Location sharing and tracking using mobile phones or other wireless devices

Upon providing a network photograph service, a prompt service can be provided to a customer without losing the advantage thereof such as ease of understanding where to access and collective data management. A service center receiving an order of a printing service and a minilab or a special laboratory spread across a plurality of places are able to communicate through a network. The center server in the service center selects and assigns the laboratory for printing the ordered picture in response to an order information transferred from a customer via the network so that the printing processing can be carried out by the laboratory specified by the customer instead of the center server.

Network photograph service system

Collecting images of a patron in an entertainment venue is performed by facial recognition of the patron's face within the images, simplifying the storage (37) and distribution of the images (39) for a patron. In order to enhance the reliability of the facial recognition system (31), information about the patron (33) that is not directly related to most facial recognition systems (31), including clothes, height, other associated people, use of glasses and jewelry, disposition of facial hair, and more, can be used. Some of the characteristics used can be specific to a particular date or event, and which will not be more generally characteristic of the patron. The facial recognition system (31) can also be used to identify (37) the patron requesting images to be collected. The present invention also relates to the use of facial recognition in sorting and collecting images from an electronically-stored image collection, enabling the easy retrieval of images that are related to a particular person or set of people.

Obtaining person-specific images in a public venue

A distribution system and method which can be executed by such a system. The system comprises: first terminal remote from a hub station, having: a selection from among a plurality of possible access rights to generate a granted access right set which contains a set of access rights to a remotely stored image set; an input for allowing input of a third party electronic address associated with the granted access right set; a communication for transmitting the granted access right set and associated third party electronic address; and a hub station remote from the first terminal, comprising: a storage for the image set; a receiver for the transmission from the first remote terminal; a storage for the granted access right set and associated access identification; an automatic transmitting from the hub station to the third party electronic address; an electronic address for the hub station, a listing of the access rights of the granted set associated with the third party electronic address, and the associated access identification; and an allowance of a third party to access the image set from a terminal remote from the hub, only in accordance with the granted access right set.

Image distribution method and system

A method whereby personalized photographic images are obtained of patrons in an entertainment venue, such as a theme park. The system employs a unique machine-readable identification tap (49) located in a device such as a card, pin, or bracelet, which is attached to the patron (43). The identification tag is decoded by readers (52) positioned at various locations within the entertainment venue. This identification information is matched with electronic images of the patron carrying the identification tag that are captured by digital cameras (63). The electronic images along with the matched patron identities are collected at a storage device (71). At a distribution station (77), the patron can view images (85) corresponding to his tap identification, and the images may be printed (87) or may be delivered in electronic form on a videotape, CD, or e-mail. The images distributed to patrons may be single-frame images or video recorded images with audio. The images may be modified for entertainment effect prior to distribution.

Method and system for obtaining person-specific images in a public venue

A photographic image can be viewed at a customers location on her personal computer and images selected for initial printing, reprinting and ordering related image services. Photographic negatives are provided to a scanner to obtain image data. The image data is manipulated to provide a positive image of the photographic negatives and sent to the customers personal computer. The desired prints are then selected and order information is provided, based on the positive image as displayed on the display of the personal computer. The order information is recorded to allow the desired prints and services to be created and the resulting order is sent to a designated addressee.

System and method for remotely selecting photographic images

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.

System and method for selecting photographic images using index prints

System and method for selecting photographic images

A photographic image can be viewed and selected for initial printing or reprinting. Photographic negatives or slides are provided to a scanner to obtain image data and the image data is manipulated to provide a positive image of the photographic negatives or slides on a display means. The desired prints are then selected and order information is provided, based on the positive image as displayed on the display means. The order information is recorded to allow the desired prints to be created. The display means can be a screen of a personal computer or hard copy index print and selected prints can be zoomed or cropped by a remote photofinisher.

Steven Bruce Paciocco

Papers

System and method for remotely selecting photographic images

System and method for selecting photographic images using index prints

System and method for selecting photographic images

System for selecting photographic images