Image handling system and method using mutually remote processor-scanner stations
First Claim
1. An image handling system comprising:
- (a) a plurality of processor-scanner stations remote from one another, each scanner station having at the same location;
a processor which can process exposed photographic film to produce a hardcopy image set;
a scanner system which can scan the hardcopy image set to obtain a corresponding image set signal;
a first communication means for communicating the image set signal to a remote hub station;
(b) a hub station remote from each of the scanner stations, comprising;
a second communication means to receive the image set signals from each of the plurality of scanner systems;
a first storage to store the image set signals;
a third communication means for transmitting the image set signals to any of a plurality of terminals remote from the hub and each of the processor-scanner stations; and
(c) a plurality of terminals remote from the hub station and each of the scanner-processor stations, connected to communicate with the hub station;
wherein, each scanner system also assigns an associated identification signal to each image set signal which comprises a scanner location identification, wherein each scanner location identification is unique;
the first communication means also communicates each identification signal to the hub station which receives and stores the identification signals;
a second storage containing directory data correlating each scanner location identification with a scanner address;
means for determining if an image set signal associated with the identification transmitted from the remote terminal, is stored at the hub station; and
means for determining from the directory data, the scanner address of a scanner at which an image set signal corresponding to an identification received from a remote terminal, was generated.
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Abstract
An image handling system, and a method which can be executed on such a system comprising a plurality of processor-scanner stations remote from one another, interfaced with a hub station that is in turn interfaced with a plurality of terminal. Each processor-scanner station having at the same location: a processor which can process exposed photographic film to produce a hardcopy image set; a scanner system which can scan the hardcopy image set to obtain a corresponding image set signal; and a first communication interface for communicating the image set signal to a remote hub station. The hub station, which can be remote from each of the scanner stations, comprises: a second communication interface to receive image set signals from each of the plurality of scanner systems; a first storage to store the image set signals; a third communication interface for transmitting the image set signals to any of a plurality of terminals remote from the hub and each of the processor-scanner stations. A plurality of terminals that are remote from the hub station and each of the scanner-processor stations, and connected to communicate with the hub station.
85 Citations
8 Claims
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1. An image handling system comprising:
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(a) a plurality of processor-scanner stations remote from one another, each scanner station having at the same location; a processor which can process exposed photographic film to produce a hardcopy image set; a scanner system which can scan the hardcopy image set to obtain a corresponding image set signal; a first communication means for communicating the image set signal to a remote hub station; (b) a hub station remote from each of the scanner stations, comprising; a second communication means to receive the image set signals from each of the plurality of scanner systems; a first storage to store the image set signals; a third communication means for transmitting the image set signals to any of a plurality of terminals remote from the hub and each of the processor-scanner stations; and (c) a plurality of terminals remote from the hub station and each of the scanner-processor stations, connected to communicate with the hub station; wherein, each scanner system also assigns an associated identification signal to each image set signal which comprises a scanner location identification, wherein each scanner location identification is unique; the first communication means also communicates each identification signal to the hub station which receives and stores the identification signals; a second storage containing directory data correlating each scanner location identification with a scanner address; means for determining if an image set signal associated with the identification transmitted from the remote terminal, is stored at the hub station; and means for determining from the directory data, the scanner address of a scanner at which an image set signal corresponding to an identification received from a remote terminal, was generated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An image handling method comprising:
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processing exposed photographic film at each of a plurality of processor-scanner stations, each station having both a scanner and a processor at the same location and the processor-scanner stations being remote from one another, to produce a hardcopy image set at the processor-scanner locations; scanning each hardcopy image set at the same processor-scanner location at which it was processed, to obtain a corresponding image set signal; communicating each of the image set signals from the scanner to a hub station remote from each of the processor-scanner stations; storing the communicated image set signals at the hub station; transmitting the image set signals to any of a plurality of terminals remote from the hub station and each of the processor-scanner stations; assigning at each scanner system an associated identification signal to each image set signal, which identification signal comprises a scanner location identification, wherein each scanner location identification is unique; communicating each identification signal to the hub station; storing at the hub, the communicated identification signal associated with the stored image set signal; transmitting an identification from a remote terminal to the hub station; determining if an image set signal associated with the identification transmitted from the remote terminal, is stored at the hub station; and determining from directory data stored at the hub station, the scanner address of a scanner at which an image set signal corresponding to an identification received from a remote terminal, was generated. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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Specification