JP2002209164A - Method and system for image distribution - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide images, which are provided by a server on a communication network, for a user in a form of a printed matter of high image quality. SOLUTION: A web server 12 distributes images requested by the user to a user PC 6 through the Internet. The web server 12 displays thumbnail images of distributable images on a web browser 21 of the user PC 6 as a list, and a preview image (larger than the thumbnail image) of a selected image is displayed on the web browser 21 when the user selects the image, and this image of a high resolution for print is sent to the user PC when the user sees the preview image to assent to it. The web server 12 provides an image editor 22 for image editing also for the user PC 6. The web server 12 requests print for the user to an output center 3 provided with a full-scale printer when the user desires it. The printed matter outputted from the output center 3 is distributed to the user by mail or door-to-door delivery service.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a technique for distributing a still image or a moving image from a server to a user's computer system via a communication network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Many image distribution servers exist on the Internet. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image distributed from a server on the Internet is represented by small-sized data corresponding to a low transmission capability of a communication channel. Therefore, a user system that downloads the image can print out only a low-quality image.

Further, the conventional image server has a mechanism in which an image that can be provided is first displayed in the form of a small thumbnail image, and when the thumbnail is clicked by the user, the data of the main image is sent to the user computer.
However, even if the user sees the small thumbnail image, it cannot accurately determine whether or not the image is what he or she wants. There are many cases where people realize that they have not. Therefore, the user consumes useless download time and communication cost, and furthermore, if the image is charged, the image is wasted.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image provided by a server on a communication network to a user in the form of a high-quality printed matter.

Another object of the present invention is to enable a user to accurately determine whether an image provided by a server on a communication network is really what he or she wants before actually obtaining it. Is to do.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for distributing an image to a user system via a communication network, comprising: for each of a plurality of distributable images, main image data for printing; Image storage means for storing thumbnail image data for list display having a pixel size smaller than the image data, and preview image data for preview having a pixel size between the main image data and the thumbnail image data; A thumbnail image transmitting unit that transmits thumbnail image data of a plurality of images to the user system to display a plurality of thumbnail images in a list, and selects one image from the plurality of thumbnail images displayed in the list, The preview image data of the selected image Includes a preview display unit that presents, after displaying the preview images, and downloading means for transmitting the image data of the selected image in response to a request from the user to the user system.

In this system, a user selects a certain image from a list of thumbnail images, and before downloading the main image data of the selected image, the user selects a certain image which is larger than the thumbnail image but smaller than the main image. A small preview image can be seen, and it can be determined from the preview image whether the selected image is really what the user likes. If the user does not like this, downloading of the main image data can be avoided, so that the download time and cost can be reduced.

Further, since there is a preview image, the main image data can be converted to high-resolution image data that can withstand high-quality printing.

In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of main image data having different print sizes are prepared for each image, and the main image data has a resolution such that the smaller the print size, the higher the resolution. . The user can download the main image data of any print size. When the main image data is printed, the smaller the print size is, the higher the resolution is. Therefore, a small-sized printed matter that is often viewed close can be printed with high image quality so that it is more convenient to view it nearby.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the system of the present invention can communicate with an output center that is responsible for printing images on behalf of the user, allowing the user to print the images himself or at the output center. A printing method selecting means for selecting an image, a transmitting means for transmitting image data to a user system through a communication network when the user prints the image by himself / herself, and a request for printing to the output center when the image is printed at the output center. Output request means.

In this system, when the user cannot perform satisfactory printing by himself, he can request the output center to print. In particular, it is convenient to request an output center for printing when a very large size printed matter is desired, when printing with very high image quality is desired, or when network distribution is restricted by copyright.

In a preferred embodiment, when a print is received at an output center, the layout and design of a print page containing the image can also be edited, and printing can be requested to the output center in accordance with the edited result. . For example, a print request can be made to the output center in the form of a calendar or postcard of a design edited by the user.

In a preferred embodiment, when the image is to be printed at the output center, the image is transmitted to the user system through the communication network, and the print page containing the image is edited by the user system. The result (this may be only the format information such as the arrangement of images and characters on the print page, the size and color, etc.) is received from the user system, and the output center can be requested to print based on the editing result. . By editing the print page in the user system, the load on the image distribution system is reduced. Further, when editing is performed by the user system, an image originally possessed by the user system can be taken into the print page. In this case,
The image distribution system receives not only the editing result but also the image that the user system originally possessed from the user system and sends it to the output center.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for distributing an image to a user system via a communication network, comprising: an image transmission unit for transmitting image data to the user system via a communication network; Editing means for transmitting a program for performing the editing to the user system.

According to this system, not only the image itself but also the editing program is transmitted to the user system, so that the user does not need to have his own editing program.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for distributing an image to a user system through a communication network, comprising: an image storage unit storing a plurality of distributable images; and selecting a desired image from the user system. Upon receipt, keep-list information indicating a list of selected images is created for each user, the keep-list information is stored until the connection with the user system is disconnected, and thereafter, the user system is requested to be reconnected to the user system. And, keep list means for transmitting keep list information to the user system, and accepting designation of an image from the keep list information from the user system,
Download means for acquiring data of the designated image from the image storage means and transmitting the data to the user system;

According to this image distribution system, even when a large number of distributable images are prepared, the user selects his / her desired image from the image and uses it as his / her own keep list information. You can have it saved at The image distribution system stores the keep-list information of each user even after the connection with the user system is disconnected, and when each user logs in again later, the user refers to the keep-list information of the user at the request of the user. . The user can select and download a favorite image from his / her keep list information.

In a preferred embodiment, if the image has a distribution term, if the image has a distribution term stored in the keep-list information, the user does not delete the image until the distribution term expires. The image is stored in the keep list information. Further, in the keep list information, information indicating which image has already been downloaded is stored and displayed.

In a preferred embodiment, when it becomes impossible to distribute a certain image stored in the keep list information in the future (for example, when the period during which the image is distributed is limited, When that period is over),
The image whose distribution has become impossible is automatically deleted from the keep-list information, or a notification to that effect is automatically sent to the user.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In this embodiment, a still image is distributed. However, from the following description of this embodiment, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the principles of the present invention can be applied to the delivery of various types of images, such as moving images as well as still images.

FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of an image distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A server computer system (hereinafter, referred to as a server system) 1 for performing an image distribution service is connected to a communication network (not shown), for example, the Internet. Many users can connect to the server system 1 via the Internet using their respective computer systems (hereinafter referred to as user systems) 2. By connecting to the server system 1, each user can register as a member in the server system 1, search for images, order images, download a special program called "image editor" in this specification, download images, and Various procedures necessary for receiving this service, such as payment of a fee, can be performed online with the server system 1. The image editor described above is a program for image editing and printing specially designed to enable online distribution of images while protecting copyright of the images, and details thereof will be described later.

The user system 2 of each user has a different configuration for each user. Typically, however, a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a user PC) 6 having an Internet connection function and a printer 7 connected thereto are provided. Etc. Then, the above-described image editor is installed in the user PC 6. The user downloads a desired image from the server system 1 using the image editor of his / her user PC 6 and edits a page (for example, a calendar or a postcard) having the desired layout or design incorporating the image. Then, the page can be printed out by the printer 7 of the user.

The server system 1 is communicably connected to an output center 3 equipped with a very expensive and high-performance printing machine which is difficult for the user to hold. Instead of downloading the image provided from the server system 1 to its own user system 2 and printing it by itself, each user has the image sent from the server system 1 to the output center 3 to perform high-performance printing at the output center 3. It is possible to request the server system 1 online to have it printed by a machine. For example, when a large poster such as B0 size is desired, when a very high-quality print is desired, or when a large number of prints are desired, the user will select printing at the output center 3. . The output center 3 delivers the printed matter 8 printed for the user to the user, for example, by mail or home delivery.

There are a number of content holders (often also the copyright holders of the images) 4, 4,... Which provide images to the original.
4. Multiple content vendors (eg, distributors) who provide their images to the market with permission from ...
There are 5,5. Those content vendors 5, 5,
… And the server system 1 are online via the Internet or the like, or offline via the mail or the like,
Can communicate. The server system 1 receives and accumulates various images managed under the copyright from the content vendors 5, 5,... And sells them to users. The server system 1 also performs processing for paying the content vendors 5, 5,..., Money according to the sales amount of each image. Server system 1 from content vendors 5, 5, ...
May be copyright-free images. Most of the images provided to the user by the server system 1 are charged, but there may be free images.

FIG. 2 shows the server system 1 and the user PC 6
Shows the functional configuration of each.

The server system 1 includes a settlement server 11, a web (WWW) server 12, an authoring server 13,
It has a main image file server 14 and a database 15. The user PC 6 has a web (WWW) browser 21 and an image editor 22. As described above, the image editor 22 can be installed on the user PC 6 by a method of downloading from the server system 1. Alternatively, the image editor 22 can be downloaded from a solid-state recording medium such as a CD-ROM.
It may be installed in C6.

When the user orders a pay image from the server system 1, the settlement server 11 of the server system 1
This is for performing a payment settlement process for the user. The web (WWW) server 12 provides the user PC 6 with membership registration, image search, selection of the searched image, download of the image editor 22, download of the selected image, order reception of the downloaded image, and output center to the user PC 6 through the Internet. Service such as an output request to the server. The authoring server 13 receives the data of the main image to be provided from the content vendor 5 online or offline, and generates reduced-size images of various sizes such as a thumbnail image, a preview image, and a layout image (the details will be described later) from the main image. It creates and registers the thumbnail image, the preview image, the layout image, and the like in the web server 12 and stores the main image in the main image file server 1.
4 is registered. The main image server 14
This stores and manages data of the main image to be provided. The database 15 includes personal data such as the address and name of each member, an image keep list of each member (details will be described later), company data such as the address and name of each content vendor, a compression program of the image editor 22, , Data for financial settlement, and other server system 1
Accumulates and manages various data required by.

The web browser 21 of the user PC 6 communicates with the web server 12 of the server system 1 to register a member, search for an image, select an image, download the image editor 22, request printing by an output center, and the like. It is used for communicating with the settlement server 11 to perform settlement processing of the image price. The image editor 22
In order to communicate with the web server 12 of the server system 1 to download an image, order an image, edit a page containing a downloaded image, generate a print job for the edited image on the printer 7, and the like. Used for

The basic and schematic procedure for a user to obtain a printed image from the server system 1 is as follows.

(1) The user accesses the web server 12 using the web browser 21 and registers as a member.
Further, the image editor 22 is downloaded and installed on the user PC 6. The download of the image editor 22 may be automatically performed without the user intentionally performing the download. For example, when the user tries to start the image editor 22 in a later procedure, if the image editor 22 is not yet installed in the user PC 6, it is automatically downloaded, installed, and started.

(2) The user accesses the web server 12 using the web browser 21 to search and select a desired image. Here, in addition to selecting a thumbnail image by looking at the small size, a preview image that is larger in size but much smaller in data size than the main image is used to determine whether or not the selected image is liked. Can be confirmed. When the preview image is displayed, a text describing the description of the image, usage restrictions by copyright, and the like are also displayed. Further, the thumbnail image of the selected image, the usage restriction items due to the copyright, the description, and the like are stored in the image keep list dedicated to the user, and the image keep list can be opened and used at any time. Thus, the user can reliably and easily select his favorite image.

(3) When the user wants the selected image to be printed at the output center 3, the user requests the web server 12 to do so by using the web browser 21, and the member authentication process and the settlement of the image price accompanying the request are made. Processing is also performed. When the member authentication and settlement processing is completed normally, the web server 12 sends a print request for the user to the output center 3.

(4) When the user wants to print the selected image on his own printer 7, the user activates the image editor 22 and uses the image editor 22 to execute the web server 1.
A layout image, which is a reduced version of the main image for the selected image, is downloaded from 1 and the layout and design of the print target page (for example, calendar or postcard) are edited using the layout image. Here, the following control is performed to protect the copyright of the image. That is, the web server 11 does not transmit the layout image even when accessed from a program other than the image editor 22. The image data that the web server 11 sends to the image editor 22 is encrypted by a method that can be decrypted only by the image editor 22,
The user can view it by decoding it by the image editor 22. Further, the web server 11 notifies the image editor 22 of not only the image itself but also the copyright usage restrictions imposed on the image (for example, whether various edits such as layout editing and enlargement / reduction are possible, usage period, etc.). Is also sent to the image editor 22, and the image editor 22 allows the user only the editing operation permitted by the control data.

(5) When the editing by the image editor 22 is completed, the user issues an order for the selected image to the web server 12 using the web browser 21, and also performs a member authentication process and a settlement process for the image fee.

(6) When the member authentication processing and the settlement processing are completed, the user downloads the main image of the selected image from the web server 11 using the image editor 22, and converts the main image into the edited layout and design. The page is taken in, and the page is printed by the printer 7. Here, the following control is performed to protect the copyright. That is, the web server 11 does not send the main image to the image editor 22 unless the member authentication process and the settlement process are completed normally. Further, the web server 11 does not transmit the main image even when accessed from a program other than the image editor 22. The main image transmitted from the web server 11 to the image editor 22 is
The image is encrypted by a method that can be decrypted only by the image editor 22, and the image can be printed only by being decrypted by the image editor 22. Further, the image editor 22 cannot print the main image with a layout or design different from the editing result performed using the layout image. The main image provided by the web server 11 includes a digital watermark indicating the contents of copyright such as the name of the copyright holder, and the main image is printed, and the digital watermark is also printed.

Hereinafter, the function and operation of each unit will be described in detail.

FIG. 3 shows a flow of processing in the server system 1 for the authoring server 13 to register an image received from the content vendor 5 in the server system 1.

The authoring server 13 inputs image data provided from the content vendor 5 (step S1). The data format of the image data is TIFF,
It can be in various formats such as JPEG, PNG, etc. For example,
The image data of a certain animated character is a format suitable for superimposition with another image if the purpose is to print a photograph in which the animated character and the user are shown side by side. PN
G is convenient.

The authoring server 13 resizes the input image data to a plurality of prescribed sizes (S2).
That is, the authoring server 13 first determines, for example, postcards, A4, A3, A2, B1, B
The main image data of six print sizes of 0 is created. Here, the main image is an image actually used for printing. Therefore, the main image has a high resolution so that the print result has a sufficiently high image quality. Subsequently, the authoring server 13 creates three types of image data: a thumbnail image, a preview image, and a layout image. Here, the thumbnail image is used when displaying a large number of images on a monitor screen of a computer, and has a number of pixels such that one side is about 2 to 3 cm on the monitor screen. The preview image is an image for the user to check the picture of the image on the monitor screen, and therefore, for example, one side of the image is 5
It has the number of pixels (larger than the thumbnail image) of about 7 cm. The layout image is an image used to edit the layout and design of the page by incorporating the image into a print page. Therefore, the layout image has a larger number of pixels than the preview image on the monitor screen. Data size is smaller.

Next, the authoring server 13 inserts a digital watermark representing the contents of the copyright such as the name of the copyright holder into the images of various sizes created by the resizing (S).
3). A digital watermark may be added to all of the main image, the thumbnail image, the preview image, and the layout image. However, a digital watermark is not used for image data such as a thumbnail image that is too small to cause a copyright problem in practice. You do not need to put However, at least a digital watermark is always added to the main image to be printed.

It should be noted that instead of the authoring server 13 inserting an image data digital watermark, the image editor 22
However, when an image is printed, a digital watermark may be inserted into the image data. When the image editor 22 inserts a digital watermark, a place is selected so that the digital watermark appears effectively according to the page layout immediately before the page layout is edited and printing is started. Watermarks can be inserted.
In particular, when a plurality of images are printed on the same page and the images are superimposed, even if the digital watermark is embedded in a fixed place of each image, the digital watermark is May be superimposed and interfere with each other to impair the function of the digital watermark. Even in such a case, the image editor 22 embeds the digital watermarks in the print data just before printing according to the page layout so that the digital watermarks of a plurality of images do not overlap each other. Thus, the above problem can be avoided.

Next, the authoring server 13 encrypts the data of the layout image and the main image to be provided to the image editor 22 by a method that can be decrypted only by the image editor 22 (S4).

Next, the authoring server 13 adds control data or the like indicating the use restriction by the copyright to the encrypted main image to make it into a container (S5). Further, fixed auxiliary data is added to, for example, a thumbnail image, a preview image, a layout image, and the like other than the main image. For example, a description such as a shop name and a price that is displayed when the thumbnail image is displayed on the monitor screen is added to the thumbnail image. The preview image is added with a description such as a shop name and a price that is displayed together with the preview image when displayed on the monitor screen, control data indicating use restrictions by copyright, and the like. In addition, control data or the like indicating use restrictions by copyright is added to the layout image.

Here, as the usage restriction by the copyright,
For example, whether the image is paid or free, whether the image can be printed on the user's printer, whether the image can be printed at the output center, the image can be imported into a page such as a calendar or postcard Whether the layout and design of the page can be edited, whether the image itself can be edited (eg, enlarged / reduced, superimposed with other images, etc.) on the same page, Whether there is an image that should not be imported together, how long the printable period is, whether there is a limit on the print size, how many copies can be printed at one time, color printing or black and white printing And so on.

The control data added to the preview image is used by the web server 12 to restrict the selection when the user selects whether to print the image at the output center or at his own printer. When the user intends to specify the use of the image (for example, for a calendar, for a postcard, etc.) and the print size, the web server 12 is used to restrict the use and the print size that can be specified. As described above, the control data added to the layout image is transmitted by the user to the image editor 22.
When editing the layout or design of a print page that has captured the image using, when the type of editing operation and the printing operation that can be performed by the image editor 22 are restricted, or when the image is printed based on the edited result In addition, the image editor 22 is used for limiting the print size and the number of copies.

Next, the authoring server 13 registers the container of the main image data and the various types of image data in the main image file server 14, the web server 12, and the like (S6). The container of the main image data is registered in the main image file server 14. A table indicating the relationship between the identification of the main image data and the storage location in the main image file server 14 is stored in the database 15. The thumbnail image, the preview image, and the layout image are registered in the web server 12.

FIG. 4 shows the resolutions of the main images of various print sizes created by the authoring server 13 in step S2 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the smaller the print size of the main image is, the higher the resolution is, and thus the image quality of the printed matter is high. Due to the fact that small prints are seen near and large prints are seen from afar,
This is because smaller prints require higher image quality.

FIG. 5 shows a general procedure from when a user accesses a web server 12 to search for a desired image and prints the image.

First, the user searches for an image that meets desired conditions on a search screen provided by the web server 12 (S11). The search result is displayed as a list of thumbnail images meeting the conditions. Next, the user selects one image from the list of thumbnail images (S11). Then, a preview image of the selected image is displayed (S12). Along with the preview image, a text indicating a description of the image and usage restrictions, a menu for specifying the use of the image and a print size, and the like are also displayed. If the user looks at the preview image and likes the image, the user designates the use and size and enters the image into the user-specific keep list provided by the web server 12 (S14). Keep list is web server 1
2 and the user can access his keep list at any time. The user can select an image to be printed from his / her keep list.

An image in the keep list is output to the output center 3
If the user wants to print, the user selects the image from the keep list and performs various operations for requesting the output center to print on the screen provided by the web server 12 (S15). . In this process, on the screen provided by the web server 12, the user can import the selected image into a print page and edit the layout and design of the page. Only editing operations can be performed. In this process, the user also performs member authentication and image payment processing on a screen provided by the web server 12. Only after the member authentication and the image settlement are correctly completed, a print request is sent from the web server 12 to the output center 3. The printed matter printed by the output center 3 is delivered under the user by means such as mailing or home delivery.

The image in the keep list is stored in the printer 7 of the user.
When the user wants to print, the user activates the image editor 22 in his / her user PC 6 by an operation on the screen provided by the web server 12 (S16). Then, a keep list is displayed on the screen of the image editor 22, and an image to be printed is selected from the keep list. Then, the image editor 22 downloads the layout image of the selected image from the web server 12 and displays the layout image on the editing screen. So, the user
On the editing screen of the image editor 22, the layout and design of the print page are edited using the layout image. In this editing work, only the editing operation permitted by the control data added to the layout image can be executed.

After the page has been edited, the user can instruct the image editor 22 to perform test printing (S18). The image editor 22 creates print job data for test printing using the page data edited using the layout image, and sends it to the printer driver of the printer 7. In the test printing, as illustrated in FIG. 6, at least the images in the page that need to be managed by copyright and the paid images are overlaid with, for example, “Sample”.
Is printed in a superimposed manner. Therefore, the test print cannot be put to practical use. In the example of FIG. 6, the character "Sample" is not printed on the copyright-free and free image, but the character "Sample" may be printed on it. "Sample"
The character of not only one place, there may be multiple places,
It may be over the entire page, and it is desirable that the color be a plurality of colors so as not to match the color of the image or be changed according to the color of the image.

It should be noted that test printing may be similarly performed on an image to be printed at the output center. Some of the images to be printed at the output center are large format that cannot be printed by the user's printer. However, when performing test printing, reduce the size to an A4 size that can be printed by the user's printer. Will do. Even in such a case, the printed matter cannot be put to practical use by overlaying a mark such as "Sample".

If the result of the test printing is satisfactory, the user can instruct the image editor 22 to start the main printing process (S19). This printing may be performed subsequent to the test printing, or the image editor 22 and the web browser 21 may be terminated once, and the image editor 22 and the web browser 2
1 can be started to perform actual printing. Since the image editor 22 saves the editing results such as the last downloaded keep list and the last page layout, even if the image editor 22 is closed once and then started later, the image editor 22 continues to print after the test printing. The actual printing can be performed under the same conditions as when printing is performed. In the main printing process, before downloading the main image, the web server 21 is used to perform member authentication and image payment settlement processing using the web browser 21. When the processing of the member authentication and the settlement is completed, the web server 12 permits the image editor 22 to download the main image, and the user downloads the main image from the web server 12 using the image editor 22. Then, the user uses the image editor 22 to print the downloaded main image on his or her printer 7 in accordance with the editing result performed earlier.

In the following, the process from image search to printing shown in FIG. 5 will be described from the viewpoint of how the monitor screen of the user PC 6 transitions.

FIG. 7 shows an overall outline of the transition of the monitor screen of the user PC 6.

In FIG. 7, the dashed-dotted blocks of “search function”, “keep function”, “optional function”, “member function” and “payment function” in the upper row can be used from the web browser 21 by the user. A rough screen function of the web server 11 is shown, and a solid line block in the one-dot chain line block shows a finer screen function. The dashed line block “Print Function” in the lower part of FIG.
The solid line block in the figure indicates a fine screen function.

FIGS. 8 to 16 show specific screen transitions in each screen function shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, description will be made with reference to FIG. 7 and FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 7, when accessing the web server 12 from the web browser 21, the top page 100 is first displayed. From the top page 100, an image search 110 can be entered. When the search 110 ends, a search result 120 is displayed. When one image is selected from the search results 110, a preview display 130 of the selected image is performed.

In the search 110, as shown in FIG. 8, a search by a keyword, a search by an image genre (for example, entertainer, movie, illustration, etc.), and a use by an image (for example, for a calendar, for a postcard, for printing as it is, etc.) Search, search by shop (e.g., entertainment production, artist, character company, etc.)
Decryption search combining them can be performed. The search result 120 displays a list of thumbnail images of the searched images. The image name added to each thumbnail image, the name of the provider's shop, an explanation of the usage restriction by copyright, and the price are also displayed. When one thumbnail image is selected from the thumbnail image list of the search result 120 by a mouse click or the like, a preview display 130 of the image is performed. In the preview display 130, a preview image (larger than the thumbnail image) of the image is displayed, and the image name, the name of the provider's shop, the description of the usage restriction by copyright, the price, the commentary of the image, etc. Are also displayed together. The user determines from the preview display 130 whether or not the image is liked.

Referring again to FIG. 7, preview display 13
If the user operates the screen 0 to put the selected image in the keep list 140, the keep list 140 is displayed next. When the selected image displayed on the preview display 130 is put into the keep list 140, the user selects whether to print the selected image at the output center or at the user printer as shown in FIG. , Calendars, postcards, etc.)
And the print size (for example, postcards, A5 to B0, etc.) are also specified. At that time, the web server 12 controls the range of items that can be specified by the user by using the control data added to the preview image of the selected image.
For example, if the use of the selected image for a calendar or a postcard is prohibited, a calendar or a postcard cannot be specified as a use. The web server 12 may automatically determine whether to print at the output center or at the user printer according to the print size specified by the user. For example, when the size exceeds A3 size, the output center is selected, when the size is smaller than A3, the user printer is selected, and the A3 size is arbitrarily selected by the user.

The keep list 140 displays thumbnail images, image names, descriptions of usage restrictions, prices, and the like for the images already contained therein and the images that have just been added.
In the keep list 140, a preview image may be displayed instead of the thumbnail image. Alternatively, an image of another size suitable for the keep list 140 (for example, a palette image having an intermediate size between the thumbnail image and the preview image) is created in the resizing process (step S2 in FIG. 3) of the authoring server 13 and the web server is created. 12
May be registered and displayed in the keep list 140.

If any of the images already in the keep list 140 is to be stopped from being distributed to the user in the future (for example, if the period during which the image is distributed is limited, (Such as when the period has expired), the server system 1 automatically deletes the image whose distribution has been stopped from the keep list 140, or automatically sends a notification to that effect to the user system 2. (For example, a message to that effect is displayed in the keep list 140).

As shown in FIG. 9, an image specified in the keep list 140 by specifying the use of the calendar is put in the keep list 140 in a form in which the image is taken in a default calendar template. And
If the user does not like the default calendar template for the image to be printed at the output center, the calendar template display 14
It is possible to proceed to the process 1 and switch to another calendar template (when printing with a user printer, the template can be freely set later using the image editor 22). Regarding the image to be printed at the output center, the user proceeds to the ink selection screen 142 irrespective of the application, and designates the user's favorite dye ink or pigment ink as the ink used for printing at the output center. Can be.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 9, the user clicks the “to payment” button on the keep list 140 (step 143) or clicks the “start image editor” button (step 144 or 14
5) Yes. Here, when all the images in the keep list 140 are images to be printed at the output center,
The only option is to click on the "to payment" button (step 143). If all of the images in the keep list 140 are images to be printed by the user printer, the user clicks the "Start image editor" button (step 1).
44) You can only do it. When the image to be printed at the output center and the image to be printed by the user printer are mixed in the keep list 140, the "image editor start" button is basically clicked (step 145).

When the "to payment" button is clicked in the keep list 140, as shown in FIG. 7 (or as shown in detail in FIGS. 10 to 11), "optional function", "member function", and "payment" Function ”. FIG.
As shown in (2), in the "optional function", processing of adding accessories etc. 150 is performed, and in the "member function", processing of member authentication 160 is performed (if the member has not been registered, the member registration 170 is also performed) Next, in the "payment function", the processing of the payment 180 is performed. When the processing is completed, a print request is sent to the output center, and the "accepted" screen 190 is displayed.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, when a “payment” button is clicked, first, a product list screen 15 is displayed.
In step 1, the user can select various accessories to be attached to the printed matter at the output center. In addition, the user can click the "purchase amount" button to proceed to the amount selection screen 152, in which the amount of the printed matter can be selected. When the "forward" button is clicked on the product list screen 151, a member authentication screen 161 is displayed,
Therefore, the user performs his / her membership authentication by inputting his / her member ID and password. For non-member users, Member Registration Screen 1
After proceeding to 71 to perform a member registration procedure, the member is authenticated on the member authentication screen 161. When the user is authenticated, a member confirmation screen 162 is opened, and the registered contents such as the address, name, telephone number, and e-mail address of the user are displayed, and the user confirms it. When changing the registered content, the user proceeds to the member information correction screen 172,
Therefore, a new registration item is entered.

If the registered items are correct on the member authentication screen 162, the user clicks the "confirm" button. Then
As shown in FIG. 11, a payment statement confirmation screen 181 is displayed, so the user confirms the payment statement, and then proceeds to a payment method selection screen 182, where a payment method such as a credit card or a bank transfer is selected. Then, the process proceeds to the payment processing screen 183 to execute the payment processing. When the settlement processing is completed, a print request is sent from the web server 12 to the output center 3, and the “accepted” screen 190 is displayed on the web browser 21.

Although not shown in the flowchart, test printing can be performed by the user's printer before requesting printing to the output center 3 in the same manner as when the user prints himself, as described later. In this case, a large-size image such as a B0 size is reduced to an A4 size or the like that can be printed by a user's printer, and is subjected to test printing.

Although not shown in the flow chart, when a user edits a page layout using the image editor 22, the page layout is printed on the output center 3 instead of printing it on the user's printer. You can also ask.

Referring again to FIG. 9, keep list 140
When the "Start image editor" button is clicked (step 144 or 155), the image editor 22 of the user PS6 is started. Then, as shown in FIG. 7, in the image editor 22, first, the navigator 210 functions to allow the user to set various printing uses such as the use and template selection in a predetermined order. The user to edit the layout and design of the print page. When the layout processing 220 is completed, the user can perform a test print 230.

When the layout processing 220 is completed,
This printing can also be performed. In order to perform the actual printing, the user returns to the screen of the web browser 21 once, proceeds to the processing of adding accessories 150, and subsequently performs the processing of the member authentication 160 and the settlement 180. Member authentication 160 and settlement 180
Is completed, a "Printing is now possible with an image editor" screen 200 is displayed on the web browser 21.
The image editor 22 is permitted to perform the actual printing 240 (until then, the image editor 22 cannot perform the actual printing 240). Therefore, the user starts the actual printing 240 on the image editor 22 and prints the actual image.

The data of the main image used in the main printing 240 is obtained after the member authentication 160 and the settlement 180 are completed.
After 0 is permitted, it is downloaded from the web server 12 to the image editor 22. However, this need not be the case. Alternatively, for example, at the time of (or before) the test print 230, the data of the main image is downloaded to the image editor 22, and the test print as well as the main print is performed using the main image. Is also good. In this case, the printed matter of the test print is "Sampl
Except that a character string such as "e" is printed over the image, the character string is the same as that of the actual print, so that the accuracy of the test print is improved.

The flow of screen transition from the start of the image editor 22 to the actual printing is more specifically shown in FIGS. Here, FIGS.
Indicates that the keep list 140 contains only images to be printed by the user printer (that is, step 14 in FIG. 9).
4). FIG. 14 to FIG. 16 show the flow when the image to be printed by the user printer and the image to be printed by the output center are mixed in the keep list 140 (that is, after step 145 in FIG. 9).

As shown in FIG. 12, the keep list 140
If only the image to be printed by the user printer is contained in the image editor 22, the image editor 22 is started (step 14).
4) First, a printing purpose display screen 211 appears, where the user can use the printing purpose (for example, printing as it is, calendar,
Postcard, etc.), and then proceed to the template display screen 212, where a template (layout template) prepared in advance for each use is selected, and then proceed to the paper setting display screen 213, where the print size is displayed. Or paper direction. Next, the process proceeds to the layout process 211, where the web browser 12 downloads the keep list 140 and the layout images of the images registered therein from the image editor 22, and then downloads the keep list 1
The user selects an image to be printed from within 40, and edits the layout and design of the print page using the layout image of the selected image. In the layout process 221, the image editor 22 allows the user to perform a page layout or design editing operation within a range permitted for the selected image in accordance with the control data added to the layout image. When the layout processing 221 is completed (step 222), the user can perform test printing 230 to see the quality of the edited result.

After that, the user can proceed with the process for performing the actual printing on his or her own printer, but instead of the above, the above-mentioned editing result (the arrangement, size and color of each image and character on the print page, etc.) The data can be sent to the web server 12 to request the output center 3 to print the data. As described above, the method of editing a page on the user system side, sending the result to the server 12 and requesting the output center 3 to print the data is performed by editing the page on the server 12 and requesting the output center 3 to print the result. This is convenient because the load on the server 12 is smaller than that of the server 12 and the user can save a fee required for connection with the server 12. In the page editing by the image editor 22 in the user system,
Since not only the image provided by the server 12 but also the image possessed by the user system can be taken into the print page, the print request is sent to the output center 3 to obtain a large and beautiful print which cannot be realized by the user printer. It is highly desirable for users. When an image possessed by the user system is taken into a print page, edited and printed by the output center 3, the image editor 22 displays not only the edited result but also the image possessed by the user system. Is also transmitted to the web server 12. The web server 12 outputs the edited result, the image data of the web server 12 arranged on the edited print page, and the image data received from the user system to the output center 3. Will be sent to

After the above-mentioned editing is completed, when the user performs actual printing on his / her printer, the control returns to the web browser 21 once as shown in FIG. After confirming the image purchased by the user (image after the layout processing) in 153,
Proceed to member authentication and payment processing. The processing procedure of member authentication and settlement (blocks 161 to 183) has already been described with reference to FIGS.
This is the same as the case where all the prints are made at the output center described with reference to FIG. In the case where only free images are used, the settlement processing is unnecessary. Then, when the payment processing 183 is completed, a “printing is enabled with an image editor” screen 200 appears. Then, Image Editor 2
2 is transferred to the main print 2 on the image editor 22.
40 can be performed.

When the actual printing on the image editor 22 has failed, the image editor 22 can apply to the web server 12 for reprinting along with the reason for the failure. Then, the web server 12 saves the application log and permits the image editor 22 to print the same page again. As a result, even if a printing failure accident occurs, it is ensured that the user can obtain a correct output without wasting the paid fee.
This reprinting is permitted up to a predetermined number of times (for example, three times). By storing and analyzing the application log by the web server 12, it is possible to detect a person who abuse the function of the actual printing again.

As shown in FIG. 14, the keep list 140
If the image to be printed by the user printer and the image to be printed at the output center are mixed together, the image editor is started (step 145), and the image to be printed by the user printer and the image to be printed by the output center are mixed. Editing can be performed in the same procedure as described with reference to FIG. 12, and test printing can be performed. afterwards,
As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the user once returns to the web browser 21, selects an accessory or an amount for an image to be printed at the output center, and then selects a member according to the same procedure as described above. Perform authentication and payment processing. After the member authentication and settlement are completed, for the image to be printed at the output center, the request is sent to the output center and the "OK" screen 190 is displayed. For the image to be printed at the user printer, the image editor 22 using the actual printing 240
I do.

The above is the flow of screen transition from image search to printing. By the way, in the above-mentioned flow, the member authentication is performed immediately before the settlement processing, but it is not always necessary. Alternatively, the member authentication may be performed, for example, immediately before accessing the keep list 140 (that is, only the member can have the keep list 140), or may be performed immediately before performing the preview display (ie, A person other than the member may only be able to search for an image, or may be performed before performing an image search (that is, a person other than a member may not substantially use this web server). Is also good.

FIGS. 17 to 28 show the image editor 22.
Shows more specifically the screens displayed by.

FIG. 17 shows an example of the print application display screen 211 shown in FIGS. 12 and 14. On this screen,
As shown, "Print as is", "Calendar",
Printing applications such as "post card" and "free layout" are displayed together with the sample print example images. The user selects any application on this screen. When the “Next” button is clicked, a screen shown in FIG. 18 appears.

FIG. 18 shows an example of the template display screen 212 shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. On this screen, several templates (page layout templates) prepared in advance for each printing purpose are displayed as shown in the figure (the example shown is an example of a "calendar" template). . The user selects one of the templates on this screen. On this screen, you can also specify the start date of the calendar, the printing color of holidays and weekdays on the month and day table, the printing text of postcards, and the printing color of raw text. When the “Next” button is clicked, a screen shown in FIG. 19 appears.

FIG. 19 shows an example of the paper setting display screen 213 shown in FIGS. 12 and 14. On this screen, the size and direction of the paper used for printing can be set.
When the “Next” button is clicked, downloading of resources such as the keep list and the layout image of the images in the keep list is started. During the download, the screen shown in FIG. 20 is displayed to show the progress of the download.

When the download of resources is completed, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, a keep list is displayed in a window with a tag “image list” (hereinafter, the keep list on the image editor 22 is referred to as an image list). In this image list, thumbnail images of the kept images (or a palette image slightly larger than the thumbnail images), image names, prices, and the like are displayed.

When an arbitrary image in the image list is double-clicked, a large layout image of the image and a file format, a pixel size, a data size, and the like of the image can be viewed as shown in FIG.

By clicking the “Add” button in FIG. 21, an image file existing in an arbitrary directory in the user PC 6 can be added to the image list as shown in FIG.

When the "character string addition" tag window shown in FIG. 21 is displayed on the front, as shown in FIG. 24, a character string to be inserted into a print page in the case of a calendar or a postcard can be edited.

When the "whole display" tag window shown in FIG. 21 is displayed on the front, an image of the entire print page can be viewed as shown in FIG.

In the screens shown in FIGS. 21 to 25, "Start Editor"
When the button is clicked, an editor window shown in FIG. 26 is displayed, where a more detailed layout and design of the print page can be edited. For example, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, the size, color, arrangement, and the like of images, date tables, character strings, and the like arranged in the page can be edited.

Through the above editing operation, the image editor 22 controls the editing operation permitted to the user according to the control data added to the layout image. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 27, if the enlargement / reduction of the image is prohibited, the size of the image cannot be changed.

When the editing is completed, the process moves to the print window shown in FIG. 28, and the test print or the actual print can be performed. In addition, when performing the actual printing, it is necessary to once return to the web browser 22 and complete the member authentication and the settlement as described above, except for the case where only the free image is used.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.
The above embodiment is merely an example for describing the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention to only the above embodiment. Therefore, the present invention can be implemented in various modes other than the above-described embodiment.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a server system 1 and a personal computer 6 of a user.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing in the server system 1 for registering an image received by the authoring server 13 from the content vendor 5 in the server system 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a print size and a resolution of a main image.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a general procedure from when a user searches for a desired image to when the image is printed.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a character string printed over an image in test printing.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an overall outline of transition of a monitor screen of the user PC 6;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing screen transitions when performing an image search.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing screen transition when an image is put in the keep list.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing transition of screens up to member authentication when all images are printed at the output center.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a transition of a payment processing screen when all images are printed at the output center.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the transition of the screen of the image editor when printing all images by the user printer.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the transition of the screen from the end of editing to the final printing when printing all images on the user printer.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the transition of the screen of the image editor when a certain image is printed at the output center and another image is printed at the user printer.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing screen transitions up to member authentication when a certain image is printed at an output center and another image is printed at a user printer.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the transition of the screen of the death determination process when a certain image is printed at the output center and another image is printed at the user printer.

FIG. 17 is a view showing an example of a print application display screen 211 shown in FIGS. 12 and 14;

FIG. 18 is a view showing an example of the template display screen 212 shown in FIGS. 12 and 14;

FIG. 19 is a view showing an example of a sheet setting display screen 213 shown in FIGS. 12 and 14;

FIG. 20 shows an image editor 22 from the web server 12.
The figure which showed the example of the screen showing the progress of the download of the resource to the server.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing an example of an image list window.

FIG. 22 is a view showing an example of a window representing details of one image.

FIG. 23 is a view showing an example of a window for adding an image.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing an example of a character string addition window.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing an example of an entire display window.

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing an example of an editor window.

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing an example of a state of editing in an editor window.

FIG. 28 illustrates a print window.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 server system 2 user system 3 output center 6 user PC 7 printer 12 web server 21 web browser 22 image editor

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Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A system for delivering an image to a user system via a communication network, wherein each of a plurality of deliverable images includes main image data for printing and a list display for displaying a list having a smaller pixel size than the image data. Image storage means for storing thumbnail image data and preview image data for preview having a pixel size between the main image data and the thumbnail image data; and A thumbnail image transmitting means for transmitting, a preview image transmitting means for selecting one image from the plurality of thumbnail images and transmitting preview image data of the selected image to the user system; Then, the main image data of the selected image is received by the user. System, comprising: a download means to be sent to the user system, the. 2. The image storage device according to claim 1, wherein
It has a plurality of main image data having different print sizes and a predetermined resolution such that the smaller the print size, the higher the resolution is, and the download means, for the selected image, 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein main image data having a print size requested by the user is selected from the image data and transmitted to the user system. 3. A method for delivering an image to a user system via a communication network, wherein for each of a plurality of deliverable images, a main image data for printing and a list display for displaying a list having a pixel size smaller than the image data. Preparing thumbnail image data and preview image data for preview having a pixel size between the main image data and the thumbnail image data; and transmitting thumbnail image data of a plurality of images to the user system. Selecting one image from the plurality of thumbnail images displayed in a list, and transmitting preview image data of the selected image to the user system; Transmitting the main image data of the selected image to the user system The method comprising: a step, a. 4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising preparing a plurality of main image data having a predetermined resolution such that each image has a different print size and a higher resolution as the print size is smaller. In the step of transmitting, for the selected image, from the plurality of main image data,
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the main image data having a print size requested by the user is selected and transmitted to the user system. 5. A system for distributing an image to a user system via a communication network, comprising: an image transmission unit for transmitting image data to the user system via the communication network; and a program for editing a print page in which the image has been captured. And editing means for transmitting to the user system. 6. The program according to claim 1, further comprising:
6. The system according to claim 5, wherein not only the image transmitted to the user system through the communication network but also an image originally owned by the user system can be captured. 7. A method for distributing an image to a user system via a communication network, comprising: transmitting image data to the user system via a communication network; and executing a program for editing a print page having the image captured therein. Transmitting to the user system. 8. The program, on the same print page,
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein not only the image transmitted to the user system through the communication network but also the image originally owned by the user system can be captured. 9. A system for distributing images to a user system through a communication network, wherein the image storage means stores a plurality of distributable images, and a selection of a desired image is received from the user system. An image is stored and a list of keep-list information is created for each user, and the keep-list information is stored until after the connection with the user system is cut off. And a keep list means for transmitting the keep list information to the user system; accepting designation of an image from the keep list information from the user system, acquiring data of the designated image from the image storage means, Download means for transmitting to the user system. 10. The system according to claim 9, wherein when the selected image has a distribution term, the keep-list information can store the selected image until the distribution term expires. 11. The system according to claim 9, wherein said keep list information also stores information indicating which of the selected images has already been downloaded. 12. If the image stored in the keep-list information cannot be distributed in the future, the keep-list means automatically extracts the undeliverable image from the keep-list information. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein said system is erased. 13. The system according to claim 9, further comprising means for notifying the user that the image stored in the keep list information cannot be distributed in the future.
The described system. 14. A method for delivering an image to a user system over a communication network, comprising: storing a plurality of images that can be delivered; receiving a selection of a desired image from the user system; Creating keep list information for each user as a list, and storing the keep list information until after the connection with the user system is disconnected; and, after storing the keep list, being connected to the user system again. Requesting the keep-list information to the user system, receiving the designation of an image from the keep-list information from the user system, and transmitting the designated image to the user system. Equipped method.