US6535650B1 — Creating high resolution images

Claim 1

Independent Claim 69 words

A digital imaging system comprising: an imaging device to capture a plurality of images representing a scene; a processor; and a program executable on the processor to: identify high detail regions in each image; identify mapping points in the high detail regions; perform projective mappings of the images using the identified mapping points to align the images; and combine the images into a composite image that represents the scene.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 69 words

A digital imaging system comprising: an imaging device to capture a plurality of images representing a scene; a processor; and a program executable on the processor to: identify high detail regions in each image; identify mapping points in the high detail regions; perform projective mappings of the images using the identified mapping points to align the images; and combine the images into a composite image that represents the scene.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 33 words

The digital imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the program is further executable to identify a high detail region by measuring the amount of detail in a selected region in each image.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 37 words

The digital imaging system of claim 2 , wherein the program is further executable to move the selected region along a predetermined path through the image until a region having a minimum amount of detail is found.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 24 words

The digital imaging system of claim 3 , wherein the predetermined path starts in a comer of the image and follows a spiral pattern.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 28 words

The digital imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the program is further executable to correct accumulated error resulting from performing the projective mappings of the captured images.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 19 words

The digital imaging system of claim 5 , wherein the accumulated error is distributed over all intermediate projective mappings.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 30 words

The digital imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the program is executable to select mapping points in each image based on a comparison of high-detail regions between two images.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 28 words

The digital imaging system of claim 7 , wherein a correlation function is calculated in the comparison, and the mapping point is selected if a minimum is found.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 29 words

The digital imaging system of claim 8 , wherein the program is further executed to indicate a correlation error if a minimum of the correlation function cannot be found.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 30 words

The digital imaging system of claim 8 , wherein the program is further executable to indicate a redundancy error if more than one minima of the correlation function is found.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 22 words

The digital imaging system of claim 7 , wherein the program is further executable to select four mapping points in each image.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 23 words

The digital imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the program is executable to align the images with respect to a reference image.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 25 words

The digital imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the program is further executable to automatically identify the mapping points in the high detail regions.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 80 words

A computer-readable storage medium in a digital imaging system having a camera, the storage medium containing a program comprising instructions for causing the system to: receive a plurality of digitized images each representing a portion of a scene; identify mapping points in feature-rich regions of each image; align the images based on the mapping points in each image to compensate for misalignment caused by movement of the camera; and combine the images to form a composite image representing the scene.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 80 words

A computer-readable storage medium in a digital imaging system having a camera, the storage medium containing a program comprising instructions for causing the system to: receive a plurality of digitized images each representing a portion of a scene; identify mapping points in feature-rich regions of each image; align the images based on the mapping points in each image to compensate for misalignment caused by movement of the camera; and combine the images to form a composite image representing the scene.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 34 words

The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the program further comprises instructions to cause the system to align the images by performing perspective transforms of the images using the identified mapping points.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 26 words

The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the program further comprises instructions to cause the system to identify the feature-rich regions in each image.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 45 words

The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the program further comprises instructions to cause the system to compare a feature-rich region in a first image with a corresponding region in a second image, and to select a mapping point based on the comparison.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 25 words

The digital imaging system of claim 14 , wherein the program is further executable to automatically identify mapping points in feature-rich regions of each image.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 104 words

In a digital imaging system, a method of generating a high resolution image representing a target scene, the method comprising: capturing, using an imaging device, multiple images each representing a portion of the target scene; a program running in the digital imaging system aligning the images to remove misalignment due to movement of the imaging device; and the program combining the images to form a composite image representing the scene, wherein aligning the images comprise identifying a feature-rich region by selecting a predetermined region and moving the predetermined region along a predetermined path in the image until a predetermined amount of detail is found.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 104 words

In a digital imaging system, a method of generating a high resolution image representing a target scene, the method comprising: capturing, using an imaging device, multiple images each representing a portion of the target scene; a program running in the digital imaging system aligning the images to remove misalignment due to movement of the imaging device; and the program combining the images to form a composite image representing the scene, wherein aligning the images comprise identifying a feature-rich region by selecting a predetermined region and moving the predetermined region along a predetermined path in the image until a predetermined amount of detail is found.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 19 , wherein the multiple images are captured in rapid succession.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 19 , further comprising scanning the camera across the target scene and capturing the images at a high rate to reduce the amount of movement of the camera between any two successive images.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 19 , wherein aligning the images further comprises identifying a mapping point in the feature-rich region in each image.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 82 words

A digital imaging system comprising: an imaging device to capture a plurality of images representing a scene; a processor; and a program executable on the processor to: group the captured images into partial mosaics; automatically identify mapping points in high details regions in each image of each partial mosaic; align images based on mapping points in each image of each partial mosaic; combine the images in each partial mosaic; and combine into partial mosaic into a composite image that represents the scene.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 82 words

A digital imaging system comprising: an imaging device to capture a plurality of images representing a scene; a processor; and a program executable on the processor to: group the captured images into partial mosaics; automatically identify mapping points in high details regions in each image of each partial mosaic; align images based on mapping points in each image of each partial mosaic; combine the images in each partial mosaic; and combine into partial mosaic into a composite image that represents the scene.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 24 words

The digital imaging system of claim 23 , wherein the program is further executable to align the partial mosaics with respect to each other.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 27 words

The digital imaging system of claim 23 , wherein the program is further executable to stitch the partial mosaics into the composite image that represents the scene.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2006-03-17	2006-09-16	2007-03-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2010-03-17	2010-09-16	2011-03-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2014-03-17	2014-09-16	2015-03-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Creating high resolution images

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