JP2008014972A - Print order receiving terminal device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the function of a print order receiving terminal device by performing various kinds of charge setting and accurately presenting information on such charge setting to a customer. <P>SOLUTION: In the print order receiving terminal device by which a print orderer inputs the producing condition of a photographic print, charge calculation procedure corresponding to the input number of producing photographic prints and another charge calculation procedure in which unit cost of producing photographic prints is near to the charge calculation procedure on a low cost side are specified on the basis of the input information on the input number of producing photographic prints, and information on another charge calculation procedure is displayed on a monitor 52 as guidance to correct the number of prints, and input to correct the number of producing photographic prints from an input operation part MN is received. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an input operation unit in which a print orderer who orders production of a photographic print operates to input a photographic print production condition including at least information on the number of produced photographic prints, and an operation during an input operation to the input operation unit A photo printing apparatus comprising: a monitor for displaying guidance; a charge calculating unit for calculating a photo print production fee based on input information of the production conditions; and a print order control unit for controlling acceptance of a photo print production order The present invention relates to a print order receiving terminal device for instructing production of a photographic print under the above production conditions.

Such a print order receiving terminal device is a terminal device that accepts a photo print production order (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as “print order”) from a customer as described in Patent Document 1 below. The contents of the print order received by the order receiving terminal device are sent to the photo print device to make a photo print.
Such a print order reception terminal device is usually installed at a print shop, and is necessary for the customer to operate the print order reception terminal device to place an order for making a photographic print (production of a photographic print). Enter the (Condition).
A customer brings a recording medium such as a memory card that records image data of an image desired to be produced into a print shop and places a print order. Generally, such a record is stored in a print order receiving terminal device. A reading device for reading image data recorded on the medium is also provided.

By the way, the print order receiving terminal device as described above generally has a function of calculating a photo print production fee based on photo print production conditions such as the number of photo prints produced by the customer. As a conventional general charge calculation procedure, the production unit price for photo prints is fixedly set for each print size, and the production price is calculated by multiplying the production unit price and the number of photo prints produced. The technique of doing is taken.
JP 2003-075929 A

Therefore, conventionally, the calculation method (charge calculation procedure) of the photo print production fee is uniform, and the service providing function for the customer has not been sufficient.
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and its purpose is to enable various charge settings, and to accurately present information related to such charge settings to a customer, and to accept a print order reception terminal. This is to improve the function of the device.

  According to a first aspect of the present application, a print orderer who orders production of a photographic print inputs an photographic print production condition including at least information on the number of produced photographic prints. A monitor for displaying operation guidance at the time of an input operation, a charge calculation unit for calculating a photo print production fee based on the input information of the production conditions, and a print order control unit for controlling acceptance of a photo print production order In the print order receiving terminal device instructing the production of the photo print under the production conditions by the photo printing apparatus, the fee calculation unit changed the photo print production unit price as the photo print production fee calculation procedure. Multiple charge calculation procedures are provided, and the charge calculation procedure can be switched according to the number of photo prints specified. The print order control unit, based on the input information of the number of produced photographic prints input from the input operation unit, the fee calculation procedure corresponding to the input number of produced photo prints, and the fee calculation procedure A calculation condition specifying process for specifying another charge calculation procedure for which the photo print production unit price is close on the low price side, and a display guide process for displaying information on the other charge calculation procedure on the monitor as a guide for correcting the number of prints. And a number correction process for receiving a correction input for the number of produced photographic prints from the input operation unit after the correction guide for the number of prints is displayed.

That is, when a print orderer who is a customer of a print shop operates the input operation unit of the print order receiving terminal device to make an order for making a photo print, a charge calculation used in calculating the charge required for making the photo print The procedure is not a single fee calculation procedure, but a plurality of fee calculation procedures in which the unit price for producing a photo print is changed can be used.
These multiple charge calculation procedures can be switched according to the number of photo prints specified by the print orderer, but are usually set to lower the unit price of photo prints as the number of photo prints produced increases. The discount is set so as to increase as the number of photo prints produced increases.

The print order receiving terminal device not only can calculate the fee in response to such a fee setting, but also has a fee setting advantageous to such a customer, the fact that the number of photo prints entered by the customer is It has a function to accurately present information in a corresponding form.
This information presentation is based on the input value of the number of photo prints produced at that time, and under what conditions the order for photo prints should be applied and the charge calculation procedure with the lower price of photo print production will be applied. The customer confirms this information presentation on the monitor and, if he / she thinks it is advantageous for himself / herself, corrects and inputs the number of photo prints produced.

According to a second invention of the present application, in addition to the configuration of the first invention, the print order control unit has completed the input operation of the photographic print production conditions from the input operation unit by the print orderer. When an instruction is input, the calculation condition specifying process, the display guidance process, and the number correction process are executed.
That is, if the print orderer performs the above-described display guidance process every time the print orderer designates the number of photo prints to be produced for each image, the display on the monitor screen becomes complicated and gives an unpleasant feeling to the print orderer. There is a jealousy.
Therefore, when the print orderer completes the input operation of the photo print production conditions, the display guide process is executed so that information is conveyed in a confirming and accurate manner.

  According to a third invention of the present application, in addition to the configuration of the first or second invention, the charge calculation unit may take a photograph every time the set number of photo prints is increased as the charge calculation procedure. A plurality of charge calculation procedures are set in a state where the print production unit price is set to be lower step by step, and the print order control unit sets the photo print production group within the group of the number of photo print production units having a common photo print production unit price. The display guide process and the number of sheets are divided only when the number of produced photo prints input from the input operation unit belongs to the upper group. It is configured to execute a correction process.

That is, as a fee calculation procedure executed by the fee calculation unit, the unit price of photo print production is set to be lower step by step every time the set number of photo print productions is increased.
In other words, a group having a common photographic print production unit price is assigned as one group, and one charge calculation procedure is assigned to that group.
When such a charge system is adopted, the number of photographic prints specified by the print orderer is determined by executing the above display guide process and the number correction process regardless of the number of photographic prints specified by the print orderer. On the other hand, if the number of additional photo prints required to switch to a charge calculation procedure that reduces the cost of producing photo prints has increased, the print orderer will place an additional order for such a large number of copies. Although it is difficult to generate the desire to do so, the above-mentioned guidance for correcting the number of prints can be shown on the monitor, which may cause discomfort.
Therefore, only when the number of additional photo prints necessary for switching to a charge calculation procedure that makes the photo print production unit price cheaper is not so large, the above-mentioned guide for correcting the number of prints is displayed.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the customer can confirm the above guide for correcting the number of prints on the monitor and input the number of photo prints to be corrected if he / she thinks it is advantageous for himself. It is possible to improve the function of the print order receiving terminal device by accurately presenting information related to such charge setting to the customer.
According to the second aspect of the invention, when the print orderer completes the input operation of the photographic print production conditions, the display guide process is executed so that the information is conveyed in a confirming and accurate manner. Therefore, the print orderer can comfortably operate the print order receiving terminal device, and can contribute to the improvement of the function of the print order receiving terminal device.
In addition, according to the third aspect of the invention, the correction of the number of prints described above is performed only when the number of additional photo prints required for switching to the charge calculation procedure that makes the unit price of photographic prints cheaper is not so large. Since the guidance is displayed, the print orderer can comfortably operate the print order receiving terminal device, which can contribute to the improvement of the function of the print order receiving terminal device.

Embodiments of a photographic print system provided with a print order receiving terminal device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
The photo print system DP exemplified in the present embodiment is a so-called digital minilab system, and is shown in FIG. 1 shown as a block configuration diagram and FIG. 4 showing the appearance of a state installed in a print shop store. As described above, the print order receiving terminal OR, the photo print apparatus EP for producing a photo print based on the image data for the print operation, and the image data for the print operation by taking the image data from various recording media The image input device IR to be generated is configured as a main part, and these are connected to the network.
In this system, a customer can hand over a recording medium such as a memory card to an operator who is an employee of a print shop and make a photo print request, and the customer can operate the print order receiving terminal device OR to operate the memory card. It is also possible to order the production of photographic prints from image data such as various recording media.
4 illustrates a case where a plurality (specifically, two) of print order receiving terminal devices OR having the same configuration are provided, but only one of them is illustrated in the block diagram of FIG. .

[Schematic configuration of image input device IR]
In the image input device IR, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 which is an external perspective view, image data for a printing operation to be sent to the main control device 4 constituted by a personal computer and the photographic printing device EP is generated. And an image processing unit 5. The main control device 4 includes an external input / output device 4a including a memory card reader / writer, a magneto-optical disk drive, a CD-R / RW drive, etc., and various control information. Etc., a monitor 4b, a console 4c, and a mouse 4d are connected.
The image processing unit 5 performs predetermined color correction, sharpness and other images on the image data input via the main control unit 4 so that a good image can be obtained in the photo print output by the photo print apparatus EP. Processing is performed to generate image data for the printing operation.
The main controller 4 has a built-in large-capacity hard disk device, and image data of a large number of orders (units of print orders) taken from various recording media in the external input / output device 4a and the print order receiving terminal device OR. Can be retained.

[Schematic configuration of print order receiving terminal device OR]
The print order receiving terminal device OR includes a plurality of types of drives for reading various recording media such as CD-R media and memory cards, as shown in the external perspective views of FIGS. A touch panel monitor 52 having both a reading device 51 for reading image data from the printer, a display function for displaying an operation guide for receiving a print order, and an input function for inputting various instructions. A control device 54 built in the body 53 and configured by a personal computer, a deposit / withdrawal unit 56 built in the lower housing 55, and a storage device 59 for storing various control data, customer input data described later, and the like. And are provided. The storage device 59 may be configured by a hard disk device, for example.
The deposit / withdrawal unit 56 is a device for collecting a charge when ordering the production of a photographic print using the print order receiving terminal device OR, and inserts bills and coins into the front side surface of the lower housing 55. For this purpose, a charge input unit 57 and a change discharge port 58 for discharging change are provided. A customer who requests the production of a photographic print can select a method of paying using the deposit / withdrawal unit 56 and a method of paying directly to a print shop employee.

[Overall configuration of photo printing apparatus EP]
As shown in FIG. 1, the photographic printing apparatus EP includes an image forming apparatus EX that exposes and forms an image on the photographic paper 2 and a photographic paper 2 on which the image is exposed and formed by the image forming apparatus EX. A development processing apparatus PP that performs development processing, and a photographic paper transport system PT that transports the photographic paper 2 drawn from the photographic paper magazine 6 installed on the upper side of the housing to the development processing apparatus PP by a number of transport rollers 9 and the like. Is provided.
As shown in FIG. 4, a sorter 7 for classifying the photographic paper 2 that has been developed and dried by the development processing unit PP, and the development processing unit PP, are arranged outside the casing of the photographic printing apparatus EP. And a conveyor 8 for conveying the photographic paper 2 discharged from the printer 2 to the sorter 7.
Further, a cutter 10 for cutting the long photographic paper 2 drawn from the photographic paper magazine 6 into a set print size is provided in the middle of the conveyance path of the photographic paper conveyance system PT.

[Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus EX]
The image forming apparatus EX is composed mainly of an image forming head 13 that forms an exposure image on the photographic paper 2 and an exposure control device 14 that controls the image forming head 13.
The image forming head 13 is attached so that an intermediate position in the conveyance path of the photographic paper 2 cut to the set print size is an image formation position, and is orthogonal to the photographic paper conveyance direction (sub-scanning direction) at the image formation position. The laser beam is scanned in the direction (main scanning direction).
The exposure control device 14 receives the image data for the printing operation generated by the image processing unit 5, and modulates the intensity of the laser beam emitted from the image forming head 13 based on the image data.
By scanning the photographic paper 2 transported and driven by the photographic paper transportation system PT with the laser beam whose intensity is modulated as described above, an image is exposed and formed on the photographic paper 2, which is a development processing apparatus. When developed with PP, it is finished as a photographic print.

[Reception of print orders]
Next, the operation when the customer himself / herself operates the print order receiving terminal device OR to make a photographic print production order will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. 7 executed by the control device 54 of the print order receiving terminal device OR. To do.
When a customer who places a print order operates the touch panel type monitor 52 of the print order receiving terminal OR to input an address, name, telephone number, or a customer number set by the print shop for the customer. The control device 54 starts the processing of FIG. 7, and first executes “order content input processing” for setting the details of the print order (step # 1).
In the “order content input process”, a screen for input operation by the customer illustrated in FIG. 5 is displayed on the monitor 52 of the print order receiving terminal OR.
In the screen display of FIG. 5, a plurality (specifically six) of image display fields 40, a print number input field 41 and a print size input field 42 corresponding to each image display field 40, and subsequent images are displayed. A “next” button display 43 for instructing an input operation and a “complete” button display 44 for instructing the completion of the input operation are displayed.

The image displayed in the image display column 40 is an image obtained by performing a predetermined image process on the image read from the recording medium set by the customer in the reading device 51 and reducing the image.
In this screen display, the customer performs an input operation to the print number input column 41 and the print size input column 42 from a numeric keypad window or the like displayed as appropriate while confirming the image in the image display column 40.
When the customer completes the input operation of the photo print production conditions and presses the “complete” button display 44 to input an instruction to that effect, the “order content input process” in step # 1 is completed.

Next, a charge calculation procedure to be used for charge calculation under the conditions input by the customer who is the print orderer is specified (step # 2).
The control device 54 for calculating the photo print production fee includes a plurality of fee calculation procedures in which the photo print production unit price is changed as the photo print production fee calculation procedure. Hereinafter, the charge calculation procedure is switched according to the “print number”.
In this embodiment, the photo print production unit price is not a fine setting in which the unit price changes every time the number of prints increases by one, but the photo print production unit price is increased every time the number of prints increases by the set number. A plurality of charge calculation procedures are set in a state where the setting is low.
The unit price of the photo print varies depending on the print size, but for convenience of explanation, the print size will be described as only one size such as L plate.

The above fee calculation procedure will be described with a specific example. As a method for setting a fee for the number of printed sheets, for example, when the number of printed sheets is 1 to 9, the photo print production unit price is 35 yen, the number of printed sheets is 10 sheets or more For 19 sheets, the photographic print production unit price is 33 yen, for 20 to 29 prints, the photographic print production unit price is 31 yen, and for 30 or more prints, the photographic print production unit price is 29 yen.
In this example, the unit price for producing photographic prints is lowered step by step every time the number of prints increases by 10.
The charge calculation procedure in the case of this example has four PN × 35, PN × 33, PN × 31, and PN × 29, where PN is the number of produced photo prints (the total number of input values in the print number input field 41). A charge calculation procedure is provided, which is switched according to the number of prints.
In this example, when the number of prints is 29 or less, the group of the number of produced photo prints having the same unit price for producing the photo prints is composed of 9 or 10 elements. The number of elements belonging to each group may vary greatly between the unit prices for producing photographic prints.
In the case where the charge calculation procedure is set as described above, for example, when the total number of prints entered by the customer in the print number input field 41 is 9, the charge calculation procedure is “PN × 35. "To use.

In this way, after specifying the charge calculation procedure for the number of prints designated by the customer at that time, it is next determined whether or not to display a correction guide for the number of prints on the monitor 52 (step # 3). ).
This judgment is made by dividing the group of the number of photo prints produced with a common photo print production unit cost into the upper group with the larger number of photo prints produced and the lower group with the smaller number of photo prints produced, and the print input by the customer Judgment is made based on whether the number of sheets belongs to the upper group or the lower group, and only when the number belongs to the upper group, it is determined that the correction guide for the number of printed sheets is displayed on the monitor 52, and the processing from step # 4 onward is performed. Execute.
In the present embodiment, description will be made on the assumption that the upper group and the lower group are separated at a position two fewer than the boundary at which the charge calculation procedure is switched.
For example, in a group of 1 to 9 printed sheets whose photo print production unit price is 35 yen, 1 to 7 sheets are set as the lower group, and 8 and 9 sheets are set as the upper group.

When the number of prints designated by the customer is 9, it belongs to the upper group in the group whose photo print production unit price is 35 yen (step # 3), and further, according to the charge calculation procedure specified in step # 2. The photo print production unit price is close on the low price side (in this embodiment, the production unit price is one step lower), and another charge calculation procedure is specified (step # 4).
In this case, the charge calculation procedure (PN × 33) when the photo print production unit price is 33 yen corresponds to this.

Thereafter, the correction guide for the number of prints is further displayed on the monitor 52 (step # 5).
The guide for correcting the number of printed sheets is performed by displaying a correction guide window 60 like the display screen of the monitor 52 illustrated in FIG.
In the correction guidance window 60, information on the number of prints designated by the customer at that time and information on a charge calculation procedure (“10 sheets”) applied to the group with a low one-step production unit price specified in step # 4. "The above print unit price will be 33 yen") and a word for confirming the intention to correct the number of prints, as well as the "correction" button display 61 operated when correcting the number of prints. In addition, a “non-correction” button display 62 for inputting an instruction that there is no intention to correct the number of prints is displayed.

When the customer operates either the “correction” button display 61 or the “non-correction” button display 62 (step # 6), when the operation is the “correction” button display 61, the customer designates at that time. The number of prints being made is stored for each image and set as an initial value to be displayed in the print number input field 41 when returning to step # 1 and redisplaying the screen of FIG. 5 (step # 8).
Thereafter, returning to step # 1, the above operation is repeated, and a correction input of the number of produced photo prints by the customer is accepted.
If the photographed image you are trying to print is a landscape photograph during a group trip, etc., you may want to print a little extra and provide it to the accompanying person. Displaying is a particularly effective service.

On the other hand, when the customer operates the “uncorrected” button display 62, the production fee for the photo print is calculated by the fee calculation procedure specified in step # 2, and the obtained production fee and the operation guide for payment are monitored 52. (Step # 9).
When the customer inputs a necessary fee from the fee input unit 57 according to the guidance display on the monitor 52 (step # 10), the process is terminated.
After accepting the print order in this way, the control device 54 prepares a photo print as an instruction for producing the photo print, and the image data of the image to be produced as a photo print and the production of the photo print inputted by the customer. The condition data is sent to the image input device IR. The image input device IR that has received the image data or the like sends the image data to the photo print device EP at an appropriate timing under the control of the operator to produce a photo print.

  In step # 3, if the number of prints input by the customer is 7 and belongs to the lower group, the process proceeds to charge calculation as it is (step # 9), and photo print production is performed as described above. Instructions for are output.

As described above, the control device 54 of the print order receiving terminal device OR serves as the charge calculation unit CC that calculates the photo print production fee based on the input information of the photo print production conditions input by the customer (print orderer). Function (corresponding to the processing part of step # 9 in FIG. 7) and the function as a print order control unit OC that controls the acceptance of the photo print production order (processing part other than step # 9 in FIG. 7). The charge calculation unit CC includes the plurality of charge calculation procedures described above, and switches the charge calculation procedures according to the designated number of photo prints to be produced.
Further, the control device 54 as the print order control unit OC performs a charge calculation procedure corresponding to the input number of produced photographic prints based on the input information on the number of produced photographic prints, and the charge calculation procedure. The calculation condition specifying process (process of step # 2 and step # 4) for specifying the other charge calculation procedure for which the photo print production unit price is close on the low price side, and information on the other charge calculation procedure are stored as the number of prints. Display guide processing (step # 5) displayed on the monitor 52 as correction guidance, and number correction processing (returned from step # 8) that accepts correction input for the number of printed photo prints after the print number correction guide is displayed. Step # 1 and subsequent processes) are executed, and the above-described calculation condition specifying process, display guidance process, and number correction process are performed by the print orderer. Running when the instruction input that it has completed the input operation of the manufacturing conditions of the photographic prints in-up # 1.
Further, the monitor 52 functions as a monitor for displaying an operation guide at the time of an operation for inputting a photographic print production condition by the screen display of FIG. 5 and a function as an input operation unit MN for inputting and operating a photographic print production condition. And combine.

[Another embodiment]
Hereinafter, other embodiments of the present invention will be listed.
(1) In the above embodiment, the touch panel monitor 52 is exemplified as the input operation unit MN for the print orderer to input the photographic print production conditions. However, the main controller 4 of the image input device IR is provided. The input console MN may be equivalent to the console 4c or mouse 4d.
(2) In the above embodiment, the case where the control device 54 of the print order receiving terminal device OR has both the function of the print order control unit OC and the function of the fee calculation unit CC is illustrated. It may be configured by an embedded computer or the like.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a photo print system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an external perspective view of an image input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an external perspective view of a print order reception terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows the example of arrangement | positioning of the photographic print system concerning embodiment of this invention The figure which shows the example of a screen display of the monitor concerning embodiment of this invention The figure which shows the example of a screen display of the monitor concerning embodiment of this invention The flowchart concerning embodiment of this invention

Explanation of symbols

CC charge calculation part MN input operation part OC print order control part 52 monitor

Claims (3)

A print orderer who makes a photo print production order displays an input operation unit for performing an input operation of photo print production conditions including at least information on the number of photo prints to be produced, and an operation guide at the time of an input operation to the input operation unit. A monitor, a charge calculation unit for calculating a photo print production fee based on the input information of the production condition, and a print order control unit for controlling acceptance of a photo print production order; A print order receiving terminal device for instructing production of a photo print at
The fee calculation unit includes a plurality of fee calculation procedures in which the unit price of the photo print is changed as a fee calculation procedure of the photo print production fee, and the fee calculation procedure according to the designated number of the photo print production Is configured to switch
The print order control unit, based on the input information of the number of produced photo prints input from the input operation unit, a fee calculation procedure corresponding to the input number of produced photo prints, and a photo print in the fee calculation procedure A calculation condition specifying process for specifying other charge calculation procedures that are close to the low price side, and a display guide process for displaying information on the other charge calculation procedures on the monitor as a guide for correcting the number of printed sheets; A print order receiving terminal device configured to execute a sheet number correction process for receiving a correction input for the number of produced photo prints from the input operation unit after displaying the print number correction guide.   The print order control unit is configured to input the calculation condition specifying process, the display guide process, and the number correction when the print orderer inputs an instruction from the input operation unit to complete an input operation of a photographic print production condition. The print order receiving terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the print order receiving terminal device is configured to execute processing. The charge calculation unit sets a plurality of charge calculation procedures as the charge calculation procedure in a state where the unit price of the photo print is set to be lowered step by step for each increase in the set number of the photo print preparations.
The print order control unit divides a group of photographic print production numbers having a common photographic print production unit price into a higher group having a larger number of photographic print production and a lower group having a smaller production number, and performing the input operation The print order acceptance according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the display guide process and the number correction process are executed only when the number of produced photo prints input from a copy belongs to the upper group. Terminal device.

Images