System And Method For Providing Image Products And/Or Services
A system and method for obtaining photographic products and/or services comprises bundling image capture and printing technologies into products and/or services that are paid for by a consumer with monthly or yearly subscription fees. The system and method involves selecting a camera and selecting a photographic products/service plan which designates photographic products and/or services which are to be associated with the selected camera. The system and method gives the consumer the option of selecting a specific camera from a menu of cameras, and a specific photographic product/service plan which is to be associated with the selected camera from a product/service menu.
1 . A method for providing a plurality of digital cameras and storing digital images captured by at least one of the plurality of digital cameras on behalf of a user, the method comprising:
receiving a selection from the user for a particular digital camera from a plurality of differently configured digital cameras;
receiving a selection from the user for a service plan having a designated periodic fee, the selected service plan being associated with the selected digital camera;
storing, in a computer database, information identifying the selected digital camera and its associated service plan;
storing digital images captured using the selected digital camera in accordance with the associated service plan, wherein the digital images captured by of the selected digital camera is stored on a storage system remote from the selected digital camera, the image storage system being accessible over a network; and
billing the user on a periodic basis in accordance with the selected service plan.
2 . A method for providing a plurality of digital cameras and storing digital images captured by the plurality of digital cameras on behalf of a plurality of users, the method comprising:
receiving a selection of a particular digital camera from a plurality of differently configured digital cameras by each of the plurality of users;
receiving a selection of a service plan having a designated periodic fee by each of the plurality of users, each selected service plan being associated with a corresponding user's digital camera;
storing, in a computer database, information identifying each of the plurality of digital cameras and its associated service plan;
storing digital images captured using the plurality of digital cameras in accordance with each associated service plan, wherein the digital images captured by each of the plurality of digital cameras are stored on the same image storage system remote from each of the plurality of digital cameras, the image storage system being accessible over a network; and
billing each of the plurality of users on a periodic basis in accordance with the designated periodic fee for their selected service plan.
3 . A method for providing a plurality of digital cameras and storing digital images captured by at least one of the plurality of digital cameras on behalf of a user by a service provider, the method comprising:
said service provider receiving a selection from the user for a particular digital camera from a plurality of differently configured digital cameras;
said service provider receiving a selection from said user for a service plan having a designated periodic fee, the selected service plan being associated with the selected digital camera;
said service provider storing, in a computer database, information identifying the selected digital camera and its associated service plan;
said service provider storing digital images captured using the selected digital camera in accordance with the associated service plan, wherein the digital images captured by of the selected digital camera is stored on a storage system remote from the selected digital camera, the image storage system being accessible over a network; and
said service provider billing the user on a periodic basis in accordance with the selected service plan.
4 . A method for providing a plurality of digital cameras and storing digital images captured by the plurality of digital cameras on behalf of a plurality of users by a service provider, the method comprising:
said service provider receiving a selection of a particular digital camera from a plurality of differently configured digital cameras by each of the plurality of users;
said service provider receiving a selection of a service plan having a designated periodic fee by each of the plurality of users, each selected service plan being associated with the user's digital camera;
said service provider storing, in a computer database, information identifying each of the plurality of digital cameras and its associated service plan;
said service provider storing digital images captured using the plurality of digital cameras in accordance with each associated service plan, wherein the digital images captured by each of the plurality of digital cameras are stored on the same image storage system remote from each of the plurality of digital cameras, the image storage system being accessible over a network; and
said service provider billing each of the plurality of users on a periodic basis in accordance with the designated periodic fee for their selected service plan.