Printing and delivery of digital images and merged information from a central receiving agency
View Patent ↗A method of delivering printed images to a recipient, includes the steps of electronically transmitting digital images and image locator information from a location remote from and over a communication channel to a central receiving agency which stores such images and locator information in memory; and identifying a particular stored image in the memory using the corresponding image locator information and the location of one or more recipients and printing locations corresponding to each of the recipients. The method further includes transmitting the identified particular stored image in the memory to the printing location of each of the recipients; and printing the image at the printing location of each of the recipients and delivering the printed image in a package to the location corresponding to of each of the recipients.
1. A method of printing and delivering digital image(s) from a merged digital image file for one or more recipients, comprising:
a) a consumer electronically transmitting digital image(s) and consumer information including image locator information, recipient location information and demographic information other than address information, identifying the consumer or recipient, from a consumer location remote from and over a communication channel to a central receiving agency which stores such digital image(s) and locator information in a memory, wherein the demographic information includes at least one of age, ethnicity, or income;
b) a plurality of sponsors each electronically transmitting at least one sponsor digital image and demographic requirements identifying consumers and recipients to the central receiving agency;
c) the consumer identifying a particular stored image in the memory using the corresponding image locator information and the recipient location information of one or more recipients,
d) the central receiving agency selecting one or more sponsor's digital image(s) based upon a correlation between the demographic information provided by the consumer and the demographic requirements provided by the sponsor(s);
e) the central receiving agency merging into a digital image file the consumer identified digital image(s) and the corresponding selected sponsor digital image(s) selected by the central receiving agency;
f) transmitting the corresponding merged digital image file for the identified particular stored image in the memory and display such image and the merged information to the printing location of the consumer or identified recipient(s);
g) printing the merged digital image file at the printing location corresponding to consumer identified recipient(s) and delivering the printed merged image file in a package or postcard to the location corresponding to the recipient(s); and
h) the sponsor making at least partial payment to the central receiving agency for the printing amid delivering the merged digital image file.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein steps (a) and (c) are preformed simultaneously.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the recipient location information includes a distribution list originally resident in a personal computer or in a central server managed by the central receiving agency.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the recipient location information includes the address of each of the recipients and wherein the printed image is delivered by mail to the address of each of the recipients.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the sponsor digital image(s) includes advertising information.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the package or postcard includes a digital audio file.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the package or postcard includes a digital video.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the central receiving agency provides bills or charges to the consumer and the selected sponsor(s) for the printing and delivery of the package or postcard.