Image printing

Claim 2

An image printing system for generating multiple printed image copies in response to an order, the image printing system comprising: (a) a processor which can divide the order into multiple sub-orders for respective image printers, said processor being adapted to provide each sub-order with a sub-order header that includes a unique order identification, an image characteristic identification of at least one characteristic of an image of the sub-order which is to be printed by a corresponding printer, and an indication of the number of copies of the image to be printed by the corresponding printer; and (b) a plurality of image printers connected to the processor, each of which is adapted to receive a corresponding sub-order, print the corresponding sub-order header, and print the numbers of image copies indicated in that header.

Claim 3

An image printing system according to claim 1 wherein the processor provides at least one sub-order header with an identification of another printer at which another sub-order is to be printed.

Claim 4

An image printing system according to claim 2 wherein the processor also provides that at least one sub-order header with an identification of at least one characteristic of image prints which will be generated by another printer at which another sub-order of the order is printed.

Claim 5

An image printing system according to claim 2, additionally comprising: a print status monitor to determine for an image printer a print status of the corresponding sub-order and to forward print status information to another image printer; and wherein the other image printer prints the received sub-order status information.

Claim 6

An image printing system according to claim 4 wherein the print status monitor determines print status information which includes estimated time for printing the sub-order at the corresponding printer.

Claim 7

An image printing system according to claim 2, additionally comprising: a print status monitor to determine for image printers a print status of the corresponding sub-order and to forward print status information to image printers which have not printed their corresponding sub-order header; and wherein image printers which have not printed their corresponding sub-order header, print received sub-order status information for other image printers along with their sub-order header.

Claim 8

An image printing system according to claim 1 wherein the processor provides a sub-order header for each corresponding image printer which additionally includes an identification of each other image printer to which sub-orders of the order are sent.

Claim 9

An image printing system according to claim 1 wherein the processor provides at least one sub-order header which includes an identification of at least one characteristic of image prints which will be generated by the printer to which that sub-order will be sent.

Claim 10

An image printing system according to claim 1 wherein the image characteristic identification provided by the processor comprises a reduced resolution version of an image of the corresponding sub-order.

Claim 11

An image printing system according to claim 1 wherein each sub-order includes an image signal.

Claim 12

An image printing system according to claim 1 wherein the processor also forwards an index of sub-orders to a printer, which index includes an identification of all printers to which sub-orders of the order are forwarded.

Claim 13

An image printing system according to claim 11, additionally comprising: a print status monitor to determine for image printers, a print status of the corresponding sub-order, and forward print status information to image printers which have not printed their corresponding sub-order header; and wherein: the print status monitor determines print status information which includes estimated time for printing the sub-order at each corresponding printer; the estimated times for respective printers are printed along with the index; and wherein image printers which have not printed their corresponding sub-order header, print received sub-order status information for other image printers along with their sub-order header.

Claim 14

An image printing system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the image printers prints the images of the sub-order allocated to that printer, sequentially as a series or with a common printed identification.

Claim 15

A photofinishing laboratory comprising: (a) a chemical developer to develop latent images on a film; (b) a scanner to scan the developed images and generate corresponding image signals; (c) a memory to store the image signals; (d) an order receiver to receive an order for generating multiple prints of the images; and (c) an image printing system for generating multiple printed image copies in response to the order, said image printing system having: (i) a processor which can divide the order into multiple sub-orders for respective image printers, said processor being adapted to provide each sub-order with a sub-order header that includes a unique order identification, an image characteristic identification of at least one characteristic of an image of the sub-order which is to be printed by a corresponding printer, and an indication of the number of copies of the image to be printed by the corresponding printer; and (ii) a plurality of image printers connected to the processor, each of which receives a corresponding sub-order, prints the corresponding sub-order header, and prints the numbers of image copies indicated in that header.

Claim 16

A photofinishing laboratory comprising: (a) a chemical developer to develop latent images on a film; (b) a scanner to scan the developed images and generate corresponding image signals; (c) a memory to store the image signals; (d) an order receiver to receive an order for generating multiple prints of the images; and (c) an image printing system for generating multiple printed image copies in response to the order, said image printing system having: (i) a processor which can divide the order into multiple sub-orders for respective image printers, said processor being adapted to provide each sub-order with a sub-order header that includes a unique order identification, an image characteristic identification of at least one characteristic of an image of the sub-order which is to be printed by a corresponding printer, and an indication of the number of copies of the image to be printed by the corresponding printer; and (ii) a plurality of image printers connected to the processor, each of which receives a corresponding sub-order, prints the corresponding sub-order header, and prints the numbers of image copies indicated in that header.

Claim 17

A photofinishing laboratory according to claim 14 wherein the order receiver is a code reader which reads the orders in the form of a machine readable code on the films.

Claim 18

An image printing method for generating multiple printed image copies in response to an order, the method comprising the steps of: (a) dividing the order into multiple sub-orders for respective image printers, each sub-order having a sub-order header which includes a unique order identification, an image characteristic identification of at least one characteristic of an image of the sub-order which is to be printed by a corresponding printer, and an indication of the number of copies of the image to be printed by the corresponding printer; and (b) printing at each of a plurality of image printers, a corresponding sub-order header and the number of image copies indicated in that header.

Claim 19

An image printing method for generating multiple printed image copies in response to an order, the method comprising the steps of: (a) dividing the order into multiple sub-orders for respective image printers, each sub-order having a sub-order header which includes a unique order identification, an image characteristic identification of at least one characteristic of an image of the sub-order which is to be printed by a corresponding printer, and an indication of the number of copies of the image to be printed by the corresponding printer; and (b) printing at each of a plurality of image printers, a corresponding sub-order header and the number of image copies indicated in that header.

Claim 20

A method according to claim 16 wherein at least one sub-order header for a corresponding printer includes an identification of another printer at which another sub-order is to be printed.

Claim 21

A method according to claim 17 wherein a sub-order header is provided for each corresponding image printer which additionally includes an identification of each other image printer to which sub-orders of the order are sent.

Claim 22

A method according to claim 17 wherein the processor also provides at least one sub-order header with an identification of at least one characteristic of image prints which will be generated by another printer at which the another sub-order of the order is printed.

Claim 23

A method according to claim 16 wherein the image characteristic identification provided by the processor comprises a reduced resolution version of an image of the corresponding sub-order.

Claim 24

A method according to claim 16 wherein each sub-order includes an image signal.

Claim 25

A method according to claim 16 additionally comprising forwarding an index of sub-orders to a printer, which index includes an identification of all printers to which sub-orders of the order are forwarded.

Claim 26

A method according to claim 17, additionally comprising: determining for an image printer, a print status of the corresponding sub-order, and forwarding print status information to another image printer; and printing the received sub-order status information at the other image printer.

Claim 27

A method according to claim 16, additionally comprising: determining for each image printer, a print status of the corresponding sub-order, and forwarding print status information to image printers which have not printed their corresponding sub-order header; and wherein image printers which have not printed their corresponding sub-order header, print received sub-order status information for other image printers along with their sub-order header.

Claim 28

A computer program product for use with a programmable processor communicating with an image order input source and a plurality of image printers, the computer program product comprising: a computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of: (a) dividing an order received from the image order input source into multiple sub-orders for respective image printers, including generating a sub-order header having a unique order identification and an indication of the number of copies of the image to be printed by the corresponding printer; and (b) forwarding generated sub-order headers to respective image printers.

Claim 29

A computer program product for use with a programmable processor communicating with an image order input source and a plurality of image printers, the computer program product comprising: a computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of: (a) dividing an order received from the image order input source into multiple sub-orders for respective image printers, including generating a sub-order header having a unique order identification and an indication of the number of copies of the image to be printed by the corresponding printer; and (b) forwarding generated sub-order headers to respective image printers.

Claim 30

A computer program product according to claim 25 wherein at least one sub-order header for a corresponding printer includes an identification of another printer at which another sub-order is to be printed.

Claim 31

A computer program product according to claim 25 wherein a generated sub-order header is provided for each corresponding image printer which additionally includes an identification of each other image printer to which sub-orders of the order are sent.

Claim 32

A computer program product according to claim 25 wherein at least generated one sub-order header includes an identification of at least one characteristic of image prints which will be generated by the printer to which that sub-order is be sent.

Claim 33

A computer program product according to claim 25 wherein the computer program additionally performs the step of: determining for an image printer, a print status of the corresponding sub-order, and forwarding print status information to another image printer.

Claim 34

A computer program product according to claim 25 wherein the computer program additionally performs the steps of: determining for each image printer, a print status of the corresponding sub-order, and forwarding print status information to image printers which have not printed their corresponding sub-order header.

Claim 35

An image printing system for generating multiple printed image copies in response to an order, the image printing system comprising: a processor which can divide the order into multiple sub-orders for respective image printers, each sub-order having a sub-order header which includes a unique order identification and an indication of the number of copies of the image to be printed by the corresponding printer; and a plurality of image printers connected to the processor, each of which is adapted to receive a corresponding sub-order, print the corresponding sub-order header, and print the numbers of image copies indicated in that header; wherein the processor provides a sub-order header for each corresponding image printer which additionally includes an identification of each other image printer to which sub-orders of the order are sent.

Claim 36

An image printing system for generating multiple printed image copies in response to an order, the image printing system comprising: a processor which can divide the order into multiple sub-orders for respective image printers, each sub-order having a sub-order header which includes a unique order identification and an indication of the number of copies of the image to be printed by the corresponding printer; and a plurality of image printers connected to the processor, each of which is adapted to receive a corresponding sub-order, print the corresponding sub-order header, and print the numbers of image copies indicated in that header; wherein the processor provides a sub-order header for each corresponding image printer which additionally includes an identification of each other image printer to which sub-orders of the order are sent.