System and method of constructing a photo album

• US 6,362,900 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1998
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: McBride, John K., Squilla, John R., Shaffer, Stephen L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Colestia, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARTER, TIA A
• Application Number:
  US09/223,672
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 358/442, 358/403, 358/408, 358/487, 358/527, 358/471, 358/474, 358/335, 345/350, 345/346, 345/349, 382/284, 283/67
• US Class Current: 358/442
• 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 1/00135 Scanning of a photographic original
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00137 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00145 from a remote location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00148 Storage information retrieval G06F16/00
• 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 1/00175 from a still image storage medium H04N1/00172, H04N1/0018 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00188 Printing, e.g. prints or reprints H04N1/0019, H04N1/00196 take precedence

Abstract

A method of constructing a photo album wherein a plurality of digital images are provided in a low resolution format on sticker sheets that have a unique identifier that cross references the reduced resolution images digital images with a high resolution version that is stored in a data base. A set of decorative stickers is provided that can identify themes that can be represented on individual pages, such as birthdays, theme park visits, cruises, national parks, vacations and the like. A second set of sticker sheets is provided that functions as pages of a photoalbum having positions for the low resolution image stickers. The sticker sheet pages are loaded with low resolution stickers creating the pages for the photoalbum and the sticker sheet pages are then arranged in a desired manner on a page layout form resulting in a miniature version of the photoalbum which can be viewed at that point. The miniature version of the photo album is then correlated to the high resolution version of the images stored in the database to retrieve a high resolution version of the photo album which is then produced using conventional photofinishing techniques.

Claims

1. A method of constructing a photo album, comprising:

a) providing a plurality of index stickers each having a low resolution image with a unique identifier that cross references each of the stickers to a high resolution version of the low resolution image, a plurality of page layout sheets, each of the page layout sheets itself being a sticker having at least one position for placement of index stickers within the positions, a photo album layout having a plurality of page positions, each of the page positions being configured such that there is room for at least one of the page layout sheets within the page position, including at least one decorative sticker with the unique identifier that identifies a specific event or location;

b) placing the index stickers on the page layout sheets;

c) arranging the page layout sheets on the page positions; and

d) placing the decorative sticker on the layout sheet to select a theme that is to be used for that page.

2. The method of claim 1 one wherein the step of providing further comprises providing a plurality of decorative stickers indicative of different places or events.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of providing further comprises providing data with the decorative sticker to associate the decorative sticker with a specific place or event.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing step further comprises providing a set of decorative stickers to be used with a cover.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of providing further comprises the step of providing the set of decorative stickers further comprises providing a set of graphic arts to be used as part of the cover page.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing further comprises the step of providing at least one additional photograph to be used on that page.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing further comprises providing the high resolution version of the decorative stickers on a database.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of retrieving the high resolution images from the database and creating the photoalbum in accordance with the index stickers on the page layouts, the decorative stickers and the page layouts on the page positions.

9. A method of constructing photocollages comprising the steps of:

a) acquiring a high resolution digital version for each of a plurality of images;

b) storing the high resolution digital images;

c) creating a reduced resolution version from the high resolution digital version having a unique identifier that associates the reduced resolution version with its high resolution counterpart;

d) generating a first plurality of stickers, each of the first plurality of stickers being representative of one of the reduced resolution and having the unique identifier associating that reduced resolution version with its respective high resolution version;

e) generating a second plurality of stickers to function as page layout forms for the first plurality of stickers such that the first plurality of stickers can be arranged in a variety of fashions on the page layout forms;

f) providing a photo album layout form having a plurality of positions to receive the page layout forms in a desired manner;

g) additionally providing a set of decorative stickers that is correlated to artwork stored in the data base that is indicative of themes that can be used to enhance the pages in the photocollage;

h) placing a set of the first plurality of stickers on the page layout forms, placing the page layout forms on the photoalbum layout form and placing the decorative stickers on the desired pages of the page layout form;

i) retrieving the high resolution versions of the images by associating the unique identifier on the first plurality of stickers with its high resolution counterpart as well as artwork indicated by the decorative stickers; and

j) creating the photo album with the retrieved high resolution images such that the photo album has a layout that corresponds to the page layout forms and the photoalbum layout form.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the data in the decorative stickers can be used to enhance the page with additional stock photographs, artwork, backgrounds or colors.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of creating further comprises means for adding additional stickers for a plurality of events selected from a library of images.