Image processing

• US 6,476,903 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2000
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Murray, Thomas J., Slater, Walter C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathews, Alan A.
• Application Number:
  US09/598,123
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 355/18, 355/40, 355/41, 355/77, 396/310, 396/311, 396/319, 396/429, 358/506, 358/527, 358/474, 358/487, 348/96, 348/97, 705/14, 705/23, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 355/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute

Abstract

A method of processing customer image orders, each of at least one image capturing an original scene. An image content identification in the form of an image content identification signal, is generated based on an identification of one or more scene objects, for at least one image of a customer order. The generated image content identification is compared with different image content identifications stored in a memory in association with respective predetermined customer certificate data. When at least a generated image content identification matches a stored image content identification, generating a customer certificate from the stored certificate data associated with the matching stored image content identification. The method can be used with customer image sets which may not be image orders. An apparatus and computer program product which can execute such a method, are also provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) reading a code associated with a hardcopy print of an image, said code being generated by an image content of the image on the hard copy print and identifying a product to be made or a service to be performed using the image;

(b) generating a code signal corresponding to the read code;

(c) retrieving an image signal corresponding to the image on the hardcopy print based on said code signal, said image signal being retrieved from an image database of multiple saved image signals; and

(d) generating the product or performing the service identified by the code using the retrieved image signal;

wherein the code identifies a modification which was made to the image to obtain the hardcopy print, and wherein in step (c) the retrieved image signal is modified in accordance with the code.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the code contains a unique identification of the image signal, and wherein in step (c) the image signal is retrieved from the database using the unique identification.

3. A method comprising:

(a) reading at a first location a code associated with a hardcopy print of an image, said code being generated by an image content of the image on the hardcopy print, identifying a product to be made or a service to be performed using the image, and uniquely identifying the image;

(b) generating a code signal corresponding to the read code;

(c) transmitting the code signal to a processor remote from the first location;

(d) at the remote processor, retrieving an image signal corresponding to the image on the hardcopy print from an image database of multiple saved image signals using the generated code signal; and

(e) generating the product or performing the service identified by the code using the retrieved image signal;

wherein the code identifies a modification which was made to the image to obtain the hardcopy print, and said step (d) comprises modifying the image signal in accordance with the code.

4. An apparatus comprising:

(a) a code reader to read a code associated with a hardcopy print of an image, said code being generated by an image content of the image on the hardcopy print and identifying a modification which was made to the image to obtain the hardcopy print;

(b) a code signal generator which generates a code signal corresponding to the read code;

(c) a processor which retrieves an image signal corresponding to the image on hardcopy the print from an image database of multiple saved image signals and modifies the retrieved image signal in accordance with the code signal.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein when the code contains a unique identification of the image signal, the processor retrieves the image signal from the database using the unique identification.

6. An apparatus comprising:

(a) a code reader to read a code associated with a hardcopy print of an image, said code being generated by an image content of the image on the hardcopy print, uniquely identifying a saved image signal corresponding to the image on the hardcopy print and identifying a modification to be made to that image signal;

(b) a code signal generator which generates a code signal corresponding to the read code;

(c) a processor remote from the code reader and connected to receive the code signal and which retrieves the image signal corresponding to the hardcopy image from an image database of multiple saved image signals using the generated code signal, and modifies the retrieved image signal in accordance with the code signal.

7. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon which when loaded into the computer, causes the computer to perform the steps of:

(a) receiving a code signal associated with an image on a hardcopy print, said code being generated by an image content of the image on the hardcopy print and identifying a product to be made or a service to be performed using the image;

(b) retrieving an image signal corresponding to the hardcopy image from an image database of multiple saved image signals; and

(c) generating the product or performing the service identified by the code using the retrieved image signal;

wherein when the code signal identifies a modification to be made to the image signal, then in step (c) the image signal is modified in accordance with the modification identified by the code signal.