Image data management system for image processing

• US 7,130,067 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2000
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited
• Inventors: Shibasaki, Naoji
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Douglas Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/527,467
• Time in Patent Office: 2,419 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/1.6, 358/1.13, 358/1.16, 358/1.18, 707/10, 707/102, 707/513, 707/4, 707/3, 707/2, 709/201
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• 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 1/00137 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00148 Storage information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00167 Processing or editing H04N1/00196 - H04N1/00201 take precedence
• 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 1/00185 Image output for details of particular output arrangements see the relevant sub-class, e.g. B41J, G03B, G09G, G11B
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00188 Printing, e.g. prints or reprints H04N1/0019, H04N1/00196 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00289 in a video photo booth or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/34 for coin-freed systems ; Pay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9201 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the video signal

Abstract

The object of the system according to the present invention is to relieve the user from the burden of printing and storing image data from a digital camera and to effectively utilize the image data. The system comprises a plurality of printing stations with functions to read digital image data, to print the data by performing necessary image processing and to transmit or receive the image data, a management system connected to each printing station via a network and used for identifying management data of each printing station and for distributing necessary data to each printing station, and a server for turning the image data being transmitted from each printing station to the management system to database and to store the data.

Claims

1. An image data management system, comprising:

a plurality of printing stations with functions to read digital image data, to print the data by performing necessary image processing and to transmit or receive the image data;

a management system connected to each printing station via a network and used for identifying management data of each printing station and for distributing necessary data to each printing station; and

a server for turning the image data, being transmitted from each printing station to the management system, to a database and for storing the data,

wherein said plurality of printing stations further comprises;

a currency processing unit, wherein said currency processing unit identifies currency inserted into the system, processes a cost to be charged to a client, and returns currency to the client.

2. The image data management system according to claim 1, wherein said digital image data comprises digital image data received from a digital camera.

3. The image data management system according to claim 1, wherein said image processing comprises resolving a back light photograph, correcting automatic color for adjusting technical peculiarities of a digital camera, correcting shadow, correcting color balance, correcting photographic failure, enlarging or reducing a size of image data, and removing noise.

4. The image data management system according to claim 1, wherein said management system comprises a host computer and wherein said management system manages the status of each of the plurality of printing stations, monitors remote controlled maintenance of each of the plurality of printing stations, and monitors operating conditions of each of the plurality of printing stations.

5. The image data management system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of printing stations further comprise a camera and an illuminating device, wherein a photographed image is obtained using the camera and the illuminating device.

6. The image data management system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of printing stations are publicly located and wherein said image data stored in said database can be accessed via the printing stations by permitted public users.

7. The image data management system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of printing stations comprise a plurality of printers.

8. An image data management system, comprising:

a plurality of printing stations with functions to read digital image data, to print the data by performing necessary image processing and to transmit or receive the image data;

a management system connected to each printing station via a network and used for identifying management data of each printing station and for distributing necessary data to each printing station; and

a server for turning the image data, being transmitted from each printing station to the management system, to a database and for storing the data,

wherein the image data turned to said database has image categories as attribute information, and

wherein said attribute information further comprises a name, an age, a sex, an occupation, an address and a telephone number of an owner of the image data.