<?php

function get_object_public_vars($object) {
    return get_object_vars($object);
}

class Foo {
   public $public = 'public';
   private $private = 'private';
   public function getVars() {
      $refl = new ReflectionObject($this);
      return $refl->getProperties(ReflectionProperty::IS_PUBLIC);
   }
}

$object = new Foo;
print_r($object->getVars());

Array
(
    [0] => ReflectionProperty Object
        (
            [name] => public
            [class] => Foo
        )

)