Abstract: A software-based system automatically generates personalized communications including arrangements for communicating with various databases, servers and client systems. A smart templates document generator uses multiple categories and types of profiles such as case materials, destination and layout, and supporter profiles, as well as event, level and document profiles. The system further utilizes substantially or completely media independent communications of materials involving database and communications software architectures, input device/output display synchronization techniques, and graphics rendering software implementations.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the orientation of an image of a picture within a scanned image, including the steps of locating in the scanned image the contour of the image of the picture, determining a plurality of bounding boxes confining the contour of the image of the picture, selecting one of the plurality of bounding boxes that is substantially aligned with the contour of the image of the picture, and calculating an angle of rotation of the picture based on the selected bounding box.

Abstract: A method and system for operating a photo kiosk having a scanner therein, including positioning a user-provided picture on a scanner bed of the kiosk scanner in an arbitrary orientation, and automatically determining an orientation of the picture by pre-scanning, using the kiosk scanner, at least an area of the kiosk scanner bed having the picture positioned therein at a low resolution, to produce a pre-scanned image containing pixels therein, and scanning, using the kiosk scanner, an area of the scanner bed at a high resolution to provide a photo product having the picture in a desired orientation therein irrespective of the arbitrary orientation.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the orientation of an image of a picture within a scanned image, including the steps of locating in the scanned image the contour of the image of the picture, determining a plurality of bounding boxes confining the contour of the image of the picture, selecting one of the plurality of bounding boxes that is substantially aligned with the contour of the image of the picture, and calculating an angle of rotation of the picture based on the selected bounding box.