Method for using customer images in a promotional product

• US 7,302,115 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Fredlund, John R., Manico, Joseph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, KANJIBHAI B
• Application Number:
  US11/564,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20070092163A1
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• Field of Search: 382/284, 382/305, 382/312, 345/629, 345/630, 345634-637, 345/641, 705/23, 705/26
• US Class Current: 382/284
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3871 the composed originals being of different kinds, e.g. low- and high-resolution originals

Abstract

A method of offering a customized promotional product to a user. The method comprises the steps of: accessing a user-supplied digital image at a digital imaging device; providing a digital image representative of a promotional product, the promotional product digital image having a predetermined image location adapted to receive at least a portion of the user-supplied digital image; generating a modified user image by modifying the at least a portion of the user-supplied digital image to simulate an application of the at least a portion of the user-supplied image to the promotional product; generating a customized digital image representative of the customized promotional product, the customized digital image comprising the promotional product digital image having the modified user image disposed within the predetermined image location; and displaying the customized digital image to the user on a display of the digital imaging device.

Claims

1. A method of offering a customized promotional product to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing a user-supplied digital image at a digital imaging device;

generating two or more modified user images by modifying the at least a portion of the user-supplied digital image to simulate different editing effects; and

displaying at least a portion of the modified user images as the images would appear on the customized promotional product to the user on a display of the digital imaging device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified user images arc displayed as a slide show.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified user images are displayed as a ring around the user-supplied digital image.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting at least one modified user image on an image of the customized promotional product.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the customized promotional product is shown against a background scene.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the background scene compliments the user-supplied digital image content, the customized promotional product coloring, or both.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the customized promotional product having the modified user image is shown three-dimensionally.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the customized promotional product is shown in multiple views selected from a front view, side view and isometric view.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the customized promotional product displayed is based on information from a user loyalty or retailer card.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the customized promotional product is a t-shirt shown on the image of a person.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing the image content of the user-supplied digital image; and

presenting products associated with the content of the user-supplied digital image.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing the image content of the user-supplied digital image; and

presenting at least one modified user image on a content-related product.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the content-related product is shown against a background scene.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the background scene compliments the user-supplied digital image content, the content-related product coloring, or both.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the content-related product displayed is based on information from a user loyalty or retailer card.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the modified user images can be an artistic product rendition of the user-supplied digital image.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user order; and

transmitting the user order over a communication network for fulfillment.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user order;

fulfilling the user order; and

sending the fulfilled user order to the place of order or to the user.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital imaging device is a kiosk or a computer system.

20. A kiosk for offering a customized promotional product to a user, the kiosk including a display, wherein the kiosk:

accesses a user-supplied digital image;

generates two or more modified user images by modifying the at least a portion of the user-supplied digital image to simulate different editing effects; and

displays at least a portion of the modified user images as the images would appear on the customized promotional product to a user on the display.

21. A computer program product for offering a customized promotional product to a user, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of:

accessing a user-supplied digital image at a digital imaging device;

generating two or more modified user images by modifying the at least a portion of the user-supplied digital image to simulate different editing effects; and

displaying at least a portion of the modified user images as the images would appear on the customized promotional product to a user on a display of the digital imaging device.

22. A kiosk offering a customized promotional product to a user, the kiosk including a display, wherein the kiosk:

accesses a user-supplied digital image;

provides a digital image representative of a promotional product, the promotional product digital image having a predetermined image location adapted to receive at least a portion of the user-supplied digital image;

generates a modified user image by modifying the at least a portion of the user-supplied digital image to simulate an application of the at least a portion of the user-supplied image to the promotional product;

generates a customized digital image representative of the customized promotional product, the customized digital image comprising the promotional product digital image having the modified user image disposed within the predetermined image location; and

displays the customized digital image to a user on the display.

23. A computer program product for offering a customized promotional product to a user, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of:

accessing a user-supplied digital image at a digital imaging device;

providing a digital image representative of a promotional product, the promotional product digital image having a predetermined image location adapted to receive at least a portion of the user-supplied digital image;

generating a modified user image by modifying the at least a portion of the user-supplied digital image to simulate an application of the at least a portion of the user-supplied image to the promotional product;

generating a customized digital image representative of the customized promotional product, the customized digital image comprising the promotional product digital image having the modified user image disposed within the predetermined image location; and

displaying the customized digital image to a user on a display of the digital imaging device.

24. A kiosk for placing an order for a customized product, the kiosk including a display, wherein the kiosk:

accesses a user-supplied digital image;

provides a digital image representative of a promotional product, the promotional product digital image having a predetermined image location adapted to receive at least a portion of the user-supplied digital image;

generates a modified user image by modifying the at least a portion of the user-supplied digital image to simulate an application of the at least a portion of the user-supplied image to the promotional product;

generates a customized digital image representative of the customized product, the customized digital image comprising the promotional product digital image having the modified user image disposed within the predetermined image location;

displays the customized digital image to a user on the display;

provides a product order menu adapted to receive a product order for the customized product; and

receives the product order for the customized product.

25. A computer program product for offering a customized promotional product to a user, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of:

accessing a user-supplied digital image at a digital imaging device;

providing a digital image representative of a promotional product, the promotional product digital image having a predetermined image location adapted to receive at least a portion of the user-supplied digital image;

generating a modified user image by modifying the at least a portion of the user-supplied digital image to simulate an application of the at least a portion of the user-supplied image to the promotional product;

generating a customized digital image representative of the customized product, the customized digital image comprising the promotional product digital image having the modified user image disposed within the predetermined image location;

displaying the customized digital image to a user on a display of the digital imaging device;

providing a product order menu adapted to place a product order for the customized product; and

receiving the product order for the customized product.