Providing multiple payment schedules for storing images and utilizing the stored images
View Patent ↗A method of selecting images from a plurality of images previously stored by a user in a memory location of a service provider and ordering services to be provided utilizing the images includes establishing a service account for the user with the service provider to permit the user to have access to ordered services, receiving and storing a plurality of images along with a designated date in the memory location, and displaying image designators for at least a subset of the images for viewing by the user. The method also includes the user selecting at least one image to be utilized after viewing the displayed images, and selecting a service, receiving payment for the selected service for the selected image based upon a payment schedule that depends upon the designated date associated with the selected image, and providing the selected service using the selected image.
1. A computer implemented method comprising:
a) establishing an electronic account on a server computer, the account comprising storage for digital data associated with a user, the server computer owned by a service provider and connected to a communication network for receiving electronic communications sent by the user over the communication network;
b) receiving at the server computer a plurality of digital images sent by the user over the communication network, including storing the plurality of digital images in an electronic database connected to the server computer and associated with the user account;
c) receiving at the server computer a payment selection sent by the user over the communication network, the payment selection identifying one of at least two payment schedules selectable by the user, the payment selection identifying an amount of money to be paid by the user to the service provider for said storing the plurality of digital images in the electronic database, and storing the payment selection sent by the user in the user account;
d) receiving at the server computer a service selection sent by the user over the communication network, the service selection identifying one of at least two services selectable by the user, the service selection identifying a service to be provided by the service provider and identifying at least one of the plurality of digital images stored in the electronic database for which the service selection is to be provided; and
e) the server computer determining the amount of money to be paid by the user to the service provider for said selected service to be provided, the amount of money based on the payment selection sent by the user, the service selection sent by the user, and based on an amount of time that the selected one of the plurality of digital images has been stored in the electronic database, and sending over the communication network to the user a message indicating said amount of money to be paid by the user as determined by the server computer.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising making at least one of the selectable payment schedules depend upon a designated date associated with at least one of the plurality of digital images stored in the electronic database.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one of the selectable payment schedules provides different service charges for the same service when such service is ordered at different periods of time measured from the designated date.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the selectable payment schedules includes no cost digital image storage.
5. The method of claim 1 further including providing the selected service and billing the user a fee according to the service selection sent by the user and for the selected service.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the account includes a payment identifier which is used to bill the user.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising producing hard copy prints of the at least one of the plurality of digital images.
8. The method of claim 7 further comprising sending the hard copy prints by the U.S. postal service or a private carrier to a designee of the user.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising sending the hard copy prints to a user designee address stored in association with the account.
10. The method of claim 7 further comprising delivering the hard copy prints to a retail location.