Distributed digital film processing system and method
AssigneeApplied Science Fiction, Inc.
InventorsStacy S. Cook, Leland A. Lester
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Photo-images are read from film using a digital film processing (DFP) system, and then transmitted for processing, along with any necessary associated information. After processing, the images can be stored in a database or transmitted to an image delivery system, such as a personal computer or kiosk, where a print, negative, computer file, or other representation of the image is prepared for delivery to a customer. All or any part of the image processing, archival, manipulation, retrieval, and delivery systems and associated interfaces may reside on an Internet web site.
Claims62
A DFP system comprising:
- at least a first communications interface, said at least a first communications interface to receive image information requiring further processing from at least one remotely located DFP imaging system and to transmit processed information to at least one image delivery system;
- at least one processor operably associated with said at least a first communications interface;
- memory operably associated with said processor;
- and
- a program of instructions capable of being stored in said memory and executed by said processor, said program of instructions enabled to manipulate said received image information to generate a processed electronic representation of a desired image.
A method of processing digital film images, the method comprising:
- scanning a film having an image formed thereon;
- recording at least one electronic representation of the image, the at least one electronic representation requiring further processing before being suitable for viewing;
- transmitting information associated with the at least one electronic representation to a remote processing system;
- processing the transmitted information to generate a processed electronic representation of a desired image;
- and
- transmitting the processed electronic representation of a desired image to an image delivery system.
A distributed DFP system comprising:
- an imaging system to record electronic representations of images formed on film and to transmit said electronic representations for processing, said electronic representations requiring further processing before being suitable for viewing;
- an image processing system capable of receiving said transmitted electronic representations, and further capable of manipulating said transmitted electronic representations to generate a processed electronic representation of a desired image, said processing system further capable of transmitting said processed electronic representation of a desired image for storage;
- a database enabled to store said processed electronic representation of a desired image, and to transmit said processed electronic representation of a desired image for delivery;
- and
- an image delivery system enabled to receive said processed electronic representation of a desired image, and to encode a physical medium with a representation of said desired image.
A DFP system comprising:
- an image capturing system enabled to record a plurality of electronic representations of an image formed on film, said electronic representations requiring further processing before being suitable for viewing;
- an image processing system capable of manipulating said plurality of electronic representations of an image formed on film to generate a processed electronic representation of a desired image;
- and
- at least one communications interface enabled to receive and transmit information via the Internet, said information including information associated with said desired image.
A method of delivering images resulting from DFP, the method comprising:
- recording a plurality of electronic representations of an image formed on a film, said electronic representations requiring further processing before being suitable for viewing;
- processing the plurality of electronic representations to generate a processed electronic representation of a desired image;
- and
- delivering the electronic representation of the desired image via the Internet.
A signal embodied in a propagation medium, said signal comprising:
- at least one instruction enabled to record a plurality of electronic representations of an image formed on a film, said electronic representations requiring further processing before being suitable for viewing;
- at least one instruction enabled to process the plurality of electronic representations to generate a processed electronic representation of the desired image via the Internet.
A storage and retrieval system for electronic images, said system comprising:
- a plurality of electronic image archives, said plurality of image archives enabled to store electronic images recorded from film and information associated with said electronic images;
- a plurality of image delivery systems, said plurality of image delivery systems enabled to encode physical media with representations of said electronic images;
- and wherein
- at least one of said plurality of image delivery systems includes at least one of said plurality of electronic image archives.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.