Patent US6154295A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US6154295A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

System and method for selecting photographic images

Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 83 LLC
•
Filing: 1995-08-03
•
Granted: 2000-11-28
•
Expires: 2015-08-03
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A method for remotely selecting and ordering photographic prints, includes the steps of: sending a photographic film bearing a plurality of latent images to a photofinisher; developing the photographic film to produce visible images and scanning the visible images to create a digital image file at the photo finisher; producing an index print having a plurality of images from the photographic film along with an index number associated with each image and an order number; sending the index print to a customer; selecting images for which prints are desired from the index print; ordering photographic prints via telephone from the customer's home to the photofinisher, specifying the order number and the index numbers associated with the images for which prints are desired; and making photographic prints of the selected images at the photofinisher and sending the photographic prints to the customer.

Inventors

  • 👤 John Randall Fredlund
  • 👤 David Lynn Patton
  • 👤 Roger R. A. Morton
  • 👤 Steven Bruce Paciocco

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 11:06
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N19/00; G; G03; G03D; G03D15/00; G03D15/001; G03D15/003; G03D15/005; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/06; G06Q30/0601; H04N1/00; H04N1/00127; H04N1/00132; H04N1/00135; H04N1/00137; H04N1/00143; H04N1/00145; H04N1/00148; H04N1/00161; H04N1/00164; H04N1/00167; H04N1/00185; H04N1/00188; H04N1/00249; H04N1/00962; H04N1/21; H04N1/2166; H04N1/217; H04N1/23; H04N1/2307; H04N1/2338; H04N1/2361; H04N19/60; G03B; G03B2206/00; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3225; H04N2201/3242

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 162 words
A method for remotely selecting and ordering photographic prints, comprising the steps of: a) sending a photographic film bearing a plurality of latent images to a photofinisher; b) developing the photographic film to produce visible images and scanning the visible images to create a digital image file at the photo finisher; c) producing an index print having a plurality of images from the photographic film along with an index number associated with each image and an order number; d) sending the index print to a customer; e) selecting images for which prints are desired from the index print; f) ordering photographic prints via telephone from the customer's location, specifying the order number and the index numbers associated with the images for which prints are desired; g) making photographic prints of the selected images at the photofinisher and sending the photographic prints to the customer; and h) deleting the digital image file if no order for prints is made within a predetermined time.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 162 words
A method for remotely selecting and ordering photographic prints, comprising the steps of: a) sending a photographic film bearing a plurality of latent images to a photofinisher; b) developing the photographic film to produce visible images and scanning the visible images to create a digital image file at the photo finisher; c) producing an index print having a plurality of images from the photographic film along with an index number associated with each image and an order number; d) sending the index print to a customer; e) selecting images for which prints are desired from the index print; f) ordering photographic prints via telephone from the customer's location, specifying the order number and the index numbers associated with the images for which prints are desired; g) making photographic prints of the selected images at the photofinisher and sending the photographic prints to the customer; and h) deleting the digital image file if no order for prints is made within a predetermined time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 38 words
The method for remotely selecting and ordering photographic prints claimed in claim 1, wherein the developed film is returned to the customer along with the index print and the photographic prints are made from the digital image file.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 49 words
The method for remotely selecting and ordering photographic prints claimed in claim 2, wherein the digital image file is transferred to and stored at a digital image center remote from the location where the film was developed and scanned, where the photographic prints are made by a digital printer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method for remotely selecting and ordering photographic prints claimed in claim 3, wherein the digital image file is compressed prior to storage.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 54 words
The method for remotely selecting and ordering photographic prints claimed in claim 4, wherein the compression comprises the steps of: a. converting the digital image to YCC color space; b. down sampling the chroma (CC); and c. performing JPEG compression on the Y and down sampled CC components of the converted digital image signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 44 words
The method for remotely selecting and ordering photographic prints claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing other image related services selected from the group of greeting cards, business cards, image bearing articles, printed album pages, collages, a Photo CD™ along with the photographic prints.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method for remotely selecting and ordering photographic prints claimed in claim 1, wherein the orders are taken by a computer/voice ordering system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 38 words
The method for remotely selecting and ordering photographic prints claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: a. recording a voice message from the customer; and b. providing other image related services employing the recorded voice message.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method for remotely selecting and ordering photographic prints claimed in claim 8, wherein the other image related services include adding sound to prints.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 35 words
The method for remotely selecting and ordering photographic prints claimed in claim 8, wherein the other image related services include transcribing the voice message and backprinting the message on the prints or on a label.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4528643A Cited
US5189510A Cited
US5101286A Cited
US5185821A Cited
US5307176A Cited
US5335084A Cited
US5270839A Cited
US5448372A Cited
US5420699A Cited
US5477353A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2003-11-28 2004-05-29 2004-11-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-11-28 2008-05-29 2008-11-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-11-28 2012-05-29 2012-11-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag