Method and apparatus for producing a composite image

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the offset of the current image is estimated by relating a reference offset, associated with a first reference image, to a relative offset between said current image and said first reference image.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 wherein the relative offset is estimated by performing a correlation process between the current image and the first reference image.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3 wherein the reference offset is estimated by performing a correlation process between the first reference image and a second reference image.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 wherein the first reference image is selected from the plurality of sequentially captured images.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein the first reference image overlaps with the current image in said first dimension.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 wherein transferring said central portion of said current image includes stitching said central portion to an image transferred to the storage medium.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sequentially captured images is produced by a video camera while being rotated about a center of rotation a fixed distance from the subject of the image.

Claim 10

The method of claim 8 wherein the offset of the current image corresponds to the video camera's angle of rotation when said current image is produced by the video camera.

Claim 11

A computer system comprising: a storage device having stored therein a program for producing a composite image from a plurality of sequentially captured images; and an execution unit, coupled to said storage device, for executing said program to generate first, second, and third resulting images, where: a. said first resulting image is generated by selecting a current image from said plurality of sequentially captured images, said current image having an offset; b. said second resulting image is generated by extracting a central portion from said current image, said central portion having a first dimension substantially smaller than a first dimension of said current image and a second dimension substantially the same as a second dimension of said current image; and c. said third resulting image is generated by transferring said central portion of said current image onto a storage medium, that stores said composite image, to a position corresponding to said offset.

Claim 12

A computer system comprising: a storage device having stored therein a program for producing a composite image from a plurality of sequentially captured images; and an execution unit, coupled to said storage device, for executing said program to generate first, second, and third resulting images, where: a. said first resulting image is generated by selecting a current image from said plurality of sequentially captured images, said current image having an offset; b. said second resulting image is generated by extracting a central portion from said current image, said central portion having a first dimension substantially smaller than a first dimension of said current image and a second dimension substantially the same as a second dimension of said current image; and c. said third resulting image is generated by transferring said central portion of said current image onto a storage medium, that stores said composite image, to a position corresponding to said offset.

Claim 13

The computer system of claim 10 wherein the offset of the current image is estimated by relating a reference offset, associated with a first reference image, to a relative offset between said current image and said first reference image.

Claim 14

The computer system of claim 11 wherein the relative offset is estimated by performing a correlation process between the current image and the first reference image.

Claim 15

The computer system of claim 12 wherein the reference offset is estimated by performing a correlation process between the first reference image and a second reference image.

Claim 16

The computer system of claim 13 wherein the first reference image is selected from the plurality of sequentially captured images.

Claim 17

The computer system of claim 14 wherein the first reference image overlaps with the current image in said first dimension.

Claim 18

The computer system of claim 10 wherein transferring said central portion of said current image includes stitching said central portion to an image transferred to the storage medium.

Claim 19

The computer system of claim 10 wherein the plurality of sequentially captured images is produced by a video camera while being rotated about a center of rotation a fixed distance from the subject of the image.

Claim 20

The computer system of claim 17 wherein the offset of the current image corresponds to the video camera's angle of rotation when said current image is produced by the video camera.

Claim 21

A storage device that has stored therein a program for producing a composite image from a plurality of sequentially captured images, the program, when executed by an execution unit, resulting in the execution unit generating first, second, and third resulting images, where: a. said first resulting image is generated by selecting a current image from said plurality of sequentially captured images, said current image having an offset; b. said second resulting image is generated by extracting a central portion from said current image, said central portion having a first dimension substantially smaller than a first dimension of said current image and a second dimension substantially the same as a second dimension of said current image; and c. said third resulting image is generated by transferring said central portion of said current image onto a storage medium, that stores said composite image, to a position corresponding to said offset.

Claim 22

A storage device that has stored therein a program for producing a composite image from a plurality of sequentially captured images, the program, when executed by an execution unit, resulting in the execution unit generating first, second, and third resulting images, where: a. said first resulting image is generated by selecting a current image from said plurality of sequentially captured images, said current image having an offset; b. said second resulting image is generated by extracting a central portion from said current image, said central portion having a first dimension substantially smaller than a first dimension of said current image and a second dimension substantially the same as a second dimension of said current image; and c. said third resulting image is generated by transferring said central portion of said current image onto a storage medium, that stores said composite image, to a position corresponding to said offset.

Claim 23

The storage device of claim 19, wherein the offset of the current image is estimated by relating a reference offset, associated with a first reference image, to a relative offset between said current image and said first reference image.

Claim 24

The storage device of claim 20, wherein the reference offset is estimated by performing a correlation process between the first reference image and a second reference image.

Claim 27

The method of claim 22 wherein the offset of the current image is estimated by relating a reference offset, associated with a first reference image, to a relative offset between said current image and said first reference image.

Claim 28

The method of claim 23 wherein the relative offset is estimated by performing a correlation process between the current image and the first reference image.

Claim 29

The method of claim 24 wherein the reference offset is estimated by performing a correlation process between the first reference image and a second reference image.

Claim 30

The method of claim 25 wherein the first reference image is selected from the plurality of images.

Claim 31

The method of claim 26 wherein the first reference image overlaps with the current image in said first dimension.

Claim 32

The method of claim 22 wherein transferring said rectangular portion of said current image includes stitching said rectangular portion to an image transferred to the storage medium.

Claim 33

The method of claim 22 wherein the offset of the current image corresponds to an angle of rotation of the video camera when said current image is captured by the video camera.