Patent ID: 7358978

Claim:
A computer implemented method for morphing an image from a first shape to a second shape, comprising: identifying a first set of feature points in the first shape; identifying a second set of feature points in the second shape; selecting a first subset of feature points from the first set of feature points by; sampling the first and second shapes to determine a sequence of points for each of the shapes; for each given feature point in the sequence of points, selecting a region of support defined by a first variable point and a second variable point in the sequence of points; and comparing an orientational turning angle for the given feature point to an orientational turning angle for other feature points within the region of support; selecting the given feature point from the region of support if it has an orientational turning angle larger than other feature points in the region of support and in excess of a threshold value; rejecting the given feature point if its orientational turning angle from the first variable point to the second variable point does not meet the threshold value; and morphing the image from the first shape to the second shape based on the first subset of feature points.