Patent ID: 7873238

Claim:
A method for creating an oblique-mosaic image from a plurality of source oblique images, comprising the steps of: identifying a desired geographical area to be imaged and collected into an oblique-mosaic image; creating a mathematical model of a virtual camera having a sensor higher in elevation from which the source oblique images were captured and looking down at an oblique angle, the mathematical model having an oblique-mosaic pixel map for the sensor of the desired area encompassing multiple source images, wherein the virtual camera includes the parameters of a focal point, a focal length, and a size of a focal plane; assigning a geographic coordinate to each pixel included in the oblique mosaic pixel map; selecting source oblique images of the geographic coordinates captured at an oblique angle and compass direction similar to the oblique angle and compass direction of the virtual camera; and reprojecting, using a mathematical elevation model to define a ground surface within the desired geographical area, at least one source oblique image pixel of selected source oblique images of the area to be imaged from the vantage point of the sensor of the virtual camera for each pixel included in the oblique-mosaic pixel map in a fan-like pattern from the focal point of the virtual camera to thereby create a geo-referenced oblique-mosaic image of the desired geographical area.