Patent US5652049A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6952286B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Doubleprint photofinishing service with the second print having subject content-based modifications
Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures LLC
•
Filing: 2000-12-07
•
Granted: 2005-10-04
•
Expires: 2020-12-07
Abstract
Abstract A method is disclosed for providing photofinishing services for images having a main subject and background, comprising the steps of producing a digital image of a customer's photographic image; producing a main subject belief map from the digital image; employing the main subject belief map to produce a modified digital image; producing a print of the digital image; producing a print of the modified digital image; and delivering both prints to the customer. The step of employing the main subject belief map to produce a modified digital image includes zoom and crop steps that maintain a main subject within a resulting cropped image. The step of employing the main subject belief map to produce a modified digital image may include a subject emphasizing step. The emphasizing step may include the step of maintaining the main subject in color and the background in black and white, the step of altering the background by reduced brightness to produce a spotlight effect on the main subject, and/or the step of altering the background with reduced sharpness. The step of employing the main subject belief map to produce a modified digital image may include the step of altering pixel values that are a part of the main subject and/or altering pixel values that are a part of the background.
Inventors
- 👤 Jiebo Luo
- 👤 Robert T. Gray
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 10:12
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T7/00; G06T7/10; G06T7/11; G06F; G06F18/00; G06F18/20; G06F18/29; G06T7/194; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/40; G06V10/42; G06V10/70; G06V10/84; G06V20/00; G06T2207/00; G06T2207/30; G06T2207/30196; G06T2207/30201
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of providing photofinishing services for images having a main subject and background, comprising the steps of: obtaining a digital image of a customer's image; producing a main subject belief map from the digital image; employing the main subject belief map to produce a modified digital image, the employing step including zooming and cropping that maintain a main subject within a resulting cropped image; producing a print of the digital image; producing a print of the modified digital image; and delivering both prints to the customer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of providing photofinishing services for images having a main subject and background, comprising the steps of: obtaining a digital image of a customer's image; producing a main subject belief map from the digital image; employing the main subject belief map to produce a modified digital image, the employing step including zooming and cropping that maintain a main subject within a resulting cropped image; producing a print of the digital image; producing a print of the modified digital image; and delivering both prints to the customer.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of providing photofinishing services for images having a main subject and background, comprising the steps of: obtaining a digital image of a customer's image; producing a main subject belief map from the digital image; employing the main subject belief map to produce a modified digital image, the employing step including a subject emphasizing step; producing a print of the digital image; producing a print of the modified digital image; and delivering both prints to the customer.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of providing photofinishing services for images having a main subject and background, comprising the steps of: obtaining a digital image of a customer's image; producing a main subject belief map from the digital image; employing the main subject belief map to produce a modified digital image, the employing step including a subject emphasizing step; producing a print of the digital image; producing a print of the modified digital image; and delivering both prints to the customer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the subject emphasizing step includes the step of altering the background with reduced sharpness.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the subject emphasizing step includes the step of maintaining the main subject in color and the background in black and white.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the subject emphasizing step includes the step of altering the background by reduced brightness to produce a spotlight effect on the main subject.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of providing photofinishing services for images having a main subject and background, comprising the steps of: obtaining a digital image of a customer's image; producing a main subject belief map from the digital image; employing the main subject belief map to produce a modified digital image, wherein the employing step includes altering pixel values that are a part of the main subject; producing a print of the digital image; producing a print of the modified digital image; and delivering both prints to the customer.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of providing photofinishing services for images having a main subject and background, comprising the steps of: obtaining a digital image of a customer's image; producing a main subject belief map from the digital image; employing the main subject belief map to produce a modified digital image, wherein the employing step includes altering pixel values that are a part of the main subject; producing a print of the digital image; producing a print of the modified digital image; and delivering both prints to the customer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the step of employing the main subject belief map to produce a modified digital image also includes altering pixel values that are a part of the background.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of providing photofinishing services for images having a main subject and background, comprising the steps of: obtaining a digital image of a customer's image; producing a main subject belief map from the digital image; employing the main subject belief map to produce a modified digital image, wherein the employing step includes altering pixel values that are a part of the background; producing a print of the digital image; producing a print of the modified digital image; and delivering both prints to the customer.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of providing photofinishing services for images having a main subject and background, comprising the steps of: obtaining a digital image of a customer's image; producing a main subject belief map from the digital image; employing the main subject belief map to produce a modified digital image, wherein the employing step includes altering pixel values that are a part of the background; producing a print of the digital image; producing a print of the modified digital image; and delivering both prints to the customer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US6038011A
Cited
US5611027A
Cited
US5333549A
Cited
US6057931A
Cited
US5978100A
Cited
US6714314B1
Cited
US6654506B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-10-03 | 2009-04-04 | 2009-10-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-10-03 | 2013-04-04 | 2013-10-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-10-03 | 2017-04-04 | 2017-10-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |