Electronic photography system

Details Electronic photography system Electronic photography system

1996-01-11

2001-04-24

Lee, Thomas D. (Department: 2624)

Facsimile and static presentation processing

Facsimile

Auxiliary signal

C358S527000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06222646

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to the field of electronic photography, and in particular to commercial electronic photography systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known to provide an electronic photography system in theme parks for capturing images of customers participating in rides or events in the theme park with a digital still camera, displaying the captured images on a CRT and producing a print of the images at the request of the customer. The images are displayed at the end of the ride or event and the print is produced at the ride location. Such a system is manufactured and sold as the High Speed Theme Capture System by the Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester N.Y. In a theme park or other public location such as a park or zoo, there may be many such locations were it would be desirable to capture an image of the customer. Providing an electronic photography system of the known type at each such location would be prohibitively expensive. In addition, it is inconvenient for the customer to carry around the print from one event site to another. It is also inconvenient for a customer to wait in line to receive the print after the ride or event. There is therefor a need for an improved electronic photography system that overcomes the shortcomings in the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. Briefly summarized, according to one aspect of the present invention a system for electronic photography, includes a plurality of photo-capture stations, each station including a digital camera and a customer identification device for selectively actuating the digital camera to capture a digital image and recording customer identification with the digital image; a central controller for collecting and storing the digital images captured by the photo-capture stations; a high bandwidth communications network connecting the photo-capture stations to the central controller; an output station connected to the central controller by the high bandwidth communications network, the output station including a customer identification device, a display device responsive to actuation of the customer identification device to display the digital images associated with the customer identification, an output device for transferring the digital images to an output medium, and means for the customer to select images to be transferred to the output medium.
The electronic imaging system according to the present invention has the advantage that it reduces the number of output devices that are needed by providing a central output device that can be fed by a plurality of image capture devices. Another advantage of the present system is that the output station may be located in a convenient location such as in a hotel adjacent the theme park or other public attraction. The present invention has a further advantage in that a plurality of images taken at different locations may be combined in a consistent output format such as an album or a compact disk.
These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings.


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