fun-1;
            Cand_models(n_cand).Sub_Model(i).w=zeros(Cand_models(n_cand).Sub_Model(i).n_fun,1);
            Cand_models(n_cand).Sub_Model(i).a_w=ones(Cand_models(n_cand).Sub_Model(i).n_fun,1);           
         end   
      end
   end
end   
            
if n_cand==0
   Cand_models=[];
end