JP2004157655A - Electronic publishing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a publishing of contents fit for user's desire on the date a user desires, and to inform the user of completion of printing and bookbinding of the publication. <P>SOLUTION: A management device 50 is connected to publishing company servers respectively installed in publishing companies A, B, C, previously acquires electronic data on placed articles of published magazines of the respective companies from the respective publishing companies, and stores the electronic data. The user accesses a Web site provided by the management device 50 by use of a cellphone 30, inputs a reception-desiring article and the reception date, and transmits the article and the date to the management device 50. An image forming apparatus 10 receives provision article information based on the reception-desiring article from the management device 50, and executes the printing and the bookbinding of the received provision article information by the reception date the user desires. The management device 50 informs the user of the completion of the printing and the bookbinding by electronic mail. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electronic publishing system.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, services called POD (Print On Demand) and BOD (Book On Demand) have become widespread. The POD / BOD service is, for example, a publication that manages digitized publication data such as articles and novels in magazines in a database or the like, prints and binds the required number of copies according to the user's request, and provides it. Service.
[0003]
That is, since the method is provided by printing and binding each time according to the user's request, the method can be surely provided to the user. There is no need to have a stock, which is caused by the stock or return of the publication. It has the advantage of being able to reduce costs, and is a service suitable for providing a small number of publications, for example.
[0004]
By the way, when a book includes a plurality of works, some users desire to purchase only a part of the works in the book. In some cases, a user wants to collect a plurality of specific works. However, in book sales, when a book includes a plurality of copyrighted works, the user is obliged to purchase a copyrighted work that does not fit his or her taste.
[0005]
Therefore, an automatic book publishing system has been proposed in which books can be searched for by book title, author, publisher, and field, and only the copyrighted work desired by the user can be edited or the desired binding can be made. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1). According to this system, users can select only desired works from, for example, magazine articles and serials, or collect only desired works from multiple works of a specific writer. Can be. The printing and bookbinding apparatus is installed in a retail store such as a convenience store or a bookstore, and the user can instruct printing and bookbinding at a nearby convenience store or the like and obtain a publication.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-11-328526
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, with the above publishing system, in order to obtain the desired publication, the user must wait until the publication is printed and bound at the place where the image forming apparatus that prints and binds the publication is installed. I had to pick it up after things were finished. When a plurality of users want to use at the same time, it may be crowded, and the date and time when the publication will be completed may not be determined, so that the date and time required by the user may not be in time.
[0008]
An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic publishing system that provides a publication having the content that meets the user's request at the date and time desired by the user and that can notify the user of the completion of printing and bookbinding of the publication. As an issue.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention according to claim 1 for solving the above-mentioned problem is as follows.
An electronic device comprising: a management device that manages an electronic publishing operation; a plurality of image forming apparatuses connected to the management device via a communication network; and a portable information terminal connectable to the management device via the communication network. In the publishing system,
The portable information terminal transmits electronic publication registration information to the management device,
The management device, based on the transmitted electronic publication registration information, transmits scheduled provision date information indicating a provision date of the electronic publication to the portable information terminal together with user authentication information,
The portable information terminal receives the scheduled provision date information and the user authentication information, and transmits the desired image forming apparatus and the reception reservation date and time information of the plurality of image forming apparatuses to the management apparatus together with the user authentication information. And
The management apparatus receives the desired image forming apparatus, reception reservation date and time information and user authentication information, and provides provided article information based on the electronic publication registration information together with the reception reservation date and time information and user authentication information. Send to
The desired image forming apparatus receives the provided article information, the reception reservation date and time information, and the user authentication information, completes printing and bookbinding of the provided article information by the reception reservation date and time to generate a publication, and When the printing and bookbinding of the article information is completed, issue completion information is transmitted to the management device,
The electronic publishing system is characterized in that the management device is configured to transmit the issuance completion information to the portable information terminal when receiving the issuance completion information.
[0010]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the portable information terminal can register the electronic publication registration information in the management device, and can specify the image forming apparatus and the reception reservation date and time desired by the user. Further, the management device can prepare the provided article information based on the electronic publication registration information, and can transmit the provided article information to the desired image forming apparatus together with the reception reservation date and time information and the user authentication information. Further, the desired image forming apparatus can print and bind the provided article information by the received reservation date and time based on the provided article information and the reception reservation date and time information. When printing and binding of the provided article information are completed, the desired image forming apparatus can transmit the issuance completion information to the management apparatus, and the management apparatus can transmit the issuance completion information to the portable information terminal.
Therefore, the user can easily obtain the publication of the desired article at the desired date and time by registering the electronic publication registration information using the portable information terminal and transmitting the desired image forming apparatus and the reception reservation date and time. be able to. Further, by receiving the issuance completion information, it is possible to receive the publication after knowing that the printing and bookbinding of the publication have been completed.
[0011]
The invention according to claim 2 is
The electronic publishing system according to claim 1,
The electronic publishing system is characterized in that the management device is configured to transmit the issuance completion information to the portable information terminal again when the publication is not received after the reception reservation date and time has elapsed.
[0012]
Therefore, according to the second aspect of the present invention, when the publication is not received after the elapse of the reservation date and time, the management device transmits the issuance completion information to the portable information terminal again, and instructs the user to receive the publication. Can be encouraged. Therefore, the user can remember to receive the publication.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following, an example in which the present invention is applied to a publishing service that provides a publication according to a user's request will be described.
[0014]
FIG. 1 shows a system system of an electronic publishing system according to the present embodiment. Publishing services are embodied by this electronic publishing system.
The term "electronic publishing system" used here refers to only articles desired by the user among serial articles published in a plurality of periodic magazines, and collectively collects them into a single publication. The system will be described below as a system provided to the user.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic publishing system includes a plurality of image forming apparatuses 10, 10,... Installed in a store such as a convenience store, a bookstore, a department store, a mobile phone 30 owned by a user, a service center. Is provided with the management device 50 installed in the server. The image forming apparatuses 10, 10,..., The mobile phone 30, and the management apparatus 50 are connected via the Internet N.
[0016]
In the present embodiment, an example in which the mobile phone 30 is used as the mobile information terminal is shown, but a mobile information terminal, a PHS (Personal Handyphone System), a personal computer (Personal Computer), or the like may be used.
[0017]
Further, the present embodiment is an example in which the image forming apparatuses 10, 10,..., The mobile phone 30, and the management apparatus 50 are connected via the Internet N as a communication network. (Local Area Network) or WAN (Wide Area Network), and may include a telephone line network, an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) line network, an ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Satellite network), and an ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Satellite Network) mobile network. , A CATV line, an optical communication line, a wireless communication line, or the like.
[0018]
(Image forming apparatus 10)
The image forming apparatus 10 receives, from the management apparatus 50, electronic data (hereinafter, referred to as “provided article information”) that summarizes articles published in magazines desired by the user. Then, printing and bookbinding are performed based on the received provided article information, and the publication is provided to the user.
[0019]
FIG. 2 is an external view illustrating an example of the image forming apparatus 10.
As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 10 includes an operation unit 120, a display unit 130, a scanner cover 141, an inkjet printing unit 151, an electrophotographic printing unit 152, a bookbinding unit 160, a storage unit 170, and a paper feed tray 5. . FIG. 2 shows a state in which the scanner cover 141 is closed, and the upper surface of the main body covered by the scanner cover 141 is a document table (not shown).
[0020]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 10.
As shown in FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus 10 includes a control unit 110, an operation unit 120, a display unit 130, an image reading unit 140, an inkjet printing unit 151, an electrophotographic printing unit 152, a bookbinding unit 160, a storage unit 170, and a storage. And a communication unit 190.
[0021]
The control unit 110 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like, and centrally controls each unit configuring the image forming apparatus 10.
[0022]
Specifically, the CPU reads out various control programs stored in the ROM or the storage unit 180 in response to signals input from the communication unit 190 and the operation unit 120 and expands them in the RAM. Various processes are executed in cooperation with the control program, and each unit of the image forming apparatus 10 functions. At this time, the CPU stores the processing result in the RAM and causes the display unit 130 to display the processing result as necessary, or transmits the processing result to the management device 50 through the communication unit 190.
[0023]
The ROM is a read-only semiconductor memory, and stores a basic program executed by the CPU, data, and the like. The ROM may be an erasable / writable storage medium such as a flash memory, and has a configuration in which a program or data input from the outside via the communication unit 190 can be fetched and stored. The CPU may execute various processes according to the data.
[0024]
The RAM is a storage medium in which data is temporarily stored, and is a program area for expanding a program to be executed by the CPU, data input from the communication unit 190 and the operation unit 120, various processing results by the CPU, and the like. , A data area for storing image data input from the image reading unit 140 and the communication unit 190, and the like.
[0025]
The control unit 110 includes the functions of the print control unit 111 and the printer controller 112. The printer controller 112 determines whether or not the provided article information distributed from the management apparatus 50 via the communication unit 190 includes full-color photograph data.
[0026]
The print control unit 111 controls the inkjet printing unit 151 and the electrophotographic printing unit 152 according to the determination result of whether or not the provided article information includes full-color photographic data by the printer controller 112, and prints the provided article information. Execute the process. The print control unit 111 has a transport mechanism for transporting print paper from the paper feed tray 5, and transports print paper of a specified type and size to a print unit that executes print processing. Supply printing paper.
[0027]
The operation unit 120 includes numeric keys and various function keys (a start key and the like). Then, when these keys are pressed, the control unit 110 outputs a press signal to the control unit 110. The operation unit 120 may be configured by a touch panel integrated with the display unit 130.
[0028]
The display unit 130 includes an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), a TFT (Thin Film Transistor), and the like, and performs a screen display according to a display signal from the control unit 110.
[0029]
The image reading unit 140 is for reading a predetermined document placed on the document table in accordance with a read signal from the control unit 110, and includes the scanner cover 141 and the document table shown in FIG. ) Is provided with a scanner below. The scanner includes a light source, a lens, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device), and the like, and reads an image of a document by forming an image of reflected light of illumination and scanning light from the light source to the document and performing photoelectric conversion. The image data read by the image reading unit 140 is temporarily stored in a RAM in the control unit 110. Here, the term “image” includes not only image data of figures and photographs but also text data such as characters and symbols.
[0030]
The inkjet printing unit 151 is a printing unit that forms an image by an inkjet method. Specifically, it has ink cartridges of cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink, and black ink, and ejects these ink droplets onto the printing paper supplied from the print control unit 111, and outputs image data. Perform dot printing according to. As a method for ejecting ink droplets, any method such as a bubble jet (registered trademark) method, a thermal inkjet method, a piezo method, and the like may be used.
[0031]
The electrophotographic printing unit 152 is a printing unit that forms an image by an electrophotographic method. Specifically, it has an exposure section, a development section, a fixing section, and the like. The exposure section exposes the photosensitive drum with a laser beam or an LED (Light Emitting Diode) to form an electrostatic latent image corresponding to image data. Then, the developing unit causes the photosensitive drum to adsorb the toner. Then, the toner adsorbed on the photosensitive drum is transferred to the printing paper, and the fixing unit thermally fixes the toner on the printing paper.
[0032]
The printing paper on which the printing based on the image data is performed by the inkjet printing unit 151 or the electrophotographic printing unit 152 is sequentially transported to the bookbinding unit 160 by the transport mechanism of the control unit 110.
[0033]
The bookbinding unit 160 performs a bookbinding process on the conveyed printed matter according to an instruction from the control unit 110. Examples of the bookbinding process include a stapling process for stapling at a predetermined position, a punching process for punching a binding hole, a trimmer process for cutting to a predetermined size, a half-folding process for folding printed matter, and a booklet creating process for creating a booklet. is there.
[0034]
The storage unit 170 stores the publication after bookbinding until it is received by the user according to the instruction of the control unit 110. When the user receives the publication and inputs an electronic key, which is user authentication information, to the operation unit 120, the storage unit 170 is opened.
[0035]
The storage unit 180 includes, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and records programs, data, and the like in the HDD according to an instruction from the control unit 110. For example, when an instruction to record a program or data is issued from the control unit 110, the free space in the HDD is determined, and the specified information is recorded in the free area. Further, when a command to read a program or data is issued from the control unit 110, the instructed information is read from the HDD and output to the control unit 110.
[0036]
Further, storage program 180 stores processing programs, processing data, and the like for executing various processes according to the present embodiment. The processing program includes a program for executing a publication printing process, a publication binding process, and an issuance completion notification process, which will be described later. The processing data includes print data of a cover sheet and copy of the publication. And digital watermark data for protecting copyright and copyright.
[0037]
The communication unit 190 receives the provided article information, the reception reservation date and time, and the electronic key distributed from the management device 50 via the Internet N. In addition, when printing and bookbinding are completed, the communication unit 190 transmits an issuance completion notification to the management device 50. In addition, when the publication is received by the user, a notification to the effect that the publication has been received is transmitted to the management device 50.
[0038]
(Mobile phone 30)
The mobile phone 30 is a mobile information terminal owned by a user, and is realized by a known wireless phone having a wireless communication function and a wireless data communication function. In addition, the mobile phone 30 performs data communication with the management device 50 via the wireless base station 41 and the Internet N of the telephone company 40 to which the contract has been made. The mobile phone 30 has a function of accessing a Web site or the like provided by the management device 50 (for example, a Web browser), a mail communication function, and the like.
[0039]
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the mobile phone 30.
As shown in FIG. 4, the mobile phone 30 includes a control unit 310, an input unit 320, a display unit 330, a storage unit 340, and functional units such as a communication unit 350.
[0040]
The control unit 310 is realized by including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and centrally controls each unit configuring the mobile phone 30.
Specifically, in response to a signal input from the communication unit 350, the CPU reads out various control programs stored in the ROM or the storage unit 340 and expands them in the RAM. Various processes are executed in cooperation with each other, and each unit of the mobile phone 30 functions. At this time, the CPU stores the various processing results in the RAM or the storage unit 340, and displays the results on the display unit 330 as necessary.
[0041]
The ROM is a read-only semiconductor memory, and stores a basic program executed by the CPU, data, and the like.
The RAM is a storage medium in which data is temporarily stored, and stores a program area for developing a program to be executed by the CPU, data input from the communication unit 350, various processing results by the CPU, and the like. A data area and the like for performing the operation are formed.
[0042]
The input unit 320 includes numeric keys and various function keys, and outputs a press signal by operating each key to the control unit 310. The information is input and specified by the input unit 320 when the mobile phone 30 accesses a Web site, for example, other than during the call.
[0043]
The display unit 330 is configured by an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel or the like, and performs screen display based on display data input from the control unit 310. For example, the display unit 330 displays information received from a Web site and contents of an e-mail to be transmitted and received.
[0044]
The storage unit 340 stores various application programs and communication processing programs for the mobile phone executed by the control unit 310, data processed by the processing programs, and the like.
[0045]
The communication unit 350 performs data communication with the management device 50 via the wireless base station 41 and the Internet N of the telephone company 40 under contract.
[0046]
(Management device 50)
The management device 50 is operated by a service center that provides the electronic publishing system of the present embodiment, and is realized by a known server device. Further, the management device 50 is connected to publisher servers installed at the publishers A, B, and C, respectively, and is licensed when the service center signs a license agreement with the publishers A, B, and C. The electronic data of the articles published in the magazines issued by each of the publishers A, B, and C, which have the copyrights, are acquired in advance from the publishers and accumulated.
Then, the management device 50 extracts the desired article for each user from the stored articles to generate provided article information, and also provides the provided article information desired by the user to the image forming apparatus. Send to 10.
[0047]
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the management device 50.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, the management device 50 includes a control unit 510, a storage unit 520, and functional units such as a communication unit 530.
[0048]
The control unit 510 is realized by including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and centrally controls each unit configuring the management device 50.
More specifically, in response to a signal input from the communication unit 530, the CPU reads various control programs stored in the ROM or the storage unit 520 and expands them in the RAM. Various processes are executed in cooperation with each other, and each unit of the management device 50 is made to function. At this time, the CPU stores the various processing results in the RAM or the storage unit 520, and transmits the results from the communication unit 530 to the image forming apparatus 10 and the mobile phone 30 via the Internet N as necessary.
[0049]
The ROM is a read-only semiconductor memory, and stores a basic program executed by the CPU, data, and the like.
The RAM is a storage medium in which data is temporarily stored, and stores a program area for expanding a program to be executed by the CPU, data input from the communication unit 530, various processing results by the CPU, and the like. And a data area for storing image data input from the communication unit 530.
[0050]
The storage unit 520 includes, for example, an HDD, and records a program, data, and the like in the HDD according to an instruction from the control unit 510. For example, when an instruction to record a program or data is issued from the control unit 510, the free space in the HDD is determined, and the specified information is recorded in the free space. Further, when a command to read a program or data is issued from control unit 510, the information is read from the HDD and output to control unit 510.
[0051]
Further, storage program 520 stores processing programs, processing data, and the like for control unit 510 to execute various processes according to the present embodiment. The processing program includes a program for executing an electronic publication registration process, a reservable notification process, a publication reservation process, a provided article information generation process, and an issuance completion notification process, which will be described later. An article DB (database) 521, a registered user table 522, a distribution article table 523, and an image forming apparatus table 524 are included.
[0052]
The article DB 521 was published in magazines issued by the respective publishers A, B, and C, which became available when the service center concluded a license agreement with the publishers A, B, and C. It is a database that stores many electronic data of articles. The articles in the article DB 521 are classified / stored according to the classification of, for example, publishers, publication magazines, authors, and the like, and the latest data is accumulated as needed. Further, these articles include text data such as characters and symbols, photograph data (color or monochrome), and the like.
[0053]
The registered user table 522 is a table for managing information on users who use the electronic publishing system, and FIG. 6 shows an example of the data configuration.
As shown in FIG. 6, the registered user table 522 includes, for each name (user name) of a user who uses the electronic publishing system, an e-mail address and an article that the user wants to receive (article to be received). They are stored in association with each other.
[0054]
Here, the e-mail address is for notifying the user that the publication can be provided and that printing and bookbinding of the publication have been completed, and the e-mail address was sent to the e-mail address. The e-mail is received by the mobile phone 30.
[0055]
The article desired to be received is a condition relating to an article desired by the user, that is, an extraction condition for extracting a corresponding article from the article DB 521, and is included in electronic publication registration information transmitted to the management apparatus 50 by the user. . FIG. 7 shows the detailed data structure of the article desired to be received. FIG. 7 shows a data configuration of an article desired to be received corresponding to the user "A" in FIG.
[0056]
As shown in FIG. 7, the article desired to be received corresponds to the title of the article (article name) desired to be received by the data of the magazine name in which the article is published, the publication date of the magazine, and the publisher name. It is configured with The number of articles you want to receive may be any number.
[0057]
In other words, the user “Ko” can read “1. Mr. OA's serialized article” published in the magazine “Monthly T” released from publisher A on October 10; "R.T's serialized articles" in the magazine "R's Journey Diary" released from Publisher B on the 20th, and (3) Magazine released from the publisher C on October 25 It has been registered that he wants to receive three articles, "SM's serialized articles" published in "This month's gourmet restaurant visit."
[0058]
The distribution article table 523 is a table for managing information on articles provided to registered users, and FIG. 8 shows an example of the data configuration.
As shown in FIG. 8, the distribution article table 523 includes, for each registered user name, provided article information, an electronic key, the date and time at which the user wants to receive the publication (reception reservation date and time), and the user wants to receive the publication. Stores the name of the store where the image forming apparatus 10 is installed (the name of the receiving store) in association with each other.
[0059]
The provided article information is data extracted from the article DB 521 based on the article desired to be received, and is generated after the publication date of all the registered magazines. The provided article information includes image data such as characters and pictures relating to the article desired to be received, and is information necessary when printing a publication. For example, regarding the above-mentioned user “K”, the provided article information is data in which the electronic data of the three articles (1) to (3) in FIG. Generated.
[0060]
An electronic key is one type of authentication information used to authenticate a user when using a digital publishing system, and a different electronic key is associated with each provided article information. I have. Specifically, it is required when printing and bookbinding publications and when receiving publications.
[0061]
The image forming apparatus table 524 receives the provided article information from the image forming apparatus 10 capable of providing a publication by the electronic publishing system, that is, the management apparatus 50, and can execute printing and bookbinding based on the provided article information. FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a data configuration of a table for managing information regarding the image forming apparatus 10.
[0062]
As shown in FIG. 9, the image forming apparatus table 524 stores, for each identification number of the image forming apparatus 10 to be managed, its installation location (store name, address, etc.) in association with each other.
[0063]
In FIG. 5, a communication unit 530 is connected to the Internet N, and is connected to another device (mainly, the image forming apparatus 10, the mobile phone 30, and the publishers A, B, and C via the Internet N). And an interface for performing data communication with the server, for example, a router.
Specifically, for example, communication unit 530 receives the electronic publication registration information transmitted from mobile phone 30 via Internet N. The communication unit 530 distributes the provided article information, the reception reservation date and time, and the electronic key to the image forming apparatus 10 via the Internet N. In addition, the communication unit 530 transmits to the user by e-mail, issue completion information notifying that printing and bookbinding of the publication have been completed. Further, a notification that the publication has been received by the user is received from the image forming apparatus 10.
[0064]
(Internet N)
The Internet N is a communication network that connects the image forming device 10, the mobile phone 30, and the management device 50. The image forming apparatus 10, the mobile phone 30, and the management apparatus 50 perform data communication with each other via the Internet N.
[0065]
Next, the operation in the present embodiment will be described.
First, an outline of a series of processes will be described. As shown in FIG. 10, the user of the electronic publishing system according to the present embodiment operates the mobile phone 30 to perform the electronic publishing registration process (see FIG. 11; S1 to S10). Subsequently, a reservation possible notification process is executed by the management device 50 (see FIG. 11; S11 to S13). Next, the user operates the mobile phone 30 to perform a publication reservation process (see FIG. 12). Then, the provided article information generation processing is executed by the management device 50 in accordance with the registered contents of the user (see FIG. 13). Then, the image forming apparatus 10 executes the publication printing process (see FIG. 14; S51 to S56), and executes the bookbinding process of the printed material (see FIG. 14; S57). When printing and bookbinding are completed, an issuance completion notification process for notifying the completion of bookbinding is executed (see FIG. 14; S58 to S66).
Hereinafter, each process will be described in detail.
[0066]
(Electronic publication registration process)
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the electronic publication registration processing (S1 to S10) and the reservation possible notification processing (S11 to S13).
The electronic publication registration process is a process executed when the user registers the electronic publication registration information in the registered user table 522 of the management device 50. Here, the electronic publication registration information refers to information on an article desired by the user, including conditions such as a user name, an e-mail address, and an article desired to be received. In this processing, the user accesses the Web site provided by the management device 50 from the mobile phone 30 having a browser function, and looks at the display screen displayed on the display unit 330 of the mobile phone 30 while viewing the input unit 320. To input a predetermined item in the format of the registration page.
[0067]
As shown in FIG. 11, the mobile phone 30 is connected to the management device 50 via the Internet N (step S1), and the management device 50 requests a user name (step S2). The user name is input from the input unit 320 of the mobile phone 30 and transmitted to the management device 50 (Step S3). The user name is received by the communication unit 530 of the management device 50 (step S4), and is stored in the registered user table 522 of the storage unit 520 of the management device 50.
[0068]
Next, the management device 50 requests the user's e-mail address (step S5). An e-mail address is input from the input unit 320 of the mobile phone 30 and transmitted to the management device 50 (step S6). The e-mail address is received by the communication unit 530 of the management device 50 (step S7), and is stored in the registered user table 522 of the storage unit 520 of the management device 50.
[0069]
Next, the condition of the article desired by the user (article desired to be received) is requested by the management device 50 (step S8). The article desired to be received is input from the input unit 320 of the mobile phone 30 and transmitted to the management device 50 (step S9). The article desired to be received is received by the communication unit 530 of the management device 50 (step S10), and is stored in the registered user table 522 of the storage unit 520 of the management device 50.
Thus, the electronic publication registration processing ends.
[0070]
(Reservation notification process)
The reservation possible notification process is a process of transmitting the scheduled date of provision and the electronic key to the user and notifying that printing and bookbinding of the publication can be reserved. Here, the provision date is a date when the management device 50 can provide an article corresponding to the article desired to be received.
[0071]
As shown in FIG. 11, the control unit 510 of the management device 50 refers to the registered user table 522, generates an electronic key for the article desired to be received by the user (step S11), and stores it in the distribution article table 523. I do. Then, by referring to the registered user table 522, an e-mail including a scheduled provision date and an electronic key capable of providing a publication of the article desired to be received is transmitted to the e-mail address of the user (step S12). This e-mail is received by the mobile phone 30 (step S13).
Thus, the reservation possible notification processing ends.
[0072]
(Publication reservation processing)
Upon receiving the notice indicating that reservation is possible, the user can reserve printing and bookbinding of the publication.
FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the publication reservation process. The publication reservation process is a process executed when a user reserves printing and bookbinding of a publication by the image forming apparatus 10. In this process, the user performs an operation input from the input unit 320 while viewing the display screen displayed on the display unit 330 of the mobile phone 30.
[0073]
As shown in FIG. 12, the mobile phone 30 is connected to the management device 50 (step S21), and the management device 50 requests a user name and an electronic key (step S22). The user name and the electronic key are input from the input unit 320 of the mobile phone 30 and transmitted to the management device 50 through the communication unit 350 (Step S23). The user name and the electronic key are received by the communication unit 530 of the management device 50 (Step S24).
[0074]
At this time, if the received electronic key does not match the electronic key corresponding to the received user name stored in the distribution article table 523 (step S25; NO), it is determined that the user is not a legitimate user Then, a notification to the effect that “distribution is impossible” is transmitted to the mobile phone 30. Then, the user name and the electronic key are again requested by the management device 50 (step S22).
[0075]
Next, the reception reservation date and time are requested by the management device 50 (step S26). The reception reservation date and time are input from the input unit 320 of the mobile phone 30 and transmitted to the management device 50 via the communication unit 350 (step S27). The reception reservation date and time are received by the communication unit 530 of the management device 50 (step S28), and are additionally stored in the distribution article table 523 of the storage unit 520 of the management device 50.
[0076]
Next, the receiving store name is requested by the management device 50 (step S29). The name of the receiving store is input from the input unit 320 of the mobile phone 30 and transmitted to the management device 50 via the communication unit 350 (step S30). The receiving store name is received by the communication unit 530 of the management device 50 (step S31), and is additionally stored in the distribution article table 523 of the storage unit 520 of the management device 50.
[0077]
Here, the control unit 510 of the management device 50 determines whether printing and bookbinding of the publication are possible at the store desired by the user by the date and time desired by the user (step S32).
If it is determined by the date and time desired by the user that printing and bookbinding at the store desired by the user are not possible (step S32; NO), printing and bookbinding of the publication are not possible. The fact that the reservation is possible is notified, and the receiving reservation date and the receiving store name are requested again (step S26, step 29).
If it is determined by the date and time desired by the user that printing and bookbinding can be performed at the store desired by the user (step S32; YES), the management device 50 receives an order from the mobile phone 30. The notification is transmitted (step S33), and the order notification is received by the mobile phone 30 (step S34). For example, if the user's receipt reservation date is October 31st, the order notification will include "Thank you for your order. We will print and bind at store XX by October 31st." Message is included.
Thus, the publication reservation process ends.
[0078]
(Provided article information generation processing)
FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the provided article information generation processing. This provided article information generation process is a process executed by the management device 50 for each user registered in the service center based on the article desired to be received stored in the registered user table 522. However, it is assumed that the provided article information generation processing is performed after the publication date of all magazines in which the article desired to be received is published.
[0079]
As shown in FIG. 13, the control unit 510 of the management device 50 refers to the registered user table 522 and extracts a corresponding article from the article DB 521 (step S41). Then, the extracted articles are put together into one piece of provided article information (step S42), and the provided article information is additionally stored in the distribution article table 523.
Thus, the provided article information generation processing ends.
[0080]
(Publication printing process)
FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the publication printing process (S51 to S56), the publication binding process (S57), and the issuance completion notification process (S58 to S66).
The publication printing process is a process executed when the image forming apparatus 10 prints a publication. The print processing of the provided article information is executed so that the publication can be provided by the reception reservation date and time desired by the user.
[0081]
When a predetermined time comes before the reception reservation date and time stored in the distribution article table 523, the management device 50 refers to the distribution article table 523, and provides the provided article information, the reception reservation date and time, and the electronic key via the communication unit 530. 10 (step S51).
When a plurality of publications are reserved in one image forming apparatus 10, the management apparatus 50 provides the respective users with the printing of the provided article information and the bookbinding so that the bookbinding can be performed in time for the reception reservation date and time. Distribute article information.
[0082]
When receiving the provided article information, the reception reservation date and the electronic key via the communication unit 190 (step S52), the image forming apparatus 10 determines whether the received provided article information includes full-color photograph data (step S52). Step S53), a printing method is determined based on the determination result.
[0083]
That is, when it is determined that the provided article information includes the full-color photograph data (step S53; YES), the image forming apparatus 10 prints the page including the full-color photograph by the inkjet method, and the other pages include the electronic photograph. The printing method is determined so as to print in the method (Step S54).
[0084]
If it is determined in step S53 that the provided article information does not include the full-color photograph data (step S53; NO), the image forming apparatus 10 prints all the contents of the provided article information in the electrophotographic method. The printing method is set (step S55).
[0085]
Then, the image forming apparatus 10 executes printing based on the provided article information by the reception reservation date and time according to the printing method set above (step S56).
[0086]
That is, the provided article information is printed in accordance with the printing conditions of the “inkjet method” or the “electrophotographic method” set above. Here, when performing image formation based on the provided article information, the image forming apparatus 10 reads out the digital watermark data stored in the storage unit 180, and also performs image formation based on the read digital watermark data.
With the above, the publication print processing ends.
[0087]
(Publishing bookbinding)
As shown in FIG. 14, when the printing process based on the provided article information ends, the image forming apparatus 10 subsequently executes publication bookbinding processes such as a stapling process, a trimmer process, a center folding process, and a booklet creating process (FIG. 14). Step S57). The image forming apparatus 10 stores the bound publication in the storage unit 170.
Thus, the bookbinding process ends.
[0088]
(Issue completion notification processing)
When printing and bookbinding of the publication are completed, an issuance completion notification process is executed. As illustrated in FIG. 14, the image forming apparatus 10 transmits an issuance completion notification notifying the completion of printing and bookbinding of a publication to the management apparatus 50 via the communication unit 190 (step S58). Upon receiving the issuance completion notification from the image forming apparatus 10 by the communication unit 530 (step S59), the management device 50 refers to the registered user table 522 and notifies the user of the e-mail address of the issuance completion to the e-mail address. The e-mail is transmitted through the communication unit 530 (step S60). The mobile phone 30 receives an e-mail notifying the completion of issuance from the management device 50 (step S61).
[0089]
When the user comes to the store and inputs an electronic key to the operation unit 120 of the image forming apparatus 10, the storage unit 170 opens. This ensures that only the user who instructs printing and binding of the publication can receive the publication.
When the user receives the publication from the storage unit 170 (step S62), the image forming apparatus 10 notifies the management device 50 via the communication unit 190 that the publication has been received by the user (step S63).
[0090]
If the user has not received the publication for a preset period from the reception reservation date and time, and the management device 50 has not been notified that the publication has been received (step S64; NO), the management device The reference unit 50 refers to the registered user table 522, and transmits an e-mail requesting the reception of the publication via the communication unit 530 to the e-mail address of the user (step S65). Then, the mobile phone 30 receives an e-mail prompting receipt of the publication from the management device 50 (step S66).
Thus, the issuance completion notification processing ends.
[0091]
When the storage amount of the storage unit 170 reaches a certain amount, a warning message is transmitted to the manager of the store or the service center, and a store clerk is requested to perform the storage operation.
[0092]
The expense processing may be settled as an information amount via the telephone company 40 of the mobile phone 30, settled with a credit card, or settled with cash at the store upon receipt.
[0093]
As described above, the mobile phone 30 can access the Web site provided by the management device 50 and register an article desired by the user. Further, the mobile phone 30 can specify the date and time of receiving the publication and the image forming apparatus 10. In addition, the management device 50 installed in the service center manages, in the article DB 521, the electronic data of the publications to which the publishers A, B, and C have the copyrights. The extracted article data can be extracted to generate provided article information. Then, the image forming apparatus 10 can perform printing and bookbinding based on the provided article information distributed from the management apparatus 50, and can provide the user with the publication by the designated date and time.
[0094]
Therefore, it is possible to select only the article desired by the user and provide an original publication according to the user's request by the designated date and time. That is, the user can obtain only the desired article by the desired date and time, without being restricted by the publisher.
[0095]
In addition, when bookbinding is completed, the management device 50 can notify the user of completion of printing and bookbinding by e-mail. Therefore, the user can receive the publication after knowing that the printing and bookbinding of the reserved publication have been completed. Therefore, the user does not need to wait until the publication is printed and bound at the store where the image forming apparatus 10 is installed.
[0096]
Further, when the publication is not received for a preset period from the reception reservation date and time, the management device 50 can urge the user to receive the publication by e-mail. Therefore, the user can remember to receive the book that he / she has booked.
[0097]
The application of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
[0098]
In the above embodiment, the mobile phone 30 having the browser function is used as the mobile information terminal. However, electronic publication registration, mail reception, and publication reservation may be performed in any manner. For example, a user can access a Web site provided by the management device 50 from a personal computer or a portable information terminal, and input and transmit predetermined items in a registration page format to register.
[0099]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, serial articles of a magazine are targeted, but other articles such as single-shot articles and novels may be targeted. The publication may be provided to the user once, at a predetermined time, or periodically a plurality of times.
[0100]
Further, the printing conditions and processing conditions for forming an image based on the provided article information are not predetermined, and may be arbitrarily set by the user.
[0101]
Further, in the above embodiment, when a publication is received at the store, the user is confirmed to be the user by inputting the electronic key to the operation unit 120 of the image forming apparatus 10. The publication may be received by displaying the order notification received from the management device 50 on the display unit 330 of the mobile phone 30 brought by the user and presenting the notification to a clerk.
[0102]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the portable information terminal registers the electronic publication registration information in the management device, and also allows the user to specify the desired image forming device and the reception reservation date and time. it can. Further, the management device can prepare the provided article information based on the electronic publication registration information, and can transmit the provided article information to the desired image forming apparatus together with the reception reservation date and time information and the user authentication information. Further, the desired image forming apparatus can print and bind the provided article information by the received reservation date and time based on the provided article information and the reception reservation date and time information. When printing and binding of the provided article information are completed, the desired image forming apparatus can transmit the issuance completion information to the management apparatus, and the management apparatus can transmit the issuance completion information to the portable information terminal.
Therefore, the user can easily obtain the publication of the desired article at the desired date and time by registering the electronic publication registration information using the portable information terminal and transmitting the desired image forming apparatus and the reception reservation date and time. be able to. Further, by receiving the issuance completion information, it is possible to receive the publication after knowing that the printing and bookbinding of the publication have been completed.
[0103]
As described above, according to the second aspect of the present invention, when the publication is not received after the elapse of the reservation date and time, the management device transmits the issuance completion information to the portable information terminal again, and sends the publication to the user. Can be encouraged. Therefore, the user can remember to receive the publication.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a system system of an electronic publishing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an external view illustrating an example of the image forming apparatus 10.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 10.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the mobile phone 30.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a management device 50.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a data configuration of a registered user table 522.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of an article desired to be received;
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of a distribution article table 523.
FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a data configuration of an image forming apparatus table 524.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation in the present embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing electronic publication registration processing and reservation possible notification processing.
FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a publication reservation process.
FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a provided article information generation process.
FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a publication printing process, a publication binding process, and an issuance completion notification process.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Image forming apparatus
5 Paper tray
110 control unit
120 Operation unit
130 Display
140 Image reading unit
141 Scanner cover
151 inkjet printing unit
152 Electrophotographic Printing Department
160 Bookbinding Department
170 Storage Department
180 storage unit
190 Communication unit
30 mobile phone
310 control unit
320 Input unit
330 Display
340 storage unit
350 communication unit
40 Telephone company
41 wireless base station
50 Management device
510 control unit
520 storage unit
530 Communication unit
521 Article DB
522 registered user table
523 Delivery Article Table
524 Image forming apparatus table

Claims (2)

An electronic device comprising: a management device that manages an electronic publishing operation; a plurality of image forming apparatuses connected to the management device via a communication network; and a portable information terminal connectable to the management device via the communication network. In the publishing system,
The portable information terminal transmits electronic publication registration information to the management device,
The management device, based on the transmitted electronic publication registration information, transmits scheduled provision date information indicating a provision date of the electronic publication to the portable information terminal together with user authentication information,
The portable information terminal receives the scheduled provision date information and the user authentication information, and transmits the desired image forming apparatus and the reception reservation date and time information of the plurality of image forming apparatuses to the management apparatus together with the user authentication information. And
The management apparatus receives the desired image forming apparatus, reception reservation date and time information and user authentication information, and provides provided article information based on the electronic publication registration information together with the reception reservation date and time information and user authentication information. Send to
The desired image forming apparatus receives the provided article information, the reception reservation date and time information, and the user authentication information, completes printing and bookbinding of the provided article information by the reception reservation date and time to generate a publication, and When the printing and bookbinding of the article information is completed, issue completion information is transmitted to the management device,
The electronic publishing system, wherein the management device is configured to transmit the issuance completion information to the portable information terminal when receiving the issuance completion information. The electronic publishing system according to claim 1,
The electronic publishing system, wherein the management device is configured to transmit the issuance completion information to the portable information terminal again when the publication is not received after the reception reservation date and time has elapsed.

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