FR2665315A1 - Automatic dispenser of digital images equipped with a payment system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic dispenser of images equipped with a payment system and delivering digital images printed on a paper medium to a customer. These images represent objects, living beings, symbols, figures and, more particularly, identity photographs, the station being equipped with an electronic image receiver able to acquire the image of the face of a subject situated in front of the view-taking unit. The dispenser offers the customer the possibility of viewing the images before printing. In order to provide these functions, the dispenser consists of an electronic optical receiver 1, of a video visual display screen 2, of an electronic coin box 3, of an alphanumeric keyboard 4, of an acoustic emitter 5, of a printing device 6, of a control box 7 and of a lightbox 25.

Description

 The present invention relates to an automatic vending machine for taking pictures provided with a cash collection system and delivering digital images printed on paper to a customer. These images represent objects, living beings, symbols, figures and especially identity views, the station being equipped with an electronic image receiver capable of capturing the image of the face of a subject located in front the camera station. The distributor offers the customer the possibility of viewing the images before printing.

 The main object of the invention is to provide a new device for the automatic distribution of identity shots without the use of a photographic camera, chemical treatment, or any other photographic development device as they exist in current cabins.

 Due to the elimination of the traditional photography process, the new process offers a wider field of application than the simple printing of identity photos.

 In the prior art, many devices allowing a subject to photograph himself have been patented. British patents 1216477 and 1331811 describe coin-operated shooting booths. Patent 2002347, filed on March 21, 1969, describes all the elements making up the photographic and photographic development devices. Aside from a few minor changes, the cabins known and used to date by the general public are still those described and designed over 20 years ago.

 The patent 2570843 filed on September 21, 1984, proposes as an evolution the visualization by the customer of the stereotype under development, the signaling of faulty elements to simplify the maintenance and an automatic mechanism of framing of the subject.

 These prior techniques require complex mechanisms that are sensitive to the environment. The photographs are often of poor quality, the distribution of the photographs is long. The user never knows the image he will obtain before development; he has no means of recovery without payment and is "on the fait accompli" if his picture does not satisfy him. The use of flash type flashes surprises the customer, who can hardly adopt a natural attitude during the shooting. The number and format of the photos are fixed, which limits the use of these devices to the distribution of identity photos.

 The present invention eliminates these drawbacks, widens the field of application of these cabs, gives the customer a better comfort of use in particular by the implementation of a more adapted man-machine communication.

 To understand how the present invention can be implemented, we describe below a preferred embodiment of the automatic shooting station. The characteristics of the invention are set out below and are based on the schematic descriptions given by way of non-limiting examples and annexed to this document.

The attached diagrams show:
- In Figure 1: An overview of the shooting station.

 - In Figure 2: A view of the components of the control member.

 - In Figure 3: A series of examples of printing modes.

 - In Figure 4: A description in the form of a flowchart of the functions of the control unit.

 - In Figure 5: An overview of a multi-user installation.

 In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an automatic distributor of shots on paper support comprises a booth (FIG. 1). This cabin consists of: - An electronic optical receiver 1 ensuring the conversion of the optical image / electrical signal; this receiver is advantageously a color video camera with tube or charge transfer type CCD (Charge Coupled Device) with a definition of at least 512x512 points.

- A video display screen 2 ensuring the visual representation of the images to be printed and the editing of character messages describing the modes of use of the cabin.

- An electronic coin mechanism 3 ensuring the collection function by coins or credit card.

- An alphanumeric keyboard with 4 keys ensuring the acquisition of digital data entered by the customer or the maintenance service.

- An acoustic transmitter 5 ensuring the communication of sound messages from the cabin to the customer.

- A device 6 for printing digital images. In a preferred embodiment, it is a thermal video color printer of high definition images (744 × 582 dots) having at least 16 million colors per dot in the 210 × 148 mm format.

- A box 7 comprising two push buttons 8 and 9.

- An automaton or control unit 10 ensuring the management of all of the elements 1,2,3,4,5,6,7. The automaton or control unit is shown diagrammatically apart from FIG. 2. n includes a set of electronic devices ensuring: - The storage of digital color images (member 11) - The acquisition, digitalization and display of images (member 12) .from the three chromatic components color red green blue each coded on 256 levels of luminance and 512x512 points.

- Management of the input signals relating to pushbuttons 8 and 9, image receiver 1, keyboard 4, coin mechanism 3, and output signals relating to the printing device 6, to the video screen 2 and to the acoustic transmitter 5. This management body and referenced 13.

- Speech synthesis, communication and supervision functions (organ 14).

 To understand the functions of all the elements making up the cabin, let us describe a preferred operating mode. The control unit 10 having detected the presence of a customer by analysis of the electrical signal emitted by the coin mechanism 3 offers by means of the screen 2 and the acoustic transmitter 5 a choice of impressions to the customer.

 The customer has the possibility of choosing the number and the printing format as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3, namely: - A set 15 of four identical or different images on the same paper support.

- A set 16 of nine identical or different images on the same paper support.

- A set 17 of two images embedded on the same paper support.

For each of these sets, shots captured by the receiver 1 can be associated with shots previously stored.

 This step constitutes block 18 of the flow diagram schematized in FIG. 4.

In the next step (block 19) the control unit 10 proposes a shot to the customer
The customer accepts the proposal by acting on push button 8 or refuses it by acting on push button 9.

Case 1: The client refuses.

 The control unit 10 interprets this choice as a request to display images previously memorized on the storage device 11. The customer has the choice in this choice of printing images of old photographs previously stored and referenced. n communicates for this purpose an identification number of the pictures by means of the keyboard 4. R on the other hand the possibility of viewing and printing thematic views or scenes stored in the device 11.

 The control unit 10 describes the operating blocks 20 and 21 or 22 shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4 until validation of a print on the device 6. In this mode, the operation of the cabin is limited in time in order to avoid any "monopolization" by the customer.

Case 2: The client accepts
The controller 10 interprets this choice as a request to take pictures. Screen 2 permanently displays the image perceived by receiver 1 (operating block 23).

 The image acquisition and digitalization device 12 then freezes the image and displays it on the screen 2.

 The customer accepts or refuses the image displayed by acting on push-buttons 8 (acceptance) or 9 (refusal). The control unit 10 interprets the refusal as a resumption of images (return to the operating block 23).

 The control unit 10 then describes the operating block 24 which tests whether the number of requested views has been reached and then offers the client validation of the printing on the device 6.

 We note that these different choices allow the customer to compose his own pictures 15, 16 or 17 by viewing them before printing. In addition, lighting without flash consisting of light boxes 25 removes any discomfort to the client during successive shots.

 The fully electronic design of the recording and printing devices ensures consistency of quality over time and obtaining photographs in less than 1 minute and 30 seconds.

 Apart from this preferred embodiment, the control member 10 makes it possible, by virtue of its entirely digital design, to perform the following functions: - Management by a single control member 26 of at least four photo booths A, B, C, D as shown schematically in Figure 5.

- Remote transmission by telephone lines or specialized network 27 of images that an individual I1 located in geographic area Z1 wishes to transmit to an individual I2 located in geographic area Z2.

Claims (4)

 1). Automatic vending machine for color shots provided with a cashing system 3 intended for delivering digital images to a client on paper and particularly identity shots, characterized in that the shooting device is an electronic optical receiver 1 connected to a control member 10 ensuring the digitization of the captured images and the printing of these images by means of an electronic printing device 6 which instantly delivers the photograph. Entirely designed around digital electronic devices 11,12,13,14, the vending machine is characterized in that it contains no photographic camera, no chemical processing device, nor any photographic development device.  2). Automatic dispenser according to claim 1 characterized in that the images are displayed on the screen 2 before printing and are accepted or refused by the customer who actuates a control unit 7 to take up new images to be printed.  3). Vending machine according to claims 1 to 2, characterized in that it offers variable numbers and sizes of printing format 15,16,17 with the possibility of associating identity views with scenes previously memorized on the same photograph. on the storage device 1 1  4). Automatic dispenser according to claims 1 to 3 characterized in that a single control member 26 provides control and management of at least 4 remote dispensers each provided with an electronic receiver 1.