Abstract: Offset between a pair of images is determined using parallel processing techniques in a general-purpose digital serial processor. For each each image, a patch of pixels is selected and convolved with a Laplacian kernel. The result is convolved with a Gaussian kernel in each of the x- and y-directions to produce a registration image. The registration images are binarized, bit-packed, and correlated to one another by performing an EXOR operation for each pixel location at each of a plurality of relative offsets of the images. The results of the EXOR operation are summed to produce an image-correlation value for each relative offset. The image-correlation indicating highest correlation determines relative offset of the images. The determined offset can be used for a variety of purposes in automating control of E-beam and FIB systems, to register images to one another or to identify a location in one image which corresponds to a selected location of the other image.