JP2001148055A - Image printing and sales system, and its program recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make usable a corresponding vending machine within the range of a stored money amount paid by a customer when the vending machine is connected to a network without being aware of how much is needed for a printing charge nor whether currently carried money is enough in the case of using an image printing vending machine, and to immediately obtain a desired image printed matter regardless of the shortage of carried money. SOLUTION: A wide area communication system in which a plurality of image printing vending machines PT are connected to a sales managing device MT through a network MT is constructed, ad the device MT also has a customer management table in which stored money amount, etc., of each different customer is stored and managed. When a customer ID is inputted from an image printing vending machine in the case of printing an image, the stored money amount of each different customer corresponding to the customer ID is retrieved from the customer management table, image data designated by the customer are printed within the range of the stored amount of each different customer, the printing charge for the customer is also withdrawn from the stored amount of each different customer and the stored money amount of each different customer is updated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image printing and selling system for printing and selling image data, and a program recording medium for the system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known an image printing and vending machine which prints image data supplied from a customer externally with high quality and sells them. For example, when an electrophotographic image taken by a digital still camera is externally supplied via a portable recording medium (memory card), this type of image printing and vending machine converts a photographic image read from the memory card into a high-quality image. It is printed and sold as high-quality color images, and has a configuration that enables high-quality image printing, such as developing a silver halide film and printing it on photographic paper. A user (customer) of the vending machine inserts a memory card extracted from a digital still camera or the like into the main body of the vending machine, and displays a large number of captured images recorded and stored in the memory card on a display screen. If you select a desired image from them while checking each time, the selected image will be printed and the fee will be displayed according to the number of prints and print size.
After confirming this, the printing fee is paid from the fee slot.

[0003]

However, in this type of apparatus, since cash payment is assumed,
When the number of prints is large or when various print sizes are mixed, it is necessary to be aware of how much printing fee is required and how much the current money is sufficient. , Image printing is postponed to a later date or partially printed within the range of the money you have, but the result is that the convenience of immediate sale of image printing is impaired, and the store that operates and manages vending machines, Customers are taken by other vending machines, resulting in lost profits. The problem of the present invention is that when using an image printing and vending machine, it is not necessary to be aware of how much printing fee is required and whether or not the current money is enough. The vending machine can be used within the range of the savings amount that has been deposited, the desired image printed matter can be immediately obtained even if the possession is insufficient, and the side that manages the vending machine,
The goal is to increase profits.

[0004] The means of the present invention are as follows. The invention according to claim 1 is an image printing and selling system including a plurality of image printing and selling machines for printing and selling image data, and a sales management device communicatively connected to each image printing and selling machine, Customer management information storage means provided on the sales management device side for storing and managing the savings amount for each customer in accordance with the customer identification information; input means for inputting customer identification information from an image printing vending machine; and image data designated by the customer A charge calculating means for calculating a printing charge charged according to the printing of the customer, and a customer-specific savings amount corresponding to the customer is searched from the customer management information storage means based on the customer identification information input by the input means. Searching means for updating the customer-specific savings amount by deducting the printing fee for the customer calculated by the fee calculating means from the customer-specific savings amount searched by the searching means; ; And a savings amount updating means, in which so as to print the image data of the customer specified in the range of the retrieved customer-specific savings amount by said search means.

[0005] The present invention may be as follows. (1) When the registration of a new customer is instructed, the image printing and vending machine sends the registration instruction to the management device to make a registration request for the new customer. Based on the registration request, the customer identification information is generated and newly registered in the management information storing means for each customer, and the newly registered customer identification information is provided as the customer-specific information to be provided to the customer, and is the request source of the request. Send to image printing and vending machine. The image printing and vending machine issues a customer card that records customer identification information transmitted from the sales management device in response to the registration request for the new customer. (2) The image printing and vending machine sends the deposit amount input together with the customer identification information to the sales management device to make an update request for the customer-specific savings amount, and the sales management device checks the customer-specific savings amount. The customer-specific management information storage means is searched based on the update request, and the deposit amount is added to the customer-specific saving amount corresponding to the customer to update the customer-specific saving amount. (3) The image printing and vending machine has a determination unit for determining whether the image data selected as the image to be printed has been normally printed, and the savings amount updating unit determines the savings amount for each customer from the savings amount for each customer. When deducting the image printing fee of
Except for the image determined to be defective or unprintable by the determination means, only the printing fee for the image that can be printed normally is deducted. (4) The sales management device stores and manages the printed image data printed by the image printing and vending machine and the image identification information in association with the customer identification information. The image identification information and the customer identification information input to request the reprint of the printed image printed by the vending machine are transmitted to the sales management device, and the management device responds to the customer corresponding to the customer. The printed image data transmitted together with the different savings amount is received, and the image data is printed within the range of the customer-specific savings amount. (5) The sales management device generates image identification information of the printed image data printed by the image printing vending machine for each image, stores and manages the image identification information in association with the printed image data, and generates the image identification information. The information is transmitted to the image printing vending machine that has issued the image print request, and the image printing vending machine that has received the image identification information prints the image identification information at a predetermined position on the image print.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the customer management information storage means for storing and managing the savings amount for each customer in accordance with the customer identification information is searched based on the customer identification information inputted from the image printing and vending machine. Then, the printing fee for the customer is deducted from the savings amount for each customer corresponding to the customer, the savings amount for each customer is updated, and image data specified by the customer is printed within the range of the searched savings amount for each customer. Therefore, when using an image printing and vending machine, there is no need to be aware of how much printing fees are required and whether or not the current money is sufficient. It is possible to use the vending machine within the range of the saved savings amount, immediately obtain the desired image printed matter even if the money is insufficient, and expect to increase profits on the side of managing the vending machine. it can.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an image printing and vending machine.
In this embodiment, in addition to the display panel 3, the operation panel 4, the fee input / return port 5, and the image printed material outlet 6, a portable terminal connection unit 7 to which a portable information device (user terminal) owned by the customer is connected is provided. Is provided. This mobile terminal connection unit 7
A portable information device CR owned by a customer is connected by a cable instead of a portable recording medium (memory card) CF mounted on the recording medium connection unit 2, and this portable information device CR is connected to an image printing and vending machine. Used as an image supply medium for externally supplying image data. The memory card CF as an image supply medium is a compact flash card, PC card, smart media, MO (magneto-optical disk), FD (floppy disk), or the like.
The portable information devices owned by the customer include, for example, a notebook computer, a PDA, an electronic organizer, and a mobile phone.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an image printing and selling system having a plurality of image printing and selling machines and a sales management device communicatively connected to each image printing and selling machine. That is, in this embodiment, an image printing and selling system (wide area communication system) in which a plurality of image printing and selling machines PT deployed on a nationwide scale or in a specific area are communicatively connected to the sales management apparatus MT via the network MW. The sales management device MT is an image printing and vending machine PT
It is installed at the center that manages Note that the network MW is, for example, a telephone line network or a service digital network, but may use wireless communication means.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a data structure of a customer management table VM provided in the sales management device MT. This customer management table VM stores the image printing and vending machine PT.
For each customer registered in advance as a user of
D, "customer data", "savings amount", and "print number". The “customer ID” is automatically generated by the sales management apparatus MT by referring to, for example, a customer name, a serial number, or a request date and time when a request for registration of a new customer is issued from the image printing / vending machine PT. This "customer ID" is transmitted to the requesting vending machine PT to provide it to the customer, and is newly registered in the customer management table VM. “Customer data” is stored in the image printing and selling machine PT
Name and other customer information sent from.
The “savings amount” is the savings amount for each customer received from the image printing and vending machine PT, and the user can always make a deposit from any vending machine to receive the “savings amount” for the customer.
Is updated, and images can be printed from any vending machine within the range of the customer-specific savings amount without having to put cash in, and the image printing fee is deducted from the customer-specific savings amount. It is.

The "print number" is used when reprinting the same image (image reprint) corresponding to the photo film reprint.
This is automatically generated by the sales management apparatus MT so that an image printing increment can be printed immediately from any vending machine without performing an operation of newly selecting the image to be printed. In this case, the image printing and vending machine PT transmits the image to the sales management device MT when printing the image,
The sales management device MT stores this image in the storage image file KP and generates a “print number”. The “print number” is transmitted to the image printing / vending machine PT as the image transmission source to be provided to the customer, and is registered in the customer management table VM. At this time, the image is stored by associating the "print number" with the storage image file KP. Further, when the customer inputs a “print increase number” from any of the image printing and vending machines PT and instructs a print increase request, the sales management device M
T reads out the stored image corresponding to the "print number" transmitted from the vending machine and transmits it to the request source.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the image printing / vending machine PT and the sales management device MT. here,
Basically the same components as the image printing vending machine PT and the sales management device MT are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description is also used. For the sake of identification, the components of the sales management device MT are denoted by “A” in the figure, and the image printing vending machine P
The configuration of T will be described, and description of the sales management device MT will be omitted. The CPU 11 is a central processing unit that controls the overall operation of the image printing and selling machine PT according to an operating system and various application software in the storage device 2. The storage device 12 stores an operating system, various application software, and the like, and has a recording medium 13 composed of a magnetic, optical, semiconductor memory, or the like, and a drive system therefor. The recording medium 31 is a fixed medium such as a hard disk or a portable medium such as a CD-ROM, a floppy desk, a RAM card, and a magnetic card which can be removably mounted. The programs and data in the recording medium 13 are loaded into a RAM (for example, a static RAM) 14 under the control of the CPU 11 as necessary,
The data in 14 is saved on the recording medium 13. Furthermore,
It may be provided on the sales management apparatus MT side, and the CPU 11 can directly access and use the program / data in the recording medium via the transmission medium. The CPU 11 can also take in some or all of the data stored in the recording medium 13 from another device via a transmission medium, and newly register or additionally register the data in the recording medium 13. That is, the transmission control unit 15 receives programs / data transmitted from other devices constituting the computer communication system via a wired transmission line such as a communication line or a cable or a wireless transmission line such as radio waves, microwaves or infrared rays. Then, it can be installed in the recording medium 13. Furthermore, the program / data may be stored and managed on the external device side such as a server, and the CPU 11 can directly access and use the program / data on the external device side via a transmission medium.

On the other hand, the CPU 11 has input / output peripheral devices such as a transmission control unit 15, an input unit 16, a display unit 17,
An image printing unit 18 is connected via a bus line,
The CPU 11 controls these operations according to an input / output program. The display unit 17 is a liquid crystal, a CRT, a plasma display device, or the like that performs full-color display.
The image printing unit 18 has a laser printer, an ink jet, or the like, and prints image data supplied externally from a customer or image data (for example, a copyrighted image) stored in advance as a high-quality full-color image. As described above, it is possible to print a high-quality image as if the silver halide film was developed and printed on photographic paper. Charge control unit 1
Reference numeral 9 denotes a normal configuration for counting the amount of printing fee input from the fee input / return port 5 and the amount of refund such as returned change, and forgery determination.

Next, the operation of the image printing and selling system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. Here, a program for realizing each function described in these flowcharts is:
Recording medium 13 in the form of readable program code
(13A), and the CPU 11 (11A) sequentially executes the operation according to the program code. Further, the CPU can also sequentially execute the operation according to the above-described program code transmitted via the transmission medium. That is, an operation unique to this embodiment can be executed using a program / data externally supplied via a transmission medium in addition to a recording medium.

FIGS. 5 to 7 are flowcharts showing the operation of the image printing and vending machine PT. 8 and 9 are flowcharts showing the operation of the sales management device MT.
In addition, in order to simplify the following description of operation, the image printing and vending machine PT is abbreviated as a “terminal” and the sales management device MT is abbreviated as a “center” as necessary. First, on the image printing and vending machine PT side, when the use is instructed by the customer, "customer registration", "payment", "image printing" are displayed as initial menu screens.
Are displayed (step A1), and when the menu item of "customer registration" is selected from among them (step A1)
2, A3), and proceed to a new customer registration process (step A4 ~)
A10). FIG. 10 shows a terminal,
This is a diagram illustrating the exchange of data between centers and the contents of processing at the center at that time.

That is, when a name is input in accordance with a message prompting input of customer data (step A)
4) Request account registration to the sales management apparatus MT and transmit customer data (step A5). Here, since the center side generates a customer ID and transmits it to the requesting terminal, upon receiving the customer ID (step A6), the customer ID is printed on a card sheet and a customer card is issued (step A6). Steps A7 and A8). Then, a deposit message prompting for deposit is displayed (step A9), and the presence or absence of deposit is checked (step A10). If there is no deposit, the screen returns to the initial menu screen (step A1). When cash is inserted (step A12), the deposit amount is calculated (step A13), a deposit request is made to the center (step A14), and the customer ID and the deposit amount are transmitted (step A15), and the initial menu screen is displayed. Return (step A1).

On the other hand, when the center receives a request for account registration from the terminal, a new customer registration process is performed in response to the request. That is, in a state of waiting for a request from a terminal (step B1 in FIG. 8), when an account registration request is received (step B2), customer data transmitted from the terminal is received (step B3), and ID
(Step B4), and customer data and customer
ID is newly registered in the customer management table VM (step B
5). Then, after transmitting the automatically generated customer ID to the requesting terminal (step B6), it waits for the next request (step B1). If there is a deposit request from the terminal (steps B1, B7), the customer ID transmitted from the terminal,
The deposit amount is received (step B8), the customer management table VM is searched based on the customer ID, the deposit amount is added to the corresponding customer-specific savings amount, and the renewal is performed (step B9).

[0017] After the new customer registration, the customer can pay at any time from any terminal. In this case, when the menu item “Payment” is selected from the initial menu screen of the terminal (steps A2 and A3 in FIG. 5), the customer
Since a message prompting the input of the ID is displayed, when the customer ID is input in response (step A11), the flow waits for cash input (step A12). Here, when the cash is inserted, similarly to the payment processing at the time of new customer registration, the above-described step A13 is performed as the payment processing on the terminal side.
To A15 are executed, and the above-described steps B7 to B9 are executed as the deposit processing on the center side.

When the menu item "image printing" is selected from the initial menu screen of the terminal (steps A2 and A3), an image printing menu is displayed (step A16 in FIG. 6). On this menu screen, items of "memory card" and "image extra" are displayed. When an arbitrary menu item is selected from the items (step A17), the selected item is determined (step A18). Now, when the item "memory card" is selected, if a memory card CF as an image supply medium is mounted, the image data is read out from the card and sampled and displayed (step A19). When a desired image is selected as a print target or a print size is selected from the sample display (step A20), a print fee according to the number of selected images and the print size is calculated and displayed (step A20).
21), a message prompting input of the customer ID is displayed,
When the customer ID is input in response to this (step A2)
2) A request is made to the center to transmit the savings amount for each customer (step A23), and the inputted customer ID is transmitted to wait for the savings amount to be received (steps A24 and A2).
5).

When the center receives the money request from the terminal (steps B1 and B1 in FIG. 8).
0), receiving the customer ID (step B11), searching the customer management table VM based on the customer ID, reading the savings amount corresponding to the customer (step B12), and transmitting the savings amount to the requesting terminal (step B12). Step B13). Here, when the terminal requesting the amount receives the savings amount for each customer from the center (step 25 in FIG. 6), the calculated amount (the current printing fee) and the received amount (the savings amount for the customer) are determined. A comparison is made to determine whether the received amount is less than the calculated amount (step A26). If the received amount is less than the calculated amount, a message indicating a balance shortage is displayed (step A2).
7). Then, the screen returns to the initial menu screen (step A).
1) When the item of “payment” is selected, the above-mentioned payment processing is executed (steps A11 to A15).

If it is determined in the above-mentioned amount comparing step A26 that the received amount is equal to or larger than the calculated amount, a transmission request for the image to be printed this time, that is, a storage request for requesting storage of the transmitted image. To the center (step A28), and among the images selected for printing together with the customer ID, image data is extracted for each image and sequentially transmitted to the center, and each image selected for printing is selected. Until all the images have been printed, high-quality image printing is performed for each image (steps A29 to A33). At that time, the center side automatically generates and transmits a reprint number for each image, and receives it (step A).
31), a reprint number is printed on the back side of the image printing paper (step A32). FIG. 11 shows the state when transmitting an image.
This is a diagram illustrating the exchange of data between a terminal and a center and the processing contents of the terminal and the center at that time.

On receiving the image transmission request from the terminal (step B14 in FIG. 9), the center receives the image data transmitted together with the customer ID from the terminal (step B15). Then, a reprint number corresponding to the image is automatically generated (step B16). In this case, for example, an additional number is generated based on the serial number or the customer ID. Then, the customer-specific record corresponding to the customer is searched from the customer management table VM, and the additional number is additionally registered in the record (step B).
17) The received image is stored and stored in the storage image file KP in association with the reprint number (step B18).
Further, the automatically generated reprint number is transmitted to the requesting terminal (step B19). Such image storage processing,
This is repeated every time image data is transmitted for each image from the terminal.

When the printing for the print target is completed in this way, the terminal proceeds to step A43 in FIG. 7, and checks whether there is any defective printing or unprintable during the current printing. Here, “printing impossible” indicates a case of running out of paper or ink, and a bad printing is a case where the printing state is poor, and each terminal is provided with a faulty printing detection function. This defective print detection function is based on, for example, uneven color or brightness.
If the image could not be printed with high quality, or if the image was printed in a state of being inclined with respect to the paper even in high quality printing, "wrinkles" would occur on the paper when feeding the paper.
Detects bad prints such as when
Defective printing is detected by reading each printing result after printing the image. That is, the detection of such defective printing can be realized by reading a print image of an image printed by optical scanning with an image scanner and analyzing the read result.

If defective printing or non-printing is included in the current printing, actual printing is performed by subtracting the defective printing or non-printable image printing fee from the printing fee calculated in step A21. The actual printing fee is calculated (step A44). Then, the current printing fee is subtracted from the received amount (the savings amount for each customer) to obtain the balance amount (step A45), and a request for updating the savings amount for each customer is made to the center (step A46). And the balance amount are transmitted to the center (step A47). Then, when the center receives a request for updating the amount of savings (balance update request) from the terminal (step B2 in FIG. 9).
2) receiving the customer ID and the balance amount transmitted from the terminal (step B23), searching for the savings amount based on the customer ID, and replacing the corresponding savings amount for each customer with the balance amount; The savings amount is updated (step B24).

On the other hand, when an "image print" item is selected from the initial menu screen of an arbitrary terminal and then "print" is selected from the image print menu (FIG. 6).
Steps A17 and A18), image reprinting processing is executed. That is, when the customer ID is input and the reprint number printed on the back side of the image printout is input (step A34 in FIG. 7), the terminal issues a reprint request to the center (step A35), and the inputted customer The ID and the reprint number are transmitted to the center (step A3)
6). When the center receives a reprint request from any terminal (step B25 in FIG. 9), it receives the customer ID and the reprint number transmitted from the terminal (step B26), and adds the customer ID and the reprint number to the customer ID and the reprint number. Search for the amount of savings based on that, read out the corresponding stored image,
The savings amount for each customer is read (step B27). Then, the storage image and the savings amount for each customer are transmitted to the requesting terminal (step B28).

Then, the terminal that has issued the reprint request receives the storage image transmitted from the center and the savings amount for each customer (step A37 in FIG. 7), and then calculates the printing fee for the reprint. The fee is compared with the received amount (saving amount for each customer) (step A38). Here, if the received amount is less than the calculated fee, a message indicating that the balance is insufficient is displayed (step A40), and the screen returns to the initial menu (step A1). The printed image is printed, and the reprint number input in step A34 is printed on the back surface (step A39). Then, when the reprinting is to be continued, an instruction to that effect is input (step A41), and the input of the next reprint is accepted (step A34). Here, when the customer ID and the reprint number of the next image are input, the above operation is repeated. As a result, when all reprints are completed, the actual charge calculation process similar to the above is performed, and then the balance amount process is performed.

As described above, in this embodiment,
A wide-area communication system in which a plurality of image printing and vending machines PT are connected to the sales management apparatus MT via a network MW is constructed, and the sales management apparatus MT has a customer management table VM for storing and managing the savings amount for each customer. Then, when a customer ID is input from the image printing vending machine at the time of image printing, a customer-specific savings amount corresponding to the customer ID is searched from the customer management table VM, and a customer-specified saving amount within the range of the customer-specific savings amount is retrieved. In addition to printing the image data, the printing fee for the customer is deducted from the savings amount for each customer and the savings amount for each customer is updated, so how much printing fee is required when using an image printing vending machine? It is not necessary to be conscious of whether or not your money is sufficient, and if it is a networked vending machine, use that vending machine within the savings amount that the customer has deposited Thus, the desired image printed matter can be immediately obtained even if the user has a shortage of money, and an increase in profit can also be expected on the side of managing the vending machine.

When the registration of a new customer is instructed, the image printing and vending machine PT transmits the registration instruction to the management device to make a request for registration of the new customer. A customer ID is generated based on the new customer registration request, newly registered in the customer management table VM, transmitted to the vending machine that has issued the request, and the vending machine receiving the customer ID records the customer ID. Since the card is issued, the user can print an image within the range of the savings amount for each customer simply by inputting the customer ID described on the customer card without having cash.

Further, the image printing and vending machine PT transmits the deposit amount input together with the customer ID to the sales management device MT to make a request for updating the savings amount for each customer. Customer management table VM based on
And the deposit amount is added to the customer's savings amount corresponding to the customer, and the customer's savings amount is updated, so that customers can deposit at any time and from any vending machine, not only when printing images Becomes In addition, when deducting the image printing fee of the customer from the savings amount for each customer, only the printing fee for the images that can be printed normally is removed, excluding the defective image, so that the reliability of the customer is reduced. Increase, leading to trouble prevention.

The sales management apparatus MT stores the printed image data printed by the image printing and vending machine in association with the reprint number as the image identification information, and requests the image printing and vending machine to request an image reprint. When there is a customer, the requested stored image is transmitted to the requester together with the customer-specific savings amount corresponding to the customer, so the image printing and vending machine prints the image data within the range of the customer-specific savings amount. It is possible to do. Therefore, when performing image reprints, it is not necessary to select the images to be reprinted one by one in front of the vending machine, and if the customer ID and the reprint number are notified to a third party by telephone or e-mail, ,
There is no need to distribute the printed image to each person by mail or the like. In this case, the sales management apparatus MT automatically generates a reprint number and sends it to the requesting image print vending machine, and the image print vending machine prints the reprint number on the back surface of the image print. The stored image and the printed image can be easily associated with the additional print number.

Note that the customer management table VM is searched,
The updating process of the savings amount may be performed on the image printing / vending machine PT side. Also, in one embodiment described above,
Although a customer card is issued when a new customer is registered, a customer ID may be written in the memory card CF. Further, when a portable information device CR is mounted as an image supply medium instead of the memory card CF, a customer ID may be written in the portable information device CR. Further, the above-described defective print detection function may be provided in the sales management device MT to detect the defective print detection at the time of image transmission.

The photographed image is not limited to an image photographed by a digital still camera, but may be a still image of one frame or a continuous image of several frames arbitrarily designated among moving images photographed by a digital video camera. May be decomposed and extracted one image at a time at a predetermined timing to perform high-quality printing.

Further, the image externally supplied from the customer is not limited to the photographed image, but may be an image read by an image scanner. An image may be printed on the surface of the type information device. In addition to printing and selling images externally supplied from an image supply medium owned by a customer, printing and selling of copyrighted images, that is, printing and selling of character images and original images prepared in advance for a fee are also required. You may.

[0033]

According to the present invention, it is not necessary to be conscious of how much a printing fee is required when using an image printing vending machine and whether or not the current money is sufficient. If the customer can use the vending machine within the range of the savings amount that the customer has deposited, in addition to being able to immediately obtain the desired image printed matter even if the money is insufficient,
The management of vending machines can also be expected to increase profits.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an image printing and vending machine.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an image printing and selling system having a plurality of image printing and selling machines and a sales management device communicatively connected to each image printing and selling machine.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a data structure of a customer management table VM provided in the sales management device MT.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an image printing / vending machine PT and a sales management device MT.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image printing / vending machine PT.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image printing and selling machine PT following FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image printing and selling machine PT following FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the sales management device MT.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the sales management apparatus MT following FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a diagram for graphically explaining the transfer of data between a terminal and a center and the contents of processing on the center side at the time of new customer registration.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for schematically explaining the transfer of data between the terminal and the center and the processing contents on the terminal side and the center side at the time of image transmission.

[Explanation of symbols]

 PT image printing and vending machine MT sales management device MW network network VM customer management table KP storage image file CF memory card 11 CPU 12 storage device 13 recording medium 15 transmission control unit 16 input unit 17 display unit 18 image printing unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 3E044 AA01 BA04 DA05 DC01 DE01 DE07 5B021 AA30 NN18 5B049 BB61 CC09 CC36 DD00 DD04 FF02 GG02

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An image printing and selling system comprising a plurality of image printing and selling machines for printing and selling image data, and a sales managing device communicatively connected to each image printing and selling machine. A customer management information storage means for storing and managing the savings amount for each customer in accordance with the customer identification information; an input means for inputting customer identification information from an image printing and vending machine; Charge calculating means for calculating a printing charge to be charged, and searching means for searching the customer management information storage means for a customer-specific savings amount corresponding to the customer based on the customer identification information input by the input means, The savings amount updating unit updates the savings amount by customer by deducting the printing fee for the customer calculated by the fee calculating unit from the savings amount by customer searched by the searching unit. Image printing sales system characterized by and means, and so as to print the image data of the customer specified in the range of customer-specific savings amount found by said searching means. 2. An image printing and vending machine sends a registration instruction to a management device when a registration of a new customer is instructed, and makes a request for registration of a new customer. The customer identification information is generated based on the customer's registration request and newly registered in the customer-specific management information storage means, and the newly registered customer identification information is provided to the customer as customer-specific information. Wherein the image is transmitted to an image printing and vending machine.
The image printing and selling system described in 1. 3. The image printing and vending machine issues a customer card recording customer identification information transmitted from a sales management device in response to the new customer registration request. 2. The image printing and selling system according to 2. 4. The image printing and vending machine transmits the deposit amount input together with the customer identification information to the sales management device and requests the customer management device to update the customer-specific savings amount. The management information storage means for each customer is searched based on the request for updating the amount, and the savings amount for each customer is updated by adding the deposit amount to the savings amount for each customer corresponding to the customer. The image printing and selling system according to claim 1. 5. An image printing and vending machine has a discriminating means for discriminating whether or not image data selected as an image to be printed has been normally printed, and said savings amount updating means includes means for updating a savings amount for each customer. When the image printing fee of the customer is deducted, only the printing fee for the image that can be normally printed is deducted except for the image that is determined to be defective or unprintable by the determination unit. The image printing and selling system according to claim 1, wherein 6. A sales management device stores and manages printed image data printed by an image printing vending machine and its image identification information in association with the customer identification information. The image identification information and the customer identification information input to request reprinting of a printed image printed by the image printing vending machine are transmitted to the sales management device, and the management device responds to the customer accordingly. 2. An image printing / sales system according to claim 1, wherein printed image data transmitted together with said customer-specific savings amount is received, and said image data is printed within a range of said customer-specific savings amount. . 7. The sales management apparatus generates image identification information of printed image data printed by an image printing vending machine for each image, stores and manages the image identification information in association with the printed image data, and generates the image identification information. The image identification information is transmitted to the image printing vending machine that is the print request source of the image, and the image printing vending machine receiving the image identification information prints the image identification information at a predetermined position of the image print. 7. The image printing and selling system according to claim 6, wherein: 8. A recording medium having a computer readable program code, wherein the computer readable program code for calculating a printing fee charged according to printing of customer-specified image data, and a sales management device The customer management information storage means for storing and managing the savings amount for each customer in accordance with the customer identification information, based on the customer identification information input from the image printing vending machine, and searching for the customer corresponding to the customer. A computer readable program code for acquiring a different savings amount, and a computer readable program code for updating the savings amount for each customer by deducting the calculated printing fee for the customer from the retrieved savings amount for each customer. And print the customer-specified image data within the range of the searched customer-specific savings amount. Computer recording medium having a program code readable.