Automated construction of print order for images capture during a session

• US 7,461,331 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Original Assignee: FotoMedia Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Inventors: Morris, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh; Cong-Lac
• Application Number:
  US11/022,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20060136559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: 715/500, 715/500.1, 715/530, 715/200, 715/255, 715/201, 715/205
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/50 of still image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• 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 1/2179 Interfaces allowing access to a plurality of users, e.g. connection to electronic image libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2187 with image input from a plurality of different locations or from a non-central location, e.g. from one or more users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2191 for simultaneous, independent access by a plurality of different users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission

Abstract

A method and system for guiding management of digital images includes: receiving at least one captured digital image with an account identifier; creating a message to an address associated with the account identifier, where the message includes an access to a form to proceed with a specific task associated with the at least one captured digital image; and sending the message to the address. A user can then access the form through the message and provide form data to the server. The server can then proceed with the next step in the task. In this manner, specific tasks in the management of digital images can be uploaded to a server, and the user is reminded to access the server to perform these tasks. The user is not required to manage the image on the image capture device or to remember to finish a specific task associated with the captured images.

Claims

1. A method for guiding management of digital images, comprising:

receiving, at a server on a network from an image capture device, at least one captured digital image with an account identifier for a user associated with the image capture device;

in response to receiving the at least one captured digital image from the image capture device;

associating the at least one captured digital image with an electronic form to automatically prepare an electronic order for processing the at least one captured digital image, wherein the electronic order is prepared for the user;

creating an electronic message to an address associated with the account identifier, wherein the electronic message includes a link for accessing and modifying the electronic order prior to processing the at least one captured digital image; and

sending the electronic message to the address via the network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

capturing the at least one digital image for a session by the image capture device; and

sending the at least one digital image with the account identifier and a session identifier to the server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving further comprises:

storing the at least one digital image for the account identifier; and

pre-processing the at least one digital image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the creating comprises:

retrieving a preferred address for the account identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the message by a client;

requesting the electronic order by the client;

providing data for the electronic order by the client; and

sending the data for the electronic order to the server.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

processing the at least one captured digital image by the server based on the electronic order.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the at least one captured digital image comprises one or more of the group consisting of:

printing;

organization;

editing;

transferring;

distributing;

sharing;

approving;

certifying; and

adding metadata.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein instructions for processing the at least one captured digital image are received along with the at least one captured digital image.

9. A system, comprising:

a web application hosted at a server on a network, wherein the web application is configured for receiving from an image capture device at least one captured digital image with an account identifier for a user associated with the image capture device,

wherein the web application is configured to, in response to receiving the at least one captured digital image from the image capture device;

associate the at least one captured digital image with an electronic form to automatically prepare an electronic order for processing the at least one captured digital image, wherein the electronic order is prepared for the user;

create an electronic message to an address associated with the account identifier, wherein the electronic message includes a link for accessing and modifying the electronic order prior to processing the at least one captured digital image; and

a messaging client configured for sending the message to the address via the network; and

a memory for storing at least one captured digital image.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising an image capture device, wherein the image capture device captures the at least one digital image for a session and sends the at least one digital image with the account identifier and a session identifier to the web application.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the web application comprises a form manager for generating the electronic order for processing the at least one captured digital image.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein processing the at least one captured digital image comprises one or more of the group consisting of:

printing;

organization;

editing;

transferring;

distributing;

sharing;

approving;

certifying; and

adding metadata.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one captured digital image comprises instructions for processing the at least one captured digital image.

14. A method for guiding management of digital images, comprising:

sending to a server on a network from an image capture device, at least one captured digital image with an account identifier for a user associated with the image capture device;

receiving an electronic message at an address associated with the account identifier, wherein the electronic message includes a link for accessing and modifying an electronic order for processing the at least one captured digital image prior to processing the at least one captured digital image, wherein the electronic order is prepared for the user; and

sending data for the electronic order to the server.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the sending of the at least one captured digital image comprises:

capturing the at least one digital image for a session; and

sending the at least one digital image with the account identifier and a session identifier to the server.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the server processes the at least one captured digital image based on the electronic order.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one captured digital image comprises instructions for processing the at least one captured digital image.

18. A computer readable medium with program instructions for guiding management of digital images, comprising:

receiving, at a server on a network from an image capture device, at least one captured digital image with an account identifier for a user associated with the image capture device;

in response to receiving the at least one captured digital image from the image capture device;

associating the at least one captured digital image with an electronic form to automatically prepare an electronic order for processing the at least one captured digital image, wherein the electronic order is prepared for the user;

creating an electronic message to an address associated with the account identifier, wherein the electronic message includes a link for accessing and modifying the electronic order prior to processing the at least one captured digital image; and

sending the electronic message to the address via the network.

19. The medium of claim 18, wherein the creating comprises:

retrieving a preferred address for the account identifier.

20. A computer readable medium with program instructions for guiding management of digital images, comprising:

sending from an image capture device connected directly to a network, at least one captured digital image with an account identifier for a user associated with the image capture device;

receiving an electronic message at an address associated with the account identifier, wherein the electronic message includes a link for accessing and modifying an electronic order for processing the at least one captured digital image prior to processing the at least one captured digital image, wherein the electronic order is prepared for the user; and

sending data for the electronic order to a server.