JPH1198340A - Picture reproduction system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To always provide the latest template to a customer without increasing the labor of a laboratory at the time of operating a working print service using a template. SOLUTION: Information indicating the location of a template such as an URL is described as template information designating a template in order information 6 describing the content of an order. When the designated template is not known, a laboratory system 2a performs access to a template server 1 indicated by the URL by using the template information, obtains the designated template, and operates an output service.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reproducing system which provides an output service of an image generated using a template in a digital photograph service using the Internet or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, digital photography services using the Internet have been provided. According to this service, for example, if you request digitization and storage of the image at the same time as submitting the film to development, the photos recorded on the film will be limited to the requester on the Internet, By referring to the published photograph on a personal computer connected to the network, the client can make an order for additional prints without going to a service shop.

[0003] As described above, as one method of ordering a processed print such as a composite photograph when an image of a user is stored on the service provider side, order information indicating a processing procedure or the like from a user to a lab. A method has been proposed in which only high-resolution image data stored by a lab based on this order information is processed to produce a print. The order information is created by, for example, recording the operation performed on the personal computer by a function of dedicated software incorporated in the personal computer of the user, and converting the recorded procedure into a predetermined format.

On the other hand, a template is provided as one means for easily processing an image. For example, if you use a template consisting of characters and illustrations for New Year's cards and a blank area for inserting photos, the user can easily specify a picture to be inserted in the blank area and easily create a New Year's postcard with photos. Can be created.

[0005] When ordering a processed print using a template, the user selects a desired one from the templates presented by the service provider and determines what changes are desired to be made to the template. An order can be made by notifying the service provider (for example, an image to be inserted).

[0006]

Although a processed print using a template is attractive in terms of simplicity, it is difficult to create a processed print with originality if the types of templates provided are small. That is,
In order to make the processed print service using the template truly attractive, it is desirable that the service provider always devises a new template and keeps providing it to the user.

However, in order to provide a processing print service using a new template, it is necessary to frequently upgrade a lab system that provides the service. In addition, in the case where an old template is continuously provided without being discarded, facilities for accumulating and storing an increasing number of templates are required, and the burden on the lab is not small.

[0008] In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a digital photographic service, in which a processing print service using a template is performed without increasing the burden on the laboratory.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system that can always provide the latest templates to customers.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image reproducing system for processing and reproducing a template based on input order information. Communication means for exchanging information via a network with another system for providing the information, and information for designating the template, wherein the image reproduction system is one of the systems connected to the network. Order information capturing means for capturing template information indicating information necessary for obtaining the template from any of the systems, and order information including processing information indicating the content of processing to be performed on the template; , The image reproduction system holds a specified template based on the template information. A template presence / absence confirmation unit for confirming whether or not the image reproduction system does not hold a designated template, and excludes the image reproduction system from the systems connected to the network based on the template information A template obtaining means for obtaining the template from any of the systems, and performing processing based on the processing information on a template obtained from any of the systems connected to the network, including the image reproduction system. It is characterized by comprising image processing means and reproducing means for reproducing the processed template.

Here, "reproduction" includes not only the production of a so-called photographic print, but also the production of a postcard and a sticker, and the reproduction as a monitor display image.

[0011] "Acquiring the template from any system including the image reproducing system" means that if a template designated by a user is already held in the system, the template is used for immediate processing. And if you don't have it, get it from another system.

The “template information” may include, for example, ID information for identifying the template and link information indicating the location of the template.
As a result, the template presence / absence confirmation means makes the I
The confirmation is performed by comparing the D information with the ID information of the template held by the image reproduction system, and the template obtaining unit can obtain the template based on the link information.

Particularly, if the network is the Internet and a URL is used as link information, a highly versatile system can be realized. Alternatively, in the case where versatility is not particularly required and the storage location of the template is limited to several locations, the template storage location may be indicated by the upper few digits of the ID, and the template may be downloaded only by the ID. (In this case, the ID information also serves as the link information).

An image reproduction system according to a fifth aspect is a system in which a template supply device that specializes in template supply is added to the system according to the first aspect. That is, the system includes a template supply device that stores a template and supplies the template via a network in response to a request from another device; and a reproduction device that processes and reproduces the template based on input order information. (A) template information indicating information for specifying the template and indicating information necessary for requesting the specified template to the template supply device, and processing information for indicating the content of the processing; Order information taking means for taking in order information including (b), (b)
A communication unit for exchanging information with another system for providing an image service via a network, and (c) confirming whether or not the playback apparatus holds a specified template based on the template information. Template presence / absence confirmation means, (d) template acquisition means for acquiring a template from the template supply device based on the template information when the playback device does not hold the designated template, and (e) playback Image processing means for performing processing based on the processing information on a template held by the apparatus or a template obtained by the template obtaining means, and (f) reproduction means for reproducing the processed template. And a device.

Specifically, a "template supply device"
Is a server computer or the like managed by a service provider, and the "reproducing device" is a photo printer or the like of a lab that actually performs a service. It goes without saying that one system may include a plurality of template supply devices.

In a lab or the like, there may be a case where too many templates cannot be held due to a disk capacity problem or the like. For example, when a new template is obtained, a template that is used less frequently is deleted, and a certain number of templates are always deleted. May be held. If a template that has been deleted later becomes necessary, it may be obtained again from the template supply device.

In the image reproducing system of the present invention, the method of generating the "order information" is not particularly limited.
In practice, the order information is often generated by a user's personal computer or an order reception terminal installed at a service base, recorded on a medium such as an FD, or taken into the system via a network.

That is, in the image reproducing system of the present invention,
An order information generation device that determines a desired template and the contents of the processing for the template, and generates order information including template information for obtaining the desired template and processing information indicating the contents of the processing. The apparatus may further comprise the reproducing device processing and reproducing the template based on the order information generated by the order information generating device.

The word "template" used to mean simply data in the past, but in recent years it is often referred to as a template including not only data but also processing procedures such as macros. In the present specification, regardless of the structure, a base for processing is provided, and a result equivalent to a case where a complicated processing is performed from nothing can be easily obtained by making a small change to the base. All objects having such a function are referred to as templates.

More specifically, for example, a background image having a blank area for arranging an image is provided as a template. In this case, the processing information may be information for specifying an image to be arranged in a blank area. A method is also conceivable in which a processing procedure including a parameter that can be changed is used as a template, and the parameter is specified as the processing information. For example, the procedure “rotate image A by X degrees” is used as a template, and image A and rotation angle X
Is a parameter. By designating the desired image as the image A and specifying the rotation angle X (the processing information is the image A and the rotation angle X), a print in which the specified image is rotated can be easily obtained.

[0021]

According to the present invention, there is provided a system for performing processing based on processing information given to a designated template and reproducing and outputting the template.
L or the like is specified by information including the location of the template. This way, even if the specified template is unknown to the system,
The template can be obtained from other systems on the network.

In addition, at least one template supply device dedicated to template supply is installed on the network, and the reproduction device of each lab accesses the template supply device as necessary to obtain the template. Then, the latest template can be reliably provided in all the laboratories simply by managing the template stored in the template supply device.

At this time, if only a fixed number of templates are stored in the reproducing apparatus on the laboratory side, the load on the laboratory for storing the templates can be reduced.

[0024]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an image reproducing system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2
1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an image reproduction system according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the system, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the system by focusing on data.

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a user terminal 5 is an order receiving terminal installed at a service base or the like for a user's personal computer or a user who does not have a personal computer, and corresponds to the order information generating device. It is.
Further, the lab system 2 (2a, 2b, 2c) is a system for performing a reproduction process such as a print output, and corresponds to the above-described reproduction device. The template server 1 is a server computer that manages templates, and corresponds to the template supply device.

The lab system 2 and the template server 1 are connected by a network 10 such as the Internet or a dedicated line. It is desirable that the user terminal 5 can be connected to the network 10 as necessary. However, the user terminal 5 does not necessarily need to be connected to the network 10 as long as it can exchange data with the laboratory system 2 via media such as FD.

In this system, a user registers a user image in the service provider system in advance. As shown in FIG. 2, the lab system 2 holds the high-resolution image data 4 for print output by this registration. The high-resolution image data 4 may be read in advance and stored on the hard disk of the lab system 2, or the user may deposit the film at the time of registration and read it as needed. .

On the other hand, the user is provided with low-resolution image data 14 for displaying and confirming an image on the user terminal 5. The low-resolution image data 14 may be recorded on a CD-R or the like and provided to the user, or as shown in FIG.
The data itself may be managed by the order reception center 7 or the like on the service provider side, and the data may be provided by a method of making the data only open to the user on the network. In any case, by performing the registration, the user can determine the order content while checking the image on the user terminal 5.

On the other hand, a template used for a processed print or the like is high-resolution data that can be used as it is at the time of print creation (high-resolution template 3).
The same template is stored in the template server 1 and registered in the order reception center 7 as low-resolution data for display (low-resolution template 13). However, when the template does not represent an image and is a processing procedure, there is no particular distinction between high resolution and low resolution, and the same template is stored in the lab system 2 and the order reception center 7.

The user downloads the low-resolution image data 14 and the low-resolution template 13 registered in the order receiving center 7 and performs processing on the user terminal 5. However,
The processing performed here is performed for the purpose of creating processing information, and the processed image obtained by the processing is used only for confirmation.

The procedure of the processing performed by the user is recorded as processing information by a function of dedicated software incorporated in the user terminal 5. Further, order information 6 including this processing information and template information indicating a template that is a base of the processing is generated. Generated order information 6
Is delivered to the lab system 2 via the order reception center 7 or directly.

For example, a template 13a for a New Year's postcard having a blank area for incorporating a photograph (ID of this template is, for example, T0021) and a snap photograph 14a
(The ID of this image is set to, for example, P0013) will be described in combination to create a New Year's postcard with a photo. In this case, as shown in FIG. 1, in the order information, the above ID and the URL where the template is stored are described as template information, and as the processing information, information such as “insert image P0013 into blank area” Is described.

The lab system 2 (2a) searches for an image having the ID of P0013 from the registered images, uses the high-resolution image data 4a to perform processing according to the order information 6, and prints. Output. At this time, I of T0021
Lab system 2
If stored in a hard disk or the like in (2a), the data is processed and reproduced using the data. If the high-resolution template 3a is not stored, the template server 1 is stored based on the URL of the template information. Is processed after obtaining the template 3a stored in.
Here, the processing is processing based on the processing information, and in this case, processing of inserting the high-resolution image data 4a into a blank area of the high-resolution template 3a.

Also, if the template is “blur image A,
If the processing procedure uses the images A, B, and the angle α as parameters, such as “color conversion, rotation by (90 + α) degrees, and synthesis with the image B”, the processing information is “image A = P0
013 / image B = P0014 / angle α = 10 ”. In this case, the lab system 2 rotates the image obtained by performing the sharpness and color conversion processing on the high-resolution image data having the ID of P0013 by 100 degrees, and rotates this by P0014.
And prints out a composite image obtained as a result of the composition with the high-resolution image data having the ID of

The template obtained from the template server 1 may be stored in the hard disk of the laboratory system 2 as it is, or may be discarded after the processing is completed, and the template server 1 may be renewed as necessary.
You may obtain from. In general lab system 2
However, since the disk capacity allocated for storing templates is limited, it is difficult to hold a large number of templates (especially image templates). Therefore,
It is desirable to discard the old template in place of the latest template, or to preferentially retain the popular template regardless of its newness so that the number of templates does not exceed a certain number. Alternatively, a high-resolution template may not be stored at all and may be obtained from the template server every time.

When the location of the template is represented by a general format such as a URL, the template server
The server does not necessarily need to be a template dedicated to template supply managed by the service provider. For example, if one user publishes a template created by himself / herself on a personal server, another user who referred to the template may place a print order together with a URL indicating the directory where the template of the server is stored. It is possible.

In the above-described embodiment, only one template server 1 is provided for ease of explanation.
Since the present invention is characterized in that information indicating the location of the template is transmitted to the laboratory, a particularly great effect can be obtained in an environment where there are many template servers and it is difficult to grasp the storage location of each template. it can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of an image reproduction system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the system of FIG. 1 focusing on data;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 template server (template supply device) 2 lab system (reproducing device) 3 high resolution template 4 high resolution image data 5 user terminal (order information generation device) 6 order information 7 order reception center 10 network 13 low resolution template 14 low resolution image data

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. An image reproducing system for processing and reproducing a template based on input order information, comprising: a communication unit for exchanging information via a network with another system for providing an image service; Template information indicating information required to obtain the template from any system including the image reproduction system in the image reproduction system, wherein the image reproduction system is information specifying a template, Order information fetching means for fetching order information including processing information indicating processing to be performed on the template; and whether or not the image reproduction system holds a specified template based on the template information. Means for confirming whether or not the template exists, and A template obtaining unit that obtains the template from any of the systems connected to the network other than the image reproduction system based on the template information when the template is not held, Image processing means for performing processing based on the processing information on a template obtained from any of the systems including the image reproduction system among the systems connected to the processing means, and reproduction means for reproducing the processed template. An image reproduction system, characterized in that: 2. The image processing system according to claim 2, wherein the template information includes ID information for identifying the template, and link information indicating the location of the template. 2. The image reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the confirmation is performed by comparing with ID information of a held template, and the template obtaining unit obtains the template based on the link information. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the template is a background image having a blank area for arranging an image, and the processing information is information for specifying an image to be arranged in the blank area. 3. The image reproduction system according to 1 or 2. 4. The image reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the template is a processing procedure including a changeable parameter, and the processing information is information for specifying the parameter. 5. A template supply device for storing a template and supplying the template via a network in response to a request from another device; and a reproduction device for processing and reproducing the template based on input order information. (A) template information indicating information for specifying the template and indicating information necessary for requesting the specified template to the template supply device, and processing information indicating the content of the processing Order information capturing means for capturing order information including: (b) communication means for exchanging information via a network with another system for providing an image service; and (c) the reproducing apparatus based on the template information. (D) means for confirming whether or not the playback device has the specified template; and A template obtaining unit that obtains a template from the template supply device based on the template information when the stored template is not held, and (e) the template held by the playback device or the template obtaining unit. An image reproducing system, comprising: an image processing unit that performs processing on the obtained template based on the processing information; and (f) a reproducing apparatus that includes a reproducing unit that reproduces the processed template. . 6. The image reproducing system according to claim 5, wherein said reproducing apparatus always holds only a fixed number of templates. 7. The template information includes ID information for identifying the template, and link information indicating the location of the template. The template presence / absence confirmation means holds the ID information in the playback device. 7. The image reproducing system according to claim 5, wherein the confirmation is performed by comparing with ID information of a template to be performed, and the template obtaining unit obtains the template based on the link information. 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the template is a background image having a blank area for arranging an image, and the processing information is information for specifying an image to be arranged in the blank area. The image reproduction system according to any one of claims 5 to 7. 9. The processing method according to claim 5, wherein the template is a processing procedure including a changeable parameter, and the processing information is information for specifying the parameter. Image playback system. 10. A template including a desired template, template information indicating information necessary for obtaining the desired template, and processing information indicating the contents of the processing. 10. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising an order information generating device that generates order information, wherein the reproducing device processes and reproduces the template based on the order information generated by the order information generating device. The image reproduction system according to claim 1.