Method software program for creating an image product having predefined criteria

• US 20040054659A1
• Filed: 09/13/2002
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: McIntyre, Dale F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,092,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A method and software program for creating an image product having at least one image provided thereon. The method includes providing a digital template for use in creating the image product. The digital template has at least one digital container for placement of digital content. The digital container has at least one designated image parameter. The method also includes searching a data base of digital content using at least one designated image parameter and providing at least one image content candidate for placement in at least one digital container.

Claims

1. A method for creating an image product having at least one image provided thereon, comprising the steps of:

providing a digital template for said image product, said template having at least one digital container for placement of digital image content, said digital container having at least one designated image parameter; and

automatically searching a database of image content using at least one designated image parameter and providing at least one image content candidate for placement in said at least one location.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of image content candidates are provided for placement in said at least one digital container from which a selection may be made for placement of one of said image content candidates in said at least one digital container.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said plurality of image content candidates are provided in thumbnail versions that are placed within said at least one digital container in said digital template.

4. A method according to claim 2 wherein said plurality of image content candidates comprises thumbnail images that are displayed in a separate window on a display screen.

5. A method according to claim 2 wherein said plurality of digital image content candidates are provided in the form of a list that is displayed on a display device.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said designated image parameter is modified or selected by a user.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said at least one digital container comprises a plurality of digital containers.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of designated image parameters are provided for said digital container.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein said plurality of designated image parameters are provided in a rank order such that said plurality of image content candidates are listed in order of their ranking.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein at least one digital container is placed at a predefined location.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein said digital template and said selected candidate may be transferred as a single electronic file.

12. A software program according to claim 11 wherein said single electronic file is transmitted over a communication network.

13. A software program according to claim 11 wherein said single electronic file is sent to a printer for printing of said electronic template and said selected candidate.

14. A method according to claim 2 wherein said image product is made using said template having the selected image content.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein said image product comprises one of the following:

an album page;

a print;

a t-shirt;

a label;

a digital file.

16. A method for creating an image product having at least one image, comprising the steps of:

selecting a template for said image product having at least one digital container for placement of an image, selecting an image parameter for said at least one digital container; and

automatically searching a database of images for providing at least one image candidate in accordance with said selected image parameter that may be selected for placement in said digital container.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein a plurality of image content candidates are provided for placement in said at least one digital container from which a selection may be made for placement of one of said image content candidates in said at least one digital container.

18. A method according to claim 16 wherein said plurality of image content candidates are provided in thumbnail versions that are placed within said at least one digital container in said digital template.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein said plurality of image content candidates comprises thumbnail images that are displayed in a separate window on a display screen.

20. A method according to claim 18 wherein said plurality of digital image content candidates are provided in the form of a list that is displayed on a display device.

21. A method according to claim 16 wherein said designated image parameter is modified or selected by a user.

22. A method according to claim 16 wherein said at least one digital container comprises a plurality of digital containers.

23. A method according to claim 16 wherein a plurality of designated image parameters are provided for said digital container.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein said plurality of designated image parameters are provided in a rank order such that said plurality of image content candidates are listed in order of their ranking.

25. A method according to claim 16 wherein at least one digital container is placed at a predefined location.

26. A method according to claim 16 wherein said digital template and said selected candidate may be transferred as a single electronic file.

27. A software program according to claim 26 wherein said single electronic file is transmitted over a communication network.

28. A method according to claim 26 wherein said single electronic file is sent to a printer for printing of said electronic template and said selected candidate.

29. A method according to claim 17 wherein said image product is made using said template having the selected image content.

30. A method according to claim 17 wherein said image product comprises one of the following:

an album page;

a print;

a t-shirt;

a label;

a digital file.

31. A method for creating an image product having at least one image provided thereon, comprising the steps of:

providing a digital template for said image product, said template having at least one container for placement of image content, said container having a plurality of designated image parameter which are provided in a rank; and

automatically searching a database of image content using said plurality of designated parameters and providing a plurality of image content candidates for placement in said at least one container.

32. A method according to claim 31 wherein said plurality of image content candidates are presented with their order of their ranking.

33. A method according to claim 32 wherein said plurality of image content candidates are presented in a format which designates their rank.

34. A software program which when loaded on to a computer will cause said computer to perform the steps of:

providing a template for said image product, said template having at least one container for placement of image content, said container having at least one designated image parameter; and

automatically searching a database of image content using at least one designated image parameter and providing at least one image content candidate for placement in said at least one location.

35. A software program according to claim 34 wherein software programs allows selecting one of said at least one image content candidate and associating said selected with said location.

36. A software program according to claim 34 wherein said template and said selected candidate may be transferred as a single electronic file.

37. A software program according to claim 36 wherein said single file is transmitted over a communication network.

38. A software program according to claim 35 wherein said single file is sent to a printer for printing of said template and said selected candidate.

39. A software program which when loaded on to a computer will cause said computer to perform the steps of:

providing a template for said image product, said template having at least one container for placement of image content, said container having a plurality of designated image parameters which are provided in a rank; and

automatically searching a database of image content using said plurality of designated image parameters and providing a plurality of image content candidates for placement in said at least one location.

40. A method for creating an image product using a digital image capture device, comprising the steps of:

providing a template for said image product on said digital image capture device, said template having at least one container for placement of an image content, said container having at least one designated image parameter;

capturing an image on said digital image capture device; and

placing said captured image into one of said at least one container if said captured images corresponds to said designated image parameter.

41. A method according to claim 40 wherein said template along with said image are uploaded to a computer as a complete file.

42. A method for creating an image product using a digital image capture device, comprising the steps of:

providing a template for said image product on said digital image capture device, said template having at least one container for placement of an image content, said container having at least one designated image parameter;

reviewing said template to determine the designated image parameter of a container ;

and

capturing an image that is appropriated for said location.

43. A method according to claim 42 wherein said template along with said image are uploaded to a computer as a complete file.