1. A system for performing image recognition, the system comprising: an image input device which inputs a first image; a database having a set of reference images; and a comparison unit which receives the first image having been divided into first image sub-regions, compares the first image sub-regions with corresponding reference image sub-regions of the reference images, and determines based on the comparison which of the reference images has a greatest correlation to the first image based on the comparisons between the reference image sub-regions and the first image sub-regions.