claimsbot – Page 19644 – All The Claims

1460728778-75f54e1b-4a0c-4b69-8fdf-5ea7ada27491

What is claimed is:

1. A positive fluid displacement device (PFDD) for
delivering a fluid comprising
a housing for said device;
a crankshaft mounted within said housing, said crankshaft for coupling to the driveshaft of a motor;
a crankpin connected to said crankshaft to provide an orbital movement around said crankshaft;
a fluid displacement module (FDM) for quick and easy assembly with said housing and said crankpin, said FDM having a first pistoncylinder assembly comprising
a single piece double-ended piston connected in assembly to said crankpin to operably provide said piston with a circular motion, said piston having a piston head on each end;
two cylinders, each cylinder having a cylinder head, each cylinder head having a side which in assembly encloses one end of an associated displacement chamber, each said cylinder for holding one end of said piston and one piston head, each said piston head in assembly encloses a second end of the associated displacement chamber;
each said cylinder head having a flat surface on a side opposite to the side enclosing the associated displacement chamber; and
an opening in said cylinder head, said opening allowing fluid communication to and from the associated displacement chamber, said piston head having a protrusion sized to empty said opening at top dead center of piston travel;

two port plates each having a flat surface which in assembly is in sealing engagement with a mating flat surface of the associated cylinder head, each said port plate having two ports for fluid communication through said opening to the associated displacement chamber, one port being an inlet port to the displacement chamber and one port being an outlet port from the displacement chamber, in assembly said housing and each said port plate are held apart from direct mechanical contact by interposing pliable members to bear against said housing and each said port plate thereby allowing micromotion of each said port plate in two dimensions while allowing movement of each said port plate in one dimension to enable continuous direct sealing engagement between the flat surface of each said port plate with the mating flat surface of the associated cylinder head; and
wherein in operation, the circular movement of said piston imparts a reciprocating movement to each said cylinder, the flat surface of the associated cylinder head moving back and forth across the flat surface of the associated port plate once per revolution of said crankpin wherein the associated opening is successively brought into fluid communication with the associated inlet port and outlet port.
2. The PFDD of claim 1 wherein the FDM further includes a second double-ended pistoncylinder assembly identical to said first pistoncylinder assembly thereby providing four pistons, four cylinders and four displacement chambers, said PFDD including additional port plates to interact with said second pistoncylinder assembly.
3. The PFDD of claim 2 wherein the first and second pistoncylinder assemblies nest together when assembled into said PFDD such that the axis of all pistons are in the same plane perpendicular to the axis of said crankshaft.
4. The PFDD of claim 3 further including a bearing mounted on said crankpin, in assembly said bearing fits into an opening in each said piston.
5. The PFDD of claim 4 further including grooves associated with said housing, rails for assembly into said grooves, in assembly said rails holding said cylinder head for sliding movement, the groovesrailscylinder head assembly locating the associated piston such that a four piston PFDD locates each piston at approximately 90 from its neighboring pistons.
6. The PFDD of claim 5 further including a resilient member located between said housing and each of said rails for urging the railcylinder head assembly together.
7. The PFDD of claim 5 wherein the said rails are comprised of lubricating material.
8. The PFDD of claim 1 wherein said pliable members include members on opposite sides of each said port plate interposed between said housing and said port plate to prevent direct mechanical contact of said housing and each said port plate.
9. The PFDD of claim 8 further including a manifold, said manifold having an inlet port and an outlet port for connection to an associated displacement chamber through the associated port plate, and wherein the said pliable members include a buffering member interposed between said housing and a third side of each said port plate to prevent direct mechanical contact of said housing and each said port plate, each said buffering member urging the associated port plate toward said manifold.
10. The PFDD of claim 9 further including, in assembly, a pliable seal between a fourth side of each said port plate and said manifold, said pliable seal preventing direct mechanical contact between each said port plate and said manifold.
11. The PFDD of claim 10 wherein said pliable members further include an urging member interposed between a fifth side of each said port plate and said housing, said fifth side opposite to the mating flat surface of each said port plate for urging the mating flat surface into said sealing engagement with the flat surface of the associated cylinder head, said urging member also acting to prevent direct mechanical contact between said housing and the associated port plate.
12. The PFDD of claim 11 wherein said urging member is a spring with a configuration which applies pressure in the center of the associated port plate.
13. The PFDD of claim 1 wherein the assembly of each cylinder and cylinder head includes clearance space between them to prevent the application of forces on the cylinder and cylinder head in a direction parallel to the axis of the cylinder.
14. The PFDD of claim 13 further including a resilient sealing member between each said cylinder and the associated cylinder head to apply sealing force between them in a direction perpendicular to the axis of cylinder.
15. The PFDD of claim 14 further including a cylinder carriage into which an associated cylinder is mounted and a compliant washer located between the cylinder and the cylinder carriage.
16. The PFDD of claim 15 wherein each said cylinder head is securely fastened to the associated cylinder carriage, each said carriage having an end with recesses cut therein to provide a plurality of small mounting surfaces for connection to the associated cylinder head.
17. The PFDD of claim 1 wherein each said piston head has a sealing lip integral therewith for sealing assembly with the associated cylinder.
18. The PFDD of claim 17 further including an elastomeric element located on each said piston head for urging said sealing lip into engagement with the associated cylinder.
19. The PFDD of claim 1 further including a manifold connected in assembly to said housing, said manifold having passageways for fluid to connect inlet and outlet ports in said manifold to corresponding inlet and outlet ports in each port plate, said manifold comprising two layers, a first layer having grooves on a flat surface thereof, said second layer having a flat surface for mating with the grooved flat surface of said first layer wherein said grooves are sealed to provide said passageways.
20. The PFDD of claim 1 wherein said driveshaft of a motor is directly coupled to said crankshaft.
21. The PFDD of claim 1 wherein said driveshaft of a motor is directly coupled to said crankshaft through a torque increaser.
22. The PFDD of claim 21 wherein said torque increaser includes a pinion mounted on said driveshaft and a ring gear mating in assembly with said pinion, said ring gear connected to said crankshaft.
23. A positive fluid displacement device (PFDD) for delivering a fluid comprising
a housing for said device;
a crankshaft mounted within said housing, said crankshaft for coupling to the driveshaft of a motor;
a crankpin connected to said crankshaft to provide an orbital movement around said crankshaft;
a fluid displacement module (FDM) for quick and easy assembly with said housing and said crankpin, said FDM having a first pistoncylinder assembly comprising
a piston connected in assembly to said crankpin to operably provide said piston with a circular motion, said piston having a piston head;
a cylinder having a cylinder head, said cylinder head having a side enclosing one end of a displacement chamber, said cylinder for holding said piston, said piston head enclosing a second end of said displacement chamber;
said cylinder head having a flat surface on a side opposite to the side enclosing said displacement chamber; and
an opening in said cylinder head, said opening allowing fluid communication to and from said displacement chamber, said piston head having a protrusion sized to empty said opening of fluid at top dead center of piston travel;

a first port plate having a flat surface which in assembly is in sealing engagement with the flat surface of said cylinder head, said port plate having two ports for fluid communication through said opening to said displacement chamber, one port being an inlet port to said displacement chamber and one port being an outlet port from said displacement chamber, in assembly said housing holds said port plate from direct mechanical contact therewith by interposing pliable connections to bear against said housing and each said port plate thereby allowing micromotion of said port plate in two dimensions while allowing movement of said port plate with the mating flat surface of the cylinder head; and
a manifold connected in assembly to said housing, said manifold having passageways for fluid to connect inlet and outlet ports in said manifold to corresponding inlet and outlet ports in each port plate, said manifold comprising two layers, a first layer having grooves on a flat surface thereof, said second layer having a flat surface for mating with the grooved flat surface of said first layer wherein said grooves are sealed to provide said passageways.
28. A method of eliminating valves and achieving near dead volume in a positive fluid displacement device (PFDD) employing pistons to draw fluid into a displacement chamber and expel fluid therefrom, and to eliminate internal leakage in said PFDD, said method comprising
providing a PFDD housing with a crankshaft and a crankpin, said crankpin providing circular motion around said crankshaft;
providing a piston capable of being driven by said crankpin in a circular motion;
providing a cylinder, said cylinder having a cylinder head, said cylinders capable of being driven by said crankpin in a reciprocating motion;
providing an opening in said cylinder head for allowing fluid communication to and from the displacement chamber;
providing a protrusion on said piston, said protrusion sized to empty said opening when the piston is at top dead center to achieve near zero dead volume in the displacement chamber;
providing inlet and outlet ports for allowing alternating fluid communication through the opening to fill the displacement chamber on an intake stroke of the piston and to empty the displacement chamber on an exhaust stroke of the piston to achieve valveless operation;
providing a port plate containing said inlet and outlet ports, said port plate having a flat surface for mating with a flat surface on said cylinder head to provide a sealing relationship therebetween;
providing for a port plate mounting arrangement that allows said port plate to move in one dimension to maintain the sealing relationship with said cylinder head and to accommodate sufficient clearance of said cylinder head in two other dimensions to allow for movement in said one dimension wherein said port plate mounting arrangement includes
providing for no direct mechanical contact between said port plate and said housing; and
providing for the maintenance of sufficient force on said port plate in a dimension perpendicular to the plane of reciprocating motion to maintain said sealing relationship and thereby eliminate internal leakage in said PFDD.
29. The method of claim 28 wherein said mounting arrangement includes an urging member for applying force to the center of the port platecylinder head contacting surfaces.
30. The method of claim 28 wherein pliable members are interposed between all adjacent housing surfaces and surfaces of said port plate.
31. The method of claim 30 further including
providing a manifold with passageways for connection to said inlet and outlet ports in said port plate and wherein said mounting arrangement further includes
providing for no direct mechanical contact between said port plate and said manifold.
32. The method of claim 31 wherein said mounting arrangement includes
providing a pliable buffering member to urge said port plate into sealing engagement with said manifold, and wherein said manifoldport plate interface includes
providing for a pliable seal to prevent direct mechanical contact between said port plate and said manifold.
33. The method of claim 28 further including
providing for a cylinder carriage to which said cylinder head is fastened to form a cylinderhead carriage assembly; and
providing for holding said cylinder within said cylinder carriage such that a clearance space is provided between said cylinder and said cylinder head so that forces are not placed on said cylinder or said cylinder head in a direction parallel to the axis of said cylinder and said piston.
34. The method of claim 33 further including
providing for a compliant sealing member between said cylinder and said cylinder head such that forces on said cylinder and said cylinder head are in a direction perpendicular to the axis of said cylinder and said piston.
35. The method of claim 33 further including
providing compliant material between said cylinder and said carriage.
36. The method of claim 28 further including
providing a cylinder carriage with an end to which said cylinder head is fastened to form a cylinder carriagehead assembly, said carriage including
providing recesses in an end of said carriage such that a plurality of small surfaces contact said cylinder, said small surfaces provided to a flatness of better than two light bands; and
providing a flat surface with a flatness of better than two light bands on said cylinder head for mating with said contact surfaces.
37. The method of claim 28 further including
providing said piston with a piston head, said piston head having a sealing lip, said sealing lip integral with said piston head.
38. The method of claim 28 further including
providing grooves in said housing for guiding reciprocating motion of said cylinder head, said grooves including a resilient member.
39. The method of claim 28 further including
providing a two-layer manifold with passageways for connecting the inlet and outlet ports of said port plate to devices external to said PFDD, the first layer having a flat surface into which grooves are placed; and
providing the second layer with a flat surface for mating with the flat surface of the first layer thereby enclosing the grooves and creating said passageways.
40. The method of claim 39 wherein the flat mating surfaces of the first and second layers are provided with a flatness of better than two light bands.
41. The method of claim 28 further including
providing said piston with single piece construction with two piston heads on opposite ends thereof; and
providing said piston with an opening for receiving said crankpin.
42. The method of claim 41 further including
providing a second piston with single piece construction and two piston heads, said second piston identical to the first piston in configuration, the configuration enabling nesting the two pistons together such that the axis of both pistons and all four piston heads are located in a single plane perpendicular to the axis of said crankshaft.
43. The method of claim 42 wherein each piston head is associated with a cylinder head, said housing holding said cylinder heads such that each piston is located approximately 90 from neighboring pistons.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1.-48. (canceled)
49. A method comprising:
receiving, by a first network element, a first scheduling grant that contains a precoding scheme used for transmitting a first signal over a connection from the first network element to a second network element;
transmitting the first signal over the connection to the second network element according to the first scheduling grant;
receiving, by the first network element, a second scheduling grant used for transmitting a second signal over the connection from the first network element to the second network element, wherein the second scheduling grant does not contain a precoding scheme used for transmitting the second signal; and
transmitting the second signal over the connection to the second network element according to the first scheduling grant or the precoding scheme.
50. The method as claimed in claim 49, wherein the precoding scheme comprises selecting a precoding arrangement or a precoding matrix or a precoding vector.
51. The method as claimed in claim 49, wherein the first scheduling grant comprises information about Transmitted Precoding Matrix Indicator or selected precoding mode.
52. The method as claimed in claim 49, wherein the second scheduling grant does not contain information about Transmitted Precoding Matrix Indicator.
53. The method as claimed in claim 49, wherein said second network element is a base station or evolved Node B, and said first network element is a user equipment.
54. The method as claimed in claim 49, wherein the second network element updates the precoding scheme and provides the updated precoding scheme to the first network element for a subsequent transmission from the first network element to the second network element.
55. The method as claimed in claim 50, wherein the precoding vector is predetermined in such a manner that the phase of a one antenna is rotated 180 degrees between slots and phase of another antenna is left unchanged (and vice versa).
56. The method as claimed in claim 49, wherein Transmitted Precoding Matrix Indicator is updated using a DCI Type C.
57. The method as claimed in claim 49, wherein said precoding scheme or precoding pertains to the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) andor the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH).
58. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, said computer program code comprising code for performing the method of claim 49.
59. A network element comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more memories including computer program code, the one or more memories and the computer program code configured, with the one or more processors, to cause the system to perform the following:
receiving, by the network element, a first scheduling grant that contains a precoding scheme used for transmitting a first signal over a connection from the network element to another network element;
transmitting the first signal over the connection to said another network element according to the first scheduling grant;
receiving, by the network element, a second scheduling grant used for transmitting a second signal over the connection from the network element to said another network element, wherein the second scheduling grant does not contain a precoding scheme used for transmitting the second signal; and
transmitting the second signal over the connection to said another network element according to the first scheduling grant or the precoding scheme.
60. The network element as claimed in claim 59, wherein the first scheduling grant comprises a pre-coding arrangement, information of selected precoding mode, a Transmitted Precoding Matrix Indicator or other scheduling grant information.
61. The network element as claimed in claim 59, wherein the second scheduling grant does not contain information about Transmitted Precoding Matrix Indicator.
62. The network element as claimed in claim 59, wherein said another network element updates the first precoding scheme and provides the updated precoding scheme to the network element for a subsequent transmission from the network element to said another network element.
63. The network element as claimed in claim 60, wherein the precoding scheme is selected such that the average phase difference between elements of precoding vectors is maximized.
64. The network element as claimed in claim 59, wherein said another network element is a base station or an evolved Node B and said network element is a user equipment.
65. The network element as claimed in claim 59, wherein said precoding scheme pertains to the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) andor the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH).
66. A method comprising:
forwarding a first scheduling grant that contains a precoding scheme used for transmitting a first signal over a connection from a first network element to a second network element;
receiving the first signal over the connection from the first network element according to the first scheduling grant;
forwarding a second scheduling grant used for transmitting a second signal over the connection from the first network element to the second network element, wherein the second scheduling grant does not contain a precoding scheme used for transmitting the second signal; and
receiving the second signal over the connection from the first network element according to the first scheduling grant or the precoding scheme.
67. The method as claimed in claim 66, wherein the precoding scheme includes a pre-coding arrangement, information of selected precoding mode, a Transmitted Precoding Matrix Indicator or other scheduling grant information.
68. The method as claimed in claim 66, wherein the second scheduling grant does not include a Transmitted Precoding Matrix Indicator.
69. The method as claimed in claim 66, wherein the precoding scheme is selected such that the average phase difference between elements of precoding vectors is maximized.
70. The method as claimed in claim 66, wherein the first scheduling grant and the second scheduling grant pertain to the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) andor the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH).
71. The method as claimed in claim 66, wherein the first network element is a user equipment and the second network element is a base station or an evolved Node B.
72. A network element comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more memories including computer program code, the one or more memories and the computer program code configured, with the one or more processors, to cause the network element to perform the following:
forwarding a first scheduling grant that contains a precoding scheme used for transmitting a first signal over a connection from another network element to the network element;
receiving the first signal over the connection from said another network element according to first scheduling grant;
forwarding a second scheduling grant used for transmitting a second signal over the connection from said another network element to the network element, wherein the second scheduling grant does not contain a precoding scheme used for transmitting the second signal; and
receiving the second signal over the connection from said another network element according to the first scheduling grant or the precoding scheme.
73. The network element as claimed in claim 72, wherein the precoding scheme comprises a pre-coding arrangement, information of selected precoding mode, a Transmitted Precoding Matrix Indicator or other scheduling grant information.
74. The network element as claimed in claim 72, which is a base station or an evolved Node B, and wherein said another network element is a user equipment.

1460728770-a571d592-de82-42fd-a06c-c2573f7597b6

1. An automatic method for controlling a high-frequency inductive coupling power transfer device wherein it has a closed-loop control system (4) that controls misalignments of up to 99% of the area of the winding (1.2.1) of the secondary (1.2) owing to the fact that
the closed-loop control system (4) gets the information on the power transferred to the charging system (2) and the phase shift between the voltage supplied by a supply system (3) and the current absorbed,
modifies the supply frequency so that the phase shift between the voltage and current is null,
modifies the supply voltage of the supply system (3) so that the supply power is that required by the system, and
maintains the power designated for a given misalignment until the supply system (3) reaches its nominal value,

meaning that the power transferred to a battery charging system (2) is kept equal to the nominal power, both for battery charging systems (2) with a fixed secondary (1.2) and for uninterruptible power supply systems (3) with a mobile secondary (1.2).
2. An automatic method for controlling a high-frequency inductive coupling power transfer device as claimed in claim 1 wherein for greater misalignments that need more than the designated level of power, the maximum power possible is delivered, keeping the system in resonance at all times, and the power delivered is the maximum supported by the power supply system (3).
3. An automatic method for controlling a high-frequency inductive coupling power transfer device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the phase shift and the power transferred to the load are obtained via measuring (6) the voltage and current of the secondary for all the configurations, it also being possible to measure (7) the voltage and the current of the primary in systems with PS or parallel-series, SP or series-parallel and PP or parallel-parallel compensation as the phase shift is reflected directly.
4. An automatic method for controlling a high-frequency inductive coupling power transfer device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the input voltage of the supply system (3) is modulated by the closed-loop control system (4) using a PWM power converter (4.1) that uses a square wave whose pulse width is modulated by modifying the duty cycle.
5. An automatic method for controlling a high-frequency inductive coupling power transfer device as claimed in claim 4 wherein it allows not applying all the voltage to the inductive coupling system (1) in the initial instant as the current consumed can be up to 2.5 times the steady-state current.
6. An automatic method for controlling a high-frequency inductive coupling power transfer device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the power transferred can be varied by varying the width of the square wave.
7. An automatic method for controlling a high-frequency inductive coupling power transfer device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the input voltage of the power supply system (3) is an H-bridge and a one-pulse PWM control is performed where the usual frequencies for power transfer are between 10 and 20 kHz for high-power systems with higher frequencies for low powers.
8. An automatic method for controlling a high-frequency inductive coupling power transfer device as claimed in claim 1 wherein configuration of the power supply integrated in the power-supply system (3) is push-pull or similar as this allows increasing and decreasing the average value of the voltage delivered to the inductive coupling (1).
9. An automatic method for controlling a high-frequency inductive coupling power transfer device as claimed in claim 1 wherein it is applicable for inductive couplings (1) where the winding (1.1.1.) of the primary (1.1) is longer than the winding (1.2.1) of the secondary (1.2) so that, in this case, there is no longitudinal misalignment given that when the winding (1.2.1) of the secondary (1.2) is found in the vertical direction of the winding (1.1.1) of the primary (1.1), the power delivered remains constant.
10. An automatic method for controlling a high-frequency inductive coupling power transfer device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the battery charging system (2) has an electromagnetic emissions shielding system to protect the internal parts and external elements that could be affected by the radiation.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of producing digital image products in a photofininshing lab, the photofinishing lab having a plurality of image obtaining devices for obtaining a plurality of digital images, a plurality of digital output devices for providing a plurality of digital image products based on the obtained digital images, and a central processing unit, wherein each one of the obtained digital images is related to an original order, the method comprising the steps of:
associating each obtained digital image with identification data;
sending each of said obtained digital images and their associated identification data to the central processing unit, the central processing unit analyzing each of the obtained digital images and comparing said analyzed obtained digital images with reference digital image data representative of an optimum image, said central processing unit further determining an output sequence of each of said obtained digital images to said output devices based on at least the associated identification data;
providing a digital image product based on the obtained digital image at said digital output device; and
combining the digital image product from the output devices with a related original order from said original orders using the associated identification data.
2. A method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of:
manipulating said analyzed obtained digital images based on said reference digital image data.
3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said identification data is productservice data indicative of a type of digital image product for the digital output image, such that the central processing unit modifies the obtained digital images in accordance with the productservice data and the output device to which the obtained digital image is to be sent.
4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said identification data is source data indicative of a source of said obtained digital image.
5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said identification data is a unique consumerretailer identifier.
6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said identification data is at least one of a productservice data, a source data and a unique consumerretailer identifier.
7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said identification data is magnetic data written on film.
8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said digital output device is at least one of a thermal printer, an inkjet printer, a laser printer or a digital silver halide printer.
9. A method according to claim 1, comprising the further steps of:
sending prestored digital images to said central processing unit; and
combining selected ones of said obtained digital images and said prestored digital images based on said identification data.
10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said original order comprises digital image data obtained from scanned film.
11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said original order comprises digital image data obtained from physical media
12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said original order comprises digital image data electronically sent to said photofinishing lab.
13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said original order comprises digital image data obtained from a scanned print.
14. A method according to claim 1, wherein said original order is generated from a consumerretailer.
15. A photofinishing lab for producing digital image products, the photofinishing lab comprising:
a plurality of image obtaining devices for obtaining digital images, each of said digital images being related to original orders;
a plurality of image output devices for providing digital image products based on said obtained digital images, each of the obtained digital images being associated with identification data;
a central processing unit which receives said obtained digital images and the associated identification data, said central processing unit being adapted to analyze the obtained digital images and compare each of said obtained digital images with reference image data representative of an optimum image, said central processing unit being further adapted to determine an output sequence for each of said obtained digital images to said image output devices based on at least the associated identification data; and
a finishing arrangement which is adapted to combine the digital image products from said image output devices with a related original order from said original orders using the associated identification data.
16. A photofinishing lab according to claim 15, wherein said identification data is productservice data indicative of a type of digital image product for the digital output image, such that the central processing unit modifies the obtained digital images in accordance with the productservice data and the output device to which the obtained digital image is to be sent.
17. A photofinishing lab according to claim 15, wherein said identification data is source data indicative of a source of said obtained digital image.
18. A photofinishing lab according to claim 15, wherein said identification data is a unique consumerretailer identifier.
19. A photofinishing lab according to claim 15, wherein said identification data is at least one of a productservice data, a source data and a unique consumerretailer identifier.
20. A photofinishing lab according to claim 15, wherein said identification data is magnetic data written on film.
21. A photofinishing lab according to claim 15, further comprising a second image data input source which comprises prestored digital images, said central processing unit being adapted to receive said prestored digital images and combine selected ones of said prestored digital images and said obtained digital images based on said identification data.
22. A photofinishing lab according to claim 15, wherein said original orders comprise digital image data obtained from scanned film.
23. A photofinishing lab according to claim 15, wherein said original orders comprise digital image data obtained from physical media.
24. A photofinishing lab according to claim 15, wherein said original orders comprise digital image data electronically sent to said photofinishing lab.
25. A photofinishing lab according to claim 15, wherein said original orders comprise digital image data obtained from a scanned print.
26. A photofinishing lab according to claim 15, wherein said digital output device is at least one of a thermal printer, an inkjet printer, a laser printer, or a digital silver halide printer.
27. A photofinishing lab according to claim 15, wherein said central processing unit is further adapted to manipulate said analyzed obtained digital images based on said reference digital image data.
28. A photofinishing lab according to claim 15, wherein said original order is generated from a consumerretailer.
29. A photofininishing method for managing workflow in a photofinishing lab, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving images at the photofinishing lab, each of said images being related to original orders;
associating each image with identification data;
sending each image and its associated identification data to a processing unit, the processing unit analyzing said image with reference to image data representative of an optimum image and determining an output sequence of each of said images to output devices based on at least the associated identification data;
providing an image product based on the image at an output device of said output devices which is appropriate for the image product; and
combining the image product from the output device with a related original order from said original orders using the associated identification data.
30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the output device is at least one of an optical printer, a thermal printer, an inkjet printer, a laser printer or a digital silver halide printer.
31. A method according to claim 29, comprising the further step of manipulating said analyzed obtained image based on said reference image data.
32. A method according to claim 29, wherein said original order is generated from a consumerretailer.
33. A computer program product comprising:
a computer readable storage medium having a computer program thereon which when loaded into a computer causes the computer to manage workflow in a photofinishing lab by performing the following steps:
associating images received at the photofinishing lab with identification data, each of the images being related to original orders;
sending each image and its associated identification data to a processing unit, the processing unit and determining an output sequence of each of said images to output devices based on at least the associated identification data;
providing an image product based on the image at an output device of said output devices which is appropriate for the image product; and
combining the image product from the output device with a related original order from said original orders using the associated identification data.
34. A computer program product according to claim 33, wherein said identification data is productservice data indicative of a type of image product for the image, such that the images are modified in accordance with the productservice data and the output device to which the image is to be sent.
35. A computer program product according to claim 33, wherein said identification data is source data indicative of a source of said image.
36. A computer program product according to claim 33, wherein said identification data is a unique consumerretailer identifier.
37. A computer program product according to claim 33, wherein said identification data is at least one of a productservice data, a source data and a unique consumerretailer identifier.
38. A digital photofinishing arrangement comprising:
a plurality of output devices, each of said output devices being adapted to produce a different output image product;
a plurality of image obtaining devices for obtaining images, at least one of said image obtaining devices being adapted to convert non-digital images of the obtained images into a digital format so as to place all of the obtained images in a common digital format; and
a processing unit which is adapted to create a virtual batch of said obtained images for forwarding to said plurality of output devices, said virtual batch being created based on at least a time necessary to complete the image products, so as to compile a sequence of completion of said output image products that permits efficient use of said output devices.
39. A digital photofinishing lab according to claim 38, wherein said processing unit is further adapted to analyze each of said obtained images for image correction based on at least reference image data.
40. A photofinishing method comprising the steps of:
receiving images at a photofinishing lab;
converting non-digital images of said received images into a digital format, such that all of the images received at said photofinishing lab are in a common digital format; and
creating a virtual batch of said received images based on at least a time necessary to complete output image products at any of a plurality of output devices, each of said output image products being related to an associated received image from said received images, such that a sequence of completion of the output image products that permits efficient use of the output devices is compiled.
41. A method according to claim 40, comprising the further step of comparing said received images to reference image data representative of an optimum image and manipulating said received images based on said reference image data.
42. A method of managing workflow in a photofinishing lab comprising the steps of:
receiving images at the photofinishing lab;
determining an output serviceproduct which will be produced in association with said received images; and
creating a virtual batch of said received images based on at least the output serviceproduct associated with the received image, said virtual batch being indicative of an order sequence for completing the output serviceproduct for the received images.
43. A method according to claims 42, wherein said identification data is serviceproduct data indicative of a type of image product for the image, such that images are modified in accordance with the serviceproduct data and an output device to which the image is to be sent.
44. A method according to claim 42, wherein said identification data is source data indicative of a source of said image.
45. A method according to claim 42, wherein said identification data is a unique consumerretailer identifier.
46. A method according to claim 42, wherein said identification data is at least one of a productservice data, a source data and a unique consumerretailer identifier.
47. A computer program product comprising:
a computer readable storage medium having a computer program thereon which when loaded into a computer causes the computer to manage a photofinishing workflow by performing the following steps:
determining an output serviceproduct which will be produced in association with captured images; and
creating a virtual batch of the images based on at least the output serviceproduct associated with the image, said virtual batch being indicative of an order sequence for completing the output serviceproduct for the image.
48. A photofinishing method comprising the steps of:
receiving images at a photofinishing lab;
associating the images with identification data; and
creating a virtual batch of said images based on at least the identification data so as to provide for a sequence of completion of output image products associated with the images.
49. A method according to claim 48, wherein said identification data is productservice data indicative of a type of an output image product for the image, such that the images are modified in accordance with the productservice data and an output device to which the image is to be sent.
50. A method according to claim 48, wherein said identification data is source data indicative of a source of said image.
51. A method according to claim 48, wherein said identification data is a unique consumerretailer identifier.
52. A method according to claim 48, wherein said identification data is at least one of a productservice data, a source data and a unique consumerretailer identifier.
53. A photofinishing method comprising the steps of:
receiving images at a photofinishing lab in a first sequence;
converting non-digital images of said received images into a digital format, such that all of the images received at the photofinishing lab are in a common digital format; and
creating a virtual batch of the received images based on at least a common output productservice in a second sequence different than the first sequence.
54. A method according to claim 53, wherein each of the received images are associated with original orders which are in said first sequence, and said method comprises the further step of re-sequencing the original orders from said first sequence to said second sequence.