JP2008269038A - Storefront printing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

【Task】
In a storefront printing apparatus that prints image data brought in by a user, the occupation time per user when processing a large amount of images is long, which is a factor of user stress. At the same time, the store side must arrange more storefront printing apparatuses when dealing with this, which increases costs.
[Solution]
In the storefront printing apparatus, an operation display unit displays the print result delivery port in the storefront printing apparatus so that the next user's print image selection process can be performed during the printing process of one user in order to reduce the waiting time of the user. In addition, the storefront printing apparatus is provided with a mechanism that can provide image selection processing to another user as soon as payment processing and delivery of print data to the printing apparatus are completed.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a mechanism for reducing the waiting time of a user in a storefront printing apparatus that prints image data represented by a photographing result of a digital camera (hereinafter referred to as a digital camera) at the storefront.

  In recent years, storefront printing apparatuses that print image data brought in by users represented by image data taken with a digital camera have become widespread. A storefront printing device is a device that accepts printing of image data unattended and provides the printing result to the user. Generally, a display that accepts information display to the user by screen display and various inputs from the user by a touch panel method. , A media reader that reads image data from CD media and various flash memory media, a fee input / change receiving mechanism for users to charge or receive change and receipts, a print mechanism for printing image data, and a user for print results And a control device for controlling these, which are housed in a case of 1 to 2 m.

JP 2005-138551 JP JP 2006-221265 JP

  While the convenience of printing at storefronts is drawing attention, all processing related to image printing work, that is, loading of media containing images, reading of images from media, display of read images on the screen, use For each user when processing a large number of images in order to perform a series of processes such as selection / determination of images to be printed by a user, settlement processing, and reading of image data to be printed from media on a single device Occupies a long time, which is a factor of user stress. At the same time, the store side has to arrange more storefront printing devices to cope with this, which increases costs.

  Considering the processing executed in the storefront printing apparatus, (1) reading image data from a medium, (2) selection of an image to be printed by a user, (3) payment processing, (4) printing, Can be broadly classified. The storefront printing apparatus is a device in the form of a vending machine, and this waiting time occurs particularly in the storefront printing apparatus, compared with other vending machines (1) to (4). The processing time is particularly long. In general, (2) and (4) take the longest time, and speeding up the processing of this part is one method for solving the problem.

  Some attempts have been made to shorten the occupation time per user, for example, in Patent Document 1, by connecting adjacent storefront printing devices and sharing the printing mechanism between them, Trying to shorten the printing time. Although this method can reduce the printing time, the printing mechanism becomes complicated, and the degree of freedom of installation is greatly limited because it must be connected and grounded.

  Patent Document 2 proposes a mechanism for accepting additional orders even during the printing process, thereby reducing the user's occupation time as a whole. However, this method is an additional order in one settlement process by one user, and the effect of improvement is not significant when there is no additional order or when a large number of prints are made. .

  With the storefront printing device, the user can select a favorite image from the brought-in image data, and can freely print at a fee. In general, the storefront printing apparatus is highly convenient and widely used because it can obtain a print result faster than a request at a storefront counter or printing with a home printer. It is an object of the present invention to effectively reduce the user waiting time in this storefront printing apparatus and enhance user convenience.

  In the storefront printing apparatus having the above-described problems, the present invention proposes the following means as a method that efficiently reduces the waiting time of the user, does not limit the degree of installation freedom, and does not require a large additional cost. .

  In order to allow the next user's print image selection process (2) to be performed while the one user's print process (4) is being performed, the storefront printing apparatus is usually provided on a different surface from the operation / display display. The print result delivery port is provided on a different surface from the operation / display display, for example, the rear surface, and the user selects an image to be printed (2), payment processing (3), and print data printing. When the delivery to the apparatus is completed, the control mechanism of the storefront printing apparatus is provided with a mechanism in which the control of the printing mechanism is made independent of the processing of the entire apparatus so that another user's image selection process can be provided immediately.

  In addition, for example, a small display is provided to notify the user waiting for the print result at the print result delivery port installed on the back side so that the printing status can be understood.

  By taking this method, the most time-consuming (2) and (4) processes can be performed in parallel between two users, so the overall waiting time of the user is reduced. In addition, the user turnover rate can be increased. In addition, installing the print result receiving port on the back side does not greatly limit the degree of freedom of installation. Further, the quality of print results and user convenience are not impaired. And since an additional mechanism is not installed, additional cost does not increase greatly.

  FIG. 1 shows an external view of an embodiment of a storefront printing apparatus proposed in the present invention. The storefront printing device (front) 1 is an operation / display unit 3 that is a touch panel display for displaying information to the user and inputting information from the user, a CD containing image data brought by the user, A media reader 4 for reading a flash memory medium, and a fee input / change change unit 5 for a user to input a fee and receive a change and a receipt in the settlement process are provided. 5 also prints receipts according to the payment details. In addition to this, as a feature of the present invention, the print result delivery unit 6 and the current print status, etc. are displayed on a different surface from the operation / display unit 3 operated by the user in the storefront printing device 1, for example, the back of the device. The user is provided with a status display 7 which is a display to be used, and the user receives the ordered print result here. In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which the print result delivery unit 6 and the status display 7 are installed on the back of the apparatus, but these may be installed on the side. The media reader 4 reads from a CD or flash media, but may read from a storage installed on the network.

  FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an embodiment proposed in the present invention. The storefront printing device 201 controls the operation / display unit 202 corresponding to 3, the media reader 203 corresponding to 4, and the storefront printing device 201 as a whole, screen input / output control, media reading control, payment processing including receipt printing, print data Control unit 204 for creating and transferring and monitoring the print control unit, charge input / change change unit 205 corresponding to 5, printer 207 for printing image data, receiving print data from control unit 204, and controlling printer 207 The print control unit 206 and the print result delivery unit 208 corresponding to the print execution unit 208 and the status display 215 for displaying the print status.

  Here, the flow of processing by the storefront printing apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. First, the storefront printing apparatus starts a main process, displays a standby screen on the operation / display unit 202, and waits for user input. In step 401, the user starts using the touch panel of the operation / display unit 202. In step 402, the user inputs a medium containing an image to be printed on the media reader 203 in accordance with an instruction displayed on the operation / display unit 202. In step 403, the control unit 204 reads the image data from the media input by the user using the media reader 203, and displays it as a thumbnail on the operation / display unit 202. In step 404, the user selects an image to be printed while viewing the thumbnail displayed on the operation / display unit 202. When the user presses a print button displayed on the operation / display unit 202, the control unit 204 calculates a charge from the determined print target data, and a screen for performing a settlement process is displayed on the operation / display unit 202. The user pays money using the charge input / change change unit 205 and performs settlement processing. In step 406, the control unit 204 reads an image to be printed using the media reader 203. In step 407, the control unit 204 checks whether the print flag of the print control unit 206 is OFF. If it is not OFF, that is, if the print control unit 206 and the printer 207 are in use, a message 304 is displayed on the operation / display unit 202 in step 408 to inform the user that another user is currently printing. Tell. This is repeated until the printing flag is turned off.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of the screen displayed at this time. A “printing” message is displayed in an area 304 on the display 301 of the operation / display unit. When the user presses the print button 305, a screen such as a message box 302 is displayed to inform the user that the printer is in use. This screen can be deleted by pressing the button 303. The message box 302 is displayed every time the user presses the button 305.

  When the printing flag is turned off, the screen 304 displayed on the operation / display unit 202 is erased in step 409. If the printing flag is OFF, in step 410, the control unit 204 creates print data based on the image data read in step 406, and sends it to the print control unit 206 together with a print instruction. Thereafter, the main process displays the standby screen again on the operation / display unit 202 in step 411 and starts accepting the next user.

  On the other hand, the print control unit 206 that has received the print data and the print instruction in step 410 first turns on the printing flag in step 412 and displays the screen 307 on the status display 215 on the back of the storefront printing apparatus. The user is informed that the print process is being executed. FIG. 3 shows an example of the screen displayed at this time. A screen such as a message box 307 is displayed on the screen 306 of the status display 215 to inform the user that printing is being executed.

  In step 413, the print control unit 206 uses the printer 207 to start printing processing of the received print data. The printer discharges the printed result to the print result delivery unit 208. In step 414, the progress of printing is monitored, and when the printing is completed, the printing control unit 206 turns off the printing flag in step 415, and further erases the screen 307 of the status display 215 to confirm that the printing is completed. Tell the user. This ends the printing process. The user receives the print result at the print result delivery unit 208.

  As described above, a print processing that takes time is provided by providing a mechanism for receiving the print result on a surface different from the surface on which the user of the storefront printing apparatus places an order, and using a processing function that performs the print processing independently. The next user can place an order without waiting for completion.

  This is shown conceptually in FIG. First, user A performs order processing and settlement processing in front of the storefront printing apparatus. After completing this, it goes to the back and waits for receipt of the print result. The next user B in the queue can perform order processing and settlement processing at the front of the storefront printing apparatus at this point.

It is an external view of the shop front printing apparatus of invention. It is a block diagram of the shop front printing apparatus to propose. It is a utilization conceptual diagram of the shop front printing apparatus by a some user. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the shop front printing apparatus of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the flow of a user when using the shop front printing apparatus of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... In-store printing device (front), 2 .... In-store printing device (rear), 3 ... Display / operating unit, 4 ... Media reader, 5 ... Price input / change delivery unit, 6. ..Print result delivery unit, 201 ... Store printing device, 202 ... Touch panel display / operation unit provided in the store printing device, 203 ... Media reader for reading various media, 204 ... Store printing device ,... 205, a charge input / change change unit for exchanging money in the settlement process, 206, a print control unit for controlling the printer, 207, a printer for executing printing, 208,. Print result delivery unit that passes the print result to the user, 209... 204 specifies 203 to read data from the media, 210... 204 uses 205 to perform settlement processing The line shown, 211 ... 204 uses 202 A line indicating that the user communicates with the user, 212... 204 is a line indicating that the print data is transferred to 206, and 214... 207 is a line that indicates that the print result is transferred to the user using 208. 215... Status display for displaying the printer usage status, 216... 206 indicating that 215 controls 215.

Claims (2)

  Touch panel display for input / output with the user, an image data reading mechanism for reading the user's image data, a printer for printing the image data, a receiving port from which the user receives the print result, and a fee settlement process In the storefront printing apparatus comprising a mechanism for transferring money with a user and a control mechanism for controlling the apparatus, a print result receiving port is arranged on a different surface from the touch panel display, and the operation of the control unit And a print control mechanism that prints image data independently of each other, and accepts an order process of the next user while the order process is completed and the print process is being performed. 2. The shop front printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a separate display screen is arranged on the same surface as the print result receiving port separately from the touch panel type display, and a user waiting for the print result at the print result receiving port An over-the-counter printing apparatus that notifies a printing status.

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