Patent ID: 8036417

Claim:
A method of determining the image capture date of scanned hardcopy medium, comprising: (a) scanning hardcopy medium that includes at least one index print(s) to produce scanned digital images; (b) detecting one or more index prints from among the scanned digital images; (c) identifying thumbnail images contained within the one or more index prints; (d) determining an image capture date for each index print and associating the image capture date with the thumbnail image(s) contained within that index print; (e) matching a scanned digital image to a thumbnail image from the one or more index prints, including: (i) extracting features from the scanned digital image; (ii) extracting thumbnail features from the thumbnail images; and (iii) comparing the features and the thumbnail features to find a matching thumbnail image with a scanned digital image; (f) associating the date from the thumbnail image to the scanned digital image that matches the thumbnail image; (g) storing the date in association with the scanned digital image that matches the thumbnail image; and (h) organizing the scanned digital image in accordance with the determined date.