System for automatic image association

Abstract

Methods and systems for improving a photography business are disclosed, comprising, in an embodiment, taking a photograph of a coded component together with a series of photographs for the client. The coded component comprises human-readable information and is provided to the client for access to the photographs. The coded component also comprises machine-readable information, enabling a server to sort the photographs to the corresponding jobs without operator intervention. The coded component can also comprise a fillable option field to identify that the photographs associated with the coded component are to be specially treated according to a desired selection.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method to improve automation of a photography automatically process digital photographic images of one or more posed photo shoot sessions by one or more computer systems that include one or more processors and system memories containing program instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, configured the one or more computer systems to perform the computer-implemented method comprising:
 generating, by the one or more computer systems, a plurality of unique identification strings; 
 for each unique identification string of the plurality of unique identification strings:
 coding, by the one or more computer systems, from the unique identification string, a one- or two-dimensional, machine-recognizable, and machine-readable graphic pattern, 
 wherein each coded graphic pattern is unique; 
 
 establishing an association between each unique identification string or each unique coded graphic pattern and an individual client of a plurality of clients; 
 preparing, by the one or more computer systems, before the one or more posed photo shoot sessions, imageable media to display each unique coded graphic pattern; 
 for each of a plurality of jobs of the one or more posed photo shoot sessions, wherein each job comprises a series of photographs for one of the individual clients of the plurality of clients:
 selecting, to be used for a particular individual client of the plurality of clients, the prepared imageable media displaying a selected unique coded graphic pattern of the unique coded graphic patterns; 
 placing, to identify the job, the selected prepared imageable media displaying the selected unique coded graphic pattern within a field of view of a hand-holdable camera;  
 taking at least a first a code-storing photograph of a coded component the selected prepared imageable media displaying the selected unique coded graphic pattern using a handheldable the hand-holdable camera, the coded component comprising a machine-readable element; and wherein the displayed unique coded graphic pattern is embedded into the code-storing photograph such that the code-storing photograph stores the displayed selected unique coded graphic pattern, immediate prior to:  
 taking one or more second job photographs relating to a job of a the particular individual client using the handheldable same hand-holdable camera used to take the code-storing photograph, 
 wherein the one or more second job photographs do not contain the coded component, any of the unique coded graphic patterns;  
 
 wherein the at least a first photograph photographs of the plurality of jobs form a sequence of digital images in which each of the code-storing photographs is operable to mark at least one of positioned within the sequence of digital images at a beginning and an end of the one or more second job photographs of one of the jobs; 
 sending the taken photographs sequence of digital images of the plurality of jobs, including the at least a first photograph code-storing photographs and the one or more second job photographs, to a data processing system, wherein the one or more computer systems comprise the data processing system is configured; and 
 causing the one or more computer systems that comprise the data processing system to: 
 process the taken photographs to sequence of digital images, 
 recognize the unique coded graphic patterns,  
 identify the at least a first photograph code-storing photographs, and 
 decode the unique coded graphic patterns, 
 retrieve, from the decoded unique coded graphic patterns, identifying data relating to each of the plurality of jobs,
 wherein the retrieved identifying data includes each unique identification string;  
 
 
 associatingassociate the one or more secondjob photographs into groups, wherein each job photograph or group is associated with the machine-readable element of the at least a firstcode-storing photograph positioned at the beginning of the one or more job photographs immediately following the code-storing photograph, and 
 link the associated one or more job photographs with each of the plurality of jobs that the retrieved identifying data relates to, 
 such that the one or more computer systems sort the plurality of job photographs that do not contain any of the unique coded graphic patterns to corresponding jobs according to the identifying data retrieved from the unique coded graphic patterns stored in the code-storing photographs. 
 
     
     
       2. A method as in  claim 1  further comprising
 providing at least one of the coded component and information relating to the coded component to the client. 
 
     
     
       3. A method as in  claim 2  wherein either taking the one or more photographs relating to the job is performed before or after taking the photograph of the coded component, or
 taking the photograph of the coded component is performed before or after providing the coded component to the client. 
 
     
     
       4. A method as in  claim 1  wherein taking a photograph of the coded component comprises taking a picture of the client with the coded component. 
     
     
       5. A method as in  claim 1  wherein the coded component further comprises human-readable information which comprises at least one of public information and secured information to enable the client to access the one or more photographs. 
     
     
       6. A method as in  claim 1  wherein the coded component further comprises an option field which indicates a desired treatment for the job. 
     
     
       7. A method as in  claim 1  wherein the machine-readable element comprises at least one of a 1-D barcode, a 2-D code, a color code, machine recognizable characters, and patterns that are recognizable by a machine vision program. 
     
     
       8. A method as in  claim 1  wherein the machine-readable element links to a client database to provide information related to the client. 
     
     
       9. A computer-implemented method to improve automation of a photography automatically process digital photographic images, the method performed by one or more computer systems that include one or more processors and system memories containing program instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the one or more computer systems to perform the computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a plurality of photographs belonging to different sequence of digital images for a plurality of jobs of the one or more posed photo shoot sessions, 
 wherein each job of the plurality of jobs comprises a series of photographs for an individual client of a plurality of clients,  
 wherein the plurality of photographs including firstsequence of digital images includes both a plurality of code-storing photographs having, each code-storing photograph storing an embedded coded componentsunique coded graphic pattern, and seconda plurality of job photographs, each job photograph not having an embedded coded componentsunique coded graphic pattern, 
 wherein one or more first photographs are operable to mark at least one of each code-storing photograph is positioned within the sequence of digital images at a beginning and or an end of one or more second of the job photographs that belong to a job of the different jobs of one of the jobs, and  
 wherein each coded component comprises a machine-readable element configured for identifying a job, and 
 wherein the plurality of job photographs are taken using a same handheldable hand-holdable camera used to take the code-storing photographs; 
 processing each image of the plurality of photographs sequence of digital images by a searching algorithm configured to identify the one or more first of the plurality of code-storing photographs; and 
 sorting the plurality of job photographs to the corresponding jobs by: 
 for a first digital image of the sequence of digital images, identified by the processing as one of the plurality of code-storing photographs containing one of the embedded unique coded graphic patterns; 
 recognizing the one of the embedded unique coded graphic patterns as a one- or two-way dimensional, machine-generated, and machine-readable code; 
 decoding, by a pattern recognition algorithm, the one of the embedded unique coded graphic patterns; and 
 retrieving, from the decoded one of the embedded unique coded graphic patterns, identifying data relating to a first job of the plurality of jobs; 
 for one or more second digital images of the sequence of digital images, not identified by the processing as one of the plurality of code-storing photographs; 
 determining that, in the sequence of digital images, the one or more second digital images are positioned immediately after or before the first digital image, 
 wherein, based on the processing, the one or more second digital images are job photographs, and 
 wherein the first digital image serves as a delimiter of the beginning or the end of the job photographs of the first job; and  
 associating the one or more second job photographs delimited by the first digital image with the coded components of the one or more first photographs first job that the identifying data retrieved from the decoded one of the embedded unique coded graphic patterns relates to; 
 wherein the one or more computer systems associate other job photographs of the plurality of job photographs with different jobs of the plurality of jobs, 
 such that the one or more computer systems sort the plurality of job photographs that do not contain any of the unique coded graphic patterns to the corresponding jobs according to the identifying data retrieved from decoding the unique coded graphic patterns embedded in the code-storing photographs. 
 
     
     
       10. A method as in  claim 9  further comprising retrieving, from the code component, identifying data relating to the job. 
     
     
       11. A method as in  claim 9  wherein a coded component further comprises a desired treatment for the job, the method further comprising: performing the treatment. 
     
     
       12. A method as in  claim 9  wherein the photographs of the plurality of photographs receding or following the photograph containing the coded component are associated with the coded component. 
     
     
       13. A method as in  claim 9  wherein the plurality of photographs comprise at least one of a sequence number and a time stamp and the plurality of photographs with the sequence number or time in the vicinity of that of the coded component photograph are associated with the coded component. 
     
     
       14. A method as in  claim 9  further comprising assigning at least one of a job name and a password to the plurality of photographs of a job to restrict access to the plurality of photographs. 
     
     
       15. A method as in  claim 9  further comprising employing a conflict-resolving algorithm in the event of conflict in sorting the plurality of photographs. 
     
     
       16. A machine readable non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors in one or more computer systems, configure the computer systems to execute the a computer-implemented method of  claim 9  to automatically process digital photographic images, where the method comprises
 receiving a sequence of digital images for a plurality of jobs of one or more posed photo shoot sessions, 
 wherein each job of the plurality of jobs comprises a series of photographs for an individual client of a plurality of clients, 
 wherein the sequence of digital images includes both a plurality of code-storing photographs, each code-storing photograph storing an embedded unique coded graphic pattern, and a plurality of job photographs, each job photograph not having an embedded unique coded graphic pattern, 
 wherein each code-storing photograph is positioned within the sequence of digital images at a beginning or an end of one or more of the job photographs of one of the jobs, and 
 wherein the plurality of job photographs are taken using a same hand-holdable camera used to take the code-storing photographs; 
 processing each image of the sequence of digital images by a searching algorithm configured to identify one or more of the plurality of code-storing photographs; 
 sorting the plurality of job photographs to corresponding jobs by: 
 for a first digital image of the sequence of digital images, identified by the processing as one of the plurality of code-storing photographs containing one of the embedded unique coded graphic patterns; 
 recognizing the one of the embedded unique coded graphic patterns as a one- or two-dimensional, machine-generated, and machine-readable code; 
 decoding, by a pattern recognition algorithm, the one of the embedded unique coded graphic patterns; and 
 retrieving, from the decoded one of the embedded unique coded graphic patterns, identifying data relating to a first job of the plurality of jobs; 
 for one or more second digital images of the sequence of digital images, not identified by the processing as one of the plurality of code-storing photographs; 
 determining that, in the sequence of digital images, the one or more second digital images are positioned immediately after or before the first digital image, 
 wherein, based on the processing, the one or more second digital images are job photographs, and 
 wherein the first digital image serves as a delimiter of the beginning or the end of the job photographs of the first job; and 
 associating the one or more job photographs delimited by the first digital image with the first job that the identifying data retrieved from the decoded one of the embedded unique coded graphic patterns relative to; 
 wherein the one or more computer systems associate other job photographs of the plurality of job photographs with different jobs of the plurality of jobs, 
 such that the one or more computer systems sort the plurality of job photographs that do not contain any of the unique coded graphic patterns to the corresponding jobs according to the identifying data retrieved from decoding the unique coded graphic patterns embedded in the code-storing photographs. 
 
     
     
       17. A data processing system to improve automation of a photography process, comprising:
 means for receiving a plurality of photographs belongs to different jobs, the plurality of photographs including first photographs having an embedded coded component and second photographs not having embedded coded components,   wherein one or more first photographs are operable to mark at least one of a beginning and an end of one or more second photographs that belong to a job of the different jobs,   wherein each coded component comprises a machine-readable element configured to identify a job, and   wherein the plurality of photographs are taken using a same handheldable camera;   means for processing the plurality of photographs to identify the one or more first photographs;   means for sorting the plurality of photographs to the corresponding jobs by associating the one or more second photographs with the co components of the one or more first photographs.   
     
     
       18. A data processing system as in  claim 17  wherein a coded component further comprises a desired treatment for the plurality of photographs, the data processing system further comprising:
 means for treating the plurality of photographs associated with the coded component. 
 
     
     
       19. A data processing system as in  claim 17  further comprising means for employing a conflict-resolving algorithm in the event of conflict in sorting the plurality of photographs. 
     
     
       20. A method as in  claim 2  wherein taking the one or more photographs relating to the job is performed after taking the photograph of the coded component. 
     
     
       21. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein coding the one- or two-dimensional, machine-recognizable, and machine-readable graphic pattern comprises generating, by the one or more computer systems, a 2D bar code.  
     
     
       22. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the coding comprises including retrievable identifying data relating to a job in the coded graphic pattern, wherein the retrievable identifying data comprises one or more of a job name, a job number, an identifier for a client of the plurality of clients, a password for a client account, or the unique identification string.  
     
     
       23. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the coding comprises including retrievable photograph sequencing data indicating that the coded graphic pattern is a beginning code for an immediately following series of photographs.  
     
     
       24. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the coding comprises encrypting or digitally signing the coded graphic pattern.  
     
     
       25. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the preparing comprises one or more of:
 causing each unique coded graphic pattern to be printed onto a displayable substrate, wherein the displayable substrate comprises a card, paper, plastic, or proof sheets; 
 causing each unique coded graphic pattern to be visually displayed on an electronic display screen, wherein the electronic display screen comprises a mobile phone, smart phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), laptop computer, or computer monitor; or 
 causing each unique coded graphic pattern to be displayed via an optical or mechanical device configured for attachment directly to the camera or a lens of the camera.  
 
     
     
       26. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the preparing comprises generating, for a same one of the unique coded graphic patterns, multiple different imageable media, wherein the different imageable media further include different human-readable photographer names.  
     
     
       27. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the placing comprises providing the prepared imageable media displaying a unique coded graphic pattern to the client for the client to hold while the first photograph of the unique coded graphic pattern is taken, and wherein taking the code-storing photograph comprises taking a picture of the client together with the prepared imageable media displaying the unique coded graphic pattern.  
     
     
       28. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein taking the code-storing photograph and taking the one or more job photographs using the same hand-holdable camera comprises using a first hand-holdable camera to take a first code-storing photograph and first job photographs, and using a second hand-holdable camera to take a second code-storing photograph and second job photographs.  
     
     
       29. The computer-implemented method of  claim 28  wherein the first hand-holdable camera and the second hand-holdable camera are used for the same job, to take the first and second code-storing photographs of the same unique coded graphic pattern and the first and second job photographs relating to the same client.  
     
     
       30. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein establishing an association between each unique identification string or each unique coded graphic pattern and an individual client of a plurality of clients comprises storing, in a database, each unique identification string or each unique coded graphic pattern linked when an individual client of the plurality of clients.  
     
     
       31. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising, for each of the plurality of jobs:
 automatically creating, by the one or more computer systems, an account to distributedly store the associated one of more job photographs that relate to the client;   assigning, by the one or more computer systems, a password to the account;   wherein the preparing, by the one or more computer systems, the imageable media to display the unique coded graphic patterns further comprises causing the imageable media to further display the password;   transferred to the individual client a physical or electronic version of the prepared imageable media displaying the unique coded graphic pattern and the password for the client; and   restricting, by the one or more computer systems, online access to the associated one or more job photographs to a user with the account password;   wherein the client with the password can use the one or more computer systems to log in to the account to inspect, select, modify, or distribute the associated one or more job photographs relating to the client.    
     
     
       32. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9  wherein receiving the sequence of digital images comprises automatically transferring one or more files stored by the camera on a memory medium to the one or more computer systems.  
     
     
       33. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9  wherein processing each image of the sequence of digital images to identify one or more of the plurality of code-storing photographs comprises processing all of the sequence of digital images to identify the plurality of code-storing photographs and a total number of the plurality of code-storing photographs.  
     
     
       34. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9  wherein recognizing the one of the embedded unique coded graphic patterns as a one- or two-dimensional, machine-generated, and machine-readable code comprises using one or more machine vision or image recognition algorithms.  
     
     
       35. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9  wherein the one of a one- or two-dimensional, machine-generated, and machine-readable code is a 1D barcode or a 2D barcode.  
     
     
       36. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9  wherein retrieving identifying data relating to a first job from the decoded one of the embedded unique coded graphic patterns comprises retrieving one or more of:
 a first job name, a first job number, an identifier for a client of the plurality of clients, a name associated with the first job, a password for a client account, a unique identification string, or a link to a database; 
 an indication of whether the decoded one of the embedded unique coded graphic patterns is a delimiter of a beginning or an end of job photographs; and 
 one or more treatment instructions.  
 
     
     
       37. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9  wherein a single code-storing photograph contains multiple embedded unique coded graphic patterns, and further comprising retrieving different information from each of the multiple embedded unique coded graphic patterns.  
     
     
       38. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9  wherein, based on the first digital image serving as a delimiter of the beginning or the end of the job photographs of the first job, the computer system determines that the job photographs begin after or end before the first digital image and do not include the first digital image.  
     
     
       39. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9  wherein determining that, in the sequence of digital images, the one or more second digital images are positioned immediately after or before the first digital image comprises extracting metadata including one or more of an incremental file name, an incremental sequence number, a creation time and date, and a capture time and date, and recovering a time sequence based on the metadata.  
     
     
       40. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9  wherein determining that, in the sequence of digital images, the one or more second digital images are positioned immediately after or before the first digital image comprises employing a conflict resolution algorithm to resolve an ambiguity by calculating and applying a time offset.  
     
     
       41. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9  wherein associating the one or more job photographs delimited by the first digital image with the first job comprises one or more of:
 associating the one or more second digital images into a group; 
 associating the one or more second digital images with the unique coded graphic pattern embedded in the first digital image; or 
 associating the one or more second digital images with the identifying data relating to the first job retrieved from the decoded one of the embedded unique coded graphic patterns.  
 
     
     
       42. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9  wherein the associating identifies the one or more second digital images as photographs for a first client of the plurality of clients.  
     
     
       43. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9  wherein multiple different unique coded graphic patterns are linked to the first job.  
     
     
       44. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9  wherein multiple first digital images contain the same embedded unique coded graphic pattern, wherein each of the associated one or more second digital images are linked to the first job.  
     
     
       45. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9  wherein the sequence of digital images including the plurality of job photographs taken using the same hand-holdable camera used to take the code-storing photographs comprises a first code-storing photograph and first job photographs taken using a first hand-holdable camera, and a second code-storing photograph and second job photographs taken using a second hand-holdable camera.  
     
     
       46. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9  wherein each image of the sequence of digital images is processed in sequence, and each processed image is determined to have an embedded unique coded graphic pattern, or to belong to a group identified by an embedded unique coded graphic pattern.