Method for generating a composite image

1. A method for generating a composite image in a computer based on a separate image, the method comprising:

receiving the separate image into a computer system;

using a digital process, comparing the separate image to the composite image in the computer pixel by pixel, producing a mismatch value; and

modifying at least one of the composite image and the separate image to reduce the mismatch value, thereby generating a final composite image.

2. A method for generating a composite image according to claim 1 , further including digitizing a nondigital image to form the separate image.

3. A method for generating a composite image according to claim 1 , wherein modifying the composite image includes incorporating a feature into the composite image.

4. A method for generating a composite image according to claim 3 , wherein the feature includes at least one of a mouth, a nose, an eye, an eyebrow, an ear, a hairstyle, and a face shape.

5. A method for generating a composite image according to claim 3 , wherein modifying the composite image includes modifying the location of the feature in the composite image.

6. A method for generating a composite image according to claim 1 , wherein modifying the separate image includes modifying at least one of a position, an orientation, a size, and an appearance of the separate image.

7. A method for generating a composite image according to claim 1 , wherein modifying includes displaying a toolbar.

8. A method for generating a composite image according to claim 7 , wherein displaying a toolbar includes displaying buttons for modifying the position of the separate image by shifting the separate image left, right, up, and down.

9. A method for generating a composite image according to claim 7 , wherein displaying a toolbar includes displaying buttons for modifying the orientation of the separate image by rotating the separate image clockwise and counterclockwise.

10. A method for generating a composite image according to claim 9 , wherein displaying buttons for modifying the orientation of the separate image includes displaying a button for rotating the separate image clockwise.

11. A method for generating a composite image according to claim 9 , wherein displaying buttons for modifying the orientation of the separate image includes displaying a button for rotating the separate image counterclockwise.

12. A method for generating a composite image according to claim 7 , wherein displaying a toolbar includes displaying buttons for modifying the size of the separate image by enlargement and by reduction.

13. A method for generating a composite image according to claim 7 , wherein displaying a toolbar includes displaying buttons for modifying the appearance of the separate image by selecting to display the separate image in color and in grayscale.

14. A method for generating a composite image according to claim 7 , wherein displaying a toolbar includes displaying buttons for increasing the intensity of the composite image and decreasing the intensity of the separate image and for decreasing the intensity of the composite image and increasing the intensity of the separate image.

15. A method for generating a composite image according to claim 1 , further including displaying an overlay image containing the modified composite image and the modified separate image.

16. A method for generating a composite image according to claim 15 , further including individually displaying the modified composite image and the modified separate image.

17. A method for generating a composite image according to claim 1 , wherein comparing the separate image to the composite image includes treating blank white areas of the composite image as if the blank white areas were blank black areas.

18. A method according to claim 1 , wherein comparing the separate image to the composite image includes calculating an average light level for the composite image and subtracting the average composite image light level from the composite image.

19. A method according to claim 1 , wherein comparing the separate image to the composite image includes calculating an average light level for the separate image and subtracting the separate image average light level from the separate image.

20. A computer program product for use on a computer system for calculating a mismatch value between an overlaid composite image and an overlaid separate image, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising program code for:

calculating an overlaid composite image average pixel intensity;

calculating an adjusted overlaid composite image pixel intensity by subtracting the overlaid composite image average pixel intensity from an intensity of each pixel in the overlaid composite image;

calculating an overlaid separate image average pixel intensity;

calculating an adjusted overlaid separate image pixel intensity by subtracting the overlaid separate image average pixel intensity from an intensity of each pixel in the overlaid separate image;

calculating an overlaid pixel intensity difference by subtracting each adjusted overlaid composite image pixel intensity from the adjusted overlaid separate image pixel intensity for each pixel;

calculating an overlaid pixel intensity difference absolute value for each pixel;

calculating a total overlaid pixel intensity difference by adding the overlaid pixel intensity difference absolute value of all pixels;

calculating a total overlaid separate image pixel intensity by adding the adjusted overlaid separate image pixel intensities of all pixels; and

calculating a mismatch value by dividing the total overlaid pixel intensity difference by the total overlaid separate image pixel intensity.

21. A system for generating a composite image based on a separate image, the system comprising:

means for receiving the separate image;

means for comparing the separate image to the composite image pixel by pixel, producing a mismatch value; and

means for modifying at least one of the composite image and the separate image to reduce the mismatch value, thereby generating a final composite image.

22. A system for generating a composite image according to claim 21 , wherein the means for receiving includes an antenna.

23. A system for generating a composite image according to claim 21 , wherein the means for comparing the separate image to the composite image includes a computer and a monitor.

24. A system for generating a composite image according to claim 21 , wherein the computer includes a memory storing a computer code for execution by the computer to compare the separate image to the composite image and produce a mismatch value.

25. A system for generating a composite image according to claim 21 , wherein the means for modifying at least one of the composite image and the separate image to reduce the mismatch value includes a device for selecting a modification.

26. A system for generating a composite image according to claim 25 , wherein the selection device includes a mouse.

27. A computer program product for use on a computer system for generating a composite image based on a separate image, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising:

program code for comparing the separate image to the composite image pixel by pixel, producing a mismatch value; and

program code for modifying at least one of the composite image and the separate image to reduce the mismatch value, thereby generating a final composite image.

28. A computer program product according to claim 27 , wherein the program code for comparing the separate image to the composite image, producing a mismatch value, includes program code for calculating an overlaid composite image average pixel intensity.

29. A computer program product according to claim 28 , wherein the program code for comparing includes program code for calculating an adjusted overlaid composite image pixel intensity by subtracting the overlaid composite image average pixel intensity from an intensity of each pixel in the overlaid composite image.

30. A computer program product according to claim 29 , wherein the program code for comparing includes program code for calculating an overlaid separate image average pixel intensity.

31. A computer program product according to claim 30 , wherein the program code for comparing includes program code for calculating an adjusted overlaid separate image pixel intensity by subtracting the overlaid separate image average pixel intensity from an intensity of each pixel in the overlaid separate image.

32. A computer program product according to claim 31 , wherein the program code for comparing includes program code for calculating an overlaid pixel intensity difference by subtracting each adjusted overlaid composite image pixel intensity from the adjusted overlaid separate image pixel intensity for each pixel.

33. A computer program product according to claim 32 , wherein the program code for comparing includes program code for calculating an overlaid pixel intensity difference absolute value for each pixel.

34. A computer program product according to claim 33 , wherein the program code for comparing includes program code for calculating a total overlaid pixel intensity difference by adding the overlaid pixel intensity difference absolute value of all pixels.

35. A computer program product according to claim 34 , wherein the program code for comparing includes program code for calculating a total overlaid separate image pixel intensity by adding the adjusted overlaid separate image pixel intensities of all pixels.

36. A computer program product according to claim 35 , wherein the program code for comparing includes program code for calculating a mismatch value by dividing the total overlaid pixel intensity difference by the total overlaid separate image pixel intensity.

37. A computer program product according to claim 27 wherein the program code for modifying at least one of the composite image and the separate image to reduce the mismatch value includes program code for incorporating a feature into the composite image.

38. A computer program product according to claim 37 wherein the program code for modifying at least one of the composite image and the separate image to reduce the mismatch value includes program code for modifying the location of the feature in the composite image.

39. A computer program product according to claim 27 wherein the program code for modifying at least one of the composite image and the separate image to reduce the mismatch value includes program code for modifying at least one of a position, an orientation, a size, and an appearance of the separate image.

40. A computer program product according to claim 39 wherein the program code for modifying at least one of the composite image and the separate image to reduce the mismatch value includes program code for modifying the position of the separate image by shifting the separate image left, right, up, and down.

41. A computer program product according to claim 39 wherein the program code for modifying at least one of the composite image and the separate image to reduce the mismatch value includes program code for modifying the orientation of the separate image by rotating the separate image clockwise and counterclockwise.

42. A computer program product according to claim 39 wherein the program code for modifying at least one of the composite image and the separate image to reduce the mismatch value includes program code for modifying the size of the separate image by enlargement and by reduction.

43. A computer program product according to claim 39 wherein the program code for modifying at least one of the composite image and the separate image to reduce the mismatch value includes program code for modifying the appearance of the separate image by selecting to display the separate image in color and in grayscale.

44. A computer program product according to claim 39 wherein the program code for modifying at least one of the composite image and the separate image to reduce the mismatch value includes program code for increasing the intensity of the composite image and decreasing the intensity of the separate image and for decreasing the intensity of the composite image and increasing the intensity of the separate image.

45. A method for generating a composite image in a computer based on a separate image, the method comprising:

receiving the separate image into a computer system;

using a digital process, comparing the separate image to the composite image in the computer, producing a mismatch value;

modifying at least one of the composite image and the separate image to reduce the mismatch value, thereby generating a final composite image, wherein modifying the separate image includes modifying at least one of a position, an orientation, a size, and an appearance of the separate image; and

displaying a toolbar on a display coupled to the computer that includes buttons for increasing the intensity of the composite image and decreasing the intensity of the separate image and for decreasing the intensity of the composite image and increasing the intensity of the separate image.

46. A computer program product for use on a computer system for generating a composite image based on a separate image, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising:

program code for comparing the separate image to the composite image including program code for:

(a) calculating an overlaid composite image average pixel intensity,

(b) calculating an adjusted overlaid composite image pixel intensity by subtracting the overlaid composite image average pixel intensity from an intensity of each pixel in the overlaid composite image,

(c) calculating an overlaid separate image average pixel intensity,

(d) calculating an adjusted overlaid separate image pixel intensity by subtracting the overlaid separate image average pixel intensity from an intensity of each pixel in the overlaid separate image,

(e) calculating an overlaid pixel intensity difference by subtracting each adjusted overlaid composite image pixel intensity from the adjusted overlaid separate image pixel intensity for each pixel,

(f) calculating an overlaid pixel intensity difference absolute value for each pixel,

(g) calculating a total overlaid pixel intensity difference by adding the overlaid pixel intensity difference absolute value of all pixels,

(h) calculating a total overlaid separate image pixel intensity by adding the adjusted overlaid separate image pixel intensities of all pixels,

(i) calculating a mismatch value by dividing the total overlaid pixel intensity difference by the total overlaid separate image pixel intensity, producing a mismatch value; and

program code for modifying at least one of the composite image and the separate image to reduce the mismatch value, thereby generating a final composite image.