Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Detail of image placement or content
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-01
2004-03-09
Evans, Arthur G. (Department: 2622)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Detail of image placement or content
Reexamination Certificate
active
06704120
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to apparatus for creation and printing of a personalized print product and more particularly to a product template for a personalized print product, where the product template incorporates an image processing operation for a scanned image.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Apparatus for in-store creation of personalized cards and invitations and similar printed products allow a customer to select a suitable design from among a number of available designs and to customize the selected design by specifying the text content or by inputting an image from a scanned photo or other source. To operate an apparatus that produces personalized print products, an operator (usually a customer or possibly a store clerk assisting a customer) selects a product design from a set of displayed options on a display monitor. Once the operator selects a design, the apparatus prompts the operator to enter or select the appropriate text to be inserted at predetermined locations on the design and prompts the operator to scan a photo image (or to input an image from some other source) for display on the card.
Such apparatus typically store each design as a data template. A data template can include such information as size, background, color, text font, index position for customer photo, optional text areas, and similar information. These apparatus typically store multiple templates in a database of some type, as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,142 (Allred et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,029 (Cannon).
Among available methods that can be used to define a product template are a number of page-definition languages and standards for data presentation. The most promising of these standards in current use is XML (Extensible Markup Language), which is the result of an adaptation of the fully featured SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language, ISO 8879; 1986(E)), specifically adapted to represent data, including documents. XML allows a designer to define specific components for a document, and to define how these components are displayed and to specify valid data fields for each component. To contain the set of definitions for individual data elements, XML uses a Data Type Dictionary (DTD) that defines valid fields. This arrangement allows widespread use of a document published using XML. Using an XML file and its associated DTD, an application program can then determine how to publish the XML data.
XML itself provides a way of representing a document as data. An application program must be constructed to access the XML representation and to provide a printable document with this XML representation as its source. XML does not provide any structures or method for incorporating built-in operations that modify document data. To perform any automated operation on XML document data (for example, to alter an image or to compose text on a page layout), a separate application program must parse an XML file to identify document data to be operated upon. The application program would then need to include logic and instructions for operating upon the document data.
Conventional systems allow an operator to have some minimal control over the appearance of the scanned image and control over its placement on a greeting card, invitation, or similar product. However, when possible, it is preferred to automate image manipulation as much as possible. This automation helps to minimize the number of steps required for an operator, minimizing the likelihood of operator error that might lead to frustration, disappointment with the printed output, and dissatisfaction with the apparatus that creates the personalized printed product.
With this type of automation as a design goal, an application program for greeting card setup may, based on a controlling data template, automatically calculate a scaling factor for a scanned image based on its original size. The application program can then scale and crop the scanned image accordingly to place it in position on the page layout, without the need for operator interaction.
There are a number of commercially available digital imaging systems that allow a customer to personalize a reprint or enlargement of an image from a scanned photograph, negative, slide, digital camera, or other source. This personalization can be performed by adding text, by adding decorative borders, and by similar operations that enhance the original image. Digital imaging systems that allow a customer to participate in personalizing a reprint include the KODAK Picture Maker system, manufactured by Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y., the Fuji Aladdin system, manufactured by Fuji Photofilm, Japan, and the Photo Ditto System, manufactured by Pixel Magic Imaging, Inc., San Marcos, Tex. As standard components, these systems include a print scanner, a control console (typically a touchscreen monitor) for operator commands interface, a computer for image processing, and an output printer. These systems can be installed on a store countertop, where an operator (typically, a retail clerk) scans a customer photograph and, with the customer looking on, adds text or other image personalization. Or, these systems can be installed within a cabinet or kiosk for self-serve operation, where a retail clerk assists the customer as necessary.
Systems such as the Picture Maker, Aladdin, and Photo Ditto systems are intended to provide reprints or enhanced reprints of photographs. Such systems can be seen as a substitute for standard, silver-halide-based reprinting of photographs, with some enhancements. The enhancements provided by these systems may optionally place the photographic reprint within a graphic border, place text on a portion of the photographic image, or arrange reprint images within a fixed graphic layout. These systems also allow improvement of the reprint photographic image, with interface tools that allow an operator to improve brightness and color balance, and to remove image anomalies such as “red-eye” effects.
When incorporating a customer image into a greeting card, invitation, or similar personalized printed product, accurate emulation of a photograph may not suit the design intent of the card. Instead of the realistic treatment of an image provided by a photograph, a greeting card designer may want to present an “artistic” treatment of a customer image. To achieve an artistic treatment in greeting cards, invitations, and the like, it may be beneficial to provide additional image enhancement capabilities, above and beyond what Picture Maker, Aladdin, and Photo Ditto systems typically provide. This could include providing ways to modify an image for aesthetic effect. For example, graphics programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Quark Xpress allow an image to be altered dramatically through the use of “filters”. In such a graphics program, an operator can aesthetically alter a scanned photographic image to make it appear as if embossed, as if created using pastels or watercolors, or as if painted using a wide range of techniques (palette knife, paint daubs). Numerous other special effects are also available. These image modifications could serve the purpose of suiting an image to a design, so that the final printed product would have the appearance and emotional impact of a well-designed greeting card as opposed to the appearance of an “enhanced” photograph. Currently, in consumer-operated imaging systems, capabilities to enhance images using imaging filters are provided only for minor color or brightness adjustments. Full-fledged image modification capabilities for suiting an image to a design are available only on more sophisticated imaging systems that require a skilled operator/artist. Automating the utilities that provide these image modifications would allow their use by an unskilled operator in preparing a greeting card, invitation, or similar type of personalized printed product.
The conventional approach to providing a utility for image enhancement is to build such a utility directly into the software application or as a utility provided along with the s
Kavanagh David A.
Leone III Anthony J.
Evans Arthur G.
Krishnan Aditya
Xerox Corporation
LandOfFree
Product template for a personalized printed product... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Product template for a personalized printed product..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Product template for a personalized printed product... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3289425