Progressive image fusion

A non-transitory program storage device comprising instructions stored thereon to cause one or more processors to:

• obtain a first batch of images captured by one or more image capture devices;
• select a reference image from the first batch of images and register one or more images from the first batch of images to the reference image;
• perform a first fusion operation on the registered first batch of images to output a first fused image;
• designate the first fused image as a current intermediate fusion image;
• successively perform a subsequent fusion sequence at least one time, wherein each subsequent fusion sequence comprises:
• obtaining a subsequent batch of images captured by the one or more image capture devices;
• registering one or more images of the subsequent batch of images to the reference image;
• performing a subsequent fusion operation on:
• the subsequent batch of images, the current intermediate fusion image, and the selected reference image to output an updated fused image;
• and
• designating the updated fused image as the current intermediate fusion image;
• and
• following completion of the last subsequent fusion sequence, store the current intermediate fusion image as an output fused image in a memory.

A method, comprising:

• obtaining a first batch of images captured by one or more image capture devices;
• selecting a reference image from the first batch of images and registering one or more images of the first batch of images to the reference image;
• performing a first fusion operation on the registered first batch of images to output a first fused image;
• designating the first fused image as a current intermediate fusion image;
• successively performing a subsequent fusion sequence at least one time, wherein each subsequent fusion sequence comprises:
• obtaining a subsequent batch of images captured by the one or more image capture devices;
• registering one or more images of the subsequent batch of images to the reference image;
• performing a subsequent fusion operation on:
• the subsequent batch of images, the current intermediate fusion image, and the selected reference image to output an updated fused image;
• and
• designating the updated fused image as the current intermediate fusion image;
• and
• following completion of the last subsequent fusion sequence, storing the current intermediate fusion image as an output fused image in a memory.