Automated system and method for associating identification data with images

• US 5,965,859 A
• Filed: 02/19/1997
• Issued: 10/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Benjamin, Steven, Brolly, Richard B., Smith, Franklyn R., Holden, Carl L., Szumla, Thomas P., DiVincenzo, Joseph P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien Minh
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHERR, DANIEL H
• Application Number:
  US08/802,153
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 235/486, 235/492, 235/380, 235/375
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26

Abstract

A system for automatically associating user-generated data to images, the system comprises a card reading device which receives and recognizes the user-generated data entered directly from manipulation of the terminal by a user. A camera captures an image and receives the data from the card reader device for associating a captured image and the data for forming a labeled image.

Claims

1. A system for automatically associating user-generated data to images comprising:

(a) a card reading device which receives and recognizes the user-generated data entered directly from manipulation of the reader by a user; and

(b) a digital camera for capturing a plurality of digital images which said camera receives the data from said a card reading device and respectively concatenates the user-directed data, if any, to each digital image as directed by a user.

2. The system as in claim 1 further comprising a print server for receiving and storing the labeled image.

3. The system as in claim 2, wherein said print server produces a digital output from the labeled image as specified by a user order.

4. The system as in claim 3, wherein the user order includes compositing a creative overlay with the labeled image.

5. The system as in claim 1, further comprising an image acquisition station for receiving the labeled images from the camera and sending a high resolution version of the image to said print server.

6. The system as in claim 5, wherein said image acquisition station sends a low resolution image to the customer order station.

7. The system as in claim 1, wherein said card reading device includes a magnetized card for input into the card reader.

8. The system as in claim 1, wherein said camera is a digital camera having memory for storing the capture images.

9. The systems as in claim 8, wherein the memory is either removable memory or internal memory.

10. A method for automatically associating user-generated data to images, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving and recognizing the user-generated data entered directly from manipulation of a card reading device by a user; and

(b) capturing a plurality of images by a digital camera which said camera receives the data from said card reading device and respectively concatenates the user-directed data, if any, to each digital image as directed by a user.

11. The method as in claim 10 further comprising the step of receiving and storing the labeled image by a print server.

12. The method as in claim 11 further comprising producing a digital output from the labeled image as specified by a user order.

13. The method as in claim 12 further comprising compositing a creative overlay with the labeled image.

14. The method as in claim 11 further comprising receiving the labeled images from the camera and sending a high resolution version of the image to the print server.

15. The method as in claim 14 further comprising sending a low resolution image to a customer order station.

16. The method as in claim 10 further comprising inserting a magnetized card for input into the card reader.

17. The method as in claim 10, where step (b) includes capturing the image by a digital camera having memory for storing the captured images.

18. The method as in claim 17 further comprising storing the image in either removable or internal memory.

19. A digital camera for capturing a plurality of still digital images, and for automatically associating user-generated data to the still digital images, the digital camera comprising:

(a) a card reading device which receives and recognizes the user-generated data entered directly from manipulation of the reader by a user; and

(b) memory for storing a plurality of the captured still digital images, which said memory receives the data from said card reading device and respectively concatenates the user-directed data, if any, to each digital image as directed by a user.