Patent ID: 7130488

Claim:
A method of processing a plurality of source images to provide a composite image, comprising the steps of: receiving the plurality of source images including therein at least a textured source image, and encoding the plurality of source images to thereby provide a composite image suitable for rendering as a rendered composite image, wherein the encoding includes mapping of source image values at pixel locations in the source images to colorant control values at respective pixel locations in a spectrally-multiplexed image plane, wherein the colorant control values specify an amount of each one of a plurality of M colorants to be deposited at corresponding locations in the rendered composite image, wherein the mapping of the pixel values from the plurality of source images is determined according to a plurality of spatial luminance distributions each of which represent the desired response of the rendered composite image to illumination thereof by a respective one of a plurality of N narrow-band illuminants, and wherein the mapping of the pixel values from the plurality of source images is calculated to cause the textured source image to be recovered when the rendered composite image is subject to illumination by at least one of the narrow band illuminants.