JP2002334148A - Supporting system and method for storage of image information - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a supporting system for storage of image information to have continued business relationship with a customer and to enable the cus tomer to unitarily manage image information. SOLUTION: The system for supporting storage of image information is designed to store the image information of an image in relation to a unit of customer consisting of of one or more members including the customer and provided with an image information storage means to store the inputted image information by relating it with the customer and an information output means to output information to prompt input of the image information at prescribed timing along a time axis.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image information storage support system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, a photographer who takes a photograph of a customer and develops and reprints takes a photograph as a memorial at the customer's wedding and edits the photograph into an album booklet. The album photo was given to the customer. Recently, more and more people enjoy image processing and editing, such as displaying images on an information processing device such as a personal computer or combining them so that the characters input to the images overlap, for example. It is also known to provide a customer with a so-called electronic album in which the image data is converted into digital data by an image scanner or the like and the image data is stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM. Such album photos and electronic albums have been completed in a single event called a wedding.

[0003]

However, in such a case, the photographer asked the customer who was asked to take a photo at the wedding to give birth to a child, and for example, to grow up a child such as a shrine visitor or Shichigosan. Even if an opportunity to take a picture occurs at the accompanying event, the photographing is not always requested. As a result, there has been a problem that the connection between the photographer and the customer is limited to one time or intermittent.

[0004] On the other hand, if the album booklet and the electronic album are separate for each event, there is a problem that the management and retrieval of the album require extremely complicated work. In addition, since these increase with the passage of years, there is a problem that a storage space is required.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem. For photographers, the connection with the customer is maintained semi-permanently. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image information accumulation support system that can centrally accumulate and manage photos and images that increase over time.

[0006]

That is, an image information storage support system according to the present invention is for storing image information of an image related to a customer unit composed of one or more members including a customer. Image information storage means for storing input image information in association with the customer, and information output for outputting information for prompting input of image information at a predetermined timing along a time axis. Means.

[0007] The term "images related to the customer unit" means not only images of the members themselves, such as the customers themselves, but also the family members, relatives, and friends of the customer units, as well as images of the members themselves. In addition to the image of a matching person, it is an image of animals, buildings, landscapes, etc. related to the members, and is an image that is left as a so-called album photograph. This image may be a still image or a moving image. In addition, "predetermined timing along the time axis" refers to a regular timing such as once a month, once a week, or a graduation ceremony in February or March,
This includes the time of an event, such as April with an entrance ceremony, which may be a chance to take a picture serving as image information. In addition, although it differs for each individual, it includes a day when an event that is likely to take a picture such as an annual birthday or a wedding anniversary occurs. Further, "information for prompting the input of image information" is information for prompting the user to input and store the image information as described above, and based on the input image information. The information includes information for prompting the user to create an image. The “input” may be direct or indirect. For example, when the present system is used by a photographer, information that urges a customer to request the photographer to take a photograph is considered as “information for prompting input of image information”. Coming soon
Is coming, but why don't you take a commemorative photo? "Or a message displayed on the client computer screen in the form of a banner ad. In addition, in the case where a system that gives an incentive to the number of times of photographing or purchase price of the customer is adopted, the above-mentioned e-mail or message including a content that prompts image input by the incentive is also included. . The term "output" includes displaying information on a screen, printing, transmitting information, and outputting information. Also, “output” may be direct or indirect.

[0010] With this configuration, it becomes possible to acquire a user of the present system with one customer as a trigger and a person related to the customer as a member constituting a customer unit. Further, once a customer is acquired, input of image information can be prompted at various timings along the time axis. In other words, it not only waits for the image information to be input, but also prompts the input and accumulation of the image information, so that the use frequency of the system by the customer can be increased. It can be continuous.

On the other hand, it is possible for a customer to centrally store and manage photographs and images that increase over time. That is, the customer does not need an album for storing photographs or a storage medium for storing image data, and can be released from the trouble of managing these. Further, relatives and friends living in distant places can share image information.

[0010] Further, in order to enable long-term relationships with customers, such as generations, the customer unit is:
It is desirable to be composed of customers, their families and relatives. In addition, if it is such a thing, it is possible for a customer to accumulate image information successively to parents, children, grandchildren and their descendants, and a "digital family tree" which is a collection of these image information You can get what you can call it, and you can share it.

Further, in order to prompt the user to input image information at an event along a time axis which is considered to have a high possibility of taking a picture or creating an image, attribute information of members constituting a customer unit is stored. Information output means for inputting image information at a predetermined event predicted to occur along a time axis based on the attribute information of members stored in the attribute information storage means. It is desirable to output information for prompting the user. Here, the “predetermined event that is predicted to occur along the time axis based on the attribute information of the member” refers to, for example, the date of birth of the child, which is one of the attribute information, and is predicted to occur. It is an event such as visiting a shrine or Shichigosan. In addition, if the customer unit is made up of, for example, friends from the same school, an alumni association held every year may be considered. Such events are likely to take commemorative photos for the customer.

Furthermore, in order to prevent an event occurring to a member along a time axis from being missed and to output timely and appropriate information for prompting input of image information in response to the event, Attribute information storage means for storing attribute information of members constituting a customer unit, and event prediction means for predicting an event occurring along a time axis based on the attribute information of members stored in the attribute information storage means. And an event correspondence information generating means for generating information for prompting input of image information corresponding to the event predicted by the event predicting means, and wherein the information output means is predicted by the event predicting means. It is desirable to output information generated by the event correspondence information generating means prior to the event.
Also, in order to display image information only to people who are acquainted such as relatives, a display request receiving means for receiving a display request for image information together with an identifier for identifying a customer, and a display request received by the display request receiving means. Preferably, the apparatus further comprises a display unit for displaying image information stored in association with the customer identified by the identifier. Here, the “customer identifier” is given to the customer,
It is a representative customer ID and password for identifying a customer, that is, a customer unit.

In the case where the present system is managed by a photographer, the image information is stored in a person who displays and browses the image information without going to the store of the photographer. In order to be able to make a request for taking a picture or to place an order for additional printing of a picture, it is desirable to further include an information receiving means for receiving order information relating to image information.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

As a premise, the photographer T receives the order of the customer U registered in the present system and travels to various events such as a wedding ceremony, or in a photographing studio managed by the photographer T or the like. Photographs are taken of the family and relatives of the customer U, and these pictures are converted into electronic data as image information. The website is opened by the user and viewed on a homepage composed of a plurality of web pages provided for each customer U. It is assumed that settings are made so that they can be managed and various types of management are performed. Furthermore, this photographer T
In the present system, points are given to the number of times of photographing and the purchase price of the customer U, the points are added for each customer, and a point for providing a service corresponding to the added number of points is provided. System is adopted.

With reference to the drawings, the details of an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, an image information storage support system according to this embodiment is an Internet NET.
A center computer C1, which is a center-side information processing device managed by a photographer T, and is connected to the photographer T via a communication network such as a communication network, etc .; And a terminal computer C2 which is a terminal-side information processing device used by the computer.

As shown in FIG. 2, the center computer C1 includes a CPU 101, an internal memory 102, an external storage device 103 such as an HDD, a display 104, an input device 105 such as a keyboard and a mouse, and a communication interface 10.
6 etc., WEB server function, mail server function,
It has a database function and the like. It should be noted that this center computer C2 is provided in a centralized manner,
It does not matter whether it is provided dispersedly.

The terminal computer C2 connected to the center computer C1 via a network such as the Internet NET has substantially the same equipment configuration as the center computer C1, and is a general-purpose computer which can be connected to a network such as the Internet NET. Personal computer, a mobile phone or a mobile terminal may be used as long as it has a screen display function and a communication function.

Next, the functions provided in the center computer C1 will be described.

The center computer C1 has an internal memory 1
By operating the CPU 101 and peripheral devices in accordance with a program or the like stored in an external storage device 103, such as an HDD 02 or an HDD, as shown in FIG. 3, an image information receiving unit 1, an image information storage unit 2, an attribute information storage unit 3. It has at least functions as display request receiving means 4, display means 5, information output means 6, and information receiving means 7. The program may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM and installed, or the program may be downloaded via a network such as the Internet. Good.

Hereinafter, each means of the center computer C1 will be described.

The image information receiving means 1 receives various image information relating to members constituting a customer group. It mainly receives image information that has been converted into electronic data by the image scanner S and output. In addition, it also accepts image information stored in a storage medium B such as a PC card. Such image information includes not only a still image but also a moving image in which images are continuously displayed.

The image information storing means 2 stores the image information received by the image information receiving means 1 in association with the customer U who owns the image information. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, image information with a title is stored together with ID information for identifying the customer U and shooting date and time information.

The attribute information storage means 3 stores, in a predetermined area of the storage device 103 of the center computer C1, predetermined attribute information of the members constituting the input customer group into the customer U.
Is stored in association with. In the present embodiment, FIG.
As shown in the table, the number of points earned by the customer, relationship information of the customer U and family, name information, date of birth information, wedding anniversary information, mail address information, address information, etc. are stored together with ID information and password information. ing. In addition, when an increase or decrease in the number of members of a customer group due to childbirth or marriage is notified, new attribute information is updated and stored as needed.

The display request receiving means 4 transmits a request for displaying the WEB page top screen MP1 constituting the homepage of the customer U transmitted from the terminal computer C2 via the Internet NET together with the ID and the password, and
And a request for display of image information via another WEB page constituting the homepage.

The display means 5 is adapted to, when the authentication of the ID and the password received by the display request receiving means 5 is performed in response to the display request of the top screen MP1 of the web page, specifically, the ID and the password. Is displayed on the terminal computer C2 when the ID matches the one stored in the attribute information storage means 3 on the terminal computer C2.
Image display is performed in response to a display request for image information via a page.

The information output means 6 includes an event prediction means 61
And an event correspondence information generating means 62 and an information transmitting means 63. The event predicting means 61 includes a plurality of events set in advance by the photographer T based on the gender of each member stored in the attribute information storing means 3 and the number of days elapsed from the date of birth and wedding anniversary. The event which is predicted to occur in the member is selected from the following. The event correspondence information generating means 62 corresponds to the event selected by the event predicting means 61 and has contents for notifying the number of points acquired by the customer U stored in the attribute information storage means 3 as shown in FIG. It generates information representing such an electronic mail or a message as shown in FIG. Then, the information transmitting unit 63 transmits the e-mail generated by the event correspondence information generating unit 62 to the customer U, and the message is displayed on the WEB page of the customer U with the right diagram and the left diagram of FIG. It is displayed in a format like a banner advertisement. In the present embodiment, the events determined in advance by the photographer T include the wedding anniversary of the customer U, the wedding anniversary of the parents of the customer U and the 60th birthday celebration, the visit of the customer U's children to the shrine, the Shichigosan, Ceremony, graduation ceremony, coming-of-age ceremony, etc. are listed.

The information receiving means 7 receives various order information relating to image information from the customer U. The order information includes, for example, the order information of the videotape order information and the snap album order information transmitted using the screen of the customer U's WEB page displayed on the terminal computer C2. Can be ordered at It also includes an e-mail sent from the member, such as a request to take a picture.

Next, an example of use of the system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

Here, a customer U requests a photographer T to take a photograph at a wedding, registers with the system, and includes a spouse of the customer U and parents of the customer as members. The description will be made assuming that there is provided.

First, the customer U inputted by the photographer T from the input device 104 of the center computer C1.
Attribute information including the spouse, the parents' name, gender, date of birth, wedding anniversary, and the like of the customer U, the spouse, the parents of the customer U, the customer U's ID given by the photographer T, and the password set by the customer U, It is stored in the attribute information storage means 3 (S1).

Then, a snapshot taken on the day of the wedding, a group photograph of relatives who participated in the wedding, and a pattern of the reception, which were converted into electronic data by the image scanner S and output as image information, were taken. The received photograph or the like is received by the image information receiving means 1, and the I
D and the title are stored in the image information storage means 2 (S2). On the other hand, some pictures of the customer U and his spouse taken before the wedding are selected and converted into electronic data, and moving picture information configured to be displayed one after another is also input, and image information is input. It is received by the receiving means 1 and I
D and the title are stored in the image information storage means 2 (S2).

When a display request for the top screen MP1 of the web page of the customer U is received by the display request receiving means 4 together with the ID and the password from the terminal computer C2 used by the customer U and the relatives thereof (S3).
The authentication of the ID and the password is performed, and it is determined whether the ID and the password match those stored in the attribute information storage unit 2 (S4). If they match, the display unit 5 displays the web page top screen MP1.
Is displayed (S5), and the display request receiving unit 4 receives a display request for the selected image information via the screen selected on the screen MP1 (S6), and the display unit 5 responds to the image request. The information is displayed (S7). If the received ID and password do not match those stored in the attribute information storage means, the display of the web page MP1 is rejected. (S8) Here, a screen displayed on a display (not shown) of the terminal computer C2 by the processing operation of the center computer C1 from step 3 to step 8 as described above will be described with reference to FIG.

First, a screen TP which is a top page of a WEB site established by the photographer T is displayed. When an ID button B1 and a password button B2 on the web page screen TP are input, a top page MP1 of a web page for each customer group is displayed. Alternatively, the screen MP1 is displayed by directly inputting the URL without passing through the screen TP.

On this screen MP1, a button B4 for browsing images taken at the wedding and a button for browsing moving pictures of customers U and their spouses photographed in the past are displayed. B3. When the button B3 is pressed, a screen MP2 is displayed. The screen MP2 has a button B8 for ordering a video tape in which the information of the moving image is stored. When the button B8 is pressed, an order screen MP21 is displayed.

When the button B4 on the screen MP1 is pressed, a screen MP3 is displayed. On this screen MP3,
A button B5 for browsing images such as a group photo or a commemorative photo of the family and relatives of the customer U, the family and relatives of the customer U's spouse, and the customer U and spouse who had a wedding on the day There is a button B6 for browsing a plurality of snapshot images. When the button B5 is pressed, a screen MP4 is displayed, and the images of the group photo and the commemorative photo described above can be viewed. On this screen MP4, there is a button B7 for ordering these pictures, and when this button B7 is pressed, an order screen MP41 is displayed.

When the button B6 is pressed on the screen MP3, a plurality of snapshot images are displayed. On the screen MP3, there is a button B9 for ordering a “snap album” in which these snap photos are stored in one album booklet. When this button is pressed, an order screen MP51 is displayed.

MP21, MP41, MP
Enter necessary items on the screen 51, and click the send button B1.
When 0, B11 and B12 are pressed, respective order information is transmitted and received by the information receiving means 7 of the server computer. By providing such an order screen, the photographer T leads to sales, and the family and relatives of the customer U can save the trouble of going to a store managed by the photographer T to place an order. Become.

Thus, one month before the wedding anniversary, which is one year after the wedding day, the information output means 7 outputs the information shown in FIG.
As shown in (c), an e-mail for urging the photographer T to take a photograph on the wedding anniversary is transmitted. Further, the information output means 7 notifies the point of the customer U to the header portion H of each WEB page constituting the "homepage" of the customer U, as shown in FIG.
A message prompting the photographer T to take a picture on the wedding anniversary is displayed.

When such an e-mail or an e-mail having a content indicating a photographing request is transmitted from the terminal computer C2 used by the customer U who has seen the message in the header portion H of the WEB page, the information receiving means 7 Accepted.

Further, the photograph taken on the wedding anniversary is converted into electronic data and stored as image information. Thereafter, the image is displayed in response to the image display request transmitted from the terminal computer C2. The processing operation of the center computer C1 in this case is the same as that described above.

When a child is born to the customer U, the name, sex, date of birth, etc. of this child are obtained, the attribute information is updated and stored in the attribute information storage means 3. In addition,
Members will be notified that their child has been born.
For example, the information is obtained through a periodic confirmation survey by e-mail or the like.

Then, based on the updated attribute information, the event predicting means 61 predicts the subsequent occurrence of the child, such as a shrine visit, birthday, Shichigosan, entrance ceremony, graduation ceremony, adult ceremony, etc. One month before the event, an e-mail and a message are generated by the event correspondence information generation unit 62 to prompt a photographing request of the content corresponding to the event, and the information transmission unit 63 transmits these to the terminal computer C2. . Further, when the child grows up and undergoes marriage or childbirth, the information output means 7 transmits the information in the above-described format for prompting a photographing request at an event based on the attribute information of the grandchild. Output.

Of course, each time an event occurs in the customer U, its children, and grandchildren, and the photograph is taken at the event, the operation of storing and displaying the image information of the image is repeated.

As described above, according to the image information storage support system in the present embodiment, once the photographer T obtains one customer U, the photographer T not only obtains the customer U, but also his family,
Relatives can get a photo opportunity for each event that occurs on the time axis. Further, it is possible to obtain a long-term relationship with the child and grandchild of the customer U for successive generations.

On the other hand, the customer U and his / her family and relatives need to obtain a homepage that is a so-called “album on the net”, which does not require an album booklet for storing photographs or a storage medium for storing image information. Become. In this way, the conventional album photograph can be shared with relatives living away and can be viewed at any time. Furthermore, image information over generations is left as a record, so to say, a "digital family tree" is obtained.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. In the system according to the above-described embodiment, the center computer C1 is managed by the photographer T. The image information received by the image receiving means 1 is mainly obtained by converting a photograph taken by the photographer T into electronic data. However, this may be the image information transmitted from the terminal computer C2. Further, the customer unit may be composed of a representative customer and his or her friends, colleagues at work, and the like. Further, the image information storage device 2 may further include a search unit that allows the user to immediately search for image information to be viewed from the image information stored in the image information storage unit 2 based on, for example, a title or a shooting date and time.

In addition, the specific configuration of each section is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0050]

The present invention is embodied in the form described above and has the following effects.

In other words, the image information storage support system of the present invention provides a customer unit storing customer unit attribute information, which is information on a customer unit including one or more customers including a representative customer, in association with the representative customer. Attribute information storage means, image information storage means for storing image information of an image relating to a customer constituting the customer unit in association with the representative customer, and an image information storage means which is generated along a time axis based on the customer unit attribute information And information notifying means for notifying information that prompts the user to input an image relating to the customer when the predetermined event is predicted.

For this reason, once a customer is acquired, inputting or prompting of image information can be performed for each of the members constituting the customer unit every time an event occurs along the time axis. That is to say, it is possible to obtain a horizontal spread and a vertical spread of the customer. Further, if the user of this system is a photographer, a photograph that becomes image information for each customer in a timely manner prior to a plurality of events occurring for each of the customer's family and friends, etc., triggered by one customer Can be advertised.

On the other hand, the customer can obtain an "album on the net" that can centrally store and manage photos and images that increase over time. That is, the customer does not need an album for storing photographs or a storage medium for storing image data, and can be released from the trouble of managing these. Further, since the data is digital data, it is easy to search for an image. further,
Relatives and friends taken together can share image information without the hassle of reprinting or transmitting image information. Furthermore, this image information can be viewed anywhere in the world. In addition, since an event that occurs to a customer constituting a customer unit that occurs one after another along the time axis is notified, it is possible to prevent a photographing opportunity in the event from being missed.

Further, as a specific mode, if the customer unit is composed of relatives of the customer, for a company using the image information storage support system of the present invention,
You can get a long-term relationship from one customer to another. In addition, for customers, it is possible to accumulate successive image information for parents, children, grandchildren and their descendants, and it is possible to obtain what can be called a "digital family tree" which is a collection of these image information And share it.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary internal configuration diagram of each computer according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a system according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a memory map of the center computer in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a memory map of the center computer in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary flowchart showing the processing operation of the center computer in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an exemplary view showing contents of an e-mail transmitted to the client terminal computer in the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an exemplary view showing a state of a screen displayed on the terminal computer in the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an exemplary screen display diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the terminal computer in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 ... Image information storage means 3 ... Attribute information storage means 4 ... Display request receiving means 5 ... Display means 6 ... Information output means 7 ... Information receiving means 61 ... Event prediction means 62 ... Event correspondence information generation means

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for accumulating image information of an image related to a customer unit composed of one or more members including a customer, wherein the input image information is associated with the customer. An image information accumulation support system comprising: an image information accumulation unit for accumulating and storing information; and an information output unit for outputting information for prompting the input of the image information at a predetermined timing along a time axis. 2. The image information storage support system according to claim 1, wherein the customer unit is composed of the customer, his / her family and relatives. 3. An attribute information storage means for storing attribute information of members constituting a customer unit, wherein the information output means is provided on a time axis based on the attribute information of the members stored in the attribute information storage means. 3. The image information accumulation support system according to claim 1, wherein information for prompting input of image information is output prior to a predetermined event predicted to occur along the image information. 4. An event output means for predicting an event occurring along a time axis based on attribute information of members stored in the attribute information storage means, and an information output means for predicting an event occurring along the time axis. An event correspondence information generation unit for generating information for prompting input of image information corresponding to an event, and an information transmission unit for transmitting information generated by the event correspondence information generation unit 3. The image information accumulation support system according to 3. 5. A display request receiving means for receiving a display request for image information together with an identifier for identifying a customer, and storing the display request received by the display request receiving means in association with the customer identified by the identifier. 5. The image information accumulation support system according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit for displaying the displayed image information. 6. The image information storage support system according to claim 1, further comprising information receiving means for receiving order information relating to image information. 7. A method for accumulating image information of an image related to a customer unit including one or more members including a customer, wherein the input image information is associated with the customer. An image information accumulation support method for outputting information for prompting the input of the image information at a predetermined timing along a time axis while accumulating the image information.