Electronic photography system

Abstract

A system for electronic photography includes a number of photo-capture stations. Each station includes a digital camera and a customer identification device for selectively actuating the digital camera to capture a digital image and recording customer identification with the digital image. The system includes a central controller for collecting and storing the digital images captured by the photo-capture stations and a high bandwidth communications network connecting the photo-capture stations to the central controller. The system also includes an output station connected to the central controller by the high bandwidth communications network. The output station has a customer identification device, a display device responsive to actuation of the customer identification device to display the digital images associated with the customer identification, an output device for transferring the digital images to an output medium, and a customer interface to allow the, customer to select images to be transferred to the output medium.

1. A system for electronic photography, comprising:
 a. a plurality of image capture stations, each station including a digital camera and a customer identification device for selectively actuating the digital camera, by the customer, to capture a digital image and recording customer identification with the digital image; 
 b. a central image processor for collecting and storing the digital images captured by the image capture stations; 
 c. a central controller; 
 d. a high bandwidth communications network connecting the image capture stations to the central controller, the central controller controlling access to the network; 
 e. an output station connected to the central image processor by the high bandwidth communications network, the output station including a customer identification device, a display device responsive to actuation of the customer identification device to display the digital images associated with the customer identification, and means for the customer to select images to be transferred to an output medium; and 
 f. an output device connected to the central image processor by the high bandwidth communications network for transferring the digital images to the output medium. 
 
     
     
       2. The system claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the output device is a printer for printing the images. 
     
     
       3. The system claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the output device is a digital image storage device for transferring the digital images to a digital image storage medium. 
     
     
       4. The system claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the customer selection means is a touch screen CRT. 
     
     
       5. The system claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the customer identification device is a credit card reader, and the output station further includes a means for billing the customer's order to the customer's credit account. 
     
     
       6. The system claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising means for issuing each customer a customer identification card hearing a unique code, and wherein the customer identification device reads the unique code on the identification card as the customer identification. 
     
     
       7. The system claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the high bandwidth communications network is a fiber optic network. 
     
     
       8. The system claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the high bandwidth communications network is a radio frequency communications network. 
     
     
       9. The system claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the output device is located in the output station. 
     
     
       10. The system claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the central image processor contains stock images that may be viewed and selected by the customer at the output station. 
     
     
       11. The system claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one image capture station is located at a mechanized attraction and the camera of said image capture station is automatically actuated by the mechanism of the attraction.