JP2002092352A - Intermediary server of image information, and recording medium with its program recorded on it - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an intermediary server of image information to immediately serve image information intermediately through a network, and a storage medium with its program recorded on it. SOLUTION: A person who wishes to purchase a photographic image is registered in a server 2 as a purchasing member by a reader terminal 4 through a network 1. Based on this, the server 2 makes a file for destinations of distribution by genre and a file for the destinations of distribution. A person who wishes to provide a photographic image is registered in the server 2 as a providing member by a user terminal 3 through the network 1. Based on this, the sever 2 makes a file for the providing members. The person who wishes to provide the photographic image sends it to the site of the user 2 when he photographs a picture that seems to have a news value and asks for publication. Based on this, the server 2 makes an image control file while publishing it on a page for reader members, and distributes the publication to the destinations relevant to the genre of the image. The person who wishes to purchase the image reads the published page of the image and makes a purchase contract if he likes it.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image information mediation server for mediating image information via a network in a timely manner, and a recording medium storing the program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, newsworthy photographs taken by ordinary people by chance are sent to newspaper companies or publishers of news magazines, and these are sometimes adopted and published in newspapers or magazines.

[0003]

However, since news photos are required to be immediate, an ordinary person who accidentally took such a photo develops the photo and selects an appropriate destination for the photo. However, the procedure for mailing the photograph to the selected destination is inconvenient, time-consuming and troublesome, and time-consuming.

Also, it takes a certain amount of time for a sent photo to be noticed by the editor of the destination, and if such time has passed, depending on the content of the photo, it may be worthwhile to report. May be faded, and there may be inconveniences such as the fact that a photograph with a special angle is useless.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image information mediation server that mediates image information with a timeliness via a network.

[0006]

The construction of the image information mediating system and its server according to the present invention will be described below.
First, the image information mediation server according to the first aspect of the present invention includes: a first receiving unit that receives at least image information transmitted from a plurality of image providers via a network; Storage means for storing the received image information, publishing means for publishing the image information on a Web page, and second reception for receiving a license request for the image information from a plurality of purchasers of the image information Means,
Notifying the pre-registered image purchaser that the posting means has posted the image information on the Web page, and when the image purchaser requests permission to use the image information, Transmitting means for transmitting the information to the image purchase applicant.

Next, the image information mediation server according to the second aspect of the present invention is a receiving means for receiving the image information transmitted from the terminal together with the additional information of the image information, and receiving the image information received by the receiving means. Generating means for generating the posted web page, notifying means for notifying a pre-registered distribution destination that the image information has been posted on the web page generated by the generating means, and requesting a license from the transmission destination Transmitting means for transmitting the image information to the transmission destination.

In the image information mediation server, the additional information includes image genre information for classifying the image information, and stores the distribution destination classified by the image genre information. The storage device further includes a storage unit. Further, the recording medium according to claim 4 has a function of causing the first receiving means to receive at least the image information transmitted from the plurality of image providers together with the additional information of the image information via the network. A function of storing the image information and the additional information in a storage unit, a function of posting the image information on a Web page by a posting unit, and a request for a license to use the image information from a plurality of users who want to use the image information. A function of notifying the image use applicant registered in advance that the image information has been posted on the Web page by the publication means, and a function of notifying the image use applicant of the image use request. A function for transmitting a request for use of the image information to a person who wants to use the image, and a function for controlling a server. Reading by a computer which records a gram is a recording medium capable.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of an image information mediation system according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, this image information mediation system (hereinafter, referred to as the present system) includes an image information mediation server 2 connected to a network 1 such as the Internet.
, A user terminal 3 (3-1, 3-2,...), Which is also connected to the network 1 and has a network browsing browser and is generally called a client, and is a terminal of an image provider.
・) And company terminal 4 which is the terminal of the company which wants to use the image
(4-1, 4-2,...).

The above terminal device is, for example, a terminal device of a home type such as a personal computer (personal computer) and a terminal dedicated to the Internet, or a mobile terminal device such as an electronic organizer, a mobile phone, and a microcomputer. LAN
Any terminal, such as a terminal, having an environment in which a digital photograph can be attached to an e-mail and sent can be used. Although not shown, these terminals are connected to the network 1 by a telephone line via a telephone station, a wireless line via a wireless base station, a satellite communication line via an artificial satellite, a CATV, or the like. .

Further, the image information mediation server 2 (device)
Equipped with functions of a Web server and a management server, a member file database, an image management file database, a distribution destination file database by genre, which will be described in detail later,
And a storage device 5 (5-1, 5-2, 5-3, 5-
4) is provided. The management server manages new registration, update, and the like of each file database in each storage device 5.

Further, the image information mediation server 2 has opened a news photo site by a Web server, and the Web server operates in cooperation with a user terminal 3 which is a client terminal or a network browsing browser of a company terminal 4. FIG.
(a) is a diagram showing a data configuration of the member file database, and (b) is a diagram showing a data configuration of the image management file database. As shown in FIG. 1A, each member file 7 (7-1, 7-2, 7-3,...) Constituting the member file database 6 has a member name column, a login ID / password column. , A contact column, an image file link column, and the like.

In the member name column, the name of a provider of a pre-registered photo image (hereinafter simply referred to as an image) is described, and in the login ID / password column, the name assigned to the image provider is described. Login ID and password are described. In the contact column, a home telephone number, a mobile phone number, a FAX number, an E-mail address, and the like of the image provider are described. In the image file link destination column, the image provided by the image provider is described. The same figure storing data
The link information of the image management file 9 shown in (b) is described.

Each image management file 9 (9-1, 9-) constituting the image management file database 8 shown in FIG.
, 9-3,...) Are provided with an image column, a genre column, a comment column, a posting date / time column, a desired price column, an image password column, a license destination column, a consideration column, a posting URL column, and the like.

In the image column, image data is stored. In the genre column, for example, sports, entertainment,
Genres such as traffic accidents and general rarity are described. The comment column describes a comment from the image provider on the image content. The posting date and time column describes the date and time of posting on the Web page. In the desired price column, a desired provided price from the image provider is described. The image password field stores a predetermined password for transmitting the image data to the user who wants to use the image data.

In the permission destination column, a destination where the use of the image is permitted, that is, the name of the photograph purchaser is described. The price column describes the image usage price that is finally concluded between the photograph purchaser and the operator of this system. And, in the posted URL field, the We that this image is posted
Stores the address of page b.

FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a data structure of a genre-based distribution destination file database, and FIG.
It is a figure showing the data composition of a distribution place file database. As shown in FIG. 1A, the genre-specific distribution destination files 11 (11-1, 11-2, 11-3,...) Constituting the genre-specific distribution file database 10 include a genre column, Each data description column of the distribution destination name column is provided.

The genre column describes genre names such as sports, performing arts, and traffic accidents, and the distribution destination name column describes the names of distribution destinations corresponding to the genre names in the genre column. For example, if the genre name in the genre column is "sports", the distribution destination name column contains the distribution destinations of newspapers or magazines such as "XX Daily" and "@Sports" that specialize in sports-related articles. The name is described.

A distribution destination file 13 (13-) constituting the distribution destination file database 12 shown in FIG.
1, 13-2, 13-3,...) Have respective data description columns such as a distribution destination name column, a distribution destination column, a login ID / password column, and a purchase history column. In the delivery destination name column, a purchaser who has purchased the image, for example, a company name such as XX Daily Report, ΔSports, etc., and a personal name are described. The delivery address column describes the delivery address to the viewer. The login ID / password field stores a predetermined login ID and password when accessing this system to have the viewer distribute the purchased image data. In addition, the purchase history column contains the image purchase history of this company,
For example, a purchase date and time, a purchase price, and the like are described.

FIG. 4 shows that a person who intends to provide a photograph
Image information mediation server 2 of the present system by user terminal 3
10 is a flowchart for explaining a processing operation when a member is registered by connecting to the Internet. In the following description, a Web page constituting a site is referred to as a page.

First, a system user (hereinafter simply referred to as a user) using the present system accesses a news photograph site of an image information mediation server (hereinafter simply referred to as a server) 2 from a user terminal 3 (step U01). In response to this connection, the server 2 launches an initial screen page of the news photo site and transmits the initial screen to the user terminal 3 (step S01). The user terminal 3 displays the initial screen on a display device (not shown) (step U0).
2).

Although not specifically shown in this initial screen,
For example, a page of a news photo site entitled “You are also a correspondent” is displayed on the display screen of the user terminal 3.
This page displays a message for inquiring the user of the user terminal 3 whether to register as a member and a button for selecting whether or not to register the member. Although not used here, a message for inquiring whether to request the posting of an image and a button for selecting whether or not to request the image are displayed, and a text for inquiring whether to browse the image for the image purchaser. And a button for selecting whether or not to view the page.

Here, when the user presses (clicks, the same applies hereinafter) the selectable button (step U03),
The page has changed, and this page contains a member name input window, login ID / password input window, contact information input window, digital camera model used, transfer of usage rights for correspondent information (image), etc.
The contract terms with the site creator of the system are displayed. Then, a registration button is displayed at an appropriate position at the bottom of the screen.

The user first approves the contract terms such as the transfer of the right to use the correspondent information (image), and then enters the login ID.
/ Enter the login ID and password appropriately set in the password input window (step U04), then enter your name in the member name input window, and further enter your home phone number, mobile phone number, Enter appropriate contact information such as FAX number, E-mail address, etc. (Step U0
5). And confirm that there is no mistake in the above input,
By pressing the register button, the input data is transmitted to the server 2 (step U06).

The server 2 stores the transmitted user input data as a new member file 7 in the member file database 6 of the storage device 5-1 (step S0).
2). Thereby, the user is registered as a member. In this example, even if the user performs “member registration” in this way, and in the processing after the registration, the user is not charged a system usage fee or the like.

The data of the genre-specific distribution destination file 11 of the genre-specific distribution destination file database 10 shown in FIG. 3A and the data of the distribution destination file 13 of the distribution destination database 12 shown in FIG. A user who wishes to purchase (use) a desired image is registered in advance in the server 2 of the present system by a processing method similar to the above-described user registration processing. Hereinafter, such a member who desires to purchase an image (a member of a mass media such as a newspaper company who browses a newly arrived image page of the site of the present system) is simply referred to as a viewer.

The operator of this system (site creator) collects a member registration fee (image viewing contract fee) from the viewer at the time of registration of the viewer. Also, at the time of image purchase confirmation to be described later, a brokerage fee is collected from the purchaser.
As a result, the operation of this system can be continued.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation relating to the process of requesting the posting of an image on a site by the user who has registered as a member. In this process,
The user accesses a news photo site of the server 2 from the user terminal 3 when a photo deemed to be newsworthy such as an accident, an incident, a rare natural phenomenon, or a sport is taken (step U101).

Hereinafter, the processing of steps U101 and U102 performed by the user terminal 3 and the processing of step S101 performed by the server 2 are performed by the server 2 at the first steps U01 and U02 performed by the user terminal 3 shown in FIG. This is the same processing as the processing in step S01.

That is, in step U102 of FIG.
A message for inquiring of the membership registration and its selection button and a text for inquiring of the image posting request and its selection button are displayed. When the user presses the selection button for requesting image posting (step U103), a page for inputting a login ID and a password is displayed. Then, the user inputs a login ID and a password (step U104). Server 2 uses its login I
In order to determine whether D and the password are registered, the member file database 6 of the storage device 5-1 shown in FIG. 2A is checked (step S10).
2).

As a result of the collation, the member file database 6
If the member file 7 of the login ID and password that matches the entered login ID and password is not found (No in S102), a message is displayed on the user terminal 3 to re-enter the login ID and password (step U105). ). On this display screen, for example, a message "Input is incorrect. Do you want to re-enter?", And a "re-input selection" button and a "return" button are displayed.

When the user presses the "re-input selection" button,
The page for inputting the login ID and the password is displayed again, and the correct login ID and the password are input and transmitted (again, step U104), and the login ID and the password registered by the server 2 are verified. Is confirmed (S102 is OK), the image posting form is transmitted to the user terminal 3 (step S103). Then, the image posting form is displayed on the user terminal 3 (step U106).

Here, the user copies the image of the photographed image into the displayed image posting form (step U107), the genre of the image, a brief press comment, the photographing date and time, the offer price, and the image. Attach additional information such as a password (step U108), and transmit these data to the server 2 (step U109). Upon receiving this transmission, the server 2 executes image processing (step S104).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for further explaining the above image processing. In the figure, first, the image data and the additional information transmitted from the user are received (step S104-1). Subsequently, the login ID included in the additional information of the user, collated in the previous step S102
The member file 7 of the member file database 6 having the login ID and the password that matches the password is read out, and the image management file 9 of the image management file database 8 specified by the image file link destination is read.
Then, the image data and the additional information transmitted from the user are stored (step S104-2).

Next, based on the received image data, a reduced image or an image obtained by synthesizing the copyright notice is generated (step S104-3), and an HTML sentence including the generated image is generated (step S104-3). Step S104-
4). Based on the generated HTML sentence, the contents of the URL page in which the image is posted on the site of the system are stored in the URL column of the image management file 9 (step S104-5).

Next, the genre of this image is read from the genre column of the image management file 9 and the corresponding distribution destination name of the genre is read from the genre distribution destination file 11 of the genre-specific distribution destination database 10 ( Step S104-6), the distribution destination (distribution destination address) of the read distribution destination name is stored in the distribution destination database 12
Of the genre, comment, photographing date and time, desired price, publication URL, and image password in the image management file 9 to the read distribution destination (step S104).
-7).

As a result, the above-described image information is transmitted to all the registered viewers who wish to purchase (use) the image of the genre. FIGS. 7 and 8 are flowcharts for explaining a response by the viewer who has received the transmission of the image information and a process related to image purchase. First, in FIG. 7, the viewer photo terminal 4 of the viewer (hereinafter, also referred to as a purchaser or a purchaser) accesses the news photo site of the server 2 (step U201).

On the other hand, the server 2 sets up an initial screen of the news photo site and transmits the initial screen to the viewer (step S201). The viewer terminal 4 displays the initial screen on a display device (not shown) (step U20).
2). As described above, this initial screen includes a user member registration selection button and an image posting request selection button,
A browse selection button by an image purchase applicant is displayed.

Here, when the viewer presses the browse selection button, a login ID and password input screen is displayed, and the user inputs the login ID and password (step U).
202). The entered login ID and password are transmitted to the server 2. The server 2 checks whether or not the login ID and the password are registered in the login ID / password field of the delivery destination file 13 of the delivery destination database 12 (step S202). If the matching is not possible (No in S202). Informing the viewer terminal 4 that an incorrect login ID and password have been entered, and prompting the user to re-enter the login ID and password, but if the collation result is correct (S202: O
K), transmitting an image password input screen. As a result, an image password input screen is displayed on the viewer terminal 4, and the image password is input (step U20).
3) Subsequently, the distributed posting URL is input (designated) to the address bar of the screen (step U20).
4).

The server 2 checks the input image password against the image management file database 8 and checks whether it matches the image password of the image management file 9 previously distributed (step S203). If they do not match (No in S203), the image password input screen is transmitted again to urge the viewer terminal 4 to re-enter the password,
If the input image password matches the image password of the distribution image management file 9 (S203 is O
K), and transmits the posted URL page to the viewer terminal 4 (step S204). Then, posted on the viewer terminal 4 U
The RL page is displayed (Step U205). Then, the viewer browses whether the desired image is present on the posted URL page.

Subsequently, in FIG. 8, if there is a desired image to be purchased, the viewer designates the image to be purchased (step U206), and inputs the purchase price into a predetermined data input area on the screen. (Step U207), and press the enter button or the like to transmit the above input (Step U207).
208).

In response to this transmission, the server 2 transmits an e-mail to the contact information in the member file 7 of the user providing the image. This email contains at least the name of the purchased image, the name of the purchaser, and the desired purchase price (step S205). Then, when the server 2 receives an e-mail from the user indicating that the purchase request is granted (step S206), the server 2 notifies the viewer of the permission (step S207). Upon receiving the notification, the purchase is determined (step U209),
Data indicating an application for purchase is input into a predetermined data input area on the screen, and an application for purchase of the image is made (step U210).

The server 2 determines whether the image has not been purchased by the viewer (the transmission of this application is the first transmission and the transmission is not duplicated) (step S208). ), If not purchased (S208)
Is Yes), and performs a settlement process (step S21).
0), the image is transmitted to the distribution destination registered in the distribution destination file 13 of the viewer (step S211).

Then, the server 2 sends the destination file 13
The purchase history data in the purchase history column is updated (step S2).
12), in the image management file 9 of the image in the image management file database 8, write the purchase price in the price column, write the name of the purchaser in the license destination column, and put the URL and image password The data is deleted from the column (step S213). In addition, the URL
Is deleted (step S21).
4), this series of processing ends.

As described above, in this system, the server 2 publishes news photographs provided by the user on the page of the site, and notifies the purchaser of the presence of the new photograph by e-mail or the like. To provide and purchase photos. In the above-described embodiment, the user is notified of the desired purchase price from the viewer to obtain the permission of the user. However, the system operator (site opener) acts as a proxy for the user to perform browsing. The contract may be performed on behalf of the purchaser by judging the desired purchase conditions.

When a plurality of purchasers request a license, a bid system may be used so that only one licensee can receive the license and a higher fee can be received. Also,
If the purchaser asks for more detailed information for a photo of particular interest, a mediation may be provided so that the purchaser can directly contact the user who provided the photo.

In this case, the system operator (site opener) is required to pay an option price to the system operator regardless of whether a contract has been established between the purchaser and the user. The user may be notified of the user's mail address, telephone number, and the like. Thereafter, when a photo purchase contract is established between the purchase applicant and the user, payment may be executed from the purchaser to the site opener and from the site opener to the user.

The image data as described above is digital data and can be modified relatively easily.
If such modified image data appears, the reliability of the image provided by the user from the mass media decreases.

In order to prevent such a situation, "digital watermark" for assuring that the image was taken by the digital camera is embedded in the image data taken by the digital camera. Good. Then, when the image data is modified even a little, the digital watermark is erased and the digital watermark is not restored. It is preferable that the digital watermark can be easily confirmed by a utility corresponding to the digital camera. Alternatively, the image data may be declared on the image as digital watermarked image data so that the image data can be sold at a higher price.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the viewer of a plurality of contract members is the purchaser for an unspecified number of users, but the relationship between the user and the viewer is not limited to this. For example, there are users who have a specific contract, such as those who take news photos as professionals, or who like or dislike mass media and want to provide photos only to the identified mass media. I can imagine. Similarly, the viewer side may be, for example, a famous news photographer, and in these cases, the setting of the contract fee varies in each case.

A mobile phone function is added to the digital camera, and a destination is stored in advance. When a shutter is pressed by the digital camera, an image taken at this time is stored in advance. You may make it transmit to a transmission destination automatically. In this case, incorporating the transmission format into the digital camera in advance is effective in the case where immediacy such as news photo is required.

[0052]

According to the present invention, a Web page on which the received image information is posted is generated, and the fact that the image information has been posted is notified to a pre-registered distribution destination.
The photographed image information can be immediately posted on the Web page, and further, the distribution destination can be notified that the photographed image information has been posted on the Web page, and the viewer can judge the newsworthiness of the image information, If it is good, since it can be purchased immediately, there is an advantage that immediacy and high freshness image information can be obtained at a reasonable price as mass media.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of an image information mediation system according to an embodiment.

2A is a diagram showing a data configuration of a member file database of a server of the image information mediation system, and FIG. 2B is a diagram showing a data configuration of an image management file database.

3A is a diagram showing a data configuration of a distribution destination file database by genre of a server of the image information mediation system, and FIG. 3B is a diagram showing a data configuration of a distribution destination file database in the same manner.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing operation when a user who is a general system user who intends to provide a photograph connects to an image information mediation server with a user terminal and registers as a member.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation related to a process of requesting posting of an image to a site by a user who has registered as a member.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart further illustrating image processing based on an image transmitted from a user.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart (part 1) for explaining a response by a viewer who has received the transmission of image information and a process related to image purchase.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart (part 2) for explaining a response by the viewer who has received the transmission of the image information and a process related to the image purchase.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Network Network 2 Image Information Intermediary Server 3 (3-1, 3-2, ...) User Terminal 4 (4-1, 4-2, ...) Viewer Terminal 5 (5-1, 5-2) , 5-3, 5-4) Storage device 6 Member file database 7 (7-1, 7-2, 7-3, ...) Member file 8 Image management file database 9 (9-1, 9-2, 9-3,...) Image management file 10 Distribution destination file database by genre 11 (11-1, 11-2, 11-3,...) Distribution destination file by genre 12 Distribution file database 13 (13- 1, 13-2, 13-3, ...) Distribution destination file

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A first method for receiving at least image information transmitted from a plurality of image providers via a network.
Receiving means; storing means for storing the image information received by the first receiving means; posting means for posting the image information on a Web page; and a plurality of image information from a plurality of purchasers of the image information. Second receiving means for receiving a license request for information; and notifying the pre-registered image purchase applicant that the posting means has posted the image information on the web page. And a transmission means for transmitting the image information to the image purchaser when a license to use the image information is requested from the server. 2. Receiving means for receiving image information transmitted from a terminal together with additional information of the image information, generating means for generating a Web page on which the image information received by the receiving means is written, and generating means Notification means for notifying a distribution destination registered in advance that the image information has been posted on the Web page generated by the transmission means, and transmission means for transmitting the image information requested to be used by the transmission destination to the transmission destination, An image information mediation server comprising: 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the additional information includes image genre information for classifying the image information, and further includes a storage unit for storing the distribution destination classified by the image genre information. Or the image information mediation server described in 2. 4. A function of causing a first receiving unit to receive at least image information transmitted from a plurality of image providers via a network together with additional information of the image information, and a function of receiving the image information and the additional information. A function of storing information in a storage unit; a function of posting the image information on a Web page by a posting unit; and a second receiving unit of a license request for the image information from a plurality of users who want to use the image information. A function of notifying the registered user of the use of the image that the publishing unit has posted the image information on the Web page, and a license of the image information from the user of the image. When requested, a function of transmitting the image information to the person who wants to use the image, a function of controlling a server including: a program for executing Readings can recording medium by a computer.