GB2478567A

GB2478567A - Digital image management and distribution system

Info

Publication number: GB2478567A
Application number: GB1003948A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Adrian Habgood
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-03-10
Filing date: 2010-03-10
Publication date: 2011-09-14
Also published as: GB201003948D0

Abstract

A digital image management and distribution system 100 for capturing digital files (e.g. photographs) and automatically uploading digital files to a server 108 for distribution to a digital asset management facility 110 so as to maintain the authenticity and integrity of the material uploaded comprises a terminal with a builtin camera 101 (e.g. digital camera, mobile phone), wherein the terminal 101 is configured to receive a master image file captured by the camera, and to transmit the master image file to the server facility 108, and wherein the server facility is configured to transmit a master image file to a digital asset management facility 110, and wherein the server facility is configured to transmit confirmation to the terminal 101 that the master image file has been delivered to a digital asset management facility for archiving. In an alternative embodiment the images are modified to create a plurality of modified images having a second resolution that is less than the first resolution. In another embodiment the server facility determines a suitable viewing terminal for displaying an image associated with an image file. A photo management application may be used to manage the operation of uploading images to the server 108 and may be used to carry out enhancements to an image (e.g. tag, crop, auto-colour correct).

Description

Digital Image Management And Distribution System Professional photographers have moved away from film photographic techniques and now use digital cameras to document material of an evidential nature and record formal events and activities.

Additionally, individuals involved in the capture of images of an evidential nature and the recording of formal events, such as law enforcement officers, crime scene investigators, surveillance officers, health and safety officers, maintenance engineers, etc. are increasingly equipped with mobile data devices, such as a mobile phones or personal digital assistants, to help them carry out their duties; many of these devices have cameras built-in and are therefore capable of capturing and transmitting digital images.

Recognising this trend, digital imaging guidelines have been published around the world to encourage the use of standard operating procedures to maintain the authenticity and integrity of digital images, particularly within the criminal justice system. Common to many of these guidelines is the need to provide an audit trail from the initial image capture, when images and their associated metadata should not be deleted nor should images be edited beyond any basic enhancements that may be needed, through their use as evidential material, and to the eventual deletion of the images in accordance with the guidelines.

Earlier versions of digital imaging guidelines recommended that digital images be saved at the highest possible quality, be saved in uncompressed file formats, and be saved to Write Once, Read Many times formats, such as CD media, at the earliest possible opportunity. More recently, digital imaging guidelines have been updated to recommend that digital images be saved in commonly used formats, such as jpeg compression techniques, that facilitate the practical uses of saving, sharing and printing of digital files. The use of digital asset management facilities, such as redundant array of independent (RAID) disks, for medium term and long term storage of digital images is recommended over the use of CD's, as it is a more robust storage media and it also facilitates the rapid searching of digital files.

Although is becoming increasingly good practise to save digital camera files to transportable digital media and then later save these digital files to digital asset management facilities for medium-term and long-term storage, guidance regarding the transfer of digital images from short term media, such as flash cards, to medium / long-term (RAID) storage has not been updated; professional photographers involved in the documentation of evidential material and formal events commonly save digital images from flash cards to physical media, such as CD, then physically transport the images on the CD to a location where the digital images can be transferred from the CD to digital asset management facilities.

This invention relates to a digital image management and distribution system for capturing digital images of an evidential nature and automatically uploading digital images over a network to a server for distribution to a digital asset management facility so as to produce robust standard operating procedures, facilitate electronic audit trails, maintain the authenticity and integrity of the material uploaded, speed the delivery of images from a photographer to a medium / long-term (RAID) storage media, and offer improved operational efficiencies.

Description of The Drawings

Fig 1. is a functional block diagram of a hardware operating environment of a digital image transmission and distribution system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The system 100 comprises a plurality of photographic units 101, a server facility 108, a digital asset management facility 110, a plurality of administration terminals 112, a plurality of viewing terminals 114, and a plurality of client devices 115.

The photographic units correspond to a photographer taking photographs with a digital camera 106, typically connected to a laptop computer 104. The photographic units also correspond to a photographer taking photographs with a mobile data device such as a mobile phone 102 that has a built-in camera.

In the case of a photographer taking photographs with a digital camera 106, each image is typically acquired on a flash card. The photographer then transfers the images to a laptop computer 104 by moving the flash card from the camera to the laptop computer. Alternatively, the photographer can use a cabled connection or wireless communications to transfer images from the camera 106.

The laptop computer or mobile phone then takes these images and transmits them to the server facility 108.

The server facility receives images from a plurality photographic units that may be geographically widespread. The mobile phone communicates with the server facility wirelessly using mobile data communications or wireless links 120. The laptop computer, in turn, communicates with the server facility wirelessly using mobile data communications, via wireless links or over fixed wire data communications 120.

The server facility 108 communicates with the digital asset management facility using fixed wire data communications. In alternative embodiments, for example if the server facility is located in a mobile environment, other communications protocols may be used such as mobile data communications or wireless links 120.

A plurality of administration terminals 112 and viewing terminals 114 may be connected to the server facility, and communications may be facilitated by fixed wire data communications, mobile data communications or wireless links.

The server facility communicates with plurality of plurality of client devices 115, such as client computers 116 or client mobile phones 118 using mobile data communications, fixed wire data communications or wireless links 120.

Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram of the mobile phone 102 or laptop computer 104 of Fig. 1 according to an embodiment of the invention.

Shown are a central processing unit (CPU) 202, a main memory 204, a mass storage device 206, a keypad / touchpad interface 208, a scroll / mouse interface 210, and a display screen 212. The mobile phone or laptop computer may also have Wi-F! transceiver and mobile transceiver connectivity 214, and a number of fixed data connectivity interfaces such as USB, FireWire or Ethernet ports 216.

The keypad / touchpad interface and the scroll / mouse interface are for introducing user input to the mobile phone or laptop computer and for communicating that user input to the CPU. The main memory and the mass storage of the mobile phone or laptop computer are used for the storage and use of an operating system, a photo management program, digital images and associated metadata. The Wi-Fi transceiver and mobile transceiver connectivity permit the mobile phone or laptop computer to communicate with the server facility 108 of Fig. 1. Additionally, the laptop computer may communicate with the server facility using the fixed data connectivity interfaces.

The keypad / touchpad interface, the scroll / mouse interface and display screen allow several options to be adjusted by a photographer or administrative user.

For example, metadata such as photographer ID, subject matter identity, the subject matter reference number, the subject's details, details of the photo shoot, or collaborative sign-off forms, can be associated with a photographer's images and image metadata, such as the time the image was taken, camera settings, and GPS information, to facilitate the use of electronic audit trails.

The keypad / touchpad interface, the scroll / mouse interface and display screen may also allow a photographer to monitor image file transmission; for example, provide a visual indication that a photographer's images had been uploaded successfully to the laptop computer, to the server facility and to the digital asset management facility 110 of Fig. 1.

Optionally, the keypad / touchpad interface, the scroll / mouse interface and display screen may allow a photographer or administrative user to configure the photo management program to resize a master image and send the resulting low-resolution version of the master image to the server facility. This feature may be of use if the need arose to transfer a plurality of images from the photographic units 101 (Fig. 1) to the server facility in limited time. The photo management program may also be configured to further transmit the master image file to the server facility where the low-resolution image proves to be of interest to, and selected by, an authorized viewer. Additionally, the photo management program may be configured to automatically transmit the master image file to the server facility after the low-resolution image has been received by the server facility to maintain the authenticity and integrity of the material; the time difference between receiving the low-resolution image and receiving the master image being noted by the server facility and the digital asset management facility in the audit trail.

Optionally, the keypad / touchpad interface, the scroll / mouse interface and display screen may allow a photographer or administrative user to configure the photo management program to facilitate the viewing of images and the manual selection of images of interest on the mobile phone or laptop computer before uploading the material to the server facility. This feature may be of use if the need arose for a photographer to review, identify and highlight an image of interest to a plurality of authorized viewers via viewing terminals 114 (Fig. 1) connected to the server facility. Additionally, this feature may be of use if the need arose for a photographer to review, select, enhance and send an image of interest to a plurality of client devices 115 (Fig. 1) via the server facility.

Optionally, the keypad / touchpad interface, the scroll / mouse interface and display screen may allow an authorized user to configure the photo management program to facilitate the viewing of an image sent by a photographer via the server facility. In this embodiment of the invention the photographic unit may also be a client device, where a plurality of photographic units and client devices are configured by an administrative user to function in a collaborative manner.

As will be appreciated by the skilled person, the principle applied to the image management and distribution system defined above can be applied to other data; moving images, other document formats and even text can be handled in an equivalent way.

Fig. 3 shows a method for use of the mobile phone 102 or laptop computer 104 to transfer images to the server facility 108 of Fig. 1 according to an embodiment of the invention.

First, the photo management application is started, either automatically by turning on the mobile phone, or manually via user controls on the mobile phone, or laptop computer (step 302). The mobile phone or laptop computer establishes a communications link with server facility (step 304).

Next, upload options are entered into the photo management application (step 306). Metadata associated with the image, or group of images, to be uploaded can then be entered into the photo management application (step 308); this may comprise information of the subject matter identity, the subject matter reference number, the subject's details or the details of the photo shoot. Note that information contained in the original camera file, such as the date and time the image was taken, camera settings and any associated GPS (location) data, will automatically be passed to the server facility. Additionally, the photo management application will automatically pass details of the user!s identity to the server facility to maintain the authenticity and integrity of the material uploaded and to provide an electronic audit trail.

A plurality of digital images having a first resolution, the master images, are captured with a digital camera (step 310) The images are then transferred from the camera to the mobile phone or laptop computer (step 312) with the filename given by the camera. The images are saved preferably as jfif files (using jpeg compression techniques), although the use of other file formats such as RAW Once a master image has been saved, the photo management program sends the master image and its associated metadata to an output folder within a queuing system at ready for onward transmission to the server facility. Software associated with the queuing system checks the output folder for any images that may be waiting to be transmitted to the server facility. If one or more images are found they are sorted into a time and date order before a connection is attempted; when a connection is established, the images are transmitted to the server (step 314).

Finally, once the server facility has delivered the master images to the digital asset management facility 110 the server facility sends a delivery confirmation notice to the mobile phone or laptop computer (step 316). Upon receipt of this delivery confirmation notice a photographer or administrative user may manually delete the master image from the memory of the mobile phone or laptop computer; alternatively, the photo management application may be configured to automatically delete the master image from the memory of the mobile phone or laptop computer.

Fig. 4 is a functional block diagram of the photo management program's image upload options (step 306) that runs on the mobile phone 102 or laptop computer 104 of Fig. 1, according to an embodiment of the invention.

Once the photo management application has been started (step 302), a photographer or administrative user can set or make changes to the photo management program's upload options 306.

To maintain the authenticity and integrity of the digital image audit trail, the preferred photo management application configuration would be one where the image resolution option 402 was set to process master images 404, and the delivery option 406 was set to send images instantly to the server facility 408.

In an alternative embodiment, the photo management application may be configured to process master images, but delay the delivery of the images to the server facility 412. This embodiment may be of use to a photographer when a high number of master images need to be delivered, but only when a sufficiently fast or stable mobile data connection or Wi-Fi connection becomes available.

In an alternative embodiment, the photo management application may be configured to process low-resolution versions of master images 414, and the delivery option 406 set to send images instantly to the server facility 416. This embodiment may be of use to a photographer when a high number of images need to be delivered very quickly to a plurality of viewing terminals 114 (Fig. 1) to facilitate rapid decision-making. Additionally, the photo management program may be configured to automatically transmit the master image file to the server facility after the low-resolution image has been received by the server facility 412, the time difference between receiving the low-resolution image and receiving the master image being noted by the server facility and the digital asset management facility to provide an audit trail.

In an alternative embodiment, the photo management application may be configured to process low-resolution versions of master images 414, and the delivery option set to delay the delivery of the low-resolution images to the server facility until the photographer had time to review the images 418. This embodiment may be of use to a photographer when an image needs to be delivered very quickly to a plurality of viewing terminals 114, and a plurality of client devices 115 to facilitate rapid decision-making and action. In this embodiment the photo management application would facilitate limited enhancements to an image; for example a photographer may tag an image, rotate an image, crop an image, auto-colour correct, and assign notes to an image; the photo management application may also facilitate rapid forwarding of the selected image to a plurality of client computers 116 and client mobile phones 118. Additionally, the photo management program may be configured to automatically transmit the master image file to the server facility after the low-resolution image has been received by the server facility 412, the time difference between receiving the low-resolution image and receiving the master image being noted by the server facility and the digital asset management facility in the audit trail.

In an alternative embodiment, the photo management application may be configured to receive images and documents from the server facility. In this embodiment of the invention a copy of the photo management application would be running on a client device 115 (Fig. 1], and the client user would receive images from a photographer using a copy of the photo management application running on a mobile phone or laptop computer. Authorized client users would use the photo management application to view a photographer's image, to approve an image, or to assign notes to the image; the photo management application would also facilitate the automatic return of the selected image and the client user's notes to the server facility and to the digital asset management facility to maintain the audit trail. Additionally, if so configured, the photo management application may facilitate the forwarding of the selected image and the client user's notes to a plurality of client devices 115 so that other authorized client users may, in turn, view, approve or assign notes to a photographer's image. This embodiment may be of use when a photographer and a plurality of authorized viewers and client users need to work in a collaborative manner to facilitate the sign-off of an operational assignment and production of an electronic audit trail.

Fig 5 is a functional block diagram of the server facility 108, of Fig. 1 according to an embodiment of the invention.

Shown are a central processing unit (CPU) 502, system memory 504, comprising random access memory, read only memory and flash memory, a mass storage device 506, a number of input devices 508, as keyboard and mouse, and a display screen 510. The server further includes network interface 512 for communicating with other systems via a network such as the Internet, ports 514 for connecting to other devices, and media drives 516 for reading from, and/or writing to computer readable media.

The server facility is controlled by programs executed by the Cpu and contained in the system memory. These programs include program modules for accepting input data and for processing the input data in accordance with the embodiments of the invention described herein. For example, the program includes one or more program modules for receiving digital images from a plurality of mobile phones 102 and/or a plurality of laptop computers 104 (Fig. 1), and for displaying low-resolution versions of master images on the viewing terminals 114 to authorized viewers.

As will be appreciated by the skilled person, the principles applied to the functionality of these program modules in the server facility defined above could be readily implemented in hardware without departing from the principles of the present invention.

Fig 6 shows a method for use of the server facility 108 of Fig. 1 according to an embodiment of the invention.

The server facility receives images from a plurality of photographers that may be geographically widespread using photo management applications that run on mobile phones and laptop computers 602. Upon receipt of the photographer's images, the server facility can be configured to rename these files according to a unique naming scheme that allows unambiguous identification of the image 604.

The server facility has an associated archive that provides short-term storage of a photographer's master images 606; images, and their associated metadata, are automatically deleted after a set period of time as medium-term and long-term storage is provided by a digital asset management facility. The server facility automatically forwards a photographer's master images to a digital asset management facility 608.

Once the master images have been delivered to the digital asset management facility the server sends a delivery confirmation notice to the mobile phone or laptop computer 610.

A plurality of viewing terminals may be connected to the server facility, whereby the server facility can automatically generate a low-resolution version of a master image file and display this low-resolution image in a web based control panel on a viewing terminal 612. An authorized viewer located remotely from a photographer can observe images in real time as they are captured, make limited enhancements to an image to make a working copy of the master image file and forward this enhanced image to plurality of client devices 614. Finally, the server facility automatically forwards the working copy image to the digital asset management facility to maintain the electronic audit trail 616.

In an alternative embodiment, the server facility may receive a low-resolution version of the master image from a mobile phone or laptop computer. Upon receipt of the low-resolution image the server facility can be configured to rename the file according to a unique naming scheme that allows unambiguous identification of the image 604, the low-resolution image is held in a short term image store 606, the server facility will automatically delete the image after a set period of time, and the server facility will automatically forward the low- resolution image to a digital asset management facility 608. Once the tow-resolution version of the master image has been delivered to the digital asset management facility the server sends a delivery confirmation notice to the mobile phone or laptop computer 610; this delivery confirmation notice may be used to instruct the photo management program running on the mobile phone or laptop computer to transmit the master image file to the server facility. As before, a plurality of viewing terminals may be connected to the server facility 612, an authorized viewer located remotely from a photographer can observe and make limited enhancements to the low-resolution image, and forward this image to plurality of client devices 614 and the digital asset management facility 616. Upon receipt of the master image file the server facility will forward the master image to the digital asset management facility; additionally, the photo management program running on the server facility will make a high resolution copy of the master image, apply the changes made to the low-resolution image by the authorized viewer to the to this high resolution copy of the master image to make a high-resolution working copy image, and then forward this high-resolution working copy image to the digital asset management facility to complete the audit trail.

Fig. 7 shows a method for use of the photo management program's viewing option 612 that runs on the server facility 108, of Fig. 1, according to an embodiment of the invention.

First, the photo management application is started on the viewing terminal (step 702), and a connection is established with the server facility via a network, such as the Internet.

The authorized viewer logs then on to the server facility (step 704) with a user ID and password. The authorized viewer is presented with a number of photographer image feeds on the web based control panel, and then selects the desired photographer feed (step 706). The images may be selected in real time, direct from an incoming feed from a photographer; alternatively, an authorized viewer may select a photographer's images from the short-term storage archive of the server facility (step 708).

The server resizes a photographer's master images as low-resolution images, and then generates a display of all of the photographer's images so that they appear in a gallery in the control panel on the viewing terminal. The control panel may include an image sizing facility that sets the number of images that can appear per row on the screen, and thus the size of each image as it appears in the control panel.

Similar to the photo management program's upload options for the photographer 306, the authorized viewer can make limited enhancements to an image; for example, an authorized viewer may rotate, crop, auto-colour correct, and assign notes to a selected photographer's image (step 710). The authorized viewer may also forward images to a selected plurality of client devices (step 712).

Fig. 8 is a functional block diagram of the photo management program's review and process options (step 710) that runs on the server facility 108, of Fig. 1, according to an embodiment of the invention.

Having logged in to the server and selected the desired photographer feed, the authorized viewer is presented with a gallery of all of the photographer's images so that they appear in a control panel on the viewing terminal.

First, the authorized viewer selects the desired image; this activity highlights the selected image and highlights the image processing options 802. These comprise: a forward link that enables the image to be sent, with comments directed to the addressees, to a plurality of client devices 804; a magnification tool link that enables an authorized viewer to zoom into the to detail of the image 806; a rotate tool link that enables an authorized viewer to rotate the image 808; a crop tool link that enables an authorized viewer to crop out undesired elements of the image 810; an auto-colour correct tool link to enhance the image, where the image has been incorrectly exposed 812 and a notes tool link that enables an authorized viewer to add notes to the image 814. Finally, the server facility automatically forwards a copy of any enhanced image made by an authorized viewer to the digital asset management facility.

Additionally, when an authorised viewer chooses to forward an image to a plurality of client devices 804 the server facility automatically resizes the image selected by the authorized viewer to a size appropriate for use with the client devices 115.

Fig. 9 shows a method for use of the photo management program's administration terminal 112, of Fig. 1, according to an embodiment of the invention.

First, the photo management application is started on the administration terminal 112, and a connection is established with the server facility via a network, such as the Internet. The administrative user then logs on to the server facility with a user ID and password. The administrative user can set and reconfigure a number of options on the server for photographers and authorized viewers.

The administrative user assigns a photographer to a group, or a number of groups, based on their user ID, function, team, area of expertise, etc. (step 902).

Next, the administrative user assigns a photographer a number of privileges based on the type of laptop or mobile phone being used, the classification of images being handled, and need to access the various image upload options (step 904).

The administrative user then assigns an authorized viewer to a group, or a number of groups, based on their user ID, function, team, area of expertise, security clearance, access to classifications of images being viewed, etc. (step 906). Next, the administrative user assigns an authorized viewer a number of privileges, such as image enhancement and image forwarding privileges, based on the need to view a photographer's images or supervise the photographer's activity (step 908).

Finally, the administrative user assigns a delivery location, or delivery locations, for a photographer's images (step 910). The administrative user also has the ability to administer event activity (step 912), where a plurality of photographers, authorized viewers, and clients need to collaborate for a specific period of time.

To maintain the authenticity and integrity of the digital image audit trail, the preferred photo management application configuration would be one where the administrative user assigns a photographer and an authorized viewer with basic privileges. In this embodiment of the invention, a photographer would be able to transmit a master image to the server facility, an authorized viewer would be able to log into the sever facility to view a photographer's master images, and a photographer's master images would be delivered only to the digital asset management facility.

In an alternative embodiment, the administrative user could grant an authorized viewer the privilege to view, select and enhance a photographer's master images, and then forward these modified images to a plurality of client computers 116 and a plurality of client mobile phones 118.

In an alternative embodiment, the administrative user could grant a photographer the privilege to transmit low-resolution versions of the master images to the server facility 108, and grant an authorized viewer the privilege to view, select and enhance the photographer's low-resolution images, and then forward these modified images to a plurality of client computers 116 and a plurality of client mobile phones 118. This embodiment may be particularly useful when a high number of images need to be delivered very quickly to an authorized viewer and then forwarded on to a plurality of clients.

In an alternative embodiment, the administrative user could grant a photographer the privilege to make limited enhancements to an image; for example a photographer could tag an image, rotate an image, crop an image, auto-colour correct, and assign notes to the image, before sending a selected image to a plurality of client devices 115 via the server facility.

In an alternative embodiment, the administrative user could configure the photo management application on the server facility to deliver a photographer's images to a plurality of authorized viewers and clients, for example, to facilitate collaborative assignments in real time, or facilitate the audit trail of an assignment. The administrative user could also install and configure the photo management application to run on a client device 115 (Fig. 1); authorized client users would use the photo management application to view a photographer's image, to approve an image, or to assign notes to the image; the photo management application would also facilitate the automatic return of the selected image and the client user's notes to the server facility and to the digital asset management facility to maintain the audit trail. Additionally, if so configured, the photo management application on the client device may facilitate the forwarding of the selected image and the client user's notes to a plurality of other client devices so that other authorized client users may, in turn, view, approve or assign notes to a photographer's image.

Claims

Claims: 1. An image management and distribution system for collecting images of an evidential nature and for delivering an image so taken to a digital asset management system and to one or more clients, the system comprising a terminal with a built-in camera, or a terminal associated with a camera, and a server facility; wherein the terminal is configured to receive a master image file corresponding to an image captured by the camera, to store the master image file, and to transmit the master image file to the server facility; and the server facility is configured to transmit a master image file to a digital asset management system and a client.
2. An image management and distribution system for collecting images of an evidential nature and for delivering an image so taken to a digital asset management system and to one or more clients, the system comprising a terminal with a built-in camera, or a terminal associated with a camera, and a server facility; wherein the terminal is operable to receive and store an image as an electronic image file and to transmit the image file to the server facility; the server facility is configured (a) to receive the image file transmitted by the terminal, (b) to determine a suitable viewing terminal for displaying the image associated with the image file, and to display the image at the viewing terminal, (c) to facilitate selection of the image displayed at the viewing terminal, (d) to facilitate selection of an output destination for the selected image file wherein available output destinations include the digital asset management facility and one or more clients, and (e) to transmit the selected file to the selected output destination.
3. A method of collecting images of an evidential nature and distributing images so taken over a network to a computer having a viewing terminal, wherein the plurality of images are automatically modified to create a plurality of modified images having a second resolution that is less than the first resolution; wherein the plurality of modified images are automatically displayed in a single window on the viewing terminal; wherein the plurality of modified images as displayed in the single window has associated therewith a control icon, wherein the control icon is one of a transmittal icon, an enlargement icon, a notes icon, and an enhance icon, wherein the transmittal icon is for transmitting a copy of the modified image to clients and a digital asset management system, wherein the enlargement icon is for displaying a larger version of the modified image, wherein the notes icon is for adding a second set of metadata relating to the modified image, wherein the enhance icon is for the rotation, cropping and auto colour correction of the modified image.
4. A method of processing images of an evidential nature and for distributing an image so captured to one or more clients, the method comprising the steps of: receiving an electronic image as a master image file; storing the master image file in a memory located at the camera location; transmitting the master image file to a server facility; and transmitting the master image file to a digital asset management system.
5. A method of processing images of an evidential nature and for distributing an image so captured to one or more clients, the method comprising the steps of: receiving an electronic image as a master image file; storing the master image file in a memory located at the camera location; creating a low-resolution image file from the master image file; transmitting the low-resolution image file to a server facility; and transmitting the low-resolution image file to a digital asset management system.
6. A method of processing images and for distributing an image so captured to one or more clients, the method comprising the steps of: receiving an electronic image as a master image file; storing the master image file in a memory located at the camera location; creating a low-resolution image file from the master image file; making enhancements to the low-resolution image; selecting an output destination for the low-resolution image to one or more clients; transmitting the low-resolution image file to a server facility; and transmitting the low-resolution image file to a digital asset management system and to one or more clients.
7. The image processing system of any preceding claim, wherein the terminal is configured to transmit the master image file to the server and the server facility is configured to facilitate enhancement of a master image associated with a master image file and to amend the associated file in response thereto and to transmit the enhanced image file to a client and to a digital asset management system.
8. The image processing system of any preceding claim, wherein the terminal is configured to transmit a low-resolution version of the master image file to the server and the server facility is configured to facilitate enhancement of a low-resolution image associated with a master image file and to amend the associated file in response thereto and to transmit a low-resolution image file to a client and to a digital asset management system.
9. The image processing system of any preceding claim, wherein the terminal is further configured to transmit the master image file to the server facility upon receiving a request from the server facility and the server facility is configured to facilitate enhancement of a master image associated with a master image file and to amend the associated file in response thereto and to transmit a master image file to a digital asset management system.
10. The method of any preceding claim, comprising the step of sending low-resolution image files to an archive associated with the server facility for short-term storage.
11. The method of any preceding claim, comprising the step of sending master image files to an archive associated with the server facility for short-term storage.
12. The image processing system of any preceding claim, wherein the server facility has an associated archive and wherein the terminal and/or server facilities are configured to send master images to the archive for short-term storage.
13. The image processing system of any preceding claim, wherein the terminal and/or server facilities are configured to send low-resolution images to the archive for short-term storage.
14. The image processing system of any preceding claim, further comprising a digital asset management system to which image files are sent for medium-term and long-term storage.
15. The image processing system of any preceding claim, wherein the server facility is further configured to transmit image files to one or more clients, and one or more clients return amended image files to the image processing system.
16. The method of any of preceding claim, wherein the server facility is further configured to transmit image files to one or more clients, and one or more clients return amended image files to the image processing system.
17. A data file processing system for collecting data files containing data of an evidential nature and for distributing such data to one or more clients, the system comprising a terminal and a server facility; wherein the terminal is configured to receive a master data file corresponding to data of an evidential nature, to store the master data file, and is configured to transmit the data file to the server facility; and the server facility is configured to transmit the data file to a digital asset management system and to a client.
18. A computer when programmed: to receive image files containing an image of an evidential nature; to assign image files to one of a plurality of viewing lanes; to display the plurality of viewing lanes, each viewing lane being displayed in a window and including the image or images associated with one or more image files assigned to that viewing lane; to facilitate selection of an image from at least one of the plurality of viewing lanes; to facilitate selection of a client; and to send the image file associated with the selected image to the selected client and a digital asset management system.
19. The computer of claim 18, when programmed to facilitate enhancement of a selected image.
20. A computer program comprising program instructions for causing a computer to operate in accordance with any of claims 18 and 19.
21. An image processing system substantially as described herein with reference to any of Figs. ito 9.
22. A method of processing images taken of an evidential and for distributing an image so taken to one or more clients substantially as described herein with reference to any of Figs. 1 to 9.