JP2009009589A - Image accumulation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image accumulation device facilitating retrieval. <P>SOLUTION: Image information is retrieved using communication history with the outside as a retrieval object for accumulated image related information. An example of the communication history is an image storage request to an image storage device and an instruction about the stored image information. Transmission of the image related information to other image accumulation devices is also an example of the communication history. Input history from a digital camera and a memory card, etc. can be retrieved. The history is concentrated on the image storage device and the related history is shared by a plurality of image accumulation devices. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image storage device.

  Various so-called image filing devices and electronic album devices have been proposed as image storage devices for still image data taken by a digital camera. For example, Patent Documents 1 to 6, Camemedia VS100MO (trade name of Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.), Digital Photo Station (trade name of Canon Inc.) PHOTO STATION PA-200 (trade name) and the like are known.

  On the other hand, for images taken by a digital camera, in addition to managing them individually as described above, image data is transmitted from a digital camera or a personal computer to an image storage device such as an external image server by communication means, It has also been proposed to outsource filing. The image stored in the image server can be browsed not only by the person entrusted with the storage but also by other people through communication.

  In addition, exchange of e-mails attached with images by communication between individuals is also performed, and there are various proposals regarding storage and use of images.

On the other hand, various proposals have been made regarding the retrieval of stored images. For example, Patent Document 6 discloses that a processing history is written in each image as information for subsequent searches in relation to FIGS. Specifically, the image selection date and time, other selection conditions such as the search history that led to that image, personal information such as who searched, etc. are written in the header part of the hit image of the search result. Is disclosed. For example, it is disclosed that the image selection date and time is useful when searching for the same image under the search condition “image viewed one week ago”.
JP-A-63-142963 JP-A-7-87432 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-282077 JP 7-182366 A JP-A-11-32285 JP 2000-341614 A

  An object of the present invention is to further improve the conventional technique as described above and provide an image storage device that can easily search for stored images.

  In order to solve the above problems, an image storage apparatus according to the present invention creates a communication unit, a display unit for displaying an image, and storage image data having a resolution sufficient for display on the display unit from input image information. In addition, a control unit that transmits image information and a processing history related to the image information to the image server via a communication unit, and a storage unit that stores image data for storage, the processing history stored in the image server When searching for an image, the processing history stored in the image server is received and searched, and the search result is displayed using the storage image data.

  In the present invention, when image information is required by search, it is preferable to receive image information from an image server.

  The image storage device according to the present invention further includes a television output terminal, and when displaying an image using the television output terminal, it is preferable to receive image information from an image server.

  The image storage apparatus according to the present invention further includes a printing unit, and when printing an image using the printing unit, it is preferable to receive image information from an image server.

  In the present invention, the storage image data is transmitted to another image storage device via the communication unit, and the other image storage device includes a storage unit for storing the received storage image data. When searching for an image based on the processing history stored in the image server, the other image storage device preferably receives the processing history stored in the image server and performs a search.

  Another image storage device according to the present invention includes a display unit for displaying an image, and uses the storage image data stored in the storage unit of the other image storage device to display a search result as a display unit of the other image storage device. Is preferably displayed.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to easily search for stored images.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of an image storage apparatus according to the present invention. The main object of the image storage device of the present invention is to store images taken by a digital camera. In the first embodiment, the image storage device is configured as a telephone-integrated image storage device. The first embodiment in FIG. 1 has substantially the same shape as a fax telephone with a display screen, and a receiver 2 is connected to the main body 1. The handset 2 may be a so-called cordless one. As with a normal telephone, when an incoming call is received, the telephone 2 is connected by connecting the handset 2 to enable a call. The large screen display unit 3 having a color high-definition liquid crystal display screen 3a of about 5 inches can be rotated with respect to the main body 1 and can be tilted along the main body 1 as shown in FIG. You can also. A detachable camera unit 4 is installed at the center of the upper end of the large screen display unit 3. Although the camera unit 4 is a small digital camera, it has a smaller number of pixels than a digital camera that captures an image to be stored in the image storage device, and is mainly intended for a videophone described later. is there.

  The telephone-integrated image storage apparatus in FIG. 1 can perform voice calls and fax communications via a telephone line connected by a modular jack 5 as in a normal fax telephone. Furthermore, it is possible to receive various services such as those provided by personal computer communication and mobile phones via this telephone line. For example, it is possible to exchange e-mails using the numeric keypad 6 and the large screen display unit 3, or to play back the music content on the stereo speaker 7 after receiving the distribution of music contents. It is also possible to transmit a face image photographed by the camera unit 4 and enjoy a videophone call by using the camera unit 4, the built-in microphone 8, and the speaker 7. Note that the voice exchange in the videophone can also be performed by the receiver 2. When a call is made with the microphone 8 and the speaker 7 with the receiver 2 placed, the transmission / reception button 9 is pressed at the time of incoming call or transmission. The stereo speaker 7 also generates a telephone ringtone.

  The charging cord 10 is connected to a commercial power line by a plug 11 and has an AC adapter 10a. Since the main body 1 has a built-in battery, the plug 11 can be removed and carried to any place if it is in a charged state.

  In the incoming call waiting state, display on the large screen display unit 3 is not performed, and the entire image storage device is placed in a minimum power consumption state. From this state, when the handset 2 is picked up, the transmission / reception button 9 is pressed, any of the numeric keys 6 is pressed, or any of the scroll dial 12, the left shift button 13 and the right shift button 14 is operated. The image storage device immediately rises and becomes active, and the display on the large screen display unit 3 starts. In either case, an initial menu screen is displayed on the large screen display unit 3.

  The scroll dial 12 can be rotated in the vertical direction, and by rotating this, the screen scroll in the vertical direction, menu selection in the vertical direction, icon selection in the vertical direction, and the like are performed. Further, by pressing the scroll dial 12, the selection is determined. The left shift button 13 performs a predetermined amount of screen scrolling in the left direction, menu shift in the left direction, icon shift in the left direction, and the like for each push. The right shift button 14 performs a predetermined amount of screen scrolling in the right direction, menu shift in the right direction, icon shift in the right direction, etc. for each push.

  The end button 15 is used to return the image storage device from the rising state to the incoming call waiting state. Returning to the incoming call waiting state is also possible by operating the menu with the scroll dial 12. Also, the image storage device returns from the rising state to the incoming call waiting state by lowering the handset 2 that has been mentioned.

  When the help button 16 is depressed when the operation of the image storage apparatus is lost, navigation by voice can be received.

  The function as a telephone has been described above, but the first embodiment in FIG. 1 is a telephone-integrated image storage device in which a memory card is taken out from an external digital camera and inserted into a card slot 17. Thus, the image data photographed by the digital camera is sucked from the memory card and stored in the main body 1 of the telephone-integrated image storage device having a hard disk. The sucked-out image data is displayed on the large screen display unit 3, printed by a fax print function, or an external image providing an image storage service such as another telephone-integrated image storage device or image server by a telephone function. Or sent to a storage device.

  It should be noted that image data from a digital camera can be directly captured from the digital camera by connecting the digital camera and the digital terminal 18 with a digital code, regardless of whether the memory card is inserted or removed. It is also possible to raise.

  In addition, when the main body 1 also serves as a charging and data siphoning station for a digital camera as disclosed in JP 2000-341614 A, a mounting portion for the digital camera is provided on the upper portion of the main body 1. A digital terminal 18 is arranged together with a charging terminal for the digital camera in the mounting portion. In this way, when the digital camera is placed on the mounting portion, the digital terminal 18 and the charging terminal directly contact the corresponding terminals of the digital camera, respectively, and the image can be sucked and charged.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the entire system in the first embodiment as described above, and the same reference numerals are given to the portions mentioned in FIG. The transmitter / receiver unit 20 includes the receiver 2 of FIG. 1, and the operation unit 21 includes the numeric keypad 6, the send / receive button 9, the scroll dial 12, the left shift button 13, the right shift button 14, the end button 15, A help button 16 and the like are included. The audio processing unit 22 processes signals from the speaker 7 and the microphone 8. Further, the power supply unit 23 connected to the charging cord 10 includes a battery 24 and supplies power to the entire telephone-integrated image image storage device 25.

  In the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 shown in FIG. 2, all image data in the memory card in the card slot 17 or all image data in the digital camera accessed through the digital terminal 18 are firstly used. The thumbnail data attached to the image is downloaded and temporarily stored in the memory in the control / processing unit 26.

  These thumbnail data are displayed side by side on the large screen display unit 3. When one of these thumbnails is selected by the operation unit 21 and an operation for viewing the thumbnail is performed, image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail is displayed. Is sucked from the memory card or digital camera. Image data in this state (hereinafter referred to as “original image data”) is in a compressed state, but the control / processing unit 26 decompresses the original image data and displays it on the entire large screen display unit 3. At the same time, the control / processing unit 26 thins out the pixels of the expanded original data to a resolution sufficient for display on the entire surface of the large screen display unit 3 and compresses the pixels to create storage image data. If the original image data has a file structure in which image data of a plurality of resolutions are prepared for the same image, this operation can be omitted. In this case, of the image data prepared for a plurality of resolutions, data having a resolution sufficient for display on the entire surface of the large screen display unit 3 is used as the storage image data.

  This accumulation image data is stored in the hard disk 28 of the storage unit 27. The storage unit 27 further stores a history of various operations described later. On the other hand, the corresponding original image data is transmitted from the communication unit 29 to the communication unit 31 of the image server 30 and stored in the image unit 33 of the large-capacity storage unit 32. In this way, the original image data is sucked up by the operation of the operation unit 21 for displaying the original image data on the large screen display unit 3, and the storage image data is automatically created and stored in the storage unit 27. Further, the original image data is transmitted to the image server 30 and stored in the mass storage unit 32. The mass storage unit 32 of the image server 30 includes a history unit 34 described later in addition to the image unit 33.

  Further, when one of the thumbnails displayed on the large screen display unit 3 is selected by the operation unit 21 and an operation for printing the thumbnail is performed by the printing unit 35, the same operation as described above is performed. That is, the control / processing unit 26 sucks original image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail from the memory card or the digital camera, decompresses the original image data, and sends it to the printing unit 35 to execute printing. At the same time, the control / processing unit 26 thins out the pixels of the expanded original data to a resolution sufficient for display on the entire surface of the large screen display unit 3 and compresses the pixels to create storage image data. The image data for accumulation is stored in the hard disk 28 of the storage unit 27, and the corresponding original image data is transmitted from the communication unit 29 to the communication unit 31 of the image server 30 and stored in the large capacity storage unit 32. In this way, the original image data is sucked by the operation of the operation unit 21 for printing the original image data by the printing unit 35, and the storage image data is automatically stored in the storage unit 27. Data is transmitted to the image server 30 and stored in the mass storage unit 32.

  Further, when one of the thumbnails displayed on the large screen display unit 3 is selected by the operation unit 21 and a request is made to print it by the high image quality printing unit 36 such as a silver halide printer in the image server 30 The operation is the same as above. That is, the control / processing unit 26 downloads original image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail from the memory card or the digital camera and expands it, and sends it to the large screen display unit 3 for confirmation of the print request target. Let At the same time, the control / processing unit 26 thins out the pixels of the expanded original data to a resolution sufficient for display on the entire surface of the large screen display unit 3 and compresses the pixels to create storage image data. The image data for accumulation is stored in the hard disk 28 of the storage unit 27, and the corresponding original image data is transmitted from the communication unit 29 to the communication unit 31 of the image server 30 and stored in the large capacity storage unit 32. Then, the original data in the large-capacity storage unit 32 is expanded and printing is performed by the high-quality printing unit 36. In this way, the original image data is sucked by the operation of the operation unit 21 for having the original image data printed by the high-quality printing unit 36 of the image server 30, and the storage image data is automatically created. The original image data is further transmitted to the image server 30 and stored in the large-capacity storage unit 32.

  In FIG. 2, the second telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 37 has the same configuration as the first telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 25 described above. Therefore, in order to avoid complication, illustration of components other than the communication unit 38 is omitted.

  The above operation is also executed when an operation for selecting one of the thumbnails displayed on the large screen display unit 3 by the operation unit 21 and sending it to the second telephone-integrated image storage device 37 is performed. That is, the control / processing unit 26 sucks the original image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail from the memory card or the digital camera and expands it, and thins out the pixels to a resolution sufficient for display on the entire large screen display unit 3. At the same time, it is compressed to create image data for storage. The storage image data is stored in the hard disk 28 of the storage unit 27 and is also transmitted from the communication unit 29 to the communication unit 38 of the second telephone-integrated image storage device 37. The transmitted storage image data is stored in the hard disk of the storage unit in the second telephone-integrated image storage device 37. On the other hand, corresponding original image data is transmitted from the communication unit 29 to the communication unit 31 of the image server 30 and stored in the large capacity storage unit 32. Thus, the original image data is sucked up by the operation of the operation unit 21 for transmitting a desired image to another telephone-integrated image storage device, and the storage image data is automatically created and stored in the storage unit. 27, and the original image data is transmitted to the image server 30 and stored in the mass storage unit 32. In this way, image transmission between telephone-integrated image storage apparatuses uses storage image data instead of original image data.

  The TV output terminal 39 is a digital terminal that outputs the expanded original image data for viewing on a digital TV, and outputs a digital signal similar to the output to the large screen display unit 3. The above operation is also executed when the operation unit 21 performs an operation of selecting one of the thumbnails displayed on the digital television connected to the television output terminal 39. That is, the control / processing unit 26 sucks original image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail from the memory card or the digital camera, decompresses the original image data, and outputs it to the television output terminal 39. Further, the control / processing unit 26 thins out the original image data to a resolution sufficient for display on the entire surface of the large screen display unit 3 and compresses the original image data to create storage image data. The image data for storage is stored in the hard disk 28 of the storage unit 27 and the corresponding original image data is transmitted from the communication unit 29 to the communication unit 31 of the image server 30 and stored in the large capacity storage unit 32. In this manner, the original image data is sucked up by the operation of the operation unit 21 for viewing a desired image on the digital television connected to the television output terminal 39, and the storage image data is automatically created. The original image data is further transmitted to the image server 30 and stored in the large-capacity storage unit 32.

  As described above, according to the present invention, by operating the operation unit 21 for image appreciation, printing, transmission, etc., the original image data is automatically downloaded and stored. The image data is stored in the hard disk 28 in the storage unit 27 inside the telephone-integrated image storage device 25. Therefore, an image that has been manipulated with some interest without being particularly conscious is always stored in the storage unit 27. If an image is necessary thereafter, only the storage unit 27 needs to be searched, and the captured image is scattered. There is nothing. Thus, from the viewpoint of storing image data, the construction of the database does not fail due to negligence.

  In addition, for the image existing in the storage unit 27, the corresponding original image data is always stored as a backup in the image server 30, so that the hard disk 27 of the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 is damaged on the user side. Even so, the original image data is safely stored.

  It should be noted that all the history of what operation is performed on which image by the operation unit 21 is automatically stored in the history unit 34 in the large-capacity storage unit 32 of the image server 30. Accordingly, it is possible to access the image server and search for an image stored in the storage unit 27 using the storage of the history unit 34 as a search key. In addition, since the history section 34 is a history that is related to the second telephone-integrated image storage device 37 as long as the history is related, the history of the image server 30 from the second telephone-integrated image storage device 37. It is also possible to search the image transmitted by the first telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 25 from the storage section in the second telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 37 using the storage 34 as a search key. It becomes possible. Since the history obtained once by accessing the history unit 34 is also stored in the storage unit 27 of the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 or 37, the image server 30 is not accessed each time unless updating is necessary. However, this can be used as a search key.

  The automatic storage of image data for storage and original image data accompanying operations such as image appreciation, printing, and transmission described above is omitted when automatic storage for the same image has already been performed by another operation. . For example, if the image data for accumulation and the original image data are already automatically stored in the storage unit 27 and the large-capacity storage unit 32, respectively, as a result of viewing the image first, the same image is subsequently printed in the printing unit 35. Even if printing is instructed, the printing is performed based on the expanded original data, and the automatic storage of the storage image data and the original image data is not repeated. However, only the history that the image printing is instructed is sent from the communication unit 29 to the communication unit 31 and stored in the history unit 34 of the large-capacity storage unit 32.

  The storage unit 27 of the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 stores storage image data with a small file size and stores the original image data on the image server 30 serving as a backup. This means that the capacity limit is substantially eliminated without increasing the cost of the storage unit 27. In addition, the communication opportunity between the image server 30 and the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 is reduced, and the amount of image communication data between the telephone-integrated image storage devices is reduced to reduce the communication cost. That is, the most frequent use of images in the telephone-integrated storage device 25 is appreciation by the large screen display unit 3, but the image data for storage in the storage unit 27 is sufficient for display on the entire surface of the large screen display unit 3. Because of the resolution, there is no problem with the image quality in viewing, and there is no need to access the image server 30 to obtain original image data. Also, in image communication between telephone-integrated storage devices, what is required for the receiving party is a resolution sufficient for display on the entire large-screen display unit 3 on the other side, so it is sufficient to transmit the image data for storage. The communication cost can be reduced because it is not necessary to access the image data and obtain the original image data.

  When performing high-quality printing with the printing unit 35 or viewing an image on a digital TV connected to the TV output terminal 39, the image data for storage is insufficient in resolution, so the image server 30 is accessed. The original image data in the large-capacity storage unit 32 is downloaded to the buffer memory of the control / processing unit 26 and supplied to the printing unit 35 or the television output terminal.

  The telephone-integrated image storage device 25 can also edit an image stored in the storage unit 27. When editing, first, an image to be edited is called from the storage unit 27 and displayed on the large screen display unit 3. At the same time, the image server 30 is accessed, and the original image data on the image server 30 side corresponding to the storage image data displayed on the large screen display unit 3 is designated. Then, without downloading the original image data to the telephone-integrated image storage device 25, the operation unit 21 monitors the result on the large screen display unit 3 by the function of the image server 30 in a constantly connected state with the image server 30. Edit by the operation. The edited image is registered in the image server 30 as new original image data, and corresponding new storage image data is created and stored in the hard disk 28 of the storage unit 27. In this way, the apparent editing operation is performed by the operation unit 21 while monitoring the large screen display unit 3 in real time on the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 side, but in response to the editing operation of the operation unit 21, the original editing operation is actually performed. It is the function of the software on the image server 30 that applies the editing effect to the image data.

  FIG. 3 is a main flowchart of the telephone-integrated image storage device 25. When the power switch is turned on in step S1, it is checked in step S2 whether the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 has been registered in the server center. When the power switch is turned on for the first time after newly purchasing the telephone-integrated image storage device 25, or when the predetermined registration process is not completed, the process proceeds to step S3, and the connection to the image server 30 is automatically performed. When the connection is completed, a predetermined registration / initialization process is performed in step S4. When the connection is completed, the connection with the image server 30 is disconnected in step S5. Here, registration / initialization is necessary for registering the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 in the image server 30 and initializing a series of functions, and for both to cooperate in image storage and retrieval. is there. For example, even if the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 has been registered / initialized, if the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 has not been registered / initialized, the telephone-integrated image storage devices 25 and 37 will be stored in the image server. When the image data and the history data are shared via the network 30, troubles occur. For this reason, steps S2 to S5 have a meaning to ensure that this registration / initialization is performed when the individual telephone-integrated image storage device is used for the first time.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S2 that the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 has already been registered, various interrupts are enabled in steps S6 to S11, and a standby state is entered in step S12.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation when a storage interrupt is generated. The accumulation interrupt is performed when a memory card is inserted into the card slot 17 or when the digital terminal 18 is connected to the digital camera or when another telephone-integrated image such as the second telephone-integrated image storage device 37 is connected. It starts when an image is received from the storage device, and starts from step S21.

  In step S22, thumbnails of the image data in the memory card or the digital camera are sucked up by the control / processing unit 26 and displayed side by side on the large screen display unit 3. Further, if the storage interrupt is received when the storage image data is received from the second telephone-integrated image storage device 37 or the like, the thumbnail of the received storage image data is displayed on the large screen display unit 3.

  In step S23, it is checked whether or not it is a storage interrupt due to reception of image data for storage from another telephone-integrated image storage device. If it is an interrupt due to image reception, it is immediately stored in step S24 for storage. The image data is stored in the storage unit 27. In step S25, the storage unit 27 stores a reception history such as when the storage image data is received from whom. When these processes are completed, the storage image data received in step S26 is expanded and displayed on the large screen display unit 3 in place of the thumbnails that have been displayed so far, and the process proceeds to step S27 to wait for the next operation. ,stand by. If a plurality of storage image data has been received, one of them is selected according to a predetermined rule and displayed on the full screen in step S26.

  On the other hand, if the interruption is not due to image reception in step S23, it means that a memory card has been inserted into the card slot 17 or that a storage interruption has occurred since the digital terminal 18 is connected to the digital camera. In this case, the process jumps directly to step S27 to wait for the next operation while maintaining the thumbnail display.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation when an appreciation interrupt is generated. When an operation for selecting one of the thumbnails is performed on the operation unit 21 for the purpose of viewing, a viewing interrupt is generated, and the flow starts from step S31. In step S32, it is checked whether or not the storage image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail has been stored in the hard disk 28 of the storage unit 27. If not stored, the selected thumbnail corresponds to the unstored original image data in the memory card inserted into the card slot 17 or the digital camera connected to the digital terminal 18. Means. In step S33, the corresponding original image data from the memory card or the digital camera is sucked into the buffer memory of the control / processing unit 26. In this state, the original image data is compressed. In step S34, the original image data is expanded and the image data for accumulation is created by performing a thinning process in step S35. Further, this is compressed in step S36 and stored in the hard disk 28 of the storage unit 27 in step S37. In step S <b> 37, history data indicating that the stored image data stored together is viewed in the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 is also stored in the storage unit 27.

  In step S38, a series of processes for transmitting the original image data sucked in step S33 from the communication unit 29 to the communication unit 31 of the image server 30 in a compressed state and storing them in the large capacity storage unit 32 is performed. Start. In the transmission process of step S38, history data indicating that the transmitted image data is viewed on the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 is also transmitted to the image server 30 and stored in the history unit 34.

  In step S39, the image data for accumulation created in step S35 is displayed on the large screen display unit 3. In the above, step S38 means that the transmission process to the image server is started, and the transmission process itself is performed in parallel with the processes after step S39. Therefore, the process does not proceed to step S39 after the process of step S38 is completed. As soon as the process of step S38 is started, the process proceeds to step 39, and the display on the large screen display unit 3 is executed.

  On the other hand, if the storage image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail is already stored in the hard disk 28 in the storage unit 27 in step S32, the storage image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail is stored from the storage unit 27 in step S41. Read to control / processing section 26. At this time, the storage unit 27 stores a history of reading the storage image data for viewing. In step S42, the read storage image data is expanded, and the process proceeds to step S38. In this case, in the transmission process of step S38, only the history data that the image data for storage read from the storage unit 27 has been viewed on the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 is transmitted to the image server 30 and is sent to the history unit 34. Remembered. After the above processing, the storage image data expanded in step S42 is displayed on the large screen display unit 3 in step S39.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the data transmission process to the image server, which shows the detailed contents of the process in step S38 of FIG. 5 and is executed every predetermined time when “intermittent call” described later is set. It is also processed. When the flow starts in step S51, it is checked in step S52 whether the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 is connected to the image server 30. If not connected, a call is made to make a call to the image server 30 in step S53.

  In step S54, it is checked whether a predetermined time has elapsed after the call is made. If not, it is checked whether a telephone is connected in step S55. When the telephone is not connected, the process returns to step S54, and thereafter, steps S54 and S55 are repeated until a predetermined time elapses.

  If a telephone is connected in step S55, transmission of transmission data is executed in step S56. In some cases, the transmission data is the original image data and the operation history data that have been sucked from the memory card or the digital camera and stored in the control / processing unit 26. In some cases, the transmission data is only the operation history data. In step S57, it is checked whether or not the transmission of the transmission data is completed. When the transmission is not completed, the process returns to step S56, and thereafter, step S56 and step S57 are repeated until the transmission is completed. When the transmission is completed, the process proceeds to step S58, and the transmission data is deleted from the control / processing unit 26. In step S59, “intermittent call” is reset, and the process ends in step S60. Note that step S59 operates only when “intermittent call” is set, and when this is not set, there is no effect, and step S60 is reached.

  On the other hand, when the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 is being connected to the image server 30 in step S52, the process jumps to step S56 and immediately starts transmission of transmission data.

  If a predetermined time has elapsed since the telephone connection was unsuccessful in step S54, the process proceeds to step S61, and the transmission data is held in the control / processing unit 26. Furthermore, “intermittent call” is set in step S62, and the process ends in step S60. If it is already instructed to hold the corresponding transmission data in step S61, no action is performed in step S61. Similarly, if “intermittent call” has already been set, no action is performed in step S62. Such a case occurs when the connection fails again after the previous connection failure and the process goes from step S54 to step S61.

  When “intermittent call” is set, the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 automatically executes the flow from step S51 every predetermined time. Therefore, the operation from step S51 to step S55 and from step S61 to step S60 is performed unless the transmission data is transmitted, the data is erased, and the "intermittent call" is reset after step S55. Is repeated every predetermined time. During this time, if there is untransmitted original image data by the operation of step S61, it is stored in the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 together with the storage image data. This holding is first performed by the buffer memory in the control / processing unit 26 and backed up by the storage unit 27 at predetermined time intervals. In this case, when the deletion of the original image data is instructed in step S58, both the buffer memory in the control / processing unit 26 and the backup in the storage unit 27 are deleted.

  The transmission processing to the image server in FIG. 6 described above is also applied to the print interrupt and transmission interrupt flow described below.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation when a print interrupt is issued. When a print instruction is given by the operation unit 21, a print interrupt is generated, and the flow starts from step S71. In the printing instruction, whether to request external printing by the high-quality printing unit 36 of the image server 30 based on the original image data, or to perform internal printing in the printing unit 35 of the telephone-integrated image storage device 25, Furthermore, in the case of internal printing, whether to perform internal high-quality printing using original image data or simple image printing using image data for storage is set in advance using the operation unit 21.

  In step S72, it is checked whether or not a print instruction operation has been performed during viewing while displaying any image on the large screen display unit 3. If it is not during viewing, it means that one of the thumbnails is displayed on the large screen display unit 3 and printing is instructed. In this case, the process proceeds to step S73, and it is checked whether or not the storage image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail has been stored in the storage unit 27. If not stored, the selected thumbnail corresponds to the unstored original image data in the memory card inserted in the card slot 17 or the digital camera connected to the digital terminal 18, In step S74, the corresponding original image data from the memory card or the digital camera is sucked into the buffer memory of the control / processing unit 26. In step S75, the original image data is decompressed. In step S76, the image data for storage is processed, and the content is the same as the thinning process in step S35, the compression process in step S36, and the storage process in step S37 in FIG.

  In step S77, the original image data sucked in step S74 and history data indicating that printing has been instructed for the image data are transmitted to the image server. The contents are as shown in FIG. As the print instruction, any one of external printing, internal high-quality printing, and simple image-quality printing can be selected, and the history data is transmitted to the image server as to which of these is selected. The history data is also stored in the storage unit 27 in the storage image data processing in step S76.

  In the printing process in step S78, if internal high-quality printing is selected, the printing process starts in the printing unit 35 based on the original image data expanded in step S75. On the other hand, when the simple image quality printing is selected, the printing process starts in the printing unit 35 based on the storage image data. Further, when external printing is selected, the printing process is started by the high image quality printing unit 36 of the image server 30. In any case, when the printing process starts, the flow proceeds to step S79 and enters a standby state. In the above description, generally, step S77 means that the transmission process to the image server starts, and the transmission process itself is performed in parallel with the processes after step S78. However, when the process reaches step S77 from step S73 through step S74 as in the above case, the original image data is transmitted to the image server 30 and the storage in the image unit 33 is completed before the process proceeds to step S78. move on.

On the other hand, if a print instruction operation is performed during viewing while displaying any image on the large screen display unit 3 in step S72, this is a printing instruction after processing based on the viewing interrupt has already been performed. Is obvious. That is, the processing of FIG. 5 has already been executed, and the transmission processing of the corresponding original image data to the image server and the storage image data processing have been arranged. Accordingly, the process proceeds to step S80, where it is checked whether or not the sucked original image data is still held in the telephone-integrated image storage device 25. If it is not held, it means that the transmission processing of the original image data to the image server 30 is completed and it is deleted in the telephone-integrated image storage device 25. In step S81, it is checked whether internal high-quality printing is selected. In the case of internal high-quality printing, a process for receiving original image data is performed by calling and connecting to the image server 30 in step S82. Then, the received original image data is decompressed in step S83. In this case, in step S77, only history data indicating that printing has been instructed for the received original image data is transmitted to the image server 30.
Note that it is possible to store the history indicating the print instruction in the history unit 34 at the stage of step S82 communicating with the image server 30, and in this case, the history data transmission process in step S77 can be omitted. . In step S78, based on the original image expanded in step S82, the printing unit 35 performs a printing process.

  On the other hand, when the internal high image quality printing is not selected in step S81, the printing is the external printing or the simple image quality printing, so that the procedure for transmitting the original image data from the image server 30 to the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 is unnecessary. Then, the process directly proceeds to step S77, and printing processing is performed in the high-quality printing unit 36 or the printing unit 35 in accordance with the instruction.

  If it is determined in step S72 that the print instruction is operated during viewing and the process proceeds to step S80 and it is determined that the siphoning data is retained, the image data for storage has been processed, but the telephone This means that the transmission processing of the original image data to the image server has not been completed due to disconnection or the like. In this case, when the internal high image quality printing is instructed, the original image data expanded in the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 may be used, and the process directly goes to step S77. Then, a history data transmission process to the effect that printing has been instructed based on the image to be viewed is tried according to FIG. In this case, if the connection to the image server 30 is successful in step S55, in step S56, the original image data and the viewing history held as the transmission data are transmitted together with the print history as transmission data. Become. In this case, when external printing is instructed, the printing process in step S78 is started after the completion of transmission of the original image data to the image server 30.

  Further, if the storage image data has already been stored in the storage unit 27 in step S73, the process proceeds to step S80. In this case, it is a rare case that the siphoning data is held in the control / processing unit 26. In most cases, if the result of the check in step S81 is internal high-quality printing, the processing in steps S82 and S83 is performed. However, it is possible to perform only the history data transmission in step S77 by performing the check in step S80 just in case and avoid receiving unnecessary original image data from the image server 30. .

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation when a transmission interrupt occurs. When an instruction for transmission to the second telephone-integrated image storage device 37 or the like is given by the operation unit 21, a transmission interrupt is generated, and the flow starts from step S91. In step S92, it is checked whether or not a transmission instruction operation has been performed during viewing while displaying any image on the large screen display unit 3. If it is not during viewing, it means that one of the thumbnails is displayed on the large screen display unit 3 and the transmission is instructed. In this case, the process proceeds to step S93, and it is checked whether or not the storage image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail has been stored in the storage unit 27. If not stored, the selected thumbnail corresponds to the unstored original image data in the memory card inserted in the card slot 17 or the digital camera connected to the digital terminal 18, In step S94, the corresponding original image data from the memory card or the digital camera is sucked into the buffer memory of the control / processing unit 26. In step S95, the original image data is decompressed. In step S96, the storage image data processing is performed, and the contents thereof are the same as those in step S35 in FIG. 5, the compression processing in step S36, and the storage processing in step S37.

  In step S97, a transmission condition setting process is performed for the destination telephone-integrated image storage device 37 and the like. The transmission conditions include access right to the corresponding original image data of the image server 30 by the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 that has received the storage image data, download right, print right, edit right, transfer right, etc. Is set in the operation unit 21 prior to the transmission instruction. In step S97, transmission condition data creation processing for correctly transmitting these instructions to the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 and the image server 30 is performed.

  In step S98, the original image data sucked in step S94 and history data relating to a transmission instruction for this image data are transmitted to the image server. The contents are as shown in FIG. The history data includes data specifying transmission destinations such as the second telephone-integrated image storage device 37 and transmission condition data. The history data is also stored in the storage unit 27 in the storage image data processing in step S96.

  When the transmission process to the image server 30 is completed, in step S99, the storage image data and the transmission condition data created in the thinning process (corresponding to step S35 in FIG. 5) in the storage image data process in step S96 are sent to the transmission destination. A process of transmitting to the second telephone-integrated image storage device 37 and the like is started, and the process waits in step S100. This transmission process is almost the same as the transmission process to the image server in FIG. 6 except that the transmission destination is different.

  The transition from step S98 to step S99 is not limited to the case where the transmission process to the image server 30 is completed in step S98, but the connection to the image server 30 is not successful in step S98. Even when "call" is set, it is performed. That is, there is a case where the process of step S99 is executed by utilizing the waiting time until “intermittent call” is set and the next call to the image server 30 is performed.

  On the other hand, in step S92, if an operation of a transmission instruction is performed during viewing while displaying any image on the large screen display unit 3, it is a transmission instruction after processing based on the viewing interruption has already been performed. Is obvious. That is, the processing of FIG. 5 has already been executed, and the transmission processing of the corresponding original image data to the image server and the storage image data processing have been arranged. Further, the control / processing unit 26 includes the storage image data compressed in step S36 of FIG. Therefore, the process jumps directly to step S97. In step 98, only the history data relating to transmission including the transmission condition is transmitted to the image server 30. Regarding the history data, when a new history is transmitted to the image server 30, a history having the same content is always stored in the storage unit 27. This is a matter common to all cases in the present invention. When step S98 is completed, the storage image data compressed in step S99 is transmitted to the second telephone-integrated image storage device 37 together with the transmission conditions.

  On the other hand, when it is determined in step S92 that the image is not being viewed in full screen, and it is determined in step S93 that the storage image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail has been stored in the storage unit 27, In step S101, the storage data is read from the storage unit 27, and the process proceeds to step S97. The storage unit 27 stores a history of instructing to transmit the read storage data together with destination data and transmission conditions. Further, in step S98, the history data regarding the same transmission instruction is also transmitted to the image server 30. In step S99, the image data for storage read out in step S101 is transmitted to the second telephone-integrated image storage device 37 and the like together with the transmission conditions while being compressed.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing details of the transmission condition setting in step S97 of FIG. 8, and should be transmitted to the image server 30 and the destination telephone-integrated image storage device based on the setting in the operation unit 21 prior to transmission. Create data for transmission related to usage conditions. Hereinafter, FIG. 9 will be described by taking as an example a case where image data for storage is transferred from the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 to the second telephone-integrated image storage device 37.

  In FIG. 9, when the flow starts in step S106, the corresponding original image data of the image server 30 is set to be accessible from the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 based on the received storage image data in step S107. Check if it is. If it is set, access right data is created in step S108. This data is transmitted as transmission data to the image server 30 and the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 and is also stored in the history unit 34 of the image server 30. Even if the telephone server-integrated image storage device 37 calls the image server 30 without the access right data, access to the corresponding original data is rejected.

  If there is an access right, the process proceeds to step S109, and is it set to be able to request printing of the corresponding original image data of the image server 30 from the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 based on the received storage image data? Check if. If it has been set, high-quality print right data is created in step S110, and the process proceeds to step S111. The created high-quality print right data is transmitted as transmission data to the image server 30 and the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 and further stored in the history unit 34 of the image server 30. If it is determined in step S109 that printing is not possible, the process directly proceeds to step S112. If the high-quality print right data is not created, the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 can only perform simple image quality printing by itself based on the received storage image data.

  In step S111, setting is made so that the corresponding original image data of the image server 30 can be accessed from the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 based on the received storage image data and edited by the function of the image server. Check if it is. If set, high-quality print right data is created in step S112, and the process proceeds to step S113. The created editing right data is transmitted as transmission data to the image server 30 and the telephone-integrated image storage device 37, and is also stored in the history unit 34 of the image server 30. If there is this editing right data, the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 can store the edited image in the image unit 33 of the image server 30 as new original image data. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S111 that the editing is not possible, the process proceeds directly to step S113. If the editing right data is not created, the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 cannot modify the original image data corresponding to the received storage image data.

  In step S113, based on the received image data for storage, it is checked whether or not it is set so that the corresponding original image data of the image server 30 can be accessed from the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 and downloaded. To do. If it is set, high-quality print right data is created in step S114, and the process proceeds to step S115. The created download right data is transmitted as transmission data to the image server 30 and the telephone-integrated image storage device 37, and is also stored in the history unit 34 of the image server 30. If there is this download right data, the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 can obtain the original image data itself, which can be freely used thereafter. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S113 that download is not possible, the process proceeds directly to step S115. If the download right data is not created, the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 cannot obtain original image data as data.

In step S115, when the received storage image data is transferred from the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 37 to another telephone-integrated image storage apparatus, the above-described various settings set for the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 37. Check if it is set to transfer with the rights of This setting can be set independently for each right. If it is set that at least one of the above rights can be transferred with a right, right transfer right data is created for each right at step S116, and the flow ends at step S117. The created transfer data with rights is transmitted to the image server 30 and the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 as transmission data, and is also stored in the history unit 34 of the image server 30.
When transfer is performed with this right-attached transfer right data, the transfer-destination telephone-integrated image storage apparatus accesses the image server in the same manner as the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 37, and the set rights are set. Original image data can be used based on On the other hand, if it is determined in step S115 that no setting for enabling transfer with rights is made for any right, the process proceeds directly to step S117 and the flow is terminated. If the right-attached transfer right data is not created, the right set in the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 is limited to the telephone-integrated image storage device 37.

  The setting of various rights as described above is useful for image transmission of personal acquaintances, but is particularly useful when digital images are provided to customers for a fee as a product. By setting various combinations of rights, it is possible to smoothly distribute digital images.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation when an edit interrupt is generated. When an instruction to edit an image being viewed is given on the operation unit 21, an editing interrupt is generated, and the flow starts from step S121. Since the editing operation is performed using the function of the image server 30, a process for always connecting the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 and the image server 30 is performed in step S122. The details of this process conform to steps S51 to S55 in FIG. When the connection to the image server is made, it is checked in step S123 whether the image to be edited is a self-image provided to the image server 30 from the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 itself. If it is not a self-image, the original image data corresponding to the storage image data received from another telephone-integrated image storage device is to be edited, so whether or not the setting up to the editing right has been received in step S124. If it is checked and there is an editing right, the process proceeds to step S125. On the other hand, if the editing target is a self-image in step S123, there is of course an editing right, and the process directly proceeds to step S125.

  In step S125, based on the constantly connected state of the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 and the image server 30, the operation of the operation unit 21, the monitor in the large screen display unit 3, and the editing function of the image server 30 are used. The editing effect is exerted on the original image data of the server 30. In step S126, it is checked whether an instruction to save the editing result has been given by the operation unit 21. If a save instruction is given, the process proceeds to a save process in step S127. In the saving process, the edited result is stored in the image unit 33 of the image server 30 as new original image data, and the corresponding edited result displayed on the large screen display unit 3 in the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 corresponds to the new image data. Is stored in the storage unit 27 as image data for accumulation. When the storage process ends, the process proceeds to step S128. If no save instruction is given at step S126, the process directly proceeds to step S128.

  In step S128, it is checked whether an operation for completing the editing process has been performed on the operation unit 21. If completed, the process proceeds to step S129. On the other hand, if it is not completed, the process returns to step S125, and thereafter, steps S125 to S128 are repeated until the editing process is completed.

  In step S129, an edit history storage process is performed. In this process, the editing history is stored in the history unit of the image server 30 and the similar history is also stored in the storage unit 27 of the telephone-integrated image storage device 25. When the editing history storage process is completed, the process proceeds to step S130, the continuous connection with the image server 30 is cut off, and the standby state is set in step S131. If it is found in step S124 that there is no editing right, the process jumps directly to step S130 and immediately disconnects the regular connection with the image server 30.

  FIG. 11 is a table showing the data structure of the image unit 33 in the large-capacity storage unit 32 of the image server 30 and includes “image ID”, “header data”, “original image data”, and “thumbnail data”. The “image ID” is assigned in order of image reception for internal management in the image server 30. Incidentally, FIG. 11 shows an example in which records for the history section 33 of the image server 30 are extracted from October 15, 2001 to October 23, the same year.

  “File No.” in “Header Data” is automatically assigned to the received image, and the first four digits indicate the registration number of the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus that provided the image, for example “1234” is This is the registration number of the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 of FIG. Therefore, “ID4” means that the first four digits are “1234”, and thus the image data is provided from the telephone-integrated image storage device 25. Further, “1231” in the data of “ID1” means a registration number in the second telephone-integrated image storage device 37 of FIG. Further, “1237” in “ID7” is a registration number of a third telephone-integrated image storage device (not shown).

  The next six digits of “File No.” mean a date. For example, “011015” in “ID1” indicates “October 15, 2001”. The next two digits of “File No.” indicate the number of the image received on that date. For example, “01” in “ID1” is received from the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 on October 15, 2001. Indicates the first image received on the day.

  Based on the numbering rules as described above, the “file No.” assigned to the original image data by the image server is immediately returned from the image server to the telephone-integrated image storage device, and is also stored in the corresponding storage image data. Assigned and stored in the storage unit 27 and used for image identification in subsequent handling and history management.

  In FIG. 11, as described above, the registration number of the telephone-integrated image storage device, the image acceptance date, and the image number are combined into one as “file No.”. It is also possible to manage such that the registration number and the image reception date are header data different from “File No.”, and the image data is specified by combining these different data.

  As described above, the image server 30 also stores image data obtained as a result of editing certain original image data as new “original image data”. Then, the “file No.” of the original image to be edited is input as information in the “edit target” column of “header data”. “ID10” and “ID11” are examples thereof. “ID 10” is image data provided by the telephone-integrated image storage device 25, but is originally edited and modified from the image data of “ID 1” provided from the telephone-integrated image storage device 37. On the other hand, “ID11” is obtained by editing the image data “ID4” provided by the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 itself. Note that “ID1” to “ID9” and “ID12” to “ID21” are not created by editing but are true original images, so “original” is displayed in the “editing target” column of “header part data”. Meaning "O" is entered.

  In the “Other” column of “Header Data”, header information necessary for other management is input, and in the “Original Image Data” column, the compressed original image data is stored in “Thumbnail Data”. Thumbnail image data is input to each column.

  12 is a table showing the data structure of the history unit 34 in the large-capacity storage unit 32 of the image server 30. “History ID”, “operation date”, “file No.”, “classification”, “operator” , “Participants”, and “conditions”. Incidentally, FIG. 12 illustrates an example of a record of operations performed from October 16, 2001 to October 18, 2001 in the history unit 34 of the image server 30.

  Among the history IDs, “ID3” to “ID6”, “ID8”, “ID11”, “ID12”, “ID17”, and “ID18” shown in italics are “ID3” to “ID18” in the image ID of FIG. This corresponds to new storage in the image server 30 of “ID11”. Therefore, these operation dates coincide with the dates in “File No.”. Further, in the “category” column, it is indicated what kind of history the image data is stored as a trigger. For example, “ID4” to “ID6” are transmitted to the image server 30 in response to an appreciation operation by the operation unit 21 and are stored in the image unit 33. “ID11” is sent to the image server in response to the operation of the operation unit 21 for editing, and “ID17” is the simple image quality printing. In the “operator” column, a history of who has performed an operation is recorded. For example, “ID3” records an operation by the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 as a history.

  Further, what is newly stored in response to a transmission operation such as “ID8” is recorded as a history of the transmission partner in the “participant” column. In this example, the third telephone-integrated image storage is performed. The transmission from the apparatus to the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 25 is shown. In addition, a transmission condition is recorded in the “condition” column, and “impossible” in this example indicates that no access right to the original image data in the image server 30 is permitted.

  In FIG. 12, a history ID not shown in italics is a history of operations performed thereafter on already stored image data. For example, “ID1” was viewed on the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 on October 16, 2001, with respect to the original image data “12301101501” already stored in the image part on October 15, 2001. It is a history showing that. “ID2” is a history indicating that the same image data was transmitted to the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 on the same day. With “ID2”, the telephone-integrated image storage device 37 gives the image-quality printing right and the editing right to the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 at the time of transmission.

  Of the histories in FIG. 12, the histories related to the telephone-integrated image storage device 25, that is, histories other than “ID1” and “ID3” are also stored in the storage unit 27 of the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 itself. .

  On the other hand, of the histories in FIG. 12, the histories involving the telephone-integrated image storage device 37, that is, the histories of “ID1” to “ID3”, “ID9”, “ID10”, and “ID17” are the telephone-integrated images. It is also stored in the storage unit of the storage device 37. This is because “ID9” and “ID10” are operation histories in the telephone-integrated image storage device 25, but the target is an image provided from the telephone-integrated image storage device 37. In addition, “ID17” is a history for the image provided from the telephone-integrated image storage device 25, but as is apparent from “ID10” in FIG. This is because the image provided by is edited.

  In this way, a plurality of telephone-integrated image storage devices can share information not only on the image data exchanged with each other but also on their handling history via the image server 30. This means that the image database and history data can be shared. As long as the data is related to itself, the history unit 34 of the image server 30 is not directly exchanged between the telephone-integrated image storage apparatuses but is operated by another telephone-integrated image storage apparatus. By accessing, you can get the latest handling history information.

  The history stored in the history unit 32 of the image server 30 or the storage unit of the telephone-integrated image storage device itself is useful for image retrieval. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation when a search interruption occurs. When the operation unit 21 is instructed to search for desired storage image data from the storage unit 27, a search interruption occurs and the flow starts from step S136. In step S137, the operation unit 21 performs search condition setting processing while viewing the large screen display unit 3.

  When the setting of the search condition is completed, it is checked in step S138 whether the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 is connected to the image server 30. If not connected, a call is made to make a call to the image server 30 in step S139. In step S140, it is checked whether a predetermined time has elapsed after the call is made. If not, it is checked in step S141 whether a telephone is connected. When the telephone is not connected, the process returns to step S140, and thereafter, step S140 and step S141 are repeated until a predetermined time elapses.

  If the telephone is connected in step S141, the latest history is received from the history unit 34 of the image server 30 in step S142, and the history of the storage unit 27 is updated. At this time, if there is image data related to the image data provided by the telephone-integrated image storage device 25, at least the header data is also received and stored in the storage unit 27. In step S143, the connection with the image server 30 is disconnected.

  In step S144, search execution processing is performed based on the header data and history data of the image data in the storage unit 27 and the search conditions set in step S137, and the result is displayed on the large screen display unit 3. In step S145, a search history including search results is stored. Specifically, the new search history is stored in the history unit of the storage unit 27 of the telephone-integrated image storage device 25, and a call is made to the image server 30. Data is transmitted to the image server 30 based on the processing according to FIG. 6 and the history of the history unit 34 is updated. In step S146, a standby state is entered, and an operation from the operation unit 21 for the search result is awaited.

  On the other hand, if the predetermined time has elapsed since the telephone connection was unsuccessful in step S140, the process proceeds to step S147, where the update with the latest history data from the image server 30 is given up and stored in the storage unit 27 at the present time. The header data and history data of the stored image data are employed as search targets. Based on this, a search is executed in step S144.

  FIG. 14 is a table showing an example of the history data related to the search, and includes the “search condition” set in step S137 of FIG. 13 and the “search execution result” executed in step S144. It has information on “search ID”, “search date”, and “searcher”.

  The search ID “ID1” is an example searched by the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 on October 19, 2001. As search conditions, there are set that there is history data dated October 16, 2001, that the history is not “printing”, and that the history is an operation of the telephone-integrated image storage device 25. As a result of searching the header data of the image information in FIG. 11 and the history data in FIG. Two pieces of image data “1233401101601” and “1233401101603” are extracted. In the history data of FIG. 12, the history IDs dated October 16, 2001 are from “ID1” to “ID8”. Among these, “ID4” to “ID7” are those operated by the telephone-integrated image storage device 25. The target image is narrowed down to three. Furthermore, “1233401101602” is excluded because it has a “printing” history, and the search execution result is finally determined.

  The search IDs “ID2” and “ID3” in FIG. 14 extract two related images before and after editing regardless of whether the search is performed from either the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 or the telephone-integrated image storage device 37. It is an example showing this.

  The search ID “ID4” in FIG. 14 is an image received by the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 or edited by the telephone-integrated image storage device 25, and from August 1, 2001 to October 21, the same year. This is an example in which image data having some history is retrieved.

  The search ID “ID5” in FIG. 14 is an image received by the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 from the second or third telephone-integrated image storage device, and is searched for image data to which a printing right is given. This is an example. Therefore, “123701101601” in which the access right to the original image data in the image server 30 is not permitted under the transmission conditions is excluded.

  The search ID “ID6” in FIG. 14 is an example in which the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 25 searches for an image that has been subjected to simple image quality printing, and is limited to a history having an operation date after October 18, 2001. As a result, “123101101501” operated before that is excluded.

  The search ID “ID7” in FIG. 14 is an example in which the image data is searched based on the storage that the external image was printed from the telephone-integrated image storage device 25 before December 31, 1998.

  The search ID “ID8” in FIG. 14 is an example of searching for image data that is viewed and transmitted by the telephone-integrated image storage device 37, and “123101101601” in which only viewing is performed is excluded.

  As described above, by setting appropriate search conditions for the header data of the image data in FIG. 11 and the history data of FIG. 12 based on ambiguous storage of past operations, the desired image data It becomes possible to assist extraction.

  Furthermore, the fact that the search is performed can be used later as history data. For example, as a result of searching for the search ID “ID1” in FIG. The history that the two image data “123401101601” and “123401101603” have been extracted is recorded as history IDs “ID13” and “ID14” in FIG. Therefore, for example, it is possible to perform a later search based on a memory such as “what date and how many days have been searched by the telephone-integrated image storage device 25”, and the details in the search history of FIG. By setting a simple search condition as a search condition in a new search, a more detailed search can be performed.

  Thus, according to the present invention, past operation histories are automatically stored as search keys without adding special search keys or classifications to image data. The premise of the database search function never breaks down.

  FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the entire system in the second embodiment according to the present invention, and parts common to the first embodiment in FIG. Is omitted. Further, since the image server 30 in FIG. 15 has the same configuration as that in FIG. 2, the internal details are omitted except for the communication unit 31. Further, the accumulation input unit 51 in FIG. 15 collectively shows the card slot 17 and the digital terminal 18 in FIG. 2, and the contents thereof are the same.

  The second embodiment in FIG. 15 has a business server 52, and can be connected to the image server 30, the telephone-integrated image storage device 37, and the telephone-integrated image storage device 54 by the communication unit 53. The business server 52 accumulates business images 55 and stores commercial messages 56 relating to the use of the images 55 and the like. On the other hand, the commercial message storage unit 57 of the telephone-integrated image storage device 54 receives the commercial message 56 from the business server 52 from the communication unit 29 and stores it, and the control / processing unit 58 controls the large screen display unit 3 and Depending on the case, the commercial message is also reproduced on the speaker 7.

  In the above configuration, the business server 52 periodically connects to the telephone-integrated image storage device 54 according to the CM contract, for example, once a week, and updates the commercial message in the CM storage unit 57. The commercial message in the CM storage unit 57 is also updated by connection from a telephone-integrated image storage device 54 described later. Further, when the business server 52 is connected to the telephone-integrated image storage device 54, the business server 52 performs a CM reception fee payment process to the telephone-integrated image storage device 54 based on a payment request process described later.

  FIG. 16 is a flowchart of CM interruption in the second embodiment, and explains the function of the control / processing unit 58 regarding the handling of the commercial message. The CM interrupt in FIG. 16 is applied in the following case. First, the CM interruption operation is manually performed by the operation unit 21. This operation may be performed arbitrarily as long as the user desires. However, this operation is particularly effective when a call is put on hold by the other party while someone is calling and the telephone fee is charged. As will be described later, when a CM is interrupted and a CM is reproduced during telephone billing, a CM reception fee is paid from the business server 52 to the telephone-integrated image storage device 54 according to the telephone fee corresponding to the reproduction time. This means that the business server purchases the waiting time when the other party is put on hold during the telephone billing, and the telephone bill is not wasted. By constructing such a business model, the business server 52 gives an incentive for receiving a commercial message to the telephone-integrated image storage device 54.

  In addition to the manual operation as described above, a CM interruption may be generated by automatically detecting a silent state during a call or a hold state of a call based on a pending chime sound transmitted from the other party.

  When a commercial interruption occurs, the flow starts from step S151. In step S152, a number of commercial messages stored in the commercial storage unit are shuffled to determine the order each time, and commercial playback starts from the first one. To do. The reason for shuffling is to produce unexpectedness by changing the order at random, and to receive the same commercial message many times.

  In step S153, it is checked whether or not a CM interruption has occurred during telephone billing. If telephone billing is in progress, the unit price for telephone billing according to the call destination is checked and recorded in step S154. On the other hand, if telephone billing is not in progress at step S154, step S154 is skipped.

  In step S155, it is checked whether or not there is an instruction to end CM playback. This termination instruction is performed when the caller manually operates the operation unit 21 when the other party comes out to the telephone and the hold is over. Alternatively, it may be configured to automatically issue an end instruction upon detecting that the telephone is no longer silent or that there is no pending chime sound transmitted from the other party.

  If there is no end instruction in step S155, the process proceeds to step S156 to check whether there is an instruction to change a commercial message. This change instruction is performed by manually operating the operation unit 21 at the will of the caller. If there is no change instruction in step S156, it means that the caller has an intention to continue to watch the same CM. Therefore, the process returns to step S155, and step S155 and step until the end instruction or change instruction is made. Repeat S156.

  If there is a change instruction in step S156, the process proceeds to step S157, and it is checked whether or not the change instruction has been made within a predetermined time after the reproduction of the commercial message is started. This predetermined time is, for example, about 2 seconds. If the change instruction is given within a predetermined time, even if it is the first commercial message, the caller is not interested, or the commercial message has already been played and the caller does not want to see it again In any case, the caller does not want to play the commercial message thereafter. Accordingly, the process proceeds to step S158, where a “revocation mark” is assigned to the commercial message, and then the process proceeds to reproduction of the next commercial message in step S159. Note that the commercial message to which the “abolition mark” is assigned is excluded from the reproduction target when determining the order of the commercial message in step S152 as far as the telephone-integrated image storage device 54 is concerned. On the other hand, if the change instruction is not within the predetermined time in step S157, the “abolition mark” is not given and the process proceeds to step S159. This is because there is a possibility of being seen repeatedly.

  In step 160, it is checked whether or not an end instruction has been issued. If there is no end instruction, the process returns to step S155. Thereafter, steps S155 to S160 are repeated until an end instruction is issued. If there is an end instruction, the process proceeds to step S161, and the CM time from the start of the CM interrupt to the end instruction is counted and recorded. In the state where Step S155 and Step S156 are repeated after waiting for the change instruction in Step S156, if there is an end instruction in Step S155, the process jumps to Step S161 immediately.

  When the time count information is obtained in step S161, the process proceeds to step S162, and the abolition request process is performed. In the abolition request processing, it is checked whether there is a commercial message to which the abolition mark is given in step S158, and if there is a match, the commercial server 52 is promptly connected to update the commercial message with the abolition mark to a new commercial message. Is a process for obtaining. Since this processing is necessary for the business server side 52, the telephone charge for this is processed by the incoming side payment of the business server 52.

  When the arrangement for the process in step S162 is completed, a payment request process is performed in step S163. In the payment request process, a payment request amount is calculated from the hourly unit price information recorded in step S154 and the CM time recorded in step S161. Then, the business server 52 is charged for this payment process at the next opportunity to connect to the business server. The consideration for seeing a commercial message has nothing to do with whether the hourly unit price of the phone call is high or low, but by using the above business model, the incentive to CM interruption is psychological To increase. When the arrangement for payment request processing is completed, the flow enters a standby state in step S164. Note that since CM interruption can be made arbitrarily, it is possible even when a call is received from the other party or when the call is not being made. In such a case, there is no recording of the unit price per hour in step S154. In this case, it is assumed that the hourly unit price is zero and the payment request process in step S163 is not performed.

  From the standpoint of the business server 52, the purpose can be achieved only by looking at the commercial message for any reason, so that the business receiving incentives for the CM interruption by paying the CM reception fee even when the telephone is not charged. A model is also possible. In this case, the embodiment is different from the above, and even if the hourly unit price is not recorded in step S154, it is assumed that a predetermined amount of hourly unit price is recorded, and the payment request process is performed in step S163. . However, this "predetermined amount" is the minimum hourly unit price for telephone charges in order to avoid obscuring the meaning of the original incentive to have the business server purchase useless holding time during telephone billing by looking at the CM. Is set to be clearly lower.

  When there is an application for using the business image 55 due to the effect of the commercial message, the business server 30 provides this to the telephone-integrated image storage device 54 for a fee. Thus, the user of the telephone-integrated image storage device 54 may be not only a general user but also an image user. Regarding the distribution of business images, a business model in which the image server 30 and the business server 52 cooperate to provide an image from the image server 30 to the business server 52 is also possible. In this case, the image server 30 may not only store images from general users, but also serve to store images of professional image writers. At this time, the user of the telephone-integrated image storage device 54 becomes a professional image writer. Note that the commercial message 56 of the business server 52 is not limited to the image product, but can be widely applied to general products.

  FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the entire system according to the third embodiment of the present invention, in which parts common to the first embodiment in FIG. Is omitted. The camera unit 4, the audio unit 22, the speaker 7, the microphone 8, and the power supply unit 23 of FIG. 2 are also provided in the third embodiment, but illustration and description thereof are omitted in FIG. Since the second telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 103 has the same configuration as the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 101, the configuration other than the communication unit 38 is omitted in order to avoid complication.

  This third embodiment is basically the same configuration as the first embodiment, but for storing e-mail on the Internet for storing image data for storage, sending it, and associating it with original image data. It is characterized by using e-mail software.

  Mail software 106 is stored in the hard disk 105 of the storage unit 104 of the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 101, and the image data for storage is stored in the hard disk 105 as an attached file of the mail file in the mail software 106. . The hard disk 105 further stores history software 107, which stores and manages a history when the mail file displayed on the large screen display unit 3 is operated by the operation unit 21. The functions such as the mail software 106 and the history software 107 are processed by the control / processing unit 108.

  The large-capacity storage unit 109 of the image server 102 has a large-capacity hard disk 110, and has the same format as the image storage software 111 for storing and managing original image data and the history software 107 of the telephone-integrated image storage device 101. Software 112 and editing software 113 are stored. The hard disk 110 of the image server 102 further has mail software 114 having a common format with the history software 107 of the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 101, and corresponds to this when the original image data is stored in the image storage software 111. The image data for storage to be created is created, attached to the mail, and transmitted to the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 101. As described above, in the third embodiment, the image server 102 has a function of creating image data for storage, but other functions are basically the same as those in the first embodiment.

  In the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 101 as described above, the user directly operates the basic software 115 of the image storage apparatus. Except for individual mail files, the mail software 106 and the history software 107 The screen does not appear on the large screen display unit 3. Therefore, in the actual operation, the user does not need to open and operate the mail software 106 or the history software 107 each time, and apparently only performs an operation based on the basic software 107 appearing on the screen. As a result, the basic software automatically operates the mail software 106 and the history software 107 behind it.

  18 to 20 show display screen layouts displayed on the large screen display unit 3 in the third embodiment. Hereinafter, a change in the display screen layout in the third embodiment will be described with a case where a storage interruption is caused by inserting a memory card into the card slot 17 as a model case.

  FIG. 18A shows an initial screen by the basic software 115 of FIG. 17, and this screen is automatically displayed by the storage interruption in FIG. Is done. In FIG. 18A, the large screen display unit 3 includes an information screen 201 and an operation screen 202, and a thumbnail 203 is displayed on the information screen 201. When the number of thumbnails 203 is large, the screen can be scrolled up and down by selecting the scroll button 204 with the operation unit 21.

  In the model case, the initial screen of FIG. 18A is displayed due to the storage interruption due to the insertion of the memory card, so the data source display portion 205 of the operation screen 202 is displayed as “card”. On the operation screen 202, an appreciation button 206, a print button 207, a mail button 208, an edit button 209, and a search button 210 are displayed. By selecting these buttons with the operation unit 21, an interrupt of a desired operation is interrupted. Take it. Further, by selecting one of the thumbnails using the operation unit 21 and operating the delete button 211, the corresponding image data is deleted from the data source displayed on the data source display unit 205. In this case, since the display is “card”, the corresponding image data is deleted from the inserted memory card. Hereinafter, the various buttons displayed on the large screen display unit 3 are selected and operated by the operation unit 21, and thus the reference is not repeated. Instead of such operation by the operation unit 21, a graphical user interface (GUI) is configured as a touch panel so that a button on the large screen display unit 3 can be directly touched and operated by a finger. Good.

  In FIG. 18A, when one of the thumbnails is selected by the operation unit 21 and the appreciation button 206 is operated, an appreciation interrupt is generated and the screen shown in FIG. 18B is displayed. In FIG. 18B, image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail is downloaded from the memory card, and is displayed on the information screen 201 as an enlarged screen 212 after undergoing necessary processing such as decompression thinning. At the same time, the sucked original image data is transmitted to the image server 102, and the storage image data is stored in the telephone-integrated image storage device 101.

  In the screen of FIG. 18 (B), when the forward operation to the next screen is performed by the screen advance button 213, image data corresponding to the next thumbnail in the array of FIG. 18 (A) is sucked from the memory card, and decompression thinning is performed. The image is displayed as an enlarged screen 212 through necessary processing and the like, and transmission of original image data and accumulation of image data for accumulation are performed. It should be noted that the thumbnail button 214 is operated to once return to the screen of FIG. 18A, and an arbitrary thumbnail is selected and the appreciation button is operated to display the desired enlarged screen 212 in FIG. 18B. Can be reached.

  The screen layout during viewing in FIG. 18B is the same as that shown in FIG. 18A except that the display of the viewing button 206 disappears. By operating one of these buttons, the image being viewed is displayed. It can be printed, emailed, and edited. It is also possible to jump directly from the viewing screen to the search screen by operating the search button 210, or to delete the image data corresponding to the enlarged screen 212 by operating the delete button 211.

  FIG. 19A shows a display layout of a mail file created by the mail software 114 of the image server 102 and transmitted to the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 101. This mail file is attached with the image data for accumulation created in the large-capacity storage unit 109 based on the original image data transmitted to the image server 102 by the accumulation interruption, and the transmission of the original image data to the image server 102 is performed. Is immediately created and returned to the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 101.

  The mail file 216 includes a send button 217, an address field 218, a subject field 219, a message field 220, and the like. The address field is blank, and the subject field 219 is assigned to the original image data by the image server 102. File No. Is automatically entered.

  In the message field 220, a thumbnail 221 corresponding to the storage image data attached to the mail file 216 is displayed, and a simple print button 222, a fine print button 223, an edit button 224, a download button 225, and A transfer button 226 is displayed. The display in the message field 220 is not a simple image but is a link button. That is, the thumbnail 221 also serves as a link button for storage image data attached to the mail file. When the thumbnail 221 is clicked, the storage image data is opened and displayed in an enlarged manner.

  The link functions of the other buttons are as follows. First, when the simple print button 222 is clicked, simple print starts based on the storage image data attached to the mail file. When the fine print button 223 is clicked, connection to the image server 102 is made, and printing in the high quality print unit 36 starts based on the corresponding original image data in the image storage software 111. Further, even if the edit button 224 is clicked, the image server 102 is connected and the editing software for the corresponding original image data in the image storage software 111 is activated. Even when the download button 225 is clicked, the connection to the image server 102 is established, and the download of the corresponding original image data in the image storage software 111 starts. On the other hand, when the transfer button 226 is clicked, the mail software 106 of the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 101 copies the mail file to create a transfer file.

  The mail file as described above in FIG. 19A is stored in the hard disk 105 by the mail software 106 immediately after reception. Therefore, when the initial screen shown in FIG. 18A is subsequently raised by manual operation, the data source display unit 205 becomes the “accumulation device” and the mail files are stored in order from the latest mail file stored in the mail software 106. Thumbnails 221 are displayed in accordance with the layout of FIG. Note that when one of the thumbnails is selected from the state of FIG. 18A for the image data already stored in the hard disk 105 and the viewing button 206 is operated, the image data is stored even though it is stored in the mail file format. The enlarged screen is displayed in the format of FIG. 18B instead of the mail format layout of 19A. Therefore, the display format is the same except that the data source display unit 205 is “storage device”.

  The storage image data transmitted from the second telephone-integrated image storage device 103 is also in the same format as the mail file similar to FIG. 19A, and is stored in the hard disk 105 by the mail software 106 immediately after reception. The The viewing after storage is performed in the display format shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B as described above.

  As described above, in the case of reception from the image server 102 or reception from another telephone-integrated image storage device 103, as long as the basic software is operated, the surface remains as it is as shown in FIG. The layout of (A) is never displayed.

  FIG. 19B shows the layout of the display screen when the mail button 208 is operated to mail the image viewed in FIG. 18B to the telephone-integrated image storage device 103, for example. At this time, a copy of the mail file corresponding to the image data being viewed in FIG. 18B is displayed on the information screen 201 of the large screen display unit 3 as a new mail according to the mail layout of FIG. 9A. Is displayed. As long as the information screen 201 is operated, the mail software 106 functions.

  Therefore, the mail address of the telephone-integrated image storage device 38 is input as a destination, and transmission conditions are set. The transmission condition is set by deleting a button corresponding to a function that is not desired to be permitted from the message field 220. For example, if the image to be transmitted this time is permitted up to the printing right but not the editing right, the download right, and the transfer right with right, the edit button 224, the download button 225, and the transfer button 226 are deleted from the message field 220. As a result, not only the button display in the message field disappears, but also the links from these buttons are released, so that even if it is intended to download the original image data of the received image, the operation becomes impossible.

  When the necessary input and condition setting for mail are completed, the confirmation button 227 on the operation screen 202 is operated. If the confirm button 227 is not operated, the send button 217 cannot be operated. This is because image data cannot be transmitted carelessly with unintended rights set. When the send button 217 is operated, the mail transmission is started, and when the transmission is finished, the mail mode is ended and the screen returns to the previous screen. In this case, the process returns to FIG. Note that the mail mode is also ended by operating the cancel button 228 on the operation screen 202 without performing transmission. The processing of whether to save the mail being created follows the mail software.

  By executing the transmission, the part of the information screen 201 in FIG. 19B, that is, the part in FIG. 19A is transmitted as an email to the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 103 by the mail software 106 via the communication unit 29. The However, since the telephone-integrated image storage device 103 also has the basic software 115, the received image is displayed in a layout as shown in FIG. 18 (A), FIG. 18 (B), or FIG. 19 (B). The layout of A) is never displayed raw. In this case, since the rights set for the received image are limited, in the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 103, the edit button 224, download button 225, and transfer button in the display layout of FIG. 226 is not displayed, and the edit button 209 is not displayed in the display layout of FIG.

  Even if there is no basic software on the receiving side, the display and various link functions performed according to the format of general-purpose mail software can be used for attaching an image and setting the link button. In this case, the raw mail file shown in FIG. 19A is displayed on the receiving side. As long as the right is set, a link button is displayed in the message field 220. For example, if the download is permitted, the download button 225 in FIG. 19A is clicked to obtain the original image data. be able to.

  Furthermore, even if there is no basic software on the receiving side as described above, images are sent with one image attached to one e-mail, so each image is converted into a general-purpose e-mail software format. The subject, the sender, the transmission date, the recipient, and the reception date of the mail are automatically assigned. Therefore, based on these data, it is possible to perform image search using the mail search function of general-purpose mail software.

  FIG. 20A shows the layout of the display screen when the print button 207 is operated to print the image viewed in FIG. 18B. On the enlarged screen 231 of the information screen 201, the same image data as the enlarged screen 212 that was being viewed in FIG. 18B is displayed. In the subject field 232, the file number assigned by the image server 102 is displayed. Is automatically entered.

  On the operation screen 202 in FIG. 20A, first, three buttons for selecting the type of printing are displayed. That is, the simple print button 233 for selecting printing based on the storage image data, the high-quality print button 233 for selecting printing inside the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus based on the original image data, and the image server 102 based on the original image data. This is an external print button 233 for selecting printing. However, if the access right is not set for the target image, only simple printing can be performed, so these three buttons are not displayed and only simple printing is set. If the download right is not set, the high-quality print button 234 is not displayed. If the high-quality print right is not set, the external print button 235 is not displayed.

  In addition, the operation screen 202 is provided with a printing number setting button 236, a printing paper size setting button 237, and a detailed setting button 238 for opening a screen for setting more detailed printing conditions.

  When various settings on the operation screen 202 are completed, the execution button 239 is operated to start printing. When canceling printing, the cancel button 240 is operated.

  FIG. 20B shows the layout of the display screen when the edit button 209 is operated to edit the image being viewed in FIG. On the enlarged screen 241 of the information screen 201, the same image data as the enlarged screen 212 that was being viewed in FIG. 18B is displayed. Further, the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 101 is always connected to the image server 102, and the execution of the editing function performed by the large screen display unit 3 is left to the image server 102.

  On the operation screen 202, various editing buttons 243 to 248 based on the function of the editing software 113 of the image server 102 are displayed. In addition, a detailed setting button 249 for opening an operation screen for performing more detailed editing is provided. When the editing is completed and the confirmation button 250 is operated, the edited image is stored as new original image data by the image storage software 111, and the constant connection with the image server 102 is disconnected. Even if the cancel button 251 is operated, the constant connection with the image server 102 is disconnected. In this case, the image being edited is not saved as new original image data.

  The operations of the buttons in FIGS. 18 to 20 are all stored in the history software 107 of the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 101 as history data. The operation performed in cooperation with the image server 102 is also stored in the history software 112. Further, the history software 107 and the history software 112 regularly exchange information and share a mutual history. That is, the history of the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 101 is uploaded to the image server 102 in almost real time. On the other hand, for example, the history associated with the image of the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 101 grasped by the image server 102 from the operation of the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 103 or the telephone-integrated image storage based on the function of the image server 102 itself. The history related to the image of the apparatus 101 is also downloaded from the history software 112 to the history software 107 in almost real time.

  FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the entire system according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, and is basically the same as the first embodiment shown in FIG. However, the telephone-integrated image storage device 301 and the second telephone-integrated image storage device 302 are different from the first embodiment in that the image data for storage is not used and all are handled in the form of original image data. In order to express this, a format different from that in FIG. 2 is adopted in the illustration of FIG. 21, but the corresponding configuration is not different.

  Note that the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 301 in the fourth embodiment includes a transmission / reception unit 20, a television output terminal 39, a digital terminal 18, a camera unit 4, an audio unit 22, a speaker 7, a microphone 8, and the like shown in FIG. Although it has a configuration corresponding to the power supply unit 23, illustration and description are omitted in FIG. 21. The image server 303 also has a configuration corresponding to the large-capacity storage unit 32 and the high-quality printing unit 36 in FIG. 2, but illustration and description other than the communication interface 304 are omitted in FIG. Furthermore, since the second telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 302 has a configuration that is completely the same as that of the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 301, illustration and description other than the communication interface 305 are omitted.

  The operation during viewing in the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 21. First, when the memory card 306 is inserted into the card slot, the thumbnail data in the memory card is transferred from the card drive 307 in the card slot to the multiplexed bus. The data is output to the control / processing unit 309 at a predetermined timing. In the multiplexed bus 308, the address bus and the data bus are multiplexed. The thumbnail data processed by the control / processing unit 309 is output to the multiplexing bus 308 at a predetermined timing, taken into the display buffer 310, and displayed on the display unit 311.

  When the operation unit 312 performs an operation for selecting and viewing a thumbnail, corresponding data is output from the operation unit interface 313 to the multiplexing bus 308 at a predetermined timing, and is captured by the control / processing unit 309. In response to this, the control / processing unit 309 instructs the card drive 307 to output the original image data corresponding to the thumbnail from the memory card 306 to the multiplexing bus 308 at a predetermined timing and capture it. Then, the captured original image data is expanded and output to the multiplexing bus 308 at a predetermined timing, and is captured by the display buffer 310 and displayed on the display unit 311.

  The control / processing unit 309 continues to output the same original image data again from the memory card 306 to the multiplexing bus 308 at a predetermined timing, and instructs the image storage unit 314 to capture and store the same. The control / processing unit 309 continues to output the same original image data from the memory card 306 to the multiplexing bus 308 again at a predetermined timing, and instructs the communication buffer 315 to capture it. The original image data taken into the communication buffer 315 is transmitted to the communication interface 304 of the image server 303 via the communication interface 316 in response to an instruction from the control / processing unit 309.

  In the above description, the original image data is output from the memory card 306 to the multiplexing bus 308 three times in succession, but this may be performed once. That is, it may be configured such that when the original image data is output from the memory card to the multiplexing bus 308 to be captured by the control / processing unit 309, the image storage unit 313 and the communication buffer 314 are simultaneously captured. The same applies to image printing and image transmission described below.

  Next, the operation at the time of printing in the fourth embodiment will be described. When a thumbnail is displayed on the display unit 311, when the operation unit 312 selects one of them and performs an operation for printing. Corresponding data is output from the operation unit interface 313 to the multiplexing bus 308 at a predetermined timing and is captured by the control / processing unit 309. In response to this, the control / processing unit 309 instructs the card drive 307 to output the original image data corresponding to the thumbnail from the memory card 306 to the multiplexing bus 308 at a predetermined timing and capture it. Then, the captured original image data is decompressed and output to the multiplexing bus 308 at a predetermined timing, and is loaded into the print buffer 317 and printed by the printing unit 318.

  The control / processing unit 309 continues to output the same original image data again from the memory card 306 to the multiplexing bus 308 at a predetermined timing, and instructs the image storage unit 314 to capture and store the same. The control / processing unit 309 continues to output the same original image data from the memory card 306 to the multiplexing bus 308 again at a predetermined timing, and instructs the communication buffer 315 to capture it. The original image data taken into the communication buffer 315 is transmitted to the communication interface 304 of the image server 303 via the communication interface 316 in response to an instruction from the control / processing unit 309.

Furthermore, the operation at the time of transmission in the fourth embodiment will be described. When a thumbnail is displayed on the display unit 311, one of the thumbnails is selected by the operation unit 312 and is stored in the telephone-integrated image storage device 305. When an operation to transmit is performed, corresponding data is output from the operation unit interface 313 to the multiplexed bus 308 at a predetermined timing, and is captured by the control / processing unit 309. In response to this, the control / processing unit 309 instructs the card drive 307 to output the original image data corresponding to the thumbnail from the memory card 306 to the multiplexing bus 308 at a predetermined timing, and also instructs the image storage unit 314. This is taken in and memorized.

  The control / processing unit 309 continues to output the same original image data from the memory card 306 to the multiplexing bus 308 again at a predetermined timing, and instructs the communication buffer 315 to take in the same. The original image data captured in the communication buffer 315 is sent via the communication interface 316 in response to an instruction from the control / processing unit 309, and the communication interface 305 of the destination telephone-integrated image storage device 305 and the communication interface 304 of the image server 303. Sent to each.

  In the above description, the printing operation by the operation unit 312 is performed while the original image data is being viewed by the display unit 311, the original image data is taken into the image storage unit 314 and the communication buffer 315, and the image is transmitted from the communication interface 316. When the transmission of the original image data to the server 303 has already been completed, these operations are omitted. When the transmission operation by the operation unit 312 is performed under the same situation, the original image data is not taken into the image storage unit 314 and the image transmission is transmitted to the telephone-integrated image storage device 305. The transmission to the image server 303 is omitted. This is the same as in the first embodiment.

  FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control / processing unit 309 when a transmission interrupt to the image server is generated in the fourth embodiment. Each time original image data is newly output to the multiplexed bus 308 in FIG. 21, a transmission interrupt to the image server is applied. Further, as a result of the time count of a timer mentioned in step S181 described later, a transmission interruption to the image server is also applied when a predetermined time has elapsed since the previous transmission. If this predetermined time is, for example, 12 hours, the original image data sent to the batch transmission process in step S174 to be described later is sent to the image server 303 at least twice a day regardless of the accumulated data amount or the accumulated number. It will be.

  Now, when a transmission interruption to the image server occurs and the flow starts in step S171, it is checked in step S172 whether the telephone-integrated image storage device 301 is connected to the image server 303. If not connected, it is checked in step S173 whether the charging contract from the communication system for the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 301 is data amount charging performed according to the data amount to be communicated. If the data amount is not billed, it is a contract for billing according to the communication time, and in order to save the communication fee, batch transmission processing is performed in step S174. In the batch transmission process, the original image data is not transmitted immediately each time, but is temporarily stored in the control / processing unit 309 in order to transmit several items collectively.

  In step S175, it is checked whether or not the cumulative amount of original image data temporarily stored by the current transmission interrupt has reached a predetermined amount. If the predetermined amount has not been reached, it is further checked in step S176 whether or not the cumulative number of original image data has reached the predetermined number. If the predetermined number has not been reached, it is further checked in step S177 whether or not the current transmission interruption to the image server has occurred due to the elapse of a predetermined time by the timer.

  When it is found in step S177 that the transmission interruption has occurred after the elapse of a predetermined time, the original image data subjected to batch transmission processing in step S178 is collectively transferred from the control / processing unit 309 to the communication buffer 315 via the multiplexing bus 308. The In step S179, connection processing to the image server 303 is performed. When the connection is established, transmission of the original image data is started in step S180. In step S181, a timer reset start is performed. When a predetermined time has elapsed since the current transmission, a transmission interrupt to the image server is interrupted, so the current time count is reset and a new time count is started. To do. And it waits at step S182.

  On the other hand, in step S172, if the telephone-integrated image storage device 301 is connected to the image server 303 when a transmission interruption occurs, the process immediately jumps to step S180 to start transmission. If the data amount is charged in step S173, there is no point in saving the communication fee even if the batch transmission process is performed, so the process jumps immediately to step S179 to start the connection process to the image server 303.

  Further, when the cumulative amount of original image data exceeds a predetermined amount in step S175, or when the cumulative number of original image data exceeds a predetermined number in step S176, the process immediately jumps to step S178 to perform batch transmission processing. The original image data is transferred to the communication buffer 315, and the connection processing to the image server 303 in step S179 is started.

  It should be noted that the transmission interrupt to the image server in the fourth embodiment can be configured to occur even at a predetermined time (for example, early in the morning at 5:00 every day when communication is not busy). . In this case, in step S177, it is also checked whether or not a transmission interruption to the image server has occurred due to the predetermined time, and if so, the process proceeds to step S178.

  FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the entire system according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. Parts common to the first embodiment in FIG. 2 are assigned common numbers, and descriptions thereof are omitted. The camera unit 4, the audio unit 22, the speaker 7, the microphone 8, and the power supply unit 23 of FIG. 2 are also provided in the telephone-integrated image storage device 401 in the fifth embodiment. Omitted. Since the second telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 402 has the same configuration as the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 401, the configuration other than the communication unit 38 is omitted in order to avoid complication. In the image server 403, the storage unit 404 has the same configuration as the large-capacity storage unit 32 in FIG. 2, but is simply abbreviated as “storage unit”, and the image unit 33 and the history unit 34 therein are illustrated. Omitted. Further, the printing unit 405 has the same configuration as the high-quality printing unit 36 in the image server 30 of FIG. 2, but is simply abbreviated as “printing unit”. The image server 403 communicates with the telephone-integrated image storage device 401 and other system internal devices via a communication unit 406 similar to the communication unit 31 in FIG.

  The fifth embodiment basically has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment. However, the telephone-integrated image storage device 401 has not only the image server 403 but also other image servers. Send. As examples of other image servers, a second image server 407 and a third image server 408 are illustrated. The second image server 407 has a communication unit 409 similar to that of the first image server 403 and a storage unit 410 that manages images according to the same standard as the first image server 403, but a printing unit is provided. It is the type that is not. On the other hand, the third image server 408 has the same communication unit 411 as the first image server 403, but the storage unit 412 performs image management based on a unique standard, and the printing unit 413, for example, creates a calendar. It is of a type that can provide its own service.

  The hard disk 415 in the storage unit 414 of the telephone-integrated image storage device 401 stores general software 416. The general software 416 realizes the usability as if all the image data is stored in the storage unit 414 without worrying about which image server the original image is sent from the telephone-integrated image storage device 401. . Further, the history software 417 stores an operation history including information on which image server the operation is for. The software in these hard disks 415 functions by the control / processing unit 418.

  The following can be considered as a case where the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 401 uses a plurality of image servers. First, when each image server provides a free storage service for images with a capacity limit frame, a plurality of image servers are used in combination within the free frame. Further, even when a sufficient capacity is secured by paying a fee, a plurality of image servers may be used properly for various services. Further, when the telephone-integrated image storage device 401 is shared by a family, a plurality of different image servers may be used depending on the preferences of family members. In the fifth embodiment, even when a plurality of image servers are used in this way, the integrated software 416 can manage the images centrally.

  FIG. 24 is a table showing the data structure of image data managed by the overall software 416 in the storage unit 414 of the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 401. The “overall ID”, “management data”, “storage image data” And “thumbnail data”. The “overall ID” is assigned to manage the image data related to the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 401 in an integrated manner, and is assigned in the order of image storage in the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 401.

  The “management data” includes items of “input date”, “sender”, “server name”, “server file number”, and “common standard”. For example, these items in the “general ID 1” are as follows. First, since “input date”, this image data was stored on October 16, 2001, and the “sender” field is blank, so it is not an image received and stored from the outside, but a telephone It can be seen that the images are stored by the body image storage device 401 itself. Further, it can be seen from the “server name” that the corresponding original image is stored in the first image server 403. The first image server 403 assigns “server file No.” to the original image data stored based on the common standard. For example, “01123401101601” in which the code “01” assigned to the first image server is added to the head of “file No.” of “image ID 4” in FIG. 11 is the “server file for“ general ID 1 ”in FIG. No. " The code “01” assigned to the first image server is registered as identification information common to the system, and this code can be used anywhere in the system as long as it complies with the common standard.

  “123401101601” after the third digit of “Server file No.” has the same meaning as described in “File No.” in FIG. Note that, as described with reference to FIG. 11, a plurality of pieces of information may be combined into one and not set as “server file No.”, but may be a standard managed separately for each piece of information. “Yes” in the “Common Standard” column indicates that “General ID 1” is managed by the common standard.

  The telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 401 identifies original image data based on the “overall ID 1” and converts it to “server file No.” based on the comparison table in FIG. 24 to convert the image servers 403, 407, 408. To access etc. The image servers 403, 407, 408, etc. that have received access process the original image data specified by the “server file No.” as instructed from the telephone-integrated image storage device 401.

  “Overall ID 4” in FIG. 24 is an image that is received and stored from the outside, with the “sender” being the second telephone-integrated image storage device 402. Further, it can be seen from the “server name” that this image is stored by the first image server 403. In the “server file No.”, the first two digits are “01” which is the code of the first image server 403, and the next four digits are the registration number of the second telephone-integrated image storage device 402. Is “1231”. As described above, in the case of devices conforming to the common system standard, the “server file No.” also includes information on “sender” and “server name”, unless there is transfer by a person other than the registrant of the image. Will be included.

  The reason why the “sender” and “server name” items are provided separately from the “server file No.” corresponds to the case of transfer as described above, and image servers that do not comply with the common standard are also included in the system. This is because management is performed by the overall software 416. For example, “general ID 5” in FIG. 24 is the case where the first telephone-integrated image storage device 401 transmits original image data to the third image server 408, but the third image server 408 conforms to a common standard. Regardless, the original “server file No.” is given. Even in such a case, it is possible to perform overall management with the assignment of “overall ID” by the telephone-integrated image storage device 401 and the data structure of FIG.

  “General ID 12” in FIG. 24 is image data that the first telephone-integrated image storage device 401 sucks and stores by itself, but the corresponding original image is stored in the second image server 407. Since the second image server 407 performs management according to the common standard, the first two digits of “server file No.” are “05”, which is the code of the second image server 407. The next four digits are “1234” which is the registration number of the first telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 401. As described above, as long as the common standard is followed, the registration number “1234” of the first telephone-integrated image storage device 401 is consistently used regardless of the image server in which the image is stored. This registration number is registered as identification information common to the system, and this registration number is valid as long as it is an image server in the system.

The “server file No.” in FIG. 24 has been described as being given on the image server side, but an embodiment in which this is given on the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus side is also possible. In this case, however, the numbering rule information of “server file No.” based on the common standard and the latest code of each image server in the system managed by the common standard (for example, “01” for the first image server 403) ) Information is required. Further, the last two digits of “server file No.” mean the order of dispatch from the telephone-integrated image storage device 401, not the order of acceptance for each image server. Further, the following processing is necessary for the third image server 408 that is not based on the common standard.
That is, the overall software 416 provides a comparison table between the “server file No.” assigned on the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 401 side based on the common standard as described above and the file number uniquely assigned by the third image server. The file number is converted when communicating with the third image server 408 or the like.

  FIG. 25 shows a telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 401 when searching for an image and selecting one of the thumbnails displayed as a result and performing printing processing based on the corresponding original image data in the fifth embodiment. It is a flowchart of.

  When a search is performed on the premise of printing and a search result is obtained, the flow starts from step S191, and thumbnails corresponding to all image data hit as a result of the search are displayed in step S192. The search target is all images to which the general ID is assigned. In other words, the search range spans multiple image servers. Further, unless specific search conditions are set, original image data is searched regardless of which image server stores the original image data. Accordingly, there is a possibility that the storage destination of the original image data corresponding to the thumbnail of the search result displayed in step S191 is also over a plurality of image servers.

  If it is known in which image server the image server is stored, the image server may be added to the search key to perform a search. In this case, of course, the storage destination of the original image data corresponding to the thumbnail of the search result displayed in step S191 is limited to the image server that matches the search condition.

  In step S193, it is checked whether a predetermined time has elapsed after displaying the thumbnail. If not, it is checked in step S194 whether a thumbnail has been selected. If no selection is made, the process returns to step S193, and steps S193 and S194 are repeated until a predetermined time elapses. Note that when selecting thumbnails, it is sufficient to select a desired one without worrying about which image server they are from.

  When the thumbnail is selected in step S194, the specifying process of the image server storing the corresponding original image data is performed in step S195, and the specifying result is saved. Subsequently, in step S196, a menu of printing functions that are possible for the system is displayed. The print menu is not limited to the service provided by the image server specified in step S195, but displays all services provided by all image servers participating in the system. However, services that cannot be provided for the original image data corresponding to the thumbnail selected in step S194 are excluded from the display. For example, if the resolution of the original image data is low, it is meaningless to display a high-resolution print service that greatly exceeds this, so it is excluded from the menu. Further, since it does not make sense to display a high-quality print service for an image without a high-quality print right, such a case is also excluded from the display menu in step S196.

  In step S197, it is checked whether a predetermined time has elapsed after the menu is displayed. If not, it is checked in step S198 whether a menu has been selected. If no selection is made, the process returns to step S197, and steps S197 and S198 are repeated until a predetermined time elapses. When selecting menus, it is sufficient to select a desired menu without worrying about which image server provides them. Therefore, a service that cannot be provided by the image server that stores the original image data can also be an option.

  When the menu is selected in step S198, the image server that can execute printing according to the menu selected in step S199 is specified, and the specified result is stored. When there are a plurality of image servers that can execute the selected menu, priority is given together. This priority order is automatically determined by the user's preset preferences, convenience such as transfer of original image data, convenience of delivery of prints, service congestion, and the like.

  In step S200, it is checked whether all the image servers specified in step S195 and step S199 conform to the common standard. If the common standard is complied with, access destination arrangement processing is performed in step S201. This process is a process in which, for example, when an image server storing original image data is different from an image server that executes printing, one of them is designated as a representative access destination. In this embodiment, as long as the common standard is complied with, the related image servers contact each other necessary for print execution, and the print is executed. Therefore, the telephone-integrated image storage device 401 transfers to one image server. Just access. In the access destination server rearranging process in step S201, when the telephone-integrated image storage device 401 preliminarily designates an image server as a window, this window image server is always designated as the access destination, and the window image server is ordered. Depending on the contents, all execution of the order contents is arranged in the related image server. On the other hand, when the window image server is not designated in advance, the image server that executes printing is designated as the window to be accessed. This is because it is more reasonable from the point of charge collection that the image server that performs the final process serves as a window.

  In step S202, a process of accessing the determined access destination and transmitting the order details is started, and the process waits in step S203. If an image server that is not a common standard is involved in step S200, it is impossible to arrange printing execution as a system. Therefore, step S201 is skipped and all the related image servers specified in step S195 and step S199 are included. Access and send order contents. In this case, the overall software 416 performs a difference in the overall image printing execution.

  In step S193, when a predetermined time has elapsed without selecting a thumbnail, the process jumps to step S203 to enter a standby state. In step S197, when a predetermined time has passed without selecting a menu, the process proceeds to step S204, cancels the image storage server specifying process in step S195, and jumps to step S203 to enter a standby state.

  FIG. 26 is a flowchart of the operation in the first image server 403 or the second image server 403 based on the common standard in the fifth embodiment. When the image server receives a print order from the telephone-integrated image storage device, the flow starts from step S211, and it is checked in step S212 whether the order is proper. The “appropriate order” check is a check of whether or not the order is from an ordering person who has a print right for the image, or whether or not the print is for an image that is permitted to be printed for copyright. . At the same time, it is also checked to make sure that the print order is not inappropriate for execution, such as a high-resolution print order for original image data having a low resolution.

  If it is a proper order, it is checked in step S213 whether it is a window order. The “window order” is an order in which the order image server is designated as a window for the order. If it is a window order, the process proceeds to step S214, and it is checked whether the order is an executable order for the order image server. This is because in the case of a window order, there is a possibility that the order cannot be executed by the order image server itself. If the order can be executed, the process proceeds to step S215, and it is checked whether or not the original image data to be printed is a stored image by the order receiving image server itself.

  If it is determined in step S215 that the print target is not a stored image, the process advances to step S216 to perform a data transfer request process for another image server that stores the original image data to be printed. If the original image data can be obtained, a print execution process is performed in step S217, and the process waits in step S218. On the other hand, if the object to be printed is a stored image in step S215, since it holds the original image data, it immediately enters the print execution process in step S217.

  If the order is not a proper order in step S212, the inappropriate notification process in step S219 is performed. There are two types of inadequate notices, one of which is a process of notifying the orderer that the order cannot be accepted. The other is a report to a third party such as a regulatory agency in case of illegal activities such as copyright infringement. When the improper notification process is finished, no response is made to the order and the process jumps to step S218 and waits.

  On the other hand, if the order is not a window order in step S213, the order is received from the standpoint of an image server that can execute printing, and the process immediately jumps to step S215. In other words, orders that cannot be executed without a window order will never come.

  Returning to the case of the window order, if it is not an order that can be executed to the order image server in step S214, in step S220, print consignment processing is performed for another image server that can execute the order in the system. At the same time, in step S221, it is checked whether or not the image server that is the print consignment destination stores the original image data to be printed. If it is not stored, it is checked in step S222 whether or not the order image server itself stores the original image data. If it is self-stored, in step S223, a transfer execution process for transferring the original image data to the image server of the print consignment destination is performed. On the other hand, if the original image data to be printed is not self-stored, the process proceeds to step S224, and a request for transfer to another print server that stores the original image data to be printed is requested to be transferred to a print consignee. Process. On the other hand, if the image server that is the print consignee itself stores the original image data to be printed in step S221, no further arrangement is necessary and the process jumps directly to step S218. If you receive a window order and cannot print by yourself, you can make arrangements as described above to other image servers in the system and fulfill the duties of the window.

  FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing details of the access / transmission process in step S202 of FIG. 25, and can also cope with a case of requesting printing for a plurality of images. In FIG. 25, when the process reaches step S202, the flow of FIG. 27 starts from step S231, and the access destination is accumulated and stored in step S232. The meaning of “cumulative” will be described later. Further, in step S233, the menu selection performed in step S198 is cumulatively stored. The selection contents of this menu also include image quality, paper size, number of printed sheets, tone adjustment instruction, and the like.

  In step S234, it is checked whether an instruction has been given to the effect that selection of all thumbnails of the image to be printed has been completed. If it is completed, cumulative storage is organized in step S235, batch transmission processing is performed in step S236, and access / transmission processing is terminated in step S237. The meanings of “accumulated memory organization” and “batch transmission” will also be described later.

  If there is no instruction for completion of thumbnail selection in step S234, this means that there is still another thumbnail to be selected for printing. Therefore, in step S238, the restart of the printing process is instructed. As a result, the printing process of FIG. 25 is restarted from step S191. Then, the search result thumbnail display in step S192 is performed again. This display is the same as that initially made in step S192.

  In this way, unless an instruction for completion of thumbnail selection is given in step S234 of FIG. 27, steps S191 to S202 of FIG. 25 are repeated, and thumbnails are selected one after another in step S194. Each time this is repeated, the access destination and the contents transmitted to the access destination are accumulated and stored in steps S232 and S233 for the different images selected in step S194.

  The meaning of “cumulative” is as described above. However, in step S235, this is organized, and images of the same transmission destination are collected or the same transmission contents are collected. In step S236, the plurality of images are collectively transmitted to a plurality of different access destinations. As a result, even if transmission operations to different access destinations are not performed individually, only one operation to the effect that thumbnail selection has been completed is performed, and the process proceeds from step S234 to step S236, and transmission is performed in a batch. .

  In addition, in the repetition of step S191 to step S202 in FIG. 25, there are the following two forms as the display of the large screen display unit 3 in step S195 to step S202. For example, if a thumbnail is selected in step S194, the corresponding image is enlarged and displayed on the large screen display unit 3 and the menu is displayed in a superimposed manner in step S196. As a second display mode, the thumbnail display is maintained even when a thumbnail is selected in step S194, and the selected thumbnail is displayed so as to be distinguishable from others. In step S196, a menu is displayed below the thumbnail. According to this second display mode, the results of selection of each image and menu selection corresponding to this can be always listed in the repetition of steps S191 to S202. Moreover, you may comprise so that selection can be corrected as a result of this list.

  FIG. 28 is a flowchart of instruction arrangement forming part of the batch transmission processing in step S236 of FIG. In the image server in accordance with the common standard, common signals and commands are used for various instructions, so that the operation as instructed can be performed in response to the signals output from the telephone-integrated image storage device 401 as they are. However, since the image server of the original standard may have different rules for signals and commands, it cannot cope with the transmission of the signal of the common standard. FIG. 28 enables an instruction to be performed without hindrance to an image server that performs image management based on such a unique standard.

  In the initial stage of the collective transmission process, the instruction arrangement process flow of FIG. 28 is executed for each target image. Accordingly, steps S241 to S250 are repeated as long as there is an unfinished instruction arrangement. When the instruction arrangement process is completed for all the images to be collectively transmitted, the process proceeds to the next step in the batch transmission process.

  In the flow starting from step S241 for an image, the instruction target image data is confirmed in step S242, and the instruction content for the image data is confirmed in step S243. Based on these, in step S244, the image server involved in the instruction to the image is clarified and the check order is determined.

  In step S245, it is first checked whether the first image server is based on the common standard. If the server is not based on the common standard, the process advances to step S246 to prepare a signal conversion table unique to the server. In step S247, the common standard instruction signal is converted into the server-specific instruction signal. As a result, an instruction signal unique to the image server is transmitted to the image server even though the operation is performed using the instruction signal of the common standard. When the signal conversion table in step S246 is updated on the image server side and the signal is changed, contact the maintenance service of the telephone-integrated image storage device 401 via the Internet and download the new version. Can do.

  In step S248, it is determined whether or not all the participating servers have been checked. If there is no other image server to be checked, the process proceeds to step S249 to arrange an instruction to the participating server by an instruction signal, and in step S250. The instruction arrangement process for the image ends.

  On the other hand, if the image server to be checked conforms to the common standard in step S245, it is not necessary to convert the signal, and the process jumps to step S248. If there is another image server to be checked in step S248, the process returns to step S245, and thereafter, steps S245 to S248 are repeated until all the image servers are checked.

  In the fifth embodiment, FIGS. 25 to 28 have specifically described the case of printing. However, the advantages of the fifth embodiment are not limited to the printing service, but various types provided by a plurality of image servers. It can be applied to various services. In addition to these printing services, the advantages of adopting a common standard in the collaboration of a plurality of image servers and management by the integrated software 416 including services other than the common standard can be enjoyed.

  FIG. 29 shows a display screen layout displayed on the large screen display unit 3 of the image storage device according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. The sixth embodiment is basically the same as the fifth embodiment, and since the entire system is also common with FIG. 23, the illustration of warming is omitted, and FIG. 23 is used for explanation. The telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 401 in the sixth embodiment also transmits an image to a plurality of image servers 403, 407, 408, etc., but the function of the central software 416 is the same as that of the fifth embodiment. Different. That is, in the fifth embodiment, the layout screen according to the overall software 416 is displayed on the large screen display unit 3 and is operated by the management method of the common standard. Not come out. On the other hand, in the sixth embodiment, the screen configuration and management method unique to each image server are respected. FIG. 29 is for explaining this point.

  FIG. 29A shows a screen layout that is initially displayed in the image management function of the telephone-integrated image storage apparatus 401, and displays a plurality of image server icons 501, 502, 503, and 504. FIG. The icon design is also different for each image server. When the user wants to access the first image server, if the icon 501 is operated, an operation screen unique to the first image server is opened, and an operation can be performed according to the instruction. The configuration and instructions of the operation screen to be opened are also different for each image server.

  Note that the icons displayed on the large screen display unit 3 are limited to image servers that store image information that allows the telephone-integrated image storage device 401 to access the original image data. Accordingly, if there is an image server icon for which accessible image information is generated for the first time, the display of the icon is automatically added to the large screen display unit 3. For example, an icon display of an image server is automatically added when an image is transmitted for the first time and requested to be stored for a certain image server, or when storage image data that has been accessed from another person is received for the first time. On the other hand, the display of the icon of the image server for which there is no image information accessible due to the deletion of the image is automatically deleted from the large screen display unit 3. In this way, by displaying a list of only accessible image servers on the large screen display unit 3, reliable and efficient image management can be performed while respecting the screen configuration and management method unique to each image server. It becomes possible. That is, it is guaranteed that the image data requested to be stored in the external image server is always present in any of the image servers displayed in a list on the large screen display unit. In addition, since unnecessary image servers are not displayed together, the operation is not wasted.

  It should be noted that the following embodiment is possible instead of whether or not to display an image icon. In other words, all available image servers are temporarily displayed on the large screen display unit, and the display form is made different from other image servers by changing the display color of the image server storing the accessible image information. Control display. In this case, a necessary image server can be identified, and the operation can be performed from the same screen without switching the screen, for example, when an operation of transmitting an image to the first image server is performed. Also in this embodiment, when accessible image information is generated for the first time or is completely lost, the display form of the image server is automatically made different from the previous one.

  Furthermore, as another embodiment, when all the available image servers are displayed on the large screen display unit, the operation can be performed from the display screen by a graphical user interface (GUI), and accessible image information is displayed. It can also be configured to allow only an instruction to the icon of the stored image server. The same usability can be achieved by changing the function instead of changing the icon display in this way. In this embodiment as well, it is possible to automatically give an instruction to the icon of the image server when the accessible image information is generated for the first time, and to give an instruction to the icon of the image server where there is no accessible image information. Is automatically disabled.

  In the sixth embodiment, the detection of the first occurrence of accessible image information for each image server or the absence of any information is based on the history of image transmission / reception and deletion operations in the history software 417. Do it.

  FIG. 29B is basically the same embodiment as FIG. 29A, but the design of the icons 505, 506, 507 and 508 is unified and opened by converting the signal of the instruction signal. The configuration and instructions of the operation screen to be displayed are also unified so that it is not necessary to individually remember the instruction method that differs for each image server.

  The functions in each of the above embodiments can be realized by an application program of a computer, in which case the computer in which this application program is installed and the peripheral devices connected as necessary are described above. It becomes. Therefore, the application program itself distributed over the Internet or the like for realizing the functions of the present invention or a recording medium such as a CD-ROM on which the program is recorded is also an object of the present invention.

  In each of the above embodiments, the communication unit is not necessarily provided in the telephone-integrated image storage device. For example, when performing telephone communication using the Internet, in the first embodiment of FIG. 2, the communication unit 29 is replaced with an interface for connecting to a personal computer, and the telephone-integrated image storage device is replaced with such an interface. By connecting to a personal computer via the PC, the communication function itself can be left to the personal computer. Furthermore, instead of connecting to a personal computer, an embodiment in which a telephone-integrated image storage device is connected to a home LAN is possible. In this case, the communication unit 29 itself does not have a communication execution function, but is configured as a part having an address designation function of a communication destination and an interface function to the home LAN, and actual communication with the outside is connected to the home LAN. The modem runs.

1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of an image storage device of the present invention. The block diagram which shows the structure of the whole system in 1st embodiment. 2 is a main flowchart of the image storage device in the first embodiment. The flowchart which shows operation | movement when accumulation | storage interruption takes. The flowchart which shows operation | movement when an appreciation interruption is taken. The flowchart of the data transmission process to an image server. The flowchart which shows operation | movement when a printing interruption is taken. The flowchart which shows operation | movement when a transmission interruption takes. The flowchart which shows the detail of transmission condition setting. The flowchart which shows operation | movement when an edit interruption is taken. The table | surface which shows the data structure of the image part in the mass storage part of an image server. The table | surface which shows the data structure of the log | history part in the mass storage part of an image server. The flowchart which shows operation | movement when a search interruption takes. The table | surface which shows the example of the historical data regarding a search. The block diagram which shows the structure of the whole system in 2nd embodiment. The flowchart of CM interruption in a 2nd embodiment. The block diagram which shows the structure of the whole system in 3rd embodiment. The display layout of the initial screen and the viewing screen in the third embodiment. The display layout of the mail file and mail creation screen in 3rd embodiment. The display layout of the print screen and edit screen in 3rd Embodiment. The block diagram which shows the structure of the whole system in 4th embodiment. The flowchart which shows operation | movement when the transmission interruption to an image server takes in the said 4th embodiment. The block diagram which shows the structure of the whole system in 5th embodiment. The table | surface which shows the data structure of the image data managed with the integrated software in 5th embodiment. 10 is a flowchart of a telephone-integrated image storage apparatus when performing a printing process in the fifth embodiment. The flowchart of operation | movement of the image server based on a common standard in 5th Embodiment. The flowchart which shows the detail of the access / transmission process of FIG. The flowchart of the instruction arrangement which comprises a part of batch transmission process of FIG. The display layout of the operation screen of the image storage device in the sixth embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

3 Large screen display section 5 Modular jack 6 Numeric keypad 17 Card slot 18 Digital terminal 20 Transmitter / receiver section 21 Operation section 25 First telephone integrated image storage device 27 Storage section 28 Hard disk 30 Image server 32 Large capacity storage section 33 Image section 34 History unit 35 Printing unit 36 High-quality printing unit 37 Second telephone integrated image storage device 51 Storage input unit 52 Business server 54 First telephone integrated image storage device 56 Commercial message 57 Commercial message storage unit 101 First telephone Integrated image storage device 102 Image server 103 Second telephone integrated image storage device 104 Storage unit 105 Hard disk 106 Mail software 107 History software 109 Mass storage unit 110 Hard disk 111 Image storage software 112 Software 113 Editing software 114 Mail software 115 Basic software 201 Information screen 202 Operation screen 203 Thumbnail 205 Data source display section 212 Enlarged screen 216 Mail file 220 Message field 221 Thumbnail 231 Enlarged screen 241 Enlarged screen 301 One first telephone Body image storage device 302 Second telephone integrated image storage apparatus 303 Image server 308 Multiplexing bus 401 First telephone integrated image storage apparatus 402 Second telephone integrated image storage apparatus 403 First image server 407 Second Image server 408 Third image server 416 Overall software 501 Individual design icon 505 Unified design icon

Claims (6)

A communication unit, a display unit for displaying an image, and storage image data having a resolution sufficient for display on the display unit from the input image information are created, and the image information and the image are transmitted via the communication unit. A control unit that transmits a processing history related to information to the image server, and a storage unit that stores the image data for storage,
When searching for an image based on the processing history stored in the image server, the processing history stored in the image server is received and searched, and the search result is displayed using the storage image data. An image storage device characterized by that.   The image storage device according to claim 1, wherein the image information is received from the image server when the image information is required by the search.   3. The image storage according to claim 2, wherein the image storage device further includes a television output terminal, and the image information is received from the image server when an image is displayed using the television output terminal. apparatus.   The image storage device according to claim 2, further comprising a printing unit, wherein when the image is printed using the printing unit, the image information is received from the image server.   The image storage device transmits the storage image data to another image storage device via the communication unit, and the other image storage device includes a storage unit that stores the received storage image data. When searching for an image based on the processing history stored in the image server in the image storage device, the other image storage device receives and searches the processing history stored in the image server. The image storage device according to claim 1, wherein:   The other image storage device includes a display unit for displaying an image, and a search result is stored in the display unit of the other image storage device using the storage image data stored in the storage unit of the other image storage device. The image storage device according to claim 5, wherein the image storage device is displayed.