Digital photo kiosk

• US 5,587,740 A
• Filed: 08/17/1995
• Issued: 12/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brennan, James M.
• Original Assignee: Brennan, James M.
• Inventors: Brennan, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc-Yen, VU, NGOC YEN T
• Application Number:
  US08/516,273
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 348/61, 348/135, 348/143, 348/207, 348/222, 348/239, 348/335, 348/373, 348/374, 348/375, 354/75, 354/76, 354/81, 354/291, 364/400, 364/401, 364/586
• US Class Current: 348/373
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/53 for automatically delivering a finished picture after a signal causing exposure has been given, e.g. by pushing a button, by inserting a coin
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00286 with studio circuitry, devices or equipment, e.g. television cameras television studio circuitry, devices or equipment per se H04N5/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00289 in a video photo booth or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

A kiosk providing postcards at scenic attractions that includes a digital camera fixed to the housing in predetermined orientation with respect to the scenic attraction to provide an artistically composed image of that attraction that may be printed on a postcard after payment by a user. A marker plate and display allow a user to superimpose himself or herself within the image and to review that composition prior to creating and paying for the postcard.

Claims

1. A kiosk providing postcards of a scenic attraction comprising:

an enclosed housing having a front panel with an aperture;

an anchor affixing the housing to the ground with the front panel facing the scenic attraction;

a payment receiver affixed to the housing to provide a payment signal indicating a payment by a user;

an electronic camera affixed within the housing to receive an image of the scenic attraction through the aperture to produce electronic image signals;

an electronic printer receiving electronic image signals and producing a printed postcard depicting the image;

an electronic computer including computer memory receiving the electronic image signals from the electronic camera and storing them in computer memory and after receiving the payment signal, operating according to a stored program to control the electronic printer to print the postcard depicting the scenic attraction;

a clear motorized cover positioned over the aperture and connected to the electronic computer wherein the electronic computer operates to open the motorized cover only after the payment signal has been received;

and

an acceleration sensitive switch producing a tamper signal and wherein the electronic computer operates according to the stored program to store images taken through the cover if the tamper signal is received.

2. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the kiosk stores the electronic image signals from the electronic camera in the computer memory and displays the same at periodic intervals if the electronic image signals indicate people posing in front of the scenic attraction.

3. A kiosk providing postcards of a scenic attraction comprising:

an enclosed housing having a front panel with an aperture;

an anchor affixing the housing to the ground with the front panel facing the scenic attraction;

a payment receiver affixed to the housing to provide a payment signal indicating a payment by a user;

an electronic camera affixed within the housing to receive an image of the scenic attraction through the aperture to produce electronic image signals;

an electronic printer receiving electronic image signals and producing a printed postcard depicting the image;

an electronic computer including computer memory receiving the electronic image signals from the electronic camera and storing them in computer memory and after receiving the payment signal, operating according to a stored program to control the electronic printer to print the postcard depicting the scenic attraction;

wherein the computer memory holds a template of the scenic attraction in memory and wherein the electronic computer is programmed to monitor the electronic signals received from the electronic camera to provide a correlation signal between the electronic signals and the template.

4. The kiosk of claim 3 wherein the kiosk indicates to the user a failure if the correlation signal indicates less than a threshold degree of correlation between the template and the electronic image such as might be caused by an obstruction of the lens.