System and method for embedding symbology in digital images and using the symbology to organize and control the digital images

1. A method for managing a plurality of digital images, the method comprising the steps of:

capturing an image with a digital image capture device and creating a digital image file;

associating at least one identifier to the digital image file, wherein the at least one identifier includes a site location number (SLN), a customer identification number (CIN), a date the image was taken (DIT) and a picture sequence number (PSN);

encoding the at least one identifier of the digital image file;

printing a hardcopy of the captured image with the at least one identifier visible on the hardcopy;

scanning the at least one identifier;

submitting the at least one identifier to a server lookup database;

determining the server location number from the at least one identifier;

transferring a user to the determined server;

submitting the at least one identifier to the determined server;

presenting the image to the user;

submitting a user request to the determined server;

querying a database of the determined server to retrieve a record for the at least one digital image based on the identifier; and

processing the user request with the information in the record associated to the at least one digital image.

2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the site location number is at least a two digit alphanumeric string.

3. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the customer identification number is at least a six digit alphanumeric string.

4. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the date the image was taken is a six digit numeric string.

5. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the picture sequence number is at least a three digit alphanumeric string.

6. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the encoded at least one identifier is a barcode.

7. The method as in claim 6 , further comprising the step of printing a hardcopy of the captured image with the barcode visible on the hardcopy.

8. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

selecting at least one image storage site residing on a network from a plurality of available image storage sites;

receiving the site location number of the selected image storage site; and

receiving the customer identification number assigned by the selected image storage site.

9. The method as in claim 8 , wherein the selecting step further comprises the step of connecting to the at least one image storage site via a computing device coupled to the network and the method further comprises the step of entering the site location number and customer identification number into the digital image capture device.

10. The method as in claim 8 , wherein the selecting step further comprises the steps of presenting the plurality of available image storage sites to a user on a digital medium viewable on a computing device and connecting to the at least one image storage site via the computing device coupled to the network, and the method further comprises the steps of connecting the digital image capture device to the network and writing the site location number and customer identification number directly to the digital image capture device.

11. The method as in claim 8 , wherein the selecting step further comprises the step of presenting the plurality of available image storage sites to a user on the digital image capture device, and the method further comprises the steps of connecting the digital image capture device to the network and writing the site location number and customer identification number directly to the digital image capture device.

12. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the request is for additional information associated to the at least one image, further comprising the steps of:

querying the record of the at least one digital image for associated information;

retrieving the associated information; and

presenting the associated information to the user.