Apparatus and method for manipulating images

IS 2 390 165 T3

DESCRIPTION

Apparatus and method for manipulating images.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for manipulating images; and in particular with methods and apparatus for reproducing personalized images on consumer goods at remote locations of a user. The preferred embodiment includes on-line product-based image manipulation software.

BACKGROUND

There has been a growing consumer desire for self-differentiation, particularly to differentiate mass-marketed personal items. This can be clearly seen in the recent popularity of mobile ringtones and mobile phone cases according to customer tastes. To provide custom graphics on consumer products, therefore, there has been a need for a graphics manipulation package that was fast and easy to use to allow users to make product specific designs, particularly from remote facility locations. printing and image storage. However, providing such a graphics manipulation package over the internet has not proven to be easy.

One problem stems from the open nature of the internet itself. To allow Internet users to visit hundreds of thousands of unverified websites, and even more to protect the user's computer against viruses and malicious hackers, a browser must not allow websites to access files on the user's computer. In this way, browsers are fake terminals ”, although very powerful; it's not easy to actively do anything with a web browser - just browse online resources and present information and images to the user. Thus, to design a graphic image for application to a personal article, an internet user may be able to manipulate images within the browser environment, but not be able to save the images.

The problem of manipulating images to be applied to a remote user item has previously been solved in two ways, each of which has disadvantages. In one solution, a user manipulates images on his own machine without the use of a browser. This solution has the advantage of being very fast once installed on the local machine, but it suffers from three major flaws. First, to allow the program to run on the client machine, the user must first download a program. This takes time, and is impractical, because the software cannot be viewed or tested until it has been fully downloaded. The program must then be installed on the user's machine, where it will stay permanently until it is removed. This takes up storage space on the customer's hard drive, slows down the user's computer, and can cause system crashes. Finally, the downloaded program may have computer viruses.

In another image manipulation solution, an image is manipulated directly on a server using Java applets, or another plug-in that works in a similar way, such as a custom ActiveX control. Every time the user uses the interface to manipulate the image, a separate call is made to the server; the server software changes the position of the Image, and returns the information to the client machine. The theoretical advantages of Java and similar programs are that they can be run on any client machine with identical results; and that the software should not be Installed on the client machine, because the Java mini-application (Applef) runs inside a Java Virtual Machine of the browser. However, the problem with Java and similar programs is that the internet is simply not fast enough to provide a pleasant user experience. Furthermore, in practice, since the Java mini-application does not know what type of machine it is going to run on, it can react very differently from machine to machine.

International Patent Publication No. 03/085573 describes a method and apparatus for allowing a user to order a credit card / gift voucher and allowing the user to design the credit card / gift voucher over the Internet.

SUMMARY

According to aspects of the invention there is provided a computer system and a method according to independent claims 1 and 15, respectively.

A computer system for remote image manipulation is also described. The computer system comprises: a browser-based user interface to be displayed for manipulation of a graphical representation of at least a portion of an image held in a remote image store; an internet communications link that associates the User Interface with a remote image processor, said link is operative to transfer information about manipulations applied to the graphic representation between the user interface and the remote image processor; and means for the remote image processor to access the remote image store to apply to the Image, kept in the store, the manipulations that emulate those applied to the graphic representation.

IS 2 390 165 T3

The image held in the remote image store may be of relatively higher resolution than the graphical representation of at least a portion of the Image. The remote Image processor may further comprise means for communicating a version of the image, comprising the applied manipulations, to an Image Printing means securely maintained from the User Interface. The Computer system may further comprise means for associating a unique Identification with a user who applies the manipulations to the graphic representation; wherein the Internet communications link is operative to transfer the Unique Identification between the user interface and the remote Image processor. The remote image processor may also comprise means for receiving a hash value (hash value), which relates a user who applied the manipulations with the graphic representation. The browser-based user interface can be presented on a consumer-accessible kiosk. The kiosk may comprise a Printer for Printing an Image, produced by applying the manipulations that emulate those applied to the graphic representation, in a consumer article. The computer system can also further comprise a database capable of storing Information about the manipulations applied to the graphic representation; in such a way that a manipulation can be applied to the image maintained in the remote Image store, in a different way than in real time, or alternatively, allow to carry out batches of Printing tasks on different articles. The computer system may further comprise a Printer for Printing an Image, produced by applying the manipulations that emulate those applied to the graphic representation, in a consumer article. The consumer item may comprise a financial account access means.

Also described is a method of operating a computer system for manipulating remote images. The method comprises: displaying, for manipulation in a browser-based User Interface, a graphical representation of at least a portion of an Image held in a remote Image store; providing an Internet communications link that associates the User Interface with a remote Image processor; transfer Information about manipulations applied to the graphic representation between the User Interface and the remote Image processor; and causing the remote Image processor to access the remote Image store and apply, to at least a portion of the image held in the store, manipulations that emulate those applied to the graphic representation.

The method may further comprise transferring a unique ID between the User Interface and the remote image processor, the unique ID being associated with a user applying the manipulations to the graphical representation. The method can also comprise the reception of a dispersion value in the remote Image processor, the dispersion value relates to a user who applies the manipulations with the graphic representation; or present the Browser-Based User Interface at a consumer-accessible kiosk. A printer in the kiosk can be used to print an Image, produced by applying manipulations that emulate those applied to graphic representation, on a consumer item. The method can also further comprise storing the information about the manipulations applied to the graphic representation, in such a way that the manipulations can be applied to the Image kept in the remote Image store, in a different way than in real time, or, alternatively, allow batches of print jobs to be done on different items. The method may also comprise the printing of an Image, produced by applying the manipulations that emulate those applied to the graphic representation, in a consumer article, which may comprise means of accessing financial accounts.

Also described is a computer program product comprising a program code means, said program code means Include: a first code means for displaying, for manipulation in a browser-based User Interface, one or more graphical representations of at least a portion of an image held in a remote Image store; providing a second code means for establishing an Internet communications link associating the User Interface with a remote Image processor; a third code means for transferring Information about manipulations applied to the graphic representation between the user interface and the remote Image processor; and a fourth code means for making the remote Image processor access the remote Image store and apply, to at least a portion of the Image kept in the store, manipulations that emulate those applied to the graphic representation.

A computer system for the manipulation of remote images is also described. The IT system comprises: a server system in sight (front end servep to operate a Computer program means to provide a user interface to expose a graphical representation of at least a portion of an image maintained in a remote Image store for selection of the user from among a plurality of similar graphic representations of at least a portion of each of a plurality of images maintained in the remote Image store; and an Internet communication link that associates the server system in view with a remote Image processor capable of accessing the remote Image store to select the original Image maintained in the store, from among the plurality of similar Images maintained in the store. store, in a manner corresponding to the user's selection made in the User Interface.

IS 2 390 165 T3

The computer program means may further comprise means to allow user manipulation of the graphical representation in the User Interface; and the remote image processor may comprise means for accessing the remote image store to apply to the maintained image stored manipulations that emulate user manipulations of the graphical representation in the user interface.

Also described is a system for applying a personalized image to a financial account access means corresponding to a financial account of a customer. The system comprises: a financial account association table that associates financial data, corresponding to the customer's financial account, with a customer identification; an image manipulation emulator for associating customer identification with image selection data based on user selections made in a user interface relative to a graphical representation of at least a portion of an original image held in a warehouse of pictures; and an image applying means for applying the personalized image to the financial account access means, the personalized image is based on the user image selection data associated with the customer identification by the image manipulation emulator, in where the system maintains at least the financial accounts association table securely from the user interface.

The system may further comprise a display server to present the user interface; and a hidden server (back end server), comprising the image manipulation emulator, to communicate with the exposed server and with the image store. The exposed server may further comprise means for communicating a string of user manipulation data to the hidden server. The financial account access means may comprise a credit card, a debit card or other transaction card means. The graphic representation of the original image may comprise a version of a different size to the original image. The original image can be uploaded from the client's own computer. User selections comprise selected operations from rotating, resizing, positioning, flipping, controlling brightness, performing red-eye reduction, and adjusting opacity levels. The user selection data may further comprise data related to at least one image to cover over the original image; and the data related to at least one image to cover over the original image may comprise at least one transparent portion. User selections may also comprise operations to place at least a portion of the original image within a window region of the financial account access means. The window region may exclude regions of the financial account access means that expose functional characteristics of the financial account access means. User selections may also comprise operations to position at least a portion of the original image in relation to a template of characteristics of the financial account access means. The financial account access means may comprise one of a credit card, a debit card or other transaction card means; and the characteristics of the financial account access means may comprise one or more of a bank logo, a transaction card hologram, and a transaction card type indicator.

Also described is a method for applying a personalized image to a financial account access means corresponding to a financial account of a customer. The method comprises: associating the financial data, corresponding to the customer's financial account, with a customer identification in a financial account association table maintained securely with respect to a user interface; associating the customer identification with image selection data based on user selections made at the user interface in relation to a graphical representation of at least a portion of an original image held in an image store; and applying the personalized image to the financial account access means, the personalized image is based on the user image selection data associated with the customer identification.

The method further comprises presenting the user interface using a server in view; and using a hidden server, in communication with the exposed server and the image store, to recreate user selections made in the user interface. The method may also further comprise communicating a string of user manipulation data from the exposed server to the hidden server. The financial account access means may comprise a credit card, a debit card or other transaction card means. The graphic representation of the original image may comprise a version of a different size to the original image. The method may further comprise uploading the original image from the customer's own computer. User selections comprise selected operations from rotating, resizing, positioning, flipping, controlling brightness, performing red-eye reduction, and adjusting opacity levels. The user image selection data may further comprise data related to at least one image to cover over the original image; wherein the at least one image to be covered may comprise at least one transparent portion. The user selections may comprise operations to place at least a portion of the original image within a window region of the financial account access means. The window region may exclude regions of the financial account access means that expose functional characteristics of the financial account access means. User selections can

ES 2 390 165 T3 comprise operations for placing at least a portion of the original image in relation to a template related to characteristics of the means of accessing financial accounts. The financial account access means may comprise a credit card, a debit card or other transaction card means; and the characteristics of the financial account access means may comprise one or more of a bank logo, a transaction card hologram, and a transaction card type indicator.

Also described is a method of operating a computer system to apply a personalized image to a financial transaction card. The method comprises: providing a financial account association table that associates financial data of a customer with a customer identification; receiving in an image processor a set of manipulations applied to a representation of an image in a remote user terminal, to generate a personalized design; processing the rendered image by applying the received set of manipulations to produce a customized image; and sending the personalized image for the application to a financial transaction card, provided with banking characteristics based on at least the customer identification.

Also described is a computer system for controlling the production of a personalized financial transaction card. The computer system comprises: a financial account association table that associates financial data of a customer with a customer identification; a communication interface arranged to receive a set of manipulations applied to a representation of an image on a remote user terminal, to generate a personalized design; an image processor for processing the rendered image by applying said set of manipulations to produce a personalized image; and financial card production equipment capable of receiving the personalized image and relevant financial data based on customer identification to produce a personalized financial transaction card.

A method of operating a computer system to produce a financial transaction card is also described. The method comprises: receiving a single one-way code generated within a secure environment from information related to a customer account; receiving an image in an image processor, and manipulating the image according to instructions from a remote terminal operated by said client; storing the manipulated image associated with the one-way code; and providing said manipulated image for application to a financial transaction card, responding to a request comprising an identical one-way code generated independently of said customer account information.

A computer system for producing a personalized financial transaction card is also described. The system comprises: an interface to receive from a secure environment a single one-way code generated from the customer account information; an image processor operative to manipulate an image according to instructions from a remote terminal operated by said client; a data store for storing the manipulated image associated with the one-way code; and an interface operative for supplying said manipulated image for application to a financial transaction card, responding to a request comprising an identical one-way code generated independently of said customer account information. The customer account information may comprise at least a portion of an embossed record.

A consumer accessible kiosk may be provided to perform manipulations to the graphical representation and / or to produce financial transaction cards to which a custom image has been applied.

A computer system for producing personalized financial transaction cards is also described. The computer system comprises: means for generating a browser-based user interface for displaying at a remote terminal a graphical representation of at least a portion of an image, said interface is capable of performing a plurality of manipulations to the graphical representation; an internet communications link that associates the remote user interface with an image processor, said link is operative to receive instructions defining said plurality of manipulations applied to the graphic representation from the remote terminal; an image processor operative to access the image to apply manipulations that emulate those applied to the graphical representation according to the instructions; and operational financial transaction card production equipment for applying the resulting Image to a financial transaction card.

A method of operating a computer system to produce a financial transaction card is also described. The method comprises: receiving encrypted customer information generated within a secure environment from information related to a customer account; receiving an image in an image processor, and manipulating the image according to instructions from a remote terminal operated by said client; storing the manipulated image associated with the encrypted user information; and providing said manipulated image for application to a financial transaction card, associated with the encrypted customer information, to an entity having an encryption key capable of decrypting the encrypted customer information.

IS 2 390 165 T3

Also described is a method of operating a computer to facilitate the production of a personalized financial transaction card. The method comprises: providing a means for presenting a user interface to a remote client; receive instructions for manipulating an image file, the instructions are based on manipulations made by the remote client with respect to a representative version, in the user interface, of the image that is contained in the file; and providing an image, produced based on said handling instructions, for application to the financial transaction card, the image is associated with a customer identification corresponding to the remote customer.

The customer identification may comprise one of: a one-way code, a unique customer identification, and encrypted customer information. The one-way code can be created by a card issuer that applies a one-way code function to the remote customer's financial account information. Encrypted customer information can be encrypted by a card issuer that encrypts the remote customer's financial account information. Providing the means for presenting the user interface may comprise operating a website server. The image provided for the financial transaction card application can be provided to a card bureau. The customer identification can be embedded in the produced image based on said manipulation instructions; including being embedded as a machine-readable code, such as a barcode, or to be embedded in file metadata. The image file is not transferred to the user interface.

Also described is a system for operating a computer to facilitate the production of a personalized financial transaction card. The system comprises: providing a computer program means for presenting a user interface to a remote client; an image instruction means for receiving instructions for the manipulation of an image file, the instructions are based on manipulations made by the remote client with respect to a representative version, in the user interface, of the image that is contained in the archive; and an image processing means for providing an image, produced based on said handling instructions, for application to the financial transaction card, the image is associated with a customer identification corresponding to the remote customer.

The customer identification may comprise one of: a one-way code, a unique customer identification, and encrypted customer information. The customer identification may comprise a one-way code created by a one-way code function applied to the remote customer's financial account information. The customer identification may also comprise encrypted customer information created from the encrypted financial account information of the remote customer. The computer program means may comprise a web server application of a website server. The image processing means may comprise means for providing the image for application to the financial transaction card at a card office. The image processing means may also comprise means for embedding the customer identification in the produced image based on said manipulation instructions; such as using a means of embedding the customer identification as a machine-readable code, as a barcode, or as file metadata.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how it can be carried out, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a computer system for remote image manipulation, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 illustrates a method of operating a computer system for remote image manipulation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figs. 3-10 show screens of a credit card design website, operated according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 illustrates a method of operating a computer system for remote image manipulation, using a unique customer identification, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 12 illustrates a method of operating a computer system for remote image manipulation, using a scatter value to avoid the need to create and maintain a unique customer identification by applying card and print cycle, according to a carrying out the present invention;

Fig. 13 illustrates a system according to an embodiment of the invention, in which an image is designed using a card publishing kiosk or warehouse instant publishing system; and Fig. 14 illustrates a system in which a database is used to store information between selections of a user's image and final image production, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

IS 2 390 165 T3

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment according to the invention allows a user to manipulate an image via a browser interface, and is divided into two software portions, referred to here as visible software (front end software) and hidden software (back end software).

The software at sight works entirely within a web browser and in most cases no download is necessary, because it accepts the limitations of the browser. In one embodiment, the exposed software runs Flash, available from Macromedia SA of 600 Townsend Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA, or equivalent software. The software in view is a pure Graphical User Interface (GUI), and allows a user to design and edit graphics on their screen to construct a representation of a desired image. The stock image representations (initials) can be presented to a user in an on-screen image library and / or created by the user on demand. The image to be produced can be made up of one or more representative components, each of which has its defined position with respect to an origin, and can be manipulated based on a set of predetermined rules - such as, for example , rules that allow the image or its components to be resized, rotated, flipped, mirrored, and moved relative to other components. Representative graphics components can be used, for example, to construct relatively complex designs consisting of a plurality of different layers and / or transparencies constructed using Flash scenes.

When the design is complete, in an embodiment according to the invention, instructions about what the final image looks like are sent to hidden software, which runs on a server. In the preferred embodiment, these instructions are sent together (simultaneously) after manipulation is complete, and take the form of a text string for each component of the image. For example, the text string makeimage.aspx for a graphics component might be:

id + = 030, x = 182, y = 32.3, flip = yes, rotate = 270, scale = 190.6, user = 230 where id is an image id; x and y define the position of a component with respect to a predetermined origin; flip, roll, and scale define manipulations of types generally well known in the art; and user is a number that identifies the user. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a range of image manipulations can be defined in this way. A resulting image can be represented by one or more graphic components. In this way it is possible for a plurality of text strings, or an extended text string, to define an image made up of a plurality of separate graphic components. The graphic components used, for example, in Flash movie scenes are generated and manipulated with a minimum of computer resources; and the designs built as a result can be recreated on the hidden (server) side using relevant (and usually much larger) image files. Relatively complex designs can be achieved by employing two or more image components with independent image identifications. Image IDs for graphic components of the same image may have a common characteristic. According to embodiments of the invention, the instructions included in the text string defining the manipulations necessary to create the resulting image do not have to be included in a single text string; instead, a series of text strings can be transmitted to carry the same plurality of instructions separately. Also, manipulations on the remote server should not wait for a receipt of the entire series of text strings, but can instead be performed in phases as each string in the series is received. Regardless of the number of text strings used, an advantage of an embodiment according to the invention is that a smaller and emulated version of the image can be manipulated by the user with a minimum of computer resources, and the instructions can be efficiently transferred as text strings; rather than requiring the inefficient (and time consuming) transfer of large image files, or portions thereof, between the client and a production imaging server. In addition, the need to make calls to a server with a makeover every time a single manipulation is performed is also overcome.

The hidden software is responsible for generating the final image, according to an embodiment of the invention, interpreting the manipulations applied to the representation (defined in the text string, or in each of the text strings) and applying the corresponding manipulations to a or more stock images held in a remote image warehouse. Images used in display software are less computationally demanding representations than those maintained on the server. As a result, hidden software can make image transformations that exactly mirror those seen on the client's machine. Once the desired image has been created by the hidden software, the image can be produced for whatever device is needed, such as a device for printing the image onto a personalized consumer item. In this way, the graphic representation is exposed and manipulated in the user interface by means of the Flash software, and only a minimum amount of information regarding the image and the manipulations applied to it must be transferred to the remote image processor. .

IS 2 390 165 T3

As mentioned above, the exposed software can use Flash from Macromedia, or another product. For example, the software could instead use HTML and JavaScript (DHTML) without a download, although the GUI is relatively poor. Using Flash software (or an equivalent) is advantageous because it does not allow you full access to the user's local files, so there is no risk of transmitting computer viruses to the user's machine. The use of Flash software also does not require a user to install software other than the Flash plug-in, which has a high penetration of the browser market.

The preferred embodiment thus enables online manipulation of images by emulating browser-based transformations (such as resizing or covering images), made by the user in a representation of the image, on the server so that the images produced can be used to create personalized products.

Online manipulation of images is allowed by creating a two-level architecture, in an embodiment according to the invention: there is a program that allows manipulation of images on the screen in front of a user; and a second program on a server that emulates these manipulations, so that the images can be produced for the creation of personalized products. In the preferred embodiment, the hidden process, or elements of it, can be performed in a secure computing environment; and images to suit the client can be printed on a real product under very high security (eg security at bank level). In this way, a user with internet access can design user-friendly images for printing on a remote product that requires secure processing, such as bank-level security. For example, anti-fraud and anti-theft measures mean that the production of credit cards, and other types of transaction cards, takes place in secure locations. The customization of the designs applied to such cards is possible in this way, using preferred embodiments, without the need to give the user direct computing access to the secure environment.

An online image editing tool uses the HTML and Macromedia Flash browser environment as a Graphical User Interface for remote software that emulates actions taken on the client machine, in an embodiment according to the invention. This enables a fast user experience and a high quality end product. However, the client-side browser-based environment that allows user manipulation does not necessarily need to be Macromedia Flash. Any equivalent software tool capable of providing the necessary functionality could be used - for example, some tool capable of generating a representation of an image, applying manipulations to it, and transferring the results through a set of commands to the server-side software. , so that an image processor on the server side can emulate the actions of the visible part and create a resulting image that can be saved on the server. The software in view will allow the uploading of Images from the user's computer to the server, so that the user's own images can be manipulated and can be covered with stock images and borders. Then, by communicating with the hidden software, it is possible to produce the customized goods for a user. Such personalized goods may include, for example, credit cards, debit cards, cell phone covers, mugs, T-shirts, gift cards, and framed prints.

An embodiment according to the Invention has the advantage that high-quality images should not be loaded into the client's browser during the manipulation process, because instead lightweight formats allowed on the web are used for the user experience, thereby making make the system quick and easy to use. However, when the information is transferred, the original high-quality images are used to give high-quality print results. An embodiment according to the invention also allows to provide fast but light weight manipulation of graphics, without the complication of downloading programs. Additionally, a user interface according to the invention does not constantly call the server; in this way the interface is fast and pleasant to use, and the internet bandwidth is used efficiently. As another advantage of an embodiment of the invention, the original image is not transferred over the internet in the manipulation phase, so the chances of hacking the image are greatly reduced. Also, because the interface runs within the Macromedia Flash environment, the interface is platform independent. Furthermore, since the final image can be created on a server controlled by a single company, the final image production can be done to have a standardized size and resolution. This allows easy integration with printers, simplifies the production of a custom product, and simplifies image-based billing.

By way of example, Figs. 1 and 2 describe the production of a credit card, according to an embodiment of the invention.

In the example of Fig. 1, a customer accesses the software, after having applied for a credit card through a website 101 of a card issuer (such as a bank). In the first stage, the card issuer gives the customer a unique identification number 103 which is passed to an image compilation server 108, which may (or may not) be managed by a company other than the card issuer. The card issuer associates the unique customer identification 103 with the customer's financial information 104. This association can be performed in a financial account association table 124 maintained in an environment that is secure from the user interface. The associated identification 103 of the client and the financial information 104 are passed to a

ES 2 390 165 T3 printer server 109 of a bank (or other card issuer) through a firewall (firewalf) 102. Then the client enters the software in sight 105, which can be managed by a site server web or other server in sight. The client chooses an Image 107 - in Fig. 1 from the hard disk 106 of the client's computer and uploads it to the Image compilation server 108. Image 107 could come from any suitable source such as an image library maintained by an operator of the image compilation server 108. The hidden software 110, running on the Image compilation server 108, now feeds the original Image into a database and generates a smaller web-friendly couplet 111 to send to the open software 105. The customer now performs image manipulations 112 (such as resizing, rotating, and positioning the image), as desired by the customer. The hidden software 110 associates the customer image selection, and subsequent selections and manipulations, with the unique customer identification 103. The customer then chooses another image 113 to cover on top of the first image 107, and positions the image 113 as desired. The cover image 113 may, for example, be a transparent decorative frame for the uploaded image 107, and may be maintained on an image server 114. The hidden software 110 transmits a smaller, web-friendly version 115 of the cover image 113 to the client, for use in a creation of a combination 116 of the original manipulated image 107 with the cover image 113. Once the client approval 117 of the final design 116 is achieved and indicated to the view software 105, the view software 105 transmits a string 118 of user manipulation data to the Image compilation server 108. This string 118 encloses the selections and manipulations of the Client Image. Upon receipt of this string 118 the hidden software 110 accesses the original copies of the images from an image library and performs the exact operations that the client has chosen in the open software 105 for the client's final design. In this manner, hidden software 110 emulates manipulations at the user end based on the information transferred in the text string (also referred to herein as a result sequence (scripf)). At this point the hidden software 110 can produce the resulting image 119 for a print server 120, which can be performed through a firewall 121. The resulting image 119 and associated client identification 103 can then be passed to the print server 109 from the bank (or other card issuer), which in turn accesses financial account association table 124 to obtain secure associated financial information 104 from the customer. The financial information 104 and the resulting image 119 can then be sent to a credit card printer 122, which prints a credit card 123 at the customer's discretion. All images that are used by the client in the open software 105 are published through the hidden software 110. The only information that passes to hidden software 110 from exposed software 105 (other than requests for images) is data about how the image appears in front of the client. This information can be easily encrypted for added security. The number of images combined in a design is not limited to one or two (such as images 107 and 113) - the sequence (scripf) can be easily modified for many more layers. Furthermore, transparent frame image layers need not be selected and manipulated before a non-transparent image layer; Image layers can be designed in any order. Text can also be added to the image using a similar replica. The output image can be sent to any type of machine and in this way the possible applications are very wide: the software can be applied not only to the payment card market, but also to telephone cards and other non-payment cards. In certain embodiments, the layers can be used as templates and / or marks, referred to herein as transparencies. In one embodiment, the final image displayed on a card may be restricted to a predefined selected area, such as a window on a payment card (or other financial account access means), leaving the remainder of the card free to contain features. card functionalities, such as a bank logo, payment card hologram, or type indicator (such as Visa or MasterCard logos). Alternatively, some image layers can be placed within a selected window on the card; while other image layers (such as transparencies) are placed outside the selected window, but surrounding the functional characteristics of the card (such as the bank logo, payment card hologram, etc.). Also, the banking logo or other financial feature can act as a fixed template, behind which the user can move the image to a desired position.

In the embodiment of Fig. 2, in a first step 231, a customer 251 has applied to a bank (or other card issuer) online for a credit card, or is an existing customer who has been offered the opportunity to make a new card for an existing account. In step 232, the customer clicks on a link that directs the user to a website (which may be operated by a company other than the card issuer) to design the credit card - coming up with a unique ID that is related to the client's account and that it will be kept by the client at all times by the client on the site. In step 233, the customer identification is used to log in; alternatively, the customer could independently log in at this point and collect the customer's ID. Since the design website uses only customer identification to identify the customer, it does not get any financial details from the customer. At step 234, the customer chooses to upload an image from the customer's own computer 252, such as a scanned or photographed image. In step 235, the image is uploaded to an image server, and can be maintained in a database 253 for convenience. At step 236, the client enters browser-based image manipulation software 254. At step 237, the image manipulation software requests a series of images in web-friendly formats from an image resizing tool 255 so that the process is quick and easy to use. On stage

238, the image resizing tool requests the original image from database 253; on the stage

239, the original image is returned and in a new web-friendly size and format; and at stage 240, a

ES 2 390 165 T3 web-friendly image sets are returned to the image manipulation software 254 (these are graphical representations of the original images on which manipulations can be performed). Once the client has achieved the desired effect by manipulating the necessary series of images, the associated image manipulation commands are sent 241 to an image manipulation emulator 256. Image manipulation commands can include, for example, rotate, resize, position, flip, scale, brightness controls, red-eye reduction, opacity levels, and other manipulations. At step 242, the image manipulation emulator 256 then requests the original images from the image server for the best quality image to be used. Upon receiving the images in step 243, the emulator 256 then repeats the client's completed transformations and creates an image that emulates the one created online, but uses the highest quality original graphics. At step 244, this image, and the associated customer identification, is sent to the bank's printer 257. The financial data corresponding to the customer identification is obtained, through a secure connection 258 with the bank (or another card issuer); and the printing process goes into motion.

In an embodiment according to the invention that places personalized images on plastic credit cards, it is necessary to ensure a very high level of security. Therefore, in circumstances where financial records are already in place for the user, the architecture receives a unique non-sequential customer identification, which matches a set of financial records, from the credit card issuer. This customer identification is passed through each element of the system and is returned with the generated image file. Thus in a mail merge type operation, the customer's personalized image can be matched with the customer's financial and personal records so that the correct image is placed on the card. At no time does the software in plain sight or the hidden have any financial information. The customer identification can be used in an automatic login process. In this way, the software (visible software and hidden software) can know if the user is new or not. A returning visitor can thus be presented with images that were uploaded on a previous visit.

The architecture of the system comprises two differentiated elements, in an embodiment according to the invention. The element in view, the element that the user interacts with, is built in Macromedia Flash. This element allows the user to design a card by manipulating (by scaling, rotating or performing other manipulations such as those given above) the loaded image and then covering the image with frames that may contain transparent sections. Since Flash does not have local permissions on the client machine, since it is a browser-based interface, it is not able to save the final design. So it sends a string of instructions to the second element on the server side. The second server-side element can be written in C #, although Java, C, C ++, or any other suitable language is equally capable. The instruction string can be sent as a query string (querystríng) that is, as part of the URL; for example, the string could be in a format like:

(createpage.aspx? here_are_the_string_ofjnstructions & rotate = 90 & flip = yes ...)

Other methods can also be used to transmit user design manipulations, such as using an HTML-style form or writing the information to a Cookie and then reading the information again. Alternatively, the HTTP POST (Send) and HTTP GET (Get) hypertext transfer protocol commands can be used to pass the data from the user session to the server. HTTP POST works identically to a standard website form; while HTTP GET works by changing the url. For example, an HTTP GET could change a URL, to pass a user's rotation, scale, and other selections, to be read:

http://www.personalcard.net/saveinfo.aspx?rotate=90&flip=no&scale=232&x=232&y=12&y2=343&x2=333 etc.

This list of techniques for transmitting manipulation results are not intended to be exhaustive. Alternatives and future developments will also be suitable.

Client identification can be passed using Session State (Web Server Session Object) or passed as part of the query string according to an embodiment of the invention. HTML forms could achieve the same ends.

According to an embodiment of the invention, an image can be uploaded as JPEG, GIF, Bitmap, PNG, Tiff, etc .; although it will be appreciated that almost any digital image can be uploaded or produced. From the original image uploaded the system creates four separate versions:

1. A small version (like a JPEG) - see interface screenshots, below. The image is approximately 1 to 2k in file size.

2. A larger version but still optimized for the web (this is scaled to allow the image to be expanded to the maximum available by the interface - such as at .250% scale - and still have a

ES 2 390 165 T3 one-to-one pixel matching (ie image size is 241 x 250% width if possible). This is the image used on the screen for the design of the card.

3. A Bitmap image at the same scale as the original image. A Bitmap image can be used, for example, on a system that uses C #, which is a Microsoft language and uses Bitmap as the default image type.

Four. The output design, which can be sized in proportion to a credit card. This layout could be in any software format that is useful for the printer used, such as BMP (Bitmap) or PNG (Portable Network Graphics).

The original images can be placed in a database once they have been uploaded. In one embodiment, each request for images requires reverting to the original version to use; however, this does not have to be the case, because once another image version has been created (e.g. a small version), the system can still store this version so that processing is reduced (although it would increase the memory occupied). A key benefit of an embodiment according to the invention is that it is not necessary to pass the largest image back and forth across the web from the client to the server, except for the initial upload of images. However, when the final edited design or image is generated, the highest quality image is used.

In an embodiment according to the invention, the user designs, on the screen, an image that appears the same physical size as a credit card using the screen resolution of 72 dpi. This is because a computer monitor cannot display images with a higher resolution than this. However, a printer can output at higher resolutions, typically 300 dpi or larger - increasing quality. Although the exposed software uses the low resolution images, the final design is compiled by the hidden software using a full scale bitmap version of the original uploaded Image. This can be achieved by using a virtual canvas within the hidden software that is larger than the design canvas within the exposed software. In this way the design that is being created by the hidden software is placed on a background of a larger size than in the exposed software (while maintaining the resolution of 72 dpi). Thus, if the credit card size in pixels is 241 by 153 then by placing the image on a virtual credit card canvas of .1050 by 672 at 72 dpi, the resolution can be increased to approximately 300 dpi. when the credit card is finally printed (again at 3.3 inches (83.82 mm) by 2.1 inches (53.34 mm)). This method ensures that the maximum feasible dpi (at the maximum printer settings) is produced from hidden software, but only the necessary resolution is sent to the visible software. This reduces the memory requirements of the client machine and internet traffic. This operation could also be accomplished by changing the resolution of an image from 72 dpi to 300 in the original size.

To use transparencies, in an embodiment according to the invention, the images containing a transparent layer (generally frames or borders) must be converted into Flash films. This process can be manual, but it can also be automated to allow images with transparency (such as bitmaps or PNGs) to be imported into the software on the fly. The hidden software can use the original BMP or PNG image to generate the credit card image.

Figs. 3-10 show screens of a credit card design website, in a series of stages according to one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3 shows a first screen, with a standard library of images assigned to the particular card issuer that is using the credit card design website, on the left of the screen. Fig. 4 displays a screen that allows users to log in so they can upload new images to the library on the left. This can be automated in active versions. In Fig. 5, uploading allows the user to browse their own computer for images to upload. Fig. 6 shows a screen with a new library that includes both the user images and a set of stock images. In the screen of Fig. 7, by clicking on the small image on the left, the larger image but optimized for the web is loaded. At this point it can be climbed, flipped, rotated, or undergo other manipulations; and the card details can be seen or hidden. In the screen of Fig. 8, frames can then be added. These are Flash files (.swf) that allow transparencies. Again they can be scaled, flipped, rotated or undergo other manipulations; and the card details can be hidden. In the screen of Fig. 9, by clicking the Red Back Button or the Stage 1 tab, the user can go back to a previous screen. At this point the image is shown as active but the frame can also be seen. The screen in Fig. 10 shows the final version of the credit card before being sent to the hidden software to be created.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, shown in Fig. 12, it is not necessary for a bank or other card issuer to create a unique identification for a customer, and pass the identification through the card issuer system itself. Given the complexity of banking systems, it may be an advantage to avoid the need to create such an identification.

Before illustrating the alternative of Fig. 12, Fig. 11 first illustrates an embodiment that may be useful for some card issuers, in which a unique identification is created for each customer. In this embodiment, a

ES 2 390 165 T3 unique identification for each client requesting to design a card 1101, and 1102 is passed to the hidden server 1103. The hidden server 1103 creates an image corresponding to the unique client identification; and the card issuer 1104 passes the unique identification through the card issuer's own system. An office 1105 creating the final card can then make a software call to the hidden server 1103 using the unique identification, so that the account details received from the card issuer 1104 can be associated with the image.

In more detail, the embodiment of Fig. 11 works as follows. When a customer requests a card issuer 1104 to design a personalized card 1101, the card issuer 1104 creates a unique ID and passes the ID 1102 to the hidden server 1103. Once the customer designs the card 1106, the user and the corresponding Unique IDs are returned 1107 to the card issuer, and the hidden server stores 1125 the customer image and unique ID. Information that the customer has requested a new card is then sent 1108 to the card issuer's systems, along with the unique identification; and a record and unique identification for the customer are stored 1109 in the card issuer's systems. The card issuer then passes 1110 the unique identification to the hidden server, to notify it that the new card will potentially be created and embossed. The hidden server 1103 and / or the card issuer 1104 may then perform an image check procedure 1111 and 1112, to ensure that the customer-designed image is acceptable for production. If the image fails the shadow server image check 1111, the unique identification and reason for rejection of the image are then sent to the card issuer 1113; and the customer is invited 1114 to redesign the card. Once the image has been accepted, the card issuer converts 1115 the record and unique customer identification into an embossing record, which is sent 1116 to the office 1105 that will create the card. The hidden server labels the image 1117 to be sent to office 1105 in the next batch of images; and, when a suitable number of images are prepared, it sends 1118 the image and associated unique identification to office 1105. Office 1105 then stores 1119 the embossing record and unique customer identification, obtained from the card issuer 1104; and it also stores 1120 the unique ID and the image, obtained from the hidden server 1103. Having done this, office 1105 can now create the finished card, first obtaining 1121 the customer record provided by card issuer 1104; and also using 1122 the Unique Identification to obtain the associated customer image and provide it to a blank stock card printer. The blank stock printer can then print the 1123 image onto blank stock, and encode the magnetic stripe on the card. Based on the information on the magnetic stripe, the embossing record and the printed card stock can then be joined together 1124 to create a finished card.

Unlike the process of Fig. 11, the embodiment of Fig. 12 allows a card issuer to avoid the need to create for each customer a unique identification that must be passed through the card issuer's system. Instead, the card issuer creates a hash value such as a message digest, or other one-way code, based on some account details for each individual, so that the card issuer can pass account information from clients to the hidden server in a way that is completely secure. Referring to Fig. 12 the process is similar to that of Fig. 11, with a card issuer 1204, a hidden server 1203 and an office 1205 that performs analogous steps (1201 and following) to those of Fig. 11 (1101 and following). However, a major difference is found in steps 1202, 1207, 1210, 1213, 1226, and 1227 of Fig. 12, in which a hash value (or other one-way code) is passed between the card issuer 1204 and the hidden server 1203, instead of requesting the card issuer to create a unique identification for each customer, as in Fig 11. First, in step 1202, a hash of a unique part of the customer record (such as the customer's name) is created. A one-way hash, such as the MD5 hash, is a process that takes input data of arbitrary size (such as a customer's name and account number), and generates a fixed-size output, called a hash (or dispersion value). A scatter has the following properties: (i) it must be impossible to computationally find another input string that generates the same scatter value; and (ii) the spread does not reveal anything about the input that was used to generate it. This means that the dispersion function used in the embodiment of Fig. 12 allows the card issuer 1204 to pass at least some of a customer's account information to the hidden server 1203 in a manner that is completely secure. As seen in steps 1202, 1207, 1210, 1213, 1226, and 1227, a scatter value can be passed back and forth between card issuer 1204 and hidden server 1203, without requiring issuer 1204 Create a unique ID and pass it through your system.

In more detail, the embodiment of Fig. 12 works as follows. When a customer requests a card issuer 1204 to design a custom card 1201, the card issuer 1204 creates a single part scatter value and passes the scatter value 1226 to the hidden server 1203. After the client designs the card 1206, the user and the corresponding scatter value are returned 1207 to the card issuer, and the hidden server stores 1225 the client image and the scatter value. Information that the customer has requested a new card is then sent 1208 to the card issuer's systems; and a record for the customer is stored 1209 in the card issuer's systems. The card issuer then recreates 1210 the scatter value that is based on the unique portion of the customer record, and passes it 1227 to the hidden server 1203, to notify it that the new card will potentially be created and embossed. The hidden server 1203 and / or the card issuer 1204 may then perform an image check procedure 1211 and 1212, to ensure that the customer-designed image is acceptable for production. If the image fails in the

ES 2 390 165 T3 image checking 1211 of the hidden server, the scatter value and the reason for rejection of the Image are then sent to the card issuer 1213; and the customer is invited 1214 to redesign the card. Once the image has been accepted, the card issuer converts 1215 the customer record to an embossing record, which is sent 1216 to office 1205 that will create the card. The hidden server labels the image 1217 to be sent to office 1205 in the next batch of images; and, when a suitable number of images are prepared, sends 1218 the image and the associated scatter value to office 1205. Office 1205 then stores 1219 the embossed customer record obtained from card issuer 1204; and it also stores 1220 the scatter value and the image, obtained from the hidden server 1203. Having done this, the office 1205 can now create the finished card, first obtaining 1221 the customer record provided by the card issuer 1204; and also using 1222 the spread value to obtain the associated customer image and provide it to a blank stock card printer. The blank stock printer can then print the 1223 image onto blank stock, and encode the magnetic stripe on the card. Based on the information on the magnetic stripe, the embossing record and the printed card stock can then be joined together 1224 to create a finished card.

In an alternative to the embodiment of Figs. 11 and 12, which use a unique ID and a scatter value, respectively, other methods can be used to create a secure ID. For example, it is also possible for user information to be encrypted at the card issuer early in the process, and decrypted at the card bureau using Private / Public Key or Private / Private Key encryption technology. This alternative works in a similar way to the process described in Fig. 12, but with modified security measures; for example, the key must be maintained by the card office.

In another embodiment according to the invention, a secure identification of the image that is produced based on the instructions of the user, can be embedded in the image itself or be embedded as part of the data file in which the image is stored. For example, a hash key, encrypted identification, or other secure identification can be passed through the hidden server (such as server 1103 or 1203) associated with user image manipulation instructions. At any point in the hidden server process, such as when the image is produced for shipment to a card bureau (such as card bureau 1205), the image can then be made to have the secure ID embedded in it - such as with an inlay of a barcode or other machine-readable code, which encodes the secure identification, placed on the image itself. In this manner, the card bureau 1205 can read the barcode, or other embedded secure identification, directly from the image itself; and you do not need to acquire information from the hidden server 1203 except the image itself, which includes the barcode. This embodiment finds particular use in the case where the office 1205 card production process involves using an imager, which is not capable of separately storing or passing secure identification. In this way, using embedded secure identification, the imager can effectively pass the secure identification as well as the image to the embossing phase, simply by passing the printed image itself, which will include the barcode (or other identification). embedded machine readable). The embossing phase may then involve reading the barcode (or other embedded machine-readable identification) from the image, and searching for the associated embossing record for use in the final production of the card. It should be noted that the 1205 office image printing function should not be performed within a single organization or company; for example, the image printing may instead be performed by a separate company or department of the organization performing the embossing, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. It will be appreciated that a variety of different techniques can be used to embed the secure identification in the image, such as including the identification in the metadata of the image file; including both when the image file is transmitted to office 1205, or when the image file is in use by the hidden server or office.

In another embodiment according to the invention, shown in Fig. 13, a modified architecture may be used, in the context of a card publishing kiosk or within an instant store publishing system. As with the embodiments described above, the software at sight runs in a client-side browser; and the hidden software runs on a remote web server. However, unlike the aforementioned embodiments, the card printer is located in the customer machine (such as a card publishing kiosk). Referring to FIG. 13, a user browser housed in an in-store kiosk 1302 uses display software, which is provided from an internet server 1301, to allow a customer to design a personalized card. The user's image preferences are then saved and the image is generated 1303 on the remote web server. The image can then be returned to kiosk 1304, and printed on the customer's card 1305. Images can be checked on the remote server side to ensure they are suitable for printing, in real time, if necessary. Otherwise the operation of the system may be similar to the embodiments described above.

In a further embodiment according to the invention, shown in Fig. 14, a database can be used to store information between user image selections, and hidden image output. In this way, the system can be made more scalable, since it does not have to create the images in the hidden part in real time. As with the other embodiments, the user first makes image selections in the display interface software, and the image manipulations are passed to the hidden server 1401. Then, however,

ES 2 390 165 T3 the manipulations of each user are stored in a database 1402; so that the hidden software can pick up every manipulation, not in real time, and render the 1403 high resolution image.

While the foregoing has described what is considered to be the best mode and, where appropriate, other modes of carrying out the invention, the invention should not be limited to specific configurations of apparatus or the method steps described in this description of the embodiment. preferred. Those skilled in the art will also recognize that the invention has a wide spectrum of applications, and that the embodiments admit of a wide variety of modifications without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.