Stand alone photofinishing apparatus

Claim 2

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus comprising: a film receiving device for holding a film cartridge containing an undeveloped filmstrip therein from a customer, said filmstrip having at least one image; a customer order data entry station for entering an order selection; a payment means for accepting payment from the customer; developing section for developing said filmstrip, said developing section for developing comprising at least one processing tank containing a processing solution for processing of said filmstrip; a scanner for digitally scanning the developed filmstrip so as to obtain a digital record of the at least one image developed on said filmstrip; a print section for dry printing the at least one image on said developed filmstrip using the digital record so as to produce at least one print; and a storage and/or delivery section for returning the at least one print and said developed filmstrip to the customer.

Claim 3

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said customer order data entry station comprises a keyboard.

Claim 4

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said customer order data entry station comprises a touch sensitive CRT screen.

Claim 5

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said payment means comprises a credit card reader.

Claim 6

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for digitally scanning the developed filmstrip comprises a CCD array.

Claim 7

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for developing said filmstrip further comprises a recirculation system having a filtering unit for filtering unwanted particles and/or ions.

Claim 8

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for developing said filmstrip further comprises a recirculation system having a distillation unit for reusing some of the waste liquid from said at least one processing tank.

Claim 9

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the customer order is delivered upon proper presentation of ID.

Claim 10

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said ID comprises a credit card that was used initially to place the order.

Claim 11

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus comprising: a film receiving station for receiving and holding a film cartridge containing an undeveloped filmstrip provided by a customer, said filmstrip having at least one image; a customer order data entry station for entering an order selection; payment means for accepting payment from the customer; a developing section for developing said filmstrip, said developing section for developing comprising at least one processing tank containing a processing solution for processing of said filmstrip, said means for developing comprising a replenishment system which includes means for supplying replenishment processing solution to said at least one processing tank and means for receiving the overflow of processing solution from said at least one processing tank, distillation means for recovering distilled water from said overflow processing solution and means for using the distilled water in the replenishment system; a scanner for scanning the developed filmstrip so as to obtain a digital record of the at least one image developed on said filmstrip; a print section for dry printing the at least one image on said developed filmstrip using the digital record so as to produce at least one print; and a storage and/or delivery section for returning the at least one print and said developed filmstrip to the customer.

Claim 12

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus comprising: a film receiving station for receiving and holding a film cartridge containing an undeveloped filmstrip provided by a customer, said filmstrip having at least one image; a customer order data entry station for entering an order selection; payment means for accepting payment from the customer; a developing section for developing said filmstrip, said developing section for developing comprising at least one processing tank containing a processing solution for processing of said filmstrip, said means for developing comprising a replenishment system which includes means for supplying replenishment processing solution to said at least one processing tank and means for receiving the overflow of processing solution from said at least one processing tank, distillation means for recovering distilled water from said overflow processing solution and means for using the distilled water in the replenishment system; a scanner for scanning the developed filmstrip so as to obtain a digital record of the at least one image developed on said filmstrip; a print section for dry printing the at least one image on said developed filmstrip using the digital record so as to produce at least one print; and a storage and/or delivery section for returning the at least one print and said developed filmstrip to the customer.

Claim 13

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said customer order data entry station comprises a keyboard.

Claim 14

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said customer order data entry station comprises a touch sensitive CRT screen.

Claim 15

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said payment means comprises a credit card reader.

Claim 16

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said means for digitally scanning the developed filmstrip comprises a CCD array.

Claim 17

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said means for developing said filmstrip further comprises a recirculation system having a filtering unit for filtering unwanted particles and/or ions.

Claim 18

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said means for developing said filmstrip further comprises a recirculation system having a distillation unit for reusing some of the waste liquid from said at least one processing tank.

Claim 19

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing system comprising: a customer order data entry system for obtaining customer order information regarding the printing of images from a digital record supplied by a customer, said filmstrip having at least one image; a payment mechanism for accepting payment from the customer in response to the customer order entry information provided by the customer; an input port for receiving a digital record from the customer which is representative of images to be printed by the apparatus; a printing section for dry printing the image using the digital record supplied by the customer so as to obtain a hard copy of at least one print of the at least one image; and a delivery section for delivering of the at least one print to the customer.

Claim 20

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing system comprising: a customer order data entry system for obtaining customer order information regarding the printing of images from a digital record supplied by a customer, said filmstrip having at least one image; a payment mechanism for accepting payment from the customer in response to the customer order entry information provided by the customer; an input port for receiving a digital record from the customer which is representative of images to be printed by the apparatus; a printing section for dry printing the image using the digital record supplied by the customer so as to obtain a hard copy of at least one print of the at least one image; and a delivery section for delivering of the at least one print to the customer.

Claim 21

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said digital record is supplied by any one of the following devices: photo CD, digital scanning, floppy disk, modem.

Claim 22

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said customer order data entry station comprises a keyboard.

Claim 23

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said customer order data entry station comprises a touch sensitive CRT screen.

Claim 24

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said payment means comprises a credit card reader.

Claim 25

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said means for digitally scanning the developed filmstrip comprises a CCD array.

Claim 26

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said means for developing said filmstrip further comprises a recirculation system having a filtering unit for filtering unwanted particles and/or ions.

Claim 27

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said means for developing said filmstrip further comprises a recirculation system having a distillation unit for reusing some of the waste liquid from said at least one processing tank.

Claim 28

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus comprising: a film receiving section for receiving and holding a film cartridge containing an undeveloped filmstrip therein from a customer, said filmstrip having at least one image; a customer order data entry station for entering an order selection; a developing section for developing said filmstrip, said developing section for developing comprising at least one processing tank containing a processing solution for processing of said filmstrip; a scanner for scanning the developed filmstrip so as to obtain a digital record of the at least one image developed on said filmstrip; a printing section for dry printing the at least one image on said developed filmstrip using the digital record so as to produce at least one print; and a delivery section for returning the at least one print and said developed filmstrip to the customer.

Claim 29

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus comprising: a film receiving section for receiving and holding a film cartridge containing an undeveloped filmstrip therein from a customer, said filmstrip having at least one image; a customer order data entry station for entering an order selection; a developing section for developing said filmstrip, said developing section for developing comprising at least one processing tank containing a processing solution for processing of said filmstrip; a scanner for scanning the developed filmstrip so as to obtain a digital record of the at least one image developed on said filmstrip; a printing section for dry printing the at least one image on said developed filmstrip using the digital record so as to produce at least one print; and a delivery section for returning the at least one print and said developed filmstrip to the customer.

Claim 30

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said customer order data entry station comprises a keyboard.

Claim 31

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 26 wherein said customer order data entry station comprises a touch sensitive CRT screen.

Claim 32

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 26 wherein said payment means comprises a credit card reader.

Claim 33

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 26 wherein said means for digitally scanning the developed filmstrip comprises a CCD array.

Claim 34

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 26 wherein said means for developing said filmstrip further comprises a recirculation system having a filtering unit for filtering unwanted particles and/or ions.

Claim 35

A stand alone customer operated photofinishing apparatus according to claim 27 wherein said means for developing said filmstrip further comprises a recirculation system having a distillation unit for reusing some of the waste liquid from said at least one processing tank.