JP2000201291A - Image photographing and printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce maintenance work quantity at a relatively low cost. SOLUTION: Each image photographing terminal 1 and a media center device 3 are connected by a public communication network 5, the device 3 and a printing output terminal 4 are also connected by the network 5, and image data photographed by the terminal 1 and its image management information are transferred to the device 3 for storage. Subsequently, image data corresponding to image management information from a portable terminal 2 is transferred from the device 3 to the terminal 4, and the image data is printed and outputted from the terminal 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image capturing and printing system, and more particularly to an image capturing and printing system which captures an image in response to a capturing request.
The present invention relates to an image capturing and printing system that prints out the image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image for business use which is arranged in a store or the like, confirms the insertion of cash or a monetary value medium, photographs a user in response to a photographing request, and prints out the image. The printing apparatus has a configuration as shown in FIG. FIGS. 7A and 7B are explanatory views showing a conventional image photographing and printing apparatus, wherein FIG. 7A is a block diagram and FIG. 7B is an external view.

[0003] When a request for taking in cash (coin) or a money value medium from the insertion port 94B and a subsequent photographing request by operating the button 94A are confirmed by the operation section 94, the control section 95 sends the image processing section 93 to the image processing section 93. A shooting instruction is output.
In response to this, the camera 91A of the imaging unit 91 captures a part or the whole body of the user's face, for example, and the image data is displayed on the screen 92A of the display unit 92.
It is stored in the storage unit 96.

Thereafter, when a confirmation operation by operating the button 94A is confirmed by the operation unit 94, the control unit 95
The image data stored in the storage unit 96 is read,
The data is transferred to the printing unit 97. In response, the image data is printed out on a predetermined sheet such as a sticker by the printing unit 97 and is discharged to the take-out port 97A.

[0005]

However, in such a conventional image photographing and printing apparatus, since the printing section is provided in an apparatus which is individually provided such as a large number of stores, the printing section is consumed. It is necessary to replenish paper, ink, and the like for each device, and there is a problem that maintenance work increases as the number of devices increases. In addition, the printing section is relatively expensive, which has been a factor that increases the cost of the apparatus. The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging and printing system which is relatively inexpensive and can reduce the amount of maintenance work.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an image capturing and printing system according to the present invention is provided at an image capturing terminal, a media center device, and a remote site, respectively, which are connected by a communication network. And a print output terminal;
A mobile terminal that is carried by the user and communicates with the image capturing terminal as needed, and the image data obtained by the image capturing by the image capturing terminal and the image management information are stored in the media center device. The image data corresponding to the image management information from the portable terminal is transferred from the media center device to the print output terminal and printed out. Therefore, the print output terminal can be shared by each image photographing apparatus, and it is not necessary to provide a printing unit in each image photographing apparatus.

[0007]

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image photographing and printing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, an image photographing terminal 1 is disposed in a store or the like and photographs a user in response to a photographing request. Terminal, media center device 3
Is a device that is connected to a number of image capturing terminals 1 via a public communication network 5 and stores image data captured by the image capturing terminals 1 together with their image management information.

[0008] The print output terminal 4 is provided at a photo DPE store or the like, and prints out image data transferred from the media center device 3 connected via the public communication network 5 on a predetermined sheet such as a sticker. is there. In addition, the mobile terminal 2
The terminal is carried by a user and stores image management information unique to image data captured by the image capturing terminal 1.

In this case, the portable terminal 2 comprises a wireless telephone and is connected to the media center device 3 via the wireless communication network 6 and the public communication network 5. Further, the image photographing terminal 1, the media center device 3, and the print output terminal 4 are respectively arranged at remote locations, call out the other party from the respective line processing units via the public communication network, and automatically answer the other party. It will communicate later.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are external views of an image capturing terminal and a portable terminal, wherein FIG. 2A shows an image capturing terminal and FIG. 2B shows a portable terminal. In the image capturing terminal 1, a part or whole body of the user's face or the like is input by the operation unit 14 for detecting insertion of cash (coin) or a money value medium from the insertion port 14B and operation of the button 14A, and the camera 11A. An imaging unit 11 for photographing, a display unit 12 for displaying image data obtained by photographing on a screen 12A, and an image for processing image signals obtained by the imaging unit 11 to generate image data and outputting the image data to the display unit 12. A processing unit 13 is provided.

The storage unit 16 for storing the image data generated by the image processing unit 13, the image data stored in the storage unit 16, and image management information unique to the image data are transmitted via the public communication network 5. A line processing unit 17 for transferring the image management information of the image data transferred to the media center device 3 to the portable terminal 2 via the cable 18A; Control unit 15 that controls the overall operation
Is provided.

The media center device 3 has a public communication network 5
Line processing unit 31 for transmitting and receiving image data and its image management information via the network, and storage unit 3 for storing image data and its image management information received via the line processing unit 31
3, and a management unit 32 that manages each image data stored in the storage unit 33 based on the image management information.

The print output terminal 4 stores the image data and the image management information received via the line processing unit 41 and the line processing unit 31 for receiving the image data and the image management information via the public communication network 5. Storage unit 43, a printing unit 44 for printing image data stored in the storage unit 43 on a predetermined sheet, a key input unit 46 for detecting various key operations,
A display unit 45 for displaying various kinds of information and a control unit 42 for generally controlling these are provided.

The portable terminal 2 has a communication I / O for receiving image management information from the image photographing terminal 1 via the cable 18A.
An F (interface) 21, a storage unit 24 for storing image management information received by the communication I / F 21, a key input unit 23 for detecting various key operations from the keypad 23A, and a display unit 25 for displaying various information on a screen 25A. Is provided. In FIG. 1, a wireless telephone terminal is used as the portable terminal 2, and the wireless communication network 6 is connected via the antenna 26A.
Processing unit 26 and speaker 27 for connecting to
A, a communication unit 27 for making a call using the microphone 27B
Is provided.

Next, with reference to FIG. 3, of the operation according to the first embodiment, an image photographing process will be described. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing the image photographing process. First, when the photographing request operation by the button 14A is detected by the operation unit 14 of the image photographing terminal 1 after the cash (coin) or the money value medium is inserted from the insertion port 14B (step 101), the control unit 15 A shooting instruction is output to the image processing unit 13.

In response, the camera 11A of the imaging unit 11
Then, for example, a part of the user's face or the whole body is photographed (step 102), and the image processing unit 1
In step 3, image data is generated. The generated image data is displayed on the screen 12A of the display unit 12 and the storage unit 1
6 is stored. Thereafter, when the confirmation operation by the operation of the button 14A is confirmed by the operation unit 14, the control unit 15 generates image management information corresponding to the image data stored in the storage unit 16.

The image management information is information uniquely assigned to the generated image data, and includes, for example, a combination of a terminal number unique to the image photographing terminal 1 and a photographing date and time. The image management information may be configured by a combination of a terminal number unique to the image capturing terminal 1 and a serial number assigned to each image data in the image capturing terminal.

The image management information and image data generated in this way are sent from the line processing unit 17 to the media center device 3 via the public communication network 5 such as an ISDN communication network.
(Steps 103 and 104). These image management information and image data are received by the line processing unit 31 of the media center device 3 and stored in the storage unit 33 by the management unit 32 (step 105).

Before or after this, the image processing unit 13 of the image photographing terminal 1 performs reduction processing of the image data to be transferred to the media center apparatus 3, and generates reduced image data (step 106). Is for reducing the size (capacity) of the original image data. For example, a reduction in resolution or a data compression process is executed.

Thereafter, the control unit 15 sends a communication I / F 18
, Image management information of the reduced image data and the original image data is transmitted (steps 107 and 108). The reduced image data and the image management information are received by the communication I / F 21 of the mobile terminal 2 via the cable 18A,
Is stored in the storage unit 24 (step 109).

The control unit 22 of the portable terminal 2 has a storage unit 24
Is provided with an image data management function for searching and displaying reduced image data based on the image management information stored in. Therefore, when the user operates the key input unit 23, the desired reduced image data is read from the storage unit 24 and displayed on the screen 25A of the display unit 25. Since the screen 25A is small and does not require a high resolution, the original image data can be reduced and stored in the portable terminal 2,
A large number of image data can be stored with a relatively small capacity.

Next, with reference to FIG. 4, the printing process of the operation according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing the printing process. As described above, when printing out the original image data of an arbitrary reduced image data among the plurality of reduced image data stored in the mobile terminal 2, the desired image data is output by the image data management function of the control unit 22. The user makes a selection and performs a print request operation from the key input unit 23 (step 111).

In response, the control unit 22 reads out the image management information of the designated reduced image data from the storage unit 24, and transmits it from the wireless processing unit 26 to the media center device 3 (step 112). This image management information
The data is received by the line processing unit 31 of the media center device 3 via the wireless communication network 6 and the public communication network 5.

The management section 32 retrieves the corresponding image data by searching the storage section 33 based on the image management information from the portable terminal 2 received by the line processing section 31 (step 113). Then, the image data is transferred from the line processing unit 31 to the print output terminal 4 (step 1).
14).

This image data is received by the line processing unit 41 of the print output terminal 4 via the public communication network 5 and
2 is stored in the storage unit 43. After that, the control unit 4
2, the data is read from the storage unit 43 and output to the printing unit 44. As a result, the printing unit 44 prints out and prints on a predetermined sheet such as a sticker (step 115), which can be obtained from the portable terminal 2 by the user who has issued the print request.

As described above, in the first embodiment, each image photographing terminal 1 and the media center device 3 are connected to the public communication network 5.
And the media center device 3 and the print output terminal 4 are connected by a public communication network 5 to transfer the image data captured by the image capturing terminal 1 and the image management information to the media center device 3 for storage. Thereafter, the image data corresponding to the image management information from the portable terminal 2 is transferred from the media center device 3 to the print output terminal 4, and the print output terminal 4 prints out the image data.

Therefore, the print output terminal 4 provided in a photo DPE store or the like can be shared by a large number of image capture terminals 1 provided in each store or the like, and it is necessary to provide a printing unit in the image capture terminal 1. Disappears. Thus, maintenance work for replenishing paper, ink, and the like consumed in the printing unit for each device can be reduced, and the image device terminal 1
Cost can be reduced.

Further, since the image management information is stored in the portable terminal 2 and transmitted to the media center device 3 in response to a predetermined print request operation, it is possible to identify the image data shot by the image shooting terminal 1. It is not necessary for the user to write down the image management information or print out the image management information with the image photographing terminal 1, and the burden on the user when making a print request can be greatly reduced.

In the above description, when a print request is made,
The case where the wireless processing unit 26 is used as means for transmitting image management information from the portable terminal 2 to the media center device 3 has been described as an example, but other communication means, for example, means equivalent to the line processing unit 17 of the image photographing terminal 1 May be provided and transmitted. Further, a signal output means for outputting the image management information from the speaker 27A in the form of a push button type signal tone (DTMF signal tone) may be provided so that the receiver such as a public telephone may transmit the media management information to the media center apparatus 3. Inexpensive configuration.

In this regard, in the first embodiment,
Since the wireless processing unit 26 is provided and the data is transmitted to the media center device 3 via the wireless communication network 6, a print request can be made from any place without using another device, and a user in the case of making a print request. The burden can be greatly reduced. Further, in the above description, when storing the image data and the image management information in the portable terminal 2, the reduced image data obtained by reducing the image data is stored, but the storage unit 24 has a large storage capacity. If so, there is no need to shrink.

Further, when transmitting the image management information from the portable terminal 2 to the media center device 3, the terminal management information indicating the predetermined print output terminal 4 may be added and transmitted. Thus, even when a plurality of print output terminals 4 exist in the system, the user can select a desired print output terminal 4.

Next, an image taking and printing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an image photographing and printing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, the same or equivalent parts as those in FIG.
In this case, the wireless processing unit 26 and the communication unit 27 are omitted from the portable terminal 2 as compared with FIG.
Performs its function.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a portable terminal according to the second embodiment. Here, the portable terminal 2 is a palm-sized PDA (Personal Digital Assistants:
Personal information devices). 6, reduced image data and various information are displayed on the screen 75A covered by the transparent cover 75B by the display unit 25.

The operation of the arrow keys 74A and the buttons 74B is detected by the key input section 23, and a search / display of image data or a print request is made. Strap holder 79
Is an annular attachment for attaching a portable strap or key holder.

A cable 18 A from the image photographing terminal 1 or the print output terminal 4 is connected to a connector 71. Optical communication with the image capturing terminal 1 and the print output terminal 4 may be performed by transmitting and receiving light beams such as infrared light through the optical communication window 71B without using the cable 18A. The cable connection work burden on the user can be reduced, and the cable 18A and the connector 71 can be saved.
The occurrence of communication errors due to deterioration of the communication can be suppressed.

Next, with reference to FIG. 7, the printing process of the operation according to the second embodiment will be described. In addition,
The image photographing process is the same as in the first embodiment (see FIG. 3), and the description is omitted here.

FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing a printing process according to the second embodiment. As described above, when printing out the original image data of arbitrary reduced image data among the plurality of reduced image data stored in the mobile terminal 2, the mobile terminal 2 and the print output terminal 4 are connected by the cable 18A. Then, communication is made possible, for example, desired image data is selected by the image data management function of the control unit 22, and a print request operation is performed from the key input unit 23 (step 121).

In response, the control section 22 reads out the image management information of the designated reduced image data from the storage section 24, and transmits it from the communication I / F 21 to the print output terminal 4 (step 122). This image management information is received by the communication I / F 47 of the print output terminal 4, and is transferred by the control unit 42 from the line processing unit 41 to the media center device 3 (step 123).

Thus, the image management information is received by the line processing unit 31 of the media center device 3 via the public communication network 5. The management unit 32 reads out the corresponding image data by searching the storage unit 33 based on the image management information from the mobile terminal 2 received by the line processing unit 31 (step 124). Then, the image data is transferred from the line processing unit 31 to the print output terminal 4 (step 12).
5).

This image data is received by the line processing unit 41 of the print output terminal 4 via the public communication network 5 and
2 is stored in the storage unit 43. After that, the control unit 4
2, the data is read from the storage unit 43 and output to the printing unit 44. As a result, the printing unit 44 prints out and prints on a predetermined sheet such as a sticker (step 126), which can be obtained by the user who has made a print request from the portable terminal 2.

As described above, in the second embodiment, at the time of a print request, the image management information from the portable terminal 2 is transferred to the media center device 3 via the print output terminal 4, and the corresponding image data is transmitted. The image data is transferred from the media center device 3 to the print output terminal 4, and the image data is printed out from the print output terminal 4. Therefore, a means for directly transmitting image management information from the portable terminal 2 to the media center device 3 connected to the public communication network 5 is not required, and the portable terminal 2 can be downsized.
It can be configured at low cost.

In the above description, when the image output information from the portable terminal 2 is transferred to the media center device 3 by the print output terminal 4, the terminal is added with its own terminal identification information and transferred. You may. As a result, even when there are a plurality of print output terminals 4 in the system, the print output terminal 4 to which the user has connected the portable terminal 2 is automatically selected as the desired print output terminal 4, and the print output by the user is performed. The operation for specifying the terminal can be omitted.

[0043]

As described above, according to the present invention, an image capturing terminal, a media center device, and a print output terminal, which are respectively disposed at remote locations and connected by a communication network, need to be carried by a user and required. And a mobile terminal that communicates with the image capturing terminal in response to the image data. The image data obtained by the image capturing terminal and the image management information are stored in the media center device, and the image management from the mobile terminal is performed. The image data corresponding to the information is transferred from the media center device to the print output terminal and printed out.

Accordingly, the print output terminals provided in the photo DPE stores and the like can be shared by a large number of image capturing terminals provided in each store and the like, and it is not necessary to provide a printing unit in the image capturing terminals. Accordingly, maintenance work for replenishing paper, ink, and the like consumed in the printing unit for each device can be reduced, and the cost of the image device terminal can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an imaging and printing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of an image capturing terminal and a portable terminal.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram illustrating an image photographing process.

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating a printing process according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an imaging and printing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a portable terminal according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram illustrating a printing process according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram illustrating a conventional image capturing and printing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image photography terminal, 2 ... Portable terminal, 3 ... Media center device, 4 ... Print output terminal, 5 ... Public communication network, 6 ... Wireless communication network.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ───

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission Date] January 14, 1999 (1999.1.1)
4)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0002

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image for business use which is arranged in a store or the like, confirms the insertion of cash or a monetary value medium, photographs a user in response to a photographing request, and prints out the image. printing apparatus has a configuration as shown in FIG. 8A and 8B are explanatory diagrams showing a conventional image photographing and printing apparatus, wherein FIG. 8A is an external view and FIG. 8B is a block diagram.

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0019

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

Before or after this, the image processing unit 13 of the image photographing terminal 1 performs reduction processing of the image data to be transferred to the portable terminal 2 to generate reduced image data (step 106). , For reducing the size (capacity) of the original image data, for example, a reduction in resolution or a data compression process.

[Procedure amendment 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0022

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

Next, with reference to FIG. 4, the printing process of the operation according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing the printing process. As described above, the sale of a plurality of reduced image data stored in the portable terminal 2 <br/> Chi, when printing output original image data of an arbitrary reduced image data, the image data management function of the control unit 22 , Desired image data is selected, and a print request operation is performed from the key input unit 23 (step 111).

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0037

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing a printing process according to the second embodiment. As described above, among the plurality of reduced image data stored in the portable terminal 2, when printing output original image data of an arbitrary reduced image data by the portable terminal 2 and the printed output terminal 4 cables 18A A communication state is established by connection or the like, desired image data is selected by the image data management function of the control unit 22, and a print request operation is performed from the key input unit 23 (step 12).
1).

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) // G06F 17/30 G06F 15/40 310F 370B

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image capturing terminal, a media center device, and a print output terminal, each of which is provided at a remote location and connected by a communication network, and a mobile device that is carried by a user and communicates with the image capturing terminal as needed. And an image processing terminal configured to communicate with the image data and image management information unique to the image data by capturing an image according to a shooting request from a user and generating image data. Control means for transferring the image data and its image management information to a mobile terminal while transferring the image data and the image management information to the mobile terminal via a network, wherein the mobile terminal comprises a wireless communication terminal, A storage unit for storing data and image management information thereof,
Control means for transmitting image management information of the image data to a media center device via a wireless communication network when a print request is made for any image data stored in the storage unit; Storage means for storing image data from the image capturing terminal and the image management information thereof, and management means for retrieving the corresponding image data from the storage means in accordance with the image management information from the portable terminal and transferring the image data to the print output terminal, The printing output terminal includes a printing unit that prints out image data from the media center device on a predetermined sheet. 2. An image capturing terminal, a media center device, and a print output terminal, each of which is provided at a remote location and connected by a communication network, and an image capturing terminal and a print output terminal that are carried by a user as required. An image capturing terminal configured to capture an image in accordance with a capturing request from a user to generate image data; and an image management unit configured to manage the image data and an image specific to the image data. Control means for transmitting information to the media center device via a communication network, and transmitting the image data and the image management information to a mobile terminal. A storage unit that stores the image management information; and a print output terminal that, when a print request is made for any image data stored in the storage unit, prints the image management information of the image data. A media center device, which stores image data from the image capturing terminal and its image management information, and image management information from the portable terminal transferred by the print output terminal. Management means for retrieving the corresponding image data from the storage means and transferring the same to the print output terminal in accordance with the control means for transferring the image management information from the portable terminal to the media center device via the communication network; And a printing means for printing out image data from a media center device on a predetermined sheet. 3. The image photographing and printing system according to claim 1, wherein the image photographing terminal uses the image processing unit to reduce the image data to generate reduced image data having a smaller capacity than the original image data. An image capturing and printing system, wherein reduced image data is transmitted to a portable terminal in place of original image data by a control unit. 4. The image capturing and printing system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal, when the control means requests printing of any image data stored in the storage unit, the image of the image data. An image capturing and printing system, wherein terminal information for indicating a print output terminal for which the image data is desired to be printed out is added to the management information and transmitted. 5. The image capturing and printing system according to claim 2, wherein the print output terminal adds terminal identification information indicating its own terminal to image management information from the portable terminal by the control means, and transmits the print output terminal via the communication network. An image photographing and printing system for transferring to a media center device.