Object recognition apparatus utilizing beam scanning for detecting widths of objects of various sizes and located at various ranges

An object recognition apparatus for detecting external objects and estimating respective values of width of said objects, the apparatus comprising

• scan beam transmitting means configured for performing a sweep of a scanned region by transmitting scan wave beams as respective fixed-duration pulses at respective successively shifted scan angles,
• received-wave detection means configured to receive reflected waves resulting from said scan wave beams, and for deriving received-wave signal strength values respectively corresponding to said scan beams during said sweep,
• position detection means configured for detecting reflection locations respectively corresponding to said received-wave signal strength values, and respective range values of said reflection locations, and
• segmentation means configured for detecting a specific plurality of said reflection locations as constituting a segment, and for calculating a range value of said segment, said specific plurality of reflection locations being disposed respectively adjacent to within a predetermined degree of closeness;
• wherein said object recognition apparatus comprises:
• signal strength distribution detection means configured to detect a distribution of received-wave signal strength within said segment, and region extraction means configured for
• determining a region extraction threshold value based on said range value of said segment;
• extracting a region of said segment wherein said received-wave signal strength exceeds said region extraction threshold value;
• and
• specifying a width of said extracted region as being a width of a detected object corresponding to said segment.