JP2001264891A - How to order digital print - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] An object of the present invention is to provide a digital print ordering method in which a viewer designates an image for creating a digital print, and a digital print fee is charged to a registrant of the digital image. To provide. SOLUTION: A step of receiving digital image data to be paid by a print fee image registrant from a digital image registrant, and a step of registering the received digital image data in a storage device as print fee image registrant payable image data. Publishing an image based on the registered digital image data to at least one viewer, accepting a print order from the viewer as a charge registrant paid order, and a print charge of the charge registrant paid order Requesting the digital image registrant for a digital print.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital print order receiving method, and more particularly to a digital print order receiving method in which a print order of a digital image registered in a server of a service provider and disclosed to a viewer is received from the viewer. About. Further, the present invention relates to a digital print order receiving method in which a digital image print registered in a server of a service provider and limitedly disclosed to a predetermined range of viewers is ordered from the predetermined range of viewers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A service is provided in which a digital image is registered together with a password, is disclosed to at least one viewer who has input the password via communication means such as the Internet, and an order is received for a digital print production order from the viewer. Has begun.

[0003] The above method has an advantage that each viewer can select a desired image from registered images and order a digital print. A print of a meeting photograph of a plurality of persons is distributed to each meeting participant. It is supposed to be used when a user wants to give a recent photograph to an acquaintance in a remote place.

[0004]

The distribution of prints of a meeting photograph of a plurality of people is often covered by a part of the meeting cost. In particular, it is customary for the meeting organizer to pay the printing fee for the meeting participants invited to the meeting.

[0005] In addition, when handing off a recent photograph to an acquaintance at a remote place, it may be inconvenient to charge the print fee to the other party.

[0006] However, in the conventional method, the print fee for the image designated by each viewer is charged to the viewer himself.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a digital print order receiving method in which a viewer designates an image for which a digital print is to be created, and a print fee is charged to a registrant of the digital image.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided a digital camera comprising: a step of receiving, from a digital image registrant, digital image data to be paid by a print fee image registrant; Registering the image data in the storage device as the image data to be paid by the image registrant payer, publishing an image based on the registered digital image data to at least one viewer, and charging a print order from the viewer. A digital print order receiving method comprising the steps of: accepting the order as a registrant-paid order; and charging the digital image registrant for a print fee of the charge registrant-paid order.

[0009] Alternatively, receiving digital image data to be paid by a print fee image registrant from a digital image registrant, and registering the received digital image data in a storage device as print fee image registrant payable image data. Publishing an image based on the registered digital image data to at least one viewer who accesses with a predetermined password, and accepting a print order from the at least one viewer as a charge registrant paid order; Billing the digital image registrant a print fee for the order received by the fee registrant.

The method includes the steps of setting an upper limit of the charge registrant paid order, and enabling the charge registrant paid order only when the charge registrant paid order is within the upper limit. It is preferable to further include

[0011] The method may further include a step of automatically receiving a print fee for a print order within the upper limit from the image registrant.

[0012] Further, receiving digital image data from a digital image registrant, publishing an image based on the received digital image data to a viewer, and ordering a print of an image based on the received digital image data. Receiving a print order as a total print processing order; and, at a predetermined time, generating the total print order data by totalizing the received print orders for each digital image; and a print creation device based on the total print order data. And a step of causing the user to create a digital print.

Still further, a step of receiving digital image data from a digital image registrant, a step of publishing an image based on the received digital image data to at least one viewer accessing with a predetermined password, and Receiving a print order from a viewer as a total print order; and, at a predetermined time, generating a total print order data by totalizing the received print orders from each viewer for each digital image. And a step of causing a print creation device to create a digital print based on the total print order data.

[0014] Alternatively, a step of receiving digital image data from a digital image registrant, a step of setting a total processing order receiving period for receiving an image print order based on the received digital image data as a total print processing order, Publishing the image based on the received digital image data to at least one viewer accessing with a predetermined password;
Accepting a print order from the at least one viewer as a total print order only during the total order receiving period, and totalizing and totalizing print orders from each viewer received during the total order receiving period for each digital image. A digital print order receiving method comprising the steps of: creating print order data; and causing a print creation device to create a digital print based on the total print order data.

[0015]

FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a system for implementing the method of the present invention. The service provider 1 includes a server computer (hereinafter, server) 10. The server 10 includes a CPU 11, a storage device 12, an Internet connection unit 13, an output interface (output I / F) 14, and the like, each connected to a bus line. Server-1
Numeral 0 is connected to the Internet network 6 through the Internet connection means 13 and can exchange information with an information device such as an external personal computer. Digital image data (image data) is stored in the storage device 12, and the image data is output to a digital image printer (image printer) 5 connected via an output I / F 14. The CPU 11 controls the above components to perform the above operations. The image printer 5 creates a digital image print (digital print) based on the image data.

On the Internet network 6, a personal computer 21 of an image registrant 2 who registers digital images in the server 10 of the service provider 1 via the Internet network 6, and browses the registered digital images via the Internet network 6. The viewer's computer is connected. There may be a plurality of viewers. Here, an example is shown in which the personal computer 31 of the viewer A (3) and the personal computer 41 of the viewer B (4) are connected.

The personal computer 21 of the image registrant 2 stores digital image data such as an image taken by a digital camera.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a schematic procedure of a digital print order receiving method according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In step 10, the image registrant 2 sends the digital image data together with the album name and password to the server 10 of the service provider 1 via communication means such as the Internet and registers it. At this time, the payer of the print fee is designated as the image registrant 2.

In step 20, the image registrant 2 notifies the viewer A and the viewer B of the album name and the password.

In step 30, the viewer A and / or the viewer B (hereinafter referred to as a viewer) accesses the album browsing request screen of the digital print ordering site established by the service provider 1 via the Internet, The user inputs the album name and the password notified from 2 in predetermined fields and transmits them to the server 10 to request the service provider 1 to browse the album. At this time, a method of picking up the completed digital print, for example, home delivery, a service window to receive, and the like are designated. Also, the address of e-mail, F
The service provider 1 is notified of the AX number and the like. Alternatively, user registration is performed in advance, and the content is notified at that time.
The server 10 stores the pick-up method and the notified contents.

In step 40, the server 10 displays a list of reduced digital images corresponding to the transmitted album name and password on the personal computer of the viewer.

In step 50, the viewer selects an image for which a digital print is to be ordered from the displayed list of reduced images, and places an order with the service provider 1.

In step 60, the server 10 receives the print order as an image registration order.

In step 70, the server 10 calculates the print fee of the order received by the image registrant,
A billing process is performed for the payer designated by 0, ie, the image registrant.

In step 80, the server 10 transmits the image data of the digital image for which the digital print has been received to the image printer 5, and causes the image printer 5 to produce a digital print of the digital image.

In step 90, the server 10 outputs delivery data for delivering the digital print to an orderer of the digital print. If the receiving method specified in step 30 is home delivery, the home delivery slip is printed out by the printer. If it is received at the service window, the exchange certificate is transmitted to the viewer who ordered the digital print by e-mail or FAX.

Note that the image registrant 2 may be a viewer at the same time.

Next, steps requiring more detailed explanations will be described.

First, the details of step 10 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The registrant 2 accesses the digital image registration screen of the digital print ordering site established by the service provider 1 via the Internet (S11).

Then, the image data of the digital image stored in the personal computer 21 is transmitted to the server 10 according to the instruction on the digital image registration screen displayed on the personal computer 21. The digital image registration screen includes a plurality of pages,
A page for inputting a directory and a file name on the personal computer 21 in which the image data of the digital image to be registered is input and designating a file of the image data, an album name to be added to the digital image to be registered, and viewing of the registered digital image. Page displaying an input field for inputting a password for permitting a license and a selection field for designating a payer of a digital print of a registered digital image (FIG. 4).
And the information of these pages is also transmitted to the server. Here, the registrant payment in the selection column is clicked with a mouse to designate image registrant payment (hereinafter, registrant payment) (S12). In addition, when the viewer pays with a mouse click, the viewer pay is designated. This is a conventional digital print order receiving method.

The server 10 determines whether or not payment is made by a registrant (S13). If payment is made by a registrant, the server 10 displays an order restriction setting screen (FIG. 5) on the personal computer 21 (S14).

The image registrant 2 inputs limit conditions such as the cumulative order amount paid by the registrant, the cumulative number of orders, the cumulative number of orders, and the order acceptance deadline on the order limit setting screen.
(S15). The input of the restriction condition is sufficient for only necessary items. The cumulative order amount, the cumulative number of orders, and the upper limit of the cumulative number of orders may be any of cumulative orders from all viewers and / or cumulative for each viewer. FIG. 5 shows an order restriction setting screen when both can be set.

The order restriction setting screen is for eliminating the risk that a print order from a viewer is accepted without restriction and the print fee is entirely borne by the image registrant. If you are very close to the viewer, there will be no problem if you do not set an order limit, but there is an order limit setting screen that can limit registrant paid orders in case it is not so .

The server 10 receives the transmitted digital image data, the album name, the password, the restriction condition, and the presence / absence of the registrant payment designation, and stores and registers it in the storage device 12 (S16).

If the server 10 determines in step 13 that the payment is not registrant payment, the server 10 registers as a viewer payment similarly to the conventional order receiving method (S17).

The registration of the digital image is performed not by the image registration screen of the service provider 1 but by the image registrant on the personal computer 21 in a predetermined format determined by the service provider 1, Album name,
It is also possible to create an image registration file in which a password, the presence or absence of registrant payment designation, etc. are entered, and transmit the image registration file to the server 10. Alternatively, the recording medium on which the image registration file is recorded is transferred to the service provider 1, and the service provider 1 reads the image registration file into the server 10.

When the order restriction condition is set in step 15, it is preferable to notify the viewer of the order restriction condition set in step 20. Further, in steps 40 and 50, it is preferable to cause the server 10 to display the contents of the set order restriction conditions together with a list of reduced images.

Next, the details of step 40 will be described. The server 10 searches the digital images registered in the storage device 12 for a digital image having an album name and a password that match the transmitted album name and password. Then, an image browsing screen (FIG. 6) including a list of reduced images of the extracted digital images is displayed on the personal computer of the viewer. Further, when any of the reduced images is clicked with the mouse, the original image (enlarged image) of the reduced image is displayed, and the quality and details of the digital image are confirmed and viewed.

Next, the details of step 50 will be described. In FIG. 6, the reduced image 6 displayed on the image browsing screen 60 is shown.
In the vicinity of 1, a print order instruction column 62 for ordering a digital print of a corresponding digital image is provided. The desired print size and the number of orders are entered in a digital image print order instruction column 62 for ordering a digital print. Then, a digital print is ordered by clicking the transmission button 63 included in the image browsing screen 60 with a mouse. Reference numeral 64 denotes a display of the order restriction contents described in the description of step 15.

Next, the details of step 60 will be described. When the server 10 receives the registrant-paid order, the server 10 adds the value of the current registrant-paid order to the accumulated value of the past registrant-paid orders and updates the accumulated value. Then, the updated accumulated value is compared with the upper limit set in step 15. The order reception deadline determines whether the order reception date is before the order reception deadline. The above processing is performed for all the restricted items for which the upper limit is set, and only when all the restricted items are within the upper limit, the order is accepted as a registrant paid order.

If at least one of the restriction items exceeds the upper limit, it is not accepted as a registrant-paid order, and a display to that effect is displayed on the personal computer of the viewer. The display will be described later in detail.

Next, the details of step 70 will be described. The server 10 calculates a print fee based on the received print size and number of orders. Then, based on the credit card information notified in advance by the image registrant 2, the credit card company is requested to pay the calculated print fee, and the image data of the ordered digital image is transmitted to the image printer 5. Make a digital print.

Alternatively, the server 10 sends the bill for the calculated print fee to the image registrant 2, and receives an order from the image printer 5 when there is a receipt input indicating that the print fee has been received. The image data of the digital image is transmitted and a digital print is created. The receipt input is input from, for example, a billing server of the service provider 1 or a keyboard thereof, or a computer of a toll collection company such as a convenience store or a bank, which receives payment from the personal computer 21 of the image registrant 2 by electronic money or the like.

The above is the basic processing procedure of the first embodiment.

The display indicating that the order is not accepted as a registrant-paid order in step 60 is a display that prompts the user to change the order so that the registrant-paid order can be accepted, such as by reducing the number of print orders. Is preferred.
Further, it is more preferable to display a display for ordering an order portion exceeding the upper limit as a viewer payment. FIG. 7 shows an example of such a display. In FIG. 7, when the order button 71 is clicked with the mouse by the viewer, the number of sheets exceeds the upper limit,
Digital prints corresponding to the number and the amount of money displayed in the amount column 72 are ordered as a conventional method of paying by the viewer.

On the image browsing screen 60 in step 50, two types of the registrant payment button 64 and the viewer payment button 65 are displayed as the transmission button 63 as shown in FIG. Even if it is a designated digital image, it may be possible to dare to place an order by paying a viewer. In the case of such a display, after the step 50, a step 55 for determining whether the order is paid by the registrant or the viewer, and a print-paid order for charging the print fee to the viewer are received. Step 60A is added (see FIG. 9). If the order is a registrant-paid order, the process proceeds to step 60. If the order is a viewer-paid order, the process proceeds to step 60A. Then, step 70 is changed so that the server 10 charges the print fee of the order to the print fee billing destination (image registrant or viewer) determined based on the determination.

Then, before step 80, the server 10
Provides a step 75 for obtaining the total quantity of the registrant paid order quantity and the viewer paid order quantity for each digital image as total print processing data. In step 80, the server 10 sends the total print processing data to the image printer 5. The digital prints are output and the total number of digital prints are collectively produced. Digital print creation of print orders for registrant-paid orders and viewer-paid orders can be processed collectively, so that digital prints can be created efficiently.

Furthermore, when the set registrant payment acceptance deadline has arrived, the processing of step 70 can be collectively performed for registrant payment orders received before the acceptance deadline. Specifically, step 70
Before the setting, a step 65 for determining whether or not the set registrant payment deadline has arrived is provided (see FIG. 9). The step of receiving is repeated, and if the deadline has come, the process proceeds to step 70.

In this case, in the process of obtaining the total quantity in step 75, the quantity of the registrant-paid order and the quantity of the viewer-paid order received before the deadline are totaled for each digital image to generate total print processing data. Processing. When the viewer payment button is not provided as the transmission button 63, the total print processing data is created only from the quantity of the registrant payment order.

Since digital print creation for a plurality of print orders from a viewer can be processed collectively, digital prints can be efficiently created.

The registrant-paid order deadline of the order restriction in step 10 can be a deadline that repeatedly arrives at predetermined intervals, for example, the end of each month.

The second embodiment is a digital image print order receiving method in which the processing relating to the password in the first embodiment is omitted from all steps. As a result, all viewers accessing the album viewing request screen of the digital print ordering site established by the service provider 1 can view the registered digital image. Then, the viewer selects an arbitrary digital image from the digital images registered in the storage device 12,
A print of the digital image can be obtained at the expense of the image registrant.

The utilization form of the second embodiment is, for example, an image registrant = a tour travel agency, a viewer = a tour travel participant, a registered digital image = a digital image of a traveler traveling on a tour. is there. The tour travel agency can provide a service for giving a tour traveler who is a customer a print of a photograph desired by the tour traveler from photographs of the tour traveler taken during the tour travel. By setting order restriction conditions such as the number of orders and the order deadline, it is possible to set an upper limit on the cost to be borne.

Another use form is as follows: image registrant = tourist-related business operator at tourist spot, viewer = sightseeing applicant, registered digital image =
It is a digital image of the scenery of a tourist spot and a tourist object. Tourism-related businesses in tourist spots can effectively promote tourist spots to tourists.

Still another use form is an image registrant = a seller, particularly a high-quality merchandise seller, a viewer = a person planning to purchase a product, and a registered digital image = a digital image of a product taken. The seller can effectively promote the product. It can be suitably used for commodities having subtle colors and fine structures, such as dyed products and jewelry products.

In the second embodiment as well, the registrant-paid order deadline of the order restriction in step 10 can be a deadline that repeatedly arrives every predetermined period, for example, the end of each month.

Further, in step 60, processing for storing information on the viewer 2 in the storage device 12 when the server 10 receives an order for digital printing is added. After an appropriate position, for example, after step 10, the server 10 A step of notifying the image registrant 2 of the information at predetermined time intervals can be added. The image registrant 2 can easily obtain information of a viewer who is interested in the registered digital image.

[0060]

According to the digital print order receiving method of the present invention, a viewer designates an image for which a digital print is to be created, and a digital print fee is charged to a digital image registrant. Can obtain a digital print of a digital image desired by a viewer without paying a cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a digital print order receiving system in which a method of the present invention is implemented.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a basic processing procedure of the method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing details of step 10 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an input screen for setting a password and the like.

FIG. 5 is an input screen for inputting order restriction conditions.

FIG. 6 is an input screen for ordering a digital print.

FIG. 7 is a screen for allowing an order to be paid by a viewer when the order limit is exceeded.

FIG. 8 is a diagram in the case where the transmission button in FIG. 6 is a registrant payment button and a viewer payment button.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method obtained by modifying the method of FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Service provider 2 ... Image registrant 3 ... Viewer A 4 ... Browser B 5 ... Digital printer 6 ... Internet network 10 ... Service provider server computer 12 ... Server computer storage device 21 …… Image registrant's personal computer 31, 41 …… Viewer's personal computer

Claims (17)

[Claims] 1. A step of receiving digital image data to be paid by a print fee image registrant from a digital image registrant, and a step of registering the received digital image data in a storage device as print fee image registrant payable image data. Publishing an image based on the registered digital image data to at least one viewer; accepting a print order from the viewer as a charge registrant paid order; printing the charge registrant paid order Charging the digital image registrant for a fee. 2. A step of receiving, from a digital image registrant, digital image data to be paid by a print charge image registrant, and a step of registering the received digital image data in a storage device as print charge image registrant payable image data. Publishing an image based on the registered digital image data to at least one viewer who accesses with a predetermined password; and accepting a print order from the at least one viewer as a charge registrant paid order. Billing the digital image registrant a print fee for the order registered by the fee registrant. 3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of: setting an upper limit for the charge registrant paid order; and only when the charge registrant paid order is within the upper limit. And a method for receiving a digital print. 4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the service provider receiving the digital print automatically receives the print fee of the order received by the fee registrant according to a previously notified method. A digital print order receiving method characterized by further including: 5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: setting an upper limit of a cumulative print fee of the charge registrant paid order; measuring a cumulative print fee of the charge registrant paid order; Enabling the charge registrant-paid order only when the total print charge of the charge registrant-paid order is within the upper limit. 6. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: setting an upper limit for the number of orders received by the fee registrant; measuring the number of orders received by the fee registrant; Enabling the charge registrant to pay orders only when the number of payment orders is within the upper limit. 7. The method according to claim 2, wherein: setting an upper limit of the number of prints of the charge registrant pay order; measuring a total number of prints of the charge registrant pay order; Enabling the charge registrant pay order only when the total number of the measured charge registrant pay orders is within the upper limit. 8. The digital print order receiving method according to claim 3, wherein the upper limit is an upper limit of an order received from a single viewer and paid by a fee registrant. 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein if a charge registrant paid order from one viewer exceeds the upper limit, calculating a print charge for a print order exceeding the upper limit; Billing the viewer for the print fee. 10. The method according to claim 2, wherein a print order from the at least one viewer is received as a charge viewer paid order, and the print charge of the charge viewer paid order is set as the print charge. Billing a viewer. 11. The method according to claim 9, wherein a total quantity of a charge registrant paid order quantity and a charge viewer paid order quantity is determined for each digital image. And causing the print creation apparatus to create a digital print based on the digital print order. 12. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: setting a reception period of the charge registrant-paid order; and enabling the charge registrant-paid order only during the reception period. A digital print order receiving method. 13. Receiving digital image data from a digital image registrant, publishing an image based on the received digital image data to a viewer, and ordering a print of an image based on the received digital image data. A step of receiving as a total print processing order; a step of, at a predetermined time, totalizing the received print orders for each digital image to generate total print order data; and A digital print order receiving method. 14. receiving digital image data from a digital image registrant; publishing an image based on the received digital image data to at least one viewer accessing with a predetermined password; Receiving a print order from a viewer as a total print order; and, at a predetermined time, generating a total print order data by totalizing the received print orders from each viewer for each digital image; Causing the print creation device to create a digital print based on the print order data. 15. A step of receiving digital image data from a digital image registrant; and a step of setting a total processing order receiving period for receiving a print order of an image based on the received digital image data as a total print processing order. Publishing an image based on the received digital image data to at least one viewer who accesses with a predetermined password; and accepting a print order from the at least one viewer as a total print order only during the total order receiving period. A step of totalizing print orders from each viewer received during the total order receiving period for each digital image to generate total print order data; and To The method of orders digital printing, characterized in that it consists of a step of made. 16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: calculating a print fee based on the total print order data; and charging the digital image registrant for the calculated print fee. And a digital print order receiving method. 17. The method according to claim 16, wherein before performing the step of causing the print creation device to create a digital print, charging the print fee to the digital image registrant; and collecting the charge. And confirming the order. A digital print order receiving method.