Abstract: A photographic system involves the collection of data from a scene, e.g., a visitor attraction site, that is capable of interactive communication with a user. The attraction site stores content data related to the site, and the user communicates with the attraction site through a camera capable of communication with the site. Besides capturing an image associated with the site, the camera stores predetermined personality data that relates an interest of the user to at least a portion of the content data and includes means for transferring the personality data to the attraction site. The camera further includes means for receiving and displaying the portion of the content data from the attraction site, and a user interface for selecting from the displayed content data that part which the user wants to keep. In this manner, information relevant to a user's interests about a photographed item can be easily requested, accessed and stored with the specific pictures that the user has captured.

Abstract: A method and system for employing image recognition techniques to produce a photocollage from a plurality of images wherein the system obtains a digital record for each of the plurality of images, assigns each of the digital records a unique identifier and stories the digital records in a database; automatically sorts the digital records using at least one date type to categorize each of the digital records according at least one predetermined criteria; and generates a first draft of a photocollage from the digital records. The method and system provides for alterations of the first draft using either a sticker selected from a plurality of stickers which each have a unique identifier within a data base or a digital file format that allows drag and drop features of both the photocollage and alternative images to be placed within the photocollage.

Abstract: A method and system for employing image recognition techniques to produce a photocollage from a plurality of images wherein the system obtains a digital record for each of the plurality of images, assigns each of the digital records a unique identifier and stories the digital records in a database; automatically sorts the digital records using at least one date type to categorize each of the digital records according at least one predetermined criteria; employs means responsive to the sorting step to compose a photocollage from the digital records. The method and system employ data types selected from pixel data; metadata; product order information; processing goal information; or customer profile to automatically sort data typically by culling or grouping to categorize according to either an event, a person, or chronologically.

Abstract: A method of constructing a photo album wherein a plurality of digital images are provided in a low resolution format on sticker sheets that have a unique identifier that cross references the reduced resolution images digital images with a high resolution version that is stored in a data base, a second set of sticker sheets is provided that functions as pages of a photoalbum having positions for the low resolution image stickers. The sticker sheet pages are loaded with low resolution stickers creating the pages for the photoalbum and the sticker sheet pages are then arranged in a desired manner on a page layout form resulting in a miniature version of the photoalbum which can be viewed at that point. The miniature version of the photo album is then correlated to the high resolution version of the images stored in the database to retrieve a high resolution version of the photo album which is then produced using conventional photofinishing techniques.

Abstract: Image answering apparatus comprising: an interface for connecting to a public telephone system; and memory for storing audio and image information received over the public telephone system.

Abstract: A method of constructing a photo collage wherein a plurality of digital images are provided in a low resolution format on sticker sheets that have a unique identifier that cross references the reduced resolution images digital images with a high resolution version that is stored in a data base. A page layout form is provided such that a plurality of pages each having a plurality of layouts on which to position the low resolution image stickers. The sticker sheet pages are loaded with low resolution stickers for creating the pages of the photoalbum by arranging the stickers in a desired manner on a page layout form resulting in one of the page layouts being used for each of the pages. The images on the page layout form is then correlated to the high resolution version of the images stored in the database to retrieve a high resolution version of the photo collage which is then produced using conventional photofinishing techniques.

Abstract: A photographic and data communication system includes a camera used with a magnetic communication system in which information is stored on a magnetic medium external to the camera. The camera includes means for capturing an image, a magnetic read section for reading a magnetic signal from the magnetic medium, and a recording section for storing the magnetic signal in association with the image. More specifically, the camera is capable of receiving digital data through a magnetic recording head and saving received data along with the captured image. In case of a digital camera this extra information is stored in solid state memory on the camera. In case of a camera utilizing a film with magnetic tracks or regions, the received data is stored on the magnetic portion of the film. In case of a camera using regular film, the received information is stored on the camera in solid state memory to be downloaded later on.

Abstract: A method of embedding digital data in a source image includes the steps of: a) generating a multi-level data image representing the digital data; b) convolving the multi-level data image with an encoding carrier image to produce a frequency dispersed data image; and c) adding the frequency dispersed data image to the source image to produce a source image containing embedded data. The data is recovered from the image by: a) cross correlating the source image containing embedded data with a decoding carrier image to recover the data image; and b) extracting the digital data from the recovered data image.

Abstract: A photographic system includes photographic film having a photographic image and digital information stored on a magnetic storage media on the film related to the processing of a digital image to be generated by scanning the film; a scanner for scanning the photographic film to produce a digital image; means for reading the digital information on the magnetic storage media; and a computer having an application program for processing the digital image according to the digital information.

Abstract: A public key encryption system for authenticating an image includes a digital camera having embedded therein a private key unique to the digital camera. A known public key uniquely based upon the private key is used to decrypt digital data encrypted with the private key to establish authenticity of the image. The encryption system further comprises means for generating one or more patterns each composed of at least one individual area that is visible together with the image of the object, means for designating at least one individual area as an active area of the image suitable for authentication and for generating location data identifying the active area, and means for calculating image hash from image data of the active area of the image using a predetermined hash algorithm.

Abstract: A method of embedding digital data in a source image includes the steps of: a) generating a multi-level data image representing the digital data; b) convolving the multi-level data image with an encoding carrier image to produce a frequency dispersed data image; and c) adding the frequency dispersed data image to the source image to produce a source image containing embedded data. The data is recovered from the image by: a) cross correlating the source image containing embedded data with a decoding carrier image to recover the data image; and b) extracting the digital data from the recovered data image.

Abstract: In a photographic and data transmission system utilizing a wireless communication system, a camera used with the wireless system includes film or electronic sensor for capturing an image, a receiver for receiving a wireless signal from the wireless communication system, a decoder for decoding the wireless signal obtained by the receiver and magnetic layer on film or electronic storage device for storing the decoded wireless signal and the image. A trigger signal from the camera can be used to initiate transmission of the wireless signal from the wireless communication system. Moreover, the wireless signal preferably contains an internet address for accessing further information about an item being photographed. Such a camera is of particular use in a tradeshow for conveying information between a wireless communication system in a display booth and a camera brought to the booth by a tradeshow visitor.

Abstract: A camera includes an image receiver for capturing an image of an object, an optical section for directing image light from the object to the image receiver, and a viewfinder for viewing the object prior to capture together with a tile pattern for specifying active "hot spot" areas in the viewed image. The tile pattern in the viewfinder is composed of a plurality of individual tile areas that are visible through the viewfinder together with the image of the object. The camera further includes means for designating one or more individual tile areas as active areas of the image, and means for recording a location of the active areas in a memory location accessible to apparatus external to the camera. The camera is part of a system in which the apparatus external to the camera is a computer. A program in the computer is responsive to the recorded locations for enabling one or more specific actions to be assigned to the active areas of the recorded image when the image is accessed by the computer.

Abstract: A photographic camera includes means for capturing and recording an image, a scanner for generating object data indicating the relative location of objects within the image, and an electronic processing section for combining the object data with the recorded image. In one embodiment the camera is a film camera including an optical section for focusing the image upon a film plane where a film is located, and the electronic processing section includes means for recording the object data upon the film. In another embodiment the camera is an electronic camera including an image sensor for capturing the image and producing image data, and the electronic processing section transfers the image data and the object data to an output storage section.

Abstract: An electronic camera useful with a peripheral processor comprises an image sensor for producing image data, an output storage section, an electronic control processor for transferring the image data to the storage section, and a mode selector for indicating whether the camera is used for normal format pictures or for panoramic pictures. When the mode selector is set for panoramic pictures, the electronic control processor includes a panoramic mode indicator in a header with the image data. The peripheral processor keys on the mode indicator to process the tagged images into a panoramic picture. By further including alignment indicia in a view finder in the camera to aid the user in aligning adjacent images, the peripheral processor utilizes image addresses corresponding to the indicia locations to process the tagged images.