Personalized gift cards for imaging products and services
Granted: July 14, 2009
Patent Number:
7561299
A method for producing a gift card for a gift imaging product, comprises receiving an order of the gift imaging product from a user, producing the gift imaging product, producing the gift card by the user for the gift imaging product; and consolidating the gift card with the gift imaging product into one package.
System and methods for image management
Granted: March 31, 2009
Patent Number:
7512859
An image management system includes a first storage device configured to store a list of image identifiers indexed by one or more image property descriptors, wherein each of the image identifiers corresponds to a digital image, an index processor in communication with the first storage device, configured to write the image identifiers and the associated image property descriptors for each image identifier in the image index storage, and a search processor in communication with the first…
Automated verification of copyrighted digital images
Granted: February 17, 2009
Patent Number:
7492922
A computer-assisted method for detecting copyright protection in digital images receives a digital image, searches for capture device information associated with the digital image, calculates one or more image characteristics of the digital image, and verifies copyright ownership and usage authorization of the digital image in response to the capture device information and the calculated image characteristics.
Automatic generation of a photo album
Granted: January 6, 2009
Patent Number:
7474801
A method for producing a digital photo album includes selecting a plurality of digital images each characterized by a portrait format or a landscape format, providing a library of page layouts each comprising one or more image areas configured to receive digital images. Each of the image areas is characterized by an image area format consistent with the image format. One or more page layouts are automatically selected from the library of page layouts in accordance with the selected…
Image ranking for imaging products and services
Granted: December 16, 2008
Patent Number:
7467222
A computer-assisted method provides a plurality of digital images, selects a digital image, obtains one or more image characteristics of the selected digital image, computes one or more image-ranking values for the selected digital image based on the obtained image characteristics of the selected digital image, and ranks the selected digital image using the computed image-ranking values.
Producing printing images having personalized features
Granted: October 14, 2008
Patent Number:
7437024
A method for personalizing an image-based physical manifestation to conform with user preferences for image processing. In one implementation, the method includes identifying an image for processing, identifying user preferences for image processing and processing the image including manipulating image data for the image in accordance with the user preferences.
System and method of changing attributes an image-based product
Granted: July 1, 2008
Patent Number:
7395229
A system and method for changing attributes of an image-based product in which an attribute of a first image is automatically identified and a new value for a product attribute of the image-based product is automatically selected based on the image attribute. Also, a user interface can be provided that allows a user to actuate a user interface control in order to select a new value for a product attribute of an image-based product. Such techniques can be used to offer image-based…
Apparatus and method for high-throughput and flexible digital printing
Granted: June 24, 2008
Patent Number:
7391528
A digital printing system for producing prints in response to input digital images includes a digital printer and a plurality of computer processors. The plurality of computer processors includes one or more image-rendering units for rendering the input digital images to generate rendered digital images, wherein the image rendering is independent of specific characteristics of the digital printer. The plurality of computer processors further includes one or more image processors for…
Automated copyright detection in digital images
Granted: April 29, 2008
Patent Number:
7366322
A computer-assisted method for detecting copyright protection in digital images receives a digital image, searches for capture device information associated with the digital image, calculates one or more image characteristics of the digital image, and verifies copyright ownership and usage authorization of the digital image in response to the capture device information and the calculated image characteristics.
Automated printing system for producing copyright protected image-based product
Granted: February 5, 2008
Patent Number:
7328173
An automated printing system for producing an image-based product comprises a server computer that receives from a first user a group of one or more copyright protected digital images and price information for image-based product. The price information can be distinct for each group of copyright protected digital images. The automated printing system also includes a computer processor that processes the copyright protected digital images in response to an order from a second user and…
Automated manufacturing system
Granted: January 8, 2008
Patent Number:
7317960
An automated manufacturing system comprises a computer processing system and a plurality of consolidation systems. The computer processing system receives information on product subbatches and product packages and consolidation status information to produce consolidation assignment information, each product package comprising one or more product subbatches. The consolidation systems receive the product subbatches in accordance to the consolidation assignment information and consolidate…
Restartable image uploading
Granted: September 11, 2007
Patent Number:
7269800
A computer-implemented method uploads image data to a remote computer such as a server by: defining an area in a user interface adapted to receive an image; generating a thumbnail associated with the image when the image is associated with the area; and, uploading the image to the server.
Automated manufacturing system
Granted: July 10, 2007
Patent Number:
7242993
An automated manufacturing system comprises a computer processing system and a plurality of consolidation systems. The computer processing system receives information on product subbatches and product packages and consolidation status information to produce consolidation assignment information, each product package comprising one or more product subbatches. The consolidation systems receive the product subbatches in accordance to the consolidation assignment information and consolidate…
User interface and methods for online print service
Granted: July 10, 2007
Patent Number:
7243079
A user interface, methods and tools for manipulating, displaying and ordering image prints from an on-line print service. One user interface includes a personalized account summary including an image selected from the user's archives. Another user interface includes a first field including an image to be printed and a second field including a text box for specifying a message to be printed on the image print. Another user interface includes a drop spot, the drop spot being a designated…
Personalized photo greeting cards
Granted: June 26, 2007
Patent Number:
7236258
A method for producing personalized greeting cards includes receiving a plurality of greeting card orders from users and separating the ordered greeting cards into batches. The ordered greeting cards are produced in batches and a batch-separation symbol is printed on at least one greeting card in each batch. The greeting cards produced are separated into batches using the batch-separation symbols.
Previewing a framed image print
Granted: June 12, 2007
Patent Number:
7230628
An apparatus and method of generating a visual representation of an image based product. Where the image based product is a picture image, the method produces a framed prototype image showing the picture image framed within a frame. The method includes providing a frame image showing the frame in a perspective view. The frame image has a picture portion corresponding to the portion of the frame used to view a picture mounted in the frame. The method includes mapping the picture image to…
Previewing and manipulating a framed image print
Granted: March 13, 2007
Patent Number:
7190370
An apparatus and method of generating a visual representation of an image based product. Where the image based product is a picture image, the method produces a framed prototype image showing the picture image framed within a frame. The method includes providing a frame image showing the frame in a perspective view. The frame image has a picture portion corresponding to the portion of the frame used to view a picture mounted in the frame. The method includes mapping the picture image to…
Image uploading
Granted: December 5, 2006
Patent Number:
7146575
A computer-implemented method uploads image data to a remote computer such as a server by: defining an area in a user interface adapted to receive an image; generating a thumbnail associated with the image when the image is associated with the area; and, uploading the image to the server.
Automated copyright detection in digital images
Granted: October 10, 2006
Patent Number:
7120274
A computer-assisted method for detecting copyright protection in digital images receives a digital image, searches for capture device information associated with the digital image, calculates one or more image characteristics of the digital image, and verifies copyright ownership and usage authorization of the digital image in response to the capture device information and the calculated image characteristics.
Printing images in an optimized manner
Granted: March 21, 2006
Patent Number:
7016059
A method and system of producing image prints and other physical manifestations of images from an order specifying one or more recipients and, for each specified recipient, a set of one or more images associated with that recipient. For each recipient specified by the order, the images associated with the recipient are separated into at least one printable unit of images. Each printable unit of images can be scheduled for image processing and/or printing in an optimized manner (e.g.,…
