Method for making products having merged images

• US 6,549,295 B1
• Filed: 12/14/1998
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: INSIGHT Inc.
• Original Assignee: INSIGHT Inc.
• Inventors: Fantone, Stephen D., Braunstein, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): GARCIA, GABRIEL I
• Application Number:
  US09/211,510
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.1, 358/1.2, 358/1.6, 358/1.9, 358/1.11, 358/1.17, 358/515, 358/525, 358/530, 358/538, 396/306, 396/307, 355/22, 355/33
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/27 involving lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/24 using apertured or refractive resolving means on screens or between screen and eye
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00201 Creation of a lenticular or stereo hardcopy image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/23 Reproducing arrangements

Abstract

A method for making display products that generate special visual effects with autostereographic, dynamic, alternating, animated, and morphed images used in conjunction with lenticulated arrays for marketing and informational purposes. The special imaging effects, which can be integrated with discrete lenticulated container structures for data storage media and other contents, are achieved by digitally sampling and formatting source images with resampling procedures and then generating a merged image file that serves as the digital input for color printers or digital printing presses. The sampled images are printed on substrates along with registration lines or on preperforated stock preformatted for use with a corresponding lenticulated component. Afterwards, the images are separated from the substrate by either cutting them from the substrate using the printed registration lines as guides or breaking them out along the preperforated lines. In either case, the image is separated along with surrounding structure as needed to provide an intermediate image bearing subassembly that is then further folded or otherwise configured for combination with its lenticulated plastic counterpart, preferably formed by injection molding. The lenticulated plastic components are configured to either act as a receptacle for the intermediate image subassembly or to attach to it. The resampling procedures are designed so that each image segment is sampled over an interval equivalent to the full width of an individual lenticule behind which it is intended to reside but the image data obtained for printing is fit to just that fraction of the lenticule width corresponding to the space allocated based on the number of interlaced images.

Claims

1. A photographic kiosk for making a composite image from which special imaging effects are derived, said kiosk comprising:

means for acquiring a plurality of input image signals each representing original images and formatted as a plurality of image data points corresponding, respectively, to the individual pixels of an image; and

programmable means for;

(a) determining the total number of original images to reside in the composite image;

(b) selecting an interval corresponding to the spatial frequency of a lenticular array to be used for viewing the composite image;

(c) multiplying the spatial frequency of the lenticular array by the total number of images to reside in the composite image and determining the minimum output pixel resolution for the composite image as an integer value of the product of the number of images and the spatial frequency to arrive at the output pixel resolution in pixels per inch;

(d) selecting the physical size of the area over which the composite image is to be reproduced in hardcopy form;

calculating the total number of pixels allowed in the physical size;

(e) continuously sampling the original images over one of the physical lengths corresponding to the composite image at a sampling rate corresponding to the number of pixels allowed in composite divided by the total number of original images to be combined;

(f) dividing up the data for each image into consecutive sets of pixel data points (A1, A2, A3, . . . , An;

B1, B2, B3, . . . ;

Bn) corresponding to the total number of intervals that will fit into the physical size of the composite image; and

(g) arranging the sets imagewise in alternating consecutive sequences (A1, B1, C1;

. . . ;

A2, B2, C2, . . . , etc) to obtain the composite image.

2. The photographic kiosk of claim 1 wherein said programmable means is further configured for performing image processing functions selected from the group comprising cropping, scaling, moving, adding text, adding borders, and adding stock images.

3. The photographic kiosk of claim 1 wherein said programmable means is further configured for outputting said composite image in digital form.

4. The photographic kiosk of claim 1 wherein said programmable means is further configured for outputting said composite image in digital form to a printer along with instructions to print said composite image in hardcopy form.

5. A method for making a composite image from which special imaging effects are derived, said method comprising the steps of:

acquiring a plurality of input image signals each representing original images and formatted as a plurality of image data points corresponding, respectively, to the individual pixels of an image;

determining the total number of original images to reside in the composite image;

selecting an interval corresponding to the spatial frequency of a lenticular array to be used for viewing the composite image;

multiplying the spatial frequency of the lenticular array by the total number of images to reside in the composite image and determining the minimum output pixel resolution for the composite image as an integer value of the product of the number of images and the spatial frequency to arrive at the output pixel resolution in pixels per inch;

selecting the physical size of the area over which the composite image is to be reproduced in hardcopy form;

calculating the total number of pixels allowed in the physical size;

continuously sampling the original images over one of the physical lengths corresponding to the composite image at a sampling rate corresponding to the number of pixels allowed in composite divided by the total number of original images to be combined;

dividing up the data for each image into consecutive sets of pixel data points (A1, A2, A3, . . . , An;

B1, B2, B3, . . . ;

Bn) corresponding to the total number of intervals that will fit into the physical size of the composite image;

arranging the sets imagewise in alternating consecutive sequences (A1, B1, C1;

. . . ;

A2, B2, C2, . . . , etc) to obtain the composite image;

outputting said composite image in digital form;

printing said composite image in hardcopy form onto a medium having a predetermined image area to determine the state of registration of the printed image with respect to the predetermined image area, and if an unacceptable misregistration exists,

printing the image onto a medium that is labeled with vertical and horizontal lines selected ones of which are nominally coextensive with said predetermined image area;

inspecting the relationship between said printed image and said labeled vertical and horizontal liens to determine the state of registration of said image with respect to the nominal predetermined image area on said medium and selecting those of said labeled vertical and horizontal lines that most closely match how much the printer needs to be adjusted to have the printed image match said medium predetermined image area; and

providing correction information to the printer so that subsequently printed images will optimally match said predetermined printed area.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said predetermined image area on said medium is defined with perforations in said medium.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said predetermined printing area on said medium is defined with perforations in said medium.

7. A method for making a composite image from which special imaging effects are derived, said method comprising the steps of:

acquiring a plurality of input image signals each representing original images and formatted as a plurality of image data points corresponding, respectively, to the individual pixels of an image;

determining the total number of original images to reside in the composite image;

selecting an interval corresponding to the spatial frequency of a lenticular array to be used for viewing the composite image;

multiplying the spatial frequency of the lenticular array by the total number of images to reside in the composite image and determining the minimum output pixel resolution for the composite image as an integer value of the product of the number of images and the spatial frequency to arrive at the output pixel resolution in pixels per inch;

selecting the physical size of the area over which the composite image is to be reproduced in hardcopy form;

calculating the total number of pixels allowed in the physical size;

continuously sampling the original images over one of the physical lengths corresponding to the composite image at a sampling rate corresponding to the number of pixels allowed in composite divided by the total number of original images to be combined;

dividing up the data for each image into consecutive sets of pixel data points (A1, A2, A3, . . . , An;

B1, B2, B3, . . . ;

Bn) corresponding to the total number of intervals that will fit into the physical size of the composite image; and

arranging the sets imagewise in alternating consecutive sequences (A1, B1, C1;

. . . ;

A2, B2, C2, . . . , etc) to obtain the composite image;

printing said composite image in hardcopy form onto a medium having a predetermined printing area to determine the state of registration of the image with respect to said predetermined printing image area, and

if said image is smaller than said predetermined printing area, instructing said printer to enlarge the dot size of printed dots until the printed image optimally fills said predetermined printing area.