Apparatus and method for manipulating images

A system for applying a personalized image to a tangible financial transaction card allowing a customer to access a financial account of the customer, wherein the financial account has a financial account number, the system comprising:

• an image processor within a back-end server;
• a computer system for banking applications containing a table associating the financial account number with a customer identifier, wherein the financial account number is associated with the computer system for banking applications that provides financial services to the customer;
• a front end server for presenting a user interface to the customer to select image data to personalize the tangible financial transaction card;
• the back-end server containing an image manipulation emulator for associating the customer identifier with the customer image selection data based on the customer selection made on the user interface in relation to a graphical representation of at least a portion of an original image held in an image store and for communicating with the front end server and with the image store;
• production equipment configured to apply the personalized image to the tangible financial transaction card, the personalized image being based on the customer image selection data associated with the customer identifier by the image manipulation emulator;
• wherein the computer system for banking applications maintains the table securely from the user interface so that the financial account numbers are not accessible to the customer when the customer selects image data to personalize the tangible financial transaction card in order to provide the high level of security required to produce personalized financial transaction cards.

A method for applying a personalized image to a tangible financial transaction card allowing a customer to access a financial account of the customer, wherein the financial account has a financial account number, the method comprising:

• associating the financial account number using a computer system for banking applications with a customer identifier in a table maintained securely from a user interface so that the financial account numbers are not accessible to the customer when the customer selects image data to personalize the tangible financial transaction card in order to provide the high level of security required to produce personalized financial transaction cards, wherein the financial account number is associated with the computer system for banking applications that provides financial services to the customer;
• presenting the user interface using a front end server to the customer to select image data to personalize the tangible financial transaction card;
• using an image manipulation emulator within a back-end server to associate the customer identifier with the customer image selection data based on the customer selection made on the user interface in relation to a graphical representation of at least a portion of an original image held in an image store to re-create the user selection made on the user interface, the back end server in communication with the front end server and the image store;
• using production equipment to apply the personalized image to the tangible financial transaction card, the personalized image being based on the customer image selection data associated with the customer identifier by the image manipulation emulator.