Photocopying – Projection printing and copying cameras – With developing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-08
2001-04-24
Rutledge, D. (Department: 2851)
Photocopying
Projection printing and copying cameras
With developing
C355S077000, C355S040000, C396S567000, C396S578000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06222607
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a processing system and/or method for processing and/or manipulating digital images. More specifically, the present invention relates to the concept of updating photofinishing control software and algorithms to correspond to specific film codes that require distinctive image handling.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In a typical digital photofinishing environment, films are developed, scanned and/or digitized to yield corresponding digital images which are then computer processed (such as for color balance, density, etc.) to yield final digital images. The final digital images may be printed by a laser or other digital printer, to provide customer service prints and/or uploaded to a remote hub for later consumer access and/or copied onto a diskette, optical disk (Photo CD) or the like.
Parameters which the photofinishing processor uses to control (a) the chemical processing (for example, development time in the case of development of a conventional film, and contact time and temperature in the case of development of a photothermographic film); (b) the scanner which scans the film (for example, illumination control, degree of specularity); and (c) the digital image processing of the digital images (for example, color balance), may preferentially have different settings which depend on film type or history. For example, images captured on film specifically designed for scanning may produce poor images if handled by the scanner or image processor in the same manner as conventional film images.
Photofinishing processes are typically loaded with the appropriate software and algorithms to control chemical processing, scanning and digital image processing at set up and delivery. Software upgrades are made available for loading by trained operators who much visit each and every site to reload and reset the photofinishing processor.
A drawback with the above procedure is that the software and algorithm collection can be quickly outdated as manufactures supply improved films with different properties, as improved digital manipulations become available and as consumers request new and different image choices and features which require changed image processing. While it is possible to manually update the software and algorithm collection by supplying such code to trained operators and having them reload the code, this manual intervention can be expensive and difficult to implement on a recurring basis. It is especially troublesome when the software and algorithms have a limited life and must be simultaneously enabled and disabled on a worldwide basis as is the case with a marketing promotion. The problem becomes nearly impossible to adequately address with highly geographically dispersed photofinishing as occurs with minilabs, with self-standing digital imaging labs in stores, with kiosk-like digital image processing stations and with the advent of home photofinishing opportunities.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide for a processing system and method for processing and/or manipulating digital images, and more specifically, to a system and method for regularly updating the control parameters (i.e. control software) for digital finishing photofinishing stations.
A further object of the present invention is to provide for a system and method of updating the control parameters for a digital photofinishing station on demand.
A further object of the present invention is to provide for a system and method which update the control parameters for a digital photofinishing station in response to film codes read from a supplied film.
A further object of the present invention to provide for a system and method which updates the control parameters for a digital photofinishing station in response to a remote signal.
The present invention relates to a processing system which comprises a reader that obtains a digital record of images on film supplied to the processing system; a film type identifier that identifies a film type of the film; and a controller that receives a signal from the film type identifier indicative of the film type of the film. When the identified film type is one which is recognized by the controller, the controller applies a modifying algorithm to the digital record to create a first modifying digital record of the images based on the identified film type.
The present invention further relates to a system for manipulating digital images. The system comprises a reading device that obtains a first digital record of first images obtained from a first film type and a second digital record of second images obtained from a second film type. The first and second film types each have a different output response after being exposed to the same development process for development of the first images on the first film type and the second images on the second film type. The system further comprises a controller that applies a first computer algorithm to the first images obtained from the first film type so as to provide a first modified digital record of the first images having a first predetermined color characteristic, and applies a second computer algorithm to the second images obtained from the second film type so as to provide a second modified digital record of the second images having a second predetermined color characteristic.
The present invention further relates to a processing method which comprises the steps of reading a film to obtain a digital record of images on the film; identifying a film type of the film; and providing information regarding the film type of the film to a controller. When the identified film type is recognized by the controller, the controller applies a modifying algorithm to the digital record to create a first modified digital record, with the modifying algorithm being based on the identified film type and being stored in the controller. When the identified film type is not recognized by the controller, the controller accesses a remote server that is adapted to identify the film type not recognized by the controller and provide a remote algorithm to the controller. This remote algorithm is applied to the digital record to create a second modified digital record. The remote algorithm is based on the film type identified by the remote server.
The present invention further relates to a method of manipulating digital images. The method comprises the steps of obtaining a first digital record of first images obtained from a first film type and a second digital record of second images obtained from a second film type. The first and second film types each have a different output response after being exposed to the same development process for development of the first images on the first film type and the second images on the second film type. The method comprises the further steps of applying a first computer algorithm to the first images obtained from the first film type so as to provide a first modified digital record of the first images having a first predetermined color characteristic, and applying a second computer algorithm to the second images from the second film type so as to provide a second modified digital record of the second images having a second predetermined color characteristic.
The present invention further relates to a computer program product which comprises a computer readable storage medium having a computer program thereon which when loaded into a computer, causes the computer to perform the following steps: read a film to obtain a digital record of images on the film; identify a film type of the film; and provide information regarding the film type of the film to a controller. When the identified film type is recognized by the controller, the controller applies a modifying algorithm to the digital record to create a first modified digital record, with the modifying algorithm being based on the identified film type and being stored in the controller. When the identified film type is not recognized by the controller, the controller accesses a remote ser
Sowinski Allan F.
Szajewski Richard P.
Eastman Kodak Company
Novais David A.
Rutledge D.
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