Automated
film processing kiosk automatically receives and processes a customer film unit, e.g., a film
cartridge or OTUC, and the finished prints can be picked up when
processing is completed. The interior is climate controlled. The customer swipes a credit or
debit card through a
card reader, and inserts the exposed film unit into the kiosk. Inside the
enclosure a mini-lab processor automatically processes the film, using either a wet or dry process, and extracts images from the film, either negatives, or else as digital images. A digital printer (i.e., color ink-jet printer) produces photographic prints of the customer's images and a print packaging unit packages and labels the photographic prints for each customer film unit, and an optional optical disk with digital images. A storage carousel within
enclosure has chambers for storing the packaged prints for the customers. At pick-up, the customer swipes a card through for identification. A carousel unload mechanism transfers the customer's finished prints from the carousel to a delivery bin. A communications module communicates
order status, inventory, and equipment status to a central monitoring
station. Print correction for color, density, and contrast can be carried out remotely.