The present invention includes a method for matching a stored template
with an image of an object. This is a final stage identification device
in the at least one candidate array is received from a prescreener and/or
intermediate discriminator. The candidate array includes a respective
plurality of direction values at least partially defining a respective
contour of an object within a two-dimensional image containing a possible
target. The candidate array is compared with at least one stored template
array. The stored template array includes a respective plurality of
direction values at least partially defining an outline of a
predetermined object of interest. The template array may include a
plurality of template segment arrays such that various portions of the
overall template are compared one at a time with the entire candidate
array. The match between candidate and stored template may be scored
based upon how well the template segments correspond to the candidate.
Furthermore, the candidate may also be scored based upon a positional
relationship between the template segments, while they are aligned with
respective portions of the candidate.