JP2001117980A - Device and method for printing selected contents - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform printing-out into one piece of selected contents print-out together with a high definition print image even when a selection session is performed plural times in a system for selecting an article while referring to related images. SOLUTION: An article is selected while referring to images by using a touch panel terminal 2. Selection information is successively added to the list of a selection history. When printing-out is instructed on the touch panel terminal 2, on the basis of the list of the selection history, one or plural prescribed selection entries are sent to an article database server 3. The article database server 3 synthesizes text descriptions, extracts an image file for printing and further sends it to a typesetting server 5 after adding typesetting information. On the basis of the received information, the typesetting server 5 generates a post-script file and sends it to a rasterize processor 61 and the rasterize processor 61 supplies raster information to a color printer 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention accepts a user's selection while providing information on a selection target such as a product or a service together with an image on a display screen and, after one or more selection sessions, provides information on the content of the selection. The present invention relates to a technique for printing selected contents, which prints out a predetermined layout together with a corresponding image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When purchasing or making a reservation for a product or service, a consumer often needs a copy of the product or service as a copy. In particular, when there are many purchase points or reservation points, subsequent processing such as settlement and receipt of merchandise becomes difficult without such details. However, if the number of purchases or reservations is large, or if a certain amount of time has passed, it may not be possible to sufficiently grasp the details by looking at the details of those purchases or reservations. By the way, in recent years, the use of a so-called multimedia kiox using a touch panel screen or a personal computer to select a product or service while viewing related images has been increasing. When an image related to a product or a service, for example, an image of a product appearance or a service providing place is provided, the image is suitable for a consumer.
Consumers tend to make their memories even clearer when they include not only textual information but also image information, and use such images at the time of selection to make it easier to grasp the selection at a later date. Is desired.

[0003] In addition, providing a customer who is planning to purchase a high-priced product with a quote that prints a fine image leads to sales promotion of the product, so it is necessary to print a beautiful image. Become.

As a patent document related to the present invention, there is JP-A-7-296048. This document,
It has been proposed that the selected housing equipment product be displayed together with the floor plan and displayed on a planning board, and that this display be printed. However, this proposal is a series of operations from planning to printing, and cannot cope with a discontinuous selection process, that is, a case where selection is performed in different sessions.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has been developed in such a manner that images browsed when selecting a product or service are arranged in a predetermined layout with high definition.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a selection content printing technique for printing together with details of the selection content. Another object of the present invention is to provide a selection content printing technique capable of printing out the selected content together with a related image even when a product or service is selected in a plurality of sessions.

[0006]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a configuration as described in the claims is adopted. Hereinafter, this configuration will be supplementarily described.

That is, according to the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, description data relating to details of a selection target and display image data representing a related image of the selection target are stored in the selection content print prime. Means, display means for displaying the details of the selection object and the related image based on the stored description data and display image data, and a selection operation by the operator for the selection object displayed by the display means. Inputting means for generating selection information, selecting history storing means incorporating the selection information into the selection history information, storing means for storing image data for print output corresponding to the related image, and inputting a print instruction And a description about the selected content from the description data specified by the selection information included in the selection history information based on the input print instruction. Means for generating a graphical display; means for selecting image data for printing specified by the selection information included in the selection / selection history information, based on the input print instruction; and Means for generating layout-completed print data for printing the selected content display document in a predetermined layout using the selected print output image data, and printing the selected content display document based on the print data And means for performing the following.

In this configuration, since the selection history is held, even when a product or service is individually selected in a plurality of sessions, the product can be printed out as a series of selection operations. Further, since the print image is held separately from the display image, high quality print output can be performed.

The present invention can also be realized as a method invention, or at least partly as computer software. Further, such a method can be realized as a computer-readable time recording medium used to execute the method on a computer.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention as a whole. This embodiment is realized as a network system provided in a store. Of course, it may be realized in an environment such as the Internet or a WAN. In FIG. 1, a touch panel terminal 2, a product database server 3, a system management terminal 4, a typesetting server 5, and a color printing device 6 are connected to a network 1 such as a LAN. In this example, two touch panel terminals 2 are provided.
The number may be three or three or more. In this embodiment, the print job is described in a page description language, for example, PostScript of Adobe Systems, Inc.
The PostScript file is rasterized by the image rasterization processing device 6a.

The touch panel terminal 2 comprises, for example, a personal computer and a touch panel.
The touch panel terminal 2 may use a so-called multimedia kiosk that includes a touch panel and a display device and provides a hierarchical user interface. The user operates the option button on the screen to register customer information,
It is possible to instruct browsing of product details / images, selection of a product, estimation, reservation product list, and printing of a purchased product list.

2 to 5 schematically show typical screen displays of the touch panel terminal 2. FIG. FIG. 2 shows an initial screen. On this initial screen, for example, three options of customer information registration (option title of “customer information registration”), product guidance (option title of “product guide”), and selection history output (option title of “selection product printing”) are displayed. You can choose. Of course, there is also an end of processing. In this embodiment, matters having little relevance to the present invention are omitted.

The selection can be made by touching the touch panel. When another pointing device or keyboard can be used, the selection operation may be performed by these.

The customer information registration is for registering customer information. The merchandise guide displays details and images related to merchandise and accepts selection from a customer. The selection history output is for printing the details and images of the selected product.

FIG. 3 shows a registration screen for customer information.
This screen appears when the customer information registration option button in FIG. 2 is selected. Using this screen, the customer's name (company name), address, telephone number, facsimile number, e-mail address, preferences, family structure, personal identification number, and the like are input. When the registration button is pressed, customer registration is performed, and a customer ID is assigned to the customer. This ID is displayed after registration. Of course, a separate notification may be made by mail or the like.

FIG. 4 shows a product guide screen. When the option button of the product guide is selected in FIG. 2, a screen for inputting the customer ID and the password is displayed, and the customer is authenticated. Also,
A customer who has not performed customer information registration can register customer information by selecting the customer information registration screen shown in FIG. 3 on the authentication screen. The authentication screen is a normal one, and the description is omitted.

FIG. 4A shows an initial screen of the product guide. In this example, there are option buttons for a product group A, a product group B, and a product group C, and descriptions and images of the product groups are displayed. The product group may be, for example, one according to the nature of the product or one according to the manufacturer and the manufacturing region. Can be grouped according to product attributes. When a product group is selected, a lower screen appears. The lower screen may further subdivide the group. Finally, a screen for selecting one product from a plurality of products can be selected. This screen is shown in FIG. On the screen of (B), a product selection button, a brief description of the product, and an image are displayed. In these examples, product selection buttons titled "Product A", "Product A", and "Product C" are displayed. As shown in the figure, the images may correspond to individual products, or one image corresponding to a displayed group of products may be displayed.

When a product is selected on the screen (B), a corresponding product description screen (C) is displayed. On this screen, a detailed description of the product and a detailed image are displayed. Buttons for the customer to select a product, that is, buttons for “quotation”, “reservation”, and “purchase” are arranged.
When the customer selects these buttons, processing of estimation, reservation, and purchase is performed.

FIG. 5 shows a screen for instructing a print output. When the option of selected product output is selected on the screen of FIG. 2, a screen for inputting a customer ID and a password is displayed, and the customer is authenticated. When the authentication is completed, the screen shown in (A) is displayed. Here, the type of selection that the user wants to print (purchase, reservation,
Estimate) and the period. Specify type is 1
One or more. When the period is not specified, the period may be specified only on the current day by default. All of the selection histories may be specified by default. When "List" is selected, a selection entry as shown in (B) is displayed. Customers can make purchases, reservations, and correct quotes on this screen. For example, when a predetermined entry is designated and corrected, a product description screen is displayed. When a different substitute product is to be selected, the screen is sequentially displayed along a tree, and the substitute product is selected to correct the entry. If a predetermined entry is selected and a delete operation is performed, the selection relating to the product is reset. After correction and deletion, the user selects a print option and instructs printout of the selection history. On the screen (B), it is possible to add a product selection. The screen shifts to the product guide screen by performing additional specification.

When a print instruction is issued on the screen (A),
The print output of the product selected on the product guide screen is performed.

Next, the product database server 3 will be described. The product database server 3 can be configured with a normal database management system, and stores and manages customer information, product information, and output history information as shown in FIG. Customer information is customer ID, customer name (name)
And the like and information added by the system administrator. Product information includes text information such as product ID, product price, size, color, other specifications, manufacturer, discount information, display image (pass), and output image (pass).
And so on. The product database server 3 also stores and manages display images and output images themselves. The output history is
This is the progress of printout in the past.

The text information and the image information of the merchandise information are input in the system management terminal 4 as described later with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 7, the image information is digitized by the system management terminal 4 using the scanner 41, and is passed through the filters 42 and 43 at 72 dpi (dot per inch; 2.5 inches per inch).
(4 cm) display image information and 420 dpi print output image information, which are then stored in the display image storage unit 31 and the print image storage unit 32 as JPEG files. JPEG file for display, JP for print output
The EG file is specified by the image information path of the product information.

Next, screen editing of the touch panel terminal 2 will be described. Editing of the screen of the touch panel terminal 2 is performed, for example, by creating and editing information of the product database server 3 using the system management server 4. Note that the touch panel terminal 2 may edit the screen of the touch panel terminal 2.

The editing of the screen of the touch panel terminal 2 includes an operation of generating a tree structure that defines the outline of the screen scenario,
And assigning display elements (buttons, text, images, etc.) on each screen. The tree structure is a screen hierarchy. FIG. 8 shows a user interface for editing a screen. In FIG. 8, an area A is a tree structure editing area, an area B is an image allocation area, and an area C is a text allocation area. Although not shown, a menu for designating a screen template may be provided so that a screen layout can be selected. The nodes of the tree structure correspond to each screen of the touch panel terminal 2.

FIG. 9 shows a flow of generating a tree structure. To generate a tree structure, specify a parent node (S
11), an operation of generating a child node (S12) and assigning a title to the child node (S13) may be repeated. The screen of the root node is a screen when the touch panel terminal 2 is activated, and is as shown in FIG. The title of the root node can be the name of the application, for example, a “product selection kiosk”. When the title or the like of the root node is predetermined, the root node may be prepared in advance. When the root node is the parent node, FIGS. 3 and 4A (or the authentication screen) and FIG. 5A (or the authentication screen) are the child nodes. Is entered. By performing the same operation, a leaf node is finally generated. The leaf node is the last screen.

In FIG. 8, the titles of the nodes are not shown.

FIG. 10 shows the layout of texts and screens that constitute the screen elements. Note that components such as buttons and bars are already specified, and therefore will not be described. Also, objects that are normally scheduled are not shown. A default template may be used in advance, or a template may be separately specified. In FIG. 10, a node corresponding to the screen to be edited is indicated by an area A
(S21). In the figure, the node (folder) of satin is specified and activated. Thereafter, if necessary, a template is designated (S22). Next, a text is input in the area C of FIG. 8 (S2
3). Thereafter, an image is designated in the area B of FIG. 8 (S24). Designation of an image can be performed by a drag-and-drop operation. You can also browse and select an image directory.

When the editing of the screen of the touch panel terminal 2 is completed as described above, screen information as shown in FIG. 11 is formed. The screen information describes, for each screen, which screen definition file to use when an event such as selection of an option button occurs.

FIG. 12 illustrates the display operation of the screen of the touch panel prepared as described above. FIG.
When an option is selected in 2, the control unit (not shown) of the touch panel terminal receives an event (S31). Further, screen information (FIG. 11) is extracted based on the screen ID and the event ID (S32), and new drawing is performed based on the screen information (S33). With the above processing, the screen display as shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 is performed.

FIG. 13 illustrates a product selection operation by the customer. In FIG. 13, when the "product guide" (FIG. 2) is selected, a customer authentication screen is displayed and authentication processing is performed (S41). ). Next, the user sequentially presses option buttons on the screen to go to the final product description screen or select a product (S42). When a product is selected, an entry including a product ID, a time, and a location (touch panel terminal ID) is expelled from the customer's product selection list as shown in FIG. 14 (S43). This processing is continued until the customer inputs a processing end (S44). The entry stored in the product selection list as product selection history information is
It is not always necessary to store them in chronological order in the order of input,
It may simply store the selected entry.

FIG. 15 shows a print instruction generation process in the touch panel terminal 2. In this figure, when an option of selected product output is selected on the screen of FIG. 2, a customer authentication process is first performed (S51). If the authentication is successful, the screens shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B are displayed, and the type and print range are selected (S52, S53). In response to the selection, the selection list is accessed, a predetermined range of entries is extracted, and a print instruction file is generated. The print instruction file is sent to the product database server 3. The product database server 3 generates typesetting information based on the print instruction file and sends it to the color printing device 6.

FIG. 16 shows the flow of generation of typesetting information by the product database server 3 and printing by the typesetting server and the printing device. Product Database 3
Receives the print instruction file from the touch panel terminal 2 and sequentially takes out the product IDs and synthesizes text relating to the products (S61, S62). As the detailed description of the product, a desired product is selected, and the total price and the like are calculated. The text forming the display format is also added. The customer name, date, etc. are also added. Rules are determined in advance as to how to perform text synthesis. When processing is performed in batches, an administrator or the like can edit as appropriate. Next, an image for print output is extracted (S63). The image file is associated with the product identifier and can be retrieved and retrieved from the product identifier. Next, typesetting information is generated in accordance with a predetermined rule (S64). The typesetting information is based on the typesetting server 5. The typesetting information, image information, and text information are redirected to the typesetting server 5. Typesetting server 5
Generates a drawing file based on the typesetting information, image information, and text information (S65). This drawing file is described in, for example, a postscript. This drawing file is sent to the rasterization processing device of the color printing device, converted into raster information and supplied to the color printing device,
Color printing is performed (S66 to S68).

If the print content is divided into a common part (frame) and a difference, and the drawing file sent from the typesetting server 5 is only the difference, and this is flowed into the frame, the processing can be speeded up. The common part may be one described in PostScript or raster information.

FIG. 17 shows a simplified example of a printout according to this embodiment. In this example, furniture is selected. In this case, the customer's layout information is also obtained, and a rough layout is displayed accordingly. Also, in this example, the estimation is an estimate, but it goes without saying that the history of reservations and purchases can be printed.

FIG. 18 shows another example. In this example, the travel itinerary is printed. The travel plan may be printed. The images are representative local buildings, maps, and the like.

It is also possible to select a product or service based on the attribute of the customer, for example, gender, age, etc., and print the selected product or service together with the related image. In this case, it is preferable to change the frame, decorative print elements, character fonts, sizes, and the like according to the attributes.

The present invention is applicable to printing of construction estimates, service estimates, and travel cost estimates.

In the present invention, the selection histories of a plurality of customers may be stored in advance, and the batch processing may be performed periodically to provide the print output to the customers. Further, the print output may be sealed in an envelope so that it can be mailed or the like.

According to the present invention, not only a LAN but also a WAN or the Internet can be used as a network. When using the Internet, the user terminal may be provided with a touch panel terminal or an alternative device, or a web server may be provided corresponding to the touch panel terminal, and an application server or a CGI server may be provided on the back end. The touch panel function may be made available to a web browser.

In the above description, the typesetting server automatically processes the typesetting information and redirects the information to the color printing apparatus. However, the user of the typesetting server edits the typesetting information and compiles this information into a postscript file. Alternatively, the color printing apparatus may send it to the side. In this case, fine typesetting can be performed.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, after selecting a product or service, a product list accompanied by image printing of high definition can be printed out, which is very convenient for the selector. In addition, by providing the typesetting information and the image dedicated to print output, it is expected that the recipient of the print output will be willing to purchase.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention as a whole.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a screen of the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a screen according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a screen according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a screen according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating information managed by the product database server 3 of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a display image and a print image.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an editing screen of an interface screen of the touch panel terminal 2.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating editing (tree structure) of the interface screen of the touch panel terminal 2.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating editing (assignment of display objects) of the interface screen of the touch panel terminal 2.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating screen information.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a display on the touch panel terminal 2.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of selecting a product in the touch panel terminal 2.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a selection history file.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a print instruction in the touch panel terminal 2.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating printing by the product database server 3, the typesetting server 5, the rasterization processing device 61, and the color printing device 6.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a print result.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating another print result.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 network 2 touch panel terminal 3 product database server 4 system management terminal 5 typesetting server 6 color printing device 31 display image storage unit 32 printing image storage unit 41 scanner 42, 43 filter 61 rasterization processing device

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Mieko Ohara 1-17-10 Chabatake, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture Inside the company access (72) Inventor Takuya Ena 1-17-10 Chabatake, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture Stock Company F-term in the company access (reference)

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A means for storing description data relating to details of a selection target and display image data representing a related image of the selection target, and a selection target based on the stored description data and display image data. Display means for displaying details of the image and the related image; input means for generating selection information based on a selection operation performed by the operator on the selection target displayed by the display means; and storing the selection information in the selection history information Selection history storage means; storage means for storing image data for print output corresponding to the related image; means for inputting a print instruction; selection information included in the selection history information based on the input print instruction Means for generating a descriptive display relating to the selected content from the description data specified by the user, and the selection history information based on the input print instruction. Means for selecting image data for printing specified by the selection information included in the selected document, and using the generated descriptive display and the selected image data for print output to generate a selected content display document in a predetermined layout. A selection content printing apparatus, comprising: means for generating layout-completed print data for printing; and means for printing the selection content display document based on the print data. 2. The selection content printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection target is a product expected to be purchased, and the selection content display document is a quote including an image of the product expected to be purchased. 3. The selection content printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection target is a travel destination, and the selection content display document is a travel guide table including an image of the travel destination. 4. The input means includes: means for storing information defining a selection screen of a plurality of layers corresponding to a selection target hierarchy; and at least a directory structure corresponding to the selection screen hierarchy relates to the selection target. Means for storing an image; means for displaying a corresponding selection screen based on an operation on an option display displayed on the selection screen; and selecting the identifier of the selection target when the selection target is selected on the selection screen. 4. The selection content printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for storing as a part of information. 5. The selection content printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input to said input means is performed using a personal computer. 6. The selection content printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input to the input means is performed using a kiox device with a touch panel. 7. The selection content printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input to the input means is performed via a network. 8. An input unit for selecting a plurality of selection targets based on a predetermined attribute to generate selection information, a selection history storage unit for incorporating the selection information into selection history information and storing the selection information, Storage means for storing corresponding printout image data; means for generating a descriptive display relating to the selected content based on the selection information included in the selection history information; and correspondence to a selection target included in the selection history information. Means for generating layout-completed print data for printing the selected content display document in a predetermined layout, using the descriptive display and printout image data, and generating the selected content display document based on the print data. And a means for performing printing. 9. The selected content printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for performing printing includes means for sealing the content of printing. 10. A means for storing descriptive data relating to details of a selection target and display image data representing a related image of the selection target, and a selection target based on the stored description data and display image data. Display means for displaying details of the image and the related image; input means for generating selection information based on an operator's selection operation on a selection target displayed by the display means; and storing the selection information in selection history information Selection history storage means, storage means for storing print-out image data corresponding to the related image, means for inputting a print instruction, and selection included in the selection history information based on the input print instruction. Means for generating a descriptive display relating to the selected content from the description data specified by the information, and the selection based on the input print instruction Means for selecting print image data specified by the selection information included in the history information; and using the generated descriptive display and the selected print output image data, based on predetermined typesetting information. A typesetting server for generating a typeset page description language file for printing the selected content display document in a predetermined typesetting, a rasterization processing device for rasterizing the page description language file output by the typesetting server, and an output from the rasterization processing device And a color printing device for performing color printing based on the raster information to be selected. 11. The selection content printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a product selection operation and a printing process by a user are performed at individual sites connected to the Internet. 12. A means for storing descriptive data relating to details of a selection target and display image data representing a related image of the selection target, and selecting the selection target based on the stored description data and display image data. Display means for displaying details of the image and the related image; input means for generating selection information based on an operator's selection operation on a selection target displayed by the display means; and storing the selection information in selection history information Selection history storage means, storage means for storing print-out image data corresponding to the related image, means for inputting a print instruction, and selection included in the selection history information based on the input print instruction. Means for generating a descriptive display relating to the selected content from the description data specified by the information, and the selection based on the input print instruction Means for selecting image data for printing specified by the selection information included in the history information; and displaying the selected contents in a predetermined layout by using the generated descriptive display and the selected image data for print output. Means for generating layout-completed print data for printing a document.