Patent ID: 8391641
Filing Date: 2013-03-05
Classification: G03B,G06T,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method of forming a composite image of a scene from a plurality of overlapping elemental images, the method comprising the steps of: selecting a first point in a first elemental image of the plurality of elemental images and a second point in a second elemental image of the plurality of elemental images, the first point and the second point being overlaid in the composite image and being of substantially a same point in the scene; determining, when the first point and the second point are overlaid, a gradient across an overlap between the first and the second elemental images; adjusting one of the first and the second elemental images to reduce the gradient across the overlap; selecting a first different point on the first elemental image, the first different point being located along a straight line from a point in the scene defined by the first point; determining a gradient across a boundary between the first and the second elemental images in accordance with a gradient of a line connecting the first point and the first different point on the first image; selecting a second different point on the second elemental image, the second different point being located along a straight line from a point in the scene defined by the second point in the second elemental image; and determining the gradient across the boundary between the first and the second elemental images in accordance with a gradient of a line connecting the second point and the second different point on the second elemental image and wherein, before the gradient across the boundary is determined, one of an orientation and focal length of the first elemental image or the second elemental image is adjusted so that the gradient of the line between the first point and the first different point in the first elemental image or the gradient of the line between the second point and the second different point in the second elemental image is reduced.