JP2011203876A - Image provision system, image provision method and image provision program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image provision system, an image provision method and an image provision program, allowing recognition of an image desired to be provided from a mobile communication terminal of the opposite party by use of a mobile communication terminal by simple processing.SOLUTION: When providing the specific image among images stored in an information server 4 from one mobile communication terminal 3 to the other mobile communication terminal 3 through the information server 4 connected to a communication network 1, the information server 4 appropriately provides access information to the image stored in the one mobile communication terminal 3 with which the information server 4 concludes a service provision contract; the one mobile communication terminal 3 sends image provision information including an extraction condition of the specific image and the access information to the other mobile communication terminal 3; the other mobile communication terminal 3 sends an image acquisition request including the extraction information and the access information of the image provision information to the information server 4; and the information server 4 extracts the specific image based on the image acquisition request and sends it to the other mobile communication terminal 3.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image providing system, an image providing method, and an image providing program for exchanging images between portable communication terminals.

  When a person meets at a street corner, etc., he / she is the first place to go by using the image provision system to provide the street corner's photo to the other party and display it on his / her mobile terminal. But you can go to the place with this photo as a clue. In addition, if this system is used, it is possible to acquire an image of a place that has not been performed by itself, so that the image acquisition efficiency is improved when it is desired to acquire an image of various places. As described above, since the image providing system has many merits, various image providing systems have been proposed.

  As an example, when an image is provided between portable terminals configured to be able to access an image database on the network, one portable terminal indicates an address on the network of a specific image file stored in the image database. The address information is acquired and transmitted to the other mobile terminal, and the other mobile terminal acquires the specific image file from the image database based on the received address information (Patent Document 1).

  In another example, URL (Uniform Resource Locator) information of the management server device is transmitted from the organizer's mobile phone to the participant's mobile phone for the event participant. After the event participant's mobile phone is registered with the management server, each event participant uses this URL information to upload a still image taken by his / her mobile phone and a still image taken by another participant. It is possible to download still images stored in the management server including images. (Patent Document 2)

  Furthermore, there is also a system that provides a content sharing system that can exchange content on the spot with a telephone partner (Patent Document 3). This system includes mobile phones A and B that can access the Internet, and content servers A and B that are connected to the Internet in cooperation with the mobile phones. The mobile phone A requests the content server A to obtain a content list. The cellular phone A designates the content desired to be transmitted from this list and transmits it to the cellular phone B. The mobile phone B transmits an acquisition content update request to the content server B in order to acquire the designated content. In response to this, the content server B transmits a content acquisition request to the content server A, and acquires the corresponding content from the content server A. The cellular phone B can browse the acquired content by accessing a preset address of the content server B.

  There is also one that allows a user to easily view an image taken with a camera via a store (Patent Document 4). For example, the user returns a rental camera that has captured an image to a store. At that time, the store gives browsing address data to the user. Further, the store sends the data of the photographed image and the address data to the server, and the server stores the photographed image in association with this address in the storage unit so that it can be browsed. The user accesses the server using the assigned address data, and browses or acquires his / her photographed image.

  Similarly, there are also images that can be browsed or acquired by others with a simple operation (Patent Document 5). Images are stored on the site server. The address of the image data storage area of the site server is converted into address data after taking, for example, a QR code (registered trademark; Quick Response) displayed on the display unit of the camera with the camera of the portable terminal. As a result, the image data storage area of the site server can be easily accessed, and images can be viewed or acquired.

International Publication No. 2007/097253 JP 2009-009204 A JP 2008-158843 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-170059 JP 2008-236159 A

  However, for example, in Patent Document 1, when a user transmits a specific image file to the other party, it is necessary to acquire an address on the network where the specific image file is stored. In Patent Literature 3, when content is transmitted, it is necessary to acquire a content list and specify the content to be transmitted. In Patent Documents 2, 4, and 5, a specific image file cannot be sent or viewed. In order to send and view a specific image file, it is necessary to identify the image in advance and contact the user.

  As described above, in order to provide a specific image to the other party in the conventional image providing system, after confirming the storage address of the image on the network, the partner is notified of the address and the authentication information necessary for access. It was necessary to do so, and the procedure for providing images was troublesome.

  In particular, when an image of a predetermined location is to be provided to the other party, a search is performed on an information providing site such as a map information site based on the place name or location information of the location, and the desired image storage location is confirmed. Work is required. In order to provide such an image, a person who wants to provide an image needs to perform operations such as “notification of current location” and “search on site”. There is a problem that smooth communication is hindered when communication is provided.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image providing system, an image providing method, and an image providing program capable of recognizing an image desired to be provided from a partner mobile communication terminal by a simple process using a mobile communication terminal. To do.

An image providing system according to a first aspect of the present invention includes:
A first mobile communication terminal; a second mobile communication terminal; an information server connected to a communication network, having an image storage unit storing a plurality of images, and providing a service to the mobile communication terminal; In the image providing system for providing the image to the second portable communication terminal via the information server by notification from the first portable communication terminal to the second portable communication terminal,
The image stored in the image storage unit is image information configured by associating the image with information for extracting the image,
The first portable communication terminal is
A first terminal storage unit that stores access information that is information necessary for access to the image storage unit notified from the information server;
The image extraction condition, which is a condition for extracting the image to be provided, and the image provision information including the access information read from the first terminal storage unit are the contents of the notification to the second mobile communication terminal An image providing information generation unit to generate;
A first wireless communication unit that transmits the generated image provision information to the second mobile communication terminal;
The second portable communication terminal is
An image acquisition request generator for generating an image acquisition request including the image extraction condition and the access information included in the received image provision information;
A second wireless communication unit that transmits the generated image acquisition request to the information server based on the access information;
The information server
An image extraction unit that extracts an image that matches the image extraction condition from the image information stored in the image storage unit based on the received image acquisition request;

An image providing method according to a second aspect of the present invention includes:
A first mobile communication terminal; a second mobile communication terminal; an information server connected to a communication network, having an image storage unit storing a plurality of images, and providing a service to the mobile communication terminal; In the image providing method of providing the image to the second mobile communication terminal via the information server by notification from the first mobile communication terminal to the second mobile communication terminal.
The image stored in the image storage unit is image information configured by associating the image with information for extracting the image,
A first terminal storage that is a storage unit of the first mobile communication terminal stores access information that is information necessary for the first mobile communication terminal to access the image storage unit notified from the information server. An access information storage step to be stored in the department;
The first portable communication terminal generates image provision information including the image extraction condition and the access information read from the first terminal storage unit as the content of the notification to the second portable communication terminal. An image providing information generation step;
An image providing information transmitting step for transmitting the generated image providing information to the second mobile communication terminal;
An image acquisition request generating step for generating an image acquisition request including the image extraction condition included in the received image providing information and the access information, the second mobile communication terminal;
An image request transmission step of transmitting the generated image acquisition request to the information server based on the access information;
An image extraction step in which the information server extracts an image that matches the image extraction condition from the image information stored in the image storage unit based on the received image acquisition request;
Is provided.

An image providing program according to the third aspect of the present invention provides:
A first mobile communication terminal; a second mobile communication terminal; an information server connected to a communication network, having an image storage unit storing a plurality of images, and providing a service to the mobile communication terminal; In an image providing program for providing the image to the second portable communication terminal via the information server by notification from the first portable communication terminal to the second portable communication terminal,
The image stored in the image storage unit is image information configured by associating the image with information for extracting the image,
A first terminal storage that is a storage unit of the first mobile communication terminal stores access information that is information necessary for the first mobile communication terminal to access the image storage unit notified from the information server. An access information storage step to be stored in the department;
The first portable communication terminal generates image provision information including the image extraction condition and the access information read from the first terminal storage unit as the content of the notification to the second portable communication terminal. An image providing information generation step;
An image providing information transmitting step for transmitting the generated image providing information to the second mobile communication terminal;
An image acquisition request generating step for generating an image acquisition request including the image extraction condition included in the received image providing information and the access information, the second mobile communication terminal;
An image request transmission step of transmitting the generated image acquisition request to the information server based on the access information;
An image extraction step in which the information server extracts an image that matches the image extraction condition from the image information stored in the image storage unit based on the received image acquisition request;
Is executed on the computer.

  According to the image providing system, the image providing method, and the image providing program of the present invention, images can be used mutually by simple processing.

It is the schematic which shows the example of the image provision system which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram illustrating an example of a relationship between devices included in the image providing system according to the first embodiment. It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the preparation process and execution procedure of the image provision which concern on Embodiment 1. FIG. (A) The figure which shows the structural example of the image information which concerns on Embodiment 1, (b) The figure which shows the structural example of the image provision information which concerns on Embodiment 1, (c) The structural example of the image acquisition request which concerns on Embodiment 1 FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of an image provision preparation step 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an image providing preparation process 2 according to the first embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the example of the image provision method 1 which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the detailed example of the image extraction step which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. It is the schematic which shows the example of the image provision system which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. FIG. 10 is a circuit block diagram illustrating an example of a relationship between devices included in an image providing system according to a second embodiment. It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the preparation process and execution procedure of image provision which concern on Embodiment 2. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an image acquisition request according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an image providing method 2 according to Embodiment 2. FIG.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an image providing system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The image providing system includes a plurality of mobile communication terminals 3 and an information server 4, and provides image information from the mobile communication terminal 3 to another mobile communication terminal 3 via the communication network 1 and the information server 4. The mobile communication terminal 3 and the information server 4 operate under program control, and are connected to each other via a communication network 1 such as the Internet to which the radio base station 2 is connected. The information server 4 has signed a service provision contract with the mobile communication terminal 3.

  The mobile communication terminal 3 is a portable information processing apparatus having a communication function (call, mail transmission / reception, Internet connection, etc.), and is, for example, a mobile phone. As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile communication terminal 3 includes a wireless communication unit 300 that wirelessly transmits and receives information to and from the wireless base station 2 connected to the communication network 1 via an antenna, and an image to the other party. An image providing information generating unit 3011 that generates information about an image to be provided (hereinafter referred to as “image providing information”) and an information server based on the image providing information when receiving the image providing information from the other party 4, a terminal processing unit 301 including an image acquisition request generation unit 3012 that generates content for requesting image acquisition, a terminal control unit 302 that controls the following units in order to realize the functions of the mobile communication terminal 3, A terminal storage unit 303 that stores a telephone directory, incoming / outgoing mail, incoming / outgoing call information, content information, application program, image, and various settings of the mobile communication terminal 3; A positioning unit 304 that receives a GPS signal that is a radio wave emitted from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite and obtains the position of the mobile communication terminal 3, a camera unit 305 that acquires (captures) an image, a numeric keypad, and a direction key / Consulting key, function key, and the like. The operation unit 306 allows the user to input various information to the mobile communication terminal, the speaker 307 for outputting sound such as music and notification sound, and the transmission unit ( An audio processing unit 308 that processes audio signals input / output via the transmitting microphone 3081) and the receiving unit (receiving speaker 3082), and an information display output (video signal processing) such as images, graphics, characters, symbols, etc. And a display unit 309 to perform. The terminal processing unit 301 also includes an image information generation unit 3013 that generates image information that associates the image captured by the camera unit 305 with the position of the mobile communication terminal 3 at the time of shooting obtained by the positioning unit 304. The image information generation unit 3013 is used when an image captured by the mobile communication terminal 3 is stored in the image storage unit 403 of the information server 4 as, for example, a provision image.

  The information server 4 is an information processing apparatus such as a workstation server that stores information such as images, and provides various services to the mobile communication terminal 3 when a service contract is concluded. The information server 4 includes a server communication unit 400 for communicating with a device on a communication network, an image storage unit 403 that stores image information configured by associating an image and position information of a place where the image is captured, and The server processing unit 401 extracts an image from the image information stored in the image storage unit 403 using the position information as an extraction condition, and the server control unit 402 controls the function of each unit. Note that the image storage unit 403 may be set for each service provider. The information server 4 communicates with the mobile communication terminal 3 via the radio base station 2 connected to the communication network 1 and the server communication unit 400. The server control unit 402 has a function of controlling (providing) (transmitting) images in response to a request from the mobile communication terminal 3 that has signed the service provision contract.

  The operation of the system when images are provided between the mobile communication terminals 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a relationship between devices constituting the image providing system according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 2, the mobile communication terminal 3 distinguishes a side that provides an image (hereinafter referred to as a transmission side) and a side that receives an image (hereinafter referred to as a reception side), and the transmission side is the mobile communication terminal A31. Is a mobile communication terminal B32. Along with this, the number of each component is also changed, but the contents are as described above. 1 shows only the mobile communication terminal A31 as the image provision information generation unit 3111 in FIG. 2, and the image acquisition request generation unit 3012 in FIG. Only the mobile communication terminal B32 is shown as the generation unit 3212, and the image information generation unit 3013 in FIG. 1 is shown only in the mobile communication terminal A31 as the image information generation unit 3113 in FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an overview of the image providing preparation process and execution procedure according to the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 2, it is assumed that the information server 4 has concluded a service provision contract with the mobile communication terminal A31 on the transmission side. The information server 4 sends the URL information (service source URL) of the image storage unit 403 of the information server 4 and the authentication information (URL required for accessing the image storage unit 403) to the mobile communication terminal A31 on the transmission side of the service providing destination. The information and the authentication information are hereinafter referred to as access information) periodically or whenever necessary. Whenever necessary, for example, when access information is changed. These pieces of information are stored in the terminal storage unit 313 of the transmitting-side mobile communication terminal A31 and stored until the next notification is made (preparation step in FIG. 3).

  Based on the above, the terminal processing unit 311 of the mobile communication terminal A31 on the transmission side receives an instruction about an image to be provided from the user via the operation unit 316 and stores it in the terminal storage unit 313. The latest access information to the image storage unit 403 is read (FIG. 2). The image provision information generation unit 3111 of the terminal processing unit 311 generates image provision information by adding an image extraction condition, which is a condition for extracting an image to be provided, to the read access information (FIG. 2). ). Thereafter, the terminal control unit 312 transmits the created image provision information to the mobile communication terminal B32 on the receiving side, for example, by e-mail or the like via the wireless communication unit 310 (execution procedure 1 in FIGS. 2 and 3). reference).

  The image extraction condition is information related to the position of the place where the image was taken. The image storage unit 403 of the information server 4 stores image information that is set by associating the image and information regarding the position of the place where the image was captured. Therefore, the corresponding image can be extracted by designating the position within a predetermined range. Information regarding this position for extracting an image is determined based on the position of the mobile communication terminal A31, for example. Since the position of the mobile communication terminal A31 can be obtained by the positioning unit 314 using a GPS signal (hereinafter, this position information is referred to as a GPS position), for example, a radius is added to this GPS position. As image extraction conditions. The added radius is an allowable range of position error when determining whether or not the positions match when extracting an image. The value of this radius may be determined by the user on the image providing side or may be fixed to a predetermined value.

  The mobile communication terminal B32 that has received the mail via the wireless communication unit 320 opens the mail at the terminal processing unit 321 and acquires image provision information (execution procedure 2 in FIG. 3). Then, the terminal processing unit 321 obtains access information to the image storage unit 403 of the information server 4 as an image acquisition destination from the image providing information. The image acquisition request generation unit 3212 of the terminal processing unit 321 generates an image acquisition request that requests the information server 4 to acquire an image based on the image provision information (execution procedure 3 in FIGS. 2 and 3). The image acquisition request is configured by adding the address of the mobile communication terminal B32 as the image transmission destination information to the information included in the image providing information, and the image storage unit An image that matches the image extraction conditions is extracted from the image information stored in 403, and the extracted image is requested to be transmitted to the mobile communication terminal B32 that has designated an address as the image transmission destination information. The terminal control unit 322 transmits the generated image acquisition request to the information server 4 via the wireless communication unit 320 based on the access information of the image providing information (execution procedure 3 in FIGS. 2 and 3).

  The information server 4 receives the image acquisition request via the server communication unit 400. Next, the server processing unit 401 accesses the image storage unit 403 in accordance with the access information included in the received image acquisition request, and stores the image storage unit 403 in accordance with the image extraction condition that is also included in the image acquisition request. The requested image is extracted from the stored image information (execution procedure 4 in FIGS. 2 and 3). The server control unit 402 transmits the extracted image to the mobile communication terminal B32 via the server communication unit 400 based on the address of the mobile communication terminal B32 included in the image acquisition request (FIGS. 2 and 3). Execution procedure 5). This completes the provision of image information.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of image information, image provision information, and an image acquisition request according to the first embodiment. 4A shows a configuration example of image information, FIG. 4B shows a configuration example of image providing information, and FIG. 4C shows a configuration example of an image acquisition request. As shown in FIG. 4A, the image information includes an image acquired by shooting and shooting position information indicating the shooting position of the image. The image information is stored in the image storage unit 403 of the information server 4 and forms an image database.

  This image is taken by, for example, the camera unit 315 of the mobile communication terminal A31. Further, the information on the shooting position can be acquired by the positioning unit 314 using a signal from a GPS satellite.

  The image information generation unit 3113 of the terminal processing unit 311 performs a process of associating the image acquired in this way and the shooting position information as image information. Note that the image information generation unit 3113 is not necessarily included in the terminal processing unit 311. It may be anywhere within the terminal processing unit 311, and may be included in, for example, the terminal control unit 312 or the camera unit 315.

  The image information obtained in this way is transmitted to the information server 4 via the wireless communication unit 310 and the wireless base station 2 under the control of the terminal control unit 312 and stored in the image storage unit 403 of the information server 4. Become part of the image database.

  Note that the image information stored in the image storage unit 403 and constituting the image database may include not only images captured by the mobile communication terminal A31 but also images collected by the installer of the information server 4.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, the image provision information includes the URL of the image storage unit 403 of the information server 4 that is storage location information of the image to be provided, and access authentication information that is an access condition to the storage location. And image capturing position information as an image extraction condition as a set. The position information is obtained by adding an allowable range of an error in the photographing position of an image to be extracted, for example, a radius value, to the position (position coordinates) specified by the image extraction condition.

  Access information to the image storage unit 403 of the information server 4 that is the service provider is transmitted from the information server 4 to the mobile communication terminal A31 periodically or whenever necessary. By storing it in the terminal storage unit 313 and using it, it is possible to save troubles such as searching even when the access information is changed.

  As shown in FIG. 4C, the image acquisition request is obtained by adding the address of the extracted image transmission destination, that is, the address information of the portable communication terminal B32 as the image transmission destination information to the contents of the image provision information. is there.

  A detailed procedure of the image providing method according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the image providing preparation step 1 according to the first embodiment, FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the image providing preparing step 2 according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 7 is related to the first embodiment. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an image providing method 1. FIG.

  The image providing preparation step 1 shown in FIG. 5 corresponds to the preparation step shown in FIG. The server control unit 402 of the information server 4 determines whether or not the access information has changed (step S1). If there is no change (step S1; NO), the server control unit 402 returns to step S1 and waits until there is a change. If there is a change (step S1; YES), the mobile communication terminal A31 that is the service providing destination is notified of the changed access information via the server communication unit 400 (step S2).

  The mobile communication terminal A31 receives the notification of access information to the image storage unit 403 via the wireless communication unit 310 (step S3), and stores the access information included in the notification in the terminal storage unit 313 (step S4). The preparation process 1 is complete | finished above.

  FIG. 5 shows an example in which the above notification is performed whenever necessary, for example, when the URL information in the image storage unit 403 or the authentication information necessary for access is changed. It may be. At this time, the elapsed time is measured by a built-in clock or the like, and it is determined whether or not the elapsed time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time (step S1). If it is longer than the predetermined time (step S1; YES), step 2 and subsequent steps are executed.

  Although the preparation process 2 shown in FIG. 6 is omitted in FIG. 3, the image information based on the image captured by the mobile communication terminal A31 is stored in the image storage unit 403 of the information server 4. This process is performed when the user of the mobile communication terminal A31 determines that it is necessary and performs necessary input via the operation unit 316.

  In FIG. 6, the camera unit 315 captures an image (step S10), and the positioning unit 314 acquires information on the position of the mobile communication terminal A31 at the time of capturing, for example, position information based on a GPS signal, as a capturing position (step S11). ). The image information generation unit 3113 of the terminal processing unit 311 generates image information by associating the captured image with the imaging position in accordance with an instruction from the terminal control unit 312 (step S12). The terminal control unit 312 transmits the generated image information to the information server 4 via the wireless communication unit 310 (step S13).

  The information server 4 receives the image information via the server communication unit 400 (step S14) and stores it in the image storage unit 403 (step S15).

  An image providing execution procedure will be described with reference to the flowchart of the image providing method 1 in FIG. The positioning unit 314 of the mobile communication terminal A31 acquires position information (current position information) of the current location (step S20). The terminal processing unit 311 reads access information to the image storage unit 403 of the information server 4 stored in the terminal storage unit 313, and adds an image extraction condition created based on the acquired current position information to this information. Then, image provision information is generated (step S21). Next, the terminal control unit 312 transmits the generated image provision information to the mobile communication terminal B32 via the wireless communication unit 310 (step S22). This transmission may be emailed and the image provision information may be attached.

  The mobile communication terminal B32 receives transmission information from the mobile communication terminal 31A, for example, mail via the wireless communication unit 320 (step S23). The terminal processing unit 321 opens the received mail or the like, adds the address information of the mobile communication terminal B32 as image destination information to the acquired image providing information, and generates an image acquisition request (step S24). The terminal control unit 322 of the mobile communication terminal B32 activates the browser and acquires the generated image via the wireless communication unit 320 based on the access information to the image storage unit 403 of the information server 4 obtained from the image provision information. The request is transmitted to the information server 4 (step S25).

  The information server 4 receives the image acquisition request via the server communication unit 400 (step S26), and the server processing unit 401 performs image processing based on the access information to the image storage unit 403 included in the image acquisition request. An image that matches the image extraction condition included in the image acquisition request is extracted from the image information stored in the storage unit 403 (step S27).

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a detailed example of the image extraction step according to the first embodiment, and shows details of step S27 shown in FIG. In FIG. 8, the server processing unit 401 of the information server 4 acquires the image extraction condition from the image acquisition request (step S271). Also, the server processing unit 401 accesses the image storage unit 403 based on the access information to the image storage unit 403 of the information server 4 in the image acquisition request (step S272). Next, the position information of each image information is read from the image database in the image storage unit 403 (step S273), and it is verified whether or not the image extraction condition is met (step S274). When the position information of the read image information matches the image extraction condition (step S274; YES), the image of the image information is registered as an extracted image (step S275), and the process proceeds to the next step S276. If the position information of the read image information does not match the image extraction condition (step S274; NO), the process proceeds to the next step S276 on the assumption that the image is not an extraction target image. Next, the information server 4 determines whether or not image information that has not yet been read remains in the image storage unit 403, that is, whether or not reading of each piece of image information has been completed (step S276). If not completed (step S276; NO), the process returns to step S273 and continues. If completed (step S276; YES), the image extraction is completed (step S277).

  Whether or not the image extraction condition is met is determined based on whether or not the image capturing position is included within a predetermined error range, for example, within a predetermined radius, centered on the GPS position described in the extraction condition. Note that the value such as the predetermined radius is set by the user of the mobile communication terminal A31 on the image providing side and is included in the image extraction condition of the image providing information, but may be set to a fixed value in advance. .

  Returning to FIG. 7, the server control unit 402 of the information server 4 extracts the extracted image based on the address information of the mobile communication terminal B32 described as the image transmission destination information in the image acquisition request, and the server communication unit 400 and the wireless It transmits to portable communication terminal B32 via the base station 2 (step S28).

  After transmitting the extracted image to the mobile communication terminal B32, the server control unit 402 carries an image provision completion notification indicating that the desired image information has been transmitted to the mobile communication terminal B32 via the server communication unit 400. It transmits to communication terminal A31 (step S29). By this notification, the user of the mobile communication terminal A31 can recognize that the image has been sent to the mobile communication terminal B32. Therefore, it is possible to perform transmission / reception with the subsequent mobile communication terminal B32 on the assumption of this.

  The image provision completion notification may include the same image transmitted to the mobile communication terminal B32 or a simplified image thereof. Thereby, the user of the mobile communication terminal A31 can confirm whether or not the image transmitted from the information server 4 to the mobile communication terminal B32 matches the intended image. The simplified image may be a contracted image or the like.

  According to the above image providing system or image providing method, information necessary for accessing the image storage unit 403 of the information server 4 is notified from the information server 4 to the mobile communication terminal A31 periodically or as necessary. Since it is stored in the terminal storage unit 313 in the mobile communication terminal A31, the user of the mobile communication terminal A31 does not need to check the storage location of the image by reading and using it when providing the image. .

  Further, by including the image extraction condition in the image providing information, it is possible to easily identify and extract the image to be provided. This makes it possible to provide a simple image between mobile communication terminals.

  Furthermore, since the image extraction condition depends on the shooting position of the image and the shooting position is a GPS position that can be acquired by the mobile communication terminal A31, an image shot at that position can be easily extracted.

(Embodiment 2)
In the second embodiment, the provision of images from the mobile communication terminal A31 to the mobile communication terminal B32 is performed via two information servers. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an image providing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a circuit block diagram illustrating an example of a relationship between devices constituting the image providing system according to the second embodiment. The difference in system configuration between FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of the first embodiment is that an information server D42, which is a service provider of the mobile communication terminal B32 on the receiving side, is introduced. The information server 4 that is a service provider of the mobile communication terminal A31 on the transmission side is referred to as an information server C41 in order to distinguish from the information server D42. Along with this, the reference numerals of each part constituting the information server C41 and the information server D42 are changed, but the functions thereof are the same as those in the first embodiment except for server processing parts 411 and 421 and server control parts 412 and 422 that control the functions. It is the same.

  In the image providing system according to the second embodiment, the operation of the system when providing an image between the mobile communication terminals 3 will be described. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an outline of the image providing preparation process and execution procedure according to the second embodiment. This will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the information server C41 concludes a service provision contract with the transmission-side mobile communication terminal A31, and the information server D42 concludes a service provision contract with the transmission-side mobile communication terminal B32. To do. Each of the information servers C41 and D42 periodically sends access information (access information C and D) to the image storage area to the mobile communication terminals A31 and B32 as service providers, as in the first embodiment. Or when necessary. These pieces of information are stored in the terminal storage units 313 and 323 of the mobile communication terminals A31 and B42, respectively, and stored until the next notification is made (preparation step in FIG. 11).

  If there is an image desired to be provided, image providing information is generated and transmitted from the mobile communication terminal A31 on the transmission side to the mobile communication terminal B32 on the reception side (see execution procedure 1 in FIGS. 10 and 11). ). Details are the same as in the first embodiment. Access information included in the screen provision information is access information C.

  The mobile communication terminal B32 generates an image acquisition request based on the received image provision information as in the case of the first embodiment (see execution procedures 2 and 3 in FIGS. 10 and 11).

  FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of an image acquisition request according to the second embodiment. In the image acquisition request, together with the contents of the image provision information, access information D to the image storage unit 423 of the information server D42 as image transmission destination information, and a mobile that is the request source of the image acquisition request as image acquisition request source information Address information of the communication terminal B32 is added. The image acquisition request generation unit 3212 of the mobile communication terminal B32 generates this image acquisition request based on the received image provision information and the access information D acquired from the terminal storage unit 323.

  The terminal control unit 322 sends the generated image acquisition request via the wireless communication unit 320 based on access information to the image storage unit 413 of the information server C41 included in the image providing information, as in the case of the first embodiment. To the information server C41 (execution procedure 3 in FIGS. 10 and 11).

  The information server C41 that has received the image acquisition request extracts the requested image from the image information stored in the image storage unit 413 in accordance with the image extraction conditions as in the first embodiment (execution of FIGS. 10 and 11). Procedure 4). Next, the server control unit 412 acquires the address information of the mobile communication terminal B32 that is the request source of the image acquisition request via the server communication unit 410 based on the image transmission destination information in the image acquisition request. Is added as image acquisition request source information and transmitted to the information server D42 together with the extracted image (execution procedure 4 in FIGS. 10 and 11).

  The information server D42 receives the information transmitted from the information server C41 via the server communication unit 420. The server control unit 422 stores the extracted image included in the received information in the image storage unit 423 designated as the image transmission destination information (execution procedure 5 in FIGS. 10 and 11).

  Further, the information server D42 carries an image storage completion notification indicating that the acquired and extracted image is stored in the image storage unit 423 via the server communication unit 240 based on the image acquisition request source information included in the received information. It transmits to communication terminal B32 (execution procedure 5 of FIG. 10 and FIG. 11).

  Receiving the image storage completion notification, the mobile communication terminal B32 accesses the image storage unit 423 of the information server D42 based on the access information D to the image storage unit 423 stored in the terminal storage unit 323 in advance, and is extracted. You can view or download images.

  A detailed procedure of the image providing method according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart. The image providing preparation process of the second embodiment is the same as the flowcharts of FIGS. 5 and 6 of the first embodiment for each mobile communication terminal. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the image providing method 2 according to the second embodiment, and corresponds to the image providing execution procedure shown in FIG.

  The execution procedure of the image providing method according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The processing from step S30 to step S37 in FIG. 13, that is, the processing from image extraction, is basically the same as the processing content from step S20 to S27 in FIG. However, unlike the case of the first embodiment, the image transmission destination information of the image acquisition request in step S34 is information necessary for accessing the image storage unit 423 of the information server D42.

  The server control unit 412 of the information server C41 transmits the extracted image to the information server D42 via the server communication unit 410 (step S38). At this time, the server control unit 412 sets the image storage unit 423 of the information server D42 as an image transmission destination based on the image transmission destination information in the image acquisition request. In addition, the address information of the mobile communication terminal B32 that is the request source of the image acquisition request is included in the information to be transmitted as the image acquisition request source information.

  The information server D42 receives the image transmitted from the information server C41 via the server communication unit 420, and stores it in the image storage unit 423 (step S39).

  Information for specifying the stored image can be included so that the stored image can be identified from other image information. As this information, for example, stored date and time, storage order, and the like can be considered. The storage area may be divided in the image storage unit 423.

  After the storage of the extracted image is completed, the server control unit 422 of the information server D42 transmits an image storage completion notification indicating that the image storage is completed to the mobile communication terminal B32 via the server communication unit 420. (Step S40). The transmission destination is set by the server control unit 422, and details are the same as the contents described in the first embodiment.

  The image storage completion notification can include information for specifying the stored image on the mobile communication terminal B32 side. For example, the stored date and time, the image number, and the number can be considered as this information. When the storage area is divided in the image storage unit 423 in order to distinguish the image to be stored from other images, the URL of the corresponding image storage unit 423 is included.

  After transmitting the image storage completion notification, the server control unit 422 of the information server D42 transmits an image provision completion notification that notifies the mobile communication terminal A31 that the above processing has been completed (step S41). By this notification, the user of the mobile communication terminal A31 can confirm that the provision of the image has been completed, and can communicate with the mobile communication terminal B32 on the assumption that the provision of the image has been completed.

  The image provision completion notification may include the simplified image described in the first embodiment. In that case, the user of the mobile communication terminal A31 can confirm whether or not the image stored in the image storage unit 423 matches the intended image.

  The mobile communication terminal B32 receives the image storage completion notification via the wireless communication unit 320, thereby accessing the image storage unit 423 to view or acquire the extracted image (step S42). For access to the image storage unit 423, access information D to the image storage unit 423 stored in advance in the terminal storage unit 313 in the preparation step 1 can be used. When the URL of the image storage unit 423 is included in the image storage completion notification, the URL is accessed.

  Note that the information server D42 may transmit the extracted image to the mobile communication terminal B32. In this case, steps S39 and S42 are deleted, and step S40 has the same contents as step S28 in FIG. The transmission subject in step S28 is the information server D42.

  The same effects as in the case of the first embodiment can also be expected by the image providing system and the image providing method according to the second embodiment.

  In the description of the first and second embodiments, the image capturing position information is the GPS position as the image extraction condition. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, position information that can be acquired by various means such as positions calculated based on signals from a plurality of radio base stations may be used.

  Note that the terminal processing unit 301, the terminal control unit 302, and the positioning unit 304 of the mobile communication terminal 3 are configured by a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and by reading and executing a program stored in the terminal storage unit 303, an expected result is obtained. Can be realized. Similarly, the server processing unit 401 and the server control unit 402 of the information server 4 can realize a desired function by reading and executing a program stored in a storage unit that is not explicitly shown. The same applies to the mobile communication terminal A31, the mobile communication terminal B32, the information server C41, and the information server D42. Therefore, the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 13 also show the processing contents of the image providing program. This image providing program can achieve the same effects as those of the first and second embodiments.

  A part or all of the above-described embodiment can be described as in the following supplementary notes, but is not limited thereto.

(Supplementary Note 1) An information server that is connected to a first mobile communication terminal, a second mobile communication terminal, and a communication network, has an image storage unit that stores a plurality of images, and provides services to the mobile communication terminal In the image providing system for providing the image to the second portable communication terminal via the information server by notification from the first portable communication terminal to the second portable communication terminal,
The image stored in the image storage unit is image information configured by associating the image with information for extracting the image,
The first portable communication terminal is
A first terminal storage unit that stores access information that is information necessary for access to the image storage unit notified from the information server;
The image extraction condition, which is a condition for extracting the image to be provided, and the image provision information including the access information read from the first terminal storage unit are the contents of the notification to the second mobile communication terminal An image providing information generation unit to generate;
A first wireless communication unit that transmits the generated image provision information to the second mobile communication terminal;
The second portable communication terminal is
An image acquisition request generator for generating an image acquisition request including the image extraction condition and the access information included in the received image provision information;
A second wireless communication unit that transmits the generated image acquisition request to the information server based on the access information;
The information server
An image extraction unit that extracts an image that matches the image extraction condition from the image information stored in the image storage unit based on the received image acquisition request;
An image providing system characterized by that.

(Appendix 2) The image acquisition request is:
Further including the address of the second mobile communication terminal as image transmission destination information,
The information server
A first image storage unit as the image storage unit;
A first information server providing a service to the first mobile communication terminal;
The access information is first access information that is access information to the first image storage unit,
Based on the image transmission destination information included in the image acquisition request, the second mobile communication terminal comprises a part that enables the second mobile communication terminal to recognize the extracted image.
The image providing system according to appendix 1, characterized in that:

(Supplementary note 3) The information server
A first information server having a first image storage unit as the image storage unit and providing a service to the first mobile communication terminal;
A second information server that has a second image storage unit as the image storage unit and provides a service to the second mobile communication terminal;
The access information stored in the first terminal storage unit is:
First access information which is information necessary for access to the first image storage unit;
The second portable communication terminal is
A second terminal storage unit that stores second access information that is information necessary for access to the second image storage unit notified from the second information server;
The image acquisition request is:
The second access information read from the second terminal storage unit as image transmission destination information, and the address of the second portable communication terminal as image acquisition request source information are further added,
The first information server is
A first server communication unit configured to transmit the extracted image to the second information server based on the image transmission destination information;
The second information server is
Based on the image acquisition request source information, the received image is provided with a part that enables the second mobile communication terminal to recognize,
The image providing system according to appendix 1, characterized in that:

(Additional remark 4) The site | part which makes it possible to recognize is the server communication part of the said 1st information server which transmits the said received image to a said 2nd portable communication terminal,
The image providing system according to Supplementary Note 2, wherein

(Additional remark 5) The site | part which enables the said recognition is the server communication part of the said 2nd information server which transmits the said received image to a said 2nd portable communication terminal,
The image providing system according to Supplementary Note 3, wherein

(Supplementary note 6) The part to be recognized is
A server control unit of the second information server that performs control to store the received image in the second image storage unit;
A server communication unit of the second information server for notifying the second mobile communication terminal that the storage is completed,
The image providing system according to Supplementary Note 3, wherein

(Supplementary Note 7) After the first information server enables the second mobile communication terminal to recognize the extracted image, the provision of the image to the first mobile communication terminal is completed. A server communication unit for notifying
The image providing system according to appendix 2 or 4, characterized by the above.

(Supplementary Note 8) After the second information server enables the second mobile communication terminal to recognize the extracted image, the provision of the image to the first mobile communication terminal is completed. A server communication unit for notifying
The image providing system according to any one of appendices 3, 5, and 6, characterized in that:

(Supplementary Note 9) The first mobile communication terminal includes a positioning unit that acquires information on its position,
The image extraction information constituting the image information is a shooting position of the image,
The image extraction condition is that a shooting position of the image matches a position of the first mobile communication terminal acquired by the positioning unit within a predetermined range.
The image providing system according to any one of appendices 2 to 8, characterized in that:

(Appendix 10) The first mobile communication terminal is:
Photographing means;
An image information generation unit that associates an image captured by the imaging unit with an imaging position, which is a position at the time of imaging acquired by the positioning unit, and sets the image information as the image information. To the information server,
The first information server stores the received generated image information in the first image storage unit.
The image providing system according to appendix 9, characterized in that:

(Supplementary Note 11) An information server that is connected to a first mobile communication terminal, a second mobile communication terminal, and a communication network, has an image storage unit that stores a plurality of images, and provides a service to the mobile communication terminal In the image providing method of providing the image to the second portable communication terminal via the information server by notification from the first portable communication terminal to the second portable communication terminal,
The image stored in the image storage unit is image information configured by associating the image with information for extracting the image,
A first terminal storage that is a storage unit of the first mobile communication terminal stores access information that is information necessary for the first mobile communication terminal to access the image storage unit notified from the information server. An access information storage step to be stored in the department;
The first portable communication terminal generates image provision information including the image extraction condition and the access information read from the first terminal storage unit as the content of the notification to the second portable communication terminal. An image providing information generation step;
An image providing information transmitting step for transmitting the generated image providing information to the second mobile communication terminal;
An image acquisition request generating step for generating an image acquisition request including the image extraction condition included in the received image providing information and the access information, the second mobile communication terminal;
An image request transmission step of transmitting the generated image acquisition request to the information server based on the access information;
An image extraction step in which the information server extracts an image that matches the image extraction condition from the image information stored in the image storage unit based on the received image acquisition request;
An image providing method comprising:

(Supplementary Note 12) An information server connected to a communication network, having a first mobile communication terminal, a second mobile communication terminal, and an image storage unit storing a plurality of images, and providing a service to the mobile communication terminal In an image providing program for providing the image to the second portable communication terminal via the information server by notification from the first portable communication terminal to the second portable communication terminal,
The image stored in the image storage unit is image information configured by associating the image with information for extracting the image,
A first terminal storage that is a storage unit of the first mobile communication terminal stores access information that is information necessary for the first mobile communication terminal to access the image storage unit notified from the information server. An access information storage step to be stored in the department;
The first portable communication terminal generates image provision information including the image extraction condition and the access information read from the first terminal storage unit as the content of the notification to the second portable communication terminal. An image providing information generation step;
An image providing information transmitting step for transmitting the generated image providing information to the second mobile communication terminal;
An image acquisition request generating step for generating an image acquisition request including the image extraction condition included in the received image providing information and the access information, the second mobile communication terminal;
An image request transmission step of transmitting the generated image acquisition request to the information server based on the access information;
An image extraction step in which the information server extracts an image that matches the image extraction condition from the image information stored in the image storage unit based on the received image acquisition request;
An image providing program for causing a computer to execute.

1 network
2 radio base stations
3 Mobile communication terminals
4 Information server
31 Mobile communication terminal A (transmission side)
32 Mobile communication terminal B (receiving side)
41 Information Server C
42 Information Server D
300, 310, 320 Wireless communication unit
301, 311, 321 Terminal processing unit 302, 312, 322 Terminal control unit 303, 313, 323 Terminal storage unit 304, 314, 324 Positioning unit 305, 315, 325 Camera unit 306, 316, 326 Operation unit 307, 317, 327 Speaker 308, 318, 328 Audio processing unit 309, 319, 329 Display unit 400, 410, 420 Server communication unit 401, 411, 421 Server processing unit 402, 412, 422 Server control unit 403, 413, 423 Image storage unit
3011, 3111 Image providing information generation unit
3012, 3212 Image acquisition request generator
3013, 3113 Image information generation unit 3081, 3181, 3281 Transmission microphone 3082, 3182, 3282

Claims (10)

A first mobile communication terminal; a second mobile communication terminal; an information server connected to a communication network, having an image storage unit storing a plurality of images, and providing a service to the mobile communication terminal; In the image providing system for providing the image to the second portable communication terminal via the information server by notification from the first portable communication terminal to the second portable communication terminal,
The image stored in the image storage unit is image information configured by associating the image with information for extracting the image,
The first portable communication terminal is
A first terminal storage unit that stores access information that is information necessary for access to the image storage unit notified from the information server;
The image extraction condition, which is a condition for extracting the image to be provided, and the image provision information including the access information read from the first terminal storage unit are the contents of the notification to the second mobile communication terminal An image providing information generation unit to generate;
A first wireless communication unit that transmits the generated image provision information to the second mobile communication terminal;
The second portable communication terminal is
An image acquisition request generator for generating an image acquisition request including the image extraction condition and the access information included in the received image provision information;
A second wireless communication unit that transmits the generated image acquisition request to the information server based on the access information;
The information server includes an image extraction unit that extracts an image that matches the image extraction condition from the image information stored in the image storage unit based on the received image acquisition request.
An image providing system characterized by that. The image acquisition request further includes an address of the second mobile communication terminal as image transmission destination information,
The information server
A first image storage unit as the image storage unit;
A first information server providing a service to the first mobile communication terminal;
The access information is first access information that is access information to the first image storage unit,
Based on the image transmission destination information included in the image acquisition request, the second mobile communication terminal comprises a part that enables the second mobile communication terminal to recognize the extracted image.
The image providing system according to claim 1. The information server
A first information server having a first image storage unit as the image storage unit and providing a service to the first mobile communication terminal;
A second information server that has a second image storage unit as the image storage unit and provides a service to the second mobile communication terminal;
The access information stored in the first terminal storage unit is first access information that is information necessary for access to the first image storage unit,
The second portable communication terminal includes a second terminal storage unit that stores second access information that is information necessary for access to the second image storage unit notified from the second information server. In addition to providing
The image acquisition request is obtained by further adding the second access information read from the second terminal storage unit as image transmission destination information and the address of the second portable communication terminal as image acquisition request source information. Yes,
The first information server includes a first server communication unit that transmits the extracted image to the second information server based on the image transmission destination information.
The second information server includes a part that enables the second mobile communication terminal to recognize the received image based on the image acquisition request source information.
The image providing system according to claim 1. The part to be recognized is a server communication unit of the first information server that transmits the received image to the second mobile communication terminal.
The image providing system according to claim 2. The part to be recognized is a server communication unit of the second information server that transmits the received image to the second mobile communication terminal.
The image providing system according to claim 3. The site to be recognized is
A server control unit of the second information server that performs control to store the received image in the second image storage unit;
A server communication unit of the second information server for notifying the second mobile communication terminal that the storage is completed,
The image providing system according to claim 3. The first mobile communication terminal includes a positioning unit that acquires information on its position,
The image extraction information constituting the image information is a shooting position of the image,
The image extraction condition is that a shooting position of the image matches a position of the first mobile communication terminal acquired by the positioning unit within a predetermined range.
The image providing system according to claim 2, wherein the image providing system is an image providing system. The first portable communication terminal is
Photographing means;
An image information generation unit that associates an image captured by the imaging unit with an imaging position, which is a position at the time of imaging acquired by the positioning unit, and sets the image information as the image information. To the information server,
The first information server stores the received generated image information in the first image storage unit.
The image providing system according to claim 7. A first mobile communication terminal; a second mobile communication terminal; an information server connected to a communication network, having an image storage unit storing a plurality of images, and providing a service to the mobile communication terminal; In the image providing method of providing the image to the second mobile communication terminal via the information server by notification from the first mobile communication terminal to the second mobile communication terminal.
The image stored in the image storage unit is image information configured by associating the image with information for extracting the image,
A first terminal storage that is a storage unit of the first mobile communication terminal stores access information that is information necessary for the first mobile communication terminal to access the image storage unit notified from the information server. An access information storage step to be stored in the department;
The first portable communication terminal generates image provision information including the image extraction condition and the access information read from the first terminal storage unit as the content of the notification to the second portable communication terminal. An image providing information generation step;
An image providing information transmitting step for transmitting the generated image providing information to the second mobile communication terminal;
An image acquisition request generating step for generating an image acquisition request including the image extraction condition included in the received image providing information and the access information, the second mobile communication terminal;
An image request transmission step of transmitting the generated image acquisition request to the information server based on the access information;
An image extraction step in which the information server extracts an image that matches the image extraction condition from the image information stored in the image storage unit based on the received image acquisition request;
An image providing method comprising: A first mobile communication terminal; a second mobile communication terminal; an information server connected to a communication network, having an image storage unit storing a plurality of images, and providing a service to the mobile communication terminal; In an image providing program for providing the image to the second portable communication terminal via the information server by notification from the first portable communication terminal to the second portable communication terminal,
The image stored in the image storage unit is image information configured by associating the image with information for extracting the image,
A first terminal storage that is a storage unit of the first mobile communication terminal stores access information that is information necessary for the first mobile communication terminal to access the image storage unit notified from the information server. An access information storage step to be stored in the department;
The first portable communication terminal generates image provision information including the image extraction condition and the access information read from the first terminal storage unit as the content of the notification to the second portable communication terminal. An image providing information generation step;
An image providing information transmitting step for transmitting the generated image providing information to the second mobile communication terminal;
An image acquisition request generating step for generating an image acquisition request including the image extraction condition included in the received image providing information and the access information, the second mobile communication terminal;
An image request transmission step of transmitting the generated image acquisition request to the information server based on the access information;
An image extraction step in which the information server extracts an image that matches the image extraction condition from the image information stored in the image storage unit based on the received image acquisition request;
An image providing program for causing a computer to execute.

Images