JP2005216073A - Album picture output system, album picture providing device, album picture output method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make image data of photographic images or the like preserved in a storage device, into an album on a prescribed condition to output image data. <P>SOLUTION: In an album picture output system wherein album pictures having photographic images laid out therein are outputted to a printer 5, user information is stored in a customer information DB 7, and attribute information of each user for whom a condition for output is determined is stored in an order information DB 8. An image management server 2 acquires photographic images through a network 6 from a user terminal 3 discriminated by user information and stores the acquired photographic images in a photographic image DB 10. A print-out service server 1 uses attribute information stored in the order information DB 8 to read out photographic images stored in the photographic image DB 10 and generates album pictures from these photographic images. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an album image output system that prints out and provides a photographic image, for example, and more particularly to an album image output system that can change a printout providing method based on a predetermined condition.

  In recent years, digital cameras (digital still cameras: DSC) have been improved in image quality, price reduction, and operability, and it is possible to easily obtain high-quality digital photographic images without advanced photography techniques. It has become possible. For general users, photographic images are very useful for creating memories such as travel records of users and their families, weddings and graduation ceremonies, recitals, commemorative ceremonies, event records of children and grandchildren, pet records, etc. It plays an important role. The captured photographic image is stored in a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a storage means such as a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) or a CD (Compact Disc). Printed out and stored and provided by various printers such as printers and inkjet printers. At this time, unlike a letter or the like, the photographic image can be further enhanced in value by arranging and storing it as an album that is continuous data.

  As a conventional technique in a photo service system, for example, there has been proposed a method for providing a time capsule photo service (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, when a user requests a photograph print, the user selects a specific photograph and requests a time capsule service from a photo service store. At the photo service store, the photograph is converted into digital image data and transmitted to the server. The server stores the information as digital data until a specified period, and when the period expires, the designated recipient Provides digital image data.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-268888 (page 6-7, FIG. 3)

  Here, the destination of the photo print such as an album may be another recipient as well as the user who provided the photo image. For example, in the case of a growth picture of a child, there may be a case where it is desired to provide a grandchild's growth picture to his / her parents. At this time, in the technique of Patent Document 1, it is provided to a designated recipient only on the date designated as a time capsule, but the scenes necessary for actual album provision are very fragmented. The first technique cannot adapt to the user's actual demand.

  More specifically, for example, when a child wants to regularly deliver a grandchild's photos as an album to a remote parent, the delivery conditions differ every week, every month, every six months, and so on. Also, there may be a plurality of recipients, and in such a case, the optimum delivery conditions differ for each recipient. When there are a plurality of recipients, an album composed of different photographic images may be formed for each recipient. Furthermore, there is a demand for different album layout conditions for each recipient.

The present invention has been made to solve the technical problems as described above, and an object of the present invention is to store image data such as photographic images stored in a storage device under predetermined conditions. To output image data.
Another object is to album the image data stored in the storage device based on the destination for each video, the output size for each video, the layout for each video, the delivery method for each video, etc., and output as appropriate. It is in.

  Under such an object, the present invention is an album image output system for outputting an album image in which photographic images are laid out. In the album image output system, attribute information for each user that defines conditions for output is stored together with user information in a storage means. A photographic image is acquired by the image acquisition means from the user identified by the user information via the network. Then, the photographic image acquired by the image acquisition unit is stored in the image storage unit, and the album image generation unit is used to generate the album image from the photographic image stored in the image storage unit using the attribute information stored in the storage unit. Is generated.

  In this case, the album image generating means reads out the photographic image stored in the storage means based on the attribute information, and lays out based on the attribute information to generate the album image. The side only needs to send a certain photographic image to the merchant side, while the merchant side that provides the album image can print out by automatic processing, and can provide a service at a low cost. Is preferable.

The attribute information includes a delivery condition for delivering the album image. The album image generating means can determine whether or not the delivery condition is satisfied based on the attribute information, and read the photographic image when the delivery condition is satisfied.
Further, the attribute information includes information related to the image form for generating the album image. At this time, the album image generating means can generate an album image using information relating to the image form for each album image delivery unit.

  From another point of view, the present invention provides an album image providing apparatus, such as a printout service server, for providing an album image in which photographic images are laid out. Distribution information storage means for storing information defining a distribution interval in a database, determination means for reading out information stored in the database and determining whether or not a distribution condition based on the distribution interval information is satisfied, and image database Generating means for reading stored photographic images from the image database and generating album images; and output means for outputting the album images generated by the generating means when the determining means determines that the distribution conditions are satisfied .

  Here, the distribution information storage means determines the delivery interval for each recipient information to be distributed and stores it in the database, and also determines the album form for forming the album image for each recipient information and stores it in the database. Can be characterized. In addition, the generating means may generate an album image for each recipient information using the album form stored in the database by the distribution information storing means. Further, the distribution information storage means stores information acquired from the user terminal via the network in a database, and the output means outputs the album image to a recording medium.

  On the other hand, the present invention provides an album image output method for outputting an album image in which photographic images are laid out, and stores attribute information including a delivery condition and an album form set for each output unit for outputting the album image. The photographic images constituting the album image are input and stored in the image storage means. Then, it is determined whether or not to form an album image using the delivery conditions included in the attribute information stored in the attribute information storage unit, and based on the album form included in the attribute information, the photo stored in the image storage unit It is possible to form and output an album for each output unit using an image.

  Here, this photographic image is stored in the image storage means including information related to the output unit, and whether or not to form this album image depends on the storage status of the photographic images stored in the image storage means. It can be characterized by being done accordingly. Whether or not this album image is to be formed is determined based on the number of photographic images in the output unit stored in the image storage means by using information on the number of photographic images set in the delivery conditions. In this case, it is possible to determine that an album image is formed. Further, the output unit may be determined for each recipient information that receives the distribution of the album image.

  Further, the present invention can be understood as a program that is executed by a computer that outputs an album image in which photographic images are laid out. This program stores the information defining the distribution interval for providing the album image in the storage device, and reads out the information stored in the storage device to determine whether the distribution condition based on the distribution interval information is satisfied. A function of reading out photographic images sequentially stored in the image storage device from the image storage device to generate an album image, and a function of outputting the generated album image when it is determined that the distribution condition is satisfied. Is realized on a computer.

Here, the information defining the distribution interval may be information input from the user terminal. In addition, the information defining the distribution interval may be set for each recipient information provided with the album image.
Further, a function of further realizing in the computer a function of storing information in the form of an album that defines image forming conditions for generating an album image for each recipient information provided with the album image, and generating an album image Is characterized in that it reads the album form information stored in the storage device and generates an album image.

  According to the present invention, image data such as photographic images stored in a storage device can be output as an album under predetermined conditions, for example, irregularly.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an album providing system (image output system) to which the present embodiment is applied. The album providing system shown in FIG. 1 is connected to each function via a network 6 such as the Internet. Here, the printout service server 1 that executes a printout service using a photographic image provided from the orderer side, which is a user, and means for storing the photographic image provided from the orderer side in the storage device ( The image management server 2 functions as a storage unit). The network 6 is a computer device used by the orderer (customer) of the album service, and the image is synthesized by the user terminal 3 that captures a photographic image taken by the digital camera 4 and the printout service server 1. A printer 5 for outputting the album image is connected. In some cases, the network 6 is connected to a recipient terminal 11 that directly receives electronic information of an album image synthesized by the printout service server 1.

  Here, the printout service server 1 and the image management server 2 are connected to various databases (DB) constituting a part of storage means for storing data using a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD). Yes. The database as attribute information storage means connected to the printout service server 1 includes a customer information DB 7 in which various information on the orderer (customer) using the user terminal 3 is stored, a delivery interval that differs for each recipient information, etc. There is an order information DB 8 for storing the order form information and the like, and an edit information DB 9 for storing the album form and the size information of the photos to be pasted. As a database as an image storage means connected to the image management server 2, there is a photographic image DB 10 for storing acquired photographic images.

  The printout service server 1 receives an ordering contract from the user terminal 3 that is an orderer, and stores customer information and order information that defines conditions for album delivery in various databases. The image management server 2 receives transmission of image information (photograph image) from the user terminal 3 at regular intervals or at arbitrary occasions, and stores the image information stored sequentially in the photoimage DB 10 as appropriate. When stored in the photographic image DB 10, it is preferable that the unit of delivery can be identified for each photographic image. For example, a form in which a customer ID and recipient information are stored for each photo image and the photo image and attribute information are associated with each other can be considered. The customer ID and recipient information will be described in detail later.

  The contents regarding the image information received by the image management server 2 are appropriately transmitted to the printout service server 1. Alternatively, the storing operation in the photographic image DB 10 by the image management server 2 is executed under the management of the printout service server 1, and the printout service server 1 grasps the storage state of the image information in the photographic image DB 10. At this time, the grasped information is classified and managed by the customer ID and recipient information associated with each photo image. Thereafter, the printout service server 1 receives the corresponding photo information from the photo image DB 10 via the image management server 2 and stores it in the edit information DB 9 when the order conditions stored in the order information DB 8 or the like are satisfied. An album is formed based on the edited information. Then, the formed album information is transmitted to the printer 5 via the network 6. In the printer 5, an album is printed based on an instruction from the printout service server 1, for example, a booklet, and hardware delivery by mail, courier service, etc. is made to a plurality of recipients (recipients A to C in FIG. 1). Against. In addition, when the recipient himself / herself acquires the album as electronic data, the image information can be directly transmitted to the recipient terminal 11 via the network 6 (in FIG. 1, the receipt is received). C).

  Further, the printout service server 1, the image management server 2, and the user terminal 3 function as a computer device, and as a hardware configuration, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that controls the entire system and performs arithmetic processing. ), ROM that stores programs for operating the system, RAM as an internal storage device such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) as CPU working memory, input from the user using a keyboard, mouse, etc. Is connected to an output device such as a printer or a monitor, and has an I / O circuit for managing input / output with these peripheral devices. Further, for example, a VRAM (Video RAM) used as a working memory for writing an album image or the like for monitor output to an output device is provided. Furthermore, an external storage device (storage device) composed of various disks such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), and a CD (Compact Disc) is provided. Various databases can be configured by these external storage devices (storage devices).

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the printout service server 1. The printout service server 1 includes an ordering U / I providing unit 21, an attribute information input unit 22, a storage status input unit 23, an image information input unit 24, and an album image information output unit 25 as input / output means. . In addition, an attribute information processing unit 26, an output condition determination unit 27, and an album creation unit 28 are provided as calculation means.

  The ordering U / I providing unit 21 provides a user interface (U / I) for ordering such as provision of a Web page for ordering displayed on the browser of the user terminal 3 based on a request from the user terminal 3. providing. The attribute information input unit 22 inputs attribute information including ordering contract information acquired from the user terminal 3 via the network 6, orderer information, recipient information, shipping method, and the like. The storage status input unit 23 acquires information about the photographic image data stored in the photographic image DB 10 from the image management server 2. The image information input unit 24 acquires image information such as photographic image data stored in the photographic image DB 10 from the image management server 2 when creating an album. The album image information output unit 25 transmits image information of the created album to the printer 5 via the network 6. Note that the album image information output unit 25 may directly output the image information to the recipient terminal 11 connected to the network 6.

  The attribute information processing unit 26 stores the attribute information obtained from the attribute information input unit 22 in the customer information DB 7 and the order information DB 8. When the actual album editing information needs to be rewritten, the editing information is stored in the editing information DB 9. In addition, contract conditions for condition determination are provided to the output condition determination unit 27. In addition, a delivery method, recipient information, and the like are provided to the album image information output unit 25. The output condition determination unit 27 determines, for example, whether or not the condition obtained from the attribute information processing unit 26 is satisfied based on the storage status of the image information acquired from the storage status input unit 23. The output condition determination unit 27 is provided with a date management unit, a time measurement unit, and the like (not shown), and observes the passage of a predetermined delivery period. The album creating unit 28 reads the image information obtained from the image information input unit 24, and creates an album based on the information obtained from the attribute information processing unit 26 and the editing information from the editing information DB 9.

Next, processing executed by the printout service server 1 will be described.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of ordering contract processing executed by the printout service server 1. First, the ordering U / I providing unit 21 provides a Web page including an ordering input form displayed on the browser of the user terminal 3 via the network 6 by designating the URL from the user terminal 3 (step 101). . This order entry form is configured so that customer information such as a payment method can be entered in addition to information such as the address, name, and age of the customer (orderer) who uses the user terminal 3. In addition, the user can select a service to be received and input various order form information.

  Thereafter, the attribute information input unit 22 recognizes attribute information such as customer information and order form information input from the user terminal 3 and acquired via the network 6 (step 102). Then, the attribute information processing unit 26 stores customer information in the customer information DB 7 from the attribute information recognized by the attribute information input unit 22 (step 103). The attribute information processing unit 26 stores various setting information for album image delivery in the order information DB 8 from the attribute information recognized by the attribute information input unit 22 (step 104), and the order contract processing step is performed. finish.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of order information stored in the order information DB 8. Here, in association with the order number (NO.) 51, setting information for album image delivery is stored in the storage device by the distribution information storage means. The customer ID 52 shown in FIG. 4 is associated with the customer information DB 7, and charging processing or the like is executed by the attribute information processing unit 26 according to the contents of the delivery processing. In the present embodiment, the recipient information 53 stored in the storage device by the distribution information storage means stores the recipient ID, e-mail address, and the like as the output unit of the album image. In some cases, information necessary for creating an album, such as an address, a telephone number, a recipient's age, and sex, is stored. The recipient information 53 can be stored in another storage medium or database and can be linked.

  As the delivery method information 55 stored in the storage device by the delivery information storage means, it is possible to select hardware delivery such as home delivery or mail, mail delivery via the network 6, and the like. In the case of hardware distribution, the generated album image information is transmitted to the printer 5 via the network 6. In addition to the album image information to be transmitted, information such as an address and a telephone number regarding the hardware delivery destination is also sent to the printer 5 side. A delivery terminal (not shown), which is a computer device, can be provided on the printer 5 side.

  The delivery determination condition 54 stored in the storage device by the delivery information storage means is information that defines a delivery interval for providing an album image, and a delivery interval is defined for each recipient information 53. For example, once every month, once every three months, etc., the delivery interval is set to be sent regularly, May 6th birthday, December 24th Christmas Eve, after the autumn sports day There is an irregular thing arbitrarily defined by the customer (user terminal 3) such as (specified date). In addition, as an irregular thing to be arbitrarily determined, there is a time when a designation from a customer (user terminal 3) or a time when, for example, 10 pages of photographic images are accumulated. Thus, in this embodiment, it is possible to deliver album images repeatedly at irregular intervals.

  Furthermore, the album information 56 selected by the user terminal 3 is stored in the order information DB 8. The album form information 56 is important information for determining image forming conditions when generating an album image. As information 56 of the album form, information on the size (A4, A3, B5, B4, etc.) of paper to be output as an album, the number of photos printed on one album, each photo and each page of the album can be given If there is a comment, the arrangement information of photos for one album (for example, free placement, left justification, right justification, top justification, bottom justification, etc.), photo images taken in portrait orientation and photos taken in landscape orientation There is information on whether to mix / divide when printing on an album, information on whether to perform enlargement / reduction processing, and information on whether to perform double-sided printing on paper. For these pieces of information, several bits of memory are assigned to each piece of information, and various pieces of information are stored using the assigned bits.

  The editing information DB 9 stores editing information necessary for actual album editing corresponding to the album form information 56 stored in the order information DB 8 as shown in FIG. For example, when size is specified, photo layout information for each paper size, layout information according to the number of photos, photo placement method according to the presence or absence of comments, font selection for comments, printing according to placement Information such as a position setting, for example, a selection method of a photo to be pasted based on a vertical / horizontal instruction, a scaling method, a photo arrangement selection based on the presence / absence of double-sided printing, and the like is stored. In addition, for example, various image processing information for a photographic image may be stored. For example, there are cases where editing information for integration processing of digital images taken under a plurality of conditions is stored. More specifically, as image quality correction processing, for example, smoothing processing for performing noise suppression processing, brightness correction for moving the reference point depending on whether the image distribution is closer to the brighter side or the darker side, etc. Functions such as highlight shadow correction that adjusts the distribution characteristics of the bright part and the shadow part, and light / dark contrast correction that obtains the distribution state from the light / dark distribution histogram and corrects the light / dark contrast can be provided. In addition, for example, a hue / color balance correction that corrects a color shift of a white portion on the basis of a white area portion considered to be the brightest, for example, a gray color so that it is bright for an image having a slightly low saturation. Each function such as memory color correction that corrects a specific memory color, such as correcting the skin color closer to the skin color, for example, correcting the skin color based on the skin color. Can also be included. Further, it is possible to provide a sharpness enhancement function that determines the strength of the edge from the overall edge degree and corrects the image to a crisp image (sharp image), for example. The editing information DB 9 also stores information regarding these image quality corrections.

Next, the album image information output process executed by the printout service server 1 will be described.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the album image information output processing step. The output condition determination unit 27 of the printout service server 1 reads the delivery determination condition from the order information DB 8 via the attribute information processing unit 26 (step 201). Further, the output condition determination unit 27 recognizes the image storage status for the photographic image DB 10 obtained from the image management server 2 and acquired via the storage status input unit 23 (step 202). The recognized image storage status is, for example, the storage status of photographic images for each recipient information 53 and order number (NO.) 51. Further, due date management is performed using a time measuring means, calendar, or the like (step 203). Based on the recognition of the image storage status, due date management, and other conditions, the output condition determination unit 27 performs the delivery determination condition for each order number (NO.) 51 stored in the order information DB 8 as shown in FIG. It is determined whether or not the condition is satisfied (step 204). If the delivery decision condition is not satisfied, the process returns to step 202 and the situation recognition is continued. If the delivery decision condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to an image processing process for albuming.

  In the image processing step for albuming, the album creating unit 28 first reads out information in the form of an album as shown in FIG. 4 stored in the order information DB 8 in association with the order number (NO.). (Step 205). Further, the album creating unit 28 reads the editing information stored in the editing information DB 9 (step 206). Further, in the album creating unit 28, the image information (photo image) stored in the photo image DB 10 is acquired via the image management server 2 via the image information input unit 24 (step 207). At this time, if there is comment information, the comment information is read out. For example, the comment information is associated with each photographic image stored in the photographic image DB 10 and stored in the photographic image DB 10. When the corresponding photographic image is read from the photographic image DB 10, the comment information is read together. Conceivable. In addition, in the case of being added for each page of the album, a form in which the information is stored in the order information DB 8 or the like in a collective form is conceivable.

  Thereafter, the album creating unit 28 performs image processing on the acquired image information using the acquired editing information or the like (step 208). Examples of the image processing include photographic image enlargement / reduction, layout processing, image quality processing, and the like. The album image information output unit 25 of the printout service server 1 transmits and outputs the album image formed by these image processes to the user terminal 3 via the network 6 (step 209). Here, it is determined whether there is an instruction for correction from the user terminal 3 (step 210). This determination is made by the attribute information processing unit 26 via, for example, the attribute information input unit 22. If correction is necessary, edit information associated with the correction is acquired (step 211), and the process returns to the image processing from step 208. When the attribute information processing unit 26 recognizes that no correction is necessary, the album image information output unit 25 uses the network 6 to transfer the album image information created by the album creation unit 28 to the printer. 5 (step 212). When the album image information is output, the recipient information 53 stored in the order information DB 8 is read and output together with the recipient information 53. Thus, hardware delivery to the recipient is possible on the printer 5 side.

  As described above in detail, in the image output system to which the present embodiment is applied, for example, it is possible to realize an application in which a child regularly delivers a grandchild's photo to a remote parent in an album, and the person (child) Can update one to several pages of a variety of album images on a regular basis (for example, every month) simply by updating the image data (photo images). Parents can see the growth of their grandchildren every month as albums accumulate. This makes it possible to obtain the photographic images that you really want with little effort. Moreover, it is possible to select a large-sized photograph and a variety of arrangements, and the degree of freedom for the user can be dramatically improved. Furthermore, the contract contents are stored as attribute information in a storage device such as an HDD, and the contract included in the attribute information is a regular, irregular (when the number of sheets is accumulated, etc.), distribution period, distribution pitch, distribution pitch pattern, etc. Selection, grandchild age-dependent pitch automatic selection, with a message, and the like can be arbitrarily selected.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, for example, it is possible to provide (deliver) a photograph or its information as a gift or business for a certain period of time, and this delivery is executed based on attribute information. It can be executed more easily. Examples of using the image output system include distribution from children to parents, overseas friends, and relatives. As a mode used in the business, there is an album of pictures of the progress status of a remote place (for example, the progress status of a building such as a condominium) from Company A to Company B. However, albuming generally includes a plurality of photographic images, but can be realized by a single photographic image.

  In the present embodiment, after requesting a photographic image, only certain photographic data is transmitted to the trader (printout service server 1) side, and the operation is very simple. On the trader side, print output to the printer 5 is possible by automatic processing, and a low-cost service can be provided. Furthermore, the trader can receive an order for a print service for a certain period by distribution, and can secure an album image creation service with a high profit margin.

  In the example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the printout service server 1, the image management server 2, and the printer 5 are disposed at, for example, a remote place and connected via the network 6. The function may be executed by a single computer, and the printer 5 may be connected to the computer. Also, the provision of photographic images and the input of attribute information are performed from the user terminal 3 via the network 6, but the user inputs directly from the terminals of the printout service server 1 and the image management server 2. It is also possible.

  Moreover, the process of this embodiment mentioned above is realizable as a program which computers, such as the printout service server 1, etc. run, for example. At this time, when these programs are provided to the computer, for example, in addition to the case where the programs are provided in a state where the programs are installed in the computer device, a storage medium that stores the programs to be executed by the computer in a computer-readable manner The form provided in can be considered. Examples of the storage medium include various DVD and CD-ROM media. The program is read by a DVD or CD-ROM reader connected to a computer device, and the program is stored in an HDD, a flash ROM, or the like. And executed by the CPU. Moreover, these programs may be provided via the network 6 from a program transmission apparatus, for example.

  Examples of utilization of the present invention include a system that can realize a series of operations by connecting a plurality of computer devices and the like via a network such as the Internet, as well as a computer that is used in a server or store that provides information via the network. Application to equipment is also possible.

It is the figure which showed the whole structure of the album provision system (image output system) to which this Embodiment is applied. It is the block diagram which showed the function structure of the printout service server. It is the flowchart which showed the flow of the order contract processing performed by the printout service server. It is the figure which showed the example of the order information stored in order information DB. It is the flowchart which showed an example of the album image information output process process.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printout service server, 2 ... Image management server, 3 ... User terminal, 4 ... Digital camera, 5 ... Printer, 6 ... Network, 7 ... Customer information DB, 8 ... Order information DB, 9 ... Editing information DB, 10 ... Photo image DB, 11 ... Recipient terminal, 21 ... Order U / I providing unit, 22 ... Attribute information input unit, 23 ... Storage status input unit, 24 ... Image information input unit, 25 ... Album image information output unit, 26 ... Attribute information processing unit, 27 ... Output condition determination unit, 28 ... Album creation unit

Claims (18)

In an album image output system that outputs an album image in which photographic images are laid out,
Storage means for storing attribute information for each user that defines conditions for output together with user information;
Image acquisition means for acquiring a photographic image from a user identified by the user information via a network;
Image storage means for storing a photographic image acquired by the image acquisition means;
An album image output system including album image generation means for generating the album image from the photographic images stored in the image storage means using the attribute information stored in the storage means.   2. The album image generation unit reads out a photographic image stored in the storage unit based on the attribute information and lays out the album image based on the attribute information to generate the album image. Album image output system.   The album image output system according to claim 1, wherein the attribute information includes a delivery condition for delivering the album image.   4. The album image according to claim 3, wherein the album image generation means determines whether or not the delivery condition is satisfied based on the attribute information, and reads the photographic image when the delivery condition is satisfied. Output system.   The album image output system according to claim 1, wherein the attribute information includes information on an image form for generating the album image.   6. The album image output system according to claim 5, wherein the album image generating means generates the album image using information relating to the image form for each delivery unit of the album image. An album image providing device for providing an album image in which photographic images are laid out,
Distribution information storage means for storing information defining a distribution interval for providing the album image in a database;
A determination unit that reads information stored in the database and determines whether or not a distribution condition according to the information of the distribution interval is satisfied;
Generating means for reading the photographic images sequentially stored in the image database from the image database and generating the album image;
An album image providing apparatus including an output unit that outputs the album image generated by the generation unit when the determination unit determines that the distribution condition is satisfied.   The distribution information storage means determines a delivery interval for each recipient information to be distributed and stores it in the database, and also determines an album form for forming the album image for each recipient information and stores it in the database. 8. The album image providing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:   9. The album image providing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the generation unit generates an album image for each recipient information using the album form stored in the database by the distribution information storage unit. The distribution information storage means stores the information acquired from the user terminal via a network in a database,
8. The album image providing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the output means outputs the album image to a recording medium. An album image output method for outputting an album image in which photographic images are laid out,
Storing attribute information including delivery conditions and album form set for each output unit for outputting the album image in the attribute information storage means;
The photographic images constituting the album image are input and stored in the image storage means,
Determining whether to form the album image using the delivery condition included in the attribute information stored in the attribute information storage means;
An album image output method comprising: forming and outputting an album for each output unit using the photographic images stored in the image storage unit based on the album form included in the attribute information. The photographic image is stored in the image storage means including information related to the output unit,
12. The album image output method according to claim 11, wherein the determination as to whether or not to form the album image is made according to the storage status of the photographic image stored in the image storage means.   Whether or not to form the album image is determined by using the information on the number of photographic images set in the delivery condition, and the photographic image of the output unit stored in the image storage means satisfies the number. 13. The album image output method according to claim 12, wherein it is determined that an album image is to be formed in the event of a failure.   12. The album image output method according to claim 11, wherein the output unit is determined for each recipient information receiving the distribution of the album image. To a computer that outputs album images with photographic images laid out,
A function of storing information defining a delivery interval for providing the album image in a storage device;
A function of reading information stored in the storage device and determining whether or not a distribution condition according to the information of the distribution interval is satisfied;
A function of reading out photographic images sequentially stored in the image storage device from the image storage device and generating the album image;
A program for realizing a function of outputting the generated album image when it is determined that the distribution condition is satisfied.   16. The program according to claim 15, wherein the information defining the delivery interval is information input from a user terminal.   16. The program according to claim 15, wherein the information defining the delivery interval is set for each recipient information to which an album image is provided. The computer further realizes a function of storing information in the form of an album that defines image forming conditions for generating the album image for each recipient information provided with the album image in a storage device,
16. The program according to claim 15, wherein the function of generating the album image reads the album form information stored in the storage device and generates the album image.

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