JP2012179877A - Print terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print terminal that facilitates printing of a desired image that is stored in a server.SOLUTION: The print terminal 1 stores print image data being data of a print image to an image storing server 13. The terminal includes: an image printer 5 that prints the print image; a network interface 10 that is installed for making a pair of the print image data of the print image which is printed at the image printer 5 and image identification information for identifying the print image to store the image storing server 13; an image identification information/code conversion section 7 that converts the image identification information into a predetermined code; a back-print printer 8 that prints the predetermined code converted at the image identification information/code conversion section 7 on a back of a surface where the print image is printed; and an image identification information reader 9 that reads out the predetermined code printed at the back-print printer 8 in order to read out the print image data from the image storing server 13.

Description

  The present invention relates to a print terminal, and more particularly to a print terminal that stores a print image in an image storage server and prints the image stored in the storage server again.

  A conventional print service system includes a print terminal and a server connected to the print terminal via the Internet. The server includes a data storage unit that creates a user directory for each user ID and stores image data. Have. The print terminal can download and print image data from the data storage unit via the Internet when a user inputs a user ID and password from a touch panel or the like provided in the print terminal (for example, , See Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 3484186

  According to Patent Document 1, in order for a user to specify an image desired to be printed, a user ID and a password must be input from a touch panel or the like provided in the print terminal. Therefore, it takes time to print an image. There was a problem. In addition, when performing an input operation of a user ID or password, there is a problem that an image cannot be printed if the input operation is incorrect. In addition, images are stored for each user ID in the server, but if the user ID and password are disclosed to a third party other than the user, all images included in the user ID can be viewed and printed. In order to publish only these images to a third party, it is necessary to store them on the server with a different user ID for each image, which is troublesome.

  The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and an object thereof is to provide a print terminal capable of easily printing a desired image stored in a server.

  In order to solve the above problems, a print terminal according to the present invention is a print terminal capable of storing print image data, which is print image data, in an image storage server, and an image printer unit that prints the print image; A network interface unit provided for storing the print image data of the print image printed by the image printer unit and the image identification information for identifying the print image in a pair in the image accumulation server; An image identification information / code conversion unit that converts the image into a code, a back print printer unit that prints the predetermined code converted by the image identification information / code conversion unit on the back side of the surface on which the print image is printed, and an image In order to read out the print image data from the storage server, a code reading unit that reads a predetermined code printed by the rear surface printing printer unit is provided. Obtain.

  According to the present invention, the image printer unit for printing a print image, the print image data of the print image printed by the image printer unit, and the image identification information for identifying the print image are stored in a pair in the image storage server. A print image is printed on the network interface unit provided in the image, the image identification information / code conversion unit for converting the image identification information into a predetermined code, and the predetermined code converted by the image identification information / code conversion unit. A back printing printer unit for printing on the back side of the printing surface, and a code reading unit for reading a predetermined code printed by the back printing printer unit for reading out the print image data from the image storage server. It is possible to easily print the desired image.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a print service system including a print terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the operation | movement of printing of the image memorize | stored in the storage medium by embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the operation | movement of printing of the image accumulate | stored in the image storage server by embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the image identification information by embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the printed matter by embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a print service system including a print terminal 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the print service system includes a print terminal 1 and an image storage server 13 that is communicably connected to the print terminal 1 via the Internet 12.

  The print terminal 1 includes a screen display unit configured by a liquid crystal monitor, a CRT, and the like, and a voice instruction unit configured by a speaker and the like. Images acquired by a reader / writer from a storage media card such as a compact flash (registered trademark) card in which image data (printed image data) of an image (printed image) desired to be stored is stored. Acquired or read by the image reading unit 3 that reads an image downloaded via the F unit 10, the fee settlement unit 4 that settles the fee paid when the user uses the print terminal 1, and the image reading unit 3 The image printer unit 5 that prints an image (printed image) specified by the user, and the user A touch panel for designating the specification or the number of menu selection and the image in the terminal 1, and an input unit 6 consisting of a keyboard or a mouse.

  Further, the print terminal 1 converts image identification information for identifying a print image to be printed by the image printer unit 5 into a barcode or a two-dimensional code (predetermined code), or image identification information from the barcode or the two-dimensional code. The image identification information / code conversion unit 7 for extracting the image identification information, the image identification information (barcode or two-dimensional code) code-converted by the image identification information / code conversion unit 7, the expiration date of the print image, and the print image In order to read out the print image data from the image storage server 13, the image identification information (bar code or two-dimensional code) printed by the back print printer unit 8 is printed. ) And the image identification information reading unit 9 (code reading unit) and uploading images from the print terminal 1 to the image storage server 13. Stored in the image storage server 13 (that is, when the print image data printed by the image printer unit and the image identification information for identifying the print image are stored in the image storage server 13 as a pair). A network I / F unit 10 (network interface unit) for connecting to the Internet 12 when an image is downloaded to the print terminal 1 is provided. The control unit 11 is connected to the above-described units, and includes hardware and software for managing the state of each unit and instructing each unit.

  The image storage server 13 includes a network I / F unit 14 for transmitting / receiving image data to / from the print terminal 1 via the Internet 12 and data storage for storing images uploaded by the user to the image storage server 13 for each image. Unit 15 and an expiration date management unit 17 that manages the expiration date of the image data stored in the data storage unit 15. The data storage unit 15 includes image directories 16a to 16n (hereinafter also simply referred to as image directories 16) that store image data and identification information of the image data in pairs.

  Next, an operation of printing image data stored in the storage medium in the print terminal 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 2, it is assumed that the screen / voice instruction unit 2 appropriately instructs the user what to do next by voice and screen.

  First, in accordance with an instruction from the print terminal 1, the user inserts a storage medium such as a CD, DVD, or media card storing image data desired to be printed into the print terminal 1 (step S21).

  After step S21, the user selects an image desired to be printed, which print medium is used to print the image, and selects the number of prints and size in accordance with an instruction from the print terminal 1 (step S22). The types of print media include plain paper, plain paper with a protective layer, sticker paper, etc. corresponding to sublimation type printers and ink jet type printers. As the size, a size that can be printed at a photo shop, such as a postcard size (post size), L size, or 2L size, can be selected.

  Next, the user selects an image to be uploaded and stored in the image storage server 13 among the images selected in step S22 according to an instruction from the print terminal 1 (step S23).

  After step S23, the user sets a password as one piece of information included in the image identification information attached to the image stored in the image storage server 13 (step S24).

  Here, the role of the password set in step S24 will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of image identification information according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the image identification information includes a printing date, a storage expiration date of image data stored in the image storage server 13, an image file name, and a password. If the image file name or password includes an alphabet, the alphabet may be converted into an ASCII code (ASCII code) and expressed in hexadecimal. In FIG. 4, the print date, the expiration date, the image file name, and the password are simply arranged and expressed in hexadecimal. However, in order to improve security, the arrangement is changed by providing a certain rule. Alternatively, it may be further complicated by using general-purpose encryption software. Unlike the printing date, the expiration date, and the image file name, the password can be set on the print terminal 1 on the spot by the user, and a unique character string can be set. The password is included in the image identification information.

  Returning to FIG. 2, after setting the password in step S24, the user sets an expiration date for each image stored in the image storage server 13 (step S25). In this embodiment, since the expiration date is set for each image, it is convenient when there are images that are to be stored for a long period and images that are to be stored for a short period, but the expiration date is not set for each image. Alternatively, the same expiration date may be set uniformly for all images. Here, the expiration date is a time limit for storing an image to be uploaded to the image storage server 13, and mainly assumes that the image has leaked from the image storage server 13, etc. It is set for the purpose of not accumulating. The purpose is also set to prevent the capacity of the image storage server 13 from increasing due to the same image being stored in the image storage server 13 for a long period of time. The expiration date set in step S25 is uploaded and stored for each image directory 16 in the data storage unit 15 of the image storage server 13 together with the image data as part of the image identification information.

  After step S25, the user inputs (pays) a fee into the fee settlement unit 4 of the print terminal 1 (step S26). The fee input at this time includes a fee for printing the image and a fee for uploading the image to the image storage server 13. The fee required for payment is calculated by the control unit 11, and the user pays the fee via the fee settlement unit 4. The fee settlement unit 4 may be a cash-in type charging machine such as a coin mech or bill validator, or an electronic money compatible machine such as Edy (registered trademark).

  When a fee is charged in step S26, the image printer unit 5 of the print terminal 1 starts printing the image selected in step S22. Of the printed images, for the image selected in step S23, image identification information is printed on the back by the back print printer unit 8 (step S27). Here, as the image identification information printed on the back side, a barcode or a two-dimensional code (predetermined code) converted by the image identification information / code conversion unit 7 is printed. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printed material according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, an image is printed on the front surface, and a QR code (registered trademark) is printed on the back surface as an example of a two-dimensional code. The image identification information / code conversion unit 7 converts the identification information shown in FIG. 4 into a two-dimensional code or barcode shown in FIG. In step S27, the back print printer unit 8 may print the expiration date for storing the print image data in the image storage server 13 together with the barcode or the two-dimensional code (predetermined code).

  Simultaneously with step S27, the image selected at step S23 is uploaded to the image storage server 13 together with the image identification information (step S28).

  After step S27, the user receives the printed matter on which the image has been printed, and the print service ends (step S29).

  Next, the operation of printing the image stored in the image storage server 13 will be described with reference to FIG. 3, it is assumed that the screen / voice instruction unit 2 appropriately instructs the user what to do next by voice and screen.

  First, the user uses the image identification information reading unit 9 (code reading unit) of the print terminal 1 to read a barcode or two-dimensional code printed on the back of the image. Then, the image identification information / code conversion unit 7 extracts and acquires the image identification information (see FIG. 4) from the read barcode or two-dimensional code (step S31).

  After step S31, the print terminal 1 transmits an image corresponding to the image identification information extracted in step S31 via the network I / F unit 10, the Internet 12, and the network I / F unit 14 to the image storage server 13. And displayed on the screen / voice instruction unit 2 (step S32). At this time, if the image has expired or there is no image corresponding to the image identification information read by the image identification information reading unit 9 in the image storage server 13, the image cannot be downloaded and printed. It cannot be performed (step S33). The fact that the download is not possible is notified to the user by the screen / voice instruction unit 2 of the print terminal 1.

  After step S32, the user can select a desired image from the images displayed on the screen / audio instruction unit 2 (step S34). The operation in step S32 is the same as that in step S22 in FIG.

  After step S34, the user inputs a fee into the fee settlement unit 4 when printing an image (step S35). The operation in step S35 is the same as that in step S26 in FIG.

  After step S35, the selected image is printed (step S36), and the user receives a printed matter (step S37).

  Next, the operation of the image storage server 13 will be described.

  The data storage unit 15 stores image data (print image data) and image identification information uploaded from the print terminal 1 as a pair in the image directory 16 for each image. When a download request for the stored image is received from the print terminal 1 via the Internet 12, an image with matching image identification information is downloaded to the print terminal 1 via the network I / F unit 14 and the Internet 12. I am letting.

  The expiration date management unit 17 monitors (manages) the expiration date of image data stored in the data storage unit 15 in the image storage server 13 and has an image directory having image identification information whose expiration date has passed. 16 is automatically deleted from the image storage server 13.

  From the above, according to the present embodiment, when the user prints an image on the print terminal 1, the image can be stored in the image storage server 13 for each image. When printing, only a specific (desired) image can be printed. Since the barcode or two-dimensional code is printed as the image identification information on the back of the printed image, the user can read the barcode or the two-dimensional code into the print terminal 1 whenever the user wants to reprint. Images can be easily downloaded from the image storage server 13 and printed without the need to input an ID, password, or the like. In addition, since an expiration date can be set for each image stored in the image storage server 13, an optimal publication period of the image can be set.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Print terminal, 2 Screen / voice instruction part, 3 Image reading part, 4 Charge adjustment part, 5 Image printer part, 6 Input part, 7 Image identification information and code conversion part, 8 Back print printer part, 9 Image identification information reading , 10 Network I / F unit, 11 Control unit, 12 Internet, 13 Image storage server, 14 Network I / F unit, 15 Data storage unit, 16 Image directory, 17 Expiration date management unit.

Claims (3)

A print terminal capable of storing print image data as print image data in an image storage server,
The print terminal is
An image printer unit for printing the print image;
A network interface unit provided for storing in the image storage server a pair of the print image data of the print image printed by the image printer unit and image identification information for identifying the print image;
An image identification information / code converter for converting the image identification information into a predetermined code;
A back print printer unit that prints the predetermined code converted by the image identification information / code conversion unit on a back surface of the surface on which the print image is printed;
A code reading unit that reads the predetermined code printed by the back print printer unit to read the print image data from the image storage server;
A print terminal.   The print terminal according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined code is a bar code or a two-dimensional code.   The print terminal according to claim 1, wherein the back print printer unit prints an expiration date for storing the print image data in the image storage server together with the predetermined code.

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