Claims
- 1. A method for handling photofinishing customization data for a plurality of film units, each said film unit having a unique identifier, said film units being usable for capturing images, said method comprising the steps of:allocating a different logical memory unit to each said film unit, said logical memory units being remote from said film units, said logical memory units each indicating the identifier of the respective said film unit and a plurality of photofinishing parameters for the respective said film unit; receiving a remotely input change in at least one of said photofinishing parameters for at least one of said film units; writing said change in the respective said logical memory unit; and processing the images responsive to said photofinishing parameters in the respective said logical memory units.
- 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining said logical memory units accessible to one or more repeats of said writing step.
- 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising reporting said photofinishing parameters to a photofinishing unit.
- 4. The method of claim 3 wherein said reporting further comprises authorizing said photofinishing unit to proceed.
- 5. The method of claim 3 further comprising maintaining said logical memory units accessible to one or more repeats of said writing step and one or more repeats of said reporting step, in any order.
- 6. The method of claim 1 wherein said identifiers are written in respective said logical memory units.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein said logical memory units have address paths corresponding to respective said film unit identifiers.
- 8. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving and writing are prior to said capturing.
- 9. The method of claim 1 wherein said logical memory units are in a networked computer.
- 10. The method of claim 1 wherein said film units are one-time use cameras.
- 11. A method for handling photofinishing customization data for a plurality of film units, each said film unit having a unique identifier, said method comprising the steps of:preparing the film units for use in capturing images; allocating a different logical memory unit to each of said film units prior to said capturing, said logical memory units being remote from said film units, said logical memory units each indicating the identifier of the respective said film unit; writing at least one photofinishing parameter to the respective said logical memory unit of each said film unit; vending said film units for use in capturing images; processing said images responsive to said photofinishing parameters in the respective said logical memory units; and maintaining said logical memory units accessible to one or more repeats of said writing step, at any time between said vending and said processing.
- 12. The method of claim 11 wherein said writing is prior to said vending and said method further comprises repeating said writing after said vending.
- 13. The method of claim 11 further comprising reporting said photofinishing parameter to a photofinishing unit.
- 14. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:capturing a plurality of images in at least one of said film units.
- 15. The method of claim 11 wherein said logical memory units are in a networked computer.
- 16. The method of claim 11 wherein said film units are one-time use cameras.
- 17. A method for handling photofinishing customization data for a plurality of film units used for capturing images, said film units each having a unique identifier, said method comprising the steps of:allocating a different logical memory unit to each said film unit prior to said image capture, said logical memory units being remote from said film units, said logical memory units each indicating the identifier of the respective said film unit and a plurality of photofinishing parameters for the respective said film unit; receiving a remotely input change in at least one of said photofinishing parameters for at least one of said film units; writing said change in the respective said logical memory unit; and processing said images responsive to said photofinishing parameters in the respective said logical memory units.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Reference is made to commonly assigned co-pending U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 09/221,341, entitled: METHOD FOR ASSOCIATING A FILM UNIT AND A ONE-TIME USE CAMERA, and filed in the names of David Cipolla and David C. Smart; Ser. No. 09/221,358, entitled: PHOTOFINISHING METHOD, PHOTOFINISHNG APPARATUS, AND SYSTEM, and filed in the names of David C. Smart and David Cipolla; Ser. No. 09/221,247, entitled: METHOD FOR STORING EXPOSURE DEPENDENT AND EXPOSURE INDEPENDENT INFORMATION RELATED TO A PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM UNIT, and filed in the names of David C. Smart and David Cipolla; Ser. No. 09/221,943, entitled: FILM UNIT, METHOD FOR ENABLING SECURE CUSTOMIZATION OF A FILM UNIT, AND SYSTEM, and filed in the names of David C. Smart and David Cipolla; Ser. No. 09/221,942, entitled: IMAGE CAPTURE PACKAGE SECURE DATABASE ACCESS METHOD, and filed in the names of David C. Smart and David Cipolla; Ser. No. 09/221,424, entitled: METHOD FOR HANDLING USER AND PRODUCER FILM UNIT CUSTOMIZATION DATA AND SYSTEM, and filed in the names of David Cipolla, David C. Smart, and Robert Luke Walker; Ser. No. 09/221,420, entitled: METHOD FOR COMPENSATING FOR FILM UNIT DEFECTS AND SYSTEM, and filed in the names of David C. Smart and David Cipolla; Ser. No. 09/221,425, entitled: METHOD FOR KEEPING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM CURRENT, and filed in the names of David C. Smart, David Cipolla, and David A. Hodder; Ser. No. 09/221,756, entitled: METHOD FOR TRACKING THE LIFE CYCLE OF FILM UNITS AND SYSTEM, and filed in the names of David Cipolla and David C. Smart; Ser. No. 09/221,249, entitled: METHOD FOR ARCHIVING FILM UNIT INFORMATION, and filed in the names of David C. Smart and David Cipolla, each of which are assigned to the assignee of this application. The above cross-referenced applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
US Referenced Citations (22)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0 851 274 A1 |
Jul 1998 |
EP |
0 851 661 A2 |
Jul 1998 |
EP |
10-115874 |
May 1998 |
JP |