Photographic prints carrying meta data and methods therefor

A photographic print includes a sheet, such as a sheet of photographic paper, having a front face and a back face, and one or more images printed on the front face of the sheet. The photographic print includes meta data in a human invisible format attached to the sheet of photographic paper, the meta data including information related to the photographic print. The meta data may be encoded digital data stored on magnetic material such as a sheet of magnetic material that is attached to the photographic print. The meta data may also be printed on substantially transparent optical material in a format that is invisible to the human eye. The meta data may also be a magnetic material or optical material that is mixed with the ink used to print the one or more images on the photographic print. The meta data attached to the photographic prints may be read using a meta data scanner capable of reading the meta data and displaying the meta data in a visual or audio format.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 2 A- 2 C show respective front, back and right side views of a photographic print carrying meta data, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention. Photographic print 120 includes a front surface 122 having an image bearing region 124 with one or more images 126 printed in the image bearing region 124 . Photographic print 120 may also include a border region 128 surrounding print bearing region 124 . The border region 128 provides an area for handling photographic print 120 without adversely effecting the quality of the one or more images 126 printed thereon. Referring to FIGS. 2B and 2C , photographic print 120 also preferably includes a rear surface 130 having a sheet of a magnetic material 132 attached thereto. The sheet of magnetic material 132 desirably has a plurality of substantially parallel tracks 134 , each track 134 including information provided in a digital format. The digital information is preferably meta data that may be read by a magnetic read/write device capable of reading the digital data encoded on the magnetic sheet 132 . Such digital information may then be transformed into a format presentable to a viewer of the photographs such as a video or audio format. As used herein, the terminology “meta data” means information that relates to images appearing on photographic prints, the conditions under which the images were captured, or conditions under which the images were processed for making photographic prints. Common types of meta data include but are not limited to: Information about the people or objects appearing in the photographic prints. Descriptive information about the contents of the photographic prints including names, locations, objects, environmental conditions such as global positioning satellite (GPS) location and camera orientation, date and time that the photographs were taken, etc. Three dimensional (3-D) graphic models for enhancing the image when the photographic prints are viewed on a digital device such as a television or personal computer screen. The characteristics of the camera, paper, ink and processes used to capture the images and produce the photographic prints so that an exact duplicate copy may be produced at a later time. One or more Internet URL's that refer to web pages for, (a) the photographer, (b) the people or subjects of the photographs, (c) a service processing bureau that can offer duplicates or other services related to the prints, (d) the camera or the manufacturer of the camera used to take the photographs, (e) an on-line photograph album with one or more images that form some kind of related collection, such as a family history, yearbook, etc. 1. Voice annotation. 2. Audio information recorded at the time the photographs were captured or added at a later date for providing additional information to a viewer. 3. Different messages specially directed to the needs of the viewer. 4. Medical information for medical images. 5. Encoding the original image data so that the image may be easily reproduced. 6. Other sensory data not limited to sight or sound that will enhance the viewing experience. The meta data may be stored on the magnetic material sheet 132 in many different formats. In one preferred embodiment, a graphics format such as JPEG may be used to encode the meta data. However, the particular choice for the graphics format may depend upon the equipment used by the recipient of the photographic prints. For example, a service that provides photographic prints for viewing on a Macintosh platform may encode the images in a MacOS native graphics format such as QuickDraw or QuickDraw 3D. Most of the non-graphical data attached to the magnetic sheet 132 would preferably be encoded in a format such as ASCII or Unicode, or in analog or digital audio data. FIG. 3 shows a photographic print 220 in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention including a front sheet 236 , a rear sheet 238 and a sheet of a magnetic material 132 disposed between front and back sheets 236 , 238 . In this particular embodiment, front sheet 236 includes a photographic image printed thereon. Magnetic material sheet 232 is substantially similar to the magnetic material sheet 132 shown in FIG. 2B . The embedded magnetic material sheet 232 has meta data encoded therein, the meta data preferably relating to the image printed on front sheet 236 or the conditions under which the photograph was taken. FIGS. 4A and 4B show a meta data scanner used to read the meta data information attached to photographic print 120 of FIG. 2A . As used herein, the terminology “meta data scanner” means any electronic, magnetic or opto-electronic device that may be used to read information attached to a photographic print, whereby the information may be stored in a digital, magnetic or optical format. Meta data scanner 240 includes a top surface 242 having a receiving area 244 that is adapted to receive a photographic print having meta data attached thereto. Meta data scanner 240 includes a magnetic read/write device 246 capable of reading the digital data encoded in the magnetic material sheet 132 attached to the back face 130 of photographic print 120 . The magnetic read/write device 246 is attached to a controller 248 , such as a microprocessor-based controller, that controls overall operation of the scanner 240 . The meta data scanner 240 includes a memory device 250 for storing one or more operational routines and/or data about photographic images or meta data attached to the photographic images. Meta data scanner 240 also preferably includes a speaker 252 for broadcasting audio or sound, as will be described in more detail below. Scanner 240 also preferably includes a visual display area 254 such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or LED display. The visual display area 254 is in signal receiving relationship with controller 248 via communication line 256 . Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B , in operation, photographic print 120 is placed in the photographic print receiving area 244 so that magnetic read/write device 246 may begin to read the meta data encoded in the magnetic material sheet ( FIG. 2B ). The digital information is transmitted from read/write device 246 to controller 248 . Controller 248 then preferably runs one or more subroutines to decode the digital data. The decoded digital data may then be shown in visual display 254 and/or broadcast as sound through speaker 252 . In the particular embodiment shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B , the meta data scanner 240 displays visual information related to the photo in visual display 254 while broadcasting audio through speaker 252 . The content of the information presented in visual display 254 may differ from that broadcast through speaker 252 . For example, the information shown in visual display 254 may relate to information about when, where and by whom the photograph was taken. In contrast, the information broadcast via speaker 252 may relate to the image 126 shown in the photographic print 120 . FIGS. 6 and 7 show one method of capturing an image on film and also writing meta data related to the capturing of the image on film. Camera 260 includes lens 262 and spools 264 A, 264 B carrying film 266 . Film 266 includes borders 268 having sprockets 270 for advancing successive frames of film 266 through camera 260 . In a particular embodiment shown in FIG. 7 , film 266 includes photographic frames 272 A, 272 B and 272 C, each photographic frame 272 being adapted to be exposed to an image transmitted through camera lens 262 . Each frame 272 has a unique sheet of magnetic material 232 associated therewith, the magnetic sheet including a plurality of substantially parallel magnetic tracks 232 adapted to store encoded digital data thereon. As camera 260 is operated to capture image 226 through lens 262 , read/write device 246 records meta data on the parallel magnetic tracks 232 associated with the particular frame 272 of film 266 . Controller 269 operates Read/write device 246 . Camera 260 also preferably includes a memory 271 for storing operational subroutines and/or meta data in a digital format that is related to the photographs taken using camera 260 . FIG. 8 shows one preferred method for producing photographic prints having meta data attached thereto. In a first step 282 , one or more images are captured using devices such as a digital camera, film camera scanner, video camera or stock photos. The captured image is then attached to a medium such as photographic film. At approximately the same time, meta data related to the image is compiled and attached to a second medium, such as a magnetic sheet, at step designated by reference numeral 284 . A controller 286 including a memory device 288 is desirably used to capture image data and meta data and attach such image data and meta data to media. The image data and meta data may also be stored in a memory device. At step 290 , the image and meta data are attached to another medium, such as photographic paper. The image data may be printed on a first face of the photographic paper while the meta data may be encoded onto a magnetic sheet (step 29 ) attachable to a back face of the photographic paper. FIGS. 9A, 9B and 10 show a photographic print having meta data in the form of a substantially transparent sheet of optical material secured over the front face thereof. Photographic print 320 includes front face 322 having an image bearing region 324 for receiving one or more images 326 and a border region 328 surrounding the image bearing region 324 . Photographic print 320 also includes a rear surface 330 remote from front surface 322 . Referring to FIGS. 9B and 10 , a substantially transparent sheet 332 of an optical material is preferably secured over the front surface 322 of photographic print 320 . In preferred embodiments, the sheet of optical material 332 preferably has information encoded therein in a digital format. The information is preferably meta data related to the production of the photographic print 320 and/or the images or objects printed in the image receiving area 324 of photographic print 320 . As shown in FIG. 10 , the digital information is encoded into zeroes (0) and ones (1) provided in a series of substantially parallel rows. The digital information is printed in a format that is invisible to the human eye. In certain preferred embodiments, the digital information is printed so that it can only be seen in the ultraviolet or infrared ranges of the optical spectrum. Thus, the meta data provided on the substantially transparent sheet of optical material 332 will not block the images on the photographic print and may only be retrieved using a device capable of “viewing” the information in the ultraviolet and/or infrared ranges, or other ranges of the spectrum that are not visible to the human eye. FIG. 11 shows a photographic print 420 in accordance with other further embodiments of the present invention including a front face 422 having one or more images printed in an image receiving area 424 thereof and a rear face 430 remote from front face 422 . A substantially transparent sheet of optical material 432 is secured over rear face 430 of photographic print 420 . Optical sheet 432 has encoded therein meta data in a digital format, the meta data being invisible to the human eye. FIGS. 12A and 12B show a meta data scanner 440 used to read the meta data secured to the photographic print 320 shown and described above in FIG. 9A . Meta data scanner 440 includes a top surface 442 having a photographic print receiving area 444 adapted to receive photographic print 320 . Meta data scanner also includes a visual display 454 such as a liquid crystal display and a speaker 452 for broadcasting sound. Referring to FIG. 12 B, meta data scanner 440 includes scanning element 456 that is capable of scanning the human invisible digital data secured atop the front face of photographic print 320 . In certain preferred embodiments, scanning element 456 passes over the entire front surface 322 of photographic print 320 . The scanned information is then transmitted to controller 448 via communication line 455 . Controller 448 may operate one or more scanning and reading subroutines stored in memory 450 . Referring to FIGS. 13A and 13B , after the human invisible digital data has been scanned, controller 448 processes the digital data to produce a visual message shown in visual display 454 . At approximately the same time, some of the digital information may be transformed into sound and broadcast from speaker 452 . The information presented in visual display 454 may differ from that broadcast through speaker 452 . As mentioned above, in certain preferred embodiments, the digital information printed on the transparent optical sheet 332 is printed in a range of the optical spectrum that is invisible to the human eye. For example, the digital information may be printed in the ultraviolet or infrared ranges. Thus, the human invisible digital data cannot be seen by a human eye, but may be picked up by specially designed optical devices. As a result, the digital data may be secured directly over the image bearing surface on the front face of a photographic print while still allowing a viewer to clearly see the photograph. FIGS. 14A, 14B and 15 show a photographic print having meta data secured thereto, in accordance with still further preferred embodiments of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 14A and 14B , photographic print 520 includes front surface 522 having an image bearing region 524 with one or more images 526 printed thereon. Photographic print 520 may also include a border region 528 that facilitates handling of the print. Photographic print 520 also preferably includes rear surface 530 remote from front face 522 . Referring to FIGS. 14B and 15 , a transparent optical sheet 532 carrying meta data invisible to the human eye is secured over the image 526 on the front face 522 of photographic print 520 . As shown in FIG. 15 , the human invisible meta data is in the form of readable text that is printed in a range of the optical spectrum that is invisible to the human eye. As a result, the substantially transparent optical sheet 532 may be secured directly over the front surface 522 of photographic print 520 while still allowing the image 526 to be seen clearly through the optical 532 . Referring to FIGS. 16A and 16B , the human invisible text appearing on the front surface of photographic print 520 may be viewed using a specially designed meta data scanner 540 having a top surface 542 with a photographic print receiving area 544 . A specially designed optical viewing lens 545 is secured over the photographic print receiving area 544 by support frame 547 . The viewing lens is adapted to transform the human invisible text on the optical sheet 532 into text that is visible to the human eye. FIGS. 17A and 17B show the photographic print 520 of FIG. 14A secured within the photographic print receiving area 544 of meta data scanner 540 . Lens 545 transforms the human invisible text into a format that is visible to the human eye. As a result, the image 526 appearing on photographic print 520 as well as the text printed on optical sheet 532 may be viewed through lens 545 . While the present invention has been described in detail by specific references to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it is understood that other variations and modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.