Patent ID: 7663647

Claim:
A computer-implemented digital compositing method of reducing the effect of shadows in a digital image cast by an object, the method comprising: obtaining average image pixel data from an input image that does not contain the object; comparing a brightness of a current pixel in a current input image to a brightness of a corresponding pixel of the average image pixel data, wherein the current input image contains the object; determining whether a hue value of the current pixel is within a hue tolerance of a hue of the corresponding pixel of the average image pixel data; comparing a pattern surrounding the current pixel to a pattern surrounding the corresponding pixel of the average image pixel data, based on a comparison of the brightness of the current pixel to a brightness of one or more pixels adjacent the current pixel, and a comparison of the brightness of the corresponding pixel of the average image pixel data to a brightness of one or more pixels surrounding the corresponding pixel; and adjusting a corresponding pixel in an alpha image that corresponds to portions of the current input image if the brightness of the current pixel is less than the brightness of the corresponding pixel in the average image pixel data, if the hue of the current pixel is within the hue tolerance of the hue of the corresponding pixel in the average image pixel data, and if the pattern surrounding the current pixel is substantially the same as the pattern surrounding the corresponding pixel in the average image pixel data.