Method and apparatus for automatic image capture

• US 6,591,068 B1
• Filed: 10/16/2000
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Dietz, Paul H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLACKMAN, ROCHELLE ANN J
• Application Number:
  US09/690,324
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 396/56, 396/57, 396/310, 396/311, 396/429, 396/430, 396/322, 386/46, 386/116, 386/117, 386/120, 386/124, 348/61, 348/64, 348/36, 348/159, 700/90, 725/1-8, 358/906, 358/909.1
• US Class Current: 396/429
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• 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 1/00143 Ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00151 with selective access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00161 Viewing or previewing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00172 directly from a still digital camera or from a storage medium mounted in a still digital camera H04N1/0018 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00188 Printing, e.g. prints or reprints H04N1/0019, H04N1/00196 take precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides an automatic picture taking system at a theme park. The system is passive, with guests photographed automatically from a plurality of cameras distributed throughout the theme park. When a picture is taken, the camera broadcasts a code signal that is associated with that picture or image. A code receiver carried or worn by the guest receives the code and stores it in a memory associated with the receiver. The system assumes that any guest that receives the code must have been in the picture when it was taken. At any time, a guest may elect to review the pictures taken so far of the guest by visiting a location for that purpose. When the pictures are taken digitally, for example, the pictures can be provided by a central server to any of a number of locations. The guest may elect to purchase some or all of the pictures that include the guest. In one embodiment, the images are photographs, while in others the images may be videos or a combination of photographs and videos.

Claims

1. An image capture system comprising:

at least one camera;

a triggering mechanism to cause said at least one camera to generate a captured image;

a code generator coupled to said at least one camera for generating a code associated with said captured image;

a first transmitter on said at least one camera for transmitting said code; and

,

a code receiver carried by a guest, wherein said code receiver comprises a processor, a memory, a receiver, and a second transmitter, and wherein said code receiver is configured to associate said captured image with said guest by receiving said code when said code receiver is in proximity to said camera that generates said captured image.

2. An image capture system comprising:

at least one camera;

a triggering mechanism to cause said at least one camera to generate a captured image;

a code generator coupled to said at least one camera for generating a code associated with said captured image;

a first transmitter on said at least one camera for transmitting said code; and

,

a code receiver carried by a guest, wherein said code receiver comprises a processor, a memory, a receiver, and a second transmitter, and wherein said code receiver comprises an infrared receiver and is configured to associate said captured image with said guest by receiving said code when said code receiver is in proximity to said camera that generates said captured image.

3. An image capture system comprising:

at least one camera;

a triggering mechanism to cause said at least one camera to generate a captured image;

a code generator coupled to said at least one camera for generating a code associated with said captured image, wherein said at least one camera emits an infrared signal to transmit said code;

a first transmitter on said at least one camera for transmitting said code; and

,

a code receiver carried by a guest, wherein said code receiver comprises a processor, a memory, a receiver, and a second transmitter, and wherein said code receiver comprises an infrared receiver and is configured to associate said captured image with said guest by receiving said -code when said code receiver is in proximity to said camera that generates said captured image.

4. An image capture system comprising:

at least one camera;

a triggering mechanism to cause said at least one camera to generate a captured image;

a code generator coupled to said at least one camera for generating a code associated with said captured image, wherein said at least one camera emits an infrared signal to transmit said code, and wherein said at least one camera emits a plurality of unique codes when a plurality of images are captured;

a first transmitter on said at least one camera for transmitting said code; and

,

a code receiver carried by a guest, wherein said code receiver comprises a processor, a memory, a receiver, and a second transmitter, and wherein said code receiver comprises an infrared receiver and is configured to associate said captured image with said guest by receiving said code when said code receiver is in proximity to said camera that generates said captured image.

5. An image capture system comprising:

at least one camera;

a triggering mechanism to cause said at least one camera to generate a captured image;

a code generator coupled to said at least one camera for generating a code associated with said captured image, wherein said at least one camera emits an infrared signal to transmit said code, and wherein said at least one camera emits a plurality of unique codes when a plurality of images are captured;

a first transmitter on said at least one camera for transmitting said code; and

,

a code receiver carried by a guest, wherein said code receiver comprises a processor, a memory, a receiver, and a second transmitter, and wherein said code receiver comprises an infrared receiver, said code receiver stores said plurality of unique codes in said memory, and is configured to associate said captured image with said guest by receiving said code when said code receiver is in proximity to said camera that generates said captured image.

6. An image capture system comprising:

at least one camera;

a triggering mechanism to cause said at least one camera to generate a captured image;

a code generator coupled to said at least one camera for generating a code associated with said captured image, wherein said at least one camera emits a plurality of unique codes when a plurality of images are captured;

a first transmitter on said at least one camera for transmitting said code; and

,

a code receiver carried by a guest, wherein said code receiver comprises a processor, a memory, a receiver, and a second transmitter, wherein said code receiver stores said plurality of unique codes in said memory and wherein said code receiver is configured to associate said captured image with said guest by receiving said code when said code receiver is in proximity to said camera that generates said captured image.

7. An image capture system comprising:

at least one camera;

a triggering mechanism to cause said at least one camera to generate a captured image;

a code generator coupled to said at least one camera for generating a code associated with said captured image;

a first transmitter on said at least one camera for transmitting said code;

a code receiver carried by a guest, wherein said code receiver comprises a processor, a memory, a receiver, and a second transmitter, said receiver comprises at least one wireless receiver and wherein said second transmitter comprises at least one wireless transmitter, said triggering mechanism comprises a push button on said code receiver and wherein said code receiver is configured to associate said captured image with said guest by receiving said code when said code receiver is in proximity to said camera that generates said captured image; and

an indicator for alerting said guest.when said at least one camera captures said captured image, wherein said at least one camera generates said captured image when said push button is depressed.

8. A method of capturing an image comprising:

triggering at least one camera to generate a captured image;

generating a code associated with said captured image, wherein said at least one camera emits a plurality of unique codes when a plurality of images are captured;

transmitting said code; and

,

receiving said code in a code receiver carried by a guest, wherein said code receiver comprises a processor, a memory, a receiver, and a transmitter, wherein said code receiver stores said plurality of unique codes in said memory and wherein said code receiver is configured to associate said captured image with said guest by receiving said code when said code receiver is in proximity to said at least one camera that generates said captured image.

9. A method of capturing an image comprising:

triggering at least one camera to generate a captured image;

generating a code associated with said captured image, wherein said at least one camera emits a plurality of unique codes when a plurality of images are captured;

transmitting said code wherein said at least one camera emits an infrared signal to transmit said code; and

,

receiving said code in a code receiver carried by a guest, wherein said code receiver comprises a processor, a memory, a receiver, and a transmitter, wherein said code receiver stores said plurality of unique codes in said memory, said code receiver comprises an infrared receiver and an infrared transmitter and wherein said code receiver is configured to associate said captured image with said guest by receiving said code when said code receiver is in proximity to said at least one camera that generates said captured image.