Method and system for image distribution

• US 20030167469A1
• Filed: 02/24/2003
• Published: 09/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Fry, Peter T., Hardingham, Colin, McNulty, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US10/373,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20030167469A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/61
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

The invention provides a method and system of offering for sale images related to a television program via interactive television. The method comprises the step of in association with said program, displaying a representation of the image for sale and an invitation to purchase said image on a user'"'"'s interactive television display.

Claims

1. A method of offering for sale images related to a television program via interactive television, comprising the step of:

in association with said program, displaying a representation of the image for sale and an invitation to purchase said image on a user'"'"'s interactive television display.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the interactive television is digital.

3. A method according to claim 1, in which the program comprises the broadcast of a live event and in which the image offered for sale is an image of an occurrence at the live event.

4. A method according to claim 1, in which the television program is pre-recorded and the image is provided from a database of images related to the television program.

5. A method according to claim 3, in which the method further comprises, prior to the step of displaying a representation of the image for sale and an invitation to purchase said image, the step of transmitting a low-resolution version of the image captured at the event to an image purchase server, arranged to generate an interactive television data stream including said low-resolution version of the image.

6. A method according to claim 1, in which the image for sale is displayed during transmission of the television program.

7. A method according to claim 6, in which the step of transmitting a low-resolution version of the image captured at the event for inclusion in the interactive television data stream further comprises transmitting said low-resolution version of the image from the image purchase server to an interactive television broadcast provider server.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of transmitting said interactive television data stream from the interactive television broadcast provider server for display by respective users'"'"' interactive television displays.

9. A method according to claim 8, in which when a user purchases an image, a purchase request is transmitted to the image purchase server, optionally via a user'"'"'s set top box.

10. A method according to claim 9, in which a high-resolution fulfilled image is provided to the user via a fulfillment provider.

11. A method according to claim 10, in which the fulfillment provider provides the image in hard form to the user in a predefined format selected from the group consisting of photograph, mug, T-shirt, towel, mouse-mat, picture CD or any other suitable format.

12. A method of broadcasting an interactive television program, comprising the step of transmitting a television signal which, when received by a user'"'"'s television system causes the display of a representation of at least one image for sale related to the television program and an invitation to purchase said image on said user'"'"'s interactive television system.

13. A system for the order of images via interactive television, comprising an image purchase server adapted to incorporate one or more low-resolution images into an interactive television data stream such that when said data stream is received by a user'"'"'s television system, a representation of the one or more images is displayed on the television system together with an invitation to purchase said one or more images.

14. A system according to claim 13, in which the image purchase server is in communication with an interactive television service provider arranged to receive the data stream and transmit a corresponding television signal.

15. A system according to claim 13, in which the image purchase server is in communication with a fulfillment service provider arranged to receive a purchase signal from the image purchase server, the purchase signal including information relating to a particular image for purchase together with customer details to enable a fulfilled version of said image to be sent to the customer.

16. Computer program code means, which when run on a computer, cause said computer to incorporate one or more low-resolution images into an interactive television data stream such that when said data stream is received by a user'"'"'s television system, a representation of the one or more images is displayed on the television system together with an invitation to purchase said one or more images.