METHOD OF PROCESSING A VIDEO IMAGE TO TRACK A BRIGHT SPOT AND TO PROTECT SAID TRACKING FROM INTERFERENCE FROM OTHER BRIGHT SPOTS

A method of processing a video image to track a bright spot and to protect said tracking from interference from other bright spots to protect said tracking from interference from other bright spots. In order to avoid a main spot (LP) from being lost by interference from decoy or secondary spots (LS) in a digitized video image (FM), the main spot is surrounded by a detection ring (CD) which is concentric with a processing window (FT) which fits closely round the main spot. When a decoy spot (LS) is detected in the detection ring, it likewise has a processing window (FT') and a detection ring (CD') assigned thereto in order to isolate it and to follow its trajectory. When the two spots come into contact, the tracking of one of said spots is interrupted. After the two spots move apart, a coherence test is performed to determine which of the spots is the main spot, and tracking continues, thereafter, with the main spot.