Patent ID: 8144927

Claim:
A method of processing image data derived from radiation emanating from a scene and acquired by a multi-channel enhanced vision system to render an image of the scene for display, the image exhibiting features of spatial regions of the scene in great detail, comprising: detecting first and second wavelength bands of radiation emanating from a scene to produce respective first and second sets of high dynamic range image data that include representations of relatively low contrast, high spatial frequency detail of features of spatial regions of the scene; performing nonlinear intensity transformation of data derived from the first set and second set of high dynamic range image data to produce, respectively, a first set of low dynamic range image data representing a first low dynamic range detailed image of the scene and a second set of low dynamic range image data representing a second low dynamic range detailed image of the scene, the nonlinear intensity transformation substantially preserving or enhancing in the first and second low dynamic range detailed images the relatively low contrast, high spatial frequency detail of features of the spatial regions of the scene represented in the first and second sets of high dynamic range image data; and combining the first low dynamic range detailed image and the second low dynamic range detailed image to form a fused image that, when rendered on a display, exhibits in great detail the features of the spatial regions of the scene.