US 5,913,019 A · Direct view interactive photo kiosk and composite image forming process for same

Abstract

An interactive photo kiosk in which, in one embodiment thereof, presents an upright open face which enables a user to stand directly in front of the kiosk, which optically defocuses the background image and substitutes a selected computer generated image, and which enables the user to pose and freeze a selected image made visible to the user on a display screen. Users may choose from among a menu of different computer generated background images. In a preferred embodiment, the selected frozen image is in digital form and is processed electronically to form a single digital multiple image of the same image in a selected area format which, when delivered to a printing apparatus for hard copy print-out, produces a multiple image of the same frozen image on a single sheet wherein each of the multiple images can be peeled off the single sheet and used separately from each other. An interactive image adjusting feature is provided to allow a user to modify the size and orientation of the user's image within the composite image. The composite image is formed by providing a uniform colored backdrop behind the user, imaging the user with the backdrop, and electronically replacing the backdrop color with the selected background image.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A photo kiosk for automatically taking, processing and delivering to a user in response to user-activated commands photographic images of the user posed at the photo kiosk comprising:

a backdrop formed of a single preselected color positioned at a distance from said kiosk so as to be located behind the user posed at said kiosk as a color background;
an electronic imaging device for electronically forming first electronic imaging information representative of an image of the user-and said color background posed in a region provided at the photo kiosk for the user to pose;
means for providing at least one selected background image;
means for replacing said background color in said first electronic imaging information with said selected background image to form second electronic imaging information;
display for displaying an image represented by said second electronic imaging information;
a printer for printing out hard copy images responsive to electronic imaging information delivered thereto;
means for delivering said second electronic imaging information to said printer for printing out from said printer hard copy images represented by said second electronic information;
and
delivery means for automatically delivering to said user said hard copy images.

6 more elements

A method for automatically taking, processing and delivering to a user in response to user-activated commands photographic images of the user posed at a photo kiosk, comprising the steps of:

providing a backdrop formed of a single preselected color positioned at a distance from said kiosk so as to be located behind the user posed at said kiosk as a color background;
forming first electronic imaging information representative of an image of the user and said color background posed in a region provided at the photo kiosk for the user to pose;
providing at least one selected background image;
replacing said background color in said first electronic imaging information with said selected background image to form second electronic imaging information;
displaying an image represented by said second electronic imaging information;
printing out hard copy images represented by said second electronic information;
and
automatically delivering to said user said hard copy images.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Direct view interactive photo kiosk and composite image forming process for same

Life of this patent

Direct view interactive photo kiosk and composite image forming process for same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12