Patent Document ID: 6122017
Application ID: 09010803
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for generating an enhanced still image from multiple video fields having pixels, the method comprising the steps of: (a) selecting at least one field to serve as a reference field; (b) using remaining fields to serve as auxiliary fields; (c) constructing a reference field orientation map for the reference field which is used to directionally interpolate the reference field; (d) constructing a motion map to model local displacement between features in the reference field and corresponding features in the auxiliary fields; (e) generating an auxiliary field orientation map for each of the auxiliary fields; (f) using the auxiliary field orientation maps to directionally interpolate the auxiliary fields to the same resolution as the interpolated reference field; (g) determining a merge mask for each auxiliary field to mask off certain pixels; (h) forming a weighted average image from the reference field pixels, and the auxiliary field pixels which have not been masked off; and (i) horizontally interpolating the weighted average image to form the enhanced still image.