Method and apparatus for storing and printing digital images

• US 6,332,146 B1
• Filed: 07/19/2000
• Issued: 12/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: VPS LLC
• Original Assignee: Marshall O'Toole Gerstein Murray & Borun (Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP)
• Inventors: Jebens, John H., James, Jeffrey Scott, Carlson, Lowell D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Colbert, Ella
• Application Number:
  US09/619,188
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/10, 707/102, 707/104, 707/530, 705/27, 705/33, 705/42, 705/26, 345/132, 345/302, 345/418, 345/428, 382/284, 382/276, 382/249, 386/124, 355/40, 355/70, 396/639
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/00137 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00145 from a remote location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00151 with selective access
• 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 1/00169 Digital image input
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00188 Printing, e.g. prints or reprints H04N1/0019, H04N1/00196 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• 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 digital data management and order delivery system is provided. The system includes a storage device for storing digital data and a searching engine for developing a subset of the digital data stored in the storage device in response to inputs received from a first user. The system is also provided with a job order developer responsive to inputs received from the first user for developing a job order which includes: a) at least one copy of the digital data contained in the subset and identified by the first user; and b) a file containing information developed by the first user outside the system. In addition, the system includes a router for electronically routing the job order compiled by the job order developer to a second user specified by the first user.

Claims

1. A method for printing digital images, the method comprising the steps of:

uploading a first high resolution digital image from a first image provider to an electronic storage facility;

receiving and storing the first high resolution digital image at the electronic storage facility;

permitting the first image provider to identify users who can access the first high resolution digital image stored at the electronic storage facility;

receiving first login information from a first user, the first login information including a first user identification name and a first password;

determining if the first login information is associated with a user identified by the first image provider;

generating a low resolution copy of the first high resolution digital image;

if the first login information is associated with a user identified by the first image provider;

(a) transmitting the low resolution copy of the first high resolution digital image to the first user via the Internet;

(b) detecting a selection made by the first user, the selection made by the first user identifying the low resolution copy of the first high resolution digital image; and

(c) printing the first high resolution digital image in response to detecting the selection made by the first user;

uploading a second high resolution digital image from a second image provider to the electronic storage facility;

receiving and storing the second high resolution digital image at the electronic storage facility;

permitting the second image provider to identify users who can access the second high resolution digital image stored at the electronic storage facility;

receiving second login information from a second user the second login information including a second user identification name and a second password;

determining if the second login information is associated with a user identified by the second image provider;

generating a low resolution copy of the second high resolution digital image;

if the second login information is associated with a user identified by the second image provider;

(a) transmitting the low resolution copy of the second high resolution digital image to the second user via the Internet if the second login information is valid;

(b) detecting a selection made by the second user, the selection made by the second user identifying the low resolution copy of the second high resolution digital image; and

(c) printing the second high resolution digital image in response to detecting the selection made by the second user;

maintaining transparency of the first high resolution digital image to the second user; and

maintaining transparency of the second high resolution digital image to the first user.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the first image provider is a user identified by the first image provider.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein a user different from the first image provider is a user identified by the first image provider.

4. A digital image management system comprising:

an electronic storage facility for providing storage for high resolution digital images of a plurality of unrelated image providers, at least some of the high resolution digital images stored in the electronic storage facility being used to develop corresponding low resolution copies, each high resolution digital image having a higher bandwidth communication requirement than each of the corresponding low resolution copies, the electronic storage facility storing the high resolution digital images of a first one of the image providers such that the high resolution digital images of the first image provider can only be accessed by authorized users identified by the first image provider and such that the high resolution digital images of the first image provider are transparent to other unrelated image providers that are not authorized by the first image provider, the high resolution digital images stored in the electronic storage facility being received via the Internet,

means for allowing an authorized user identified by the first image provider to download a particular low resolution copy from the electronic storage facility to a first location;

means for accepting a work order from the authorized user at the first location wherein the work order identifies a particular high resolution digital image corresponding to the particular low resolution copy;

job order development means responsive to the accepting means for developing a job order including the particular high resolution digital image; and

means for electronically routing the job order to a printer.

5. A digital image management system as defined in claim 4, further comprising image handling means for processing the high resolution digital images to develop the corresponding low resolution copies.

6. A digital image management system as defined in claim 4, further comprising a mail database, the mail database including a conventional address for the authorized user.

7. A digital image management system as defined in claim 4 wherein the first image provider is an authorized user identified by the first image provider.

8. A digital image management system as defined in claim 4 wherein a user different from the first image provider is an authorized user identified by the first image provider.

9. A digital image management system comprising:

an electronic storage facility for providing storage for digital images of a plurality of unrelated image providers, at least some of the high resolution digital images stored in the electronic storage facility being used to develop corresponding low resolution copies, each high resolution digital image having a higher bandwidth communication requirement than each of the corresponding low resolution copies, the electronic storage facility storing the high resolution digital images of a first one of the image providers such that the high resolution digital images of the first image provider can only be accessed by authorized users identified by the first image provider and such that the high resolution digital images of the first image provider are transparent to other unrelated image providers that arc not authorized by the first image provider, the high resolution digital images stored in the electronic storage facility being received via the Internet;

a search engine for searching among digital images stored in the storage device;

a communication device operable to allow remote communication by a user with the digital image management system including means for sending a particular low resolution copy of a particular high resolution digital image to the user in response to a request therefor;

means for accepting a user defined work order from a first location via the communication device wherein the work order identifies the particular low resolution copy of the particular high resolution digital image; and

a router for electronically routing a job order to a printer, the job order including the particular high resolution digital image associated with the particular low resolution copy identified in the work order.

10. A digital image management system as defined in claim 9 wherein the first image provider is an authorized user identified by the first image provider.

11. A digital image management system as defined in claim 9 wherein a user different from the first image provider is an authorized user identified by the first image provider.

12. A digital image management and delivery system comprising:

a storage device for providing storage for digital images of a plurality of unrelated image providers the storage device storing the digital images of a first one of the image providers such that the digital images of the first image provider can only be accessed by authorized users identified by the first image provider and such that the digital images of the first image provider are transparent to users that are not authorized by the first image provider, the high resolution digital images stored in the storage device being received via the Internet;

a searching engine for developing a subset of the digital images stored in the storage device by the first image provider in response to inputs received from a first authorized user identified by the first image provider, the searching engine being adapted to download low resolution copies of the subset to the first authorized user; and

a router for electronically routing at least one high resolution copy of a digital image contained in the subset and identified by the first authorized user to a printer.

13. A system as defined in claim 12 wherein the digital images are input to the system by the first image provider via a communication device.

14. A system as defined in claim 13 further comprising an image handler for processing the digital images input by the first image provider, the image handler being adapted to develop low resolution images of the digital images received from the first image provider and to store both the digital images received from the first image provider and the low resolution images thereof in the storage device in an addressable fashion for future searching.

15. A digital image management system as defined in claim 12 wherein the first image provider IS an authorized user identified by the first image provider.

16. A digital image management system as defined in claim 12 wherein a user different from the first image provider is an authorized user identified by the first image provider.

17. A method of managing digital images comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of digital images from a first image provider via the Internet;

storing a high resolution and a low resolution copy of each of the first plurality of digital images provided by the first image provider in an electronically searchable format on a storage device;

receiving a plurality of digital images from a second image provider via the Internet;

storing a high resolution and a low resolution copy of each of the second plurality of digital images provided by the second image provider in an electronically searchable format on the storage device;

permitting a first authorized user identified by the first image provider to locate and download a low resolution copy of at least one of the digital images provided by the first image provider, the second plurality of digital images being transparent to the first authorized user;

receiving a request from the first authorized user, the request identifying at least one digital image;

receiving instructions from the first authorized user directing that the at least one digital image be printed; and

automatically electronically routing the high resolution copy of the at least one digital image to a printer.

18. A method as defined in claim 17 wherein the first image provider is a user identified by the first image provider.

19. A method as defined in claim 17 wherein a user different from the first image provider is a user identified by the first image provider.

20. A digital image management and delivery system comprising:

a storage device for storing digital images received via the Internet from a first digital image provider and a second digital image provider;

a searching engine for developing a subset of the digital images stored in the storage device in response to inputs received from a first user, the searching engine being adapted to download low resolution copies of the subset to the first user;

a job order developer responsive to inputs received from the first user for developing a job order which includes at least one high resolution copy of a digital image contained in the subset and identified by the first user;

a router for electronically routing the job order developed by the job order developer to a printer; and

a user identifier for discriminating between users communicating with the system to control user access to the digital images stored in the storage device, the user identifier limiting access to the digital images provided by the first digital image provider to at least one user identified by the first digital image provider, wherein the digital images provided by the first digital image provider are transparent to all users except users identified by the first digital image provider.

21. A digital image management system as defined in claim 20 wherein the first image provider is an authorized user identified by the first image provider.

22. A digital image management system as defined in claim 20 wherein a user different from the first image provider is an authorized user identified by the first image provider.

23. A digital image management and delivery system comprising:

a storage device for storing digital images received via the internet from a first digital image provider and a second digital image provider;

a searching engine for developing a subset of the digital images stored in the storage device in response to inputs received from a first user, the searching engine being adapted to download low resolution copies of the subset to the first user;

a router for electronically routing at least one high resolution copy of a digital image contained in the subset and identified by the first user to a printer; and

a user identifier for discriminating between users communicating with the system to control user access to the digital images stored in the storage device, the user identifier limiting access to the digital images provided by the first digital image provider to at least one user identified by the first digital image provider, wherein the digital images provided by the first digital image provider are transparent to all users except users identified by the first digital image provider.

24. A digital image management system as defined in claim 23 wherein the first image provider is an authorized user identified by the first image provider.

25. A digital image management system as defined in claim 23 wherein a user different from the first image provider is an authorized user identified by the first image provider.