JP2015179479A - Management server, management server control method, control program and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a service allowing a user to continue to be a member in an upper rank.SOLUTION: A management server (4) according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: an image management unit (414) that manages an image of a user received from a picture seal creation device; and a member database (422) that manages a member category of the user. The image management unit is configured to store the image of a user who is a first category member for a first period of time. When the member category is changed to a second category member, the image management unit is configured to delete the image when a second period of time has elapsed even if the first period of time has not elapsed.

Description

  The present invention relates to a management server connected to a photo sticker creating apparatus via a network.

  In recent years, as a service for providing a user with an image generated by a photo sticker creation apparatus, an image is displayed by displaying the image on a mobile terminal owned by the user together with a service for providing a user with a print sticker on which an image is printed. The services that provide users with the Internet are expanding.

  Patent Document 1 describes a technology in which a management server issues points to a user in accordance with the number of times a photo sticker creation apparatus is used, and the user can exchange accumulated points with digital content or the like. The management of points is performed by a management server connected to the photo sticker creating apparatus. The user uses points through a membership card application provided to the member from the management server.

JP 2012-142773 A (released July 26, 2012)

  For example, the provision of the image to the user is performed at an image providing site that has received the image from the photo sticker creating apparatus. The user performs member registration in advance in order to use the image providing site. The contents of services available at the image providing site vary depending on the type of member.

  However, in the conventional technology, the service change when the member type is changed is not sufficient, and specifically, the superiority of the service of the paying member to the free member is not sufficient. Therefore, the effect of keeping the user as a high-order member (paid member) is small.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and a main object of the present invention is to provide a management server that provides a service in which a user continues to be a high-order member.

  A management server according to an aspect of the present invention is a management server connected to a photo sticker creating apparatus via a network, and manages image of a user received from the photo sticker creating apparatus, User information management means for managing the membership type of the user, wherein the image management means includes a user for a first period after the image is generated for the image of the user whose membership type is a first-class member. Can be acquired, and the first type member is a member who pays a higher fee than the second type member, and when the member type of the user is changed from the first type member to the second type member, The image management means makes it impossible to acquire the image when the second period elapses after the membership type is changed, even if the first period has not elapsed since the image was generated. To.

  According to said structure, even if it is the image produced | generated when it is a 1st type member and is managed by the image management means, the 2nd period which is a grace period passes after changing to a 2nd type member Then, the image cannot be acquired. Therefore, the management server can urge the user to continue the state of being a first type member while making the convenience of the user who becomes the second type member.

  The image management means enables the user to acquire the image of the user whose member type is the second type member for a third period shorter than the first period after the image is generated, The period may be longer than the third period.

  According to said structure, the image of the user who changed from the 1st type member to the 2nd type member can be acquired for a period longer than the image of the user who is a 2nd type member originally.

  The first period may be indefinite.

  According to said structure, if it is a 1st type member, an image can be acquired indefinitely, but if it changes from a 1st type member to a 2nd type member, an image will become unable to be acquired after progress of a 2nd period. Therefore, the user can be encouraged to continue the state of being a first type member. Furthermore, if the image of the user whose membership type is changed from the first type member to the second type member is deleted, the load on the management server can be reduced.

  The management server may be configured to include user notification means for notifying the user of the acquisition deadline of the image when the remaining time until the acquisition deadline of the image is equal to or less than a first threshold.

  According to the above configuration, it is possible to notify the user of an image whose acquisition deadline is approaching. Therefore, the user can be encouraged to change the member type from the second type member to the first type member.

  The user information management means manages the change history of the user's past member type, and the management server has the number of changes of the member type in a fourth period equal to or greater than a second threshold and is currently the first A user specifying means for specifying the user who is not a type 1 member, and a user notification means for notifying the user specified by the user specifying means to recommend the change to the type 1 member. Also good.

  A user who frequently changes the membership type can be said to be a user who is highly likely to become a first type member if there is merit to become a first type member. According to said structure, the user with a high change frequency of a member type is specified, and the notification which recommends the change to a 1st type member is given. Thereby, it is possible to prompt the user to change to the first type member efficiently.

  The management server includes a usage history management unit that manages a usage history of the photo sticker creation device of the user, a usage frequency of the photo sticker creation device in a fifth period is equal to or more than a third threshold, and the current A user specifying means for specifying the user who is not a type 1 member, and a user notification means for notifying the user specified by the user specifying means to recommend the change to the type 1 member. Also good.

  A user who frequently uses the photo sticker creating apparatus can be said to be a user who has a high probability of becoming a first type member if there is merit to become a first type member. According to said structure, the user with high utilization frequency of a photograph sticker production apparatus is specified, and the notification which recommends the change to a 1st type member is given. Thereby, it is possible to prompt the user to change to the first type member efficiently.

  The said user notification means may be the structure which gives the notification which provides the privilege which becomes effective when the said member type is changed to the said 1st type member to the said user specified by the said user specific means.

  According to said structure, according to the privilege which will become effective if it changes to a 1st type member, a user can be encouraged to change a member type to a 1st type member.

  The management server specifies a user specifying means for specifying the user who is not using the photo sticker creating apparatus for the sixth period or more and is currently the first type member, and the user specifying means. A configuration may be provided that includes user notification means for notifying the user who has been advised to use the photo sticker creating apparatus.

  A user who has not used the photo sticker creating apparatus for a long time may eventually withdraw from the first type member. According to said structure, it can suppress that a user leaves a 1st type member by having a user use a photo sticker production apparatus continuously.

  The user notifying unit may be configured to issue a notification recommending the use of the photo sticker creating apparatus to the user specified by the user specifying unit by presenting the user's past image.

  According to said structure, the image produced | generated with the photo sticker production apparatus utilized in the past is shown to a user. Presenting past images presents memories to the user. This can prompt the user to use the photo sticker creation apparatus.

  The user notifying unit is configured to issue a notification recommending the use of the photo sticker creating device by presenting the user's past use history of the photo sticker creating device to the user specified by the user specifying unit. It may be.

  Presenting the usage history of the photo sticker creating apparatus used by the user presents memories to the user. This can prompt the user to use the photo sticker creation apparatus.

  The image management means stores the image of the user who is the first type member with higher image quality than the image of the user who is the second type member, and the member type of the user is the first type member. When the seed member is changed to the second kind member, the image management means may be configured to convert the image quality of the image of the user to be low and store it.

  According to the above configuration, the image management service can be differentiated according to the member type. Thereby, a user can be encouraged to continue the state of being a first type member.

  The management server may be configured to provide service providing means for providing the image providing service for the image to the user on the web and changing the design of the web according to the type of member of the user.

  According to said structure, an image provision service can be differentiated according to a member type. Thereby, a user can be encouraged to continue the state of being a first type member.

  A control method for a management server according to an aspect of the present invention is a control method for a management server connected to a photo sticker creation apparatus via a network, wherein a first type member charges a higher fee than a second type member. An image receiving step for receiving a user image from the photo sticker creating device, a member type changing step for accepting a change in the member type of the user, and the user whose member type is the first type member The image is generated when the user can acquire the image for the first period after the image is generated, and the member type of the user is changed from the first type member to the second type member. An image management step for making the image unacquirable after the second period has elapsed since the membership type was changed even if the first period has not elapsed since And butterflies.

  The management server according to each aspect of the present invention may be realized by a computer. In this case, the management server that realizes the management server by a computer by causing the computer to operate as each unit included in the management server. A control program and a computer-readable recording medium on which the control program is recorded also fall within the scope of the present invention.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, the user can be encouraged to continue the state of being a first type member.

It is a block diagram which shows the principal part structure of the management server which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the picked-up image management system which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structural example of the external appearance of the photograph sticker production apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the perspective view which looked at the external appearance of the photograph sticker production apparatus concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention from other angles. It is a figure explaining the movement of the user in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the imaging | photography part with which the photograph sticker production apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention is equipped. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the background part with which the photograph sticker production apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention is equipped. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the edit part with which the photograph sticker production apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention is equipped. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the aft customer service part with which the photograph sticker production apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention is equipped. It is a block diagram which shows the example of an internal structure of the photograph sticker production apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a functional block diagram which shows the detailed structural example of the control part with which the photograph sticker production apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention is equipped. It is a block diagram which shows the principal part structure of the portable terminal which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a screen transition figure which shows an example of the web page displayed on the display part of a portable terminal at the time of the member registration process in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the flow of a series of processes from photography to image preservation | save in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a screen transition diagram which shows an example of the web page displayed on the display part of a portable terminal at the time of the image preservation | save process to the management server in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the flow of a series of processes regarding the image preservation | save to the portable terminal in the picked-up image management system which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a screen transition diagram which shows an example of the web page displayed on the display part of a portable terminal at the time of the image preservation | save process to the portable terminal in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the flow of notification mail preparation in the management server of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the principal part structure of the management server in 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the principal part structure of the management server in 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the principal part structure of the management server in 5th Embodiment of this invention.

Embodiment 1
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Descriptions of configurations other than those described in the following specific embodiments may be omitted as necessary, but are the same as those configurations when described in other embodiments. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those shown in each embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the explanation thereof is omitted as appropriate. Further, the shape of the configuration described in each drawing and the dimensions such as length, size, and width do not reflect the actual shape and dimensions, but are changed as appropriate for clarity and simplification of the drawings. doing.

(Captured image management system 10)
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of the captured image management system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the captured image management system 10 includes a photo sticker creating apparatus 1, a mobile terminal 6 (user terminal), and a management server 4.

  An outline of the captured image management system 10 will be described below. The captured image management system 10 provides a user with services for realizing user photography, image editing, image printing as a photo sticker, and image storage on an image providing site. Photo shooting, image editing, and photo sticker printing services are provided by the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 installed in a store such as a game center. The image storage service is provided by the management server 4 that manages the image providing site. The user can store his / her captured image in the image providing site by operating the mobile terminal 6 possessed by the user.

  In order to store images on the image providing site, prior member registration is required. The membership types include a free member (second type member), a paid member (first type member), and a premium member. The user registers his / her information on the image providing site as any member. Note that the user can change his / her member type (member attribute) from a free member to a paid member or premium member, or vice versa.

  A free member does not need to pay a membership fee, but is restricted by an image providing service available at an image providing site. In this embodiment, a free member is limited to one image that can be stored in the image providing site in one game. For free members, the period during which images taken with the photo sticker creation device 1 can be stored on the image providing site is 30 days from the date of photography.

  Paying members need to pay the prescribed membership fee (fee) continuously, but the image providing service that can be received on the image providing site has higher added value compared to free members, Capable of obtaining high-definition images and acquiring large amounts of data. In the present embodiment, the paying member can save all images (for example, six images) generated in one game in the image providing site. For paying members, there is no limit to the period during which images taken with the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 can be stored in the image providing site.

  Premium members can receive more image providing services than paid members at an image providing site, instead of having to pay a higher fee than paid members. In this embodiment, the premium member can save all images (for example, six images) generated in one game in the image providing site. For premium members, there is no limit to the period during which images taken with the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 can be stored on the image providing site. Further, the premium member can acquire a higher quality image than the paying member as described later as an image providing service. In addition, the premium member can customize the design of the web page of the user on the image providing site. Regardless of the charge, the paying member may be changed to a premium member when the member continuation period of the paying member is longer than a predetermined period or the number of accesses to the image providing site is higher than the predetermined number of times.

  In summary, the fee paid by the user is free member <paid member <premium member. The storage period during which images can be stored on the image providing site is: free member <paid member ≦ premium member. The number of image providing services that the user can receive is: free member <paid member <premium member. Here, the image providing service is a service for providing (browsing and acquiring) an image generated by the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 to the user at an image providing site managed by the management server 4. For paying members, the image storage period on the image providing site may be limited to 18 months, for example.

  Note that the user may be designated as a model member (special member) based on an agreement with a specific user. The image saved by the model member on the image providing site (the image generated by the photo sticker creating apparatus) is also disclosed to other users. The management server 4 may allow the portable terminal 6 of the paying member and the premium member to acquire (save) the model member image. The management server 4 may permit acquisition (storing) of model member images when using an application that is provided to a paying member or a premium member and that operates on the mobile terminal 6.

  The flow from photography to image storage in the photographed image management system 10 will be briefly described below. One or more users pay the price to the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 and play a game relating to photography and image editing. The user takes a picture of himself as a subject during the game. The user selects several images to be edited from the images generated by shooting and edits them as desired. Further, the user inputs his / her e-mail address to the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 in order to save the image in the image providing site later. A game relating to photography and image editing can be played together (cooperatively) by a plurality of users. Multiple users can enter their respective email addresses.

  After the game is over, the user gets a photo sticker. On the other hand, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 associates the generated user's email address with the generated image and transmits the image to the management server 4. When a plurality of e-mail addresses are input, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 associates the input e-mail addresses of the plurality of users with the generated image and transmits them to the management server 4. The management server 4 transmits a mail for guiding the received image to be stored in the image providing site to the received mail address. The user receives this mail at his / her mobile terminal 6. The e-mail describes a procedure for storing an image on an image providing site. The user performs an operation for saving the image on the portable terminal 6 according to the procedure. As a result, the image is stored in the image storage area dedicated to the user at the image providing site.

  After the image is stored in the image providing site, the user can log in to the image providing site using the portable terminal 6 or other desired device and download the image.

(Configuration of photo sticker creation device)
The configuration and function of each device constituting the captured image management system 10 will be described in detail below. First, details of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of the appearance of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this figure, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 mainly includes a photographing unit 11, an editing unit 12, and a subsequent customer service unit 13. The photo sticker creating apparatus 1 is installed in a state in which the photographing unit 11 and the editing unit 12 are in contact with each other, and the editing unit 12 and the subsequent customer service unit 13 are in contact with each other.

(Shooting unit 11)
The photographing unit 11 includes a photographing unit 21 and a background unit 22. The photographing unit 21 and the background unit 22 are installed with a predetermined distance apart. Shooting control is performed in a shooting space that is a space formed between the shooting unit 21 and the background unit 22.

  The photographing unit 21 is a device that allows a user to perform photographing control. The photographing unit 21 enters the photographing space and is located in front of the user who is performing the photographing control. A front panel 41 of the photographing unit 21 that constitutes a surface in which the photographing space is desired in front is provided with a touch panel monitor used by the user during photographing control. Assuming that the left side is the left side and the right side is the right side as viewed from the user in the imaging space, the left side of the imaging unit 21 is configured by the side panel 42A, and the right side is configured by the side panel 42B.

  The background portion 22 is attached to the left end of the rear panel 51 and the rear panel 51, which are plate-like members positioned on the rear side of the user who is performing the shooting control facing the front, and has a narrower width than the side panel 42A. And a side panel 52B (FIG. 4) which is a plate-like member attached to the right end of the rear panel 51 and having a narrower width than the side panel 42B.

  The side panel 42A constituting the left side surface of the photographing unit 21 and the side panel 52A of the background unit 22 are provided on substantially the same plane, and their upper portions are connected by a connecting part 23A that is a plate-like member. Further, the side panel 42B constituting the right side surface of the photographing unit 21 and the side panel 52B of the background portion 22 are provided on substantially the same plane, and their upper portions are connected by a connecting portion 23B which is a plate-like member.

  An opening formed by being surrounded by the side panel 42 </ b> A of the photographing unit 21, the connecting part 23 </ b> A, and the side panel 52 </ b> A of the background part 22 becomes an entrance G <b> 1 of the photographing space. An opening formed by being surrounded by the side panel 42B of the imaging unit 21, the connecting unit 23B, and the side panel 52B of the background unit 22 is also an entrance G2 of the imaging space.

  The background curtain unit 25 is provided above the background portion 22 so as to be supported by the back panel 51, the side panel 52A, and the side panel 52B. The background curtain unit 25 stores a plurality of roll-up type background curtains having different colors or patterns and used for the background. The background curtain unit 25 operates in conjunction with shooting by a camera or the like provided in the shooting unit 21. At the time of shooting, for example, the curtain of the color selected by the user is lowered and the other curtains are wound up.

  As the background curtain stored in the background curtain unit 25, an elevating curtain that uses a plurality of curtains as a single curtain for curtains may be prepared. In addition, a blackboard curtain is pasted on the rear panel 51 that is the back of the shooting space, and a plurality of background images for synthesis are prepared. In editing control described later, a user-desired background image is used as a curtain portion. It may be possible to synthesize.

  An opening surrounded by the front panel 41 of the photographing unit 21, the connecting part 23A, the connecting part 23B, and the background curtain unit 25 is formed above the photographing space, and the ceiling strobe unit 24 covers the part of the opening. Provided. One end of the ceiling strobe unit 24 is fixed to the connecting portion 23A, and the other end is fixed to the connecting portion 23B. The ceiling strobe unit 24 has a built-in strobe that emits light toward the photographing space in accordance with photographing. A fluorescent lamp is provided inside the strobe constituting the ceiling strobe unit 24, and also functions as illumination of the photographing space.

(Editor 12)
The editing unit 12 is a device that allows a user to perform editing control, which is processing for editing an image obtained by shooting control. The editing unit 12 is provided so as to be connected to the photographing unit 11 so that one side surface thereof is in contact with the back surface of the front panel 41 of the photographing unit 21. The editing unit 12 is provided with a configuration such as a tablet built-in monitor used by the user during editing control.

  If the configuration of the editing unit 12 shown in FIG. 3 is a front side configuration, the configuration used for editing control is provided on the front side and the back side of the editing unit 12 so that two sets of users can edit simultaneously. Provided.

  The front side of the editing unit 12 is a surface perpendicular to the floor surface, and is composed of a surface 71 that is substantially parallel to the side panel 42A, and a slope 72 formed above the surface 71 for editing control. The configuration used is provided on the slope 72. On the left side of the slope 72, a support portion 73A that has a columnar shape and supports one end of the lighting device 74 is provided. A support portion 75 that supports the curtain rail 26 is provided on the upper surface of the support portion 73A. A support portion 73 </ b> B (FIG. 4) that supports the other end of the lighting device 74 is also provided on the right side of the slope 72.

  A curtain rail 26 is attached above the editing unit 12. The curtain rail 26 is configured by combining three rails 26A to 26C so that the shape when viewed from above is a U-shape. One end of the rails 26A and 26B provided in parallel is fixed to the connecting portion 23A and the connecting portion 23B, respectively, and both ends of the remaining one rail 26C are joined to the other end.

  A curtain is attached to the curtain rail 26 so that the inside of the space in front of the editing unit 12 and the space in front of the back cannot be seen from the outside. The space in front of the editing unit 12 and the space in front of the back of the editing unit 12 surrounded by the curtain attached to the curtain rail 26 are editing spaces in which the user performs editing control.

(Subsequent customer service department 13)
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the external appearance of the photo sticker creating apparatus as seen from another angle. The subsequent customer service unit 13 is a device that performs the subsequent customer service and allows the user to perform an operation on the subsequent customer service. Subsequent customer service includes processing for transmitting images (including edited images) to the management server 4, processing for causing a user to play a mini game, processing for answering a questionnaire, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the post-service customer unit 13 has a plate-shaped housing having a predetermined thickness, and is connected to the editing unit 12 so that the back surface thereof is in contact with the left side surface of the editing unit 12. Provided. On the front side of the post-service customer section 13, there are provided a tablet built-in monitor used by the user at the time of operation for the post-service customer, and a discharge port for discharging sticker paper on which an image (including an edited image) is printed. The space in front of the post-service section 13 is a post-service area where a user waiting for printing on the sticker paper to perform an operation on the post-service.

(User movement)
The flow of the photo sticker creation game and the accompanying user movement will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the movement of the user.

  The user of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 takes a picture formed between the photographing part 21 and the background part 22 from the entrance / exit G1 as indicated by the white arrow # 1 or from the entrance / exit G2 as indicated by the white arrow # 2. The camera enters the space A1 and performs shooting control using a camera and a touch panel monitor provided in the shooting unit 21.

  It should be noted that, in the shooting of the user's image, not all shooting is to capture an image printed on sticker paper, but for transmission to the mobile terminal 6 (or so that it can be viewed on the mobile terminal 6, In some cases, the image is taken only for transmission to the management server 4. This is because the user's preference may be different between the image to be printed and the image transmitted to the mobile terminal 6, and the user wants to take an image in consideration of transmission to the mobile terminal 6 at the time of the user's shooting. It is in response to the user's intention.

  The user who has finished the shooting control uses the doorway G1 to move out of the shooting space A1 as indicated by the white arrow # 3 and moves to the editing space A2-1 or opens the doorway G2 as indicated by the white arrow # 4. Use to move out of the shooting space A1 and move to the editing space A2-2.

  The editing space A2-1 is an editing space on the front side of the editing unit 12, and the editing space A2-2 is an editing space on the back side of the editing unit 12. Which of the editing space A2-1 and the editing space A2-2 is moved is guided by the screen display of the touch panel monitor of the photographing unit 21 or the like. For example, the empty space of the two editing spaces is guided as the destination. The user who has moved to the editing space A2-1 or the editing space A2-2 starts editing control. The user of the editing space A2-1 and the user of the editing space A2-2 can perform editing control at the same time.

  After the editing control is finished, printing of an image selected from images (including edited images) is started. During printing of the image, the user who has finished the editing control moves from the editing space A2-1 to the subsequent customer service space A3 as indicated by the white arrow # 5 when the editing control is performed in the editing space A2-1. The customer receives the subsequent customer service and performs an operation on the subsequent customer service. In addition, when editing control is performed in the editing space A2-2, the user who has finished editing control moves from the editing space A2-2 to the post-service area A3 as indicated by the white arrow # 6. In the space A3, a subsequent customer service is received and an operation is performed on the customer service.

  When the printing of the image is finished, the user receives the sticker paper from the outlet provided in the post-service section 13 and finishes a series of photo sticker creation games.

(Configuration of each member)
Next, the configuration of each member provided in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 will be described.

(Photographing unit 21)
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the photographing unit 21 provided in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. The photographing unit 21 is configured by attaching a front panel 41, a side panel 42A, and a side panel 42B to a base unit 43 having a box shape.

  The front panel 41 is positioned in front of the user who performs shooting control in the shooting space A1, and the side panel 42A and the side panel 42B are positioned on the left and right sides of the user who performs shooting control in the shooting space A1, respectively. The connecting portion 23A is fixed above the side panel 42A, and the connecting portion 23B is fixed above the side panel 42B.

  An imaging / display unit 81 is provided in the approximate center of the front panel 41. The photographing / display unit 81 includes a camera 91, a front strobe 92, and a touch panel monitor 93.

  The camera 91 is configured by an image sensor such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS), and photographs a user in the photographing space A1. The moving image captured by the camera 91 is displayed on the touch panel monitor 93 in real time. An image captured by the camera 91 at a predetermined timing such as when a user gives an instruction to shoot is saved as an image (still image).

  The touch panel monitor 93 provided on the lower side of the camera 91 includes a monitor such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and a touch panel stacked thereon. The touch panel monitor 93 has a function as a live view monitor that displays a moving image captured by the camera 91 and a function that displays various GUI (Graphical User Interface) images and accepts a user's selection operation through the touch panel. Yes. On the touch panel monitor 93, a moving image after an image such as a background is appropriately displayed is displayed.

  On the front panel 41, an upper strobe 82 is installed on the upper side with respect to the position of the photographing / display unit 81. A left strobe 83 is installed on the left side and a right strobe 84 is installed on the right side. A lower strobe 85 is provided at a position below the photographing / display unit 81 such that a part of the upper surface of the base portion 43 protrudes.

  The upper strobe 82 irradiates the user from the upper front. The left strobe 83 irradiates the user from the left front, and the right strobe 84 irradiates the user from the right front. The lower strobe 85 irradiates the user from the lower front.

  The base unit 43 is also provided with a foot strobe 86 that irradiates the user's foot. The upper strobe 82, left strobe 83, right strobe 84, lower strobe 85, and foot strobe 86 are provided with fluorescent lamps. Used as illumination in the space A1. As will be described later, by adjusting the light emission amount of each fluorescent lamp, or by adjusting the number of fluorescent lamps to emit light, the brightness in the shooting space A1 becomes the content of the shooting control performed by the user. It is adjusted accordingly.

  On the right side of the foot strobe 86, a coin insertion / return opening 87 through which a user inserts money is provided.

  Spaces 43A and 43B formed on the left and right sides of the upper surface of the base portion 43 with the lower strobe 85 interposed therebetween are used as a luggage storage place for a user who performs shooting control to place baggage and the like. For example, near the ceiling of the front panel 41, a speaker for outputting sound such as guidance sound for shooting control, BGM (Back Ground Music), and sound effects is also provided.

(Background 22)
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the background unit 22 provided in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. As described above, the background curtain unit 25 is provided above the back panel 51. Near the center of the background curtain unit 25, a rear center strobe 101 that irradiates a user who is performing shooting control in the shooting space A1 from the rear center.

  A rear left strobe 102 that irradiates a user who is performing shooting control in the shooting space A1 from the left rear is provided above the rear panel 51 and on the doorway G1 side. Further, a rear right strobe 103 that irradiates the user who is performing the photographing control in the photographing space A1 from the right rear is provided above the rear panel 51 and on the entrance / exit G2 side.

(Editor 12)
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the editing unit 12 provided in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. As shown in the figure, in the editing unit 12, a tablet built-in monitor 131 is provided in the approximate center of the slope 72. A touch pen 132A is provided on the left side of the tablet built-in monitor 131, and a touch pen 132B is provided on the right side.

  The tablet built-in monitor 131 is configured by superimposing a tablet capable of inputting an operation using the touch pens 132A and 132B on a monitor such as an LCD. On the tablet built-in monitor 131, for example, an editing screen, which is a screen used for editing an image selected as an image to be edited, is displayed. When two people perform editing work simultaneously, the touch pen 132A is used by one user, and the touch pen 132B is used by the other user.

  It should be noted that the image editing performed in the editing unit 12 is not necessarily an editing on an image to be printed, but an image that is assumed to be transmitted only to the mobile terminal 6 by the user (that is, an image that is not printed). May be an edit to This is because there is a difference in user preference between an image to be printed and an image transmitted to the mobile terminal 6 and used on the web. For example, an image used for a blog or the like is printed. This is to respond to the user's intention to edit differently from the editing of the image.

(Subsequent customer service department 13)
On the left side of the editing unit 12, a post-service unit 13 is provided. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the post-service unit 13 provided in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1.

  A monitor 161 with a built-in tablet is provided at the upper center of the post-service section 13. A touch pen 162A is provided on the left side of the tablet built-in monitor 161, and a touch pen 162B is provided on the right side. Similarly to the tablet built-in monitor 131, the tablet built-in monitor 161 is configured by superimposing a tablet capable of performing an operation input using the touch pen 162A or 162B on a monitor such as an LCD. On the tablet built-in monitor 161, a screen used in a post-service process such as a mini game is displayed.

  A non-contact type IC reader / writer 163 is provided under the tablet built-in monitor 161, and a sticker paper discharge port 164 is provided under the non-contact type IC reader / writer 163. A speaker 165 is provided below the sticker paper discharge port 164.

  The non-contact type IC reader / writer 163 communicates with a non-contact type IC that is in close proximity, reads data from the non-contact type IC, and writes data to the non-contact type IC.

  In the sticker paper discharge port 164, sticker paper on which an image created by the editing space A2-1 user performing editing control is printed, or created by the editing space A2-2 user performing editing control. The sticker paper on which the image is printed is discharged. A printer is provided inside the editing unit 12, and printing of images is performed by the printer.

  The speaker 165 outputs sound such as guidance voice, BGM, and sound effects at the time of subsequent customer service.

(Internal structure of photo sticker making apparatus 1)
Next, the internal configuration of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration example of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. The same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same structure as the structure mentioned above. The overlapping description will be omitted as appropriate.

  The control unit 201 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the like, and executes a program stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) 206 or a storage unit 202 to control the overall operation of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. A storage unit 202, a communication unit 203, a drive 204, a ROM 206, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 207 are connected to the control unit 201. The control unit 201 is also connected with the components of the photographing unit 21, the editing unit 12, the post-service unit 13, and the printing unit 211.

  The storage unit 202 includes a non-volatile storage medium such as a hard disk or a flash memory, and stores various setting information supplied from the control unit 201. Information stored in the storage unit 202 is appropriately read out by the control unit 201.

  A communication unit 203 is an interface of a network such as the Internet, and communicates with an external device according to control by the control unit 201.

  A removable medium 205 made of an optical disk or a semiconductor memory is appropriately attached to the drive 204. The computer program and data read from the removable medium 205 by the drive 204 are supplied to the control unit 201 and stored in the storage unit 202 or installed.

  The ROM 206 stores programs and data executed by the control unit 201. The RAM 207 temporarily stores data and programs processed by the control unit 201.

  The imaging unit 21 performs processing related to the user's imaging control in the imaging space A1. The imaging unit 21 includes a coin processing unit 221, a background control unit 222, an illumination control unit 223, a camera 91, a touch panel monitor 93, and a speaker 224.

  The coin processing unit 221 detects the insertion of coins into the coin insertion / return port 87. When the coin processing unit 221 detects that a predetermined amount of coins such as 300 yen has been inserted, the coin processing unit 221 outputs an activation signal indicating that to the control unit 201.

  The background control unit 222 raises and lowers the background curtain stored in the background curtain unit 25 according to the background control signal supplied from the control unit 201. The background curtain may be manually selected by the user.

  The illumination control unit 223 controls the light emission of each strobe in the imaging space A1 according to the illumination control signal supplied from the control unit 201. As described above, in the photographing space A1, in addition to the strobe of the ceiling strobe unit 24, an upper strobe 82, a left strobe 83, a right strobe 84, a lower strobe 85, a foot strobe 86, and a background portion provided in the photographing unit 21 are provided. 22 is provided with a back center strobe 101, a back left strobe 102, and a back right strobe 103. A fluorescent lamp is also provided inside each strobe.

  In addition, the illumination control unit 223 adjusts the light emission amount of the fluorescent lamp provided in each strobe, or adjusts the number of fluorescent lamps to emit light, thereby performing the shooting control stage performed by the user. Accordingly, the brightness in the shooting space A1 is adjusted.

  The camera 91 shoots according to the control by the control unit 201 and outputs an image (image) obtained by the shooting to the control unit 201.

  The editing unit 12A performs processing related to user editing control in the editing space A2-1. The editing unit 12A includes a tablet built-in monitor 131, touch pens 132A and 132B, and a speaker 231 provided on the front side of the editing unit 12. The editing unit 12B has the same configuration as the editing unit 12A, and performs processing related to user editing control in the editing space A2-2.

  The tablet built-in monitor 131 displays an editing screen according to control by the control unit 201 and detects a user operation on the editing screen. A signal representing the content of the user's operation is supplied to the control unit 201, and the image to be edited is edited.

  The subsequent customer service section 13 performs processing related to the subsequent customer service in the subsequent customer service space A3. The subsequent customer service unit 13 includes a tablet built-in monitor 161, touch pens 162A and 162B, a non-contact type IC reader / writer 163, and a speaker 165.

  The printing unit 211 includes a printer 241 and a sticker unit 242 that are configured to perform printing control. The printer 241 prints the image or the edited image obtained by the editing control by the user on the sticker paper stored in the sticker paper unit 242 attached to the printer 241 and discharges it to the sticker paper discharge port 164. . The subsequent customer service unit 13 and the printing unit 211 that are surrounded by a one-dot chain line are configured to perform processing related to the subsequent customer service for the user in the subsequent customer service space A3.

  In addition, the printing unit 211 acquires the image transmitted to the management server 4 outside the margin (such as the edge of the sticker paper) in addition to printing the photographed image (or the edited image) on the sticker paper in the process related to the print control. URL (Uniform Resource Locater) and a seal ID (image acquisition ID) may be printed. The sticker ID is an identifier for uniquely identifying one or a plurality of images (including a photographed image and an edited image) generated during one game in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. This is an identifier for acquiring the generated image. The user accesses a URL for acquiring an image and inputs a sticker ID, whereby a web page (image acquisition page) for acquiring an image generated during one game in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 is displayed. It can be displayed on the portable terminal 6.

  This is because, for example, when receiving an e-mail address input from the user at the post-service department 13 or the like, a correct address cannot be received due to a time-out or error input, and information such as a URL for acquiring an image is transmitted to the user. This is to allow the user to acquire an image by accessing the URL printed on the sticker paper and inputting the sticker ID when the user cannot do so.

  Note that the printing unit 211 may print, for example, a predetermined mail address or a QR code (registered trademark) as the information for acquiring an image instead of the URL. When a predetermined mail address is printed, the user receives a mail describing a URL for acquiring an image from the management server 4 by sending a blank mail to the predetermined mail address. Can do. In addition, when the QR code is printed on the sticker paper, the user can directly access the image acquisition page by accessing the web page indicated by the QR code using the mobile terminal 6.

(Configuration of control unit)
FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration example of the control unit 201 provided in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. As shown in this figure, the control unit 201 includes a communication control unit 311, a shooting control unit 312, an editing control unit 313, a print control unit 314, and a post-service customer control unit 315.

  The communication control unit 311 controls communication with an external device by the communication unit 203.

  The shooting control unit 312 relates to a process related to a charge inserted when starting the photo sticker creation game by the shooting unit 21 and a user shooting control in the photo sticker creation game such as shooting a user group according to the user shooting control. Control processing. The shooting control unit 312 can also generate date / time information related to the date / time when the image was shot.

  The editing control unit 313 controls processing related to user editing control in the photo sticker creation game, such as graffiti editing of images by the editing unit 12A and the editing unit 12B.

  The print control unit 314 controls processing related to user print control in the photo sticker creation game, such as sticker sheet printing by the printing unit 211.

  The post-service customer control unit 315 controls processing related to the post-service in the photo sticker creation game, such as processing to serve a user group that has finished the editing work by the post-service unit 13.

(Management server 4)
Next, details of the management server 4 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the management server 4 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this figure, the management server 4 mainly includes a control unit 401, a storage unit 402, and a communication unit 403. The control unit 401 performs overall control of each member provided in the management server 4. The storage unit 402 stores various data used in the management server 4. The communication unit 403 communicates with other devices constituting the captured image management system 10.

(Details of control unit 401)
As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 401 (user information management unit) includes a communication control unit 411, a mail creation unit 412, a web page creation unit 413 (service providing unit), an image management unit 414 (image management unit), and a usage. A history management unit 415 (use history management unit) and a user identification unit 416 (user identification unit) are provided.

(Communication control unit 411)
The communication control unit 411 controls communication by the communication unit 403.

(Mail creation unit 412)
The mail creating unit 412 creates a mail to be sent to the mail address of the user who played with the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. In the present embodiment, the mail creation unit 412 creates a mail that guides the storage of an image that is transmitted to the mail address input from the communication control unit 411 using the data stored in the mail database 421. And output to the communication control unit 411.

(Web page creation unit 413)
The web page creation unit 413 creates a web page displayed on the mobile terminal 6. In the present embodiment, the web page creation unit 413 creates a web page corresponding to the access request received from the mobile terminal 6 using the data stored in the web page database 423 and outputs the web page to the communication control unit 411. . Although details will be described later, the web page creation unit 413 creates a web page according to the member type (member type) of the user.

  In the following description, “page” refers to data that the management server 4 transmits to a communication terminal such as the mobile terminal 6 for display, such as a web page. The page usually includes text data and image data, and may further include audio data and moving image data.

(Image management unit 414)
The image management unit 414 manages images provided to the user through the image providing site. In the present embodiment, the image management unit 414 stores, in the image database 424, an image designated by the user among images created by the photo sticker creating apparatus 1.

(Usage history management unit 415)
The usage history management unit 415 manages the usage history of the user's photo sticker creation apparatus 1 and the usage history of the image providing site that provides the images generated by the photo sticker creation apparatus 1. The usage history management unit 415 stores the usage history of the user in the usage history database 425.

(User identification unit 416)
The user specifying unit 416 specifies (extracts) a user who satisfies a predetermined condition with reference to the member database 422 and the usage history database 425.

(Details of storage unit 402)
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the storage unit 402 includes a mail database 421, a member database 422 (user information management means), a web page database 423, an image database 424, and a usage history database 425.

(Mail database 421)
The mail database 421 stores various data for creating a mail to be transmitted to the user.

(Member database 422)
The member database 422 stores various types of information related to users who are members of the image providing site. In the present embodiment, the member database 422 stores information (user specifying information) for specifying a user who uses the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 for each user. The user identification information includes, for example, the user's member ID, email address, nickname, date of birth, address, member attribute, membership date, withdrawal date, member attribute change date, anniversary date registered by the user, and the user's possession. The terminal ID of a portable terminal etc. can be mentioned. Moreover, as a member attribute, a pay member, a free member, a premium member, etc. can be mentioned, for example. The member database 422 manages the user's past member type change history by storing member entry dates, withdrawal dates, and member attribute change dates.

(Web page database 423)
The web page database 423 stores various data for creating a web page of an image providing site displayed on the mobile terminal 6.

(Image database 424)
The image database 424 stores images instructed by the user to be stored in the image providing site among the images of the user created by the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. In the image database 424, images are stored separately for each user registered as a member in the member database 422.

(Usage history database 425)
The usage history database 425 stores the usage history of the photo sticker creation apparatus and the usage history of the image providing site for each user registered as a member.

  Although not shown, the storage unit 402 also has a temporary storage database that temporarily stores data such as images received from the photo sticker creating apparatus 1.

(Details of communication unit 403)
In this embodiment, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 and the mobile terminal 6 are communication partners of the communication unit 403. The communication unit 403 receives data from another device or transmits data to another device under the control of the communication control unit 411.

(Mobile terminal 6)
FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the mobile terminal 6 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in this figure, the mobile terminal 6 mainly includes a control unit 601, a storage unit 602, a communication unit 603, an input unit 604, and a display unit 605. The control unit 601 performs overall control of each member provided in the mobile terminal 6. The storage unit 602 stores various data used in the mobile terminal 6. The mobile terminal 6 communicates with other devices constituting the captured image management system 10. The input unit 604 is a device for a user to input information to the mobile terminal 6 such as a touch panel. The display unit 605 is a device for displaying information, such as a liquid crystal display device.

(Details of control unit 601)
As illustrated in FIG. 12, the control unit 601 includes a communication control unit 611, an input control unit 612, and a display control unit 613.

  The communication control unit 611 controls communication by the communication unit 603. The input control unit 612 controls information input in the input unit 604. The display control unit 613 controls information display on the display unit 605. For example, when the display control unit 613 outputs the web page input from the communication control unit 611 to the display unit 605, the web page can be displayed on the display unit 605.

(Member registration process)
In the photographed image management system 10, a user who has registered as a member on the image providing site can save the photographed image on the image providing site. The user registers himself / herself as a free member in the image providing site according to a predetermined procedure. The procedure will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is a screen transition diagram illustrating an example of a web page displayed on the display unit 605 of the mobile terminal 6 during the member registration process.

  The user accesses the image providing site using the portable terminal 6 in order to register as a member in the image providing site. As a result, the top page 1001 of the image providing site as shown in FIG. 13A is displayed on the display unit 605 of the mobile terminal 6. The top page 1001 includes at least a link image 1002 for proceeding with the member login process and a link image 1003 for proceeding with the free member registration process.

  The user operates the input unit 604 of the mobile terminal 6 to select a link image 1003 for proceeding with free member registration. As a result, the portable terminal 6 communicates with the management server 4, and as a result, the web page 1011 for free member registration as shown in FIG. 13B is displayed on the display unit 605.

  The web page 1011 includes an input form 1012 for inputting information (user specifying information) for specifying a user who is registered as a free member, and a link image 1013 for transmitting the input user specifying information to the management server 4. Including at least. The user operates the input unit 604 of the mobile terminal 6 to input various personal information such as the user's member ID, password, and email address to the input form 1012 as user identification information. The user selects the link image 1013 after completing the input of the user specifying information. As a result, the mobile terminal 6 transmits the user specifying information to the management server 4 and requests the management server 4 to register the user for free membership.

  The communication control unit 411 of the management server 4 receives the user specifying information transmitted from the mobile terminal 6 through the communication unit 403. The communication control unit 411 outputs the received user identification information to the mail creation unit 412 and instructs the mail creation unit 412 to create a member registration email. In response to this instruction, the mail creation unit 412 creates a member registration mail 1021 as shown in FIG. The member registration mail 1021 is a mail addressed to the mail address included in the received user identification information, and includes a URL 1022 to a web page indicating completion of free member registration. The mail creation unit 412 outputs the created member registration mail 1021 to the communication control unit 411. The communication control unit 411 transmits the input member registration mail 1021 to the user's mail address via the communication unit 403.

  The portable terminal 6 receives the transmitted member registration mail 1021 and displays it on the display unit 605. The user confirms the displayed member registration mail 1021 and selects the URL 1022. Thereby, the mobile terminal 6 requests the management server 4 for a web page specified by the URL 1022.

  In response to this request, the management server 4 completes free member registration. Specifically, the management server 4 creates an account area for a user (a storage area for storing member-specific data) in the member database 422, and stores the user specifying information in the account area. At this time, information indicating that the user is a free member is added to the account area. Finally, the management server 4 creates a web page indicating that the free member registration is completed and transmits it to the mobile terminal 6.

  After registering a free member, the user logs in to the image providing site by entering a member ID and password, and registers himself as a paid member or premium member by following the prescribed procedure. Can do. After this registration is completed, information indicating that the user is a paying member or a premium member is added to the user's account area.

(Service flow)
Next, details of the flow of services provided by the captured image management system 10 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15. FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a flow of a series of processes from photography to image storage in the photographed image management system 10.

(photography)
As shown in FIG. 14, the user starts playing the game in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 (step S1). Specifically, the user stands in front of the front panel 41 of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 and inserts coins having a fee required for playing the game into the coin insertion / return slot 87. The imaging control unit 312 determines whether or not a predetermined amount of coins has been inserted based on a signal supplied from the coin processing unit 221.

  If it is determined that the camera has been inserted, the shooting control unit 312 controls the shooting unit 21 to display the moving image of the subject captured by the camera 91 on the touch panel monitor 93 and display it in the shooting space A1 according to the shooting control by the user. The user is photographed as a subject (step S2). This photographing control is performed a plurality of times within the photographing processing time.

  In addition, as a process in the imaging control, a predetermined number of times may be taken as an image for transmission to the mobile terminal 6 instead of an image for printing on a sticker sheet. In this case, as an image suitable for an image to be transmitted to the mobile terminal 6, an image obtained by chroma-combining the image for synthesis and an image subjected to image processing such as filtering processing using a color filter are created at the time of shooting. Sometimes.

  After the photographing is finished, the photographing control unit 312 guides the user in the photographing space A1 to move to the editing space A2-1 or the editing space A2-2. This guidance is performed by displaying a guidance screen on the touch panel monitor 93 of the photographing unit 21 or by outputting voice guidance from the speaker 224.

(edit a picture)
After the end of the guidance, the editing control unit 313 controls the editing unit 12 corresponding to the editing space of the editing space A2-1 and the editing space A2-2 that is the destination of the user who has finished the shooting control. Thus, the editing unit 12 is caused to edit the image (step S3). Specifically, the editing control unit 313 causes the user to select a synthesis image to be synthesized with the image selected or acquired as the editing target image, and synthesizes the selected synthesis image with the image. The composite image is edited according to the editing operation by the user. In addition, as editing for an image for transmission to the mobile terminal 6, for example, processing such as processing for trimming an image to a predetermined size, filtering processing using a color filter, and collage synthesis processing for finishing a plurality of images as one image Can also be done.

  After the editing, the editing control unit 313 guides the user who has finished editing control in the editing space A2-1 or the editing space A2-2 to move to the post-service space A3. This guidance is performed by displaying a guidance screen on the tablet built-in monitor 131 or by outputting guidance voice from the speaker 231.

(Photo sticker printing)
After the guidance is completed, the print control unit 314 outputs the image selected by the user to the printer 241 and prints it on the sticker sheet (step S4). When printing is completed, the customer service control unit 315 displays that the printing has been completed on the tablet built-in monitor 161 so that the printer 241 can acquire images from the management server 4 and the photo sticker creation apparatus 1 in the same procedure. The sticker ID created in the photo sticker creation device 1 and image acquisition information (URL of the image acquisition site, e-mail address for acquisition, etc.) are printed out of the box, and a predetermined image is printed in the center. The sealed sheet is discharged to the sheet discharge port 164.

(Subsequent customer service)
During printing, the subsequent customer service control unit 315 controls the subsequent customer service unit 13 to control processing related to the subsequent customer service for the user who is waiting for completion of printing (step S5). Specifically, the post-service customer control unit 315 controls processing for transmitting images (including edited images) to the management server 4 in the photo sticker creation game as processing related to the post-service by the post-service customer unit 13. . At that time, the post-service control unit 315 causes the tablet built-in monitor 161 to display a mail address input screen for inputting the mail address of the user who played the game and a screen for selecting an image to be transmitted. The user uses the touch pen 162 </ b> A or the touch pen 162 </ b> B to input the currently used mail address and select an image to be transmitted to the management server 4.

(Image transmission)
The communication control unit 311 performs communication by associating the input e-mail address, the selected plurality of images (or images determined by the control unit 201 as transmission targets), and usage information indicating the date and time when the game is played, with each other. It transmits to the management server 4 through the unit 203 (step S6). An identifier (image ID) for uniquely identifying the image is associated with the image transmitted at this time. The communication unit 403 of the management server 4 receives the mail address, image, image ID, and usage information transmitted from the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 (step S7), and outputs them to the communication control unit 411. The communication control unit 411 stores the received image, image ID, mail address, and usage information in a temporary storage database (not shown) of the storage unit 402. The stored data such as an image is continuously stored in the temporary storage database until a predetermined time limit elapses, and is automatically deleted from the temporary storage database when the time limit elapses.

  Note that the communication control unit 311 may transmit all images to the management server 4 in consideration of not only a predetermined number of images selected by the user but also a future paying member. As a result, the user can acquire all images taken in the state of the free member when the user becomes a paying member on the site after shooting in the state of the free member.

(Compose and send a guide email)
The communication control unit 411 outputs the received email address and image ID to the email creation unit 412. The mail creating unit 412 creates a guide mail that is transmitted to the mail address received from the communication control unit 411 and guides the user to save the image. The procedure is as follows. The mail creation unit 412 outputs the image ID to the web page creation unit 413 and requests the web page creation unit 413 to generate a URL 1102 indicating a web page for storing the image specified by the image ID. The web page creation unit 413 generates the requested URL 1102 and outputs it to the mail creation unit 412.

  The mail creation unit 412 acquires data for creating a guide mail from the mail database 421. Then, the guide mail 1101 shown in FIG. 15A is created using the data, the URL 1102 and the user's mail address. A URL 1102 is described in the text of the guide mail 1101. The mail creation unit 412 outputs the created guide mail 1101 to the communication control unit 411. The communication control unit 411 transmits the guide mail 1101 to the user's mail address via the communication unit 403 (step S8).

  Note that the mail creation unit 412 may transmit a guide mail including a URL indicating a web page that only allows the user to input a seal ID instead of a web page that collects the image ID and the image related to the image ID. Good. In this case, the management server 4 receives an input of a seal ID printed outside the margin of the sticker paper from the mobile terminal 6 on the web page indicated by the URL included in the guidance mail, and is transmitted to the management server 4. You may make it display the image which is.

(Request for image storage web page)
The communication unit 603 of the portable terminal 6 receives the transmitted guide mail 1101 (step S9) and outputs it to the communication control unit 611. The communication control unit 611 outputs the input guide mail 1101 to the display control unit 613. The display control unit 613 outputs the input guide mail 1101 to the display unit 605. The user confirms the guide mail 1101 displayed on the display unit 605, and selects the URL 1102 using the input unit 604 in order to save the image on the image providing site (step S10).

  The input control unit 612 receives a selection input from the input unit 604 and notifies the communication control unit 611 that the URL 1102 has been selected. In response to this, the communication control unit 611 requests the management server 4 for a web page corresponding to the selected URL 1102. The specific procedure is as follows. The communication control unit 611 acquires the user member ID stored in the storage unit 602, and transmits a predetermined request for providing a web page including the member ID to the management server 4 through the communication unit 603.

  The communication control unit 411 receives the transmitted request through the communication unit 403 (step S11), and outputs it to the usage history management unit 415.

  The usage history management unit 415 stores the usage history stored in the temporary storage database of the user corresponding to the request in the usage history database 425 in association with the member ID included in the request (S12). The usage history database 425 records the usage history of each member's photo sticker creation apparatus. The usage history management unit 415 specifies the number of people who have played (jointly) the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 from the number of email addresses received from the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. The usage history management unit 415 may identify the number of people who played the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 together by detecting a person included in the received image using a face recognition or person recognition technique. The usage history management unit 415 stores information on the number of people who are used together at that time in the usage history database 425 in association with the usage information (use date and time). Note that the usage information stored as the usage history includes information for identifying the used photo sticker creating apparatus. The usage history management unit 415 may store information of other users who played with the user in the member database 422 as friend information. As friend information, an e-mail address of a user who played together, an input content in image editing (name stamp function) in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1, a member attribute of an image providing site, a member ID, and the like may be associated. The usage history management unit 415 outputs the received request to the web page creation unit 413.

  The web page creation unit 413 determines the member type of the user by referring to the member database 422 for the member ID included in the request (step S13). In the present embodiment, the web page creation unit 413 determines whether the user is a free member, a paid member, or a premium member, and creates a web page according to the determination result. If the web page creation unit 413 determines that the user is a free member, the web page creation unit 413 creates a web page 1103 for the free member to store images as shown in FIG. On the other hand, when it is determined that the user is a paying member, a web page 1107 for the paying member to save the image is created as shown in FIG. Even when the user is a premium member, the web page to be created is the same as that of the paying member, so illustration is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 15B, the web page 1103 includes one thumbnail image 1104, a link image 1105 that prompts the user to register a paying member, and a link image 1106 for storing one image on the image providing site. Is included. If the user is a free member, the number of images that can be stored is one, and the thumbnail image 1104 is a thumbnail of the one image. Note that the single image is an image selected by the user in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. On the other hand, when there are a plurality of images, the thumbnail image 1104 is any one of the plurality of images.

  As shown in FIG. 15C, the web page 1107 includes one thumbnail image 1104 and a link image 1108 for storing all the images.

  In this example, since the user is a free member, the web page creation unit 413 creates a web page 1103 for a free member. The web page creation unit 413 outputs the created web page 1103 to the communication control unit 411. The communication control unit 411 transmits the input web page 1103 to the mobile terminal 6 through the communication unit 403 (step S14).

(Save image)
The portable terminal 6 receives the web page 1103 through the communication unit 603 (step S15). The web page 1103 is output to the display control unit 613 via the communication control unit 611. The display control unit 613 outputs the input web page 1103 to the display unit 605. The user confirms the web page 1103 displayed on the display unit 605. When the user is a free member, even if there are a plurality of images, only one of them can be stored in the image providing site. When the user wants to save one image, the user selects the link image 1106 through the input unit 604. Note that the image to be stored is not limited to the image selected as the image to be transmitted to the mobile terminal 6 in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1, and is designated as an image to be stored in the mobile terminal 6 accessing the image providing site, for example. It may be an image.

  The input control unit 612 receives a selection input from the input unit 604 and notifies the communication control unit 611 that the link image 1106 has been selected. Receiving this, the communication control unit 611 transmits an image storage instruction to the management server 4 (step S16).

  The communication control unit 411 receives the transmitted storage instruction through the communication unit 403 (step S17). As a result, the communication control unit 411 instructs the image management unit 414 to store the image. In response to this instruction, the image management unit 414 stores the user image stored in the temporary storage database in the image database 424 in association with the user member ID (step S18). At that time, if there is only one image, the image is saved. On the other hand, if there are a plurality of images, one of them (for example, an image corresponding to the thumbnail image 1104) is stored. Thereby, a series of processes shown in FIG. 14 is completed.

  Note that a user who is a free member selects the link image 1105 when he wants to save all images. In this case, a series of processing for paying member registration is performed in the captured image management system 10. When registration is completed, all images are stored in the image database 424 in association with the member ID of the user.

  In addition, the saving process when the user is a paying member is essentially the same as the saving process when the user is a free member. However, the user selects the link image 1108 included in the web page 1107. As a result, the management server 4 stores all images in the user image storage area in the image database 424. Note that the selection of an image to be saved by the user (one image for a free member and all images for a paid member) may be accepted by the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. In this case, the image management unit 414 may store the image selected in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 in the image database 424.

(Image saving to portable terminal 6)
Hereinafter, a flow of processing when an image stored in the image providing site is stored in the user's portable terminal 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. 16 and 17. FIG. 16 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a flow of a series of processes related to image storage in the mobile terminal 6 in the captured image management system 10. FIG. 17 is a screen transition diagram illustrating an example of a web page displayed on the display unit 605 of the mobile terminal 6 during the image saving process on the mobile terminal 6.

  The user accesses the image providing site in order to log in to the image providing site. As a result, the top page 1001 of the image providing site as shown in FIG. 17A is displayed on the display unit 605 of the mobile terminal 6. The user operates the input unit 604 of the mobile terminal 6 to select a link image 1002 for proceeding with member login processing to the image providing site. The input control unit 612 receives this selection operation and notifies the communication control unit 611 that the link image 1002 has been selected. As a result, the communication control unit 611 reads the user's member ID and password from the storage unit 602, transmits them to the management server 4 via the communication unit 603, and requests the management server 4 to log in to the image providing site (step S21). . Note that when the link image 1002 is selected, the communication control unit 611 may acquire a web page for inputting the user's member ID and password. In this case, the management server 4 may accept input of the member ID and password on the web page.

  The communication control unit 411 of the management server 4 receives this request through the communication unit 403 (step S22). Next, the communication control unit 411 outputs the received member ID and password to the web page creation unit 413 and instructs the web page creation unit 413 to create the member top page 1031.

  The web page creation unit 413 determines whether or not the user is registered as a member on the image providing site by checking the input member ID and password against the member database 422. When it determines with having registered, the web page creation part 413 determines a user's member classification (member type) by referring to the member database 422 using member ID (S23).

  The web page creation unit 413 acquires data for generating the member top page 1031 from the web page database 423 in accordance with the member type of the user. The web page creation unit 413 uses the data to generate different member top pages 1031 according to the user membership type. The web page creation unit 413 outputs the generated member top page 1031 to the communication control unit 411.

  As shown in FIG. 17B, the member top page 1031 includes a link image 1032 for displaying a list of user images stored in the image providing site. Furthermore, for premium members, the member top page 1031 includes a link image 1033 for displaying a page for customizing the design of the user's page (member top page or image list page) of the image providing site. The user can change the design of the user's page according to his / her preference by inputting an instruction on the previous page where the link image 1033 is clicked. For example, the background image, color scheme, skin, etc. of the user's page can be changed.

  On the other hand, for paid members and free members, the member top page 1031 does not include the link image 1033 for displaying a page for customizing the design.

  The communication control unit 411 transmits the member top page 1031 to the mobile terminal 6 through the communication unit 403 (step S24).

  The communication control unit 611 of the mobile terminal 6 receives the member top page 1031 through the communication unit 603. The communication control unit 611 outputs the received member top page 1031 to the display control unit 613. The display control unit 613 outputs the member top page 1031 to the display unit 605. As a result, the member top page 1031 is displayed on the display unit 605 (step S25).

  The user selects the link image 1032 by operating the input unit 604 of the mobile terminal 6 (step S26). The input control unit 612 receives this selection operation and notifies the communication control unit 611 that the link image 1032 has been selected. As a result, the communication control unit 611 transmits a request for providing a web page including a list of user images stored in the image providing site to the management server 4 through the communication unit 603.

  The communication control unit 411 of the management server 4 receives the transmitted request through the communication unit 403 (step S27). Next, the communication control unit 411 instructs the web page creation unit 413 to generate an image list page 1041 including a list of user images stored in the image database 424.

  The web page creation unit 413 acquires data for generating the image list page 1041 from the web page database 423 according to the user membership type. The web page creation unit 413 uses the data and refers to all the images of the user stored in the image database 424 to generate an image list page 1041 as shown in FIG. 411. The image list page 1041 includes a plurality of thumbnail images 1042 that individually represent all the images of the user stored in the image database 424.

  The web page creation unit 413 changes the design of the image list page 1041 depending on the user membership type. For example, the background image, color scheme, and layout of the image list page 1041 may be different depending on the user's membership type.

  The communication control unit 411 transmits the image list page 1041 to the mobile terminal 6 through the communication unit 403 (step S28).

  The communication control unit 611 of the portable terminal 6 receives the image list page 1041 through the communication unit 603. The communication control unit 611 outputs the received image list page 1041 to the display control unit 613. The display control unit 613 outputs the image list page 1041 to the display unit 605. As a result, the image list page 1041 is displayed on the display unit 605 (step S29).

  The user operates the input unit 604 of the mobile terminal 6 to select a thumbnail image 1042 corresponding to an image to be stored in the mobile terminal 6 from the displayed thumbnail images 1042 (step S30). The input control unit 612 receives this selection operation and notifies the communication control unit 611 that the thumbnail image 1042 has been selected. As a result, the communication control unit 611 transmits a request for providing an image corresponding to the selected thumbnail image 1042 to the management server 4 through the communication unit 603.

  The communication control unit 411 of the management server 4 receives the transmitted request through the communication unit 403 (step S31). Next, the communication control unit 411 instructs the image management unit 414 to output the image of the user requested to be provided from the portable terminal 6 to the communication control unit 411.

  The image management unit 414 acquires the instructed image from the image database 424 and outputs the acquired image to the communication control unit 411. The communication control unit 411 transmits the input image to the mobile terminal 6 through the communication unit 403 (step S32).

  The communication control unit 611 of the portable terminal 6 receives (acquires) the transmitted image through the communication unit 603 and stores it in the storage unit 602 (step S33). Thus, the image storage process on the mobile terminal 6 is completed.

  In the above description, the configuration in which the mobile terminal 6 acquires an image by logging in to the image providing site has been described as an example. However, in the present embodiment, an image can also be acquired using a seal ID. . For example, the mobile terminal 6 accesses the web page indicated by the URL printed on the sticker paper (or the URL included in the guide mail), and accepts an input operation of the sticker ID by the user, thereby obtaining the image acquisition page. To access.

  At this time, if the user is a paying member, the image acquisition page displays a list of all the images specified by the seal ID and generated during one game so that the user can select. If the user is a free member, only one image out of all images specified by the seal ID may be displayed in a list so that the user can select it. Further, the image acquisition page may display only one image selected in advance in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 when the user is a free member. Note that it is preferable that only a list of edited images is displayed on the image acquisition page. For example, when there are captured images for which no edited image is generated, the edited image and the captured image for which the edited image is not generated are displayed. Images may be displayed as a list, or all edited images and captured images may be displayed as a list, and there is no particular limitation.

  The portable terminal 6 acquires an image selected by the user from the management server 4 among the images displayed as a list on the image acquisition page, and stores the acquired image in the storage unit 602. When the user is a paying member, the mobile terminal 6 manages all the images displayed in the list without accepting the user's selection operation for the images displayed in the list on the image acquisition page. And may be stored in the storage unit 602.

(Image retention period)
Depending on the membership type, the user's image storage period at the image providing site varies. As described above, in a free member, the image storage period at the image providing site is 30 days after being generated by the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 or registered at the image providing site. For paid and premium members, there is no limit on the storage period of images on the image providing site.

  The image management unit 414 manages the storage period of the user's image. A retention period is set for each image according to the member type of the user. The image management unit 414 deletes the image whose storage period has elapsed from the image database 424. The image deleted from the image database 424 cannot be acquired (viewed) by the user on the image providing site.

  When a user's membership type is changed from a paid member (or premium member) to a free member, when a predetermined grace period (for example, 45 days) elapses after the user's membership type is changed, the user's image is stored in an image database. 424 is deleted. The length of the grace period (45 days) is arbitrary, but is set longer than the storage period for free members (30 days). If the pay member's image storage period is not indefinite but finite, even if the pay member's storage period has not passed, the user's membership type will change and the specified grace period will elapse. The user image is deleted from the image database 424.

  Specifically, the control unit 401 of the management server 4 that has received a member type change instruction from the mobile terminal 6 via the communication unit 403 rewrites the user attribute (member type) of the user in the member database 422. In response to the change of the user's member type, the image management unit 414 resets the storage period of the user's image in the image database 424 to 45 days from the time of the change of the member type.

  When the membership type is changed from a free member to a paid member, the image management unit 414 resets the storage period of the user's image in the image database 424 to a storage period (indefinite) for the paid member.

  Note that the image management unit 414 may set that the user cannot acquire (view) the image instead of deleting the image from the image database 424 when the storage period has elapsed. In this case, when the member type of the user is changed to the paid member again, the image management unit 414 may set the image to be obtainable (viewable). Note that the image management unit 414 may actually delete the image from the image database 424 when a predetermined period elapses after the image is set to be unacquirable.

(Image quality)
Depending on the membership type, the image quality of an image provided to the user (acquisable by the user) on the image providing site may be different. In a free member, the number of pixels (or image size) of the user's image that can be acquired by the user from the image providing site is the first value. For a paying member, the number of pixels of the user's image that the user can obtain from the image providing site is a second value that is greater than the first value. In the premium member, the number of pixels of the user's image that the user can obtain from the image providing site is a third value larger than the second value. Paid members and premium members can obtain higher quality images than free members.

  The management server 4 may store the image received from the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 in the image database 424 after changing the image quality according to the membership type, or receive the image whose quality has been changed from the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. May be. In the latter case, the management server 4 notifies the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 of the user membership type before receiving the image. In the latter case, the communication amount and communication fee from the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 to the management server 4 can be reduced according to the member type.

  When the membership type of the user is changed from a paid member (or premium member) to a free member, the image management unit 414 converts the user image stored in the image database 424 into a high-quality pixel count (second value). ) To the number of low-quality pixels (first value).

(Retention period notification)
When the remaining time until the image storage period (the period when the storage period ends) is less than or equal to a first threshold (for example, 3 days), the image management unit 414 informs the mail creation unit 412 that the image storage period is approaching. Notice. The mail creation unit 412 acquires the mail address of the user of the image from the member database 422 and acquires data for creating a notification mail from the mail database 421. The mail creation unit 412 creates a notification mail that notifies the storage period of the image, and outputs the notification mail to the communication control unit 411. The communication control unit 411 transmits a notification mail to the user's mail address via the communication unit 403. For example, a user who is a free member can be prompted to change the membership type to a paying member by notifying the storage period of the image.

(Notify specific users)
FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a flow of creating a notification mail in the management server 4. The management server 4 notifies the user that satisfies a predetermined condition. First, the user specifying unit 416 specifies a user that satisfies a predetermined condition (step S41).

  The management server 4 issues a notice for recommending becoming a paying member to a user who repeatedly changes to a paying member or a free member (entrance / exit). The user specifying unit 416 refers to the member database 422 at a predetermined timing (for example, periodically), the number of changes of the member type in the predetermined period is equal to or more than a second threshold (for example, three times), and the current paying member (and Identify users who are not premium members. Here, the predetermined period may be a fixed period such as 6 months, or may be a period from when the user is first registered as a member until now. The user specifying unit 416 outputs information on the specified user's mail address to the mail creating unit 412.

  In addition, the management server 4 issues a notice recommending that a free member who uses the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 is frequently used to become a paid member. The user specifying unit 416 refers to the usage history database 425 at a predetermined timing (for example, periodically), the usage frequency (the number of usages) of the photo sticker creation apparatus 1 in the predetermined period is equal to or greater than the third threshold, and is currently charged. Identify users who are not members (and premium members). Here, the predetermined period may be a certain period such as one month, or may be a period from when the user is first registered as a member to the present. The user specifying unit 416 outputs information on the specified user's mail address to the mail creating unit 412.

  The mail creation unit 412 creates a notification mail that recommends the identified user to change to a paid member (step S42). The mail creation unit 412 acquires data for creating a notification mail that recommends changing the member type to a paid member from the mail database 421. The mail creation unit 412 creates a notification mail that recommends changing to a paying member, and outputs the notification mail to the communication control unit 411. The communication control unit 411 transmits a notification mail to the user's mail address via the communication unit 403 (step S43).

  In the notification mail, contents for introducing the merit of becoming a paying member to the user are described. For example, the notification mail describes the service difference between the above-mentioned free member and paid member. In addition, the management server 4 may notify the user that a privilege that is valid when the user changes the member type to a paid member is provided in the notification mail. For example, when the user changes the membership type to a paid member within a certain period, the management server 4 may issue a coupon (discount coupon) relating to the game of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 to the user as a privilege.

  Users who frequently change the membership type between paid members and free members and users who use the photo sticker creation device 1 frequently are expected to become paid members if it is known that there are merits to become paid members. Can be said to be a high user. Therefore, the management server 4 identifies a user who is likely to become a paying member from the change history of the member type or the usage history of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1, and introduces the merit of becoming a paying member to the specified user. . Thereby, it is possible to prompt the user to change to a paying member efficiently.

  In addition, the management server 4 issues a notice recommending the use of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 to a user who is a paying member who has not used the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 for a long period of time. The user specifying unit 416 refers to the usage history database 425 at a predetermined timing (for example, periodically), and the user who is not using the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 is not less than the fourth threshold and is currently a paying member. Is specified (step S41). Here, the fourth threshold may be a certain period such as two months. The user specifying unit 416 outputs information on the specified user's mail address to the mail creating unit 412.

  The mail creating unit 412 creates a notification mail that recommends the identified user to use the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 (step S42). The mail creating unit 412 acquires data for creating a notification mail recommending the use of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 from the mail database 421. The mail creation unit 412 creates a notification mail that recommends the use of the photo sticker creation apparatus 1, and outputs the notification mail to the communication control unit 411. The communication control unit 411 transmits a notification mail to the user's mail address via the communication unit 403 (step S43).

  In the notification mail, contents for introducing the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 to the user are described. For example, the notification mail includes a history of the user's use of the photo sticker creation device 1 in the past and images of the user that have been taken by the photo sticker creation device 1 and saved in the image database 424 in the past. . By presenting the past use history and images by the notification mail, the memory of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 is presented to the user. Thereby, the user can be encouraged to use the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. Moreover, it can suppress that a user withdraws from a pay member (changes to a free member) by having a user use the photo sticker production apparatus 1 continuously.

  The means for notifying the user is not limited to the notification mail. For example, the above notification can be issued to the user in the member top page after logging in to the image providing site or the application installed on the mobile terminal 6 for using the image providing site. The same applies to other embodiments.

[Embodiment 2]
Another embodiment of the present invention will be described. For convenience of explanation, members / configurations having the same functions as those in the drawings described in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted. In this embodiment, a notice recommending the use of the photo sticker creating apparatus is issued to a plurality of users who have used the photo sticker creating apparatus together in the past.

  FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the management server 5 in the present embodiment. The control unit 401 of the management server 5 includes a communication control unit 411, a mail creation unit 412 (user notification unit), a web page creation unit 413, an image management unit 414, a use history management unit 415 (use history management unit), and behavior prediction. A unit 417 (attribute specifying means, action predicting means, position information acquiring means) is provided.

  In the present embodiment, the usage history management unit 415 records, in the usage history database 425, usage information that a plurality of users have played (used) the game of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 together. When a plurality of users use the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 together, the use history received by the management server 5 together with the image from the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 includes a plurality of mail addresses. The management server 5 transmits a guide mail to each mail address. Thereafter, upon receiving a predetermined request (S11 in FIG. 14) for providing a web page from each of a plurality of users who have received the guidance mail, the usage history management unit 415 of the management server 5 It is determined that the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 is used. Then, the usage history management unit 415 stores, in the usage history database 425, information on the second user (member ID) used together with the first user at that time in association with the usage information (use date and time). To do. The usage history management unit 415 also stores information on the first user used together with the usage information in the usage history database 425 for the second user. The usage history management unit 415 determines that a plurality of users have used together from the email address received together with the image from the photo sticker creating apparatus 1, and uses the usage history database to indicate information indicating a combination of the plurality of users used together. 425 may be stored.

(Notification based on usage frequency)
The behavior prediction unit 417 refers to the usage history database 425 at a predetermined timing (for example, periodically), and extracts a plurality of days when the first user and the second user used the photo sticker creation apparatus 1 together. The behavior prediction unit 417 specifies an attribute related to the date that is common to a plurality of extracted days. Here, the attribute means, for example, whether it is a day of the week, a date, or a holiday. The behavior prediction unit 417 predicts a day when the first user and the second user are likely to use the photo sticker creation apparatus 1 next time.

  For example, when the first user and the second user frequently use the photo sticker creation apparatus 1 together on Friday, the behavior prediction unit 417 sets the attribute Friday as an attribute common to the extracted days. Identify.

  In addition, for example, when the frequency of the first user and the second user using the photo sticker creation apparatus 1 together on the first day of every month is high, the behavior predicting unit 417 extracts the attribute of one day (date) from a plurality of extracted attributes. Identified as an attribute common to all days.

  For example, when the frequency with which the first user and the second user use the photo sticker creation device 1 together on a holiday is high, the behavior prediction unit 417 sets the attribute of holiday as an attribute common to a plurality of extracted days. As specified. Here, the holidays include Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

  For example, when a plurality of attributes (for example, Friday and Saturday) are extracted from the past usage history as a date that has been used multiple times together, the behavior predicting unit 417 only selects an attribute with a higher usage frequency (for example, Friday). May be specified. Alternatively, the behavior predicting unit 417 may specify a plurality of attributes for dates used at a rate equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold (for example, 20%). For example, in the past predetermined period, the ratio of the first user and the second user using the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 on Friday and the first user and the second user together on the Saturday with the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 It is assumed that the ratio of using is 1 day or more every 5 days. In this case, the behavior prediction unit 417 specifies Friday and Saturday as attributes common to the extracted days. Furthermore, the behavior predicting unit 417 may calculate a usage frequency for every hour, for example, and specify a time zone with a high usage frequency.

  In addition, for example, when the frequency of using the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 at a constant interval between the first user and the second user is high, the possibility that the first user and the second user are used on the day when the interval has passed since the last use date is high. Predictable. The behavior predicting unit 417 specifies the interval corresponding to the day with high usage frequency as an attribute common to the extracted days.

  The behavior prediction unit 417 outputs the identified attribute to the mail creation unit 412.

  The mail creating unit 412 creates a notification mail that recommends the use of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 to both the first user and the second user. The notification mail includes information on the location and facility where the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 is installed. Then, on the day corresponding to the specified attribute (for example, Friday) or the previous day (for example, Thursday), the mail creation unit 412 sends the email address of the first user and the second user's email to the communication control unit 411 and the communication unit 403. Send a notification email to your email address. In addition, the mail creation unit 412 may transmit a notification mail early in the morning (for example, until 8:00 AM) on the corresponding day. In addition, the mail creation unit 412 may cause the notification mail to be transmitted 24 hours before the time period in which play is predicted or a predetermined time before 12 hours. The notification mail may include a past user image generated by the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 or a URL of a web page displaying the image. If a name has been input in the photo sticker creation apparatus 1 in the past and the user's name is known from the usage history, the notification mail may include the names of a plurality of users.

  When an attribute common to a plurality of days used together is found, it can be inferred that the two users who are the objects are likely to take an action using the photo sticker creation apparatus 1 on the day of the attribute (for example, Friday). Therefore, by sending a notice recommending the use of the photo sticker creation apparatus 1 to the two users on the day of the attribute, the two users are invited to each other and can easily use the photo sticker creation apparatus 1. Therefore, the user's use of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 can be promoted efficiently.

[Embodiment 3]
Still another embodiment of the present invention will be described. For convenience of explanation, members / configurations having the same functions as those in the drawings described in the above-described embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted. In the present embodiment, a notification recommending the use of the photo sticker creating apparatus is issued according to the positions of a plurality of users.

  The configuration of the management server 5 in this embodiment is the same as that shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, the behavior prediction unit 417 acquires position information indicating the position of the mobile terminal 6 from the outside. Note that the behavior predicting unit 417 receives user specifying information (member ID or e-mail address) specifying the user together with the position information.

  The position information may be transmitted to the management server 5 by an application operating on the mobile terminal 6 based on GPS (Global Positioning System) information. In this case, the application transmits user specifying information and position information to the management server 5. Further, the position information may be transmitted to the management server 5 from a wireless communication unit that is arranged at a predetermined plurality of locations and can perform short-range wireless communication with the mobile terminal 6. The wireless communication unit detects the mobile terminal 6 existing within a predetermined range (detection range). The term “within a predetermined range” refers to a range in which the radio communication unit is the center and the maximum communication distance in the specification of the radio communication unit is a radius. The wireless communication unit acquires the user specifying information from the mobile terminal 6 existing in the detection range, and transmits the user specifying information and the position information to the management server 5. In this case, the position of the wireless communication unit is used as a rough position of the mobile terminal 6. The wireless communication unit may be provided in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. In this case, the wireless communication unit detects the user's portable terminal 6 located within a predetermined distance from the photo sticker creating apparatus 1.

  The behavior predicting unit 417 identifies the mobile terminals 6 of a plurality of users located within a certain first range. The behavior prediction unit 417 determines whether there are users who have used the photo sticker creation apparatus 1 together in the past by referring to the usage history database 425. When there are users (first user, second user) who have used the photo sticker creation apparatus 1 together in the past among a plurality of users located within the first range, the first user and the second user are currently You can guess that you are working together. The behavior predicting unit 417 outputs the user specifying information of the first user and the second user to the mail creating unit 412 and instructs the creation of the notification mail.

  The mail creating unit 412 creates a notification mail that recommends the use of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 to both the first user and the second user. The notification mail includes information on the position of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 arranged near (closest to) the first range where the first user and the second user are located. When the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 is within the first range, information regarding the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 may be included in the notification mail. The information related to the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 includes version information of the current photo sticker creating apparatus 1, information on whether or not the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 is currently operating, or the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 by another user. You may include the play information of whether it is playing. Further, the management server 4 determines whether the currently playing user is in the stage of photography, image editing, and after-sales service, and how many users are using the user currently playing. You may specify the prediction time which a play complete | finishes. The information related to the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 may include a predicted play end time. The user who has received the notification can appropriately grasp when to go to use the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. Such information can be obtained by the management server 4 communicating with the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. Then, the mail creation unit 412 causes the communication control unit 411 and the communication unit 403 to transmit a notification mail to the first user mail address and the second user mail address.

  Note that the behavior predicting unit 417, based on the user's friend information, if the user's friend located within the first range has used the photo sticker creation device 1 within the first range in the past, the user You may send a notification email. In this case, the behavior prediction unit 417 confirms the past user history for each photo sticker creating apparatus 1.

  Note that the behavior predicting unit 417 includes the first user and the second user's portable terminal 6 that have used the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 in the past in the first range and the anniversary of any user. Only in some cases, the mail creation unit 412 may be instructed to create a notification mail. Anniversary of the user arbitrarily registered by the user is stored in the member database 422.

  The anniversary may be, for example, a birthday. A comment regarding the registered anniversary (a comment indicating what kind of anniversary) is received from the user, and the anniversary and the comment may be associated with each other and stored in the member database 422. In this case, the mail creation unit 412 may include an anniversary comment in the notification mail.

  Note that the mail creation unit 412 stores which notification is sent to which user in the database. Thereafter, whether or not the user has used the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 in response to the notification mail can be determined from the usage history. When the user uses the photo sticker creation apparatus 1 in response to the notification mail (on the notified schedule), the management server 4 may give a predetermined point to the user. Management server 4 gives a privilege to a user according to a user's accumulation point. As a privilege, the management server 4 may issue a coupon (discount ticket) related to the game of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 to the user as a privilege. Further, as a privilege, the management server 4 may allow the user to receive a service of a higher member type. In addition, as a privilege, the management server 4 may exchange points for premiums (presents) on the image providing site.

  Here, a unique notification ID may be written in the notification mail, and when playing with the photo sticker creating apparatus 1, the user may input the notice ID into the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. The photo sticker creating apparatus 1 transmits the input notification ID to the management server 4 together with the generated image and the like. The management server 4 collates the notification email transmitted to the user with the notification ID received from the photo sticker creation device 1 to determine whether the user has used the photo sticker creation device 1 in response to the notification email. Can be judged.

[Embodiment 4]
Still another embodiment of the present invention will be described. For convenience of explanation, members / configurations having the same functions as those in the drawings described in the above-described embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted. In this embodiment, the user's action is estimated from the usage history, and a notification recommending the use of the photo sticker creating apparatus is issued.

  FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating a main configuration of the management server 7 in the present embodiment. The control unit 401 of the management server 7 includes a communication control unit 411, a mail creation unit 412 (user notification unit), a web page creation unit 413, an image management unit 414, a use history management unit 415 (use history management unit), and a behavior prediction unit. 417 (behavior prediction means) and a reaction determination unit 418 (reaction determination means).

  The storage unit 402 of the management server 7 includes a mail database 421, a member database 422, a web page database 423, an image database 424, a usage history database 425, a facility information database 426 (facility information management means), and a notification history database 427 (notification history). Management means).

  The facility information database 426 stores and manages information on which facility (playing facility) each of the plurality of photo sticker creation apparatuses is installed. A plurality of photo sticker producing apparatuses may be installed in one facility. The administrator of the management server 7 registers the facility and photo sticker creation device information in the facility information database 426.

  The notification history database 427 stores and manages the history of notification mails that the management server 7 recommends to use the photo sticker creation device sent to the user.

  The usage history management unit 415 stores usage information of the user's photo sticker creation apparatus 1 in the usage history database 425 as usage history related to the photo sticker creation device. At the same time, in the present embodiment, the usage history management unit 415 stores in the usage history database 425 as the usage history of the facility that the user has used the facility where the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 is installed. Since one facility may include a plurality of photo sticker creation apparatuses 1, the use history of the facility is a total of the use histories of the plurality of photo sticker creation devices.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above, and it is also possible to acquire the location information of the user (mobile terminal) as in the third embodiment and recognize that the user is staying at the facility based on the location information. The history of the user staying at the facility may be used as the facility usage history.

(New model notification)
If a user who frequently uses a certain facility knows that a new model has been introduced to the facility, it can be expected that the user will use the new model photo sticker creating apparatus 1. Therefore, the management server 7 notifies the user who has a high use frequency of the facility where the new model is introduced that the new model has been introduced. Specifically, the management server 7 performs processing as follows.

  When the new model photo sticker creating apparatus 1 is installed in a facility, information on the new model photo sticker creating apparatus 1 is registered in the facility information database 426. In the facility information database 426, the new model photo sticker creating apparatus 1 is given information indicating that it is a new model.

  When the new model photo sticker creating apparatus 1 is registered, the behavior predicting unit 417 refers to the use history database 425 and acquires the use history of the facility where the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 is installed. The behavior prediction unit 417 identifies a user whose usage frequency (number of times of use) of the facility in a predetermined period is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. The behavior predicting unit 417 outputs the user specifying information of the specified user to the mail creating unit 412 to instruct the creation of a notification mail.

  The mail creating unit 412 creates a notification mail for notifying that a new type of photo sticker creating apparatus 1 has been installed in the facility to the identified user. The notification mail includes information on the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 which is a new model. Then, the mail creation unit 412 causes the communication control unit 411 and the communication unit 403 to transmit a notification mail to the user's mail address.

  As described above, by notifying a user who frequently uses a certain facility of information on a new model of the facility, a notification recommending the use of the photo sticker creating apparatus can be effectively distributed to the user.

(Notify by predicting behavior)
The behavior prediction unit 417 performs statistical processing for each user at a predetermined timing (for example, periodically) using the usage history of the user's facility. Specifically, the behavior prediction unit 417 specifies a time zone in which the probability of the first user coming to the facility is high from the facility usage history of the specific user (first user) in the past. For example, the behavior predicting unit 417 divides the day every hour and specifies in which time zone the probability that the first user will come (use) the facility is relatively high. Or you may identify the time slot | zone with a high probability that a 1st user will come to this facility by comparing with a predetermined threshold value. The behavior predicting unit 417 can predict that the first user will come to the facility even in the future in a time zone in which the probability of coming to the facility was high in the past. The behavior predicting unit 417 may predict the time zone when the first user comes to the facility, including the day attributes (day of the week, date, etc.), for example, “Friday from 17:00 to 18:00”. . That is, the behavior predicting unit 417 predicts which facility the first user will come to at which time zone (with a high probability) from the past facility usage history of the first user. The behavior prediction unit 417 notifies the mail creation unit 412 of the time zone when the predicted first user comes to the facility.

  The mail creating unit 412 creates a notification mail that recommends the use of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 to the first user. The notification mail includes information on the facility where the first user is predicted to come and the photo sticker creation apparatus 1 installed in the facility. Then, the mail creation unit 412 notifies the communication control unit 411 and the communication unit 403 of the notification mail addressed to the mail address of the first user at the predicted time zone or a predetermined time (for example, one hour) before the time zone. To send. The mail creation unit 412 stores the history of sending the notification mail to the first user in the notification history database 427 as the notification history. The notification history includes information on the user to whom the notification mail is transmitted, the time (date and time) at which the notification mail is transmitted, and the facility notified by the notification mail.

  Here, the behavior predicting unit 417 may identify a plurality of facilities that are likely to have the first user in the predicted time zone. In this case, the mail creation unit 412 includes, in the notification mail, information on a plurality of facilities that the first user uses frequently (a list of facilities that the first user often visits).

  In this way, the management server 7 predicts the facility and time zone in which the photo sticker creation apparatus 1 is installed, from which the user will come, based on the history of past actions of the user. Then, before the time period, a notification mail is issued to recommend the use of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 of the facility to the user. If the user is near the facility, the user can be encouraged by a notification email to use the facility. According to the present embodiment, the user's facility and the use of the photo sticker creation device 1 can be promoted by issuing a notification mail to the user at an effective timing.

(Notification taking into account past reactions)
There are users who are effective in sending notification mail and users who are not effective. Therefore, it is conceivable that a user who is not effective in sending a notification mail is excluded from notification.

  The response determination unit 418 determines whether the first user has made a specific response to the notification mail sent to the first user. Specifically, the reaction determination unit 418 compares the notification history to the first user with the facility usage history of the first user. From the comparison result, the reaction determination unit 418 determines whether or not the first user has used the facility described in the notification mail within a predetermined time (for example, within 3 hours) after transmitting the notification mail to the first user. judge. When the first user uses the facility described in the notification mail, it can be said that the first user has made a specific reaction (good reaction) to the notification mail.

  The reaction determination unit 418 adds the determination result, that is, information on whether or not the first user has made a specific reaction (action) to the notification mail to the notification history database 427 as a notification history. The mail creation unit 412 refers to the notification history database 427, and will continue to notify users who have a probability of a specific response to a plurality of (predetermined number) past notification mails over a predetermined threshold. Create an email. The mail creation unit 412 does not create a notification mail for a user whose probability of showing a specific response to a plurality of past notification mails is less than a predetermined threshold. Note that the mail creation unit 412 sends a notification mail to a user whose number of notification mails is less than a predetermined number because it cannot determine whether the user still has a specific reaction.

  The notification mail may include a link to a specific site (for example, an image providing site). The reaction determination unit 418 may determine whether the first user who has received the notification mail has browsed the specific site as a specific reaction. A user who browses the link destination (specific site) of the notification mail can be regarded as a user who has the effect of the notification mail.

  Further, the mail creation unit 412 may send only data with a large user response by a notification mail. For example, for a user who uses the facility described in the notification email but does not browse the link destination described in the notification email, the email creation unit 412 describes only the facility information in the notification email. In addition, the mail creation unit 412 tries a plurality of notification mails using different layouts (templates) at different timings, and uses the notification mail layout (template) in which the user's reaction has been seen for the user in the future. It may be. Further, the mail creating unit 412 may continue to notify the user of only the facilities where the user's reaction has been seen with respect to the notification mail. In addition, the management server 7 tries a plurality of notification means (mail, display on an image providing site, display by an application) at different timings, and uses the notification means in which the user's reaction has been seen for the user in the future. It may be.

  In this way, by continuously sending the same notification to users who have made a specific response to the notification, the user who wants the notification is notified, and the user who does not want the notification You can avoid sending notifications for. Therefore, the notification can be effectively sent to the user. Moreover, useless notifications can be reduced, and the communication amount and processing load of the management server 7 can be reduced.

[Embodiment 5]
Still another embodiment of the present invention will be described. For convenience of explanation, members / configurations having the same functions as those in the drawings described in the above-described embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted. In this embodiment, based on the user's introduction, a notice for recommending the use of the photo sticker creating apparatus is issued to other users.

  FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the management server 8 in the present embodiment. The control unit 401 of the management server 8 includes a communication control unit 411, a mail creation unit 412, a web page creation unit 413, an image management unit 414, a usage history management unit 415, and a reaction determination unit 418.

  The web page creation unit 413 allows the first user who has logged in to the image providing site to introduce another user by entering the email address of another second user (for example, a friend of the logged-in user). Generate web pages for

  The first user introduces the second user to the management server 4 by inputting the email address of the second user (friend) via the mobile terminal 6. At this time, the first user can also input an introduction comment for the second user. When the communication control unit 411 of the management server 4 receives the e-mail address from the portable terminal 6, the communication control unit 411 outputs the e-mail address to the e-mail creation unit 412 and instructs to create a notification e-mail.

  The mail creation unit 412 confirms whether the second user's mail address is already registered as a member by referring to the member database 422. If the second user is not a member, the mail creating unit 412 creates a notification mail addressed to the introduced second user's mail address. The notification mail introduces the photo sticker creation apparatus 1 to the second user, and may include the mail address of the introducer (the introduced first user), past images of the introducer, introduction comments, and the like. In addition, a unique notification ID is described in the notification mail. The mail creation unit 412 causes the communication control unit 411 and the communication unit 403 to transmit a notification mail to the second user's mail address at a predetermined timing.

  The mail creation unit 412 stores the history of sending the notification mail to the second user by introduction of the first user in the notification history database 427 as the notification history.

  The response determination unit 418 determines whether the second user has made a specific response to the notification mail sent to the second user. Specifically, the reaction determination unit 418 compares the notification history to the second user with the usage history of the second user. From the comparison result, the reaction determination unit 418 determines whether or not the second user has used the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 within a predetermined time (for example, within one day) after the notification mail is transmitted to the second user. . When the second user uses the photo sticker creating apparatus 1, it can be said that the second user has used the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 in response to the notification mail.

  When the second user uses the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 in response to the notification mail, the reaction determination unit 418 gives points, etc. to both the first user who is the introducer and the introduced second user. Grant the benefits.

  Note that the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 may accept an input of a notification ID from the introduced second user. When the notification ID is input, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 transmits the notification ID to the management server 4 and authenticates whether it is correct. When the notification ID is authenticated, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 may provide a special function to the second user. For example, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 may use a special stamp (foreground image) when editing an image as a special function.

[Example of software implementation]
The control blocks (particularly the control unit 201, the control unit 401, and the control unit 601) of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1, the management servers 4, 5, 7, 8 and the portable terminal 6 are formed on an integrated circuit (IC chip) or the like. It may be realized by a logic circuit (hardware), or may be realized by software using a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

  In the latter case, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1, the management servers 4, 5, 7, 8 and the portable terminal 6 are a CPU that executes instructions of a program that is software that realizes each function, the program and various data are computers ( Or a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a storage device (these are referred to as “recording media”), a RAM (Random Access Memory) that expands the program, and the like. And the objective of this invention is achieved when a computer (or CPU) reads the said program from the said recording medium and runs it. As the recording medium, a “non-temporary tangible medium” such as a tape, a disk, a card, a semiconductor memory, a programmable logic circuit, or the like can be used. Further, the program may be supplied to the computer via any transmission medium (such as a communication network or a broadcast wave) that can transmit the program. The present invention can also be realized in the form of a data signal embedded in a carrier wave in which the program is embodied by electronic transmission.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope shown in the claims, and embodiments obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. Is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be widely used as a photographed image management system that stores a photographed image of a user created in a photo sticker creating apparatus in a management server.

1 Photo sticker creation device 4, 5, 7, 8 Management server 6 Mobile terminal (user terminal)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Shooting image management system 11 Shooting unit 12 Editing part 13 Subsequent customer service part 21 Photographing part 201 Control part 311 Communication control part 312 Shooting control part 313 Edit control part 314 Print control part 315 Post-service customer control part 401 Control part (user information management means) )
402 Storage Unit 403 Communication Unit 411 Communication Control Unit (User Notification Unit)
412 Mail creation unit (user notification means)
413 Web page creation unit (service providing means, user notification means)
414 Image management unit (image management means)
415 Usage history management unit (usage history management means)
416 User identification part (user identification means)
417 Action prediction unit (attribute specifying means, action prediction means, position information acquisition means)
422 Member database (user information management)
426 Facility information database (facility information management means)
427 Notification history database (notification history management means)
601 Control unit 602 Storage unit 603 Communication unit 604 Input unit 605 Display unit 611 Communication control unit 612 Input control unit 613 Display control unit

Claims (15)

A management server connected to the photo sticker creation device via a network,
Image management means for managing user images received from the photo sticker creating device;
User information management means for managing the membership type of the user,
The image management means enables the user to acquire the image of the user whose membership type is a first-class member for a first period after the image is generated,
The type 1 member is a member who pays a higher fee than the type 2 member,
When the member type of the user is changed from the first type member to the second type member, the image management means may execute the above process even if the first period has not elapsed since the generation of the image. A management server, wherein the image cannot be acquired when a second period has elapsed since the membership type was changed. The image management means enables the user to acquire the image of the user whose membership type is the second type member for a third period shorter than the first period after the image is generated,
The management server according to claim 1, wherein the second period is longer than the third period.   The management server according to claim 1, wherein the first period is indefinite.   4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a user notification unit that notifies the user of the acquisition time limit of the image when a remaining time until the image acquisition time limit is equal to or less than a first threshold. The management server described in. The user information management means manages the user's past change history of the member type,
User identification means for identifying the user whose number of changes in the member type in the fourth period is equal to or greater than a second threshold and is not currently the first type member;
The management according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a user notification unit that issues a notification recommending the change to the first type member to the user specified by the user specifying unit. server. Usage history management means for managing the usage history of the photo sticker creating apparatus of the user;
A user specifying means for specifying the user whose usage frequency of the photo sticker creating apparatus in the fifth period is equal to or more than a third threshold and is not currently the first type member;
The management according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a user notification unit that issues a notification recommending the change to the first type member to the user specified by the user specifying unit. server.   The said user notification means issues the notification which provides the privilege which becomes effective when the said member type is changed to the said 1st type member to the said user specified by the said user specific means, The said claim 5 or 6 The management server described in. A period of not using the photo sticker creating apparatus is a sixth period or more and a user specifying means for specifying the user who is currently the first type member;
4. The management server according to claim 1, further comprising: a user notification unit that issues a notification recommending use of the photo sticker creation device to the user specified by the user specification unit. 5. .   The said user notification means gives the notification which recommends utilization of the said photo sticker production apparatus by presenting the said user's past image to the said user specified by the said user specification means. 8. The management server according to 8.   The user notification means issues a notification recommending the use of the photo sticker creating apparatus to the user specified by the user specifying means by presenting the user's past use history of the photo sticker creating apparatus. The management server according to claim 8. The image management means stores the image of the user who is the first type member with higher image quality than the image of the user who is the second type member,
When the member type of the user is changed from the first type member to the second type member, the image management unit converts the image quality of the image of the user to be low and stores the image. Item 11. The management server according to any one of Items 1 to 10.   12. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising service providing means for providing the image providing service of the image to the user on the web and making the design of the web different depending on a membership type of the user. The management server described in.   The control program for functioning a computer as a management server as described in any one of Claims 1-12, Comprising: The control program for functioning a computer as said each means.   A computer-readable recording medium on which the control program according to claim 13 is recorded. A control method of a management server connected to a photo sticker creating apparatus via a network,
Type 1 members are members who pay a higher fee than Type 2 members,
An image receiving step of receiving an image of the user from the photo sticker creating device;
A member type change step for accepting a change in the member type of the user;
The user can acquire the image of the user whose membership type is the first type member for a first period after the image is generated, and the member type of the user is the first type member to the first type. If it is changed to a two-member member, the image cannot be acquired if the second period has elapsed since the change of the member type, even if the first period has not elapsed since the image was generated. A management server control method, comprising: an image management step.

Images