129results about "Processed material treatment" patented technology

A computer program product for an interactive public kiosk including a processor for automatically forming a web page including an image of a user, includes a computer readable media. The computer readable media includes code that directs the processor to capture an image of the user, and code that directs the processor to modify the image according to a user selected theme to form a modified image. Code that directs the processor to determine a URL address for the web page is disclosed. The computer readable media also includes code that directs the processor to create a file in response to the user selected theme and the modified image, and code that directs the processor to upload the file to be located at the URL address to a server.

Collecting images of a patron in an entertainment venue is performed by facial recognition of the patron's face within the images, simplifying the storage and distribution of the images for a patron. In order to enhance the reliability of the facial recognition system, information about the patron that is not directly related to most facial recognition systems, including clothes, height, other associated people, use of glasses and jewelry, disposition of facial hair, and more, can be used. Some of the characteristics used can be specific to a particular date or event, and which will not be more generally characteristic of the patron. The facial recognition system can also be used to identify the patron requesting images to be collected. The present invention also relates to the use of facial recognition in sorting and collecting images from an electronically-stored image collection, enabling the easy retrieval of images that are related to a particular person or set of people.

Collecting images of a patron in an entertainment venue is performed by facial recognition of the patron's face within the images, simplifying the storage and distribution of the images for a patron. In order to enhance the reliability of the facial recognition system, information about the patron that is not directly related to most facial recognition systems, including clothes, height, other associated people, use of glasses and jewelry, disposition of facial hair, and more, can be used. Some of the characteristics used can be specific to a particular date or event, and which will not be more generally characteristic of the patron. The facial recognition system can also be used to identify the patron requesting images to be collected. The present invention also relates to the use of facial recognition in sorting and collecting images from an electronically-stored image collection, enabling the easy retrieval of images that are related to a particular person or set of people.

A multi-tier data storage system includes a first data storage unit for storing recently loaded data files; a second data storage unit coupled to the first data storage unit for archiving data files residing on the first data storage unit for more than a predetermined period of time; and, a third data storage unit coupled to the second data storage unit, the third data storage unit caching files archived in the second data storage unit if the data file is unavailable on the first data storage unit.

A photographic print includes a sheet, such as a sheet of photographic paper, having a front face and a back face, and one or more images printed on the front face of the sheet. The photographic print includes meta data in a human invisible format attached to the sheet of photographic paper, the meta data including information related to the photographic print. The meta data may be encoded digital data stored on magnetic material such as a sheet of magnetic material that is attached to the photographic print. The meta data may also be printed on substantially transparent optical material in a format that is invisible to the human eye. The meta data may also be a magnetic material or optical material that is mixed with the ink used to print the one or more images on the photographic print. The meta data attached to the photographic prints may be read using a meta data scanner capable of reading the meta data and displaying the meta data in a visual or audio format.

A photo category classification method including dividing a region of a photo based on content of the photo and extracting a visual feature from the segmented region of the photo, modeling at least one local semantic concept included in the photo according to the extracted visual feature, acquiring a posterior probability value from confidence values acquired from the modeling of the at least one local semantic concept by normalization using regression analysis, modeling a global semantic concept included in the photo by using the posterior probability value of the at least one local semantic concept; and removing classification noise from a confidence value acquired from the modeling the global semantic concept.

A method and a device are provided for automating receipt of orders for additional printing of a photographic print, including order information relating to desired image processing. In a print order receiving machine, when a photographic print is inserted, an image of the photographic print is read and displayed on a monitor (steps 150, 152). When order conditions are inputted, an image which is processed on the basis of the order conditions is displayed on the monitor (steps 154 through 158). Further, when input of the order conditions is completed, the order conditions and order information based on the order conditions are set. The set order information is printed onto a photographic print as an invisible two-dimensional bar code. Copying processing of the photographic print is carried out on the basis of the order information which is read from the photographic print.

A method and a device are provided for automating receipt of orders for additional printing of a photographic print, including order information relating to desired image processing. In a print order receiving machine, when a photographic print is inserted, an image of the photographic print is read and displayed on a monitor (steps 150, 152). When order conditions are inputted, an image which is processed on the basis of the order conditions is displayed on the monitor (steps 154 through 158). Further, when input of the order conditions is completed, the order conditions and order information based on the order conditions are set. The set order information is printed onto a photographic print as an invisible two-dimensional bar code. Copying processing of the photographic print is carried out on the basis of the order information which is read from the photographic print.

A method, system and software program for automatically organizing digital images obtained from a plurality of hardcopy media. A plurality of hardcopy media are scanned so as to obtain both the image side and non-image side the of hardcopy media including capturing any watermark present on non-image side. The watermark on the non-mage side is used for automatically organizing digital images.

There are provided an information recording medium in which an electronic album capable of effectively reproducing image data and musical-and-vocal data is recorded, and a slide show execution program. In this information-recording medium, there is recorded a set of image data that a customer provides, musical-and-vocal data that the customer selects at an order shop in a retail store or the like, and a computer program that reproduces the image data and the musical-and-vocal data, correlating them with each other. On the surface of the information-recording medium or on the jacket of a storage case, printing is performed so that each recorded image data and each recorded musical-and-vocal data can be identified, and play duration, tempo, number of phrases, etc. are extracted by analyzing musical-and-vocal data, based on a recorded slide show execution program, so that image data is displayed in synchronization with reproduced musical-and-vocal data, which creates a feeling of unity between the image data and the musical-and-vocal data to increase the effects of a slide show.

The present invention provides a system and method for marking, coding and tracking a film print in an efficient, adaptive and customized manner for providing unique and robust identification of each individual film print and facilitating accurate tracking of the origin of a pirated copy. A film print to be marked is calibrated and provided in computer-readable form for input to a prescreening device. The calibrated film print is reviewed and ideal locations on each frame of the film print are chosen for applying a mark. A unique coding scheme is generated for each desired print. If a pirate copy is found, all marks are located and a matching serial number (e.g., coding scheme) is determined for the pirated copy based on marks found in the pirate copy when compared to a database storing film print mark information generated during the marking and coding process.

A method of providing image goods and / or services to more than one party located at different locations. The method includes providing a camera for substantially simultaneously capturing an image both electronically and on a photosensitive media by a customer and transmitting the electronic image to a third party at a location remote from the customer along with additional data. The additional data identifying the image with respect to the photosensitive media. The customer and / or the third party placing an order with a service provider for at least one good and / or service with respect to the image. The service provider assembles the order upon receipt of the photosensitive media.

System and method for collecting customers' images into a kiosk, and transferring images to an image-processing provider for processing. The kiosk includes a computer, a data storage device, an upload port, and an interface for capturing digital images. One method includes accepting image information from a customer into the interface of the kiosk, accepting user-identifier and order information into the kiosk computer, storing a digital representation of the image and associated user-identifier and order information for each customer into a data structure, and sending the data structure to the image-processing provider via the upload port connected to a communication medium such as the internet. Some embodiments also include accepting credit-card payment information, displaying to the customer at least one image from the image information and / or a plurality of thumbnail images from the image information, and / or printing a receipt and / or a printout of thumbnail images from the image information. Optionally, the user specifies a modification to be made to the image information and / or specifies a plurality of delivery addresses. Optionally, the kiosk includes optical scanning of film or prints to generate digital images, transferring image data directly from a digital camera, transferring image data directly from a storage medium, and / or transferring image data into a kiosk data port. Some embodiments include accepting a container of undeveloped film into the kiosk, processing the undeveloped film in the kiosk, and optically scanning the developed film to generate digital representations of the developed film.

An image of a picture frame photographed on a photo film is displayed on a screen of an image input device, or is printed out as a hard copy. A graphic image is written by a user in the image of the picture frame, and graphic data of the graphic image is detected from the image of the picture frame having the graphic image written therein. The graphic data is associated with the picture frame, and is transferred from the user to a photofinisher through electronic transmission, or is recorded on a data recording medium which is forwarded to the photofinisher along with the photo film. A synthetic print containing the picture frame and the graphic image is made from the picture frame and the graphic data.

A method for dating photographic prints comprising scanning a front side of a photographic print forming an image scan; scanning a back side of the photographic print forming a back scan; defining a database of photographic print watermarks, each photographic print watermark comprising a representation of a watermark pattern and an associated date range; analyzing the back scan using a cross-correlation process between the back scan and the watermark patterns in the database of photographic print watermarks to identify a matching photographic print watermark; determining a date range for the image scan responsive to the identified matching photographic print watermark; and associating the determined date range with the image scan.

The present invention provides a camera system, which can simplify an ordering procedure. An IC memory comprising a contactless interface is mounted on a camera, or an image recording medium, such as memory card or film. In a case where a customer has carried the camera to a photo lab, image data is read out of the memory card or is acquired by reading the developed film, by an image data acquisition component. Moreover, individual information, order information, account information, and the like, are read out of the IC memory over wireless communication by a reader and writer and are affixed to the image data, whereupon the resulting image data is stored in a database.

Methods and systems are provided to facilitate a printer to execute one or more operations in connection with one or more images are described herein. The methods may include methods that may, at least in part, be implemented at a printer including tracking one or more locations of a scan device with respect to a sheet having a first one or more pictures associated with one or more corresponding images, wherein the tracking is based, at least in part, on electronic data provided by the scan device. The printer may then based at least in part on the tracking, execute at least one operation in connection with all or a selected subset of the one or more corresponding images.

A method, system, article of manufacture, and propagated signal which provides an easy and flexible way for consumers to print digital photographs received and processed from a variety of different sources and a variety of different ways. Image information, which represents a photographic image, is received from several different sources, order information is received from an external network, the order is processed based on the digital image and the order information, and the photographic images are then output or uploaded in order to produce a photographic print or merchandise with an image printed thereon. The ordering of products is also improved by maintaining the images to be uploaded in a local memory until the order is complete.

A part of a drive roller, whose peripheral surface is coated with an elastic body, is immersed in a cleaning liquid, and the rotation of the drive roller causes the surface of the elastic body to be wet with the cleaning liquid. The elastic body wet with the cleaning liquid continuously rubs a surface of a film being fed. Then, a wash nozzle sprays a cleaning liquid to the surface that has been rubbed by the elastic body. A shearing stress of the elastic body rubs off foreign matter adhering to the film. The foreign matter that has not been rubbed off by the elastic body is washed off by the cleaning liquid sprayed from the wash nozzle.

A method of providing image goods and / or services to more than one party located at different locations. The method includes providing a camera for substantially simultaneously capturing an image both electronically and on a photosensitive media by a customer and transmitting the electronic image to a third party at a location remote from the customer along with additional data. The additional data identifying the image with respect to the photosensitive media. The customer and / or the third party placing an order with a service provider for at least one good and / or service with respect to the image. The service provider assembles the order upon receipt of the photosensitive media.

An image processing apparatus which outputs an index print of information representing a plurality of pictures having picture size of different aspect ratios, with each of the plurality of pictures being respectively assigned a number in numerical order. The image processing apparatus detects size information for each of the plurality of pictures based on the respective aspect ratios, and a picture output order different from the numerical order is determined based on the detected size information for each of the plurality of pictures.

This invention is directed to a method of processing at least one digital image of at least one photographic image and distributing at least one visual print produced from the at least one digital image. The method includes the steps of storing at least one digital image of at least one photographic image on at least one image server at a first location. Selective authorized access to the at least one digital image of the at least one photographic image from a second location is then facilitated. Orders are received for at least one visual print of the at least one photographic image from the second location. Based upon the orders, at least one visual image is produced from the stored digital image at the first location in response to the at least one order.

In a photographic processing system for processing a photographic film for each order without splicing it to other photographic film, a destination of each of plural photographic films having a different destination from each other is determined based on photographic film destination determining information recorded on a photographic film to be processed.

A kit for organizing a plurality of images provided on a plurality of hard copy prints. The kit may include at least one order form for the ordering of at least one good and / or service; and at least one instruction form having a code capable of being machine read so as obtain information for use in organizing the images. The kit may also include a container and envelopes for use in organizing the images.

A system and method for organizing images obtained from at least one image retaining device having a unique identification. The system includes a computer having a database for storing digital images and a management section for managing customer orders and stored digital images. The management section is capable of receiving and storing a unique identification of at least one image retaining device and registering the image retaining device to a customer account. After reaching a predetermined period of time or number of images obtained from image sources, the system automatically provides a product and / or service to a recipient designated by the customer incorporating the plurality of customer provided images.