Patent ID: 8606042

Claim:
A method, comprising: receiving a plurality of digital input images of a same scene, wherein the digital input images comprise corresponding pixel arrays; and for each set of corresponding pixels from the corresponding pixel arrays: assigning a weight to each pixel in the set of corresponding pixels via a weight distribution function, comprising: analyzing values of an image characteristic for the pixels in the set of corresponding pixels to determine a relationship among the values of the image characteristic; altering the weight distribution function based on the determined relationship, wherein said altering comprises translating the weight distribution function based on a difference between a median of the values of the image characteristic for the pixels in the set of corresponding pixels and a mean of the values of the image characteristic for the pixels in the set of corresponding pixels; and applying the altered weight distribution function to the value of the image characteristic for each pixel in the set of corresponding pixels to determine the weight assigned to the pixel; and deriving a new pixel value for a new pixel in a new digital image based on modifying the pixel value for each pixel in the set of corresponding pixels depending on the weight assigned to the pixel.