Patent ID: 7961216

Claim:
A computerized method for preparing a first composite image and a second composite image of a first scene comprising: a. using a computer, providing a first series of images from the first scene, at least two images in the first series of images containing an overlapping area in the first scene; b. using the computer, aligning the at least two images in the first series of images; c. using the computer, averaging the intensity of the images in the area of overlap of the at least two images in the first series of images; and d. using the computer, forming the first composite image from the non-overlapping areas of the at least two images in the first series of images and the averaged overlapping area of the at least two images in the first series of images; e. using the computer, storing the first composite image; f. using the computer, preparing the second composite image of the first scene including: i. providing a second series of images from the first scene, at least two images in the second series of images containing an overlapping area in the first scene, ii. aligning the at least two images in the second series of images, iii. averaging the area of overlap of the at least two images in the second series of images, and iv. forming the second composite image from the non-overlapping areas of the at least two images in the second series of images and the averaged overlapping areas of the at least two images in the second series of images; g. using the computer, adjusting a given area of the first composite image to approximately equal the average intensity of a given area of the second composite image, the given area of the first composite image and the given area of the second composite image corresponding to the same location in the first scene; h. using the computer, calculating the absolute difference in intensity between the given area of the first composite image after adjustment and the given area of the second composite image and identifying a selected portion of the given area of the first composite image where the absolute difference is above a threshold; and adjusting the average intensity of the selected portion of the given area of the first composite image to approximately equal the average intensity of the corresponding portion of the given area of the second composite image and marking the selected portion where the absolute difference between the selected portion and the corresponding area in the second composite image is above the threshold.