JP2005062965A - Management computer in album creating system and computer for requesting image - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To recognizably manage index information about an image file. <P>SOLUTION: This album management computer 1 includes a group table database 12 storing group tables created for groups individually. In the group table matching group designation given from an image providing computer 2, image search information including the index information transmitted to the album management computer 1 from the image providing computer 2 is registered. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
【Technical field】
The present invention manages an index information of an image file possessed by an image providing computer in a management computer and creates an album capable of transmitting an image file from an image providing computer to an image requesting computer by peer-to-peer communication. More particularly, the present invention relates to a management computer and an image requesting computer constituting the album creating system.
[0002]
[Background]
In events such as athletic meet and travel, photography is generally performed by a plurality of photographers. If there is a person who desires a photo print taken by another photographer, the photo print is circulated and an order for the desired photo print is accepted. The photo is reprinted according to the print order, and the reprint is distributed to the applicant.
[0003]
A system has been proposed in which multiple photographers send image data taken with a digital still camera to a server computer and store the image data on the server computer to create an album on the server computer. (See Patent Document 1). In order to facilitate the retrieval of image data, a system has also been proposed in which image data is associated with geographical information such as a shooting location and stored in a server computer (see Patent Document 2).
[0004]
In both systems of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, since image data is registered in the server computer, it is possible to easily obtain images taken by other photographers by downloading the image data from the server computer. Can do.
[0005]
However, when one album is created on the server, the following problems occur.
[0006]
(1) The same photographed image may be registered in duplicate.
(2) When there are a large number of users of the server, a large number of image data that is not desired to be obtained is registered in the server. For this reason, it takes time and effort to search for an image desired to be obtained.
(3) The processing load on the server is large.
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2002-183742 A
[Patent Document 2]
JP 2002-82957 A
[0008]
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to manage image files by distributing them to a plurality of computers.
[0009]
According to the present invention, a computer for managing index information for searching for a computer storing an image file is provided separately from the computer for storing the image file, and duplicate index information is stored in the computer for managing the index information. The purpose is to prevent registration.
[0010]
A further object of the present invention is to make it possible to confirm whether or not available image files are prepared.
[0011]
The management computer according to the present invention relates to an image file stored in the image file storage means of the image providing computer, and includes index information for identifying the image file transmitted from the image providing computer to the management computer. When the image file is obtained by storing it in the index information storage means of the management computer in relation to the network address of the computer, the index information and network address are received from the management computer using the image requesting computer. The image providing computer storing the image file desired to be acquired is accessed using the received network address, and the image file desired to be acquired is stored in the image file storage means. It is those utilized in the album creating system that receives the image file from the chromatography data.
[0012]
The album creating system includes an image providing computer, a management computer, and an image requesting computer. An image file including image data obtained by photographing at an athletic meet, a trip or the like is stored in the image file storage means of the image providing computer. The index information storage means of the management computer stores index information for specifying the image file transmitted from the image providing computer to the management computer in association with the network address of the image providing computer. The network address of the image providing computer may also be transmitted from the image providing computer to the management computer and stored in the index information storage means of the management computer.
[0013]
When it is desired to obtain an image file stored in the image file storage means of the image providing computer, an image requesting computer is used. First, the image requesting computer is used to access the management computer, and the index information and the network address are received. The index information is information for specifying the image file stored in the image file storage means of the image providing computer. Based on the index information, an image file desired to be obtained is selected (designated). Further, based on the network address, the image requesting computer can be connected to the image providing computer having the selected image file through the network. A desired (selected and designated) image file stored in the image file storage means of the image providing computer is transmitted from the image providing computer to the image requesting computer. So-called peer-to-peer communication is realized between the image providing computer and the image requesting computer.
[0014]
The management computer according to the first invention is characterized in that the index information is grouped and stored in the index information storage means in accordance with the group designation given from the image providing computer.
[0015]
According to the first invention, since the index information is grouped and stored in the index information storage means, when the index information is received using the image requesting computer, the index information of a specific group can be received. It becomes possible. When a large amount of index information is stored in the index information storage means, it is not necessary to receive index information related to unnecessary image files, so that a desired image file can be easily selected.
[0016]
The management computer according to the second invention relates to the image file stored in the image file storage means of the image providing computer, and the index information for identifying the image file and the image provider transmitted from the image providing computer to the management computer. Is stored in the index information storage means of the management computer in association with the network address of the image providing computer and the image information is obtained from the management computer using the image requesting computer when the image file is obtained. The network address is received, the image providing computer storing the image file desired to be acquired is accessed using the received network address, and the image file desired to be acquired is stored in the image file storage means. The management computer used in an album creating system for receiving an image file from an image providing computer, storing the image file in an image file storage means of the image providing computer, and index information storage means of the album management computer In response to a request for index information from the image requesting computer, an image stored in the user management data storage means is stored. Based on the file publishing person specifying data and the image provider specifying data in the index information storage means, the index information is stored in the index information storage means of the album management computer among the image file publishing persons. If there is a judgment means for judging whether there is an image file publication duty person who is not, and an image file publication duty person who does not store index information in the index information storage means, such image file publication duty is provided. A means for transmitting to the image requesting computer information indicating that a person exists or information specifying such a person who is obligated to publish the image file.
[0017]
Information for specifying the image provider is stored in the index information storage means of the management computer. Further, the user management data storage means of the management computer stores the image file in the image file storage means of the image providing computer and the user who should store the index information in the index information storage means of the management computer (image file disclosure obligation) Is stored. It is judged in the management computer whether or not all the image file publishing persons have registered the index information. When there is an image file disclosure duty person who does not store index information in the index information storage means, information indicating that such an image file publication duty person exists, or such an image file publication duty person Is transmitted to the image requesting computer.
[0018]
According to the second invention, since the person who is required to publish the image file is determined in advance, it is determined whether or not all the persons who are required to publish the image file have stored (registered) the index information in the index information storage means. From the standpoint of the user who requests the acquisition of the file (user who uses the image requesting computer), it is grasped whether the index information storage means has stored the index information of all available image files. This is convenient for a user who wants to determine the image file to be obtained after all the available image files are available.
[0019]
Preferably, the first and second management computers include duplicate index information determination means for determining whether or not the same index information as the index information transmitted from the image providing computer is stored in the index information storage means, and Duplicate index for avoiding storage of index information transmitted from image providing computer in index information storage means when the same index information is judged to be stored in the index information storage means by the duplicate index information judgment means Information storage avoiding means is further provided. Double registration of index information is prevented. The index information includes any one or more of the reduced image data of the image represented by the image file, the shooting date of the image of the image file, the data amount of the image file, and the model information of the camera used for shooting. .
[0020]
The present invention also provides an image requesting computer used together with a management computer and an image providing computer.
[0021]
The image requesting computer according to the present invention relates to the image file stored in the image file storage means of the image providing computer, index information for identifying the image file transmitted from the image providing computer to the management computer, and the image information. When an image file is obtained by storing it in the index information storage means of the management computer in association with the network address of the providing computer, the index information and network address are obtained from the management computer using the image requesting computer. Use the received network address to access the image providing computer storing the image file desired to be acquired, and provide the image file stored in the image file storage means. Is used in an album creation system that receives an image file from a computer, and determines whether a file having the same file name as that of the received image file is stored in the storage means of the image requesting computer When it is determined by the determination means and the determination means that a file with the same file name is stored in the storage means, the file name of the received image file is replaced with a new file name not stored in the storage means. , And renaming means for storing the image file received with the new file name in the storage means.
[0022]
According to the present invention, when a file having the same file name as that of the image file received in the image requesting computer is stored in the storage means of the image requesting computer, the file name of the received image file is An image file received with the new file name is stored in the storage means, with a new file name not stored in the storage means. It is possible to prevent the file previously stored in the storage means from being overwritten.
[0023]
The present invention also provides a control method suitable for the above-described first management computer, second management computer, and image providing computer.
[0024]
[Explanation of Examples]
FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of the album creation system.
[0025]
The album creation system includes an album management computer 1, a plurality of user computers, a plurality of user computers, and a network connecting the plurality of user computers and the album management computer 1. . In FIG. 1, four user computers 2, 3, 4, and 5 are shown among a plurality of user computers. In the album creation system, the number of user computers constituting the album creation system is not particularly limited.
[0026]
In this embodiment, the user computers 2, 3, 4, 5,... Are basically used by a single user. Of course, when a multi-user type OS (Operating System) is used for the user computer, the user who uses the user computer is identified by an ID or the like. May be a mode in which a plurality of users use one user computer. In the following description, it is assumed that one user uses one specific user computer.
[0027]
The album management computer 1 includes a CPU that controls the album management computer 1 as a whole, an input device (keyboard, mouse, etc.) used for data input, a display device that displays characters, images, etc., a work area, A computer system including a memory that provides a buffer area, a hard disk that stores various programs and data, a transmission / reception device that transmits and receives data and the like through a network, and the like. The hard disk of the album management computer 1 stores a program and data for operating the computer as the album management computer 1. The computer system operates as the album management computer 1 by executing the operation program and data stored in the hard disk. Details of the operation of the album management computer 1 will be described later.
[0028]
User computers 2, 3, 4, 5... Are computer systems including a CPU, an input device (keyboard, mouse, etc.), a display device, a memory, a hard disk, and a transmission / reception device.
[0029]
In the album creating system, the user computers 2, 3, 4, 5,... Operate as an image providing content computer and an image requesting content computer. FIG. 2 shows an outline of processing in the album creating system when the user computer 2 operates as an image providing content computer and the user computer 3 operates as an image requesting content computer.
[0030]
In the album creation system, members who use the album creation system (hereinafter referred to as members) are determined in advance. Information about members is stored in a member database 11 (FIG. 3) provided in the album management computer 1.
[0031]
In the member database 11, data corresponding to five items of “user name”, “password”, “IP address”, “affiliation group”, and “content publisher” (collectively referred to as member information) are stored. include.
[0032]
“User name” is the name of the member using the album creation system. Instead of the user name, a member ID (symbol, number, etc.) may be assigned to each member, and the member ID may be registered in the member database 11. The “password” is a code used for the member authentication process when the member uses the album creation system.
[0033]
“IP address” is an address on the network of the user computer owned by the member.
[0034]
“Affiliation group” is a group name to which the member belongs. Members are managed by the album management computer 1 so as to belong to one or more groups. For example, a member whose user name is “Patent Taro” belongs to a picnic group, a travel group, and an athletic meet group. Members whose user name is “Practical Hanako” belong to the picnic group and the travel group.
[0035]
“Content publisher” indicates whether a member is a member who should publish (provide) content (image data) to other members. In the “content publisher” column, “Yes” or “No” is stored. A member whose content publisher is “Yes” indicates that the content (image data) should be disclosed (provided) in the group to which the content publisher belongs. A member whose content publisher is “No” indicates that it is a member who does not need to disclose (provide) content (image data) in the group to which the content publisher belongs.
[0036]
Registration of member information in the member database 11 is performed by an administrator of the album management computer 1 in accordance with a member request or in accordance with an instruction of a group leader determined for each group. Of course, each member may use the user computer to access the album management computer 1 to register, modify, delete, etc. data in the member database 11.
[0037]
The image providing content computer 2 is a computer that provides (sends) image data representing a subject image taken using a digital still camera or the like to the image requesting content computer 3 by peer-to-peer communication. is there. The image data provided to the image requesting content computer 3 is stored in the hard disk (image database) 21 of the image providing content computer 2.
[0038]
The image providing content computer 2 also includes an IP address of the image providing content computer 2, a thumbnail image (reduced image) of the image represented by the provided image data, and a file path (file name and image) of the provided image data. The recording address of the file on the hard disk of the providing content computer 2), the file size, etc. (these are collectively referred to as “image search information”) are stored in the group table database 12 provided in the album management computer 1. It is also used for registration ((i) registration of image search information).
[0039]
FIG. 4 shows an example of the contents of the group table database 12.
[0040]
The group table database 12 includes a group table provided for each group. In the group table database 12 shown in FIG. 4, a picnic group table 12a in which image search information about a picnic group is registered, a travel group table 12b in which image search information about a travel group is registered, and an image search about an athletic meet group An athletic meet group table 12c in which information is registered is provided. In this way, in the album creating system, image search information is registered in the group table database 12 of the album management computer 1 so as to be distinguished for each group (details will be described later).
[0041]
Returning to FIG. 2, the image requesting content computer 3 is a computer used for receiving (downloading) image data stored in the hard disk of the image providing content computer 2 by peer-to-peer communication. It is. Further, the image requesting content computer 3 accesses the album management computer 1 prior to receiving image data from the image providing content computer 2, and search list information according to the image search information from the album management computer 1. (Data including the above-mentioned IP address, thumbnail image (reduced image), file path of image data, file size, etc.) are provided ((ii) request for viewing and (iii) transmission of search list information). When a reduced image (thumbnail image) of an image that is desired to be acquired is selected, the image requesting content computer 3 transfers to the image providing content computer 2 in accordance with the IP address included in the search list information. Access is performed by two-peer communication. Desired image data is transmitted from the image providing content computer 2 to the image requesting content computer 3. The received image file is stored in the hard disk (image database) 31 of the image requesting content computer 3 (details will be described later).
[0042]
The hard disks of the user computers 2, 3,... Store programs and data for causing the user computer to function as an image providing content computer and an image requesting content computer. When a program and data for operating the user computer as an image providing content computer are executed in the user computer, the user computer operates as an image providing content computer. When the user computer executes a program and data for operating the user computer as an image requesting computer, the user computer operates as an image requesting content computer.
[0043]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the image search information registration process. In the image search information registration process, an image providing content computer and the album management computer 1 are used.
[0044]
For example, in the user computer 2, a program and data for operating the user computer as an image providing content computer are executed. The user computer 2 operates as the image providing content computer 2.
[0045]
The user name and the password given by the administrator of the album creating system are input to the image providing content computer 2. The entered user name and password are transmitted to the album management server 1 via the network (step 40).
[0046]
In the album management server 1, it is determined whether or not the received user name and password pair is registered in the member database 11 (see FIG. 3) (step 50: user authentication). If the received user name / password pair is not registered in the member database 11, the album management server 1 outputs an error message to the image providing content computer 2 (NO in step 51, step 52). An error message is displayed on the display screen of the display device of the image providing content computer 2 (NO in step 41, step 42). The image search information registration process ends.
[0047]
When the received user name / password pair matches the user name / password pair registered in the member database 11 (YES in step 51), the album management server 1 refers to the member database 11 and receives it. It is determined whether a member with a user name belongs to a plurality of groups. If the member belongs to a plurality of groups, window data for selecting the group is transmitted to the image providing content computer 2 (step 53).
[0048]
On the display screen of the display device of the image providing content computer 2, the group names to which the members using the image providing content computer 2 belong are displayed in a list. The user selects a group using the input device. Data indicating the selected group is transmitted to the album management computer 1 through the network (step 43). The registration process of the image search information for the selected group proceeds.
[0049]
When the album management computer 1 receives the group data, the album management computer 1 reads the group table corresponding to the selected group from the group table database 12 (step 54). The read group table is temporarily stored in the memory of the album management computer 1.
[0050]
If the member using the image providing content computer 2 belongs to only one group, the processing of step 53 (request for group selection) and step 43 (selection of group) is skipped.
[0051]
The member who uses the image providing content computer 2 designates a directory in which image files to be provided to other members (permitted to be downloaded) are recorded using a display screen and an input device, or another member A directory for recording an image file to be provided (permitted for download) is designated, and an image file to be provided (permitted for download) to other members is assigned to the designated directory (step 44).
[0052]
A thumbnail image file (reduced image file) for reducing and displaying the image represented by the image file is created for the image file recorded so as to belong to the designated directory. Provided images include the created thumbnail image file, the file path of the image file (unreduced image file), the file size (data capacity) of the image file, shooting date and time data, and data indicating the camera model. Is transmitted from the content computer 2 to the album management computer 1 (step 45) (the camera model may be input from the input device of the image providing content computer 2). These pieces of data transmitted from the image providing content computer 2 to the album management computer 1 are hereinafter referred to as image index information.
[0053]
When the album management server 1 receives the image index information from the image providing content computer 2, the same image index information as the received image index information is already registered in the group table temporarily stored in the memory. (Step 55).
[0054]
If the same image index information as the received image index information is already registered in the group table temporarily stored in the memory, the received image index information is not registered in the group table ( YES in step 55). Double registration of image index information is prevented.
[0055]
If the same image index information is not registered in the group table, the received image index information and the user name and IP address registered in the member database 11 (user authentication (step 50), user and IP Although the address is specified), it is registered in the group table (NO in step 55, step 56) (see FIG. 4: registration of image search information). In determining whether or not the same image index information exists (step 55), it is not always necessary to use all of the image index information. For example, the image index information may be performed using three data including data indicating the file size, shooting date / time data, and data indicating the camera model.
[0056]
When a plurality of image files belong to a specified directory in the image providing content computer 2, the above processing is repeated until image index information is transmitted for all image files belonging to the specified directory. (NO at step 46, NO at step 45, NO at step 57, step 55). When the above processing is completed for all the image files belonging to the designated directory, an end signal is transmitted from the image providing content computer 2 to the album management computer 1 (step 47). The image search information registration process in the image providing content computer 2 ends. When the end signal is received from the image providing content computer 2, the album search computer 1 also ends the image search information registration process (YES in step 57).
[0057]
6 to 8 are flowcharts showing the flow of the image request process. In the image request process, the image requesting content computer, the album management computer 1, and one or a plurality of user computers (image providing content computers) operate in cooperation. A case where the user computer 3 operates as an image requesting content computer is taken as an example.
[0058]
The user name and password are transmitted from the image requesting content computer 3 to the album management computer 1, and user authentication processing is performed in the album management computer 1 (steps 40 to 42, steps 50 to 52). If the user who uses the image requesting content computer 3 belongs to a plurality of groups, group selection processing is performed (steps 43, 53, 54). The group table of the selected group is read from the group table database 12 and temporarily stored in the memory.
[0059]
The album management computer 1 starts list information creation processing. Steps 70 to 75 described below in the album management computer 1 are processes for creating list information to be transmitted from the album management computer 1 to the image requesting content computer 3.
[0060]
The image search information registered in the group table includes the IP address of the member computer that registered the image (see FIG. 3). The album management computer 1 uses the IP address registered in the group table temporarily stored in the memory, to each user computer (image providing content computer) specified by the IP address. An inquiry is made as to whether communication is possible (step 70).
[0061]
When the image providing content computer is in a communicable state (a state where peer-to-peer communication is possible), upon receiving an inquiry from the album management computer 1 about whether communication is possible, the image providing content computer A response indicating that communication is possible is sent back to the album management computer 1 (step 80). The album management computer 1 recognizes that the responding image providing computer is capable of peer-to-peer communication (peer active is YES) (YES in step 71, step 72).
[0062]
On the other hand, when the image providing content computer is turned off, for example, when the peer-to-peer communication is not possible, the image providing content computer is the album management computer 1. The inquiry about whether or not communication is possible cannot be received, and no reply is made from the image providing content computer to the album management computer 1. In general, the album management computer 1 sends an inquiry about whether or not communication is possible to the image providing content computer a plurality of times. If there is no response to the inquiry about whether or not communication is possible multiple times, the album management computer 1 recognizes that the image providing content computer cannot perform peer-to-peer communication (peer active is NO). (N0 in step 71, step 73).
[0063]
As described above, in the member database 11 (FIG. 3), a group to which each member belongs is registered, and “content” indicating whether the member is a member to whom the content (image file) is to be disclosed (provided). "Publisher" data is included. Although the album management computer 1 refers to the member database 11 (FIG. 3) and the group table (FIG. 4), it is a content publisher in the selected group (“content publisher” is YES). , User names of members whose image search information is not registered in the group table are extracted (step 74).
[0064]
For example, in the member database 11 shown in FIG. 3, the members belonging to the picnic group are patent Taro, Practical Hanako, Ichiro Design, Ito Taro, and Ichiro Convention, among which members who should publish (provide) image files (“content disclosure”) "Member" is a member of Yes): Taro Patent, Hanako Practical, and Ichiro Design. In the group table 12a for the picnic group shown in FIG. 4, Taro Patent and Practical Hanako have registered image search information. Design Ichiro is not a content publisher in the picnic group, but does not register image search information in the group table 12a. The user name of “Design Ichiro” is extracted.
[0065]
List information is created by the album management computer 1 (step 75). That is, the album management computer 1 determines the user name, IP address, thumbnail image data, file name in the file path, file size, shooting from the image search information registered in the group table for the selected group. Reads the date, camera model, adds data indicating whether the computer corresponding to the user name (image providing content computer) can communicate (peer active is YES or NO), and is a content publisher The list information is created by adding the member name for which no image search information is registered to the group table. The created list information is transmitted to the image requesting content computer 3 (step 75) and displayed on the display screen of the image requesting content computer 3 (steps 60, 61).
[0066]
FIG. 9 shows an example of a list information screen displayed on the display screen of the image requesting content computer 3.
[0067]
The group name of the selected group is displayed at the upper left of the list information screen. At the center of the list information screen is a thumbnail image, shooting date, camera model, file size, file name (included in the file path), and user name based on the image search information registered in the group table. Is displayed. On the right side of the user name, it is indicated whether or not the member computer (image providing content computer) specified by the user name can communicate (Peer Active is Yes or No). In the list information screen shown in FIG. 9, a character display of “unregistered” and a user name (design Ichiro) are shown at the bottom. This indicates that “Design Ichiro” is a member who has not registered image search information in the group table even though he is a content publisher.
[0068]
As described above, by providing the “content publisher” column in the member database 11 and determining in advance the members to whom the content (image file) is to be disclosed, the content publisher is displayed on the list information screen. Nevertheless, the names of members who have not registered image search information in the group table can be specified. It is possible to easily determine whether or not all member image files to which image files are to be provided have been prepared.
[0069]
Each thumbnail image is linked to an IP address registered in association with the thumbnail image data in the group table.
[0070]
When any of the thumbnail images in the list information screen is selected (clicked) using the display device and the input device of the image request content computer 3, the IP address linked to the thumbnail image is used. Then, an image file acquisition request is transmitted from the image requesting content computer 3 to the image providing content computer 2 (step 62). Of course, the selected thumbnail image is premised on that the peer active displayed on the list information screen corresponding to the thumbnail image is “Yes”.
[0071]
Upon receiving the image file acquisition request from the image requesting content computer 3, the image providing content computer reads the requested image file from the hard disk 21 and transmits it to the image requesting content computer 3 (step 81, 82).
[0072]
When the image requesting content computer 3 receives the image file (step 63), it records the received image file (step 64).
[0073]
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of the image file recording process executed after the image request content computer 3 receives the image file from the image providing content computer. FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing how the image requesting content computer 3 and the image providing content computer 2 operate in the image file recording process.
[0074]
The image file is transmitted from the image providing content computer 2 to the image requesting content computer 3 based on the request for acquiring the image file transmitted from the image requesting content computer 3 to the image providing content computer 2. The When the image requesting content computer 3 receives the image file, the user member designates which directory the recorded image file belongs to in the hard disk of the image requesting content computer 3 to be recorded. The directory to which the image file should belong is specified by the member.
[0075]
The image requesting content computer 3 determines whether or not a file having the same file name as the received image file has already been recorded belonging to the designated directory (step 91). If a file with the same file name exists (YES in step 91), the image requesting content computer 3 changes the file name of the received image file, and the received file belongs to the designated directory. And recorded in the hard disk 31 (step 92, step 93).
[0076]
For example, DSCF001. JPG, DSCF002. JPG and DSCF003. If an image file having a JPG file name has already been recorded, DSCF001. Assume that an image file having a JPG file name is received. In this case, for example, a new file name is created by incrementing the numeric part, and the file name of the received image file is changed to the created file name. DSCF004. An image file having a JPG file name is recorded on the hard disk. It is possible to prevent an already recorded image file from being overwritten.
[0077]
If the same file name does not exist (NO in step 92), the image file is recorded on the hard disk 31 without changing the file name (step 93).
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of an album creation system.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing transmission / reception of data among an image providing content computer, an album management computer, and an image requesting content computer in the album creating system.
FIG. 3 shows an example of a member database.
FIG. 4 shows an example of a group table.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of image search information registration processing.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of image request processing.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of image request processing.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing for recording an image file.
FIG. 9 shows an example of a list information screen.
FIG. 10 shows how a file name of an image file is renamed.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Album management computer
2 User computer (image providing content computer)
3 User computer (image request content computer)
11 Member database
12 Group table database
12a, 12b, 12c Group table
21, 31 Image database

Claims (8)

Regarding the image file stored in the image file storage means of the image providing computer, the index information for identifying the image file transmitted from the image providing computer to the management computer is related to the network address of the image providing computer. When the image file is acquired by storing it in the index information storage means of the management computer, the index information and the network address are received from the management computer using the image requesting computer, and the received network address is The image providing computer storing the image file desired to be acquired is accessed to receive the image file from the image providing computer in which the image file desired to be acquired is stored in the image file storage means. A said management computer utilized in Bam creation system,
In response to the group designation transmitted from the image providing computer, the index information is grouped and stored in the index information storage means.
Management computer. With respect to the image file stored in the image file storage means of the image providing computer, the image file transmitted from the image providing computer to the management computer and index information for identifying the image provider are stored in the network of the image providing computer.・ When the image file is obtained by storing it in the index information storage means of the management computer in association with the address, the index information and the network address are received from the management computer using the image requesting computer and received. The image providing computer storing the image file desired to be acquired is accessed using the network address, and the image file stored in the image file storage means is stored in the image file storing means. A said management computer utilized in the album creation system for receiving the Le,
User management data storage for storing data for specifying an image file disclosure duty to be stored in an image file storage means of the image providing computer and index information storage means of the album management computer means,
In response to the index information and network address request from the image requesting computer, the image file disclosure person specifying data in the user management data storage means and the information specifying the image provider in the index information storage means And determining means for determining whether or not there is an image file publishing person who does not store index information in the index information storage means of the album management computer, and the index information storage If there is an image file disclosure duty who does not store index information in the means, information indicating that such an image file publication duty exists, or information identifying such an image file publication duty The image requesting computer And a means for transmitting,
Management computer. The index information includes at least one of the reduced image data of the image represented by the image file, the shooting date of the image of the image file, the data amount of the image file, and the model information of the camera used for shooting. The management computer according to claim 1 or 2. The duplicate index information judging means for judging whether or not the same index information as the index information transmitted from the image providing computer is stored in the index information storage means, and the duplicate index information judging means A duplicate index information storage avoiding means for avoiding storing the index information transmitted from the image providing computer in the index information storage means when it is determined that the index information is stored in the index information storage means;
The management computer according to any one of claims 1 to 3. Regarding the image file stored in the image file storage means of the image providing computer, the index information for identifying the image file transmitted from the image providing computer to the management computer is related to the network address of the image providing computer. When the image file is acquired by storing it in the index information storage means of the management computer, the index information and the network address are received from the management computer using the image requesting computer, and the received network address is The image providing computer storing the image file desired to be acquired is accessed to receive the image file from the image providing computer in which the image file desired to be acquired is stored in the image file storage means. A said image request for computers utilized in Bam creation system,
A judging means for judging whether or not a file having the same file name as the received image file is stored in the storage means of the image requesting computer;
If the determination means determines that a file having the same file name is stored in the storage means, the file name of the received image file is replaced with a new file name not stored in the storage means, and a new It has a renaming means for storing the image file received by the file name in the storage means.
Image request computer. Regarding the image file stored in the image file storage means of the image providing computer, the index information for identifying the image file transmitted from the image providing computer to the management computer is related to the network address of the image providing computer. When the image file is acquired by storing it in the index information storage means of the management computer, the index information and the network address are received from the management computer using the image requesting computer, and the received network address is The image providing computer storing the image file desired to be acquired is accessed to receive the image file from the image providing computer in which the image file desired to be acquired is stored in the image file storage means. A control method for the management computers utilized in Bam creation system,
In response to the group designation transmitted from the image providing computer, the index information is grouped and stored in the index information storage means.
Control method of management computer. With respect to the image file stored in the image file storage means of the image providing computer, the image file transmitted from the image providing computer to the management computer and index information for identifying the image provider are stored in the network of the image providing computer.・ When the image file is obtained by storing it in the index information storage means of the management computer in association with the address, the index information and the network address are received from the management computer using the image requesting computer and received. The image providing computer storing the image file desired to be acquired is accessed using the network address, and the image file stored in the image file storage means is stored in the image file storing means. A control method for the management computers utilized in the album creation system for receiving the Le,
In response to the index information and network address request from the image requesting computer, the image file disclosure person specifying data in the user management data storage means and the information specifying the image provider in the index information storage means Based on the above, it is determined whether there is an image file publication duty person who does not store index information in the index information storage means of the album management computer among the picture file publication duty persons,
When there is an image file disclosure duty person who does not store index information in the index information storage means, information indicating that such an image file publication duty person exists, or such an image file publication duty person Sending information identifying the image to the image requesting computer,
Control method of management computer. Regarding the image file stored in the image file storage means of the image providing computer, the index information for identifying the image file transmitted from the image providing computer to the management computer is related to the network address of the image providing computer. When the image file is acquired by storing it in the index information storage means of the management computer, the index information and the network address are received from the management computer using the image requesting computer, and the received network address is The image providing computer storing the image file desired to be acquired is accessed to receive the image file from the image providing computer in which the image file desired to be acquired is stored in the image file storage means. A control method of the image request for computers utilized in Bam creation system,
Determine whether a file with the same file name as the received image file is stored in the storage means of the image requesting computer,
When it is determined that a file with the same file name is stored in the storage means, the file name of the received image file is replaced with a new file name not stored in the storage means, and the new file name is received. A method for controlling an image requesting computer, which stores the processed image file in a storage means.

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