Patent ID: 7646932
Filing Date: 2010-01-12
Classification: G06T,H04N

Abstract:
1. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising: receiving a first image representing a first segment of the view at a server; receiving a second image representing a second segment of the view at the server without the server receiving any information about the position of the second segment relative to the first segment; receiving commands sent from a client to merge the first image and the second image into a panoramic image of the view; determining the position of the second segment of the view relative to the first segment of the view without the aid of positioning information provided by a human operator; blending the first image with the second image based solely on the content of the images and the determined position of the second segment relative to the first segment to merge the first image and the second image into a panoramic image of the view, wherein the blending comprises: dividing the second image into a first portion and a second portion based on the position of the second segment relative to the first segment; and compositing the first portion of the second image on the first image at a relative position of the second segment relative to the first segment to produce the panoramic image, the compositing of the first portion of the second image causing the first portion to mask out a part of the first image.