OBJECT RECOGNITION SYSTEM

An object recognition system including a position sensor, an image sensor and a controller is provided. The position sensor determines the position of an object, and the image sensor captures an image of the object. The controller sets a processing area within the image captured by the image sensor based on the position of the object determined by the position sensor and a predetermined size for the object to be recognized. The controller extracts horizontal edges from the processing area, and judges whether each of the extracted edges belongs to the object based on characteristics of the object to be recognized. More practically, the controller can check if each of the extracted edges contains a pixel on a boundary of the processing area. If so, the controller judges to the edge to belong to an object other than the object. The controller can also examine the linearity of each of the extracted edges. If the linearity is larger than a predetermined value, the controller judges the edge to belong to an object other than the object. The controller can also examine the slope of each of the extracted edges. If the slope is larger than a predetermined value, the controller judges the edge to belong to an object other than the object. Thus, the edges judged to belong to an object other than the object are removed. The controller recognizes the outline of the object based on the edges judged to belong to the object.