Search in time

1. A method of examining images on a computer display comprising the steps of:

(a) defining, using a computer, a geographic area of interest for a plurality of images;

(b) selecting, using the computer, a set of images from the plurality of images within the geographic area of interest for display;

(c) sequentially ordering in a time domain, using the computer, the set of images according to their acquisition date and/or acquisition time; wherein (i) the images are sequentially stacked in the time domain to overlie one another in a vertical direction of time, and (ii) one image has a first geographic point aligned above or below another image having a second geographic point, and the first and second geographic points are the same in a spatial domain having a horizontal direction;

(d) examining the set of images across the spatial domain in the horizontal direction;

(e) examining the set of images across the time domain in the vertical direction of the stacked images;

(f) flickering through more than two images that are sequentially stacked in the time domain, in the vertical direction of time until the user is able to flip through an entire stack of images,

(g) detecting presence or absence of an object while flickering through the entire stack of images;

(h) interrupting the flickering step (f), and selecting a first image in the set of images, and spatially roaming through the selected first image; and

(i) continuing the flickering step (f) after completing step (h), and again interrupting the flickering step (f), and selecting a second image in the set of images, and spatially roaming through the selected second image;

wherein the first or second image is examined during the interruption of the flickering step (f), and after completion of the examination of the first or second image, the flickering step continues from a point of the interruption.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of sequentially ordering in the time domain the set of images is executed automatically by a processor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of examining the set of images across the time domain includes:

examining images with different dates of acquisition by using a transition method, executed by the computer, for viewing differences among the sets of images.

4. The method claimed in claim 3 , wherein the transition method is selected from the group consisting of: blending, stepping, wiping, checkerboarding, and dissolving.

5. A method for examining geo-referenced images on a computer display comprising the steps of:

a) defining, using a computer, an area of interest for a plurality of images;

b) selecting, using the computer, a set of images from the plurality of images within the area of interest for display;

c) sequentially ordering in a time domain, using the computer, the set of images according to their acquisition date and/or acquisition time; wherein (i) the images are sequentially stacked in the time domain to overlie one another in a vertical direction of time, and (ii) one image has a first geographic point aligned above or below another image having a second geographic point, and the first and second geographic points are the same in a spatial domain having a horizontal direction;

d) examining the set of images across the spatial domain in the horizontal direction;

e) examining the set of images across the time domain in the vertical direction of the stacked images;

f) blending to a previous date while flickering through more than two images that are sequentially stacked in the vertical direction;

g) detecting presence or absence of an object, while flickering through the stack of images;

(h) interrupting the flickering step (f), and selecting a first image in the set of images, and spatially roaming through the selected first image; and

(i) continuing the flickering step (f) after completing step (h), and again interrupting the flickering step (f), and selecting a second image in the set of images, and spatially roaming through the selected second image;

wherein the first or second image is examined during the interruption of the flickering step (f), and after completion of the examination of the first or second image, the flickering step continues from a point of the interruption.