Method for providing customized photo products using images transmitted from a digital camera

Abstract

A method for providing customized photo services by a service provider using images transmitted from a digital camera to the service provider. The service provider provides photo services after a user service account containing data identifying a photo service.

1 . A method for providing customized photo services by a service provider, using images transmitted from a digital camera to the service provider, comprising: 
 a) a service provider providing a menu identifying a plurality of different photo services that can be selected by a user;    b) the service provider establishing a user service account containing data identifying a photo service selected by the user from the menu;    c) storing, in the digital camera, a service account identifier which can be transmitted from the camera to the service provider in order to identify the user service account;    d) the service provider communicating with a modem in the digital camera and receiving the service account identifier and a plurality of digital images captured using the digital camera;    e) the service provider using the service account identifier to identify the user service account,    f) the service provider reading the identified user service account and data identifying the photo service selected by the user from the menu, and;    g) the service provider providing the photo service previously selected by the user from the menu, using the plurality of digital images received from the digital camera.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the modem transmits the plurality of digital images over a network to the service provider.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the network is the Internet.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein service account identifier is stored in firmware memory in the digital camera  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of digital images is stored in an image file and the service account identifier is also stored in such image file.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the service provider also receives, from the digital camera, a utilization file.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  where the utilization file identifies transferred digital images to be printed.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the user service account further includes an address of a designated recipient.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the selected photo service provides prints of the plurality of digital images.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further including the step of delivering the prints to indicated locations of one or more designated recipients.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein one of the plurality of different photo services provides album pages.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further including providing the album pages in different layout formats.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the plurality of different photo services includes a plurality of different size prints.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the user service account includes a payment identifier that specified the account to be charged for services.  
     
     
         15 . A method for providing customized photo services by a imaging service provider, using images transmitted by a digital communications network provider from a digital camera, comprising: 
 a) an imaging service provider providing a menu identifying a plurality of different photo services that can be selected by a user;    b) the imaging service provider establishing a user service account containing data identifying a photo service selected by the user from the menu;    c) storing, in the digital camera, a service account identifier which can be transmitted from the camera through the digital communications network to the imaging service provider in order to identify the user service account;    d) the imaging service provider communicating via the digital communications network with a modem in the digital camera and receiving the service account identifier and a plurality of digital images captured using the digital camera;    e) the imaging service provider using the service account identifier to identify the user service account,    f) the imaging service provider reading the identified user service account and data identifying the photo service selected by the user from the menu, and;    g) the imaging service provider providing the photo service previously selected by the user from the menu, using the plurality of digital images received from the digital camera.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein each of the plurality of digital images is stored in an image file and the service account identifier is also stored in such image file.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the service provider also receives, from the digital camera, a utilization file identifying transferred digital images to be printed.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the user service account further includes an address of a designated recipient.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the selected photo service provides prints of the plurality of digital images.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the user service account includes a payment identifier that specified the account to be charged for services.