WO2003024087A1 - System and method for processing images - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for processing digital images comprising the steps of processing an edited image to derive an original image and instructions indicative of the edits to be applied to the image; sending the original image and the instructions to a printing facility; processing at the printing facility of the received instructions and the original image to generate an edited image; and printing the generated edited image.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING IMAGES

The present invention relates to a method and system for processing images and more specifically to a system for processing images for transmission to a printing facility via a network, while maintaining the quality of the image and efficient bandwidth usage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Photography has proliferated in the last century not only as a commercial industry but also as an art and hobby. Users capture photographic images on film using a camera by exposing the film to light or other forms of electromagnetic radiation. Traditionally, exposed film is developed into negatives and the image of those negatives is projected onto sensitized paper, producing high quality photographs.

Photographs are printed according to the user's specifications regarding size, dimensions and trim; however, extensive user editing was generally fairly limited. With the advent of widely available image manipulation computer programs, scanners and inexpensive digital cameras, the digitization of photographs has become commonplace. As a result, editing photographs with a computer has become much more common not only commercially but also for users with home personal computers.

Users can now edit photographic images using any number of sophisticated programs and other manipulation means to perform numerous editing functions such as cropping, rotating, colour adjustment, brightness control, and contrast, and a variety of other types of alterations. Digital cameras generally output images with a 4:3 aspect ratio which does not match any standard print size so there is an ever present need to modify original images into a suitable printing format. Although these images are viewed on a computer screen, users often still want, as a final product, printed photographic quality images. Home printers generally do not produce printed photographs that have a quality equivalent to professionally developed photographs from a photographic laboratory. While some printers do produce high quality prints, they are too costly for home use and are generally restricted to professionals or photographic laboratories. It is common, therefore, for users to send their digital images, either in raw or edited form to photographic laboratories for printing.

The digital images can be provided to the photographic laboratory by various means. Digital cameras store images in a storage means, such as a memory card, memory stick or disk, which can be dropped of directly to a photograph processing facility, where the storage means is read and printed. Alternatively, the images (whether raw or edited to the user's preferences) can be stored on a compact disc (CD) and delivered to the photographic laboratory.

With the proliferation of the Internet and availability of broadband services, it is more convenient for users to send the images via the Internet, or other comparable network, directly to the processing facility. However, there are several inherent problems associated with the sending of edited images for processing.

First, images captured by digital cameras can be stored as raw data, but more commonly in compressed forms such as JPEGs or TIFs. In order to edit the images, users often decompress the image data in order to work with the more data rich image. The decompressed image is edited and the edited image is then compressed for delivery. The compressed image is then received by the processing facility and decompressed for printing. Repeated decompression and recompression results in unwanted artefacts in the image, and thus a generally lower quality starting point from which to print. Alternatively, if the user chooses not to decompress the edited image prior to transmitting to the processing facility via the network, the large size of the uncompressed files requires larger transmission of bandwidth.

Second, if the multiple versions of the same image are required to be printed, the user must take the original image and produce multiple edited images. For example, if a user has a digital photograph and requires two versions, a cropped version and a version that has a coloured tint, the user would need to produce two edited images: one cropped and one tinted. In order to have these edited images printed, both edited images must be sent to the processing facility. Sending two images necessarily occupies more bandwidth. For multiple versions stemming from the same parent image, the required bandwidth is respectively multiplied. Third, editing options, now available to users, also include the use of templates. Templates can be used to enhance the borders of an image, provide a layout for multiple images or provide for the insertion of an image into a standard template such as a greeting card or poster. Such templates are often available from processing facilities. Presently^ users must download the template and edit the digital image to insert into the template as desired. A final image, incorporating both template and image elements, is then sent to the processing facility to be printed. Downloading high- resolution templates and sending high-resolution final images would necessarily occupy a large amount of bandwidth. Alternatively, in order to conserve bandwidth, users can download a compressed version of the template, decompress the template, perform the editing and compress the final image. However, as stated earlier, repeated compression and decompression will result in a lower quality image from which to print as a result of artefacts and lost data.

Fourth, some processing facilities allow storage of digital images on a server with the ability for users to access the digital images, download them, edit them and send the edit instructions back to the processing facility. However, this requires the processing facility to store the images and provide upload and download capabilities from a server. Both storage and bandwidth is expensive and there is need to decrease the amount of bandwidth and storage required. For example, Canadian Patent No. 2,280,054 to Serex et al, discloses a method for processing images and device for implementing such processing. Serex describes a method for sending digital images over a network such as the Internet to be processed by a processing facility such as a photographic laboratory. The Serex patent describes the possibility of editing images prior to processing. However, the user edits the images and each final edited image is sent individually to the processing facility for printing. The Serex patent does not address the problem of high bandwidth requirement and loss of picture quality due to compression and decompression.

Similarly, published United States Patent Application No. 20020067500 discloses a method and system for editing images. It provides for the high-resolution images to be maintained at a processing facility. Users are able to download a low- resolution version of the image and perform edits. The editing instructions are then relayed back to the processing server where the editing is performed on the high- resolution image and printed. However, all images need to be uploaded in advance. The processing facility then waits for order for editing and printing. Thus images may be uploaded, using up bandwidth, and stored, using up storage space, with no associated print order. Further, this system requires a database of the relationship between the user and the processing facility as the images need to be uploaded in advance.

There is therefore a need for a method and system to transmit edited digital images to be printed at a printing facility, that preserves and maintains a high quality image while utilizing less bandwidth than conventional systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for processing digital images comprising the steps of: (a) processing an edited image to derive an original image and instructions indicative of the edits to be applied to the image;

(b) sending the original image and said instructions to a printing facility;

(c) processing at the printing facility of said received instructions and said original image to generate said edited image; and (d) printing said generated edited image.

In accordance with another aspect, two or more sets of instructions are sent to the printing facility.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for implementing the method. An advantage of the invention is thereby reducing the required bandwidth while preserving image quality. Another advantage is that edited images can incorporate graphical templates.

Preferably, the instructions are included as metadata is used along with the original image. The metadata provides instructions on how to modify the original image to preserve quality throughout the many possible network hops an image may take to its final destination. In an embodiment, the metadata may instruct on cropping, rotation, brightness, contrast, RGB changes, saturation adjustment, flipping, minor position adjustment, and insertion into a name placeholder in a predefined binary template. An advantage is not only to preserve quality, but to reduce bandwidth. If an image is used for more than one print, the original image need only be sent once while the many different modifications made to it can be made with simply providing metadata. In the case of binary template files, it allows a larger printer specific version of the template to be substituted at the printing facility which need not be sent with the order.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention may best be understood by referring to the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of an image processing system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of the image processing system in figure 1 utilizing a template.

Figure 3 is a flow chart showing the steps for processing an image by a user; and Figure 4 is a flow chart showing the steps for processing an image for printing..

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following description like numerals refer to like structures in the drawings. One embodiment of the invention is described by reference to Figure 1, which illustrates the components of an image processing system. A user 1 uses a digital camera 2, for capturing a photographic subject which produces a digital image file 6. The digital image file 6 may also originate from a traditional camera for which photographs have been digitized through the use of a scanner or other similar means, or may be digital images from an external storage medium such as a CD or other computer. A user computer system 5 includes a storage means 3, such as a hard drive, a processing means 4 and a user interface 4a. The computer includes a processing program for processing an image to produce, for example, a first set of editing instructions 7 for image file 6, a second set of editing instructions 8 for image file 6. A network 9 such as the Internet, intranet or local area network, couples the computer 5 to a processing facility 18 which contains a storage means 10, a processor 11 for processing received images and associated instructions, a second user interface 11a and a means for printing 14 photo-quality images. The processing facility 18 can be a traditional photographic laboratory or other film development facility. There is shown a first edited image file 12 representing the operation of the first set of editing instructions 7 on image 6, and a second edited image file 13 representing the operation of the second set of editing instructions 8 on image 6. A first printed photograph 15 of the edited image file 12 is shown. A second printed photograph 16 of the edited image file 13 is shown. A delivery means 17 for sending the printed photographs from the processing facility to the user is also shown.

In operation, the user 1 captures photographs through the digital camera 2. The user then downloads the image file 6 from the digital camera 2 to the hard drive 3 of the user's computer system 5. This can be accomplished by any communication means such as a USB port, infrared link, serial, parallel or other wireless connection. Typically, the image file 6 is in a raw data format or compressed forms such as JPEG or TIF format. The user performs editing of the image file 6 through the user interface 4a, utilizing the processor 4 which is operationally disposed, via hardware or software, to perform editing of images pursuant to programmed instructions. If image file 6 is in a compressed format, the processor 4 decompresses the image prior to performing the edit. This allows the user to work from a data-rich image. Once the edit is complete, the processor 4 generates a first set of editing instructions 7 representing the edits performed on the image file 6. The first set of editing instructions 7 on image file 6 is stored in the hard drive 3. The first set of editing instructions 7 contains all instructions required to identify image file 6 and perform the edits instructed by the user. The user can perform a second edit on image file 6, such second edit is stored as the second set of editing instructions 8. The second set of editing instructions 8 contains all instructions required to identify image file 6 and perform the second edits instructed by the user. The original image file 6, the first set of editing instructions and the second set of editing instructions are sent via the Internet to the processing facility 18. The image file 6, first set of editing instructions 7 and second set of editing instructions 8 are stored at the processing facility's storage means 10. The processing facility 18, through the second user interface 11a, utilizes the processing means 11 to read and perform the first set of editing instructions 7 on image file 6 to produce the first edited image 12. The processing facility 18, through the second user interface 11a, utilizes the processing means 11 to read and perform the second set of editing instructions 8 on image file 6 to produce the second edited image 13. First and second edited images 12 and 13 are then sent to the printer 14 to be processed into a first printed photograph 15 and a second printed photograph 16.

Image file 6 is the original image file downloaded from the digital camera. If image file 6 was downloaded in compressed JPEG format then it only needs to be decompressed once, at the processing facility just prior to having the sets of editing instructions 7 or 8 performed on such image file 6. This is despite the fact that user 1 edited a higher quality, decompressed image file 6 on user computer system 5. In a traditional system, an edited image would be decompressed in order to edit the image on the user computer system, then the edited decompressed image would be sent to the processing facility which would require higher bandwidth as the image is decompressed. Alternatively, in a traditional system, the edited image would be compressed again prior to sending to a processing facility and thus while preserving bandwidth, decreases quality of the image. Such decrease in quality is due to the repeated compression and decompression resulting in artefacts and loss of image data.

Further, in a traditional system, if a user required different edited versions of the same image, that user would be required to produce edited images for each version and send each images to a processing facility. In the present system the user 1 need only send the original image file 6 with different sets of editing instructions 7 and 8. This preserves bandwidth by sending the image file 6 only once with sets of editing instructions 7 and 8 which are relatively small in size. Therefore, the advantages of the present system is that it decreases the amount of bandwidth required by sending the image file 6 only once, even if multiple edits is required, and sending the original compressed image while maintaining the quality of the image by only performing the decompression once, if at all, at the processing facility 18. Further, no bandwidth is wasted with uploading images that may or may not result in a print order. Finally, this system is advantageous as it does not require a pre-relationship between the user 1 and the processing facility 18.

A second embodiment of the invention is described by reference to Figure 2, which illustrates the structure of the imaging editing and processing system utilizing templates.

The user 1 captures photographs through the digital camera 2. The user then downloads the image file 6 from the digital camera 2 to the hard drive of the user's computer system 5. The user can download a low-resolution version of a high- resolution template 21 for incorporation with the image file 6. Such download is executed over the network 9, such as the Internet, intranet or local area network. The high-resolution template 21 is stored at the processing facility 18 or other external source. The user performs editing of the image file 6 and incorporates the low resolution version of the template 21, through the second user interface 4a, utilizing the processor 4 which is operationally disposed to perform editing of images and incorporate such images into templates, pursuant to user instructions. If image file 6 is in a compressed format, the user 1 decompresses the image prior to performing the edit arid incorporating the image into low-resolution template 21. The incorporation performed on image file 6 are stored in storage means 3 as a set of template instructions 20, which are generated by processor 4. The template instructions 20 contain all instructions required to identify image file 6 and incorporate the high-resolution template 21 as instructed by the user 1. The original image file 6 and the template instructions are sent via the Internet 9 to the processing facility 18. The image file 6 and the template instructions 20 are stored at the processing facility's storage means 10. The processing facility 18, through the second user interface 11a, utilizes the processing means 11 to perform the template instructions 20 on image file 6 and the high-resolution version of template 21 to produce the template image 22. The template image 22 is sent to a printer means to produce a printed templated photograph 23.

Again, image file 6 is the original image file downloaded from the digital camera. Image file 6 need only be decompressed once at the processing facility 18 just prior to incorporation of high resolution of template 21. Traditionally, if a user wished to incorporate a template into a photograph, the user would need to download the template and perform the edit on the user system. In order to produce a high quality image, the user would require large bandwidth to download a high-resolution version of a template and then upload a high-resolution version of the templated image. Alternatively, a user could lower the bandwidth required by performing the edit using a low resolution version of the template which would decreases quality or decompress and compress a high resolution template which would similarly decrease quality due to the repeated compression and decompression.

Therefore, another advantage of this system is that it enables a user to incorporate a high quality template 21 into an image file 6 to produce a high quality templated image 22 while using less bandwidth.

In another embodiment of the invention, the user 1 is able to perform both the operations of editing image file 6 and incorporating a template 21 with image file 6. In this embodiment of the invention, sets of editing instructions 7 and 8 and template instructions 20 are transmitted via network 9 to the processing facility 18 simultaneously along with the original image file 6.

The user's process steps in executing the image editing and processing method is depicted in figure 3 by a flow chart 38. In step 30, the user receives a digital image from a photographic source, such as a digital camera, or other storage medium. Then in step 31, the user decides whether the image should be incorporated into a template. If a template will be incorporated, then a low-resolution version of the template is downloaded in step 32. If the image is compressed 33, then image is then decompressed in step 34. In step 35, the user edits the digital image and incorporates a template if one had been downloaded. Then in step 36, edit instructions and template instructions, if a template was incorporated, is produced. In step 37, such edit instructions and template instructions are then sent, along with the original image received in step 30, to the processing facility.

The edit instructions, template instructions and original image sent in step 37, are then received by the processing facility in step 40. Figure 4 depicts a flow chart 47 of the processing facility's process steps in executing the image editing and processing method. Once the instructions and image have been received 40 by the processing facility, the original image is decompressed in step 42 if it is compressed 41.

Then, in step 43, if template instructions were received in step 40, the corresponding high-resolution template is retrieved from the processing facility's storage means in step 44. In step 45, the processing facility then performs the edit and incorporates any template pursuant to the edit instructions and template instructions. Finally, in step 46, the edited and templated image is printed to produce a photographic print.

Again, the advantage of this method for editing and processing images is that it requires less bandwidth than conventional means while preserving the quality of the original image and the original template. Further, this method does not require a pre-relationship between the user and the processing facility nor does this method waste revenue bandwidth by requiring images to be uploaded and stored in advance.

The method for sending editing instructions, can be implemented for example in an XML schema. Also the XML could include not only edit instructions, but order information and user information such as the number and size of prints to be made, payment and delivery information and such like. In fact, the edit instruction could be implemented as any form of metadata.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described herein, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

WE CLAIM:

1. A system for editing and processing a digital image comprising:

(a) a first computing means operationally disposed to: provide a first user interface; allow a user to decompress and perform edits on said digital image; generate and compile a set of editing instructions corresponding to said user's edits; send said set of editing instructions and said original digital image to a second computing means; (b) a first communication means coupled to the first computing means, said first communication means capable of data transfer via a network;

(c) a second computing means operationally disposed to: provide a second user interface; receive said set of editing instructions and digital image from the user; decompile, read and apply said set of editing instructions to said digital image to produce an edited image representative of user's edits;

(d) a second communication means coupled to the second computing means, said second communication means capable of data transfer via a network; and

(e) a printing means capable of receiving and reading said edited image and transferring such edited image to photographic print.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein:

(a) said first computer system is operationally disposed to allow the user to perform a plurality of separate edits on said digital image and generate a plurality of sets of editing instructions for said digital image; and

(b) said second computer system is operationally disposed to individually decompile, read and apply each set of a plurality of sets of editing instructions to said digital image to produce a plurality of edited images.

3. The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein

(a) said first computing system is also operationally disposed to: retrieve a template element from a second computing means; allow said user to incorporate said template element with the digital image; generate and compile template instructions corresponding to said user's incorporation of said template with said digital image; send said template instructions simultaneous with said set of editing instructions and said original digital image to a second computing means;

(b) a second computing means also operationally disposed to: provide access to said first computing means to template elements; receive said template instructions; decompile, read and apply said template instructions to incorporate said template element with said digital image to produce an edited image representative of said user's incorporation of said template.

4. The system as defined in claim 3, wherein said template element retrieved by said first computing means is a low-resolution version of said template element.

5. A method for editing and processing a digital image comprising:

(a) receiving and decompressing said digital image by user;

(b) downloading a template element from a server located at a photographic processing facility by said user;

(c) editing said digital image and incorporating said template element with said digital image by said user;

(d) generating and compiling a set of edit instructions corresponding to said editing; (e) generating and compiling template instructions corresponding to said incorporating;

(f) sending said set of editing instructions, template instructions and digital image to said photographic processing facility from said user; (g) receiving said set of editing instructions, template instructions and digital image by said photographic processing facility; (h) decompressing said digital image by said photographic processing facility; (i) retrieving template elements from internal server . by said photographic processing facility;

(j) decompiling, reading and applying said set of editing instructions and said template instructions to said digital image, by said photographic processing facility, to produce an edited image; and (k) printing said edited image onto photographic print by said photographic processing facility.

6. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein said template element downloaded by the user is a low-resolution version of said template element.

7. A method for processing digital images comprising the steps of:

(a) processing an edited image to derive an original image and instructions indicative of the edits to be applied to the image;

(b) sending the original image and said instructions to a printing facility;

(c) processing at the printing facility of said received instructions and said original image to generate said edited image; and (d) printing said generated edited image.