JP2004118345A - Sale support system of used camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To sell a used camera by containing it in a desired individual packaging box for displaying quality. <P>SOLUTION: A digital camera 10 received by a store 53 is checked whether or not the various functions normally operate, and when determining that the various functions normally operate, data such as a machine model code, a serial number and operating time is transmitted to a sale control server 55 of a maker 51 by using the Internet 52 via a personal computer 54. The sale control server 55 retrieves an adapted individual packaging box and the other information by using a storage 56 for storing various product data on the basis of received data. The maker 51 sticks a seal 58 printed with information such as a display for indicating a used state, a machine model name, operating time and a serial number to the adapted individual packaging box 59 on the basis of a retrieval result, and delivers the box to the store 53. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a used camera sales support system in which a camera that is no longer needed by a consumer is collected at a store and provided to another consumer again.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Although digital cameras that are currently on the market are cheaper than when they were first sold, they are still expensive for consumers. In addition, as a conventional technique, a system that provides a digital camera to consumers at a low price using a digital camera in which reading and erasing of image data stored in a built-in memory is restricted by a specific code is described. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
[0003]
In the system described in Patent Document 1, after collecting a digital camera, a code is collated to read / delete image data, and the read image data is stored / saved in another storage medium. providing. The digital camera from which the image data has been erased is recycled through processes such as battery charging and lens cleaning. Thereby, since recycling of the digital camera is systemized, the digital camera can be easily purchased at a low cost.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-196931 A
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the system described in Patent Document 1, a digital camera brought into a store that purchases and sells used digital cameras (hereinafter referred to as a dealer) does not have an individual packaging box or has an individual packaging box. However, if the scratches and dirt were severe, the used digital camera itself could only be sold without being stored in an individual box. In addition, when a consumer purchases second-hand goods, there is a problem that they feel uneasy about the quality because there is no quality indication.
[0006]
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and provides a used camera sales support system in which used cameras are stored in desired individual packaging boxes with quality indications and provided to consumers again. For the purpose.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the used camera sales support system of the present invention uses a computer installed in a store to read the function check data from the collected cameras to determine whether the operation is appropriate, and to perform an appropriate operation. When it is confirmed that it is to be performed, the unique data including the model code, serial number, and usage time is read from the camera's internal memory, and these unique data are managed by the manufacturer via the Internet. The maker delivers the individual packaging box with information including the model and usage time of the camera based on the unique data received by the sales management server. is there.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a digital camera used in the used camera sales support system of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the digital camera 10 is provided with a photographing lens 12, a strobe light emitting unit 13, a viewfinder objective window 14, and a strobe switch 16 on the front surface of the camera body 11. A finder eyepiece window 17, an LCD display panel 18, and an operation panel 19 are provided on the rear surface. A photographing switch 21 is provided on the upper surface of the camera body 11, and a communication connector 22 and a power switch 23 are provided on the side surface. The cover 25 is a cover for covering the communication connector 22 when not in use.
[0009]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the digital camera 10. The controller 31 includes a CPU, and executes various programs such as a control program stored in the ROM 32 to control each part of the camera. The RAM 33 is a working memory used when the controller 31 executes various programs.
[0010]
The photographing mechanism 36 includes a photographing lens 12, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) 37, and an A / D converter 38. The CCD 37 is an image pickup means and converts photographing light into an electric signal as is well known. Of course, a CMOS or the like may be used instead of the CCD 37. The CCD 37 outputs an analog electric signal to the A / D converter 38. The A / D converter 38 converts this electric signal into a digital signal. The digital signal is output to the image processing unit 39 as photographed image data.
[0011]
The image processing unit 39 performs various types of image processing on the input captured image data and records the captured image data in the captured image data memory 41. The captured image data memory 41 is attached to the camera body 11 in a non-detachable manner. The captured image data is recorded after being converted into a predetermined file format such as JPEG format. The JPEG format is a method for irreversibly compressing and recording photographed image data, and the compressed data size can be increased or decreased by changing the compression rate. When this compression rate is large, the degree of image quality deterioration is large. Of course, various formats other than JPEG are known as image file formats, and any of these may be used.
[0012]
The communication connector 22 is used when taking captured image data read from the captured image memory 41 to the outside of the camera body 11. The communication connector 22 has a special shape for saving space.
[0013]
The communication connector 22 is connected to a self-check unit 43 that determines whether various functions of the camera body 11 operate normally. The self-check unit 43 confirms that various functions operate normally via the controller 31. Only when it is determined that various functions are normal, the self-check unit 43 connects the camera model to the personal computer, which is an external device of the camera body 21, via the communication connector 22 and the connection cable (not shown). Send data such as code, serial number, and usage time.
[0014]
The strobe device 42 includes a strobe light emitting unit 13 and a strobe circuit, and operates in conjunction with the photographing switch 21 when the strobe switch 16 is on. Further, the controller 31 determines whether or not the strobe device 42 has been used based on the state of the strobe switch 16 when the photographing switch 31 is pressed.
[0015]
The LCD display panel 18 reproduces and displays captured images, displays an operation screen, and various types of information. The operation screen includes a selection screen for selecting each shooting mode. Playback of these images, display of various information, selection of each shooting mode, and the like are performed by operating the operation panel 19 in accordance with the guidance on the operation screen. Of course, the LCD display panel 18 may be used as an electronic viewfinder in addition to the replay display of the photographed image and the display of the operation screen and various information.
[0016]
A used camera sales support system using the digital camera 10 described above will be described below. FIG. 3 shows the configuration of a used camera sales support system 50. The used digital camera 10 is picked up by a photographer 60 who is a general user to a store. The digital camera 10 is connected to the personal computer 54 with a connection cable. As described above, data of the digital camera 10 is transmitted to the personal computer 54 only when various functions operate normally.
[0017]
Data acquired by the personal computer 54 is transmitted to the sales management server 55 of the manufacturer 51 via the Internet 52. Based on the acquired data, the sales management server 55 uses the storage 56 in which various product data is stored to search for individual boxes and other information corresponding to the digital camera 10. The manufacturer 51 prepares an individual packaging box 59 selected based on the search result.
[0018]
Further, the manufacturer 51 prints the information of the digital camera 10 acquired from the search result on the sticker 58 using the printer 57 connected to the terminal of the sales management server 55. The seal 58 is printed with a display indicating a used product, a model name, a use time, a warranty period, and a serial number. This seal 58 is affixed to an easy-to-see place on the individual packaging box 59, and this individual packaging box 59 is delivered to each store 53.
[0019]
The dealer, after charging the used digital camera 10 battery, cleaning the lens, etc., stores it in the individual box 59 delivered from the manufacturer 51 and sells it to the photographer 60 who is a general user.
[0020]
The operation of the above configuration will be described below using the flowchart of FIG. The store sells the digital camera 10 to the photographer 60 who is a general user. The photographer 60 performs shooting using the digital camera 10. The digital camera 10 that has been used for a certain period and is no longer necessary for the photographer is brought into the store 53 by the photographer 60.
[0021]
The digital camera 10 is connected to a personal computer 54, which is an external device, by a communication connector 22 and a connection cable. A self-check unit 43 in the camera body 11 determines whether various functions of the camera body 11 operate normally.
[0022]
When the self-check unit 43 determines that various functions do not operate normally, the data of the digital camera 10 is not transmitted to the personal computer 54 that is an external device. The dealer 53 sends the digital camera 10 to the service center of the manufacturer 51, receives the repair, and is delivered to the dealer again.
[0023]
When the self-check unit 43 determines that various functions operate normally, the data of the digital camera 10 is transmitted to the personal computer 54 that is an external device. Further, this data is transmitted to the sales management server 55 of the manufacturer 51 via the Internet.
[0024]
The manufacturer 51 receives this data at the sales management server 55. Based on this data, the sales management server 55 searches for individual packaging boxes and other information corresponding to the digital camera 10 using the storage 56 in which various product data are stored. The manufacturer 51 prepares an individual packaging box 59 suitable for the digital camera 10 based on the search result.
[0025]
Further, information of the digital camera 10 based on the search result is printed on a sticker 58 by a printer 57 connected to a terminal of the sales management server 55. This information includes a display indicating a used product, a model name, a usage time, a warranty period, and a serial number. This seal 58 is affixed to an easy-to-view place on the individual packaging box 59 and delivered to the store 53. Further, this information may be directly printed on the individual packaging box 59 without using the seal 58.
[0026]
After the battery 53 of the digital camera 10 is charged, the lens is cleaned, etc., the store 53 stores it in the individual packaging box 59 delivered from the manufacturer 51 and sells it again to the photographer 60 who is a general user. The store 53 and the photographer 60 can easily distinguish them from the new ones because there is a display indicating second-hand goods in an easy-to-view place on the individual packaging box 59.
[0027]
In the above-described embodiment, the self-check unit is provided inside the camera as a check unit for checking various functions of the camera. However, the check unit may be provided as software on the personal computer of the store. In this case, it is not necessary to provide check means for each camera. For this reason, the manufacturing cost of the camera can be reduced.
[0028]
In the above embodiment, a digital camera is used as the camera. However, a regular silver halide camera or the like is equipped with a communication connector, and a check means for checking whether various functions of the camera operate normally is provided by the store. By installing the personal computer or the camera, it is possible to realize the used camera sales support system of the present invention.
[0029]
Furthermore, in the said embodiment, although the sticker which printed the information of the camera was affixed on the individual packaging box, you may mail a sticker to a store. In this case, the seal is attached to the individual packaging box at the store. Furthermore, the camera information may be transmitted to the personal computer of the store using the Internet or the like without printing.
[0030]
Moreover, in the said embodiment, although a store collects a used camera, you may collect | recover in the store which handles photographic development, such as a DPE store.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the sales support system for used cameras according to the present invention, a predetermined individual packaging box with a quality indication is delivered from the manufacturer to the dealer. Can be sold using a box. In addition, the manufacturer can deliver only necessary individual packaging boxes, which is efficient. Furthermore, the photographer who is a general consumer can purchase a used camera with peace of mind because the usage time and the warranty period that are indicative of quality are displayed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a digital camera.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of an internal configuration of a digital camera.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a used camera sales support system.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a used camera sales support system;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Digital camera 22 Communication connector 43 Self-check part 50 Used camera sales support system 51 Manufacturer 52 Internet 53 Dealer 54 PC 55 Sales management server 58 Seal 59 Individual packaging 60 Photographer

Claims (1)

When the computer installed in the store reads the function check data from the collected camera to determine whether it is operating properly, and if it is confirmed that the camera is operating properly, the model code is stored in the camera's internal memory. , Read the unique data including serial number and usage time, and send these unique data to the sales management server installed in the manufacturer via the Internet, and the manufacturer receives the unique data received by the sales management server. Based on this, a used camera sales support system is characterized in that an individual packaging box with information including the model and usage time of the camera is delivered to the store.

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