JP2004236348A - Image print system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image print system in which printed matter with a picked-up image printed thereon can be surely acquired even without owning a printing means or the like. <P>SOLUTION: In an image print system 1 equipped with a mail receiving means 2 capable of receiving electronic mail M to which image data Dg are attached, a printing means 3 for printing an image G based on the attached image data Dg and a control means 11 for controlling printing of the image G by the printing means 3, the control means 11 makes the printing means 3 print the date and time of generation of image data comprising a part of the electronic mail M received by the mail receiving means 2 and the date and time of transmission or reception of electronic mail comprising a part of the electronic mail M together with the image G based on the image data Dg. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image printing system that prints an image based on image data attached to an electronic mail.

  Today, the transmission and reception of e-mail using a mobile phone is becoming popular. With the spread of small digital still cameras, image data generated (imaged) by a sender is attached to e-mail and transmitted. Opportunities to send and receive mail are increasing. For this reason, a small portable e-mail terminal equipped with a digital still camera (hereinafter also referred to as "camera") (hereinafter also referred to as "e-mail terminal with camera") or an e-mail transmission / reception function that can be connected to a dedicated digital still camera Mobile phones with mobile phones have been developed. For example, when transmitting a mail with an image using a mail terminal with a camera, the sender first generates image data by capturing an image of a subject using a camera of the mail terminal with a camera. Next, after inputting the destination of the e-mail (e-mail address of the recipient), the title and the text, the user selects the image data to be attached, thereby creating a mail with an image. Next, after the mobile phone is connected to the camera-equipped mail terminal, the e-mail with image is transmitted by a predetermined operation. Thereby, the mail with the image is distributed to the transmission destination via the public telephone line network and the electronic mail distribution network.

  On the other hand, when printing an image captured using a mail terminal with a camera, generally, the image data is read out by connecting the mail terminal with a camera to a personal computer (hereinafter, also referred to as a “PC”) and connected to the personal computer. The image based on the image data is printed by the printer. However, for example, when a large amount of images are taken at a travel destination, the recording capacity of the image data recording memory in the mail terminal with a camera is insufficient. For this reason, for example, each time an image is taken, an e-mail with the image attached to the image data is transmitted to its own address, the e-mail with the image is received by a personal computer after returning home, and based on the attached image data. Print the image. This makes it possible to capture and print a large amount of images exceeding the recording capacity of the image data recording memory.

  However, the conventional printing method of printing an image captured using a mail terminal with a camera has the following problems. That is, in the conventional printing method, the image data read from the mail terminal with the camera or the image data obtained by receiving the mail with the image transmitted to the own address is used by a printer connected to the personal computer. Printing. Therefore, the conventional printing method has a problem that it is difficult for a person who does not have a mail receiving unit such as a personal computer and a printing unit such as a printer to print a captured image.

  In addition, even if a person owns a printing unit, the conventional image printing method simply prints an image. For this reason, the conventional image printing method has a problem that it is difficult to determine the date and time when the printed image was captured. In this case, for example, by inputting character information such as the generation date and time of the image data read from the mail terminal with the camera and the transmission date and time or the reception date and time of the mail with the image transmitted to the own address, and printing the image together with the image, Can be determined. However, input of characters and setting of a print layout when printing both the character indicating the date and time and the image are very complicated. For this reason, there is also a problem that the printing is very difficult, especially for a person unfamiliar with this kind of operation. Further, the conventional image printing method has a problem that it is difficult to determine where and what the printed image is because the image is simply printed. .

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image printing system capable of reliably obtaining a printed matter on which a captured image is printed even if the user does not have a printing unit. Aim. It is another object of the present invention to provide an image printing system capable of obtaining a printed material capable of determining a shooting date and time, a title, and a shooting location of a printed image.

  To achieve the above object, an image printing system according to claim 1, further comprising: a mail receiving unit capable of receiving an e-mail attached with image data; and a printing unit executing printing of an image based on the attached image data. A control unit for controlling printing of the image by the printing unit, wherein the control unit generates image data constituting a part of the electronic mail received by the mail receiving unit. A date and time, an electronic mail transmission date and time that constitutes a part of the electronic mail, or an electronic mail reception date and time are printed by the printing unit together with an image based on the image data.

  The image printing system according to claim 2, wherein the image data attached to the electronic mail received by the mail receiving unit and a date and time corresponding to one of the date and time. Recording means for recording the attached image data and the date and time data in the recording means, and reading out the image data and the date and time data from the recording means. The printing unit prints a predetermined number of images defined in advance and the respective dates and times corresponding to the respective images as one set.

  4. The image printing system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to print a character based on character data transmitted together with the image data together with an image based on the image data. Is printed.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image printing system according to any one of the first to third aspects, the control unit determines a transmission position specified based on transmission position data transmitted together with the image data. The information is printed by the printing unit together with an image based on the image data.

  The image printing system according to claim 5, wherein in the image printing system according to claim 4, the control unit specifies the transmission position based on the position data of the global positioning system transmitted as the transmission position data. It is characterized.

  7. The image printing system according to claim 6, wherein the mail receiving unit is configured to transmit the electronic mail transmitted from a portable electronic mail terminal via a public telephone network. It is characterized by being configured to be able to receive mail.

  An image printing system according to a seventh aspect is the image printing system according to the sixth aspect, further comprising a plurality of the portable electronic mail terminals for lending.

  As described above, according to the image printing system of the first aspect, the control unit causes the printing unit to print any one of the generation date and time of the image data, the transmission date and time of the e-mail, and the reception date and time together with the image, and Even if you do not own a printer, you can reliably obtain the printed matter of the image that you have captured yourself, and easily determine when the image was captured based on the date and time information printed on the printed matter. Can be identified.

  Further, according to the image printing system of the present invention, the control unit causes the printing unit to print a predetermined number of images and date and time as one set, so that each time an electronic mail with image data is received. Compared with a printing method for printing, a plurality of images can be printed on one printed material, so that printing cost can be reduced. Further, according to this image printing system, a predetermined number of images and date and time are printed as one set. For example, when a stamp rally is held using this image printing system, it arrives at a preset check point. It is possible to print the image data transmitted each time it is performed. As a result, it is possible to provide a printed matter as a travel note that can be a good memory for the stamp rally participant.

  Furthermore, according to the image printing system of the third aspect, the control unit causes the printing unit to print the characters together with the image, so that, for example, the character transmitted as the title of the image can be printed. Can easily identify the imaging target of the image.

  According to the image printing system of the fourth aspect, the control unit causes the printing unit to print the information of the transmission position together with the image, thereby easily identifying where the image is an image captured. Can be.

  Further, according to the image printing system of the fifth aspect, the control unit specifies the transmission position based on the position data of the global positioning system, so that the information of the transmission position self-reported by the image printing client is printed, for example. As compared with the printing method, the transmission place of the e-mail (the imaging place of the image) can be specified more reliably. Also, when this image printing system is used for the stamp rally, unlike the printing method of printing the information of the transmission position self-declared by the image print client, there is no possibility that the transmission position is falsified, so the stamp printing is more strict. Rally can be held.

  According to the image printing system of the present invention, the mail receiving means is configured to be able to receive the electronic mail transmitted from the portable electronic mail terminal via the public telephone line network, so that the image printing system is widely used. E-mail using a public line network including a mobile phone can be effectively used.

  Further, according to the image printing system of the present invention, by providing a plurality of lending portable e-mail terminals, it is possible to provide a printed matter of an image even to a person who does not own the portable e-mail terminal. Can be.

  Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of an image printing system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  First, the configuration of the image printing system 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The image printing system 1 is a system that prints an image G (see FIG. 7) based on image data Dg transmitted by a plurality of image print requesters (hereinafter, also referred to as “clients”) H, H. As shown in FIG. 1, a mail server 2 and a printer 3 are provided. The mail server 2 constitutes a mail receiving unit in the present invention, and receives an electronic mail M with an image transmitted by the client H via the telephone network 8. The mail server 2 includes a control unit (control unit) 11 that performs various kinds of determination processing on the received electronic mail M and print control of the printer 3, and a recording unit (recording unit) 12. In this case, the recording unit 12 receives the image data Dg, title data Dt, and transmission position data Dp extracted from the electronic mail M by the control unit 11 and the reception date generated by the control unit 11 based on the reception date and time of the electronic mail M. The date and time data Dd and the like are recorded. The printer 3 corresponds to a printing unit in the present invention, and a color laser printer capable of printing an image G in color is used as an example.

  On the other hand, the equipment owned by the client H is, for example, a mail terminal 5 that includes a camera 15 and a receiver 16 for a GPS (Global Positioning System) and is capable of creating an electronic mail M with an image. And a mobile phone 6 connectable to the mail terminal 5. In this case, the mail terminal 5 and the mobile phone 6 constitute a portable electronic mail terminal in the present invention. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the e-mail M generated by the mail terminal 5 is composed of a header part, a body, and an attached file part. The header section includes the e-mail addresses of both the sender (client H) of the e-mail M and the transmission destination (in this case, the mail server 2 in the image printing system 1), the creation date and time of the e-mail M, It is composed of management data Ds including a title and the like. In this case, when creating a mail requesting printing of an image, a title prescribed in advance according to the system rules of the image printing system 1 is used as the title of the electronic mail M. The body is composed of title data Dt for the title of the image G printed based on the image data Dg, and transmission position data Dp composed of numerical information output from the receiver 16 when the electronic mail M is transmitted. You. Image data Dg generated by the camera 15 is attached to the attached file part. In addition, the mail terminal 5 and the mobile phone 6 are not limited to the property of the client H. For example, the system may be prepared in advance by the administrator of the image printing system 1 and lent to the client H.

  Next, a method of printing the image G by the image printing system 1 will be described with reference to the drawings.

  In the image printing system 1, as shown in FIG. 3, the mail server 2 receives six e-mails M, M,... With images transmitted by the same client H during the execution of the data reception processing 30. At this point, the image print processing 40 is executed. The client H performs data transmission processing 20, 20,... For transmitting the electronic mails M, M,. In the data transmission process 20, as shown in FIG. 4, first, the client H captures an image of a subject using the camera 15 of the mail terminal 5, thereby generating image data Dg (step 21). Next, the client H creates an electronic mail M. At this time, the generated image data Dg is attached to the attached file part, and the title of the image G to be printed based on the attached image data Dg is input by key operation according to a predetermined format (step 22). ). Thereby, title data Dt is generated. Next, a predetermined title and a destination address (in this case, the e-mail address of the mail server 2 in the image printing system 1) are input (step 23). Thereby, the management data Ds is generated and recorded in the header section. Next, after the mobile phone 6 is connected to the mail terminal 5, the transmission button of the mail terminal 5 is operated. At this time, the position data (numerical information indicating the latitude and longitude of the transmission position) output from the receiver 16 is automatically added to the body of the e-mail M as the transmission position data Dp. It is transmitted to the image printing system 1 via the network 8 (step 24). The client H executes the data transmission process 20 every time the camera 15 captures an image of a subject.

  On the other hand, in the image printing system 1, a data receiving process 30 for receiving the electronic mail M transmitted by the client H is executed. In the data receiving process 30, as shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 11 constantly monitors the incoming of the electronic mail M (step 31). At this time, when it is determined that the e-mail M has arrived, it is determined whether or not the title of the e-mail M is the prescribed title of the image print request (step 32). At this time, if the title of the e-mail M is not the prescribed title, it is determined that the e-mail M is not an image print request e-mail, and is processed as a normal e-mail (step 33). The incoming call is monitored (step 31). On the other hand, when the title of the e-mail M is the specified title, the e-mail M is determined to be an image print request mail, and the format of the image data Dg attached to the e-mail M is determined to be the specified format. It is determined whether or not it is (step 34). At this time, when the image data Dg is not attached, or when the image data Dg is not in a prescribed format, it is processed as a normal electronic mail (step 33), and the incoming of the electronic mail M is monitored (step 31). .

  When it is determined that the image data Dg is in a prescribed format, the control unit 11 extracts the image data Dg, the transmission position data Dp, and the title data Dt from the e-mail M and records them in the recording unit 12 ( Step 35). At the same time, the control unit 11 generates reception date / time data Dd based on the reception date / time of the e-mail M, and causes the recording unit 12 to record the data (step 36). As a result, the image data Dg, transmission position data Dp, title data Dt, and reception date / time data Dd for one e-mail M are recorded in the recording unit 12 as one set. Next, the controller 11 completes the reception of the six e-mails M, M,... Transmitted by the same client H, and sets the image data Dg, Dg,. It is determined whether the recording of the data Dg, Dg... In the recording unit 12 has been completed (step 37). At this time, when it is determined that the number of the image data Dg recorded in the recording unit 12 is five or less, the arrival of the electronic mail M is monitored again (step 31). On the other hand, by repeating steps 31 to 36, the recording of the six image data Dg, Dg,... Respectively attached to the six e-mails M, M,. When it is determined, the image printing process 40 is executed.

  In the image printing process 40, as shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 11 reads out the image data Dg, the transmission position data Dp, the title data Dt, and the reception date / time data Dd for the six sets of images from the recording unit 12 (Step S10). 41). Next, based on the transmission position data Dp (in this case, for example, numerical information indicating latitude and longitude), the control unit 11 transmits the transmission position P (the place name of the transmission position. In this case, for example, ○ city, ◎ 駅 station, etc.). ) Is specified (step 42). Next, print data Do is generated based on the character data corresponding to the specified transmission position P, the image data Dg, the title data Dt, and the reception date / time data Dd, and output to the printer 3 (step 43). In response, the printer 3 prints the images G, G,..., The titles T, T,..., The transmission positions P, P,. (Step 44). The control unit 11 executes the above-described data reception processing 30 after completing the output of the print data Do to the printer 3.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the printed matter OP printed in this manner includes, as shown in FIG. 7, an image G based on the image data Dg transmitted by the client H as an attached file of the e-mail M and a title input by the client H through key operation. Title T based on data Dt, transmission position P (location name of transmission position) specified by control unit 11 based on transmission position data Dp generated by receiver 16 of mail terminal 5 owned by client H, A total of six sets are printed with one set of the reception date and time D based on the reception date and time data Dd generated by the control unit 11 based on the reception date and time of the email M. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the printed matter OP is delivered to the client H by mail, for example. As a result, the client H can obtain a printed matter OP in which an image captured by the client H is printed in color without having a personal computer or a printer. In this case, the client H can easily recognize what, where, and when the image G is captured based on the title T, the transmission position P, and the reception date D printed together with the image G. it can. Furthermore, the administrator of the image printing system 1 prepares the mail terminal 5 and the mobile phone 6 for lending, so that even a person who does not own the mail terminal 5 and the mobile phone 6 can reliably and easily print the printed matter OP. Can be obtained.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the above embodiment of the present invention. For example, in the embodiment of the present invention, a printing method for executing the image printing process 40 when the control unit 11 determines that the recording of the six image data Dg, Dg,. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the image print processing 40 can be executed when image data Dg (e-mail M) of one or more images is received. It is also possible to read out a predetermined number of image data Dg, Dg,... Among a plurality of image data Dg, Dg,. Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, a printing method for printing all of the title T, the transmission position P, and the reception date and time D together with the image G has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. At the same time, one or more of the reception date D, the title T, and the transmission position P may be printed. Further, as shown by an arrow A in FIG. 7, a general title for a plurality of images G, G,..., And as shown by an arrow B, a printer of the printed matter OP (in this case, the management of the image printing system 1). ) Can be printed. In this case, by printing the general title, the contents of each image G, G,... Can be more easily identified. In addition, by printing the printer name, the image printing system 1 can be appropriately advertised.

  Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the printing method for printing the image data Dg, Dg,... Requested by the client H for printing has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the image printing system 1 can be applied to holding a so-called stamp rally (photo rally). Specifically, first, the mail terminal 5 and the mobile phone 6 are lent to the participants of the stamp rally. Thereafter, the participant takes an image of a subject that can prove that he or she has reached a preset checkpoint, such as a famous place in the area at that time, and sends an e-mail M attached with the image data Dg to the image printing system 1. Send to In this case, when the e-mail M arrives at the mail server 2, a configuration may be adopted in which the e-mail server 2 returns an e-mail M instructing the next checkpoint to the attendees. By executing the imaging of the subject and the transmission of the e-mail M at each check point, the recording unit 12 of the image printing system 1 records the image data Dg, Dg,. Is done. Thereafter, when a predetermined time has been reached, in the image printing system 1, the printed matter OP is printed based on each data recorded in the recording unit 12. Further, when returning the mail terminal 5 and the mobile phone 6, the printed matter OP is handed to the participants in exchange for the mail terminal 5 and the mobile phone 6. In this case, since the reception date and time D and the transmission position P are printed on the print OP together with the image G as described above, it is only necessary to confirm the print OP to determine whether or not a preset check point has been reached. Can be determined.

  Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the mail terminal 5 and the mobile phone 6 owned by the client H have been described as examples of the source device of the e-mail M, but the present invention is not limited to this. And various devices capable of transmitting an electronic mail M with image data Dg. For example, a mobile phone having an image data generation function (digital still camera) and an e-mail transmission function, a portable mail terminal configured to execute generation of image data and transmission and transmission of an e-mail, or a personal computer are included. . Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, an example in which the place name of the transmission position is printed as the transmission position P has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the latitude and longitude specified based on the transmission position data Dp Can be printed. Also, the means for generating the transmission position data Dp is not limited to the receiver 16, and for example, a mobile phone position information system can be used.

  Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, an example will be described in which the reception date and time data Dd is generated based on the reception date and time when the electronic mail M is received by the image printing system 1, and this date and time information is printed on the print OP as the reception date and time D. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, date and time information specified based on the generation date and time or transmission date and time of the e-mail M included in the management data Ds of the e-mail M and the generation date and time (imaging date and time of the image) of the image data Dg is printed on the print OP. You can also.

1 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of an image printing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention and devices used by an image printing client H. FIG. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram illustrating a configuration example of an electronic mail M. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a relationship between each process executed by the image printing system 1 and the client H. 9 is a flowchart of a data transmission process 20 executed by the client H. 5 is a flowchart of a data reception process 30 executed by the image printing system 1. 5 is a flowchart of an image printing process performed by the image printing system. FIG. 7 is a printing surface diagram showing one printing example of a printed matter OP.

Explanation of reference numerals

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image printing system, 2 ... Mail server, 3 ... Printer, 5 ... Mail terminal, 6 ... Mobile telephone, 8 ... Telephone network, 11 ... Control part, 12 ... Recording part, 15 ... Camera, 16 ... Receiver, D: Reception date and time, Dd: Reception date and time data, Dg: Image data, Do: Print data, Dp: Transmission position data, Ds: Management data, Dt: Title data, G: Image, H: Requester, M: E-mail , OP: printed matter, P: transmission position, T: title.

Claims (7)

Mail receiving means capable of receiving an e-mail attached with image data, printing means for executing printing of an image based on the attached image data, and control means for controlling printing of the image by the printing means. An image printing system comprising:
The control unit is configured to display the image data generation date and time that constitutes a part of the e-mail received by the mail reception unit, the e-mail transmission date and time that constitutes a part of the e-mail, or the e-mail reception date and time. An image printing system for causing the printing unit to print the image based on the image.   The image data attached to the e-mail received by the e-mail receiving means, and recording means for recording date and time data corresponding to any of the respective dates and times, the control means, the control means, the attached The image data and the date and time data are recorded in the recording unit, and the image data and the date and time data are read out from the recording unit, and a predetermined number of predetermined images and the images corresponding to the respective images are read out. 2. The image printing system according to claim 1, wherein the printing unit prints each date and time as one set.   The image printing system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the printing unit to print a character based on the character data transmitted together with the image data together with an image based on the image data.   4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the printing unit to print information of a transmission position specified based on transmission position data transmitted together with the image data together with an image based on the image data. An image printing system according to any one of the above.   The image printing system according to claim 4, wherein the control unit specifies the transmission position based on the position data of the global positioning system transmitted as the transmission position data.   The image according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the mail receiving unit is configured to be able to receive the electronic mail transmitted from a portable electronic mail terminal via a public telephone network. Printing system. The image printing system according to claim 6, further comprising a plurality of the portable electronic mail terminals for lending.

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