AUDIO ANNOTATIONS OF AN IMAGE COLLECTION

1 . A method for annotation of an image collection, comprising:

using a processor to provide a storage location for an image collection in a digital storage system;

associating an identifier with the storage location for the image collection;

providing the identifier for distribution to a plurality of individuals;

receiving information associated with the identifier or the identifier together with one or more images from a first individual and associating the received image(s) with the storage location;

receiving information associated with the identifier or the identifier together with one or more audio annotations from a second individual different from the first individual and associating the received audio annotation(s) with the storage location;

providing rules for associating audio annotations with the images or the image collection;

making a multi-media image product that includes one or more images from the image collection together with one or more audio annotations wherein the audio annotations are associated with the images or the image collection in accordance with the rules.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifier is a universal resource locater, a universal resource identifier, a telephone number, an identification number, a collection name, an electronic code, an optically recognizable code, an instant message address, or an E-mail address.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first individual is an individual who established the image collection.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a third individual different from the first and second individuals establishes the image collection.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a third individual different from the first and second individuals specifies the multi-media image product.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further including initializing the image collection with an initial set of images, the initial set of images being provided by a third individual different from the first and second individuals.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further including making the multi-media image product with one or more images from the image collection other than the one or more images received from the first individual.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the image collection includes still images or video images.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifier is a telephone call to an identified telephone number.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further including electronically receiving the one or more images from the first individual by E-mail, land-line telephony, or cellular telephony.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the multi-media product is a hardcopy image product, photo-book, or a photo collage having an audio playback or reference capability or the multi-media image product is a digital multi-media image product stored in a digital storage medium.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the digital multi-media image product is a digital slide show, a digital photo album, or a digital collage.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further including communicating the identifier to a plurality of individuals.

14 . The method of claim 1 , further including providing a user-interface mechanism in a computing system for recording one or more audio annotations.

15 . The method of claim 1 , further including providing a user interface mechanism in a computing system for presenting one or more of the images in the image collection to a viewer.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of individuals who was provided the identifier shares the identifier with one or more additional individuals.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further including receiving one or more additional images from the one or more additional individuals, and associating the additional images with the image collection.

18 . The method of claim 15 , further including receiving one or more additional audio annotations from the one or more additional individuals.

19 . The method of claim 1 , further including receiving an audio annotation as an electronic audio file, a voice recording provided by an individual, or a selection of a pre-recorded audio message,

20 . The method of claim 1 , further including receiving an audio annotation as an E-mail, an audio file recorded on a physical medium, by recording a telephonic message, through a web browser executing on a computer, or from a software application executing on a processor.

21 . The method of claim 1 , further including receiving an audio annotation from a software application installed on a client computer that interacts with a remote server connected to the client computer through a computer network.

22 . The method of claim 1 , further including receiving an audio annotation from a web browser executing on a client computer that presents information provided from a remote server connected to the client computer through a computer network.

23 . The method of claim 1 , further including providing a digital memory for storing the audio annotation, rules for associating images and collections, and a control for activating circuits to play the audio annotation from the digital memory in accordance with rules.

24 . The method of claim 1 , further including editing one or more of the annotations, images, associations, or rules.

25 . A system for annotation of an image collection, comprising:

a digital storage system for storing an image collection in a digital storage system, the image collection having an associated identifier;

communication means for distributing the identifier to a plurality of individuals;

communication means for receiving information associated with the identifier or the identifier together with one or more images from a first individual and associating the received image(s) with the storage location;

communication means for receiving information associated with the identifier or the identifier together with one or more audio annotations from a second individual different from the first individual and associating the received audio annotation(s) with the storage location;

a processor for storing and applying rules for associating audio annotations with the images or the image collection; and

means for making a multi-media image product that includes one or more images from the image collection together with one or more audio annotations wherein the audio annotations are associated with the images or image collection in accordance with the rules.

26 . The system of claim 25 , further including means for editing one or more of the annotations, images, associations, or rules.

27 . A computer program product for audio annotation of an image collection using the method of claim 1 .