Method and system for scanning images in a photo kiosk

• US 6,750,988 B1
• Filed: 09/11/1998
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callstat Solutions LLC (Jeffrey M. Gross)
• Original Assignee: ROXIO Incorporated (MelodyVR Group Plc)
• Inventors: Ghislain Bossut, Philippe Joseph, Vallmajo, Patrice
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Cheukfan
• Application Number:
  US09/151,437
• Time in Patent Office: 2,104 Days
• Field of Search: 358/488, 358/486, 358/474, 358/487, 358/505, 358/506, 358/444, 358/448, 358/453, 358/464-466, 382/199, 382/260, 382/268, 382/289, 382/266, 382/271-273, 348/96, 348/97, 250/234-236
• US Class Current: 358/488
• 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 1/00167 Processing or editing H04N1/00196 - H04N1/00201 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00188 Printing, e.g. prints or reprints H04N1/0019, H04N1/00196 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00286 with studio circuitry, devices or equipment, e.g. television cameras television studio circuitry, devices or equipment per se H04N5/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00289 in a video photo booth or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3873 defined only by a limited number of coordinate points or parameters, e.g. corners, centre; for trimming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3877 Image rotation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0416 Performing a pre-scan

Abstract

A method and system for operating a photo kiosk having a scanner therein, including positioning a user-provided picture on a scanner bed of the kiosk scanner in an arbitrary orientation, and automatically determining an orientation of the picture by pre-scanning, using the kiosk scanner, at least an area of the kiosk scanner bed having the picture positioned therein at a low resolution, to produce a pre-scanned image containing pixels therein, and scanning, using the kiosk scanner, an area of the scanner bed at a high resolution to provide a photo product having the picture in a desired orientation therein irrespective of the arbitrary orientation.

Claims

1. A method for determining the orientation of a scanned image for use within a photo kiosk having a scanner therein, comprising:

positioning a user-provided picture on a scanner bed of the kiosk scanner in an arbitrary orientation;

scanning, using the kiosk scanner, a preliminary region of the scanner bed having the picture positioned therein, to produce a preliminary scanned image containing pixels therein;

determining a plurality of bounding boxes confining the picture within the preliminary scanned image;

selecting one of the plurality of bounding boxes confining the picture; and

calculating a positioning angle based on the selected bounding box.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the scanned image is produced by scanning a region of the scanner bed having the picture positioned thereon.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the scanned image is the first scanned image.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of bounding boxes is associated with an angle, and wherein the positioning angle is the angle associated with the selected bounding box.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the bounding boxes confine the significant edges of the preliminary scanned image.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected bounding box is a bounding box having a smallest width.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected bounding box is a bounding box having a smallest height.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected bounding box is a bounding box having a smallest area.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining step comprises:

identifying significant edges of the preliminary scanned image; and

calculating bounding boxes based on the significant edges of the edge map.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said identifying step comprises:

applying an edge filter to the preliminary scanned image, to produce an edge map having edge values at pixel locations within the preliminary scanned image; and

locating significant edges within the edge map.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the edge filter is a Sobel filter.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said locating step comprises selecting pixels within the preliminary scanned image that are part of a group of at least twenty adjacent pixels each of which has an edge value above a prescribed lower threshold value and at least one of which has an edge value above a prescribed upper threshold value.

13. A system for determining the orientation of a scanned image for use within a photo kiosk, comprising:

a kiosk scanner including a kiosk scanner bed for positioning a picture thereon in-an arbitrary orientation;

a kiosk processor determining a plurality of bounding boxes confining the picture within the preliminary scanned image;

a selector selecting one of the plurality of bounding boxes confining the picture; and

an image processor calculating a positioning angle based on the selected bounding box.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the scanned image is produced by scanning a region of the kiosk scanner bed having the picture positioned thereon.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the scanned image is the first scanned image.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein each of the plurality of bounding boxes is associated with art angle, and wherein the positioning angle is the angle associated with the selected bounding box.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the bounding boxes confine the significant edges of the preliminary scanned image.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the selected bounding box is a bounding box having a smallest width.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the selected bounding box is a bounding box having a smallest height.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the selected, bounding box is a bounding box having a smallest area.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein said kiosk processor comprises:

an edge analyzer identifying significant edges of the preliminary scanned image; and

a pixel processor calculating bounding boxes based on the significant edges of the edge map.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said edge analyzer comprises:

an edge processor applying an edge filter to the preliminary scanned image, to produce an edge map having edge values at pixel locations within the preliminary scanned image; and

an edge finder locating significant edges within the edge map.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the edge filter is a Sobel filter.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein said edge finder comprises a pixel selector selecting pixels within the preliminary scanned image that are part of a group of at least twenty adjacent pixels each of which has an edge value above a prescribed lower threshold value and at least one of which has an edge value above a prescribed upper threshold value.