Patent ID: 8035747

Claim:
A method for producing viewable output from an image record, the method comprising the steps of: determining one of a plurality of different types of input unit supplying the image record; ascertaining availability of additional information about the input record, wherein said ascertaining comprises determining availability of metadata associated with the image record, said metadata indicating a respective one of a plurality of predetermined image record sources, and wherein when said metadata is unavailable said ascertaining further comprises analyzing said image record to provide one of: analysis results indicative of one of said plurality of predetermined image record sources and non-indicative results; classifying the image record into one of a predetermined plurality of different edit statuses, said classifying utilizing as input the determined said type of input unit, said edit statuses being inclusive of unedited status and very-edited status, wherein each of said plurality of predetermined image record sources is associated with a corresponding edit status, and wherein when said additional information is available, said additional information is utilized as input in said classifying such that when said metadata is available the image record is assigned the edit status associated with the respective said image record source, and when said metadata is unavailable and said analysis results are available the image record is assigned the edit status associated with the respective image record source indicated by said analysis results; digitally enhancing the image record; constraining material alteration of the image record during said enhancing, said enhancing being more constrained when said edit status is very-edited and said enhancing being less constrained when said edit status is other than very-edited; rendering the image record to match a predetermined output unit; and outputting said rendered and enhanced image record.