Photofinishing apparatus

Abstract

Photofinishing apparatus for producing photographic prints from originals such as positive transparencies, negative transparencies or positive reflection prints and for printing a customer bill is controlled by an electronic computer. Some data required for producing prints in the photographic printer is entered into the computer via an operator keyboard. Other data may be entered into the computer via a device that measures the size and format of the original, an exposure determining station, and a code reader for reading a code on the photofinishing envelope. The data is stored in a memory associated with the computer and is used to control the photographic printer. Pricing data is also contained in a memory associated with the computer. After the originals have been printed, the computer uses the pricing data and the data that was used to control the printer to control the customer billing printer. Such an arrangement eliminates the need for an operator to handle some of the same data twice, thus substantially reducing possibilities for error.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.