Patent ID: 8200046

Claim:
A method, comprising: providing a processor; collecting, using the processor, a plurality of low-intensity infrared images; enhancing, using the processor, the plurality of low-intensity infrared images to produce a sequence of enhanced images; registering, using the processor, the sequence of enhanced images; accumulating, using the processor, the intensities of the registered sequence of enhanced images to produce a composite image; enhancing, using the processor, the composite image; and outputting, using the processor, the enhanced composite image, wherein enhancing the plurality of low-intensity infrared images includes: selecting a first subset of low-intensity infrared images from the plurality of low-intensity infrared images; selecting a first low-intensity infrared image from the first subset of low-intensity infrared images; determining a region of interest in the first low-intensity infrared image; extracting a first window image from the first low-intensity infrared image which corresponds to the determined region of interest; up-sampling and sharpening the extracted first window image; selecting a second low-intensity infrared image from the first subset of low-intensity infrared images; extracting a second window image based on the region of interest of the first low-intensity infrared image; up-sampling and sharpening the extracted second window image; generating a composite window based on the first and second extracted window images; enhancing the generated composite window; and combining the enhanced composite window with the selected first low-intensity infrared image.