JP2001333355A - Image information print system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image information print system which prints out the photo images photographed by a digital still camera in the specific facilities such as a hotel and a guest can order in particular the print of images via a terminal device that is placed in each room, etc., of the hotel. SOLUTION: A user puts the storage media into a terminal device 2 placed in each room of a hotel, etc., and the image information is read from the storage media to send, the information to a print service center 1. The user can also go to a printer 3 in his/her spare time and puts the storage media, for example, into the printer 3 to perform the print processing of image data. Thus, the user can easily order the print of image data, can print out these data in his/her spare time and furthermore can perform the settlement, for example, on the front desk of the hotel. Thus, usability of this image information print system is improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image information printing system for printing out a photographic image taken by a digital still camera in a specific facility such as a hotel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a silver lead photographic camera using a film as a camera for taking a photographic image is known. In this case, it is common to go to a camera shop or a DPE agency shop to print out the photographed image and receive it at a later date. Also, some vendors capable of rapid development may receive printed photos after a few hours.

[0003] However, even such a business operator needs to go to the store of the business operator. For example, when staying at an unfamiliar accommodation facility such as a hotel or inn at a travel destination or a business trip destination, such a business operation is required. I can't expect to find a good trader.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides an image information printing system capable of printing in a specific facility such as a hotel. In recent years, an example of installing an automatic photo vending machine in the facility has been proposed. There is also. However, in this case, after returning to a room such as a hotel, the DPOF
(Digital Print Order Format), you need to go to the photo vending machine in the building and print.

[0005] In such a case, if there is a person who uses the photo vending machine first, if the operation is troublesome, or if there is a breakdown, the person is returned to the room. Also, once they return to the room from where they go, they are often tired, and it is troublesome to get out of the room again.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides an image information printing system in which image printing can be ordered from a terminal device provided in a room such as a hotel or inn.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the above object is provided at a plurality of locations in a specific facility,
A reading device that enables loading of an image storage medium and reads image data from the image storage medium; and a printing process that is installed at at least one location in the specific facility and prints on recording paper based on image information sent from the reading device. And a data transmission path means disposed in the specific facility so that the image information read by the reading device can be transmitted to the printing device, and the image information input from the reading device is printed by the printing device. This can be achieved by providing an image information printing system capable of printing and outputting by an apparatus.

Here, the image storage medium is, for example, CF
It is a card, a smart media, a memory stick, or the like, and outputs image information read from such a storage medium to a printing device via an information transmission path unit.

With this configuration, a customer staying at a specific facility such as a hotel can order a printout of image data stored in a recording medium from his / her room, for example.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the printing device includes a storage unit for temporarily storing image information sent from the reading device, and a receiving unit for receiving a print output instruction. The accepting means includes identification means for identifying an operator who has input the print information stored in the storage means from a reading device, and when the identification means identifies the input person, a printing process is performed based on the corresponding print information. This is a configuration for performing.

With this configuration, it is possible to write the image information in the storage means in advance, and then read out the image information of the self by the identification means and print out the image information. Claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1,
An image in which a plurality of the printing devices are arranged in the specific facility, and the mutual devices are connected in a master-slave relationship, so that when a specific device is inoperable, a printing process is executed by another device. This can be achieved by providing an information printing system.

With this configuration, even when printing is impossible due to an error or a shortage of replenishing materials, alternative printing can be performed by using another printing apparatus, and a system that is more easily used can be obtained. be able to.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, a plurality of the reading devices are provided in each room of the hotel, and the printing devices are arranged in a common area of the hotel.

[0014] With this configuration, a customer staying at a hotel can order a printout of an image taken by the user from his / her own room, and a system very easy for the customer to use can be provided. It can also reduce the burden on the customer.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the usage fee is paid by an automatic payment device provided in the printing device. With such a configuration, the fee can be paid at the same time as the print output, and a more convenient system can be provided.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the usage fee is paid as a total fee when the facility is checked out, as a payment of the facility usage fee.

With this configuration, it is possible to pay, for example, a photo printing fee together with the accommodation cost and the like, and it is possible to further improve the convenience of the customer. According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the system comprises:
The printing apparatus includes a transport unit that transports a result of printing by the printing apparatus to a location where the reading apparatus to which the information is input is arranged.

With such a configuration, a customer such as a hotel can have the printed matter delivered to the room, and a more convenient system can be provided. According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the reading device includes a reading unit that reads identification information of a storage medium, and the printing device also has the storage medium identification information in accordance with the loading of the storage medium. The apparatus is provided with means for recognizing information. By recognizing the identification information, the person who ordered printing from the reading device is identified, and the printing process is permitted accordingly.

With this configuration, it is possible to surely confirm the identity of the user and to obtain a system excellent in security.

[0020]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of the image information printing system of the present embodiment. This system includes, for example, a print service center 1 provided in a hotel, terminal equipment 2 provided in each room, a printer device 3 provided in a lobby or the like, and a front management terminal 4.
The printing service center 1 and the terminal equipment 2 in each room are connected by a facility LAN, and the printing service center 1 and the printer device 3 and the printing service center 1 and the front management terminal 4 are connected by the facility LAN. I have.

FIG. 2A is an external view of the terminal device 2, and FIG. 2B is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the terminal device 2. In FIG. 1A, the terminal device 2 includes a media mounting unit 5 such as a CF card, a smart media, and a memory stick, a key input unit 6, and a display unit 7. Below the media mounting unit 5, a media mounting unit is provided. 5 is provided with a push button 8 for taking out the medium mounted on the device. A captured image is displayed as a thumbnail on the display unit 7 as will be described later. By operating keys provided on the key input unit 6, selection of an image and designation of the number of prints are performed.

The circuit configuration of the terminal device 2 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit includes a control unit 10, a remote interface (remote I / F) 11, a card interface (card I / F) 12, the key input unit 6, and the display unit 7. The control unit 10 controls the terminal device 2, reads image data via, for example, a card interface (card I / F) 12, and transmits the image data via a remote interface (remote I / F) 11 to the print service center 1. Send to
Further, the control unit 10 recognizes the personal identification information written on the medium.

FIG. 3 is a view showing the external structure of the printer device 3. As shown in FIG. The printer device 3 used in this example is also an automatic photo printer, and as shown in FIG.
A key operation unit 15, a recording medium insertion port 16, a price display unit 17, a charge insertion port 18, a change take-out port 19, and a printed matter take-out port 20 are provided. The display unit 14
For example, it is constituted by a liquid crystal display, and the key operation unit 15 is constituted by a plurality of button switches.

The recording medium insertion slot 16 stores the above-mentioned CF card for storing digital image information, smart media,
A memory stick or the like is mounted, and digital image information captured by a digital camera or the like is written as a plurality of unit screen information in these storage media. The information of the digital image written on the information storage medium is
Data obtained by converting image data read from a scanner or the like into digital image data may be used.

The charge insertion port 18 is a charge insertion port when using the apparatus of this embodiment, and inserts bills or coins. Further, the change take-out port 19 is a return port when there is change after using the apparatus of the present example.

Further, the printed matter take-out port 20 is a box for taking out a printed output, and is outputted in a state where a plurality of printing papers are put in an envelope by, for example, a wrapping means.
Further, additional members such as a small simple album are also output to the outlet 20.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the internal system configuration of the printer device 3 having the above-described external configuration. This system is composed of a main controller 21, a peripheral circuit, and a printer unit. Main controller 21
Has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) inside and controls the driving of the printer device 3 according to a program. The main controller 21 is provided with a storage unit 22, and performs control according to a program stored in the storage unit 22.

The main controller 21 includes a display control unit 23, a key input control unit 24, a card interface (hereinafter, referred to as a card I / F) 25, a charge management unit 26, and a master / slave interface (master / slave I / F). / F) 27, a remote interface (remote I / F) 28, and a printer unit 29 are connected. The display control unit 23 controls output of display information to be displayed on the display unit 14 and controls display of the display information output from the main controller 21.
Further, the key input control unit 24 outputs an operation input signal from the user to the main controller 21.

The card I / F 25 reads digital image information from the above-described various media inserted into the above-mentioned recording medium insertion slot 16 and
This interface controls output to

The charge management unit 26 calculates the charge inserted from the charge insertion slot 18 and confirms that the charge corresponds to the designated number of prints. It also manages change.

Further, the printer section 29 has a large number of printer units, is configured to simultaneously perform a large number of printing processes at the same time and to perform a high-speed printout. On the other hand, FIG. 5 is a system configuration diagram of the image information printing system of the present example, in which the print service center 1 and the front management terminal 4 are omitted from the system shown in FIG. Further, a plurality of printer devices 3 (3a, 3
b).

The terminal device 2 (2) installed in each room such as a hotel or a ryokan is connected to the remote I / F 28 of the printer device 3b.
-1 to 2-n) are connected. The printers 3a and 3b are connected via master / slave I / Fs 27a and 27b. The printer device 3a is installed in a lobby of a hotel or inn or a vending machine corner, and prints an image photographed by a customer with a digital still camera at a charge.

Next, the processing operation of the image information printing system of this embodiment will be described below. First, the processing operation of the terminal device 2 (card reader) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the recording medium of the digital still camera is inserted into the recording card insertion slot 5 (step (hereinafter, referred to as ST) 1). Next, a DP for selecting an image to be printed on the image information recorded on the recording card and designating the number of images.
It is determined whether or not OF is specified (ST2). If DPOF is specified and printing is desired in accordance with DPOF (S2).
If T2 is YES and ST3 is YES), the image data is immediately transferred (ST4). On the other hand, when the DPOF is not specified, or when the DPOF is specified but printing is not desired (NO in ST2, NO in ST3), a thumbnail is displayed on the display unit 7 to select an image (ST5). ,
The user operates the key input unit 6 to select an image to be printed and specify the number of images (ST6). Thereafter, the designated image data and the designated number data are transferred (ST4). The image data transferred from the terminal device 2 is stored in the storage unit 22 of the printer device 3.
(ST7).

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, even when staying at a hotel or ryokan on a trip or a business trip, an image printing order can be made from the terminal device 2 in the room, and the burden on the customer can be reduced.

When the above-mentioned medium is loaded, it is necessary to acquire personal information and use it for customer confirmation in a printing process to be performed later. For example, a process of reading the identification information of the medium itself and registering the transfer as ID information can be considered. In this case, data for specifying the recording medium is written on the recording medium, and this is used as identification information. Further, as another method, a configuration may be adopted in which a password which is known only to the user at the time of order is input, and printing is permitted by inputting this password at the time of printout.
Further, the ID information can be identified by reading the ID information by inserting a room key card or the like, registering the order person, and having the key card inserted again at the time of printing.

After the printing is ordered by the above processing, the user goes to the printer device 3 at a convenient time and performs the printing processing (ST8 and thereafter). First, it is determined whether the orderer is himself (ST8). This determination may be made by directly obtaining the identification information from the medium as described above, or by a method such as confirmation using a password or a room key card. Here, if the identity cannot be confirmed, the process is terminated (ST
8 is NO). On the other hand, if the identity is obtained (ST8 is YE
S) Then, the main controller 21 determines whether the printer unit 29 can operate (ST9).

For example, if printing cannot be performed in the printer unit 29 due to a paper jam or running out of consumables, the print image data is transferred to the slave unit via the master / slave I / F 27, and printing is performed there (ST10). If there is no problem in the printer unit 29, a printing process is performed (ST1).
1) The printed photograph is discharged to the printed material outlet 20 (ST12).

On the other hand, the flowchart shown in FIG. 7 is a configuration in which the media is directly mounted on the printer device 3 to perform the printing process. In this case, the printer device 3 performs image selection and the like. In the figure, a customer who has stayed in a room such as a hotel first installs a recording medium (step (hereinafter referred to as S)).
1), DPOF (Digital Print) for selecting the image to be printed on the image information recorded on the recording card and specifying the number of images
It is determined whether Order Format) is specified (S2).

Here, the above-mentioned DPOF (Digital Print Or
der Format), the selection of the image to be printed and the specification of the number of prints are performed in advance (S
2 is YES), if DPOF is specified, DPOF
(S3). On the other hand, when the DPOF is not specified, or when the DPOF is specified but printing is not desired (NO in S2,
(NO in S3), the thumbnails of the reduced scale images are displayed on the display unit 14 for displaying a list for image selection (S4), and the key operation unit 15 is operated to select the image to be printed and specify the number of images (S5). .

Thereafter, when the above-mentioned image selection and number designation are completed, the required fee is designated, so that cash is inserted into the fee insertion slot 18 and the total amount of the amount of money inserted so far is displayed on the amount display unit 17. Then, when the total input amount reaches the required fee (YES in S6), the process shifts to the printing operation (S7 and thereafter).

The printing process is first started by the main controller 21 determining whether the printer unit can be operated (S
7). Here, if there is no paper jam or out of consumables in the printer unit 29, a print process is executed (S7: YES
S, S8). On the other hand, if the printer unit 29 runs out of paper or runs out of consumables and cannot execute print processing, the print image data is transferred to the slave unit via the master / slave I / F 27, and printing is performed there (S7).
Is NO, S9).

If there is no problem in the printer section 29, a printing process is performed (S8), and the printed photograph is discharged to the printed material outlet 20 (S10). Further, in the above example, the processing in the facility of the hotel has been described, but the processing may be applied to an office or a conference hall.

Although the printer 3 used in the present embodiment uses an automatic photo printer, it is not limited to an automatic photo printer. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the printed matter printed out by the printer device 3 is used as room service.
It may be configured to deliver to the room where the order was placed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, a delivery facility using an air shooter may be provided to distribute printed matter without manual operation such as room service.
Further, the fee may be paid at the time of check-out using the front management terminal 4.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, an image printing request can be made from a terminal device (card reader) in a hotel or inn where the user is staying.

Further, since an image can be selected from the user's own room, the user does not have to worry about the eyes. In addition, since the automatic photo vending machine is also used for print output, it is efficient.

Further, since two or more printers can be connected in a master / slave relationship, even if one of the print portions cannot be printed, the slave machine prints, so that the user is not bothered.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an image information printing system of the present embodiment.

FIG. 2A is an external view of a terminal device, and FIG. 2B is a block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of the terminal device.

FIG. 3 is an external view of the printer device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an internal system configuration of the printer device.

FIG. 5 is a system configuration diagram of the image information printing system of the present example.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process of the present example.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a process of the present example.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a modification.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printing service center 2 Terminal device 3 Printer device 4 Front management terminal 5 Media mounting unit 6 Key input unit 7 Display unit 10 Control unit 11 Remote interface (remote I / F) 12 Card interface (card I / F) 13 Display unit 15 Key operation unit 16 Recording media insertion port 17 Amount display unit 18 Charge insertion port 19 Change take-out port 20 Print-out port 21 Main controller 22 Storage unit 23 Display control unit 24 Key input control unit 25 Card interface 26 Charge management unit 27 Master / slave Interface 28 Remote interface 29 Printer section

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 7/18 H04N 101: 00 // H04N 101: 00 5/91 HF term (Reference) 5C052 AA12 AA17 AB04 AC02 DD02 GA02 GA05 GA07 GB01 GE08 5C053 FA04 FA08 FA27 KA04 LA01 LA03 LA06 LA14 5C054 AA01 CA04 CC05 DA06 EA03 EA07 FF03 GA04 GA05 HA14 HA17 5C062 AA01 AA13 AA35 AB20 AB22 AB25 AB38 AB41 AB42 AC03 AC38 AF08

Claims (8)

[Claims] A reading device provided at a plurality of locations in a specific facility, capable of loading an image storage medium, and reading image data from the image storage medium; and a reading device installed at at least one location in the specific facility, A printing device for performing a printing process on recording paper based on image information sent from the reading device; and an information transmission path disposed in the specific facility so that the image information read by the reading device can be transmitted to the printing device. Means for printing out image information input from the reading device by the printing device. 2. The printing apparatus has a storage unit for temporarily storing image information sent from a reading device, and a receiving unit for receiving a print output instruction, wherein the receiving unit is stored in the storage unit. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising identification means for identifying an operator who has input the print information from the reading device, wherein the identification means performs a printing process based on the corresponding print information when the input person is identified. Image information printing system. 3. A printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of printing apparatuses are arranged in the specific facility, and the printing apparatuses are connected to each other in a master-slave relationship. 2. The image information printing system according to claim 1, wherein 4. The image information printing system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said reading devices are provided in each room of the hotel, and said printing device is provided in a common area of the hotel. 5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the usage fee is paid by an automatic payment device provided in said printing device.
Described image information printing system. 6. The image information printing system according to claim 1, wherein the usage fee is paid as a total usage fee when the facility is checked out, and is paid as a facility usage fee. 7. The image information printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the system includes a conveyance unit configured to convey a result of printing performed by a printing apparatus to a place where the reading apparatus to which the information is input is arranged. system. 8. The reading device includes reading means for reading identification information of a storage medium, and the printing device also includes means for recognizing the storage medium identification information according to loading of the storage medium. 2. The image information printing system according to claim 1, wherein by recognizing the information, the person who ordered the printing from the reading device is identified, and the printing process is permitted according to the identification.