System and method for providing image products and/or services

• US 7,158,945 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2000
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Parulski, Kenneth A., McIntyre, Dale F., Wolcott, Dana W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart; Matthew S
• Application Number:
  US09/574,985
• Time in Patent Office: 2,419 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/4, 705/40, 396/6, 358/1.15
• US Class Current: 705/26.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• 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 1/00172 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3264 of sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces

Abstract

A system and method for obtaining photographic products and/or services comprises bundling image capture and printing technologies into products and/or services that are paid for by a consumer with monthly or yearly subscription fees. The system and method involves selecting a camera and selecting a photographic products/service plan which designates photographic products and/or services which are to be associated with the selected camera. The system and method gives the consumer the option of selecting a specific camera from a menu of cameras, and a specific photographic product/service plan which is to be associated with the selected camera from a product/service menu. As a further option, the consumer can customize his/her product/service plan in accordance with his/her preference. The plan can provide for products and/or services for images captured and/or film exposed by the camera for a predetermined amount of time at a predetermined fee. At the end of the plan, the consumer could have the option of returning the camera, exchanging the camera for a different camera, or keeping the camera at no cost or for a reduced price. The photographic products and/or services provided by the plan could be products and/or services such as film developing, printing, image products, scanning, photo CDs, image storage, etc.

Claims

1. A method of providing photographic products and/or photographic services, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a camera among a selection of cameras for a predetermined time period at a predetermined fee;

selecting a photographic product and/or photographic service plan from a menu of photographic product and/or photographic service plans;

associating the selected camera with the selected photographic product and/or photographic service plan and creating a product and/or photographic service plan account indicative thereof;

entering said product and/or photographic service plan account into a computer database to maintain a record of photographic products and/or photographic services to be provided with respect to images captured by said selected camera in accordance with the selected photographic product and/or photographic service plan for a predetermined period of time; and

automatically accessing said computer database when images are received from said selected camera and providing the associated photographic product or photographic service according to the photographic product and/or photographic service plan associated with the selected camera.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services comprise providing said selected camera to a user for a predetermined time period at a predetermined fee, and providing film development for a predetermined number of rolls of film exposed by said selected camera during said predetermined time period.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said photographic services and/or photographic products further comprise providing a selected amount of photographic prints of said developed film.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services further comprise scanning the images on said film to provide for a digital record of said images.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said digital record is placed on a disk and supplied to a user or designated recipient.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein said digital record is electronically forwarded to a user or designated recipient.

7. A method according to claim 4, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services further comprise electronically storing said digital record for a predetermined amount of time.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services comprise electronically storing images captured by said selected camera for a predetermined period of time.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services comprise providing a predetermined number of prints of images captured by said selected camera.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said selected camera is a film camera.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said selected camera is a digital camera.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said selected camera is a hybrid digital/film camera.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services comprise providing an image product associated with an image captured by said selected camera.

14. A method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of updating the product and/or photographic service plan account in the computer database as said photographic products and/or photographic services, in accordance with the selected photographic product and/or photographic service plan, are provided to a user to reflect photographic products and/or photographic services rendered to the user.

15. A method of providing photographic products and/or photographic services to a consumer, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a camera from a plurality of cameras for a predetermined time period at a predetermined fee and selecting a photographic product and/or photographic service by a customer from a menu of photographic products and/or services which are to be associated with said selected camera for a predetermined time period, wherein said photographic product and/or photographic service is provided with respect to images captured by said selected camera;

maintaining an account on a computer database of said selected photographic products and/or photographic service associated with said selected camera; and

automatically accessing said account on said computer database with respect to images received from said selected camera and providing said good and or service associated with said selected camera according to the photographic product and/or photographic service plan associated with the selected camera.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said photographic product and/or photographic service comprises creating a predetermined number of prints from said images.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein said photographic product and/or photographic service comprises placing said images on a disk and forwarding said disk to the customer.

18. A method of providing photographic products and/or photographic services, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a camera from a plurality of cameras for a predetermined time period at a predetermined fee and selecting a photographic product and/or photographic service from a menu of photographic products and/or photographic services by a customer which are to be associated with said camera for a predetermined time period, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services are provided to film exposed by said selected camera;

maintaining a record of photographic products and/or photographic services of said photographic services and/or photographic products selected by said customer on a computer database to be provided to said customer; and

automatically accessing said computer database for determining said photograph product or service to be provided with respect to received images captured by said selected camera according to the photographic product and/or photographic service plan associated with the selected camera.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services comprise developing said exposed film and providing a predetermined number of prints of images on said film.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services comprise scanning said film to create a digital record of images on said film.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services further comprise placing said digital record on a disk and forwarding said disk to the customer.

22. A method according to claim 20, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services further comprise electronically storing said digital record for a predetermined period of time.

23. A method according to claim 20, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services further comprise electronically sending said digital record of said images to the user.

24. A system for providing photographic products and/or photographic services, the system comprising:

a photographic product and/or photographic service input station into which information with respect to a selected camera for a predetermined time period at a predetermined fee and a selected photographic product and/or photographic service plan which is to be associated with the selected camera for a predetermined period of time is input, said photographic product and/or photographic service input station creating a product and/or photographic service account indicative of the selected camera and the selected photographic product and/or photographic service plan; and

a computer database unit operationally associated with the photographic product and/or photographic service input station which receives and stores the information with respect to the selected camera and the selected photographic product and/or photographic service plan, said computer database unit automatically updating said product and/or photographic service account as photographic product and/or photographic services in accordance with said selected photographic product and/or photographic service plan are requested and completed.

25. A system according to claim 24, wherein said computer database is operationally associated with at least one photographic product and/or photographic service provider, and said selected photographic product/photographic service plan comprises providing photographic products and/or photographic services to film exposed by said selected camera through said at least one photographic product and/or photographic service provider in accordance with the photographic product and/or photographic service plan for a predetermined time period.

26. A system according to claim 25, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services comprise providing film developing for film exposed by said selected camera for said predetermined time period.

27. A system according to claim 26, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services comprise providing prints of said developed film.

28. A system according to claim 25, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services comprise scanning images on said film to provide a digital record of the images.

29. A system according to claim 28, wherein said digital record is placed on a disk and returned to a designated recipient.

30. A system according to claim 28, wherein said digital record is electronically forwarded to a designated recipient.

31. A system according to claim 28, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services comprise storing said digital record for a predetermined amount of time.

32. system according to claim 24, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services comprise electronically storing images captured by said selected camera for a predetermined period of time.

33. A system according to claim 24, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services comprise providing a predetermined number of prints of images captured by said selected camera.

34. A system according to claim 24, wherein said photographic products and/or photographic services comprise providing an image product associated with an image captured by said selected camera.

35. A system according to claim 24, wherein said selected camera is one of a film, digital or hybrid film/digital camera.