February 21, 2005
Picture Archiving and Sharing Standard (PASS) Specification v1.0 Now Complete
Specification will facilitate the development of compatible
products and services to help insure consumer's future enjoyment of digital pictures
and videos
ORLANDO, Fla., February 20 — Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc., Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., and Eastman Kodak Company today announced the completion of a set of standards for the consumer imaging and electronics industries, setting a path to help ensure compatibility of digital photos and motion images on CDs, DVDs or other media with a broad range of consumer products
Since Photokina 2004, when its formation was announced, the Picture Archiving and Sharing Standard (PASS) group has worked to define the standard, with the prime goal of putting consumers in a better position to enjoy their pictures not only today, but also with future generations.
Konica Minolta, Fujifilm, and Kodak have previously worked together on standards to make traditional photofinishing ubiquitous. In much the same way that today's consumer can get nearly any brand of film processed at any location, the PASS group wants to ensure that digital images can be retrieved from any digital device or storage medium.
The PASS version 1.0 specification suite includes:
PASS Logical Disc Specification. This specification describes the logical components or data structures that are found on a PASS disc.
PASS Originating/Authoring System Requirements Specification. This specification describes the capabilities needed by a system that creates PASS discs.
PASS Receiving/Playback System Requirements Specification. This specification describes the capabilities needed by a system that plays the content of a PASS disc.
In addition, to best convey the benefits of the PASS vision and specifications, the group will make available a white paper to the industry.
Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc., Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., and Eastman Kodak Company will first implement the new standards, utilizing them on their existing photo CD products beginning this year.
The companies encourage the use of the PASS specification for products in all applicable industries. Details in obtaining the version 1.0 specification, available in the near term, can be obtained from the following: Yutaka Ueda (ytk.kmpi@konicaminolta.jp) of Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc., Tatsuo Heki of Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. (thfpf@tokyo.fujifilm.co.jp), or Frank Ranalletti of Eastman Kodak Company (frank.ranalletti@kodak.com),
About Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc.
Konica Minolta Group's business domain spans from imaging input through output. The Group offers diverse products and services which realize new digital imaging environments in a wide range of fields, from those targeting consumers to their business-oriented counterparts, including medical and graphic sectors. Its largest office equipment business sector consecutively offers advanced network document solutions, taking advantage of its strengths in high-speed, color and networking technologies. Konica Minolta Opto, Inc. is the world's pioneer in successfully commercializing aspherical plastic lenses for optical pickup purposes, which are used in all types of optical disk drives and players, and it continues to enjoy leading share in this market. Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc. provides a wide array of products and services in the consumer photography field, including film, photographic paper, inkjet paper, minilab systems and ID photo system. Konica Minolta has been directing its efforts in digital camera prints especially in recent years, following the diversification of ways to enjoy photography, driven by the spread of digital cameras and mobile phones with camera functions, and at the same time, meeting people's diverse needs in combination with silver-halide films, which have retained its popularity consistently worldwide.
About Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
Fujifilm is a leading global provider of imaging, information, and document-related products and services. In the year ending March 31, 2004, it had global revenues of more than $24 billion, and employed 73,164 people worldwide. Its Imaging Solution business includes digital cameras featuring its Finepix series as well as color film and film cameras, color paper, and photofinishing services. Its lab equipment includes its renowned Frontier digital minilab series with its outstanding print quality based on Image Intelligence, Fujifilm's exclusive digital image-processing software technologies. The company's Information Solution segment includes graphic arts, medical imaging and information systems, and recording media. It also is a leader in the LCD materials essential in Flat Panel Display manufacturing. Its FUJITAC protective film for Polarizers and WV
About Eastman Kodak Company
Kodak is the leader in helping people take, share, print and view images – for memories, for information, for entertainment. With sales of $13.5 billion in 2004, the company is committed to a digitally oriented growth strategy focused on the following businesses: Health – supplying the medical and dental industries with traditional and digital imaging information products and services, as well healthcare IT solutions and services; Graphic Communications - offering on-demand color and black and white printing, wide-format inkjet printing, high-speed, high-volume continuous inkjet printing, as well as document scanning, archiving and multi-vendor IT services; Digital & Film Imaging Systems – providing consumers, professionals and cinematographers with digital and traditional products and services; and Display & Components – which designs and manufactures state-of-the-art organic light-emitting diode displays as well as other specialty materials, and delivers imaging sensors to original equipment manufacturers. More information about Kodak (NYSE: EK) is available at www.kodak.com.
Film for broadening LCD viewing angles are based on proprietary coating technology and other leading-edge technologies accumulated over its many decades of experience in silver-halide photography operations. As a global company with a reputation for the highest quality and reliability, Fujifilm aims to make innovative use of the most advanced technologies to meet the increasingly sophisticated needs of its customers around the world.