JP2001359028A - Photograph print generating system and photograph print generating method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photograph print generating system and a photograph print generating method by which a photograph print can easily be obtained at a lower cost. SOLUTION: The photograph print system is configured with a print enterprise computer 11, user terminals 20, an advertisement agency 1i and user designated financial accounts 1j that are interconnected via the Internet 10. Selection of with/without a frame around an image of a photograph print and of the necessity of addition of a prescribed message and/or an advertisement is conducted so as to simultaneously print out a message and/or an advertisement onto an image forming paper sheet of the photograph print. In the case of printing out a photograph 21, when a user selects the printout with an advertisement where the advertisement 1c is attached to the generated print, the print charge is reduced from a conventional price by collecting an advertisement charge from its sponsor 1i.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a photographic print making system and a photographic print making method. More specifically, the present invention provides a photo print creation system and a photo print creation method for adding a predetermined message, advertisement, or the like to a photo print paper when printing a photo, and configuring a business model based on the advertisement fee. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a photographic print making system and a photographic print making method are generally applied to a system and a method for bringing a photographed film to a photo shop or the like and performing printing in a desired size and number of sheets. At this time, usually, in addition to the size, a print request is made by specifying a frame or no frame, and a predetermined fixed fee per sheet is paid.
Furthermore, with the development of digital cameras in recent years, services for printing digital data in photographs have appeared.

[0003] A user takes a picture using a photographing device such as a camera of his / her confidence, and brings the photographed film to a photo shop or the like.
As a different system from the above-described photographic print creation system and photographic print creation method, there is an instant print photographic creation system that has rapidly spread in recent years, so-called Print Club (registered trademark) (abbreviation: Purikura (registered trademark)). Other examples of prior inventions similar to the present invention in the technical field are listed below.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-260482 of Invention Example 1 of the prior application
The publication "Method and System for Making Prints with Messages" discloses a technique relating to a method and a system for easily making a photograph containing an appropriate message.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-352598 of Invention Example 2 of the prior application
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-214, “Method and Lab System for Print Photo Processing Using the Internet” discloses a lab system for creating a print photo in which a lab and a user are connected via the Internet.

Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-81 of the prior application invention example 3
No. 671 discloses a method of ordering a photo print, which discloses a technique relating to a system in which a communication line is provided between a photographer and a lab for easily obtaining a photograph intended by the photographer, such as trimming and combining. are doing.

[0007]

However, in the above-described conventional photographic print making system and photographic print making method, the print charge per sheet is low, but when requesting a number of photographic prints, the charge cannot be ignored. It will be the amount. There is a high need for users to lower prices. In general, there is still a problem that a photographic print of digital data by the digital camera is still more expensive than a normal print price.

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a photographic print making system and a photographic print making method capable of easily obtaining a cheaper photographic print.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, in a photographic print producing system for producing digitized image data on a photographic print according to the present invention, a frame is provided around an image of the photographic print. A frame selection unit for selecting the absence of a frame and / or an additional selection unit for selecting whether or not to add a predetermined message and / or an advertisement. The feature is that it is possible.

In addition, the above-described photographic print is considered as an advertising medium, and the advertisement fee of the added advertisement is reflected in the cost of producing the photographic print, and a computer of a user who requests the photographic print is prepared. It is preferable that the computer of the printing company to be created is connected to a predetermined Internet.

[0011] Further, the storage management of the image data is entrusted to a trader, and the image data of the personal management and the image data of the trader management, for example, the images of the historic sites and historic sites in various places in the world are downloaded to the user's computer. It is preferable that a request can be made for making a photo print with an image configuration, a plurality of image data managed by a plurality of individuals can be made, and a request for making a photo print of the composed image data can be made possible.

In a photographic print creating method for creating digitized image data in a photographic print according to the invention, a frame selecting step of selecting whether or not there is a frame around the image of the photographic print, An additional selection step of selecting whether or not to add a predetermined message and / or advertisement, so that a message and an advertisement can be simultaneously printed on the image forming paper of the photo print.

In addition, the above-mentioned photographic print is considered as an advertising medium, and the advertisement fee of the added advertisement is reflected in the cost of creating the photographic print. It is preferable that a computer of a print shop that creates a photographic print is performed using a system that is connected to a predetermined Internet.

[0014] Further, the storage management of the image data is entrusted to a company, and the image data managed by the individual and the image data managed by the company, for example, images of historical sites and historic sites in various places in the world are downloaded to the user's computer. It is preferable that a request can be made for making a photo print with an image configuration, a plurality of image data managed by a plurality of individuals can be made, and a request for making a photo print of the composed image data can be made possible.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of a photographic print making system and a photographic print making method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 to 13
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an embodiment of a photographic print creation system and a photographic print creation method of the present invention.

(Configuration Example of Business Model) FIG. 1 is a diagram conceptually showing a configuration example of an overall system and a business model. The photo print creation system and the photo print creation method of the present embodiment are configured as a photo print creation system and a photo print creation method using the Internet. According to the photo print making system and the photo print making method, when a user prints a photo, if the user selects (a) an advertisement with an advertisement on the print to be made, the advertiser (c) an advertisement fee By collecting, the company is building a business model that lowers the price of prints compared to conventional prices. The details of the business model are described below.

User's personal computer (PC)
20 is connected to the internetwork 10. A print company computer 11 is connected to the internetwork 10. A homepage is established on the computer 11 of the printing company. You can upload your photos to the photo print shop's homepage on the Internet, or give the negatives at the store and have the print shop scan them.

Several types of photographic print formats are prepared. For example, the following (1), (2), (3),
(4). (1) No frame (2) There is a frame (3) Message is written with a frame (4) Advertising and message can be written with a frame

The completed photo print is (b) delivered to the home or received at an agency or the like. The fee paid by the user to the print service provider is the same as the conventional fee for the print (1) and the print (2).
In the case of print (3), a message fee is added in addition to the normal fee. However, when the print (4) has an advertisement, the advertisement fee is reduced from the normal fee.
The fee corresponding to the reduced advertising fee is paid from the advertiser via the advertising agency to (c) the printing company.

(Configuration Example of System) FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a photographic print creation system and a photographic print creation method according to the present embodiment. This photographic print production system and photographic print production method include a print company computer (11), a user terminal (20), and an advertising agency (1) via an internetwork (10).
i) and the user-specified financial account (1j) are connected and configured. Also, a photo print section (1h) and a keyboard / mouse (18) are provided to the print service computer (11).
And the monitor (19) are connected. Further, an image medium (21) and a camera (2a) are connected to the user terminal (20).

The print agent computer (11) includes an image DB (12), a customer DB (13), and an image synthesizing unit (1).
4), communication I / F (15), charging unit (16), input / output I / F (17), CPU (1g), memory (1f), program (1e), frame DB (1d), advertisement DB
(1c), message DB (1b), display I / F (1
a) are connected to each other via a bus.

The user terminal (20) includes a CPU (22),
A communication I / F (23), an input / output I / F (24), a keyboard / mouse (25), a memory (26), a program (27), and a display I / F (28) are interconnected via a bus. And a display I / F (28) and a monitor (29)
Are connected.

(Operation Example) FIGS. 3 to 13 show operation examples. FIGS. 3 to 10 show operation display examples on the monitor of the user terminal. FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example on the user terminal side. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an operation example on the side of the computer of the printing agency. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a finished form of a photo print when a frame is selected.

(Example of Operation on User Terminal Side) FIG. 3 shows an example of an initial screen display (step S1). The initial screen shown here shows a display example of mode selection items for setting the operation mode of the photo print creation system and the photo print creation method. This mode display includes: 1. capture of images; 2. Selection of image to be printed; 3. frame selection; 4. Select print format; 5. Select size, Confirmation / application.

An image is input from a digital camera or a medium (S2). After the input, the captured image is displayed and an image to be printed is selected (S3). This image selection is performed in FIG. FIG. 4 shows an example of a display format of a list of captured images. The list shown in FIG. 4 is (1)
It is a display example which posted six kinds of photographs of (6). The user selects an image number to be printed from this list. A photo with the selected number is created on the print photo.

Next, a frame is selected (S4). FIG. 5 is a display example showing four types of lists (1) to (4) of frames. The user selects and sets a frame list in which the image selected in FIG. 4 is to be inserted by selecting a number from the list (S5). The frame list includes (1) no frame, (2) frame, (3) frame with message writing, and (4) frame with advertisement. When the list (1) or (2) is selected in step S5, the process proceeds to step S8.

If the list (3) is selected in step S5, the selected image is displayed and a message is input (S6). FIG. 6 shows a display configuration example of a message to be put in the selected frame. This FIG. 6 corresponds to FIG.
5 shows a display example of the frame selected in the step (a) and the content of the message to be put in the frame.

If the list (4) is selected in step S5, an advertisement list is selected (7). FIG.
Shows a display example of the advertisement list. The display example of FIG. 7 is an example of four types of advertisers (1) to (4), and the user can arbitrarily select the desired advertiser from these.

Next, a print size is selected and input (S
8). After selecting the print size, a confirmation screen is displayed (S9). FIG. 8 is a display example of “center connection & confirmation”. 7 is a display example for confirming selection and setting based on the screen display procedure of FIGS. 3 to 6 described above. If there is no mistake in the displayed contents, "Y" is selected and key input is performed. If there is an error, the user inputs "N" as a key and performs re-input setting of a correct item.

After inputting "Y" in FIG. 8, the printer is connected to a center which is a computer of a printing company (S10). FIG.
Is a display example of “center connection”. If the user has newly registered (S11 / Yes), the user selects "2. New registration" and inputs customer data (S12). If the user is a registered member (S11 / No), the user selects "1. Login" and inputs a customer ID and password as customer data.

After completion of the input for "center connection", the center is connected and the information is displayed (S1).
3). FIG. 10 shows an example of a display screen after connection to the center.
The contents of the selected settings and the conditions for shifting to execution are displayed. Check the display contents and conditions (S
14). If the confirmation is OK (S14 / Yes), "Y"
Is input, and the setting operation ends. Confirmation is no (N
If it is o) (S14 / No), "N" is input. In this case, the screen returns to the initial screen.

A photographic print created by the above procedure is, for example, as shown in FIG. (1)-of FIG.
Photo prints created based on the four types of settings (4) are examples of the four types of images shown in FIG.

(Example of operation of the print service computer) In step S21 of FIG. 12, connection with the user terminal is executed in response to access from the user terminal. If the registration is new after connection, the entered data is registered in the customer database / DB (13).

In step S24, the image data is received and stored in the image DB (12). Further, in step S25, the message data is received and stored in the message DB. The selected frame, size, and advertisement data are stored in the memory (S26). The charge calculation and the customer information are transmitted to the user terminal (S27). If the response to the user confirmation for the transmitted content is OK, the process proceeds to the next step S29. If the confirmation is No in the check S28, the process returns to the connection standby state with the user terminal at the initial stage of the start of the step S21.

In step S29, the image and the frame, the advertisement and the message are synthesized by the image synthesizing section (14). The size-combined image is transmitted to the photo print unit (1h) (S30). Further, the selected advertisement fee is notified to the advertising agency (1i) (S31).

In the above embodiment, if the user selects to enter an advertisement in the menu, the advertiser bears part of the print fee. For this reason, it is possible to provide a user with a photo print at low cost.

In the above embodiment, the storage management of the image data can be entrusted to a company. Further, it is possible to arbitrarily download image data managed by an individual and image data managed by a trader, for example, images of traces of various places in the world, to a personal computer, and create a photographic print by forming an image. Still further, it is possible to create a photographic print by configuring image data managed by a plurality of individuals under the consent of each individual.

The above embodiment is an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. However, it is not limited to this.
Various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0039]

As is apparent from the above description, the photographic print making system and photographic print making method of the present invention are a photographic print making system and method for making digitized image data into a photographic print. Selection of a frame / no frame around the image of the print and selection of the necessity of adding a predetermined message and / or advertisement are performed, so that the message and the advertisement can be simultaneously printed on the image creation paper of the photo print. As a result, a configuration of a new business system based on the advertisement fee becomes possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram conceptually illustrating a configuration example of a business model based on an embodiment of a photo print creation system and a photo print creation method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a photographic print creation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an example of an initial screen display on a monitor of a user terminal.

FIG. 4 shows a display example of an image list on a monitor of a user terminal.

FIG. 5 shows a display example of a frame list on a monitor of a user terminal.

FIG. 6 shows a display example of a message on a monitor of a user terminal.

FIG. 7 shows a display example of an advertisement list on a monitor of a user terminal.

FIG. 8: “Center connection &
The display example of "confirmation" is shown.

FIG. 9 shows “center connection” on the monitor of the user terminal.
An example of display is shown.

FIG. 10 shows an example of a display screen after connection to the center on the monitor of the user terminal.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example on the user terminal side.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example on the side of a print trader computer.

FIG. 13 shows an example of a finished form of a photographic print when a frame is selected.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Internetwork 11 Printer computer 12 Image DB 13 Customer DB 14 Image synthesis part 15 Communication I / F 16 Billing part 17 Input / output I / F 18 Keyboard / mouse 19 Monitor 1a Display I / F 1b Message DB 1c Advertisement DB 1d Frame DB 1e Program 1f Memory 1g CPU 1h Photo print unit 1i Advertising agency 1j User designated financial account 20 User terminal 21 Image medium 22 CPU 23 Communication I / F 24 Input / output I / F 25 Keyboard / mouse 26 Memory 27 Program 28 Display I / F 29 Monitor 2a Camera

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A photographic print creation system for creating digitized image data into a photographic print, comprising: a frame selection unit for selecting whether or not there is a frame around the image of the photographic print; Alternatively, there is provided an additional selection unit for selecting whether or not to add an advertisement, and the simultaneous printing of the message and the advertisement is enabled in the image forming paper of the photo print. 2. The photographic print creation system according to claim 1, wherein the photographic print is considered as an advertisement medium, and an advertisement fee of the added advertisement is reflected in a cost of creating the photographic print. . 3. The computer according to claim 1, wherein a computer of a user who requests the creation of the photo print and a computer of a printing company that creates the photo print are connected to a predetermined Internet. Or the photographic print creation system according to 2. 4. Entrusting storage and management of image data to a company,
In addition, personally managed image data and vendor-managed image data,
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, for example, images of famous archeological sites in various places in the world are downloaded to the user's computer, and a request for creating a photo print with an image is made possible. The photo print creation system described. 5. The photographic print creating system according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of image data managed by a plurality of individuals are configured, and a request for creating a photographic print of the configured image data is enabled. . 6. A photo print producing method for producing digitized image data into a photo print, comprising: a frame selecting step of selecting whether or not a frame is present around the image of the photo print; Or an additional selection step of selecting whether or not to add an advertisement, wherein the message and the advertisement can be simultaneously printed on the image forming paper of the photographic print. 7. The photographic print creation method according to claim 6, wherein the photographic print is considered as an advertisement medium, and the advertisement fee of the added advertisement is reflected in the photographic print creation cost. . 8. A system in which a computer of a user requesting the creation of the photographic print and a computer of a printing company creating the photographic print are connected to a predetermined Internet. The method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the method is performed. 9. Entrusting the storage and management of image data to a company,
In addition, personally managed image data and vendor-managed image data,
9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the user downloads images of famous places in the world, historic sites, and the like to the computer of the user, and requests creation of a photographic print with an image. How to make the photo print described. 10. The photographic print creation method according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of image data managed by a plurality of individuals are configured, and a request for creation of a photographic print of the configured image data is enabled. .