Patent ID: 8009897

Claim:
A computer implemented method of matching picture elements between at least a first image and a second image each comprising a plurality of picture elements, the method comprising the steps of: using at least one computer with accessible input/output to perform the following: selecting a first picture element within the first image to be matched within the second image, said first and second images being respective images of a stereo image pair; constructing a first sequence of connected picture elements within the first image, the sequence including the first picture element, wherein each picture element within the sequence possesses one or more intensity or chrominance characteristics most similar to the first picture element than other surrounding picture elements; and searching the picture elements of the second image using the constructed sequence as a matching element to find a substantially corresponding picture element within the second image to the first picture element, wherein the constructing step comprises searching the picture elements in a first direction from the first picture element to determine a first chain of connected picture elements to form part of the first sequence, and searching the picture elements in a second direction, substantially opposite to the first direction, to determine a second chain of connected picture elements to form part of the first sequence, and the first chain of connected picture elements and the second chain of connected picture elements form a sequence of at least three picture elements that are substantially in a line.