JP2001111813A - Data supply device, data processing device, network system, data supply method, data processing method, and computer-readable storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide data supply and data processing without distributing or accepting unrestricted editing-limited data. When a data distribution request is received, a network system distributes image data provided with data control information in response to the data distribution request. A client computer 202 that receives the image data provided and processes the received data according to the data control information. Data control information providing means 20 of server computer 201
5 rejects the distribution of the image data depending on the data control information. Further, the data temporary storage / management unit 209 of the client computer 202 refuses to accept the image data depending on the data control information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a data supply device,
Data processing device, network system, data supply method, data processing method, and computer-readable storage medium used for the same, in particular, those that supply image data, and include supplied image data and image data It is suitable for use in processing documents such as editing, referencing, and printing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Editing and processing of image data itself and creation of a document including the image data using a data processing device such as a personal computer are widely and generally performed today. The image data can be obtained via a network represented by the Internet.

[0003] When such image data is distributed, it is necessary to take measures to protect the copyright of the image data. In order to reflect the intention of the copyright holder, one solution is to embed image data control information in image data, and to regulate functions in a plurality of stages based on the image data control information. In the multi-stage regulation by this method, the stage where the editing of image data and the creation of a document using the image data are not permitted is regarded as the highest regulation stage. It is possible to have multiple regulatory stages.

[0004] When using the above image data, the image data is processed by a data processing application incorporated and used in a personal computer (client computer) or the like. The data processing application enables processing of image data according to the intention of the copyright holder by regulating functions according to the control information of the image data.

In the prior art, image data is not supplied via a network in consideration of image data control information. That is, even the image data having the highest regulation stage can be taken into the client computer in which the data processing application is installed. Also, in a data processing application, image data can be captured even when a new regulation stage is provided.

[0006]

According to the above prior art, for example, even if image data having the highest regulation stage is taken into a client computer and is processed by a data processing application, no processing can be performed after all. Therefore, the network communication time and cost for capturing the image data are wasted. Furthermore, since the regulation according to the new regulation stage cannot be realized by the data processing application, it cannot be handled according to the intention of the copyright holder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and does not require a data processing application to fetch uneditable data that cannot be processed, and provides data supply and data reflecting the intention of a copyright holder. The purpose is to enable processing.

[0008]

First, a data supply device of the present invention is a data supply device which, when a data distribution request is made, distributes data to which data control information is added in response to the data distribution request. Further, the present invention is characterized in that a regulating means for regulating the distribution of the data in accordance with the data control information is provided.

Second, the data is characterized in that it is image data. Third, the data control information includes level information relating to a level at which editing of the data is restricted, and the regulating means regulates distribution of the data according to the level information. Fourth, the data control information is characterized in that it is information that restricts the data from performing predetermined processing.

Fifthly, storage means for storing the data and the data control information relating to the data, and data control information provision means for distributing the data to which the data control information has been added when the data distribution request is received. The data control information providing means is characterized in that the distribution of the data is regulated in accordance with the data control information obtained from the storage means.

A sixth feature is that the storage means is provided with registration means for registering the data and the data control information relating to the data. Seventh, the data control information providing means is characterized in that when regulating the distribution of the data, a notification of distribution regulation is made.

Eighth, a data processing apparatus according to the present invention performs a data distribution request, receives data provided with data control information, and processes the received data according to the data control information. And characterized in that a regulation means for regulating acceptance of the data is provided according to the data control information.

Ninth, the data is characterized in that it is image data. Tenth, the data control information includes level information on a level at which editing of the data is restricted, and the restricting means is characterized in that reception of the data is restricted in accordance with the level information. Eleventh
The data control information is characterized in that the data control information is information for restricting the data from being subjected to a predetermined process.

Twelfth, analysis means for extracting the data control information from the data to which the data control information has been added, and data storage for registering, storing and managing the data to which the data control information has been added Management means, data processing means for processing the data managed by the data storage / management means, and control means for controlling the data processing means based on the data control information extracted by the analysis means. Comprising, the data storage and management means, according to the data control information extracted by the analysis means,
It is characterized in that the registration of the data is regulated.

In a thirteenth aspect, display means is provided for performing display processing in response to a request from at least one of the data storage / management means, the data processing means, and the control means. 13. The data processing device according to 12. Fourteenth, the data storage / management unit is characterized in that when regulating the registration of the data, the data accumulation / management unit requests the display unit to display a regulation notice. Fifteenth, when the data storage / management means regulates registration of the data, the data accumulation / management means deletes the regulated data.

Sixteenth, a network system according to the present invention comprises: a data supply device for distributing data to which data control information is added in response to a data distribution request; A network system provided with a data processing device for performing the data control information and receiving the data to which the data control information is added, and performing a process on the received data according to the data control information. It is characterized in that regulation means for regulating distribution of the data from the data supply device is provided.

Seventeenth, when there is a data distribution request,
A data supply device that distributes data to which data control information has been added in response to the distribution request, and accepts the data to which the data control information has been assigned by performing the data distribution request, and accepts the data in accordance with the data control information. A network system provided with a data processing device for processing the data, characterized in that regulation means for regulating acceptance of the data in the data processing device according to the data control information is provided.

Eighteenth, when there is a data distribution request,
A data supply device that distributes data to which data control information has been added in response to the distribution request, and accepts the data to which the data control information has been assigned by performing the data distribution request, and accepts the data in accordance with the data control information. A network system provided with a data processing device that performs processing of the data, wherein a regulating unit that regulates distribution of the data from the data supply device according to the data control information, The present invention is characterized in that a regulation means for regulating acceptance of the data in the data processing device is provided.

Nineteenthly, a data supply method according to the present invention is a data supply method for distributing data provided with data control information when a data distribution request is issued. It is characterized in that it has a procedure for regulating data distribution.

Twentiethly, a data processing method according to the present invention provides a data distribution request, receives data to which data control information is added, and processes the received data according to the data control information. And having a procedure for restricting the acceptance of the data in accordance with the data control information.

Twenty-first, the computer-readable storage medium of the present invention is a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for distributing data provided with data control information when a data distribution request is made. Further, a feature is that a program for executing a procedure for restricting the distribution of the data according to the data control information is stored.

Twenty-second, a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for making a data distribution request, receiving data provided with data control information, and processing the received data in accordance with the data control information. There is a characteristic in that a program for executing a procedure for restricting the acceptance of the data in accordance with the data control information is stored.

In the present invention as described above, for data for which predetermined processing cannot be performed, restrictions such as distribution refusal or acceptance rejection are imposed.

[0024]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a computer included in the present invention. There is no difference in the internal configuration of the server computer and the client computer in the server-client system.

A CPU 1001 controls the entire computer.

Reference numeral 1002 denotes a RAM.
Function as a work memory and a temporary save area for the execution program.

Reference numeral 1003 denotes a ROM.
Is stored. This ROM 1003 contains
A program ROM in which a system program for controlling equipment such as a print service controller is recorded, and data R in which information necessary for operating the system is stored.
There is OM.

Reference numeral 1004 denotes a network interface (Net-I / F) for performing data control and diagnosis for performing data transfer with a network system (such as the Internet).

A video RAM (VRAM) 1005 develops an image displayed on the screen of the CRT 1006,
The display is controlled.

A keyboard controller 1007 includes a keyboard 1008 and the pointing device 10.
09 and the like from an external input device.

Reference numerals 1008 and 1009 denote external input devices for receiving operations, and 1008 denotes a keyboard (K
B) and 1009 indicate a pointing device (PD, mouse, etc.).

Reference numeral 1010 denotes a hard disk drive (HD)
D), which is used for storing application programs and image information data described later.

Reference numeral 1011 denotes a floppy disk or CD-R
It is a removable disk drive (FDD) such as an OM, and is used for reading an application program described later from a medium, writing and reading image data, and the like.

Reference numeral 1012 denotes a printer control device (PRTC) which controls and outputs an external output device 1013 described later.

An external output device 1013 corresponds to, for example, a printer.

Reference numeral 1000 denotes an I / O bus (address bus, data bus, and control bus) for connecting the above-described units.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a network system composed of a plurality of computers applied in the present embodiment. A server computer 201 stores image data and image data control information corresponding to the image data, and distributes the stored image data via a network. This server computer 2
01 constitutes a data supply device according to the present invention.

Reference numeral 202 denotes a client computer which performs image processing such as editing of image data obtained via a network and creates a document using the image data. The client computer 202 constitutes a data processing device according to the present invention.

First, the configuration of the server computer 201 will be described. Reference numeral 203 denotes a registration unit for registering image data and image data control information. Reference numeral 204 denotes a storage unit which is registered by the registration unit 203;
Alternatively, the image data and the image data control information are accumulated and stored in advance. As the storage means 204, a commonly used database system or the like is used.

Reference numeral 205 denotes a data control information providing unit.
Browsing means 2 provided on client computer 202
In response to the image data distribution request made from the server 08 through the network, desired image data and image data control information are acquired from the image data and image data control information stored in the storage unit 204. Then, as will be described in detail later, when the image data control information permits the distribution of the image, the image data control information is added using a comment area of the image data.

Reference numeral 206 denotes a network interface, which corresponds to the network interface 10 in FIG.
It is equivalent to 04. The network interface 206 performs network control for connecting the server computer 201 to the network, acquires a request from the client computer 202 connected to the network, and transmits the request to the image data control information 205 acquired from the storage unit 204. Thus, data on the server computer 201 including image data to which image data control information has been added can be transferred over a network.

Next, the configuration of the client computer 202 will be described. A network interface 207 is equivalent to the network interface 1004 in FIG. The network interface 207 performs network control for connecting the client computer 202 to the network, and includes a browsing unit 208 and a data temporary storage / management unit 20.
9. An application including an image analysis unit 210, a control unit 211, a data processing unit 212, and a display unit 213 can acquire data on a network.

Reference numeral 208 denotes a browsing unit, which provides a browsing unit for the image data stored in the storage unit 204 of the server computer 201. This browsing means 208
When the user browses the image data stored in the storage unit 204 and there is an image that the client computer 201 desires to process, a distribution request for the image data is sent via the network to the data control information providing unit 2.
Request 05. The image data provided with the image data control information is obtained by an application including a data temporary storage / management unit 209, an image analysis unit 210, a control unit 211, a data processing unit 212, and a display unit 213 based on an instruction of the browsing unit 208. I do.

Reference numeral 209 denotes a data temporary storage / management unit which easily uses an image distributed to an application on the client computer 201, a document edited by the application, a template serving as a template of the document, and the like in the application. The data is stored in the hard disk 1010 or the removable disk drive 1011 so that the stored data can be managed.

Reference numeral 210 denotes an image analysis unit which is managed by the data temporary storage / management unit 209, or converts image data control information from image data to which image data control information to be newly registered is added. Extract. This image analysis means 210 is
The image data is read from the hard disk 1010 or the removable disk drive 1011 disposed above, and the image data control information is extracted from the image data to which the image data control information has been added, and is passed to the data temporary storage / management unit 209 or the control unit 211.

Reference numeral 211 denotes a control means, which is an image analysis means 2
The data processing unit 212 and the display unit 213 are controlled based on the image data control information extracted by 10. 21
Reference numeral 2 denotes a data processing unit which performs processing on image data itself such as editing and printing or a document including the image data. 213 is a display means, and the data processing means 212,
The control unit 211 performs display processing based on a display request from the data temporary storage / management unit 209.

The registration means 203 and the data control information provision means 205 are
Is a program executed on the ROM shown in FIG.
1003 or the HDD 1010 and the RAM 1002
It is realized by developing and using it. Also, CD-
Data recorded in an external storage device such as a ROM is read out by a removable disk drive 1011 and, if necessary, an HD
It is also possible to save the data once in D1010 and then expand it in RAM 1002 for use.

The storage means 204 is realized by a generally used database system (DB), and is realized by a program and stored data. As for the program, similarly to the registration unit 205, the ROM
1003 and the HDD 1010, and the RAM 1
This is realized by expanding the application to 002 and using it. Also,
Data recorded in an external storage device such as a CD-ROM is read out by the removable disk drive 111 and, if necessary, temporarily stored in the HDD 1010 and then stored in the RAM 1002.
It is also possible to use it by developing it. The data stored in the storage unit 204 includes an HDD 1010, a RAM,
1002 or a removable disk.

The browsing means 208, the data temporary storage / management means 209, the image analysis means 210, the control means 211, the data processing means 212, and the display means 213 are programs to be executed on the client computer 202. And stored in the HDD 1010 and expanded into the RAM 1002 for use. It is also possible to read the data recorded in an external storage device such as a CD-ROM by the removable disk drive 1011, temporarily store the data in the HDD 1010, and then expand the data in the RAM 1002 if necessary.

In the present embodiment, the browsing means 208 uses a network browsing means generally used on the Internet, and functions which the general browsing means does not have are provided by the browsing means. It shall be realized by extension means (plug-in). In addition, since the extension of the browsing means by the extension means is a general method,
Here, the detailed description is omitted.

Further, data temporary storage / management means 209,
The image analysis unit 210, the control unit 211, the data processing unit 212, and the display unit 213 are provided as applications including programs for realizing the respective units. Hereinafter, when simply called an application in the present embodiment, it means an application including the above means.

Next, an outline of the operations of the server computer 201 and the client computer 202 will be described with reference to FIG. On the server computer 201 side, the registration unit 203 registers and stores the original image and the image data control information of the original image in the storage unit 204.
On the client computer 202 side, the browsing means 20
8 allows the image data stored in the storage means 204 to be browsed via the network.

When the application of the client computer 202 requests the server computer 201 to distribute the image data desired to be used, the data control information providing means 2 of the server computer 201
In step 05, the image data and image data control information requested to be distributed are acquired from the storage unit 204, and it is determined whether the image data control information is at a distributable level. And
If distribution is possible, the data control information providing means 205
Supplies image data control information to the image data, and delivers the image data to the application of the client computer 202 via the network.

In the client computer 202, the image data is managed by the data temporary storage / management means 209, and a request is made to the image analysis means 210 to extract the image data control information in the image data. It is determined whether or not the image data can be processed by the application based on. And if it can be processed,
The temporary data storage / management unit 209 creates management data, and instructs the display unit 213 to display the image data list and the image data control information in stages.

Next, when an instruction to start the processing of the image data is given, the image analyzing means 210 extracts the image data control information from the image data as preparation processing,
However, it instructs the data processing unit 212 to prevent the operator from selecting a function to be suppressed, and instructs the display unit 213 to perform display in accordance with the details of the suppression.

The outline of the operations of the server computer 201 and the client computer 202 has been described above. The operations of the server computer 201 and the client computer 202 described above are described below.
It will be described in detail based on a flowchart described later,
Before that, details of each component will be described.

The image data control information will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 shows image data control information and an editing example corresponding to the image data control information. Image data control information is information that expresses some restrictions on image data, such as editing, printing size restrictions, and the degree of use for commercial purposes.In order to reflect the will of the image data provider as accurately as possible, for example, editing It is possible to express a plurality of steps with respect to one restriction condition like restriction of a function.

Generally, the image data control information is expressed in such a manner that the restricted items of the image data and the stages of the items can be controlled as easily as possible on the client side. For example, it is represented by a digitization or a bit string. In the present embodiment, in order to clarify the present invention, description will be made using information for limiting the editing function of the data processing unit 212 of the client computer 202 step by step. Hereinafter, the image data control information in the present embodiment may be referred to as “edit restriction information”.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 301 denotes a table showing the editing restriction information and the corresponding restriction levels in the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, there are three levels of restriction levels, which are expressed numerically. That is, the first
The stage is 0001, the second stage is 0002, the third stage is 00
Express as 03. First stage (edit restriction information 0001)
Can be edited freely without any editing restrictions. Second stage (edit restriction information 0002)
Allows editing within a range that does not damage the image. The third stage (edit restriction information 0003) restricts all editing functions in order to maintain the original shape of the image.

The editing function for performing the restriction in each of the above steps in the present embodiment is as follows. The first stage has no editing functions to restrict. The second stage is color conversion (brightness / contrast etc.), image filter (sharp etc.), transparency setting, border blur, up / down / left / right inversion, registration to background, up / down overlap, rotation of arbitrary angle, mask, Insertion into a photo frame or the like is suppressed. In the third stage, in addition to the editing functions limited in the second stage, planting is suppressed. That is, it cannot be edited. Note that the magnification change (resizing) is not particularly suppressed since the original shape is maintained by maintaining the aspect ratio of the image data.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 302 denotes an example of editing in the first stage (free editing), which indicates that editing is freely performed. Reference numeral 303 denotes an editing example of the second stage (partially editable), which indicates that only a part of editing is possible. Reference numeral 304 denotes an example of the third stage (when all editing is restricted), which indicates that editing is not possible.

Next, the assignment of image data control information to the image data by the data control information assigning means 206 will be described with reference to FIG. The image data control information is stored in the image data file. The image data file format can be applied not only to a special format for adding image data control information but also to all commonly distributed file formats. In the present embodiment, the description will be made assuming that the image data control information is stored in the comment area of the image data file.

Reference numeral 401 denotes the structure of an image data file format described in the present embodiment. The image data file 401 has a file header 4 in which additional information such as the format, size, and compression ratio of the image data file is stored.
02, a comment area 403 for storing a comment on the image data, and an original image area 4 which is the substance of the image data.
04. In the present embodiment, the image data control information is stored in the comment area 403 in the image data file.

A storage example of the image data control information stored in the comment area 403 will be described. Reference numeral 411 denotes a storage example of image data control information according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the image data control information is
Image data control information start identifier 412, image data control information entity 413, image data control information end identifier 414
Is represented by a format using.

In the following, a detailed description will be given. Reference numeral 412 distinguishes image data control information from other information in the comment area.
An image data control information start identifier indicating the start of the image data control information. In the present embodiment, it is expressed by a bracket and a character string, that is, [control code]. This image data control information start identifier is
It is mainly used for recognizing the start position of the image data control information when the image analysis means 210 extracts the image data control information. Can also be represented by the bit string of

Reference numeral 413 denotes the entity of the image data control information, which indicates a state in which the second level of the editing restriction information is set. The first "0002" is the second of the edit restriction information.
This is a character string indicating the stage. This is not a legible character string, but may be represented by a bit string. The following “#” is a comment identifier indicating that the subsequent information is a comment of the editing restriction information. here,
Although "#" is used as the comment identifier, a commonly used comment descriptor such as a program description language is usually used. Note that the comment descriptor is also stored in the image analysis unit 2.
10 may be represented by a bit string that can be known. The character string "partially editable" following the comment descriptor "@" is a comment for the edit restriction information. Note that the comment descriptor and the comment can be omitted. That is, it means that the image analysis unit 210 is not indispensable for extracting the image data control information.

Reference numeral 414 denotes an image data control information end identifier indicating the end of the image data control information. In the present embodiment, a description method similar to that of the image data control information start identifier is used, and is expressed by a bracket and a character string, that is, [control code end].

In this embodiment, an example has been described in which image data control information is stored in a comment area. However, in the comment area, other information such as image creation information and a creator's comment generally exists at the same time. Therefore, the existence of the image data control information can be recognized using the start identifier and the end identifier.

FIG. 5 shows an example of image data and image data control information stored in the storage means 204 of the server computer 201 described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, an example will be described in which a commonly used relational database (hereinafter referred to as a DB) and a storage such as a hard disk are used.

Reference numeral 501 denotes an image data information group stored in the DB. Reference numeral 502 denotes a group of image data control information stored in the DB. Reference numeral 503 denotes an image data storage in which an entity group of image data indicated by the image data information stored in the image data information 501 is stored.

The image data information group 501 is a case where the data is stored using a DB, and expresses the image data as one record of the DB. In the present embodiment, one record is composed of the following three members.

The member 1 is a data group related to the image number 504. This is a serial number of the image data stored in the storage unit 204, and is used as a serial number for specifying the image data in the present embodiment. The image number 504 is stored in the storage unit 20 by the registration unit 203.
4 is automatically issued at the time of registration.

The member 2 has the image data file 505
It is a data group related to. This stores information indicating a single image data from the image data group stored in the image data storage. In the present embodiment, the image data file name stored in the image data storage is stored.

The member 3 is a data group related to the image data name 506. This stores the name of the image data. The present invention can be realized even if the image data name is not stored.

One piece of image data corresponds to the above member 1,
2, 3 (image number 504, image data file 505,
The image data name 506) is stored as one record. For example, image number: 001, image data file name: 001. JPG, image data name: mountain, each member is represented as one record. Further, it has a record for image data stored in the image data storage 503.

The image data control information group 502 is stored using a DB, and one record is composed of the following two members.

The member 1 is a data group related to the image number 507. This is an image number 504 which is one of the members of the record stored in the image data information group 501.
The same number as is stored. If the image number 504 and the image number 507 are the same, the corresponding record of the image data information group 501 and the image data control information group 5
02 indicates that the corresponding record is data for the same image data.

The member 2 is an image data control information entity 5
08 is a data group related to the image No. 08 and image data control information corresponding to the image number 507 is stored.

The image data storage 503 stores the entity group of the image data file. Reference numeral 509 denotes an individual image data file.

FIG. 6 is a screen display example of the registration means 203 of the server computer 201. Reference numeral 601 denotes an image file designation field for designating a file name of an image data file to be registered. Reference numeral 602 denotes an image name designation field for designating the name of image data to be registered. Reference numeral 603 denotes an edit restriction information specification field for specifying the stage of the edit restriction information that is the image data control information. Reference numeral 604 denotes an image preview screen for displaying a corresponding image when an image file name is designated in the image file designation field 601. An image registration instruction button 605 is used to instruct image registration. Reference numeral 606 denotes an image registration cancel button for canceling the registration processing by the official registration unit 203.

FIG. 7 shows that in the present embodiment, the editing restriction according to the editing restriction information is
2 is control data to be performed on the control data No. 2. In the control data, functions to be suppressed are grouped and expressed for each editing restriction level. In addition, the functions to be suppressed at the stage where the editing restriction level is low may refer to all the functions stored in the control data below the target editing restriction level. It is registered.

When the regulation is performed stepwise, if it is not feasible to regulate the functions of the data processing means 212 after a certain stage, the control data is stored up to the stage at which regulation is possible. .

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 701 denotes an example of control data included in an application capable of regulating up to the second stage. Similarly, reference numeral 702 denotes an example of control data included in an application capable of performing regulation up to the first stage. In the present description, the regulation stage is different for each application, but the same application may have different regulation stages. That is, the regulation stage may be made variable by the user ID of the user who uses the application.

The contents of the control data at each stage are shown in FIG.
The functions described in are used as they are and grouped as follows. Stage 1: None. 2nd stage: color conversion (brightness / contrast etc.), image filter (sharp etc.), transparency setting, border blur, up / down / left / right inversion, registration to background, up / down overlap, arbitrary angle rotation, mask, photo Insert into frame. Stage 3: Mixed planting.

In the present embodiment, editing the image data having the third-stage editing restriction information by the data processing means 212 is a meaningless act since it is practically meaningless.
It is not distributed from the server computer 201. Therefore, there is no control data for the third stage.

In this embodiment, the functions of the data processing means 212 are grouped based on the editing restriction information. However, all the functions of the data processing means 212 are listed, and the editing restrictions are set for each function. A data structure for adding information is naturally allowed.

FIG. 10 shows the client computer 20
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of image data management information in a second data temporary storage / management unit 209. In this figure,
Only items necessary for the description of the present embodiment in the management information are shown. The management information manages various information for each image data. The information to be managed includes an image data file name, a location where the image data file is stored, an image name embedded in a comment area or the like in the image data file, a thumbnail file name for displaying a list, and editing restrictions. Information.

FIG. 13 shows the client computer 20.
7 is a screen display example of a second browsing unit 208. In FIG. 13, reference numeral 1301 denotes a screen displayed by the browsing unit 208.
Reference numeral 1302 denotes a browsing area for displaying data stored in the storage unit 204. In the present embodiment, image data, an image number, an image name, and image data control information are displayed. Reference numeral 1303 denotes an image number designation field for designating an image number of desired image data. A save instruction button 1304 is used to instruct execution of saving image data.

FIG. 14 shows the client computer 20
7 is a display example of an application screen displayed by a second display unit 213. In FIG. 14, reference numerals 1401 and 1402 denote examples of application screens displayed on the display unit 213. At 1401, the image data having the first-stage image data control information is handled by the document being edited, and at 1402, the image data having the second-stage image data control information is handled by the document being edited. Note that in FIG. 14, only the application screen 1401 is provided with a reference numeral for description, and is omitted from the application screen 1402.

Reference numeral 1403 denotes an editing area on the application screen. Here, image data synthesis, editing, and editing are performed by an external input operation of the keyboard 1008, the pointing device 1009, and the like or an edit menu operation described later.
An editing process such as superposition is performed to create a document including image data. Reference numeral 1404 denotes a guideline for indicating image data in the editing area 1403 and a state where the data is selected. In the application according to the present embodiment, when a target in the editing area 1403 is selected, a guideline 1404 is displayed,
When the selection is released, a display process of deleting the guideline is performed.

Reference numeral 1405 denotes a selection menu for inputting / outputting a file.
By selecting in step, processing such as opening, saving, and closing the document file displayed in the editing area 1403 is performed. An edit menu 1406 is used to specify an editing operation. By specifying one of the menus displayed in the edit menu 1406 for a target selected in the edit area 1403, the corresponding edit processing is performed. Be executed. On the application screen 1402, the function to be inhibited is not selectable in order to inhibit the function according to the image data control information of the second stage.

Reference numeral 1407 denotes a data temporary storage / management means 20
9 is a list display area for data requested to be displayed.
Reference numeral 1408 denotes a display selection menu for selecting a data classification to be displayed in the list display area 1407. In the present embodiment, “image list display” for displaying image data distributed from the server computer 201 and the like and image data to be registered by the operator of the client computer 202 from the removable disk drive 1011 and the like, and a created document It is assumed that there are two classifications of “document data list display” for displaying data. Note that the display mode of FIG. 14 shows a state in which “image list display” is selected.

1409 is a data temporary storage / management means 20
9 is an image individual display area which is a display area for one image of the image data managed by the image data 9. Image individual display area 1
In 409, in the case of image data having an image data file name, a thumbnail, and image data control information, an editing restriction level based on the image data control information is displayed.

Reference numeral 1410 denotes a restriction level notification 1 display for displaying a notification to notify the restriction step when the editing restriction of the image data is the first step. Reference numeral 1411 denotes a restriction level notification 2 display for notifying the restriction step when the editing restriction of the image data is the second step. In the present embodiment, the stages of editing restrictions that can be accepted in the application are the first stage and the second stage. Therefore, there are two types of restriction level notification displays: restriction level notification 1 display 1410 and restriction level notification 2 display 1402. Only will be present. Further, in FIG. 14, the notification of the restriction level is performed by the number representing the stage and the shape of the figure surrounding the number. However, for example, the display color of the notification display is changed by the restriction level. As long as the display is such that the stage can be determined, the mode does not matter. In addition, when there is no image data restriction information such as image data owned by the operator who operates the client computer 202, the restriction level notification display is not performed.

In the following, FIGS. 8, 9, 11, 12, 15,
The operation of the server computer 201 and the client computer 202 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

First, referring to FIG. 8, using the registration means 203 of the server computer 201, the storage means 204
Image data and image data control information (edit restriction information)
The operation up to registration of will be described.

In step S801, when the operator issues an activation instruction from an external input device such as the keyboard 1008 or the pointing device 1009 at an arbitrary timing, the registration means 203 stored in the HDD 1010 is activated. When the registration unit 203 is activated, a screen display as shown in FIG. 6 is performed via the CRT 1006.

In step S802, the operator inputs the drive and file name where the original image to be registered exists. That is, the operator uses an external input device such as a keyboard 1008 or a pointing device 1009 to read an original image to be registered from an external storage device such as a CD-ROM via the removable disk drive 1011. As shown in FIG. 6, the drive in which the original image exists and the file name are input to the image file designation field 601.

In step S803, step S802
The original image is extracted from the drive and the file name input in step (1) and displayed on the preview screen 604 as shown in FIG. In step S804, the name of the original image to be registered is input from the operator side. That is, after confirming the original image displayed on the preview screen 604, the operator inputs the name of the image in the image name designation field 602 as shown in FIG.

At step S805, the operator designates image data control information for the original image to be registered. That is, the operator specifies the edit restriction information via the edit restriction information specification column 603 as shown in FIG.
In the present embodiment, any one of the three steps described above is selected.

In step S806, it is determined whether or not a registration instruction has been given by the operator. That is, the operator can input an image file designation field 601, an image name designation field 602,
After confirming the edit restriction information designation field 603 and the preview screen 604, if the image is to be registered, an image registration instruction button 6
Operate 05.

If there is an instruction for registration from the operator side, in step S807, the registration means 203 creates a data format on the storage means 204 and stores it in the storage means 20.
4, the image data and the editing restriction information are registered. Note that data examples of the image data and the image data control information registered in the storage unit 204 are as described with reference to FIG. If there is no registration instruction from the operator, step S8
Return to 02.

Next, referring to FIG. 9, when an image data distribution request is made, the operation until the data control information providing means 205 of the server computer 201 distributes the image data to which the image data control information is added is performed. Will be described. The following description is for the case where a distribution request has been made to the data control information providing unit 205 when editing or the like the image data stored in the storage unit 204 in an application on the client computer 202.

In step S901, the data control information providing means 205 having received the distribution request searches for and acquires image data control information of desired image data. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the image data control information group 502
, An image data control information entity 508 corresponding to the image number 507 of the desired image data is obtained.

In step S902, it is determined whether or not the acquired image data control information has a controllable control level.
If distribution is possible, the process proceeds to step S903, and if distribution is not possible, the process proceeds to step S906. In the present embodiment, when the control level is at the third stage (editing is impossible), distribution is not possible.

In step S 903, the data control information providing unit 205 acquires the image data requested for distribution from the storage unit 204. As shown in FIG. 5, the acquisition procedure searches for a record of the desired image data from the image data information group 501 stored in the storage unit 204, and obtains the image data file name 50 which is a member in the approximate record.
5 is obtained by acquiring the image data file having the file name stored in the file 5 from the image data storage 503.
Note that the search in step S901 and step S903 is realized by a search method using a general DB system for the storage unit 204, and thus detailed description is omitted.

In step S904, step S9 is performed.
In the comment area of the image data file acquired in step 03, the image data control information is added as described with reference to FIG. In step S905, the image data file provided with the image data control information is delivered. As a result, the image data file is transferred to the client computer 202 via the network, and the browsing unit 208 makes a temporary storage request to the application.

In step S906, since the requested image data cannot be distributed, a distribution refusal notice is issued. The browsing unit 208 that has received the distribution refusal notification notifies the refusal notification.

Next, referring to FIG. 16, the image data file distributed in step S905 of the above processing is
An operation in which the extension unit of the browsing unit 208 issues a temporary storage request to the data temporary storage / management unit 209 in the application will be described.

In step S1601, it is determined whether an application has been activated on the client computer 202. The checking method can be implemented by a general method, such as using a function provided by the OS, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. If the application has been activated, the process skips step S1602 and proceeds to step S1603. If the application has not been activated, the process advances to step S1602.

In step S1602, the OS is requested to start the application, and after the application is started, a start notification is received from the application. In step S1603, an image data file accumulation request is sent to the data temporary accumulation / management unit 209 in the application.
Do for The request method is communication between applications, etc.
This is realized by a method provided by an OS running on the client computer 202. As described above, a request for temporarily storing image data is made to the data temporary storage / management unit 209.

Next, referring to FIG. 11, the data temporary storage / management means 209 of the client computer 202
The operation of receiving the above-described temporary storage request and accepting the image data file will be described. First, as preparation for the receiving process, the list display area 1407 shown in FIG. 14 is set to the image list display state. In step S1101, it is determined whether the display of the list display area 1407 is in the image list display state. If the list display area 1407 is in the image list display state, the process skips to step S1103.

Step S1102 is the same as step S1 described above.
This processing is performed when it is determined in step 101 that the image is not in the image list display state, and the list display area 1407 is switched to the image list display state. After switching to the image list display state, the display unit 213 is requested to display an image list. When the preparation is completed in this way, the receiving process of the image data file is started.

In step S1103, a request is made to the image analysis means 210 to extract image data control information from the image data file for which temporary storage has been requested, and the extracted image data control information is obtained. In step S1104, FIG.
The control level acceptable for the application is obtained from the control data of the application described in (1). That is, the highest control level of the control data is acquired. The application of the control data example 701 in FIG. 7 is the second stage, and the application of the control data example 702 is the first stage.

In step S1105, step S11
03 and the image data control information acquired in step S1
Compare with the acceptable control level obtained at 104. If the level of the image data control information of the temporarily requested image data is high, the control unit 211
Cannot perform the control based on the image data control information, and the process proceeds to step S1108 as being unacceptable. On the other hand, if the image data control information of the temporarily requested image data is the same as the acceptable control level or the control level is low, it is determined that the image data is acceptable and the process advances to step S1106. In the case of the image data described with reference to FIG. 4, since the image data control information is in the second stage, among the control data examples in FIG. Since the application of the data example 702 cannot be accepted, the process proceeds to step S1108.

In step S1106, temporary storage / management information of the image data file requested to be temporarily stored and thumbnails to be displayed in the list display area 1407 are generated, and the image data file is registered. Step S11
In step 07, the display unit 213 requests the display unit 213 to display the image data registered in step S1106 in the list display area 1407, and the display unit 213 performs display processing in response to the display request.

On the other hand, in step S1108, the display means 213 is requested to notify of the refusal of acceptance.
Makes a notification in response to the notification request. Step S1109
Then, the image data file for which acceptance has been refused is deleted from the client computer 202.

Thus, the image data file receiving process in the image data file data temporary storage / management means 209 is completed.

Next, referring to FIG. 15, the display means 213 of the client computer 202 changes the list display area 407
An operation for displaying image data managed by the data temporary storage / management unit 209 will be described. This processing is executed when the received image data is displayed in step S1106, when the application is activated, when the image list is selected in the display selection menu 1408, and the like. The following description is a process for one image data. That is, the processing for the individual image display area 1409 is described. For example, when displaying a plurality of image data managed by the data temporary storage / management unit 209, such as when an image list is selected in the display selection menu 1408, the following processing must be performed for the number of displayed image data. Is realized.

As a premise, data temporary storage / management means 2
09, the management information of the image data to be displayed is stored in the RAM 10
2. It is assumed that the data is being received via the HDD 110, the FDD 111 and the like. It is assumed that the application described in the following flowchart can handle image data up to the second stage. In step S1501, the image file name is obtained from the management information, and the image file name is displayed. In step S1502, a thumbnail bitmap corresponding to the image data is displayed.

Next, a display at the regulation stage based on the image data control information is performed. In step S1503, the stage of the editing restriction in the management information is determined. If the editing restriction is at the first stage, the process proceeds to step S1504, and if it is the second stage, the process proceeds to step S1505. In step S1504,
As shown in FIG. 14, a restriction level notification 1 display 1410 is displayed for image data whose editing restriction is the first stage. In step S1505, a restriction level notification 2 display 1411 is displayed for the image data whose editing restriction is the second stage.
Is displayed.

Next, referring to FIG. 12, the control means 211 of the client computer 202 controls the data processing means 212 based on the image data control information,
The operation up to the notification of 3 to the operator will be described. In the present embodiment, a procedure in which the control unit 211 suppresses the function of the data processing unit 212 before the editing operation will be described. A series of flows described in this flowchart are performed by the data processing unit 212 as a process preparation process when the operator instructs the data processing unit 212 to start some image processing such as editing or printing of a certain image. Therefore, description will be made from the state where the data processing unit 212 is activated.

In step S1201, the operator instructs the data processing means 212 to start editing image data. In step S1202, the image analysis unit 210 extracts image data control information from the image data file for which the editing instruction has been issued in step S1201. In the present embodiment, since the image data control information is provided in the comment area of the image data file as shown in FIG. 4, the image analysis means 210 sets the image data control information start identifier 412 in the comment area. Analyze for presence. As a result of the analysis, if it is determined that the image restriction information exists, the image data control information entity 41
3 is extracted. Taking FIG. 4 as an example, the character string “000”
2 "is extracted.

In the step S1203, the control means 211
However, based on the image data control information extracted in step S1202, an editing function to be suppressed is acquired from the control data shown in FIG. 7 to suppress the editing function of the data processing unit 212. For example, control data example 7 in FIG.
01, if the image data control information extracted in step S1202 is at the first stage of the editing restriction level,
Since there is no function to suppress in the first stage, there is no data to be acquired, and in the case of the second stage, the functions to be suppressed in the first and second stages are acquired.

In the step S1204, the control means 211
To the data processing means 212
The suppression function acquired in 203 is notified, and the use of the general function is stopped. In step S1205, the control unit 21
1 requests the display unit 213 to notify the suppression state acquired in step S1203, or
The display unit 213 requests the display unit 213 to display the data processing unit 212 in a state in which the function of suppressing the data is stopped.

When the processing of the flowchart of FIG. 12 is completed as described above, the data processing means 212 is ready to process image data. That is, at that time, as in the display example 1402 in FIG. 14, the function to be suppressed in the edit menu is in an unselectable state.

(Other Embodiments of the Present Invention) In order to operate various devices to realize the functions of the above-described embodiments, an apparatus connected to the various devices or a computer in a system is provided with a computer. A program code of software for realizing the functions of the embodiment is supplied, and a computer (CP
The present invention also includes those implemented by operating the various devices according to programs stored in the U or MPU).

In this case, the program code of the software implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the program code itself and means for supplying the program code to the computer are provided.
For example, a recording medium storing such a program code constitutes the present invention. As a recording medium for storing such a program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM,
A magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the supplied program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (operating system) or other operating system in which the program code runs on the computer. Needless to say, the program code is also included in the embodiment of the present invention when the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized in cooperation with the application software or the like.

Further, after the supplied program code is stored in a memory provided in a function expansion board of a computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion board or the function expansion unit is specified based on the instruction of the program code. It is needless to say that the present invention is also applicable to a case where the CPU or the like provided for performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0131]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent waste of network communication time and cost by not supplying meaningless data based on data control information. Further, when the supplied data has data control information that cannot be processed, the acceptance of the data is regulated, so that the data processing that reflects the will of the data provider can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a computer included in a data processing device and a data supply device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a server computer 20 according to the embodiment;
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a client computer 1 and a client computer 202.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of image data control information and a processing result corresponding to the image data control information.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a format of image data and a state where image control information is added to the image data.

FIG. 5 is a data configuration diagram showing image data and image data control information stored in a storage unit 204.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a screen display example of a registration unit 203.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating control data used by the control unit 211.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a process of registering image data and image control information in a storage unit 204 by a registration unit 203;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing processing until the data control information providing means 205 distributes image data provided with image data control information.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of management information of image data in a data temporary storage / management unit 209;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a process of receiving image data in a data temporary storage / management unit 209;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a process in which the control unit 211 controls the data processing unit 212 based on image data control information and the display unit 213 notifies the operator.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a screen display example of the browsing means 208.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a screen display example of an application.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a display process of image data in a data list display area of the display unit 213.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing processing of a request for temporarily storing image data to an application of the browsing unit 208;

[Explanation of symbols]

1000 I / O bus (address bus, data bus and control bus) 1001 CPU 1002 RAM 1003 ROM 1004 Network interface (Net-I
/ F) 1005 Video RAM (VRAM) 1006 CRT 1007 Keyboard controller 1008 Keyboard 1009 Pointing device 1010 Hard disk drive 1011 Removable disk drive 1012 Printer control device 1013 External output device 201 Server computer 202 Client computer 203 Registration means 204 Storage means 205 Data control information Assigning means 206 Network interface 207 Network interface 208 Viewing means 209 Data temporary storage / management means 210 Image analysis means 211 Control means 212 Data processing means 213 Display means

Continuation of the front page F term (reference) 5C076 AA40 5K030 GA16 HA07 HB02 HB16 HC01 KA05 KA06 LD13 LD20 LE11 9A001 BB03 DD10 DD11 HZ23 HZ33 LL03 LL09

Claims (22)

[Claims] 1. A data supply device for distributing data provided with data control information in response to a data distribution request when the data distribution request is received, wherein the data supply device regulates distribution of the data in accordance with the data control information. A data supply device comprising a regulating means. 2. The data supply device according to claim 1, wherein said data is image data. 3. The data control information includes level information on a level at which editing of the data is restricted, and the restricting unit restricts distribution of the data according to the level information. 3. The data supply device according to 2. 4. The data supply device according to claim 1, wherein the data control information is information for restricting a predetermined process on the data. 5. A storage means for storing the data and the data control information relating to the data, and a data control information providing means for delivering the data to which the data control information is added when the data distribution request is received. 2. The data supply device according to claim 1, wherein the data control information providing unit regulates the distribution of the data according to the data control information acquired from the storage unit. 6. The data supply apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said storage means is provided with a registration means for registering said data and said data control information relating to said data. 7. The data supply device according to claim 5, wherein the data control information providing unit issues a distribution restriction notification when restricting the distribution of the data. 8. A data processing apparatus for performing a data distribution request to receive data to which data control information has been added, and processing the received data according to the data control information. A data processing device provided with a restriction means for restricting acceptance of the data. 9. The data processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said data is image data. 10. The data control information includes level information relating to a level at which editing of the data is restricted, and the restricting means restricts acceptance of the data in accordance with the level information. 10. The data supply device according to 9. 11. The data processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the data control information is information for restricting a predetermined process on the data. 12. An analysis means for extracting the data control information from the data to which the data control information is added, and a data storage / management for registering, storing, and managing the data to which the data control information is added. Means, data processing means for processing the data managed by the data storage / management means, and control means for controlling the data processing means based on the data control information extracted by the analysis means. 9. The data processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the data storage / management unit regulates registration of the data in accordance with the data control information extracted by the analysis unit. 13. A display device according to claim 12, further comprising a display unit that performs a display process in response to a request from at least one of the data storage / management unit, the data processing unit, and the control unit. The data processing device according to claim 1. 14. The data processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the data storage / management unit requests the display unit to display a regulation notice when regulating the registration of the data. 15. The data processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein when the data storage / management unit regulates registration of the data, the regulated data is deleted. 16. A data supply device for distributing data provided with data control information in response to a data distribution request when receiving the data distribution request, and a data supply device for performing the data distribution request and receiving the data control information. Accept the data,
A network system provided with a data processing device that processes the received data according to the data control information, wherein a regulating unit that regulates distribution of the data from the data supply device according to the data control information A network system comprising: 17. A data supply device for distributing data to which data control information has been added in response to a data distribution request when receiving the data distribution request, and a data supply device for performing the data distribution request and receiving the data control information. Accept the data,
A network system provided with a data processing device that processes the received data in accordance with the data control information, wherein a regulating unit that regulates acceptance of the data in the data processing device in accordance with the data control information A network system comprising: 18. A data supply device for distributing data to which data control information is added in response to a data distribution request when receiving the data distribution request, and a data supply device for making the data distribution request and receiving the data control information. Accept the data,
A network system provided with a data processing device that processes the received data according to the data control information, wherein a regulating unit that regulates distribution of the data from the data supply device according to the data control information And a regulating means for regulating acceptance of the data in the data processing device according to the data control information. 19. A data supply method for distributing data provided with data control information when a data distribution request is received, the method comprising a step of restricting distribution of the data according to the data control information. Data supply device. 20. A data processing method for performing a data distribution request, receiving data provided with data control information, and processing the received data according to the data control information. A data processing method having a procedure for restricting acceptance of the data. 21. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for distributing data provided with data control information when a data distribution request is received, wherein the distribution of the data is regulated in accordance with the data control information. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing a procedure for performing the procedure. 22. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for performing a data distribution request, receiving data provided with data control information, and processing the received data in accordance with the data control information. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing a procedure for restricting acceptance of the data according to the data control information.