Abstract: A method of forming a printed image on an image receiving element is disclosed, comprising: providing an image receiving element comprising at least one activatable stiffening and/or thickening layer which comprises a polymer matrix and an activatable material; printing an image over a designated area of said image receiving element, and substantially uniformly and non-imagewise activating said activatable stiffening and/or thickening layer over the designated area of said image receiving element after step (b) to produce a printed image receiving element with an activated stiffened and/or thickened layer.

Abstract: Pre-image-acquisition information is obtained by a digital camera and transmitted to a system external to the digital camera. The system is configured to provide image-acquisition settings to the digital camera. In this regard, the digital camera receives the image-acquisition settings from the external system and performs an image-acquisition sequence based at least upon the received image-acquisition settings. Accordingly, the determination of image-acquisition settings can be performed remotely from the digital camera, where data-processing resources can greatly exceed those within the digital camera.

Abstract: Printing apparatii and methods are provided. In one aspect the printing method is provided for recording an image on a receiver medium having an image receiving layer and a support layer and with a stiffening and/or expansion layer therebetween comprising: a medium transport system for conveying a receiver medium to a range of positions wherein a print engine can record an image on the receiver medium; and an activation system is adapted to apply an activating energy or an activating material to the receiver medium to cause said stiffening and/or expansion layer to generally uniformly increase the stiffness and/or thickness of the receiver medium.

Abstract: A method of transferring images captured by a digital capture device to a remote memory location over a channel includes capturing a plurality of digital images using the digital capture device and storing the plurality of images in a local memory. The method also includes providing a plurality of user selectable times for the transfer of images over the channel from the local memory to the remote memory location and a user selecting one of the user selectable times, and transferring the plurality of images over the channel to the remote memory location at the user selected time.

Abstract: A cartridge having a donor ribbon; a supply housing having an exterior surface and futher having a supply projection extending away from the exterior surface of the supply housing, said supply projection allowing the donor ribbon to pass from the supply area to a supply waypoint, and a take-up housing having an exterior surface and having a take-up projection extending away from the exterior surface of the take-up housing said take-up projection allowing the donor ribbon to pass from a take-up waypoint to the take-up area. A connecting portion holds the supply housing and the take-up spool with a separation area therebetween. said connecting portion providing a printing path from the supply waypoint to the take-up waypoint, wherein the supply waypoint is positioned at a supply side separation from supply housing and the take-up waypoint is positioned at a take-up separation from the take-up housing.

Abstract: An improved album leaf and system for displaying, storing and retrieving images. The album leaf comprises a first side and a second side, the first side having a plurality of images formed thereon, and an icon for identifying the images on the first side and the source from which the images originated. A binder may include a plurality of the album leaves having a plurality of retaining means, for example, pockets for holding items containing the original source from which the images displayed in the album leaf originated. A separate source retaining leaf may be provided having holding means for retaining the original source from which the images displayed on the album leaf originated.

Abstract: An image sharing system, an image sharing device and a method for operating a plurality of image sharing devices are provided. Each image sharing device has a memory with image content files stored therein and a communication system to provide an image sharing system. The method comprises the steps of: identifying image sharing devices to be included in the image sharing system; establishing a communication link between the identified image sharing devices, said communication link providing the ability to transfer image content files; identifying sharable image content files in each of the image sharing devices; and determining manifest data useable in copying the sharable image content files from one of the image sharing devices to at least one other of the image sharing devices so that each of the shareable image content file is stored in at least two of the image sharing devices in the image sharing system.

Abstract: System and method for creating a graphical user interface. The method comprises the steps of: providing a removable display device having a display for displaying digital images stored on the display device, the display device including a graphical user interface, the display device having a electrical connector; providing a functional module electrically interfaceable with the display device, the functional module providing a function and including stored data to configure the graphical user interface to control the function of the functional module from the display device; automatically transferring the stored data from the functional module to the display device when the functional module is electrically interfaced with the display device; and using the transferred data to configure the graphical user interface.

Abstract: A method of supplying photofinishing services includes the steps of supplying a memory device for a digital camera to a photographer; the photographer taking and storing a plurality of digital images on the memory device; the photographer delivering the memory device containing the digital images to a photofinisher; the photofinisher producing prints of the digital images and returning the prints to the photographer; and the photofinisher erasing the digital images from the memory device and supplying the memory device to another photographer to repeat the steps of taking images and delivering the memory device to the photofinisher.

Abstract: Image capture methods and devices are provided. The image capture device including: an image capture system; an audio capture system; a user input system having a manual mode selection input, said user input system generating a mode selection signal indicating a setting of the mode selection input from among a plurality of settings; and a controller adapted to cause the image capture unit to capture at least one image and further adapted to cause the audio capture system to capture an audio signal within an audio capture time frame beginning at a start time and ending at an end time with said controller further adapted to associate the captured image with the electronic audio signal; wherein said controller determines at least one of the start time and the end time determined based upon the mode selection.

Abstract: A display device for capturing and displaying images along a single optical axis, having an image capture device for capturing the objective image through the display panel when the display device is in a second transmissive state; an image supply source for providing an image to a display panel when the display panel is in a first display state; a mechanism for alternating placing the display panel between the first display state and second transmissive state such that an image can be viewed on the display screen and the object can be captured such that the alternating between the first display state and the second transmissive state is substantially imperceptible to a user of the display panel; and a mechanism for providing digitally image processing for captured images prior to display.

Abstract: A method of presenting n offer of an image-bearing product to a user provides access to a plurality of user image files. User image files are analyzed to obtain semantic information about the content of the plurality of image files. An offer for the image-bearing product based on the semantic information obtained, wherein the product uses at least one image from the plurality of image files. The offer is transmitted to the user.

Abstract: An electronic camera for producing an output image of a scene from a captured image signal includes a first imaging stage comprising a first image sensor for generating a first sensor output and a first lens for forming a first image of the scene on the first image sensor, and a second imaging stage comprising a second image sensor for generating a second sensor output and a second lens for forming a second image of the scene on the second image sensor. The sensor output from the first imaging stage is used as a primary output image for forming the captured image signal and the sensor output from the second imaging stage is used as a secondary output image for modifying the primary output image, thereby generating an enhanced, captured image signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for capturing image data from multiple image sensors and generating an output image sequence are disclosed. The multiple image sensors capture data with one or more different characteristics, such as: staggered exposure periods, different length exposure periods, different frame rates, different spatial resolution, different lens systems, and different focal lengths. The data from multiple image sensors is processed and interleaved to generate an improved output motion sequence relative to an output motion sequence generated from an a single equivalent image sensor.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method is provided for operating a charging display system that is capable of wirelessly charging a rechargeable device positioned on a connector-less charging surface. In accordance with the method, the presence of a chargeable device on the charging surface is detected and the type of the chargeable device is identified. A set of interaction options based upon the identity of the chargeable device with the set, including a charging interaction option, is determined and, a displayable output signal based upon the determined set interaction options is generated. The set of interaction options is initiated based upon the detected presence of the chargeable device on the charging surface and the identified device type and, the output signal is presented on a display of the charging device.

Abstract: A display device for capturing and displaying images along a single optical axis. The device includes a display panel having a front side and a back side, said display panel capable of being placed in a first display state which allows displaying of an image on said front side for viewing of an image and a second transmissive state wherein said display panel becomes substantially transmissive so as to allow capture of an image of an object positioned in front of said front side of said display panel. An image capture device is provided for capturing said objective image through said display panel when said display device is in the second transmissive state.

Abstract: A photographic system for producing an enhanced photographic product is provided. The system includes a database for storing custom content for a plurality of events. The system also includes a digital image capture device that stores a digital image and information defining the date/time and geographic location of the digital image. A Service Provider automatically determines if the timestamp and the geographic information corresponds to events stored in the custom content database. A processor produces an enhanced photographic product including the captured digital image and custom content corresponding to the timestamp and location of the captured digital image.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for presenting digital images using a plurality of digital media frames separated spatially along at least two axes. In one aspect the method comprises the steps of obtaining the digital images to be presented determining the multi-dimensional relationship between the digital media frames analyzing the digital images and any associated metadata to assign an image perspective determination to each of the digital images and determining an arrangement of the digital images for presentation on the plurality of the digital media frames according to the multi-dimensional relationship between the digital media frames and according to the determined image perspectives.

Abstract: In a method for altering a video sequence, a first portion of the video sequence is digitally stabilized in accordance with an initial set of image stabilization parameters and displayed to a user. An input from the user is accepted during the displaying. The user input defines a revised set of image stabilization parameters. A second portion of the video sequence is then digitally stabilized in accordance with the revised set of image stabilization parameters and is displayed to the user. A predetermined video frame rate is maintained continuously during and between the displaying steps.

Abstract: In a method for producing output from an image record, the type of input unit supplying the image record is determined. The image record is classified into one of a predetermined plurality of different edit statuses. The classifying utilizes as input the determined type of input unit. The edit statuses are inclusive of unedited status and very-edited status. The image record is digitally enhanced. During the enhancing material alteration of the image record is constrained. The enhancing is more constrained when the edit status is very-edited and less when the edit status is other than very-edited. The image record is rendered to match a predetermined output unit. The resulting image record is output in viewable form.