METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR EDITING IMAGES

• US 20020067500A1
• Filed: 05/12/1998
• Published: 06/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koichi Matsumura, Yasuhiro Watanabe, Yoshikazu Yokomizo
• Original Assignee: Koichi Matsumura, Yasuhiro Watanabe, Yoshikazu Yokomizo
• Inventors: WATANABE, YASUHIRO, MATSUMURA, KOICHI, YOKOMIZO, YOSHIKAZU
• Granted Patent: US 6,522,418 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/16 involving adaptation to the client's capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00132 in a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00135 Scanning of a photographic original
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00137 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00148 Storage information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00164 at a remote location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00167 Processing or editing H04N1/00196 - H04N1/00201 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00188 Printing, e.g. prints or reprints H04N1/0019, H04N1/00196 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/42 Systems for two-way working , e.g. conference systems H04N1/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission

Abstract

An image processing method employs a system having a remote image processing station and a server image processing station. The method has the following steps: a first storage step in which high-resolution information is stored in the remote image processing station; a first transferring step in which image information of resolution lower than that of the high-resolution image information is transferred from the remote image processing station to the server image processing station; a second storage step in which the low-resolution image information transferred in the first transferring step is stored in the server image processing station; a second transferring step in which the low-resolution image information stored in the second storage step is transferred from the server image processing station to a user'"'"'s terminal; a first editing step in which the low-resolution image information transferred in the second transferring step is edited at the user'"'"'s terminal; a third transferring step in which editorial information indicative of the contents of the edition performed in the first editing step is transferred from the user'"'"'s terminal to the remote image processing station; and a second editing step in which the high-resolution image information stored in the first storage step is edited in the remote image processing station in accordance with the editorial information transferred in the third transferring step.

Claims

1. An image processing method for processing an image in a system having a remote image processing station and a server image processing station, comprising:

a first storage step in which high-resolution information is stored in said remote image processing station;

a first transferring step in which image information of resolution lower than that of said high-resolution image information is transferred from said remote image processing station to said server image processing station;

a second storage step in which the low-resolution image information transferred in said first transferring step is stored in the server image processing station;

a second transferring step in which the low-resolution image information stored in said second storage step is transferred from said server image processing station to a user'"'"'s terminal;

a first editing step in which the low-resolution image information transferred in said second transferring step is edited at said user'"'"'s terminal;

a third transferring step in which editorial information indicative of the contents of the edition performed in said first editing step is transferred from said user'"'"'s terminal to said remote image processing station; and

a second editing step in which said high-resolution image information stored in said first storage step is edited in said remote image processing station in accordance with said editorial information transferred in said third transferring step.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the high-resolution image information stored in said first storage step has been brought by the user to said remote image processing station.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a conversion step for converting an image carried by a photographic film into said high-resolution image information.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a low-resolution image generating step for generating said low-resolution image information from said high-resolution image information.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said low-resolution image information is transferred in said second transferring step in response to a request given from said user'"'"'s terminal.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said editorial information is transferred in said third transferring step to said remote image processing station via said server image processing station.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a printing step in which the high-resolution image information edited in said second editing step is printed.

8. An image processing system comprising a remote image processing station and a server image processing station, wherein said remote image processing station comprises:

first storage means for storing high-resolution information;

first transferring means for transferring low-resolution image information of resolution lower than that of said high-resolution image information to said server image processing station;

first receiving means for receiving, from said server image processing station, editorial information indicative of the contents of edition which has been effected on said low-resolution image information; and

editing means for editing the high-resolution image information stored in said first storage means in accordance with the editorial information received by said first receiving means; and

wherein said server image processing station comprises;

second storage means for storing the low-resolution image information transferred by said first transferring means;

second transferring means for transferring the low-resolution image information stored in said second storage means to a user'"'"'s terminal;

second receiving means for receiving the editorial information indicative of the contents of the edition performed on the low-resolution image at said user'"'"'s terminal; and

third transferring means for transferring the editorial information received by said second receiving means to said remote image processing station.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the high-resolution image information stored in said first storage means has been brought by the user.

10. A system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a conversion means for converting an image carried by a photographic film into said high-resolution image information.

11. A system according to claim 8, wherein said first transferring means generates the low-resolution image information from the high-resolution information and transfers the thus generated low-resolution image information.

12. A system according to claim 8, wherein said first transferring means transfers the low-resolution image information in response to a request given from said user'"'"'s terminal.

13. A system according to claim 8, wherein said remote image processing station further comprises printing means for printing the high-resolution image information edited by said editing means.