JP2003281012A - Image processing system and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing system for determining a more effective additional image by using positional information obtained by associating the positional information of an image forming device with additional image data in determining the additional image and to provide the image forming device. <P>SOLUTION: An advertisement server calculates the distance between the installation position of the image forming device and the positional information of advertisement image data, compares the distance with the allowable distance of a table, and determines the data as an additional image candidate if the compared result is within the allowable distance. As a result of checking all advertisement image data registered in the advertisement data management table, if there are a plurality of additional image candidates, values of the number of transmission times management counters are compared. The image data of the number of transmission times management counter with the smallest value is selected as image data for transmission. The selected advertisement image data is transmitted to the image forming device. The image forming device adds the transmitted advertisement image to an original image and outputs the original image. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for synthesizing and printing an additional image such as an advertisement image in addition to an original image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of copying machines, a large number of copying machines equipped with a charging device have been installed in convenience stores and the like. The copying machine installed in such a place is used by an unspecified number of users. Therefore, if the image information (additional image) such as an advertisement is printed when copying, the advertiser can obtain a predetermined advertisement effect.

In view of such a situation, a marginal portion and a back surface generated when an image of a read original image is formed on a sheet,
Various image forming apparatuses have been proposed which are equipped with a copying machine capable of forming an image by adding an advertisement image, and charge each of a user and an advertiser depending on whether the advertisement image is added and copied. Has been done.

In this type of image forming apparatus, when a user desires to form an advertisement image and the original image has a blank portion, the advertisement image is combined with the original image and printed, and at the same time, the user In addition, it is known that the charges for each of the advertisers are distributed based on the total number of images formed by the user and the number of combined advertisement images (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-90832).

[0005]

By the way, in general, in many advertisement images, a map image is shown. For example, a map image for indicating the position of the store to be advertised is included. These maps are map images included in advance in the advertisement image, and the same map image is output when output from any image forming apparatus. However, the user of the image forming apparatus is not always familiar with the surrounding area, and even if a map showing the area around the store is displayed, the user may not know where the location is, and there may be cases where the advertising effect is not sufficient. sell.

[0006] Generally, the advertisement is
The more effective the advertisement is, the more limited the target is according to the purpose.
For example, in the case of an advertisement for a store, it is considered that the advertisement effect is low even if the advertisement is made to a person who is far away from the store targeted for the advertisement. Further, since it is considered that the range in which the advertising effect is high differs depending on the scale of the store, a system in which the advertiser can freely set the advertising range is desirable.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and its purpose is to associate the position information of the image forming apparatus with the additional image data when determining the additional image. An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing system and an image forming apparatus that determine a more effective additional image using position information.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, in the image processing system of the present invention, a plurality of additional image data which can be transmitted and received via a network are associated with the additional image data. An additional image server that stores position information; and an image forming apparatus that adds an additional image based on the additional image data transmitted from the additional image server to an original image to form an image on a sheet. The image forming apparatus has an installation position detecting means for detecting its own installation position information, and when making a request for additional image data to the additional image server, transmits the installation position information in response to the request, Upon receiving a request for additional image data from the image forming apparatus, the image server associates the installation position information transmitted with the request with the stored additional image data. Position information, using, what additional image data and determining whether to send to the image forming apparatus.

The installation position detecting means is a GPS (Glo
bal Positioning System) is preferable.

The installation position detecting means is preferably a mobile phone device.

The additional image server stores an allowable distance preset by the advertiser for each additional image data, and the installation position of the image forming apparatus requesting the additional image data is within the allowable distance. It is preferable to select only the selection target.

The additional image server stores a permissible time set in advance by the advertiser for each additional image data, and between the installation position of the image forming apparatus and the position associated with the additional image data. A route search means for searching a route is provided, and only the additional image data within a permissible time required for moving the route from the installation position of the image forming apparatus requesting the additional image data is selected. Is preferred.

It is preferable that the image forming apparatus has a switching means for switching whether or not the additional image is added to the original image.

In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the additional image data corresponding to the own installation position information is received from the network, the additional image based on the received additional image data is added to the original image, and the image is formed on the sheet. It is characterized by forming an image.

It is preferable that the apparatus has an installation position detecting means for detecting its own installation position information, and when requesting additional image data to the network, the installation position information is transmitted in accordance with the request.

The installation position detecting means is a GPS (Glo
bal Positioning System) is preferable.

The installation position detecting means is preferably a mobile phone device.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be illustratively described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions of the components described in this embodiment,
Unless otherwise specified, the material, the shape, the relative arrangement, and the like are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention thereto.

(First Embodiment) The first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the overall configuration of the image processing system showing the first embodiment.

The image forming apparatus 200 includes a scanner 2070 as an image input device, a printer 2095 as an image output device, and a controller unit 200.
0, an operation unit 2012 that is a user interface, a charge box 2016 that collects a charge from a user, and a GPS (Global Position) that is an installation position detection unit.
Ning System) receiving unit 2017.

The scanner 2070, the printer 2095, the operation unit 2012, the charge box 2016, and the GPS receiving unit (GPS) 2017 are Controllers, respectively.
It is connected to Unit2000. Control
The ler Unit 2000 is connected to the network 2011.

Further, another image forming apparatus 210 having the same device configuration as the image forming apparatus 200 is also connected to the network 2011.

The image forming apparatus 210 has a scanner 2170, a printer 2195, an operating unit 2112, a charge box 2116, and a GPS receiving unit 2117, which are connected to the Controller Unit 2100.

These image forming apparatuses 200 and 210 are
It is a copier that is placed in a convenience store or the like and normally charges a charge of 10 yen for forming one image. It should be noted that although only two are drawn here, any number of digital copying machines may be used originally.

On the network 2011, there is an advertisement server 300 as an additional image server that provides advertisement image data as additional image data.

In the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus 2
00, 210 pulls out the advertisement image data from the advertisement server 300 via the network 2011 as appropriate, and if the advertisement insertion mode is selected in the operation unit 2012, 2112 of the image forming apparatus 200, 210, it is cheaper than usual, for example, 5 yen per sheet. At the fee of, the copy including the advertisement image is executed by adding the advertisement image to the original image. The advertiser bears 5 yen, which is the difference between the normal copy and 10 yen per copy.

The charge boxes 2016 and 2116 connected to the image forming apparatuses 200 and 210 are Control
er Unit 2000, 2100, and performs processing such as display of charges according to the mode, payment of charges by the user, display of balance, and refund of balance. The number of which advertisement images are output is stored in a non-volatile memory in the device (not shown). Then, for example, it is possible to charge the advertised amount of money output to the advertiser at regular intervals such as one month.

Note that the fee charged by the user and the fee charged by the advertiser may be changed depending on the size of the advertisement image, color or monochrome, and the like.

FIG. 2 is a software block diagram of the image forming apparatus according to this embodiment.

Reference numeral 1501 denotes a UI, that is, a user interface, and is a module that mediates with the equipment when the operator performs various operations and settings of the image forming apparatus. The UI 1501 transfers input information to various modules to be described later to request processing, set data, or the like according to an operator's operation.

Reference numeral 1502 denotes an address-book, that is, a database module for managing data transmission destinations, communication destinations and the like. The contents of the Address-Book 1502 are used to add, delete, and acquire data by operating the UI 1501 and to be used by the operator to give data transmission / communication destination information to each module described later.

Reference numeral 1503 denotes a Web-Server module, which is used to notify management information of the image forming apparatus in response to a request from a Web client (not shown). The management information is Universal-Send15.
04, Remote-Copy-Print1510,
Remote-Copy-Scan 1509, Cont
read via roll-API1518, HTT
P1512, TCP / IP1516, Network-
The Web client is notified via the Driver 1517.

1504 is Universal-Send
That is, it is a module that controls the distribution of data, and the UI 15
The data instructed by the operator by 01 is distributed to the communication (output) destination similarly instructed. Also,
If the operator uses the scanner function of this equipment to generate distribution data, the Control-
The device is operated via the API 1518 to generate data.

1505 is Universal-Send
A P550 module executed when a printer is designated as an output destination in 1504.

1506 is Universal-Send
This is an E-mail module executed when an E-mail address is designated as a communication destination in 1504.

1507 is Universal-Send
This is a DB module executed when a database is designated as an output destination in 1504.

1508 is Universal-Send
This is a DP module executed when an image forming apparatus similar to this apparatus is designated as an output destination in 1504.

1509 is Remote-Copy-Sc
an module, which uses the scanner function of the image forming apparatus and outputs the image to another image forming apparatus connected via a network or the like, which is realized by the image forming apparatus alone.
It is a module that performs the same processing as the opy function.

Reference numeral 1510 is Remote-Copy-Pr.
The int module uses the printer function of the image forming apparatus and performs the same processing as the Copy function realized by the image forming apparatus by itself, using another image forming apparatus connected via a network or the like as an input destination. It is a module.

Reference numeral 1511 denotes a box module for scanning a scan image or PDL print image.
Stored in the DD, image formation of the stored image by the printer function, transmission by the Universal-Send function,
Deletion of documents stored in HDD, grouping (individual BO
Management functions such as storing in X), moving between BOXes, and copying between BOXes.

Reference numeral 1512 denotes an HTTP module used when the image forming apparatus communicates by HTTP.
Web-Server15 by TCP / IP1516
03 to provide communication.

Reference numeral 1513 is an lpr module, which has a TC
Universal-Send by P / IP1516
P550150 which is a printer module in 1504
5 to provide communication.

Reference numeral 1514 is an SMTP module,
The above-mentioned Universal- by CP / IP1516.
Communication is provided to the E-mail 1506 in the Send 1504.

Reference numeral 1515 is an SLM, that is, Salutatio
n-Manager module, TCP / IP1
516, the DB 1507, DP 1508, and Remote-Co in the Universal-Send 1504.
py-Scan 1509, Remote-Copy-P
It provides communication to the print 1510.

Reference numeral 1516 is a TCP / IP communication module, and various modules are provided with Network-Driver.
1517 provides network communication.

Reference numeral 1517 denotes a network driver (Net
work-driver), and controls the part physically connected to the network.

Reference numeral 1518 is a Control-API, and a Job-Manager 151, which will be described later, is provided to an upstream module such as Universal-Send 1504.
It provides an interface with downstream modules such as 9 and reduces the dependency relationship between upstream and downstream modules and enhances their diversion.

Reference numeral 1519 denotes Job-Manager, which is a Control-API 15 from various modules.
It interprets the processing instructed via 18, and gives an instruction to each module. In addition, this module centrally manages hardware processing executed in the image forming apparatus.

Reference numeral 1520 denotes a CODEC-Manager, which manages and controls various compression / decompression of data in the processing instructed by the Job-Manager 1519.

Reference numeral 1521 is an FBE-encoder, which is Job-Manager 1519, Scanner.
-The data read by the scanning process executed by the Manager 1524 is compressed by the FBE format.

1522 is a JPEG-CODEC,
Job-Manager1519, Scanner-M
In the scanning process executed by the manager 1524 and the image forming process executed by the Printer-Manager 1526, the J of the read data is read.
It performs PEG compression and JPEG expansion processing of print data.

Reference numeral 1523 is an MMR-CODEC, J
ob-Manager1519, Scanner-Ma
The MMR compression of read data and the MMR decompression process of print data are performed in the scan process executed by the manager 1524 and the print process executed by the Printer-Manager 1526.

1524 is a Scanner-Management
r is for managing and controlling the scan process instructed by the Job-Manager 1519.

1525 is a SCSI driver, Sc
This is for performing communication between the scanner-manager 1524 and the scanner internally connected to the image forming apparatus.

1526 is Printer-Management
r is for managing and controlling the image forming process instructed by the Job-Manager 1519.

Reference numeral 1527 denotes an Engine-I / F driver, which provides an I / F for the Printer-Manager 1526 and the printer.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the structure of the image forming apparatus.

Controller Unit2000
Is connected to a scanner 2070 which is an image input device and a printer 2095 which is an image output device.
It is a controller for inputting / outputting image information and device information by connecting to the AN 2011 or public line (WAN) 2051.

The CPU 2001 is a controller that controls the entire system.

The RAM 2002 is a system work memory for the CPU 2002 to operate and also an image memory for temporarily storing image data.

The ROM 2003 is a boot ROM in which a system boot program is stored.

The HDD 2004 is a hard disk drive that stores system software and image data.

The operation unit I / F 2006 is an operation unit (UI) 2
The interface unit 012 outputs the image data to be displayed on the operation unit 2012 to the operation unit 2012. In addition, the information input by the system user from the operation unit 2012 is transmitted to the CPU 2001.

The network 2010 is connected to a network (LAN) 2011 to input / output information.

The MODEM 2050 is connected to the public line 2051 and inputs / outputs information.

The above devices are arranged on the system bus 2007.

The Image Bus I / F 2005 is a bus bridge that connects the system bus 2007 and the image bus 2008 for transferring image data at high speed and converts the data structure.

The image bus 2008 is a PCI bus or I
It is composed of EEE1394. The following devices are arranged on the image bus 2008.

Raster image processor (RIP) 2
Reference numeral 060 expands the PDL code into a bitmap image.

The device I / F 2020 includes a scanner 2070 and a printer 2095, which are image input / output devices, and C.
An on-roller unit 2000 is connected to perform synchronous / asynchronous conversion of image data.

The scanner image processing 2080 corrects, processes, and edits input image data.

The printer image processing 2090 performs printer correction, resolution conversion, etc. on print output image data.

The image rotation 2030 rotates the image data.

In the image compression 2040, the multivalued image data is J
PEG, binary image Image data is JBIG, MMR, MH
Performs the compression and decompression processing of.

A fee box 2016 for the user to input a fee is connected to the system bus 2007 via the serial I / F 2015 to perform communication for reducing the balance due to copy execution.

The GPS 2017 has an antenna for receiving signals from GPS satellites, and detects the position where the image processing apparatus is installed based on the received signals.

Next, the appearance of the image forming apparatus is shown in FIG.

Scanner 2070 which is an image input device
Illuminates an image on a paper as an original and scans a CCD line sensor (not shown) to convert it into an electrical signal as raster image data 2071.

Documents are placed on the tray 20 of the document feeder 2072.
73 and the user of the apparatus reads it from the operation unit 2012 and gives an instruction to activate the controller CPU 20.
01 gives an instruction to the scanner 2070 (2071), and the document feeder 2072 feeds the documents one by one and performs the reading operation of the original image.

A printer 2095 which is an image output device
Is a portion for converting the raster image data 2096 into an image on a sheet as a sheet. The method is an electrophotographic method in which toner is transferred onto the sheet using a photoconductor drum or a photoconductor belt, ink from a minute nozzle array is used. There is an ink jet method or the like in which the ink is ejected to directly form an image on a sheet, but any method may be used.

The print operation is started by an instruction from the CPU 2001. The printer 2095 has a plurality of paper feed stages so that different paper sizes or different paper orientations can be selected.
There are 101, 1022, and 2103. The paper discharge tray 2111 is for receiving the paper on which an image has been formed.

The structure of the operation unit 2012 is shown in FIG.

The LCD display section 2201 has a touch panel sheet stuck on the LCD and has a touch panel 2202.
And displays the operation screen and soft keys of the system, and when the displayed key is pressed, the position information thereof is transmitted to the CPU 2001.

The start key 2203 is used when starting the reading operation of the original image. Start key 2203
At the center, there are two-color LEDs 2307 of green and red, and the color indicates whether or not the start key 2203 can be used.

The stop key 2204 functions to stop the operation during operation. The ID key 2205 is used when inputting the user ID of the user. The reset key 2206 is used when initializing the settings from the operation unit 2012.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the operation unit 2012 of the image forming apparatus.

In the image forming apparatus, 2001 is a CPU
In accordance with the control program stored in the program ROM 2003 and the HDD 2004, the system bus 20
The scanner 2070 which controls access to various devices connected to the server 07 and is connected via the image input unit interface (raster image data) 2071.
The input information is read from the printer, and the image signal as output information is output to the printer 2095 connected via the image output unit interface (raster image data) 2096.

Reference numeral 2002 denotes a RAM which functions as a main memory, a work area, etc. of the CPU 2001.

In the image forming apparatus, the touch panel 2202,
A user input is received from the keys 2203 to 2206, and the operation content is acquired via the input port 20061 of the operation unit I / F 20061. Display screen data is generated in the CPU 2001 based on the acquired operation content and the control program described above, and the display screen is output to a screen output device such as the LCD display unit 2201 via the output port 20062 of the operation unit I / F 20061. .

Next, GPS (Global Position)
A method of detecting the position of the image forming apparatus by using the ONING SYSTEM will be described with reference to FIG.

Originally, GPS was originally designed by the US Department of Defense mainly for the purpose of military use, but since GPS can be used to measure the position anywhere on the earth, There are many private uses such as car navigation.

The GPS satellites are composed of a total of 24 satellites, each of which has four satellites arranged in six orbits. The satellite orbits at an altitude of about 20,200 km in a cycle of about 12 hours in order to make it possible to see a wide area on the earth and not to be affected by the atmosphere. Also, there are always 4 GPs from anywhere on the planet
The orbit is set so that S satellite can be seen.

From the GPS satellites, signals such as satellite orbit information and time-related signals are constantly transmitted together with ID signals unique to each satellite.

The GPS receiving section of the image forming apparatus 301 shown in FIG. 7 receives this signal, and the distance r1, r2, r3 from the satellite 302, 303, 304 to the satellite 302, 303, 304 from the time until the signal from the satellite reaches the GPS receiver. Respectively. Orbit information of the satellite is calculated from the orbit information included in the signal from the satellite, and G
The positions of the PS satellites 302, 303, 304 are obtained.

The position of the image forming apparatus 301 is r1, r2, r3 from the three satellites 302, 303, 304.
Therefore, it can be obtained as an intersection of three spherical surfaces having radii r1, r2, r3.

If a mode for confirming the installation position information of the image forming apparatus is designated from the touch panel 2019 of the operation unit 2012 or the keys 2014 to 2017, a screen shown in FIG. 8 is displayed on the LCD display unit 2013. It On this screen, the user can confirm the installation position information of the image forming apparatus 301 detected by GPS. Latitude 402 and longitude are displayed in 401 and 401, respectively.

Next, a method of adding an additional image will be described.

When the image formation with advertisement is selected by the user, the image forming apparatus transmits an advertisement image (additional image) acquisition request to the advertisement server together with its own installation position information detected by the installation position detecting means, GPS. To do.

The advertisement server selects the advertisement image data based on the received installation position information of the image forming apparatus, and transmits the selected advertisement image data to the image forming apparatus.

At this time, the advertisement server can also send the image information to which the route information is added. Details of the process of acquiring the route information in the advertisement server will be described later.

When the advertisement image data is transmitted from the advertisement server, the image forming apparatus receives the image. Then, the received advertisement image and the route image of the route information are added to the margin or the back surface of the original image or another sheet of paper, and the result is output.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus when the above-described additional image is added and copying is performed by the image forming apparatus will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In step 601, the user sets the mode.

At step 602, the charge according to the mode is displayed on the charge display portion of the charge box. When the fee is charged, the user can set various copy modes and press the start key.

When the user sets the original and depresses the start key (step 603), it is determined in step 604 whether the mode is the advertisement mode. If there is no advertisement, the process proceeds to step 605, and if there is an advertisement, step 606. Proceed to.

In step 605, a normal copy operation is performed in which the original is read by the original reading device and the original image is copied.

If the mode with advertisement is selected, the process proceeds to step 606, and an advertisement image request is transmitted to the advertisement server. The request includes information on the installation position where the device is installed.

At step 607, the advertisement image is acquired.

At step 608, the position (margin, back surface, another sheet) to which the advertisement image is added is determined from the sizes of the original image and the advertisement image.

At step 609, the advertisement image is added to the original image and output.

Next, the advertisement server will be described. The advertisement server is an ordinary computer device having a network function, and its configuration is the same as that widely known. Therefore, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

A storage device in the advertisement server has advertisement image data and an advertisement data management table shown in FIG.

In the advertisement data management table shown in FIG. 10, reference numeral 701 is a management ID for identifying an advertisement image, 7
Reference numeral 02 is position information data related to the advertisement image data, and is, for example, the longitude and latitude of the position of the store which the advertisement is going to advertise. 703 is an allowable distance. 7
Reference numeral 04 denotes a route image addition flag, which sets whether or not to add a route searched map image in addition to the additional image. A transmission number management counter 705 stores a value that is incremented by 1 each time the image is transmitted. Reference numeral 706 denotes data such as the position where the advertisement image data is actually stored in the storage device, the size of the image data, and the last update date and time. The allowable distance 703 and the route image addition determination flag 704 can be freely set in advance by the advertiser according to the type, purpose, etc. of the advertisement.

Next, the operation of the advertisement server when selecting the advertisement image data will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

In step 801, the advertisement image acquisition request is received.

The advertisement image acquisition request includes the installation position information of the requesting image forming apparatus, and the advertisement server acquires the position information (step 802).

In step 803, the image management data is read from the beginning of the advertisement data management table.

In step 804, the distance between the installation position of the image forming apparatus received in step 802 and the position information 702 in the image management data read in step 803 is calculated.

In step 805, the allowable distance 703 in the advertisement data management table is compared with the distance obtained in step 803.

If the result of comparison in step 805 is within the allowable distance, this data is set as an additional image candidate (step 806).

The above operation is repeated until the end of the data in the advertisement data management table (step 807).

As a result of checking all the advertisement image data registered in the advertisement data management table, when there are a plurality of additional image candidates, the values of the transmission number management counters are compared. The one with the smallest value of the transmission count management counter is selected as the transmission image data (step 808).

The value of the transmission count management counter 705 of the data selected as the advertisement image is incremented by 1 (step 809).

Actual image data is read from the image information 706 of the selected data and transmitted to the image forming apparatus (step 810).

When the route image addition determination flag 704 of the selected data is ON, the advertisement server determines that the position between the installation position of the image forming apparatus acquired in step 802 and the position information 702 added to the advertisement image data is set. Route search. The route search method is used in a car navigation system or the like and is well known, so it will not be described in detail here. The map image data to which the searched route is added is transmitted to the image forming apparatus together with the advertisement image data (step 81).
1).

FIG. 12 shows an output example when an advertisement image is added.

In this example, the advertisement image is added to the margin of the original image. Further, this advertisement image has a map image including the route searched for in the advertisement server added thereto. 901 is an original image, 902 is an advertising image, 9
03 is a map image.

The advertisement data management table may also be configured so that the transmission limit number of times can be set for each advertisement image data. For example, an upper limit value for transmitting the advertisement is set for a predetermined period such as one month, and the advertisement data whose value in the transmission count management counter 705 reaches this value is not selected even if the distance is allowable. . By doing so, the advertiser can use this system within a predetermined advertisement fee.

Further, the equipment / capability information of the image forming apparatus (image forming speed, color output availability, etc.) is transmitted to the advertisement server together with the advertisement image request, and the advertisement image to be transmitted is changed according to the data. You can also

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 13 shows a second embodiment. Although the advertisement image is determined based on the distance to the image forming apparatus in the first embodiment, it is also possible to determine the advertisement image not based on the distance but on the time actually required. This is the second embodiment.

Since other configurations and operations are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same components and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the second embodiment, an allowable time is provided instead of the allowable distance 703 in the advertisement data management table shown in FIG.

The operation of the advertisement server according to the second embodiment will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

In step 1001, the advertisement image acquisition request is received.

The advertisement image acquisition request includes the installation position information of the requesting image forming apparatus, and the advertisement server acquires the position information (step 1002).

In step 1003, the image management data is read from the beginning of the advertisement data management table.

In step 1004, step 100
The installation position of the image forming apparatus received in step 2 and step 10
The route to the position information 702 in the advertisement image data read in 03 is searched.

In step 1005, the time required to follow the searched route is calculated.

At step 1006, the allowable time in the advertisement data management table is compared with the time obtained at step 1005.

If the result of comparison in step 1006 is within the allowable time, this data is set as an additional image candidate (step 1007).

The above operation is repeated until the end of the data in the advertisement data management table (step 1008).

When there are a plurality of additional image candidates with the result of checking all the image data registered in the advertisement data management table, the values of the transmission number management counter are compared. The one with the smallest value of the transmission count management counter is selected as the transmission image data (1009).

The value of the transmission count management counter 705 of the data selected as the advertisement image is incremented by 1 (step 1010).

The actual advertisement image data is read from the image information 706 of the selected data and transmitted to the image forming apparatus (step 1011).

When the route image addition determination flag 704 of the selected data is ON, the advertisement server transmits the map image data with the route searched in step 1004 to the image forming apparatus together with the advertisement image data. (Step 1012).

In the above first and second embodiments, the GPS is used as the position detecting means, but the position information service of the mobile phone or PHS can be used instead of GPS.

[0148] For example, in the mode of utilizing the position information service of this mobile phone or PHS, the GPS 2017 of Fig.
Instead, it has a mobile phone function or PHS function. Mobile phones and PHSs are always communicating with a plurality of base stations, and their positions can be detected from the strength of radio waves from each base station.

[0149]

As described above, according to the present invention, the advertiser can target the advertisement target to the users having a higher advertisement effect. Further, the user of the image forming apparatus can use the image forming apparatus at a low charge and can obtain useful advertisement information.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a software block diagram of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of a controller unit of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 4 is an external view of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 5 is an external view of an operation unit of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an operation unit of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of GPS.

FIG. 8 is an example of a position information confirmation screen.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an operation of the image forming apparatus when adding an advertisement image and a map image.

FIG. 10 is an example of an advertisement data management table.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the advertisement server.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of an image to which an advertisement image and a map image are added.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an operation of the advertisement server according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

200,210 image forming apparatus 300 Advertising server 301 image forming apparatus 302, 303, 304 satellites 501 management ID 702 location information 703 Allowable distance 704 Route image addition determination flag 705 Transmission count management counter 706 image information

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. An additional image server, which stores a plurality of additional image data and position information associated with the additional image data, which can be transmitted and received via a network, and an additional image transmitted from the additional image server. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet by adding an additional image based on image data to an original image, wherein the image forming apparatus has an installation position detecting unit for detecting installation position information of the image forming apparatus, When the additional image data is requested to the additional image server, the installation position information is transmitted in response to the request, and the additional image server receives the request for the additional image data from the image forming apparatus, Which additional image data is to be transmitted to the image forming apparatus by using the installation position information transmitted as described above and the positional information associated with the stored additional image data. The image processing system characterized by a constant. 2. The installation position detecting means is a GPS (Glo
The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the image processing system is a bal positioning system). 3. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the installation position detecting means is a mobile phone device. 4. The additional image server stores an allowable distance preset by an advertiser for each additional image data, and the installation position of the image forming apparatus requesting the additional image data is within the allowable distance. The image processing system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein only image data is selected. 5. The additional image server stores a permissible time preset by an advertiser for each additional image data, and has two points, that is, a position where the image forming apparatus is installed and a position corresponding to the additional image data. And a route search means for searching a route between them, and selects only the additional image data within a permissible time required to move the route from the installation position of the image forming apparatus that has requested the additional image data. The image processing system according to claim 1, 2, or 3. 6. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus has a switching unit that switches whether or not an additional image is added to the original image. 7. An image formed by receiving additional image data corresponding to its own installation position information from a network, adding an additional image based on the received additional image data to an original image, and forming an image on a sheet. Forming equipment. 8. An installation position detection means for detecting installation position information of the device itself is provided, and when requesting additional image data to a network, the installation position information is transmitted in accordance with the request. Item 7. The image forming apparatus according to Item 7. 9. The installation position detecting means is a GPS (Glo
9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the image forming apparatus is a bal positioning system). 10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the installation position detecting means is a mobile phone device.