Product and method for organizing and searching digital images

• US 6,745,186 B1
• Filed: 08/17/2000
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Capozzi, Leanne M., Sailus, Andrew, Testa, Carl A., McIntyre, Dale F., Manico, Joseph A., Corby, Kenneth D.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOULES, JACK M
• Application Number:
  US09/640,642
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/202, 707/6, 707/104, 707/7, 705/26, 705/27, 403/403, 355/40, 382/181, 382/224
• US Class Current: 707/737
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• 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 1/00167 Processing or editing H04N1/00196 - H04N1/00201 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00169 Digital image input
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00196 Creation of a photo-montage, e.g. photoalbum H04N1/0019 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00968 by scanning marks on a sheet mark-sheet input means H04N1/00355; sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/915 Image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting
• 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 computer software product and a method of organizing and searching images. The digital images may be obtained from a plurality of hard copy prints that are digitally scanned. The digital image are analyzed in accordance with a predetermined criteria based on the information obtained by scanning of the images and categorizing in accordance with the predetermined criteria. At least one goods and/or services may be provided in accordance with the predetermined criteria.

Claims

1. A method of organizing a plurality of digital images, comprising the steps of:

obtaining digital images from a plurality of different sources for a customer;

placing said digital images into a single digital file;

forwarding said digital images electronically to said customer;

providing to said customer computer software for organizing and/or manipulating said digital images; and

obtaining said digital images after they have organized and/or manipulated by said customer and providing a product or service with respected to said customer digital images.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said software is forwarded to said customer along with said digital images.

3. A method according to claim 1 said software includes software for automatically grouping of images in accordance with a determined criteria.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said software includes software for organizing said images into album pages.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said images are automatically spaced on said album page.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said images are organized using icons.

7. A method of organizing a plurality of images provided on a plurality of separate hard copy prints, comprising the steps of:

scanning said hard copy prints so as to obtain a digital record of said images on said hard copy prints and characteristic information with respect to said hard copy prints; and

automatically sorting of said images based on the physical characteristic obtained during scanning, wherein said physical characteristics comprises one of the following;

shape of the prints;

size of the prints;

cut of the print;

texture of the print;

border on the print; and

finish of the print.