System and method for obtaining image-based products from a digital motion picture source

1. A method for obtaining image-based products from a digital motion picture source, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a sequence of motion picture image frames from a digital motion picture image source containing motion picture contents;

(b) selecting one or more of the image frames for an image-based product and obtaining a unique frame identification for said one or more selected frames;

(c) utilizing the unique frame identification to determine whether at least one permissible image-based product can be made from said one or more selected frames;

(d) if a permissible image-based product may be made as determined from step (c), obtaining file data corresponding to said one or more selected frames from a digital source file containing source information corresponding to the motion picture contents;

(e) preparing order information for the permissible image-based product from the file data; and

(f) generating the image-based product from the file data according to the order information.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a consumer of said image-based products is involved in performing steps (a) and (b), and an owner/manager of the motion picture contents controls the outcome of steps (c) and (d).

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the determination of whether at least one permissible image-based product can be made from said one or more selected frames in step (c) is based on predetermined rules and policies maintained by the owner/manager.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the rules and policies are changeable by the owner/manager.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the file data obtained in step (d) includes at least one of elements and file segments corresponding to static image frames or sequences of image frames, respectively, needed for making the permissible image-based product.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said elements and file segments are extracted from the digital source file in response to specification of a particular permissible image-based product in step (c).

7. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said elements and file segments are extracted a priori from the digital source file for all permissible image-based products that may be obtained from the digital source file.

8. A system for obtaining image-based products from a digital motion picture source, said system comprising:

a content playing and display system for (a) displaying a sequence of motion picture image frames from a digital motion picture image source containing motion picture contents, and (b) selecting one or more of the image frames for an image-based product and obtaining a unique frame identification for said one or more selected frames;

a content management system that (a) utilizes the unique frame identification and determines whether at least one permissible image-based product can be made from said one or more selected frames, and (b), if a permissible image-based product may be made as determined, obtains file data corresponding to said one or more selected frames from a digital source file containing source information corresponding to the motion picture contents;

an order management system for preparing order information for the permissible image-based product from the file data; and

an order fulfillment system for generating the image-based product from the file data according to the order information.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein a consumer of said image-based products is involved in the content playing and display system, and an owner/manager of the motion picture contents controls the operation of the content management system.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the determination of whether at least one permissible image-based product can be made from said one or more selected frames is based on predetermined rules and policies maintained by the owner/manager.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the rules and policies are changeable by the owner/manager.

12. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the order management system is a web-based system that interacts with the consumer via at least one of an Internet connection and an automated voice communication connection.

13. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the file data obtained by the content management system includes at least one of elements and file segments corresponding to static image frames or sequences of image frames, respectively, needed for making the permissible image-based product.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13 wherein said elements and file segments are extracted from the digital source file in response to specification of a particular permissible image-based product.

15. The system as claimed in claim 13 wherein said elements and file segments are extracted a priori from the digital source file for all permissible image-based products that may be obtained from the digital source file.

16. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the orderfulfillment system communicates order status information to the order management system.