Patent ID: 7310446

Claim:
A recognition device which judges whether a target is identical with a predetermined reference, comprising: a holding means which holds the target; multiple deformation sections which deform the target held by the holding means with at least one degree of flexibility in deformation; multiple deformed amount estimation means which correspond to the deformation sections in a one-to-one relationship and estimate a deformed amount of the target from the reference with respect to the flexibility in deformation according to the corresponding deformation sections; an estimated error evaluation means which evaluates an estimated error of the deformed amount estimated by the deformed amount estimation means, wherein the estimated error corresponds to the amount of image operation performed on an image; an adjustment means which operates any of the deformation sections with precedence according to the estimated error evaluated by the estimated error evaluation means, in order from a smaller to a larger estimated error; a similarity calculation means which calculates a similarity between the reference and the target which is deformed by the deformation sections operated with precedence by the adjustment means; and a judgment means which judges whether the target is identical with the reference according to the similarity calculated by the similarity calculation means.