Facsimile and static presentation processing – Facsimile – Auxiliary signal
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-21
2001-08-21
Grant, II, Jerome (Department: 2724)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Facsimile
Auxiliary signal
C358S405000, C358S407000, C358S408000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06278531
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of photography and image signals obtained from photographs. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method by which image signals corresponding to hardcopy photographs, can be readily traced, and retrieved and distributed as desired by a user.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In conventional photography, a user exposes a photographic film in a camera and conveys (either personally, by mail, or some other delivery service) the exposed film to any convenient processing center. The processing center then processes the film to form the hardcopy images (typically in the form of photographic negatives on the original film and/or photographic prints, or photographic positives in the case of reversal processed film). The hardcopy images are then conveyed back to the user (often by the user personally picking them up at the processing center). If a user desires to share the images with others without giving up their own hardcopies, they typically go through the highly tedious and time consuming effort of designating which hardcopy images are desired to be shared, returning the designated hardcopy images to the processor to produce further hardcopies, and conveying the further hardcopies to the person(s) with whom they wish to share. If later it is desired to share the images with other persons, the same process must typically be repeated. In fact, so much effort and time is required that most users will simply not bother with multiple image sharing.
It has been appreciated that users can conveniently distribute multiple image copies in little time, by scanning the hardcopy image on a home scanner to generate corresponding digital image signals, and then forwarding one or more copies of the digital image signal to others by means of electronic mail (such as over the Internet). Furthermore, the recent advent of services such as KODAK PICTURE DISK available from Eastman Kodak Company and many processors, which allows a user to obtain a digital image signal of images of processed film on a disk for a modest price, even eliminates the need for the user to own a scanner. The availability of a digital image signal additionally allows a user to conveniently store, manipulate, and display or print copies of the images as desired at the user's location using conventional computer equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,549 discloses a system in which a customer can connect his computer to a remote print or copy center to retrieve digital image signals of the customer's images. Those digital image signals are described as having been obtained on a scanner at the customer's location with the storage media then being shipped to the print or copy center, or obtained on a scanner at the remote print or copy center. Similarly, subsequent U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,353 describes a system in which one or more photographer units can connect to a centralized laboratory unit (containing a film processor, scanner, and printer). The '353 patent system is constructed with the purpose that a given user's films are processed and scanned at one central processing center, each assigned a unique identification code, and retrieved by that user at his remote terminal using the identification code. The retrieved images can then be manipulated by the user and printed at the central processing center.
The systems of the '549 or '353 patents require that all digital image storage media (in the '549 patent) or hardcopy film (in the case of the '353 patent) carrying images from multiple users, must be conveyed to only one central processing center. This is inconvenient and may cause delays in such a system implemented on a country wide basis. Even if the either patent contemplated multiple processing centers (which they do not), a user would still be required to remember which processing center his film was conveyed to, then use his remote terminal to communicate with that specific processing center to merely retrieve the user's digital images.
It would be desirable to provide a system which allows a user to have hardcopy images, obtained from either hardcopies directly provided by a user or from processing a film, scanned at any of many multiple locations, and which allows a user to access the resulting image signals from a remote terminal without having to keep track of which images were scanned at which scanning location so that that scanning location can be contacted for retrieval. It would further be desirable that, in the event of failures in the system, a user is provided with an independent means which a user can use to inquire of the system, the vacation of his image signals. It would further be desirable that such a system allows a user to consistently obtain further desired services, such as forwarding copies of the images to others or obtaining products incorporating the images, without regard to the location at which the images were scanned and without having to make contact with further service providers offering such further services.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an image handling method, comprising:
scanning at a scanner station, one or more hardcopy image sets to obtain corresponding image set signals;
assigning an associated unique identification signal to each image set signal;
communicating each image set signal and the associated identification signal to a hub station which is remote from the scanner station;
forwarding an identification corresponding to an identification signal to a terminal which is remote from the hub station and the scanning station, by a route independent of the hub station;
storing the communicated image set signals and associated identification signals at the hub station.
The present invention further provides an image handling system comprising:
(a) a scanner station having:
a scanner system which can scan one or more hardcopy image sets to obtain corresponding hardcopy image set signals and which can assign an associated unique identification signal to each set signal;
a first communication means for communicating each image set signal and the associated identification signal to a remote hub station;
a printer connected to the scanner system to print the unique identification associated with each image set signal;
(b) a hub station remote from each of the scanner stations, comprising:
a second communication means to receive the image set signals and their associated identification signals from the scanner system;
a first storage to store the image set signals and associated identification signals;
a third communication means for communicating the image set signals and their respective associated identification signals to a terminal remote from each of the scanner stations and the hub station.
In another aspect of the image handling system of the present invention, the above printer is replaced with an identification communication means for communicating (such as by transmission) the unique identification associated with each image set signal to a terminal remote from the scanner station and the hub station, by a route independent of the hub station.
Additionally, the present invention provides a hub station with suitable means for executing each step required by a hub station of the present invention or as described below. Such means is preferably in the form of a digital computer suitably programmed to execute the required steps, or in the form of equivalent hardware, or a combination of both.
The present invention realizes that a system with multiple remote scanning sites and a remote hub station, can conveniently allow a user to have hardcopy images scanned at any of multiple locations, while allowing ready retrieval of scanned images at any remote user terminal without the user tracking the location at which images were scanned. Additionally, the present invention by providing communication of the identification by a route independent of the hub station, allows a user to inquire of the hub station, and the hub station to fu
Eastman Kodak Company
Grant II Jerome
Leimbach James D.
Watkins Peyton C.
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