Method and apparatus for mosaic image construction
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method of constructing an image mosaic comprising the steps of:
- a) receiving a plurality of source images;
b) analyzing the received source images to select ones of the source images to use in the image mosaic and to form an initial alignment of the selected source images;
c) analyzing the selected source images to establish a coordinate system for the image mosaic;
d) aligning ones of the selected source images to the coordinate system, including the steps ofcalculating an error function which includes alignment errors for at least two of the selected source images; and
warping the at least two of the selected source images to reduce the error function; and
e) merging the aligned images to form the image mosaic.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of constructing an image mosaic comprising the steps of selecting source images, aligning the source images, selecting source segments, enhancing the images, and merging the images to form the image mosaic is disclosed. An apparatus for constructing an image mosaic comprising means for selecting source images, means for aligning the source images, means for selecting source image segments, means for enhancing the images, and means for merging the images to form the image mosaic is also disclosed. The process may be performed automatically by the system or may be guided interactively by a human operator. Applications include the construction of photographic quality prints form video and digital camera images.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method of constructing an image mosaic comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving a plurality of source images; b) analyzing the received source images to select ones of the source images to use in the image mosaic and to form an initial alignment of the selected source images; c) analyzing the selected source images to establish a coordinate system for the image mosaic; d) aligning ones of the selected source images to the coordinate system, including the steps of calculating an error function which includes alignment errors for at least two of the selected source images; and warping the at least two of the selected source images to reduce the error function; and e) merging the aligned images to form the image mosaic. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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12. A method according to claim 81, wherein the multiresolution alignment techniques include the steps of:
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defining respective pyramid representations of overlapping portions of the aligned mosaic image; processing image data in the overlap region using respective pyramid levels which are at a level that is higher than a predetermined pyramid level in pyramid representation to provide an initial transformation; transforming the mosaic according to the initial transformation; generating pyramid representations of sub-mosaic images representing respective portions of the overlap regions; processing image data of the sub-mosaic images using the pyramid levels to provide a refined transformation.
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22. A computer implemented method of aligning a plurality of source images comprising the steps of:
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a) analyzing the source images to select ones of the source images to align and to form an initial alignment of the source images; b) analyzing the selected source images to establish a coordinate system for the image mosaic; c) aligning ones of the selected source images to the coordinate system including the steps of; calculating an error function which includes alignment errors for all of the selected source images with respect to the coordinate system; and warping ones of the selected source images to reduce the error function. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system for constructing an image mosaic comprising:
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means for receiving a plurality of source images; selecting means for analyzing the received source images to select ones of the source images to use in the image mosaic and to form an initial alignment of the source images; referencing means for analyzing the selected source images to establish a coordinate system for the image mosaic; aligning means for aligning ones of the selected source images to the coordinate system including; means for calculating an error function which includes alignment errors for all of the selected source images with respect to the coordinate system; and means for warping ones of the selected source images to reduce the error function; and means for merging the aligned images to form the image mosaic. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. A system for aligning a plurality of source images comprising:
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a) selection means for analyzing the source images to select ones of the source images to align and to form an initial alignment of the source images; b) reference means for analyzing the selected source images to establish a coordinate system for the image mosaic; c) aligning means for aligning ones of the selected source images to the coordinate system including means for calculating an error function which includes alignment errors for all of the selected source images with respect to the coordinate system; and means for warping ones of the selected source images to reduce the error function. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A computer readable medium containing a program which causes a computer to generate an image mosaic of aligned source images, the program causing the computer to perform the steps of:
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a) analyzing the source images to select ones of the source images to align and to form an initial alignment of the source images; b) analyzing the selected source images to establish a coordinate system for the image mosaic; c) aligning ones of the selected source images to the coordinate system including the steps of; calculating an error function which includes alignment errors for all of the selected source images with respect to the coordinate system; and warping ones of the selected source images to reduce the error function. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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Specification