JP2017049731A - Image information management device, control method of the same, control program, and recording media - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve a contest in which an applicant and a voter easily participate.SOLUTION: A server (4) includes an image management unit (415) or a user management unit (416) for obtaining communication information on at least any of an image submitted to an image management application, an image group composed of a plurality of the above images, and a user, and a score calculation unit (418) for calculating a score of at least any of the image, the image group, and the user according to the communication information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an image information management apparatus, an image information management apparatus control method, a control program, and a recording medium related to an image information management service for managing images stored by a user.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been a photo sticker creating apparatus that provides a contest for competing for the quality of a photographed image (or an edited image obtained by editing the photographed image) by user voting. The contest is held before, during, or during a game for creating a photographed image or an edited image in a photo sticker creating apparatus. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a system in which a user enters a contest from a photo sticker creation device and votes for the entered user using the photo sticker creation device. The user can also access a special website for the contest using a communication terminal and vote.

JP2013-140231A (released July 18, 2013)

  However, in the contest described in Patent Document 1, application and voting for the contest can be performed only with a photo sticker creation device in which a voting game is implemented. For this reason, contest applicants may not be able to enter the contest for images taken with their favorite photo sticker creation device. In addition, contest voters are limited to users of the photo sticker creating apparatus in which the voting game is implemented.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to realize an image information management apparatus and the like capable of realizing a contest in which applicants and voters can easily participate.

  In order to solve the above problems, an image information management apparatus according to the present invention is an image information management apparatus that provides an image browsing service that presents an image posted by a user to a service user so as to be viewable. The image posted by the user to the image browsing service, an image group composed of a plurality of the images, and an information acquisition unit for acquiring communication information by the service user for at least one of the users; And a score calculation unit that calculates a score of at least one of the image, the image group, and the user according to the communication information acquired by the information acquisition unit.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the control method of the image information management apparatus according to the present invention provides an image information management that provides an image browsing service that presents an image posted by a user to a service user so that the image can be viewed. A method for controlling an apparatus, comprising: the image posted by the user to the image browsing service; an image group composed of a plurality of the images; and communication information by the service user for at least one of the users. An information acquisition step of acquiring, and a score calculation step of calculating a score of at least one of the image, the image group, and the user according to the communication information acquired in the information acquisition step.

  According to the above configuration, the score calculation unit converts the communication information for at least one of the image posted by the user, the image group, and the user himself into a score, and at least one of the image, the image group, and the user himself / herself Can be ranked. Thereby, the contest for the image, the image group, or the user can be performed.

  Here, it can be said that the application for the contest is completed by posting an image or a group of images to the image browsing service, or when the user is a user of the image browsing service. Therefore, the above contest can be applied to the contest in the same manner as the normal use of the image browsing service, and the procedure for the application is very simple, so the user's willingness to enter the contest can be promoted. .

  Further, the service user can also vote for an image, a group of images, or a user by taking a normal communication on the image browsing service, and the voting is simple. Therefore, the willingness to vote for the contest can also be promoted.

  Therefore, it is possible to hold a contest that can be easily used by applicants and voters, and to give the applicants and voters the motivation to continuously enjoy the contest. Furthermore, by performing the above contest, the DAU (daily active users) of the image browsing service can be improved, and the use of the image browsing service can be promoted.

  Further, in the image information management device according to the present invention, the score calculation unit includes the communication information about at least one of the image and the image group posted by the user during a predetermined period set as a voting period. You may calculate the score according to.

  According to said structure, a score calculation part makes it the object of score calculation about the image and image group posted during the voting period. Thereby, the posting of the image and image group during a voting period can be increased. Therefore, the DAU of the image browsing service during the voting period can be increased.

  Further, in the image information management device according to the present invention, the score calculation unit is configured to perform at least one of the image and the image group posted by the user before the predetermined period in addition to the predetermined period. Alternatively, a score corresponding to the communication information may be calculated.

  According to the above configuration, the score calculation unit is more advantageous for a user who has posted an image using the image browsing service before the voting period, by targeting the images posted before the voting period as well. Can be. Therefore, the user can be motivated to use the image browsing service continuously, and the DAU of the image browsing service can be increased. In addition, it is possible to more strongly motivate a user who has submitted an image using the image browsing service before the voting period to apply for the contest and vote.

  In the image information management device according to the present invention, the score calculation unit may calculate the score according to the communication information acquired by the information acquisition unit during the predetermined period.

  According to the above configuration, communication within the voting period is a target for score calculation. Therefore, it is possible to increase communication between users during the voting period. Therefore, the DAU of the image browsing service during the voting period can be increased. Eventually, by habituating communication between users, continuous use of the image browsing service is brought about.

  In the image information management device according to the present invention, the image may be an image created by an image creation device that creates an image in accordance with billing.

  By the way, instead of charging the image creation device, a mechanism (selecting a shooting pose, BGM (Back Ground) that makes the user's feelings rise when creating an image (when the user is playing an image creation game) Music), narration, etc.) are given in various ways. Therefore, a user's pleasant facial expression is easily drawn out, and the image created by the image creation device is a gorgeous image with a taste.

  In addition, the image creation device has ample facilities such as a lighting device, image deformation processing (for example, subject eye size and leg length) and color correction (subject skin whitening processing, etc.) ) And the like can be performed with advanced technology, so that an image created by the image creating apparatus is an image that has a good image of the user.

  Further, editing (doodle on an image) can be easily performed as compared with image processing (for example, processing by an application for photo processing, etc.) other than the image creating apparatus, and variations of the editing are rich. For this reason, it can be said that an image created by the image creation device is finished relatively gorgeously compared to an image taken and processed by a device other than the image creation device.

  Therefore, it is possible to promote the use of the image creating apparatus to apply for the contest, and to increase the willingness to apply for the contest for the user who obtains the above-described gorgeous image and the user's good image. In addition, since a gorgeous image is presented on the image browsing service, the attractiveness of the content itself called the image browsing service can be increased.

  In the image information management device according to the present invention, the communication information is an evaluation, comment, clip, follow, and image browsing service by the service user for at least one of the image, the image group, and the user. It may be at least one of browsing the user's dedicated page and sharing.

  According to the above configuration, the service user can vote for an image, a group of images, or a user by taking normal communication on the image browsing service, and voting is simple. Therefore, the willingness to vote for the contest can be promoted.

  In the image information management apparatus according to the present invention, the communication information may be information related to communication performed on a dedicated page of each service user.

  According to said structure, the said service user can vote by the communication performed in the exclusive page of self or another service user on an image browsing service, and voting is simple. Therefore, the willingness to vote for the service user's contest can be promoted.

  Further, according to the above configuration, since the score is calculated according to the communication directly exchanged between the service users, the communication between the service users can be promoted. Therefore, the DAU for the image browsing service can be further increased.

  In the image information management device according to the present invention, the score calculation unit may calculate the score for the post or the image by weighting according to the type of the communication information.

  According to the above configuration, it is possible to change which user gets a high score by changing the weighting setting. Therefore, when performing a contest, it is possible to appropriately set what kind of attribute is advantageous for the user.

  In addition, the image information management apparatus according to the present invention includes a post presentation unit that presents the post on the dedicated page of the service user when the post of the user followed by the service user is received. May be.

  According to the above configuration, since the posting status of the user who is following, that is, the user related to the service user, is notified to the service user, the image, the image group, or the posting related to the posting to the service user. It is possible to provide a motivation for performing communication (that is, voting for a contest) to the user who has performed the above. Therefore, the service user can be motivated to continuously participate in the contest.

  Further, in the image information management device according to the present invention, the score calculation unit scores a score for at least one of the image, the image group, and the user for which the user wants to calculate the score in the image creation device. Calculation may be performed.

  According to the above configuration, first of all, the image creation device is used for the user who participates in the contest by calculating the score in the image creation device, that is, confirming the intention to participate in the contest (the presence or absence of entry). Can be promoted.

  The image information management apparatus may be realized by a computer. In this case, the control program for the image information management apparatus that causes the computer to be realized by the image information management apparatus, and a computer-readable recording that records the control program. Media also falls within the scope of the present invention.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a contest in which applicants and voters can easily participate.

It is a block diagram which shows the principal part structure of the server which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the image management system which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a perspective view showing the example of composition of the appearance of the image creation device concerning one embodiment of this art. It is the perspective view which looked at the external appearance of the image creation apparatus from another angle. It is a figure explaining a user's movement. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a preselection part. It is a figure which shows the structural example of an imaging | photography part. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a background part. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the front of an edit unit. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the side surface of an edit unit. It is a block diagram which shows the example of an internal structure of an image preparation apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows the function structural example of a control part. It is a block diagram which shows the principal part structure of the portable terminal contained in the said image management system. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process from the start of the game in the said image production apparatus until it saves the image produced in the said game in the said server. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen displayed on the display part of a portable terminal, when saving a created image in the said server. It is a flowchart which shows the outline | summary of the flow of the contest performed using the said image management system. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of an entry reception process. (A) shows the flow of entry acceptance processing when entering the contest using the image creation device, and (b) shows the flow of entry acceptance processing when entering the contest using the mobile terminal. Yes. It is a screen transition diagram which shows the transition of the screen produced with the image management application installed in the said portable terminal, and displayed on the said portable terminal. (A) And (b) is a figure which shows the structure of the my page screen produced with the said image management application and displayed on the said portable terminal. (A) And (b) is a figure which shows the structure of the album detailed screen produced by the said image management application and displayed on the said portable terminal. It is a figure which shows the structure of the timeline screen produced with the said image management application, and displayed on the said portable terminal. (A)-(g) is a figure which shows an example of the screen transition of a portable terminal in the case of performing image posting processing. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of an image contribution process. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the voting process in the said image management application. It is a figure which shows operation performed on the screen of the said portable terminal in order to browse the submitting | posting image of the applicant of the said contest. (A) shows the operation method for browsing a user's contribution image from the special website of a contest, and (b) from the timeline of an image management application. (A)-(d) is a figure which shows operation and screen transition at the time of voting to the album containing the said user's contribution image or contribution image from the said user's my page or album detailed screen. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process in the case of determining the browsing permission of a contribution image according to the various public setting of the user who entered the contest, and the relationship between the said user and a voter. It is a figure which shows the totaling method of the score of the said contribution image in case cancellation of voting is possible. It is a figure which shows the data structure of the communication history of an image. It is a figure which shows the data structure of application member information. It is a figure which shows the data structure of image information. It is a figure which shows the data structure of album information.

Embodiment 1
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described 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. Furthermore, the shape of the configuration described in each drawing and the dimensions such as length, depth, and width do not reflect the actual shape and dimensions, but are changed as appropriate for the sake of clarity and simplification of the drawings. ing.

(Image management system 10)
First, an outline of the image management system 10 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of the image management system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The image management system 10 provides a user with an image management service that realizes photography, editing of captured images, saving of images in an image providing site, and browsing and management of the stored images. As shown in FIG. 2, the image management system 10 includes an image creation device 1, a mobile terminal (communication terminal) 6, and a server (image information management device) 4.

  The image creating apparatus 1 provides photography in an image management service and editing of the photographed image. The image creating apparatus 1 may provide a service for printing a photo sticker as one of image management services. Hereinafter, images created by the image creation device 1 such as a shot image shot by the image creation device 1 and an edited image obtained by editing the shot image are collectively referred to as a created image. The image creating apparatus 1 is installed in a store such as a game center, and the created image is transmitted to the server 4 and temporarily stored in the server 4.

  The server 4 manages the created image and the information related to the created image, and cooperates with the mobile terminal 6 to store the image in the image management service and manage the stored image. Note that “save image” is not temporary storage as described above, but indicates that the created image is continuously stored in the server 4 unless there is an instruction to delete the user. The server 4 manages an image providing site (image browsing service). Further, the server 4 holds information relating to an image management application (image management application, image browsing service).

  Here, the image providing site is a website that prompts the user to save the created image and accepts an instruction (image saving instruction) to save the created image from the user. The server 4 creates a web page of the image providing site in response to a request from the mobile terminal 6 and transmits it to the mobile terminal 6. Further, when the server 4 receives an image saving instruction from a user who has browsed the image providing site from the portable terminal 6, the database that can continuously save the created image that has been temporarily saved (an image database 424 described later). Save to. In the following description, the image providing site is described as a set of web pages that can be browsed by a web browser, but the image providing site may be provided in a format other than the web page.

  On the other hand, the image management application is an application program installed in the mobile terminal 6, which communicates with the server 4 in accordance with a user input operation on the mobile terminal 6 and manages images stored in the server 4. It is an application program. Specifically, the user can organize the created images by creating an album (image group) in which one or more saved created images are collected using the image management application. Further, from the viewpoint of improving convenience, image storage can also be performed.

  Moreover, the image management application provides SNS (Social Networking Service), and enables communication between users via created images. Specifically, the user executes an image management application installed on the mobile terminal 6, and creates a created image stored in the server 4 from the application or an album in which one or more created images are collected. It can be disclosed to other users (posted on SNS). Hereinafter, posting an image on the SNS of the image management application is simply referred to as “posting an image”. Note that the creation of an album is not essential, and for example, one or more images may be posted together. The other users can communicate with the image posted as described above or the user who posted the image (user account). More specifically, other users can apply for follow-up to the user's account, and can evaluate, comment, and clip the posted image.

  Although an example in which the image management application is used will be described below, the same function as the image management application may be provided on the image providing site instead of the image management application. For example, in response to a request from the mobile terminal 6, the server 4 provides a web page (image provision) for realizing the functions of the above-described image management application (creation and release of an album, execution of an image or communication for a user) Web page of the site) may be created and transmitted to the mobile terminal 6. And the server 4 should just perform the process similar to the case where the instruction | indication for implement | achieving the said function is received via the said image management application according to the control instruction received from the portable terminal 6. FIG.

  Conversely, the image management application may provide the same function as the image providing site. For example, the mobile terminal 6 may prompt the user to save an image on the screen of the image management application to be executed, and transmit the image saving instruction to the server 4 via the application in response to an operation instruction on the screen. . And the server 4 should just perform the process similar to the case where an image preservation | save instruction | indication is acquired via an image provision site.

  The portable terminal 6 is a communication terminal possessed by the user. The mobile terminal 6 is, for example, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like. The portable terminal 6 can communicate with the image creating apparatus 1 and the server 4 by wireless communication means or wired communication means. The user is not limited to the portable communication terminal, and may use a communication terminal such as a desktop or notebook personal computer instead of the portable terminal 6. The portable terminal 6 communicates with the server 4 and accesses the image providing site. In addition, an image management application is installed in the mobile terminal 6, and the mobile terminal 6 executes the image management application, thereby realizing various functions of the above-described image management application.

  Further, the image management system 10 can perform a contest using an image stored in the server 4 by using an image management service. The specific flow of the contest will be described in detail later, but the outline is as follows.

  The user saves the created image in the image creating apparatus 1 in the server 4 and publishes the saved image to other users (users of the image management application, users of the image browsing service) in the image management application. Another user executes an image management application using his / her mobile terminal 6, browses the published image, and votes for the image or the user who has published the image. Here, “voting” indicates that some kind of communication has been taken with respect to the image or the user. The server 4 assigns a score to each image or the user itself according to the number and contents of the votes for each image, and ranks the images or users according to the number of the scores. Thereby, the rank in an image or a user's contest can be determined.

  It should be noted that the above-described “image disclosure” and “voting” may be operations specific to the time of the contest, but are generally preferably the same operations as in the case of using the image management application. This is because contest applicants can be subject to contest screening by posting images in the same way as when using an image management application. In addition, contest voters can easily vote by inputting evaluations and comments in the same manner as when using an image management application.

Prior member registration may be required to store the created image on the image providing site. In addition, when member registration is required, a paid member and a free member may be distinguished. Free members do not need to pay a membership fee, but are limited in the number of created images that can be stored on an image provider site. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that a free member can store only one created image in the image providing site for each image creation game. Further, the user can change his / her membership attribute from a free member to a paid member, or from a paid member to a free member. Paid members can save unlimited number of created images on an image providing site instead of having to pay a certain membership fee continuously. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that all the created images created by one image creation game can be stored in the image providing site. Note that the charging method for paying members is not limited to the above-described method. Further, the user may be charged by a method other than paid member registration. Specifically, storing a created image via an image providing site is regarded as “purchasing image data”, and an amount corresponding to the number of created images to be purchased or the amount of created image data to be purchased is charged. May be. Similarly, prior membership registration may be required for using the image management application. In the image management application, a paid member and a free member may be distinguished. Furthermore, the account created by the member registration may be shared with the image providing site image management application, or may be a separate account.
<Appearance configuration of image creation device>
3 and 4 are perspective views showing an example of the external configuration of the image creating apparatus 1. FIG.

  The image creation device 1 is a game machine that provides a captured image or an edited image. The image creating apparatus 1 provides an image to the user by printing the image on a sticker sheet or transmitting the image to a server so that the image can be viewed on the user's mobile terminal. The image creating apparatus 1 is installed in an amusement facility or store. The users of the image creating apparatus 1 are mainly young women such as high school girls. In the image creating apparatus 1, a plurality of users such as two or three people can mainly enjoy the game per group. Of course, one user can enjoy the game in the image creating apparatus 1.

  In the image creating apparatus 1, the user performs photographing work with himself / herself as a subject. The user synthesizes an image for synthesis such as a handwritten character or a stamp image with an image selected from the captured images obtained by shooting through an editing operation. Thereby, the captured image is edited into a gorgeous image. The user receives a sticker sheet on which an edited image that is an edited image is printed, and ends a series of games.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the image creating apparatus 1 is basically configured by being installed in a state where the photographing unit 11 and the editing unit 12 are in contact with each other.

  The photographing unit 11 includes a pre-selection unit 20, a photographing unit 21, and a background unit 22. The pre-selection unit 20 is installed on the side surface of the imaging unit 21. The space ahead of the preselection unit 20 is a preselection space in which preselection processing is performed. The photographing unit 21 and the background unit 22 are installed with a predetermined distance apart. A space formed between the imaging unit 21 and the background unit 22 is an imaging space in which imaging processing is performed.

  The preselection unit 20 performs guidance for introducing a game provided by the image creation device 1 as preselection processing, or performs processing for allowing the user to select various settings in shooting processing performed in the shooting space. To do. The pre-selection unit 20 is provided with a coin slot into which a user inserts a price, a touch panel monitor used for various operations, and the like. The pre-selection unit 20 guides the user in the pre-selection space to the shooting space as appropriate according to the availability of the shooting space.

  The photographing unit 21 is a device for photographing a user as a subject. The photographing unit 21 is located in front of the user who has entered the photographing space. A camera, a touch panel monitor used for various operations, and the like are provided in front of the photographing unit 21 facing the photographing space. If the left side is the left side and the right side is the right side as viewed from the user facing the front in the imaging space, the left side of the imaging unit 21 is configured by the side panel 41A, and the right side is configured by the side panel 41B. Is done. Further, the front surface of the photographing unit 21 is constituted by a front panel 42. The pre-selection unit 20 described above is installed on the side panel 41A. Note that the pre-selection unit 20 may be installed on the side panel 41B, or may be installed on both the side panels 41A and 41B.

  The background portion 22 includes a back panel 51, a side panel 52A, and a side panel 52B. The back panel 51 is a plate-like member located on the back side of the user facing the front. The side panel 52A is a plate-like member attached to the left end of the back panel 51 and having a narrower width than the side panel 41A. The side panel 52B is a plate-like member that is attached to the right end of the back panel 51 and has a narrower width than the side panel 41B.

  The side panel 41A and the side panel 52A are provided on substantially the same plane. The upper portions of the side panel 41A and the side panel 52A are connected by a connecting portion 23A that is a plate-like member. The lower portions of the side panel 41A and the side panel 52A are connected by a connecting portion 23A 'that is a metal member provided on the floor surface. Similarly, the side panel 41B and the side panel 52B are provided on substantially the same plane. The upper portions of the side panel 41B and the side panel 52B are connected by a connecting portion 23B. The lower portions of the side panel 41B and the side panel 52B are connected by a connecting portion 23B '.

  For example, a green chroma key sheet is attached to the surface of the rear panel 51 on the photographing space side. The image creating apparatus 1 performs chroma key composition in shooting processing and editing processing by shooting a chroma key sheet as a background. As a result, the background image desired by the user is combined with the sheet portion.

  An opening formed by being surrounded by the side panel 41A, the connecting portion 23A, and the side panel 52A serves as an entrance / exit of the imaging space. An opening formed by being surrounded by the side panel 41B, the connecting portion 23B, and the side panel 52B also serves as an entrance / exit of the imaging space.

  A ceiling surrounded by the front surface of the photographing unit 21, the connecting portion 23A, and the connecting portion 23B is formed above the photographing space. A ceiling strobe unit 24 is provided in a part of the ceiling. 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. In addition to the strobe, a fluorescent lamp is provided inside the ceiling strobe unit 24. Thereby, the ceiling strobe unit 24 also functions as illumination of the photographing space.

  The editing unit 12 is a device for editing a captured image. The editing unit 12 is connected to the photographing unit 11 such that one side surface is in contact with the front panel 42 of the photographing unit 21.

  If the configuration of the editing unit 12 shown in FIG. 3 is a front side configuration, a configuration used for editing work is provided on each of the front side and the back side of the editing unit 12. With this configuration, two sets of users can perform editing work simultaneously.

  The front side of the editing unit 12 includes a surface 61 and a slope 62 formed above the surface 61. The surface 61 is a surface perpendicular to the floor surface and substantially parallel to the side panel 41A of the photographing unit 21. The slope 62 is provided with a tablet built-in monitor and a touch pen as a configuration used for editing work. On the left side of the slope 62, a columnar support portion 63A that supports one end of the lighting device 64 is provided. A columnar support portion 63B that supports the other end of the lighting device 64 is provided on the right side of the slope 62. A support portion 65 that supports the curtain rail 26 is provided on the upper surface of the support portion 63A.

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

  A curtain is attached to the curtain rail 26 so that the space in front of the editing unit 12 and the space in front of the back are not visible from the outside. A space in front of the editing unit 12 surrounded by the curtain and a space in the rear rear of the editing unit 12 are editing spaces in which the user performs editing operations.

As will be described later, the left side surface of the editing unit 12 is provided with a discharge port through which printed sticker paper is discharged. The space in front of the left side surface of the editing unit 12 becomes a print waiting space where the user waits for the printed sticker paper to be discharged.
<About user movement>
Here, the flow of the image creation game and the accompanying movement of the user will be described. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the image creating apparatus 1 as viewed from above.

  First, the user inserts money into the coin insertion slot in the pre-selected space A0 that is a space in front of the pre-selecting unit 20. Next, the user performs various settings according to the screen displayed on the touch panel monitor. The user performs, for example, selection of a course related to shooting performed in the shooting space as a pre-selection operation.

  The user who has completed the pre-selection operation, as indicated by the white arrow # 1, has a shooting space A1 formed between the shooting unit 21 and the background unit 22 from the entrance G1 between the side panel 41A and the side panel 52A. to go into. The user performs a shooting operation using a camera or a touch panel monitor provided in the shooting unit 21.

  The user who has finished the shooting work exits the shooting space A1 from the doorway G1 as indicated by the white arrow # 2 and moves to the editing space A2-1, or the doorway G2 as indicated by the white arrow # 3. Exits the shooting space A1 and moves to the editing space A2-2.

  The editing space A2-1 is an editing space on the front side of the editing unit 12. On the other hand, the editing space A2-2 is an editing space on the back side of the editing unit 12. Whether the user moves to the editing space A2-1 or the editing space A2-2 is guided by the screen display of the touch panel monitor of the photographing unit 21 or the like. For example, the free one 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 work. The user of the editing space A2-1 and the user of the editing space A2-2 can perform editing work at the same time.

  After the editing operation is finished, printing of the edited image is started. When printing is started, the user who has finished the editing work in the editing space A2-1 moves from the editing space A2-1 to the print waiting space A3 as indicated by a white arrow # 4. Further, the user who has finished the editing work in the editing space A2-2 moves from the editing space A2-2 to the print waiting space A3 as indicated by the white arrow # 5.

  The user who has moved to the print waiting space A3 waits for the end of image printing. When printing is completed, the user receives the sticker paper discharged from the discharge port provided on the right side surface of the editing unit 12, and finishes a series of image creation games.

Next, the configuration of each device will be described.
<Configuration of preselection unit>
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the preselection unit 20.

  A touch panel monitor 71 is provided above the preselection unit 20. The touch panel monitor 71 includes a monitor such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and a touch panel laminated thereon. The touch panel monitor 71 has a function of displaying various GUIs (Graphical User Interface) and accepting a user's selection operation. The touch panel monitor 71 selects a course related to shooting, a background image in a created image, BGM (Back Ground Music) that flows during an image creation game, selection of at least one of sound and voice, and user contact information A screen used for the pre-selection process for performing the input or the like is displayed.

A speaker 72 is provided below the touch panel monitor 71. The speaker 72 outputs guidance sound, BGM, sound effect, etc. for the pre-selection process. Further, a coin insertion / return port 73 into which a user inserts coins is provided so as to be adjacent to the speaker 72.
<Configuration of the shooting unit>
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the front of the photographing unit 21. The photographing unit 21 is configured to be surrounded by the side panel 41A, the side panel 41B, and the front panel 42.

  A camera unit 81 is provided at the center of the front panel 42. The camera unit 81 includes a camera 91 and a touch panel monitor 92.

  The camera 91 is a single-lens reflex camera, for example, and is attached inside the camera unit 81 so that the lens is exposed. The camera 91 has an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor, and photographs a user in the photographing space A1. A moving image (hereinafter also referred to as a live view image) captured by the camera 91 is displayed on the touch panel monitor 92 in real time. A still image captured by the camera 91 at a predetermined timing such as when shooting is instructed is saved as a captured image.

  The touch panel monitor 92 is provided below the camera 91. The touch panel monitor 92 includes a monitor such as an LCD and a touch panel laminated thereon. The touch panel monitor 92 has a function as a live view monitor that displays a moving image captured by the camera 91 and a function that displays various GUIs and accepts a user's selection operation. Specific examples of the selection operation include selection of a shooting course, shooting start and end instructions (shooting control instructions), eye deformation and color, skin color correction, and background image in the created image. And the selection of BGM (sound / voice) during the image creation game. On the touch panel monitor 92, a moving image (live view image) and a still image (captured image) captured by the camera 91 are displayed.

  Above the camera unit 81, an upper strobe 82 with a curved light emitting surface facing the user is installed. The upper strobe 82 irradiates light on the user's face and upper body from the upper front.

On the left side of the camera unit 81, a left strobe 83 with a flat light emitting surface facing the user is installed. The left strobe 83 irradiates light on the user's face and upper body from the left side of the front. On the right side of the camera unit 81, a right strobe 84 with a flat light emitting surface facing the user is installed. The right strobe 84 irradiates light on the user's face and upper body from the front right.

  In addition, a foot strobe 85 that irradiates light to the lower body and feet of the user is provided below the camera unit 81.

Although not shown, a speaker is provided near the ceiling of the front panel 42, for example. The speaker outputs guidance voice, BGM, sound effects, etc. for shooting processing.
<Configuration of background part>
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the background portion 22 on the photographing space A1 side.

  Above the rear panel 51, a rear upper strobe 101 is installed. The rear upper strobe 101 irradiates the user with light from the upper rear side.

  In the drawing, a rear left strobe 102 is installed on the left side of the rear panel 51. The back left strobe 102 irradiates the user from the right side of the back. In the drawing, a rear right strobe 103 is installed on the right side of the rear panel 51. The rear right strobe 103 irradiates the user from the left rear side.

  A chroma key sheet 121 may be attached to the surface of the rear panel 51 on the photographing space A1 side (the front side in the drawing). The color of the chroma key sheet 121 is, for example, green.

Although not shown, a chroma key sheet may be attached to the surfaces of the side panels 52A and 52B on the photographing space A1 side in the same manner as the chroma key sheet 121.
<Configuration of editing unit>
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the editing unit 12 on the front side (editing space A2-1 side).

  A tablet built-in monitor 131 is provided in the approximate center of the slope 62. On the left side of the tablet built-in monitor 131, a touch pen 132A is provided. On the right side of the tablet built-in monitor 131, a touch pen 132B is provided. The tablet built-in monitor 131 is configured such that the tablet is provided so as to expose the display. The tablet enables operation input using the touch pen 132A or the touch pen 132B. On the tablet built-in monitor 131, for example, an editing screen used for editing work is displayed. For example, when two users perform editing work at the same time, the touch pen 132A is used by the user on the left side toward the tablet built-in monitor 131, and the touch pen 132B is used by the user on the right side toward the tablet built-in monitor 131. Used.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the left side surface of the editing unit 12.

  A sticker paper discharge port 161 is provided below the left side surface of the editing unit 12. A printer is provided inside the editing unit 12. The printer prints an image showing the user of the editing space A2-1 or an image showing the user of the editing space A2-2 on a sticker sheet with a predetermined layout, and discharges it from the sticker paper outlet 161.

<Internal configuration of image creation device>
FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration example of the image creating apparatus 1. In FIG. 11, the same components as those described above are denoted by the same reference numerals. The overlapping description will be omitted as appropriate.

  The control unit 201 is configured by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or the like. The control unit 201 executes a program stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) 206 or a storage unit 202 and controls the overall operation of the image 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 each configuration of a pre-selection unit 208, an imaging unit 209, editing units 210 </ b> A and 210 </ b> B, and a printing unit 211.

  The storage unit 202 is a non-volatile storage medium such as a hard disk or a flash memory. The storage unit 202 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.

  The communication unit 203 is a network interface such as the Internet. The communication unit 203 communicates with an external device according to control by the control unit 201. For example, the communication unit 203 transmits the captured image or the edited image selected by the user to the server. The image transmitted from the communication unit 203 is allocated and stored in a predetermined storage area in the server, and is displayed or downloaded on a mobile terminal that has accessed the server.

  A removable medium 205 made of an optical disk, a semiconductor memory, or the like is appropriately attached to the drive 204. The programs 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 preselection unit 208 realizes a preselection process for a user in the preselection space A0. The preselection unit 208 includes a touch panel monitor 71, a speaker 72, and a coin processing unit 221.

  The touch panel monitor 71 displays various selection screens according to control by the control unit 201 and accepts user operations on the selection screens. An input signal representing the content of the user's operation is supplied to the control unit 201, and various settings are performed.

  The coin processing unit 221 detects the insertion of coins into the coin insertion / return port 73. When the coin processing unit 221 detects that a predetermined amount of coins has been inserted, the coin processing unit 221 outputs an activation signal instructing the start of the game to the control unit 201.

  The imaging unit 209 realizes imaging processing for a user in the imaging space A1. The imaging unit 209 includes an illumination device 231, a camera 91, a touch panel monitor 92, and a speaker 232.

  The illumination device 231 is each strobe in the imaging space A1, and emits light according to an illumination control signal supplied from the control unit 201.

  The camera 91 performs shooting according to the shutter control by the control unit 201, and outputs a captured image (image data) obtained by the shooting to the control unit 201.

  The editing unit 210A implements editing processing for the user in the editing space A2-1. The editing unit 210A includes a tablet built-in monitor 131, touch pens 132A and 132B, and a speaker 241. The editing unit 210B realizes editing processing for users in the editing space A2-2, and has the same configuration as the editing unit 210A. Hereinafter, when the editing units 210A and 210B are not particularly distinguished, they are simply referred to as the editing unit 210.

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

  The printing unit 211 realizes a printing process that provides a user in the print waiting space A3 with a sticker sheet on which a created image has been printed. The printing unit 211 is configured to include a printer 251. A sticker sheet unit 252 is attached to the printer 251.

  Based on the print data supplied from the control unit 201, the printer 251 prints the edited image on the sticker paper 261 stored in the sticker paper unit 252 and discharges it to the sticker paper discharge port 161.

<Configuration of control unit>
FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration example of the control unit 201. At least a part of the functional units illustrated in FIG. 12 is realized by a predetermined program being executed by the CPU in the control unit 201. The control unit 201 includes at least a photographing processing unit 302 and an editing processing unit 303. The control unit 201 may include a pre-selection processing unit 301 and a print processing unit 304.

  The preselection processing unit 301 performs preselection processing by controlling each unit of the preselection unit 208. The pre-selection processing unit 301 controls display on the touch panel monitor 71. For example, the pre-selection processing unit 301 causes the touch panel monitor 71 to display a selection screen for selecting a course related to shooting performed in the shooting space. Further, the pre-selection processing unit 301 accepts a user operation input for the touch panel monitor 71. Specifically, the pre-selection processing unit 301 receives an operation input for selecting a selection screen displayed on the touch panel monitor 71. The pre-selection processing unit 301 controls the output of guidance explaining various selection operations. The pre-selection processing unit 301 displays a screen for explaining various selection operations on the touch panel monitor 71 and outputs sound for explaining various selection operations from the speaker 72.

  The imaging processing unit 302 performs imaging processing by controlling each unit of the imaging unit 209. The imaging processing unit 302 controls the display on the touch panel monitor 92 to display a moving image captured by the camera 91 on the touch panel monitor 92 or to display a captured image that is a captured result. In addition, the imaging processing unit 302 receives a user operation input to the touch panel monitor 92. The photographing processing unit 302 controls the camera 91 to photograph a user as a subject. Furthermore, the imaging processing unit 302 causes the touch panel monitor 92 to display a screen that explains how to proceed with the imaging operation, and causes the speaker 232 to output audio that describes how to proceed with imaging.

  The editing processing unit 303 performs editing processing by controlling each unit of the editing unit 210. The edit processing unit 303 controls display on the tablet built-in monitor 131. In addition, the edit processing unit 303 accepts a user operation input using the touch pens 132 </ b> A and 132 </ b> B for the tablet built-in monitor 131. The edit processing unit 303 performs predetermined image processing on the captured image in accordance with a selection operation on the selection screen. The edit processing unit 303 edits the captured image in response to an input operation on the edit screen. The editing processing unit 303 controls the output of guidance explaining how to proceed with editing. The edit processing unit 303 displays a screen explaining how to proceed with editing on the tablet built-in monitor 131 and outputs sound explaining how to proceed with editing from the speaker 241. In addition, the editing processing unit 303 may perform processing related to entry to a contest using a photographed image. Furthermore, the process related to the entry may be performed by any of the pre-selection processing unit 301, the imaging processing unit 302, and the editing processing unit 303. In other words, the user of the image creating apparatus 1 may perform an input operation for instructing entry into the contest from any of the touch panel monitors 71 and 92 and the tablet built-in monitor 131. The edit processing unit 303 controls the communication unit 203 to perform processing related to communication via a network such as the Internet. Further, the edit processing unit 303 may perform the printing process by controlling the printer 251 of the printing unit 211.

  In this way, the image creation device 1 provides an image creation game in which various devices (selection of shooting pose, BGM, narration, etc.) that excite the user's feelings are provided in exchange for billing. Therefore, the created image in the image creating apparatus 1 is an image from which a pleasant expression of the user is drawn or a gorgeous image that is elaborate.

  In addition, the image creation apparatus 1 is equipped with a lighting device and the like, and image deformation processing (for example, subject eye size and leg length) and color correction (subject skin whitening processing, etc.). Therefore, the image created by the image creation device 1 is an image that has a good user image.

  In addition, editing (doodle on an image) can be easily performed compared to image processing (for example, processing by an application for photo processing, etc.) other than the image creating apparatus 1, and variations of the editing are rich. Also from this point, it can be said that the created image in the image creating apparatus 1 is finished relatively brilliantly as compared with the image taken and processed by the image creating apparatus 1 other than the image creating apparatus 1.

<Server configuration>
Next, details of the server 4 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the server 4 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this figure, the 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 server 4. The storage unit 402 stores various data used in the server 4. The communication unit 403 communicates with other devices constituting the image management system 10.

(Details of control unit 401)
As shown in FIG. 1, a control unit (post presentation unit) 401 includes a communication control unit 411, a notification creation unit 412, a page creation unit 413, an image storage unit 414, an image management unit (information acquisition unit) 415, and a user management unit. 416 (information acquisition unit), an entry reception unit 417, and a score calculation unit 418 are provided.

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

(Notification creation unit 412)
The notification creation unit 412 creates a notification to be sent to the contact address of the user who has played the image creation game on the image creation device 1. Note that the contact information of the user is not particularly limited as long as it is possible to send a notification to the user using the contact information. The contact information may be, for example, an account ID of a message application installed in the mobile terminal 6 or an email address. When the image management application itself has a message transmission / reception function, the application member ID of the image management application may be used as the contact information.

  In the present embodiment, the notification creation unit 412 uses the data stored in the notification database 421 to send an image storage notification that guides the storage of an image transmitted to the contact address input from the communication control unit 411. Create and output to the communication control unit 411. Note that the notification created by the notification creation unit 412 is not particularly limited as long as the notification can be transmitted to the contact address, and the type and the notification method (for example, whether the notification is a push notification or a pull notification). Specifically, when the user's contact information is an email address, the notification creation unit 412 may create an email as a notification and send it to the user's email address. In addition, when the user's contact information is the account ID of the message app or the app member ID of the image management app, services such as the message app message, the message board provided by the message app, and the comment function are addressed to the ID. May be used to send notifications. Furthermore, the notification creation unit 412 may display the notification on the mobile terminal 6 as a push notification in the message app or the image management app. Alternatively, the notification creation unit 412 may create and transmit a notification that prompts the user to confirm the message application message or the mail software mail using push notification.

(Page creation unit 413)
The page creation unit 413 creates a web page of the image providing site displayed on the mobile terminal 6. In this embodiment, the page creation unit 413 creates a page corresponding to an access request received from the mobile terminal 6 using data stored in the member database 422, the page database 423, and the image database 424, and performs communication control. Output to the unit 411. Although details will be described later, the page creation unit 413 creates a page according to the user's membership type. Specifically, the page creation unit 413 creates a web page that constitutes the image providing site, such as an image storage page for storing a created image in the image providing site. Each page normally includes at least one of text data and image data. Each page may include audio data and moving image data.

(Image storage unit 414)
The image storage unit 414 stores the created image received from the image creating apparatus 1. In the present embodiment, the image storage unit 414 stores the created image designated by the user among the created images received from the image creating device 1 in the image database 424 in association with the user's site member ID. When saving the created image designated by the user, the image storage unit 414 creates image information for managing the created image, and stores the created image information in association with the created image.

(Image management unit 415)
The image management unit 415 changes image information and creates and changes album information. The image management unit 415 changes the image information based on a user operation instruction received from the mobile terminal 6. The image management unit 415 also creates album information for managing the album for each user based on the user's operation instruction received from the mobile terminal 6. The image management unit 415 stores the created album information in the image database 424 in association with the user.

(User management unit 416)
The user management unit 416 creates site member information that is information for managing users who are members of the image providing site, and stores the site member information in the member database 422. Note that the user management unit 416 may manage non-member users or create site member information of non-member users. The user management unit 416 further creates application member information that is information for managing users who are members of the image management application, and stores the application member information in the member database 422. If the image providing site and the image management application are a common account, either site member information or application member information may be created and stored.

(Entry reception part 417)
The entry receiving unit 417 receives an entry image and entry information, which will be described later, and stores them in the entry database 426. When the entry image and the entry information are stored in the entry database 426, the entry reception unit 417 notifies the image creation device 1 via the communication unit 403 that the entry to the user's contest indicated by the entry information has been completed. Send.

(Score calculation unit 418)
The score calculation unit 418 reads out communication information for at least one of the user of the image, the album, and the image management application with reference to at least one of the image information, the album information, and the app member information, and the image, the album, and the above A score for at least one of the users is calculated.

(Details of storage unit 402)
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the storage unit 402 includes a notification database 421, a member database 422, a page database 423, and an image database 424.

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

(Member database 422)
The member database 422 stores site member information and application member information for each user. The site member information is information including at least an ID for uniquely identifying the user, and is associated with the application member information. Further, the application member information is information as shown in FIG. 30, for example. The application member information shown in FIG. 30 includes “member ID”, “user name”, “user image”, “follow”, “follower”, “evaluation image”, “contact”, “birth date”, “address” ”,“ Member attribute ”,“ Membership date ”, and“ Terminal ID ”.

  The “member ID” is an ID for uniquely identifying a user who is an application member. “User name” is the name (nickname) of the user. The “user image” is an image (user icon) indicating a user posted on a My Page, which will be described later, and describes an image ID. “Follow” is another user that the user has followed (associated with himself / herself), and the member ID of the other user who has followed is described. “Follower” is another user who follows the user, and the member ID of the other user is described. The “evaluation image” is an image evaluated by the user, and an image ID of the image is described. “Contact” is the contact information of the user. “Date of birth” is the date of birth of the user. “Address” is the address of the user. “Member attribute” indicates a member attribute of the user, and “pay” or “free” is described. “Admission date” is the date when the user registered as a member of the image providing site. The “terminal ID” indicates the mobile terminal 6 possessed by the user, and an ID for uniquely identifying the mobile terminal 6 is described.

  “Follow” is a unilateral relationship between users, and the user can view a public image among images owned by other users who follow. Further, in the present embodiment, when another user that the user is following releases the image, the fact that the other user has released the image is posted on the user's own timeline page (details will be described later). The

(Page database 423)
The 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 a created image instructed by the user to be stored in the image providing site among the created images created by the image creating apparatus 1. In the image database 424, created images are stored separately for each user registered as a site member in the member database 422.

  The image database 424 also stores the image information and the album information for each user. The image information may be information as shown in FIG. 31, for example. The image information shown in FIG. 31 includes “image ID”, “save date / time”, “evaluation user”, and “comment”.

  The “image ID” is an ID for uniquely identifying the created image, and includes “shooting date / time”, “model ID”, and “serial number”. “Shooting date and time” is the date and time when the image creating apparatus 1 captured a created image. “Model ID” is an ID for uniquely identifying the model of the image creating apparatus 1 that created the created image. The “serial number” is a number for identifying a created image created in one play in the image creating apparatus 1.

  “Saved date / time” is the date / time when the created image was saved in the image providing site. “Evaluation user” indicates a user (user of the image management application) who is evaluating the created image, and the application member ID of the user is described.

  “Comment” is information about a comment given to the created image, and includes “content”, “user”, and “date and time”. “Content” indicates the content of the comment. “User” is a user who has given a comment, and the application member ID of the user is described. “Date and time” is the date and time when a comment is given.

  Further, the album information may be information as shown in FIG. 32, for example. The album information shown in FIG. 32 includes “album” and “image”. “Album” is information related to the album, and includes “album ID”, “album name”, “description”, “creation date”, “update date”, “display order”, and “public setting”.

  “Album ID” is an ID for uniquely identifying an album. “Album name” is the name of the album. “Explanatory text” is an explanatory text of the album. “Creation date” is the date when the album was created. “Update date and time” is the date and time when the album was updated. “Display order” indicates the display order of albums on a My Page, which will be described later. “Public setting” indicates whether the album is public or private.

  The “image” is information related to a created image included in the album, and includes “image ID” and “display order”. “Image ID” describes the image ID of the created image included in the album. “Display order” indicates the display order of the created images in the album.

  Note that the album with “Album ID” “001” is an album prepared in advance (default album), and therefore “creation date” is not described. In addition, the “display order” of “album” is “0” for the album whose “album ID” is “001”. This means that the album is always displayed at the top.

(Entry database 426)
The entry database 426 stores an entry image received from the image creation device 1 or the portable terminal 6 and entry information in association with each other.

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

(Details of 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.

<Configuration of mobile terminal>
Next, the configuration of the mobile terminal 6 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the mobile terminal 6. As illustrated, the mobile terminal 6 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 types of data used in the portable terminal 6 such as various types of data related to the image management application program and the image management application, and data for accessing the image providing site. The communication unit 603 communicates with other devices constituting the 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. 13, 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.

  In the present embodiment, the control unit 601 executes an image management application program stored in the storage unit 602 in accordance with a user operation instruction acquired via the input unit 604, and realizes various functions of the application.

<Image creation game flow>
Next, the flow of processing until the user creates an image creation game in the image creation device 1 and saves the image (created image) in the image database 424 of the server 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing from the start of a game in the image creation device to the saving of an image created in the game on the server. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed on the display unit 605 of the mobile terminal 6 when performing processing for storing the created image in the image database 424 of the server 4.

(photography)
When the user instructs the start of the image creation game, the image creation device 1 starts providing the image creation game (S1). Specifically, when the coin processing unit 221 of the image creating apparatus 1 detects that coins of an amount necessary for playing the game have been inserted into the coin insertion / return port 73, the photographing processing unit 302 stores the image creating game. A signal indicating the start is transmitted.

  The imaging processing unit 302 controls the imaging unit 21 to display a moving image of the subject captured by the camera 91 on the touch panel monitor 92 in a live view. Further, the imaging processing unit 302 captures a predetermined range of the imaging space A1 so that the user becomes a subject in accordance with the imaging instruction from the user (S2). This photographing control is performed a plurality of times within the photographing processing time.

  After the photographing is finished, the photographing processing unit 302 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 92 of the photographing unit 21 or by outputting voice guidance from the speaker 232.

(edit a picture)
After the end of the guidance, the editing processing unit 303 controls the editing unit 210 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 finished the shooting control. Thus, the editing unit 210 edits the image (S3). Specifically, the editing processing unit 303 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. After the editing is completed, the editing processing unit 303 guides the movement to the user who has finished the editing control in the editing space A2-1 or the editing space A2-2. This guidance is performed by displaying a guidance screen on the tablet built-in monitor 131 or by outputting guidance voice from the speaker 241.

(Photo sticker printing)
After the end of the guidance, the print processing unit 304 may output the image selected by the user to the printer 251 and print it on the sticker sheet (S4). When printing is performed, the print processing unit 304 displays the fact on the tablet built-in monitor 131 when printing is completed, and the printer 251 can acquire a created image from the server 4 and the image creating device 1. The seal ID created in 1 and the image acquisition information (information necessary for acquiring the created image such as the URL of the image providing site) are printed outside the margin, and the predetermined created image is printed in the center. The sticker paper is discharged to the sticker paper discharge port 161.

  Note that the image creating apparatus 1 may create the image ID and the seal ID with the accompanying information that does not depend on communication, using the same algorithm as the algorithm that the server 4 uses to create the image ID and the seal ID. In this case, the image creating apparatus 1 can obtain the image ID and the seal ID without the server 4 creating the image ID and the seal ID, and the server 4 can obtain the image ID and the image ID created by the image creating apparatus 1. The image stored in the corresponding temporary storage database can be identified by appropriately recognizing the seal ID.

  During printing or when printing (S4) is not performed, after the completion of editing (S3), the editing processing unit 303 controls the editing unit 210 and becomes a destination of a notification (storing guidance notification) for guiding creation of a created image. The user is prompted to input the contact information, and the input of the user contact information is accepted (S5). Specifically, the edit processing unit 303 displays a contact input screen for inputting the contact information of the user who played the game, and causes the user to input the contact information. The display of the contact input screen and the input of the contact may be performed on the touch panel monitor 71 or the touch panel monitor 92. When only the created image designated by the user is transmitted to the server 4, the editing processing unit 303 displays a selection screen for the created image to be transmitted on the tablet built-in monitor 161.

(Image transmission)
The communication control unit 311 includes the input user contact information, one or a plurality of created images created by the image creation device 1 in one play of the image creation game, and the user contact information entered by the user in S5. Are transmitted to the server 4 (S6). The created image transmitted at this time is associated with an identifier (image ID) for uniquely identifying the created image. Further, other information such as a seal ID may be associated with the created image to be transmitted. The communication unit 403 of the server 4 receives the user contact information, the created image, the image ID, and the like transmitted from the image creating apparatus 1 (S7), and outputs them to the communication control unit 411. The communication control unit 411 stores the received created image in a temporary storage database (not shown) of the storage unit 402. The stored data such as the created 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.

  In this way, in consideration of the case where the user becomes a paid member in the future, all created images created in one play are transmitted. Therefore, the user can acquire all created images created in the image creating device 1 when using the image creating device 1 in a free member state and then becoming a paid member on the site. Note that the communication control unit 311 may transmit to the server 4 a predetermined number of created images selected by the user or a created image determined by the control unit 201 as a transmission target.

(Creating and sending a storage notification)
The notification creation unit 412 receives the user's contact information and image ID. Note that when the seal ID is printed on the sticker paper, the image ID may not be described in the notification. The notification creation unit 412 creates a storage guidance notification transmitted from the communication control unit 411 to the user contact address. The procedure is as follows. The notification creation unit 412 outputs the image ID to the page creation unit 413 and requests the page creation unit 413 to create a URL 1001 indicating a web page for storing the created image specified by the image ID. Note that the user may be prompted to input an image ID, and a URL for saving the created image may be requested. The page creation unit 413 creates the requested URL 1001 and outputs it to the notification creation unit 412.

  The notification creation unit 412 acquires data for creating a storage guidance notification from the notification database 421. Then, using the data, the URL 1001, and the contact information of the user, a storage guidance notification 1000 shown in FIG. A URL 1001 is described in the text of the storage guidance notification 1000. The notification creation unit 412 outputs the created storage guidance notification 1000 to the communication control unit 411. The communication control unit 411 transmits the storage guidance notification 1000 to the user contact address via the communication unit 403 (S8).

  Note that the notification creation unit 412 transmits a storage guidance notification including a URL indicating a web page for which the user simply inputs the seal ID, not a web page for storing the created image corresponding to the image ID. Also good. In this case, the server 4 receives the input of the 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 storage guidance notification, and is transmitted to the server 4. The created image may be displayed.

(Request and send image save page)
When receiving the storage guidance notification 1000 via the communication unit 603 (S9), the display control unit 613 of the portable terminal 6 displays the storage guidance notification 1000 on the display unit 605. When the input unit 604 accepts selection of the URL 1001 by the user, that is, when the user instructs to save an image, the control unit 601 sends a request for the web page corresponding to the URL 1001 to the server 4 via the communication unit 603. Send. Since the URL 1001 is a URL indicating an image storage page as described above, the control unit 601 transmits a request for the image storage page (S10). More specifically, the control unit 601 acquires the user's site member ID stored in the storage unit 602, and transmits an image storage page request including this site member ID to the server 4 via the communication unit 603. To do. Note that instead of selecting the URL 1001, the control unit 601 may accept an input of an image ID and request an image storage page when the input is received.

  When the page creation unit 413 of the server 4 receives the request for the image storage page via the communication unit 403 (S11), the page creation unit 413 refers to the site member ID included in the request and the site member information included in the member database 422. Thus, the membership type of the user is determined (S12). In the present embodiment, the page creation unit 413 determines whether the user is a free member or a paid member, and creates a web page according to the determination result. If the page creation unit 413 determines that the user is a free member, the page creation unit 413 creates an image storage page 2000 for the free member to store images as shown in FIG. On the other hand, if it is determined that the user is a paying member, an image storage page 2100 for storing the image by the paying member as shown in FIG. 15C is created. In addition, when saving an image, you may change to the web page which can correct each information which concerns on an image. Specifically, the image name (title / title), image resolution, and the like may be correctable.

  As shown in FIG. 15B, the image storage page 2000 includes six thumbnail images 2010, a link image 2001 that prompts the user to register a paying member, and a link for storing one created image on the image providing site. An image 2002 is included. The thumbnail image 2010 is a thumbnail image of one or a plurality of created images (one or a plurality of created images corresponding to the seal ID) created in one play in the image creating apparatus 1. In the example shown in FIG. 15B, six created images are created in one play. The number of thumbnail images 2010 corresponds to the number of created images (created images corresponding to the seal ID) created in one play in the image creating device 1. If the user is a free member, there is only one creation image that can be saved, so the user selects one of the six thumbnail images 2010 and presses (tap) the link image 2002 to create it. Images can be stored on an image provider site. When only the created image designated by the user is transmitted to the server 4, the thumbnail image 2010 of the created image designated by the user is displayed on the image storage page 2000.

  As shown in FIG. 15C, the image storage page 2100 includes six thumbnail images 2110 and a link image 2101 for storing all the images. If the user is a paid member, all the created images created in one play can be saved, so the user can press the link image 2101 to display all the created images created in one play. Can be saved.

  In this way, the page creation unit 413 outputs the image storage page 2000 or 2100 created according to the member type to the communication control unit 411. The communication control unit 411 transmits the input image storage page 2000 or 2100 to the mobile terminal 6 through the communication unit 403 (S13).

(Save image)
The portable terminal 6 receives the image storage page 2000 or 2100 through the communication unit 603. The image storage page 2000 or 2100 is output to the display control unit 613 via the communication control unit 611. The display control unit 613 outputs the input image storage page 2000 or 2100 to the display unit 605 (S14). The user confirms the image storage page 2000 or 2100 displayed on the display unit 605. When the user wants to save a single created image, the user instructs to save the image by pressing the link image 2001, 2002, or 2101 through the input unit 604. Note that the created image to be stored is not limited to the image selected as the created image to be transmitted to the mobile terminal 6 in the image creating apparatus 1. For example, the created image is designated as the image to be stored in the mobile terminal 6 accessing the image providing site. It may be a created image.

  The input control unit 612 notifies the communication control unit 611 that the image storage instruction in the input unit 604 has been received. Receiving this, the communication control unit 611 transmits an instruction to save the created image (image saving instruction) to the server 4 (S15). The transmitted image storage instruction is received by the communication control unit 411 of the server 4 through the communication unit 403 (S16). As a result, the communication control unit 411 instructs the image storage unit 414 to store the created image selected by the user indicated by the image storage instruction. In response to this instruction, the image storage unit 414 creates image information of the user-created image stored in the temporary storage database, and associates the created image associated with the created image information with the user member ID. The image is stored in the image database 424 (S17).

  If the user is a free member and wants to save all created images, the link image 2001 is selected on the image saving page 2000. In this case, a series of processes for paying member registration is performed in the image management system 10. When registration is completed, all created images are stored in the image database 424 in association with the member ID of the user.

  When the image storage unit 414 stores the created image in the image database 424, the page creation unit 413 creates an image storage completion page. For example, the page creation unit 413 may create an image storage completion page 2200 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 15D, the image storage completion page 2200 includes a thumbnail image 2210 of a created image stored in the image database 424 by the image storage unit 414 and a button 2202 for starting an image management application. FIG. 15D shows a case where the image storage completion page 2200 includes six thumbnail images 2210 and six created images are stored. By pressing a button 2202, the user can close the image storage completion page 2200 on the mobile terminal 6 and activate the image management application. Note that the image storage completion page 2200 may include a button 2203 for downloading an application.

  The page creation unit 413 outputs the created image storage completion page 2200 to the communication control unit 411. The communication control unit 411 transmits the input image storage completion page 2200 to the portable terminal 6 through the communication unit 403 (S18).

  The communication control unit 611 of the portable terminal 6 receives the image storage completion page 2200 through the communication unit 603 and outputs the received image storage completion page 2200 to the display control unit 613. The display control unit 613 outputs the input image storage completion page 2200 to the display unit 605 (S19). The user can confirm the created image stored in the image providing site by confirming the image storage completion page 2200 displayed on the display unit 605.

<Contest flow>
Next, the flow of a contest performed using the image management system 10 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing an outline of the flow of a contest performed using the image management system. In the present embodiment, a description will be given on the assumption that a contest (so-called photo contest) for competing for the quality of images posted by the user is performed.

  First, the contest administrator accepts a user entry for the contest from the image creation device 1 or the portable terminal 6 (S100). Here, “entry” indicates an application for a primary examination described later. The processing related to the entry will be described in detail later. In addition, the number of entries is unlimited, and if there are multiple entries, which entry is valid, the most recent entry is valid, or the highest ranking in the primary examination (and secondary examination) It may be determined as appropriate according to the contest management method, such as enabling high entry.

  When the user entry is accepted, the contest administrator performs a primary examination of the entered user (S102). Although the content of the primary examination is not particularly limited, for example, an entry image for entering the contest may be sent at the time of entry. More specifically, the entry image is preferably a photograph with the user as a subject, such as a snap photograph with the user as a subject, a self-portrait photograph (so-called SELPHY), or a created image with the image creation device 1.

  In addition, when the contest is a contest (such as miscon) that ranks the user itself and accepts an entry from the image creation device 1, image processing (of the created images in the image creation device 1 as an entry image) ( Use of a pre-captured image (original image) that has undergone deformation and color correction, and more specifically, changes in the size and shape of the face and face parts, skin color and pupil color correction, etc. desirable. This is because it is appropriate to perform the primary examination using the original image and the photograph closest to the user's actual object.

  Further, the method of sending the entry image may be appropriately determined by the contest operator. Specifically, the user is not limited to transmitting the image data according to the contest rules, and may send the entry image by mail.

  Then, pass / fail of the primary examination may be determined according to the entry image. Specifically, only entry images that satisfy predetermined screening criteria (for example, in the case of misconception, the face is neat, a healthy impression, a good style, etc.) may be accepted.

  When the primary examination is completed, at least those who have passed the primary examination are notified of the success (S104). Subsequently, a secondary examination is performed for those who pass the primary examination (S106). The content of the secondary examination is not particularly limited, but for example, an interview examination for a person who has passed the primary examination may be performed. When the secondary examination is completed, the success of the secondary examination is notified (S108). When a person who has passed the secondary examination posts a created image with the image management application (S110), the posted image is set as an image to be voted for in the local qualifying and the final selection.

  When an image is posted to the image management application by a person who has passed the secondary examination, other users vote. Here, the voting is performed in the local qualifying (S112) and the final selection (S114) in which a poster and a voter are classified according to the address of a person who has passed the second examination and voted. The process related to voting will be described in detail later. In the present embodiment, any communication performed by another user (and the user himself / herself) to the user is regarded as a vote. More specifically, evaluation (like) for an image, comment, clip, share, page browsing, follow (or follow-up application) for a user who posted the image, and the like can be regarded as votes.

  Note that the processes (S102 to S108) related to the primary examination and the secondary examination are not essential. In this case, all users who have accepted the entry are subject to at least a contest local qualifying screening. Further, only the final selection (S114) may be performed without performing the local qualifying (S112) of the contest. Alternatively, application images or postings that are lower than a predetermined order in the local qualifying may be excluded from the final selection. Further, posting of images or albums in S110 may be performed before S100 to S108.

  As described above, when the voting in the local qualifying and the final selection is performed and the voting period ends, the score calculation unit 418 of the server 4 votes for at least one of the images, image groups, and users themselves posted by each user. Aggregate and calculate the score. And according to the said score, the result (rank) of a contest is determined by ranking at least any one of an image, an image group, and a user. The result of the contest determined by the server 4 is appropriately announced by the contest operator on the image creating apparatus 1, on the image providing site, or on the image management application (S116). In addition, the announcement method of the result determined by the server 4 is not particularly limited. In addition, in the case of a contest with an undisclosed rank (such as a contest in which only the winner is selected), the result need not necessarily be announced.

  In the flowchart of FIG. 16, after the user has passed the secondary examination, the image management application is used to post an image that is subject to examination in at least one of the local qualifying and final selection of the contest. However, in a contest using the image management system 10 according to the present invention, images and albums posted by the user to the image management application before the start of the local qualifying period may also be subject to local qualifying and final screening. That is, the score calculation unit 418 of the server 4 also applies the number of pieces of communication information for the image to the image posted before the start of the local qualifying (before the voting period or before the posting period if a posting period is provided). The score may be calculated from the contents and ranked. In this way, not limited to images submitted during the contest's local qualifying or final selection period, images that have been posted in the past and have already been evaluated before the start of the contest will be subject to ranking. A user who uses an image management application from a period when the contest is not held and posts an image becomes more advantageous in the local qualifying and the final selection. Therefore, motivation for continuously using the image management application can be provided, and the DAU (Daily Active User) of the image management application can be increased.

  The image management system 10 according to the present invention can also be used for contests other than photo contests. For example, a mistake contest for evaluating the beauty of a person who is a subject of a posted image (a user who has posted an image or a person who has played an image creation game together with the user) may be performed as a contest. In other words, the voter may be allowed to evaluate the person himself / herself in the image, not the quality of the image. In addition, when the created image is an image obtained by photographing the whole body of the user or when the created image is an image obtained by photographing a part of the user's body and the user's belongings (such as clothing accessories), the created image is used. A coordination contest, a fashion contest, or a costume play contest may be held.

<Entry to contest>
Next, the flow of various processes (the process of S100 in FIG. 16, entry accepting process) in the image management system 10 when the user enters the contest will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing the flow of entry acceptance processing. (A) shows the flow of entry acceptance processing when entering the contest using the image creating device 1, and (b) shows the flow of entry acceptance processing when entering the contest using the portable terminal 6. First, (a) of FIG. 17 will be described.

  The image creating apparatus 1 determines an entry image for entering the contest at least one of the created images (more desirably, the original image) at any timing of the image creating game (S200). Note that the entry image may be automatically determined by the image creation device 1, or from the start to the end of the image creation game in the image creation device (from S1 to S6 in FIG. 14), or prior to the image creation game. You may make a user select at any timing, such as a selection process and the process immediately after completion | finish of the said game. Moreover, when determining an entry image, you may perform the process which cuts out a user's (entry user's) face or whole body with respect to a produced image automatically or according to a user's operation. Alternatively, a range in which a user who enters at the time of shooting is captured (automatically or manually) may be set, and an image within the above range may be cut out from the created image, and the cut out image may be used as the entry image. By performing the above cutout process, even when an image creation game is played by a plurality of people (that is, a plurality of people are reflected in the created image), an image in which only the user who enters the image can be used as the entry image.

  When the entry image is determined, the image creating apparatus 1 causes the user to input information (entry information) necessary for entry to the contest (S202). At this time, the model of the image creating apparatus 1 and the residence area of the user who enters the information are changed with the model and area indicated by the installation information of the image creating apparatus 1 (information set in the apparatus at the time of installation) as the initial setting (default contents). You may make it input arbitrarily only when there exists. The entry information includes at least information for uniquely identifying the user, and the examination result contact information of the primary examination and the secondary examination results. More specifically, the entry information includes at least one of the user's name, age, residential area, address (mailing address indicating the examination result), telephone number or e-mail address (contact information of the examination result). Including.

  The determination of the entry image in S200 and the entry information input in S202 may be performed in separate steps of the image creation game. For example, the entry image is determined immediately after the photographing process (S2 in FIG. 14) is completed, and the entry information is input in the waiting time of the printing process (S4 in FIG. 14) and the input of the contact information (S5 in FIG. 14). ). Further, the contact information input in S5 of FIG. 14 may be used as the contact information for the examination result of the entry information.

  When the entry image is determined and entry information is input, the image creating apparatus 1 transmits the entry image and entry information to the server 4 via the communication unit 603 (S204). Note that the timing of the processing in S204 is not particularly limited, but it is desirable that the processing is performed at a timing at which an entry completion screen to be described later can be presented to the user without delay (for example, a waiting time for the printing process or immediately after the end of the image creation game). The entry receiving unit 417 of the server 4 receives the entry image and entry information (S206) and stores them in the entry database 426 (S208). When the entry image and the entry information are stored in the entry database 426, the entry receiving unit 417 indicates to the control unit 601 of the image creating apparatus 1 that the entry to the user's contest indicated by the entry information is completed via the communication unit 403. The entry completion notification is transmitted (S210). Upon receiving the entry completion notification (S212), the control unit 601 of the image creating apparatus 1 creates an entry completion screen indicating that the entry to the contest is completed and displays it for presentation to the user (S214).

  In addition, when the process (S102-S108) which concerns on a primary examination and a secondary examination is not performed, since there is no pass / fail notification of a primary examination, a secondary examination, and each examination, it is not necessary to perform an entry process. In other words, all users of the image management application are subject to examination for the local qualifying of the contest.

  Subsequently, FIG. 17B will be described. When entering the contest from the mobile terminal 6, the user operates the mobile terminal to access the contest site (a special website created for entry to the contest) (S300). If the site is a membership-based site (for example, if the contest site is a part of an image providing site), the user operates the mobile terminal 6 to log in to the site and perform the subsequent processing. . After accessing the contest site, the mobile terminal 6 determines at least one image as an entry image from the images stored in the storage unit 602 (S302). The entry image may be automatically determined or may be selected by the user as in the case of FIG. As described above, the type of image to be used as the entry image is most preferably an original image, and then a captured image, and then an image obtained by editing the captured image. Therefore, when the user selects an entry image from the created image, first, the image browsing service stores the original image, the photographed image, and the edited image, and allows the user to select an image that is more suitable for the entry image. desirable.

  When the entry image is determined, the mobile terminal 6 causes the user to input entry information (S304), and transmits the entry image and entry information to the server 4 via the communication unit 603 (S306). The entry reception unit 417 of the server 4 receives the entry image and entry information (S308) and stores them in the entry database 426 (S310). When the entry image and the entry information are stored in the entry database 426, the entry receiving unit 417 transmits the above-described entry completion notification to the control unit 601 of the portable terminal 6 via the communication unit 403 (S312). When receiving the entry completion notification (S314), the control unit 601 of the portable terminal 6 creates an entry completion screen indicating that the entry to the contest is completed and displays it for presentation to the user (S316).

<Posting images>
When the user entry to the contest is completed in the process shown in FIG. 17A or FIG. 17B, the primary examination and the secondary examination are performed as described above. Then, a user who has passed the primary examination and the secondary examination posts a created image stored in the image providing site (stored in the image database 424 of the server 4) from the image management application (using the image management application). If you post it to others, the posted image (posted image) will be subject to the contest's local qualifying or final screening. Hereinafter, a process in which a user (a user who has passed the secondary examination) posts an image using the image management application will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the role of each screen displayed in the image management application and the screen transition of each screen will be described with reference to FIG. Since the process related to image posting in the local qualifying and the process related to image posting in the final are the same, the following description will be made without distinguishing between the local qualifying and the final.

(Screen transition of image management application)
FIG. 18 is a screen transition diagram showing the transition of the screen created by the image management application installed in the mobile terminal 6 and displayed on the display unit 605 of the mobile terminal 6. As illustrated, the control unit 601 that has activated the image management application includes a login screen 3000, a My Page 3100, an album details screen 3200, a timeline screen 3300, an unorganized image confirmation screen 3400, and an additional image selection screen 3500. Then, a posting confirmation screen 3600 is created and displayed on the display unit 605 of the mobile terminal 6. Information necessary for creating each screen (images stored in the server 4, information relating to the images, application member information, etc.) is communicated with the server 4 each time the control unit 601 of the mobile terminal 6 communicates with the server 4. Receive from. However, for the sake of brevity, in the following description, transmission / reception of data between the mobile terminal 6 and the server 4 in creation and transition of each screen will be omitted.

  The login screen 3000 is a screen that is displayed when the image management application is activated, and is a screen that prompts the user to log in to the image management application. A conventional login process may be used for the login process to the image management application. When login to the image management application is completed, My Page 3100 is displayed.

  My page 3100 is a user-specific screen (dedicated page) for displaying the user's own information in the image management application, and is a home screen including buttons and the like for transitioning to each screen described below. As shown in the figure, a transition can be made from My Page 3100 to an album detail screen 3200, a timeline screen 3300, and an unorganized image confirmation screen 3400.

  The album details screen 3200 is a screen for displaying images included in an album created by the user, information related to the album, and the like. From the album details screen 3200, a transition can be made to a My Page 3100, a timeline screen 3300, and an additional image selection screen 3500.

  The timeline screen 3300 includes one “article” for an action on the image management application of the user and an action on the image management application of the user (another user) of the image management application that the user is following. It is a user-specific screen (dedicated page) that is presented as a timeline along the time series. Here, “an act on the image management application” means, for example, the posting of images and albums owned by the user and the change of the public setting, the act of following other users, the account of other users, the other Communication for the presentation of articles to the user's images, albums, and timeline. In addition to this, the timeline screen 3300 also indicates that the user and other users have become mutual followers (described later), and the trends of other users who are following (for example, other users are further The news from the operator of the image management application may be presented.

  In particular, the timeline screen 3300 posts articles in chronological order that indicate to the user and the user's followers that the album has been changed or newly created. From the timeline screen 3300, it is possible to transition to an album detail screen 3200 of an album (changed or newly created album) shown in each article and a My Page 3100. Note that the transition from the timeline screen 3300 to the additional image selection screen 3500 may be possible. In addition, information such as a notification from an operator of the image management application may be presented as an article on the timeline screen 3300.

  The unorganized image confirmation screen 3400 is a screen for presenting images (unorganized images) that are stored in the image database 424 in the server 4 but are not collected in an album. From the unorganized image confirmation screen 3400, a transition can be made to a My Page 3100 and an additional image selection screen 3500. It is also possible to return from the unorganized image confirmation screen 3400 to the previous screen, that is, the My Page 3100.

  The additional image selection screen 3500 is a screen for selecting an image to be added to the album or an image included in a newly created album. When an image to be added to an album or an image to be included in a newly created album is determined on the additional image selection screen 3500, the screen transitions to a posting confirmation screen 3600. It is also possible to return from the additional image selection screen 3500 to the previous screen, that is, the unorganized image confirmation screen 3400 or the album details screen 3200.

  Post confirmation screen 3600 is a screen for confirming execution of posting of an image or album based on an instruction in additional image selection screen 3500. When the creation of the article is completed on the posting confirmation screen 3600, the timeline screen 3300 is displayed. In addition, it is possible to return from the posting confirmation screen 3600 to the previous screen, that is, the additional image selection screen 3500.

(My Page 3100)
Next, specific examples of the My Page 3100, the album details screen 3200, and the timeline screen 3300 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIGS. 19A and 19B are diagrams showing the configuration of my page 3100. FIG. 19 (a) and 19 (b), in order to simplify the description of the drawings, the same display elements (objects, thumbnails, etc.), and display elements that are not necessary for the description of the drawings are indicated by member numbers. Description is omitted. My page 3100 includes at least a link object (album button 3101 and subwindows 3140 and 3150 in FIG. 19) for transitioning to album detail screen 3200, and a link object (time in FIG. 18) for transitioning to timeline screen 3300. Line button 3161) and a link object for transitioning to the unorganized image confirmation screen 3400 (unorganized image confirmation button 3110 in FIG. 19) may be included.

  In My Page 3100, an album tab 3120 and a posting tab 3130 are displayed so as to be switchable. FIG. 19A shows a My Page 3100 when the album tab 3120 is displayed, and FIG. 19B shows a My Page 3100 when the posting tab 3130 is displayed. In the album tab 3120, a sub window 3140 showing an outline of the album created by the user is displayed as shown. On the other hand, in the posting tab 3130, only articles relating to the user's own action on the image management application or all articles presented on the timeline screen 3300 described in detail later are displayed in time series. Note that the information in the posting tab 3130 may be scrolled automatically or manually. Further, the article in the posting tab 3130 may be editable by the user.

  In the sub window 3140, an album name 3146, thumbnails (3141 to 3144) of at least a part of images included in the album, and the number of images 3145 included in the album are displayed. Here, the “album” is a classification for collectively classifying and organizing images stored on the image providing application (that is, in the image database of the server 4) by the user. Each album contains one or more images. Specifically, in the case of FIG. 19A, the user has created “album 1” and “album 2” each including four images. By selecting one of the sub-windows 3140, the user can display the album detail screen 3200 of the album indicated by the selected sub-window.

  It is desirable that each album can be set as a public album that is made public to other users or a private album that only the user can view. If there is an unorganized image, an album in which the unorganized images are collected may be automatically created, and the album sub-window 3140 may be displayed on the My Page 3100. Each sub-window 3140 may display an album evaluation number indicating the number of evaluations for the album, and an album comment indicating a comment of the user or the other user for the album.

  In addition, the my page 3100 may include objects or the like that perform other functions. For example, the My Page 3100 includes a setting button 3102 for changing various settings in the image management application, a notification that at least one of evaluation, follow, comment, share, page browsing, and favorites described later has been added, A message button 3162 for displaying messages exchanged between them and information from the operator of the image management application, a post button 3163 for adding an image to the album or posting a single image, etc. A special feature button 3164 for displaying such information and a My Page button 3165 for returning to My Page 3100 (re-drawing My Page 3100 when My Page 3100 is displayed) may be included. Note that the special feature button 3164 may be a button for searching for and displaying, for each predetermined category, an image made public among all users.

  Further, the application member information of the user in the image management application may be displayed on My Page 3100. Specifically, the My Page 3100 includes an application member ID 3107, a label 3104 for displaying the number of times the user has executed the communication for at least one type of communication, a user icon 3103, a nickname 3105, and a self-introduction comment 3106. It may be displayed. Note that the user's nickname may be displayed instead of the application member ID 3107. In addition, each display item of the label 3104 may be provided with a link for transitioning to a screen that presents further information (for example, a list of favorite images) related to the display item.

  When other users are followed, articles related to actions on the image management application of other users (articles of other users) on the timeline screen 3300 are converted to articles related to actions on the own image management application (self Can be viewed in chronological order (or separated from your own article). In the following description, in the timeline screen 3300, articles of other users who have been followed are displayed in a time-series list together with the articles of the users.

  The evaluation can be performed on an image included in the user's own album and an image included in another user's album. Further, the evaluation can be performed on the user himself or another user's album itself. In the present embodiment, the user gives an evaluation to an image or album that he / she thinks is good. In other words, in this embodiment, the user evaluates an image in two stages: “evaluated (liked) / not evaluated”. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and three or more stages of evaluation may be possible. For example, the evaluation may be made in five levels: “very good / very good / good / somewhat good / not good”.

(Album details screen 3200)
When the user selects any of the sub-windows 3140 on My Page 3100, the album details screen 3200 is displayed. For example, when the album sub-window 3140 with the album name “Album 1” is selected, the screen changes to an album details screen 3200 shown in FIG.

  20A and 20B are diagrams showing the configuration of the album details screen 3200 of “Album 1”. As illustrated, the album details screen 3200 includes at least thumbnails of images included in the album (thumbnail 3204 to 3206 in FIG. 20) and an image addition button 3201 for adding an image to the album. Here, the thumbnail 3204 is an album cover image, and the user can set an arbitrary image as the cover image. The setting of the cover image may be stored in the album information in the server 4. Note that the album details screen 3200 is a link object for editing information (album cover image, album name, user's own comment, etc.) (album creator's own comment). (Buttons etc.) may be included. Also, the album name 3203 may be displayed on the album details screen 3200. The album detail screen 3200 includes a timeline button 3161, an information button 3162, a post button 3163, a special feature button 3164, a my page button 3165, a return button 3202, and an image acquisition button (not shown) for acquiring and saving a created image. May be included.

  When any one of the thumbnails 3204 to 3206 is selected on the album detail screen 3200 shown in FIG. 20A, the image indicated by the selected thumbnail is displayed in a superimposed size on the album detail screen 3200 with a size larger than the thumbnail. . For example, when the thumbnail 3206 is selected in FIG. 20A, a window 3210 in which an image corresponding to the thumbnail 3206 is displayed in a larger size than the thumbnail 3206 is displayed on the album details screen 3200 as shown in FIG. It is displayed superimposed. At this time, in the window 3210, as shown in FIG. 20B, the user icon 3211, the application member ID 3213, the posting date / time of the image, the saving date / time, and the model of the image creating apparatus that created the image are displayed in the album. A label 3214 for displaying information related to the added image, a label 3215 for displaying the number of evaluations (likes) and comments, and a cancel (close window 3210) button 3212 may be included.

  When an image addition button 3201 is selected on the album details screen 3200, the screen transitions to an unorganized image confirmation screen 3400. Details of the unorganized image confirmation screen 3400 will be described later.

(Timeline screen)
When the user selects a timeline button 3161 included in My Page 3100 or the like, the timeline screen 3300 is displayed. FIG. 21 is a diagram showing the configuration of the timeline screen 3300. The timeline screen 3300 displays articles. If the user does not follow any other users (users of the image management application) and there is no user's own article, the article may not be displayed on the timeline screen 3300. In the example of FIG. 21, the timeline screen 3300 displays the contents of each posting in the subwindows 3310 and 3320. The timeline screen 3300 includes a search button 3302 for searching for a user or a post, a timeline button 3161, an information button 3162, a post button 3163, a special feature button 3164, a my page button 3165, a return button 3202, and a created image. An image acquisition button (not shown) for acquisition and storage may be included.

  Each of the sub-windows 3310 and 3320 includes a user icon 3311, a user nickname 3312, a posting date and time 3313, an image thumbnail 3314 added to the album, an album name and the number of added images (3315), and will be described later. A caption (3316) input on the post confirmation screen 3600, a comment (3317) for the post (addition of an image to the album) from another user, the number of times evaluated by the other user (3318), The number of comments (3319) for the post from other users is displayed. If any of the images indicated by the thumbnail 3314 is deleted or moved from the added album after the presentation of the article, the information related to the article is displayed as it is in the moved subwindows 3310 and 3320. However, the deleted or moved image of the thumbnail 3314 is not displayed. When all the images are deleted or moved from the album, it may be indicated that there is no image to be displayed in the album instead of the thumbnail 3314.

  When the My Page button 3165 is selected on the timeline screen 3300, the screen changes to the My Page 3100. When the posting button 3163 is selected on the timeline screen 3300, the screen transitions to an additional image selection screen 3500. Also, when the sub window 3310 or 3320 is selected, an album details screen 3200 of the album (album in which an image is added or deleted, or a newly created album) related to the post displayed in the sub window 3310 or 3320 is displayed. In addition, the album name (3315) in the sub window may include a link that can change to the album detail screen 3200 of the album indicated by the album name.

<Posting images>
Next, specific screen examples of the unsorted image confirmation screen 3400, the additional image selection screen 3500, and the post confirmation screen 3600, and processing of the mobile terminal 6 and the server 4 when posting an image in the image management application (FIG. 16). The process in S110 and the image posting process) will be described with reference to FIGS. (A)-(g) of FIG. 22 is a figure which shows an example of the screen transition in the portable terminal 6 in the case of performing an image contribution process. In FIG. 22, as an example, a description will be given on the assumption that a user who has an image management application and whose application member ID is “User_A” and whose nickname is “user A” performs image posting processing.

  When the control unit 601 of the portable terminal 6 receives an input operation of a user instructing activation of the image management application via the input unit 604, the control unit 601 activates the image management application. When the image management application is activated, a login screen 3000 is first displayed on the display unit 605. When the login to the image management application is completed via the login screen 3000, the user's My Page 3100 as shown in FIG. 19 is displayed on the display unit 605 of the mobile terminal 6. When the unorganized image confirmation button 3110 is selected on the my page 3100, an unorganized image confirmation screen 3400 is displayed.

  FIG. 22A shows an unorganized image confirmation screen 3400. As shown in the figure, the unorganized image confirmation screen 3400 has at least an unorganized image organization button 3402 for organizing the unorganized images. As shown in the figure, the unorganized image confirmation screen 3400 includes a thumbnail 3401 of some or all of the unorganized images, a display button 3403 for further displaying the unorganized images, a previous screen (in this case, My Page A return button 3404 for returning to 3100) may be arranged. When an image is saved from the image management application, an unorganized image confirmation screen 3400 may be displayed as a screen indicating the completion of image saving.

  Here, when the user selects the unorganized image organization button 3402 on the unorganized image confirmation screen 3400, the image management application (the control unit 601 running the image management application) creates the additional image selection screen 3500, It is displayed on the display unit 605 of the portable terminal 6. Further, the screen transitions from the my page 3100 to the timeline screen 3300 ((b) in FIG. 22), and the screen transitions to the additional image selection screen 3500 by selecting the posting button 3163 displayed on the timeline screen 3300. To do.

  22C and 22D show an additional image selection screen 3500. As shown in the figure, the additional image selection screen 3500 includes at least an image thumbnail 3510 displayed in a state where selection and non-selection can be switched, and an addition button 3501 for determining an image to be added to the album. As shown in the figure, the additional image selection screen 3500 has a new creation button 3502 for newly creating an album including the selected image, a move button 3503 for moving the selected image to an existing album, and the selected image is deleted. And a delete button 3504 may be included. Further, the additional image selection screen 3500 may include a return button 3404 for returning to the previous screen (unorganized image confirmation screen 3400 or timeline screen 3300). The buttons 3501 to 3504 may be buttons that are selectable (become active) when one or more thumbnails 3510 of images are selected.

  When an image is selected on the additional image selection screen 3500, the selected image is displayed separately from an unselected image. For example, when images 3510A to 3510C are selected on the additional image selection screen 3500 shown in FIG. 22C, as shown in FIG. 22D, the selected images 3510A to C are grayed out and It is displayed with a check box. Here, when the add button 3501 (or new creation button 3502) is selected, the image management application creates a posting confirmation screen 3600 and causes the display unit 605 to display it. Note that in the additional image selection screen 3500, an upper limit may be set for the number of images to be selected (that is, images to be added to the album).

  FIG. 22E shows a posting confirmation screen 3600. As shown in the figure, the posting confirmation screen 3600 is a caption input for inputting thumbnails 3601A to 3601C (thumbnail of the image to be added to the album) of the image selected on the additional image selection screen 3500 and a caption that is an explanatory text of the album. A column 3604, an album name list 3605 for selecting an album to which an image is to be added, and a linkage setting slide bar 3606 for selecting presence / absence (linkage setting) of other applications (message application, SNS application, etc.); A publish setting slide bar 3607 for selecting whether or not to publish an album for adding or creating a new image (public setting) and a post button 3608 for instructing posting (adding an image to the album or creating a new album) Including. The posting confirmation screen 3600 may also include a return button 3404. Further, when any one of the thumbnails of the images displayed on the posting confirmation screen 3600 is selected, the selected thumbnail may be displayed in a large size (3601A in the example of FIG. 22).

  The image management application causes the user to input a caption and an album name via the input unit 604 of the mobile terminal 6 and select a cooperation setting and a public setting. When adding an image to an existing album, the album name list 3605, linkage setting slide bar 3606, and publication setting slide bar 3607 on the posting confirmation screen 3600 include the album name, linkage setting, and publication of the existing album. The setting may be displayed, and the user may change the setting as necessary. If a new album is created and no album name is entered in the album name list 3605, an album with a predetermined name is created, and the selected image is added to the created album. Good.

  As described above, when the input and setting relating to the posting are completed and the posting button 3608 is selected by the user, the image management application selects the image selected on the additional image selection screen 3500 (in the case of FIG. 22, images 3510A to 35C). ) Is added to the album or newly created, and an article indicating that the album has been changed (or newly created) is presented. Then, the image management application creates a timeline screen 3300 in which the presentation of the article is reflected and displays the timeline screen 3300 on the display unit 605. FIG. 22G shows a timeline screen 3300 that reflects the presentation of an article. As shown in the drawing, the article 3350 of the user A is reflected, and a timeline screen 3300 displayed at the top as the latest article is created and displayed on the display unit 605. Note that the article of user B that was displayed at the top in the stage of FIG. 22B is displayed next to the latest article 3350, as shown in FIG.

  In addition, in the post confirmation screen 3600 shown in FIG. 22E, the linkage setting with the external application is set to “with linkage”, and the number of characters that can be transmitted in one message in the external application exceeds the caption input field 3604. When the post button 3608 is selected in a state where characters have been input, the control unit 601 displays a message preview screen in the external application as shown in FIG. Whether or not to post a message in the app) may be selected. As a result, the user can be notified that the limit on the number of characters in the external application has been exceeded.

  Also, when the image management application does not go through the posting confirmation screen 3600 and the add button 3501 or the new creation button 3502 is selected on the additional image selection screen 3500, the currently selected image (images 3510A to 35C in the case of FIG. 22). May be added to the album (or a new album including the images 3510A to C) is created, and a transition may be made to the timeline screen 3300 presenting that the album has been changed (or newly created) as an article. In this case, when a new album is created, the album name, linkage setting, disclosure setting, and caption may be predetermined values or words that are automatically set. Further, the album name, linkage setting, and public setting may be changed later from the album detail screen 3200 of the newly created album.

  In addition, by pressing a posting button 3163 on the My Page 3100, the timeline screen 3300, or the like, an arbitrary image is posted as a contest voting target without creating an album (that is, can be viewed by other users). It may be possible. When an image is posted without creating an album in this way, the image remains an unorganized image (an image whose thumbnail is displayed on the unorganized image confirmation screen 3400), and only the posted image is open to the public. Set to That is, another user can access the user's My Page 3100 (friend page) and view the image on the unorganized image confirmation screen 3400. Alternatively, by depressing the posting button 3163 and selecting one image or a plurality of images, an album for posting that collects only the images that the user wants to be the contest voting target is created. Also good. The processing for creating a posting album may be performed in the same manner as the creation of a new album and the addition of an image to the album as described below, and if it is a posting album, it is a posting album. This can be added to the album information and stored. It should be noted that the posting album may always be set to the public state (cannot be made private). Also, if you move an image from an already released album to another published album or a posting album, you can simply move an already published image to another published album. The timeline screen 3300 may not be displayed as an article. Although details will be described later, when voting is possible for an article itself, unnecessary voting (which is not appropriate to be considered valid) can be suppressed by eliminating such unnecessary articles. On the other hand, the fact that an image has been moved between albums in this way may also be displayed on the timeline screen 3300 as an article. As a result, the user who moved the image can easily communicate with the article from other users by displaying the article informing the movement, and earns the number of votes (that is, the score in the contest). be able to. In addition, there is an advantage that the timeline of other users (user followers) who browse this article is activated. Furthermore, there is an advantage that the SNS of the image management site can be activated.

  FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing the flow of the image posting process. When an add button 3501 is pressed on the additional image selection screen 3500, an image to be added to the album is determined (S400), and when an album (album name) to be added is determined on the posting confirmation screen 3600 (S402). The control unit 601 of the portable terminal 6 identifies the image ID of the image to be added and the album ID of the album to which the image is added, and transmits the image ID and album ID to the server 4 (S404). When the image management unit 415 of the server 4 receives the image ID and the album ID via the communication unit 403 and the communication control unit 411 (S406), among the album information stored in the image database 424 of the storage unit 402, the album ID Is read and updated (S408). More specifically, the image management unit 415 adds the received image ID (the image ID of the image to be added to the album) to the album information of the album uniquely identified by the album ID. As a result, the image indicated by the image ID is added to the album indicated by the album ID. When the update of the album information is completed, the image management unit 415 notifies the mobile terminal 6 that the image addition to the album is completed via the communication control unit 411 and the communication unit 403 (S410). When receiving the notification (S412), the control unit 601 of the portable terminal 6 changes the display on the display unit 605 from the posting confirmation screen 3600 to the timeline screen 3300 (S414). The timeline screen 3300 displayed here is a timeline screen 3300 that includes an article indicating image addition (or new creation of an album) described above, that is, reflecting an article indicating an update of album information.

  As described above, since the articles of other users that the user is following are also displayed on the timeline screen 3300, for example, when another user adds an image to the album, the image of the server 4 is displayed. The management unit 415 also updates album information related to the addition of the image of the other user. Therefore, the data received from the control unit 601 of the server 4 in order for the mobile terminal 6 to display the timeline screen 3300 (article group data created from album information and the like between the user and other users) It reflects the user's article.

  When creating a new album, the control unit 601 of the mobile terminal 6 may transmit only the image ID in S404. In step S <b> 408, the server 4 may create album information of the newly assigned album ID and write the image ID into the album information.

  As described above, the image management system 10 according to the present invention generates a post in image units, a post informing that an image has been added to an existing album, or a new album has been created, and the user and the user's Display on the follower timeline. As a result, the user's follower can know the user's action of adding and creating a new image of the user's album on the timeline, and communicate with the user by performing evaluation, comment, clip, follow, etc. on the action. Can be taken.

<Voting for album or image>
On the other hand, during the contest voting period, the user who is the subject of examination of the contest (user who passed the secondary examination), and the user released it on the image management application during the contest voting period described in FIGS. A vote is given from another user to the current image. Hereinafter, processing relating to voting for a user or an image (S112 and S114 in FIG. 16) will be described with reference to FIGS. Since the voting process in the local qualifying and the voting process in the final are the same, the following description will be made without distinguishing between the local qualifying and the final.

  In the present invention, voting in the contest is performed using the communication function of the image management application. Here, the “communication function” means a function that allows a user with an image management application to actively work on other users or images and articles published by other users. Specifically, the communication function is the evaluation (like) for public images and articles, comments, clips (favorites or bookmarks), share assignment function, page browsing, and follow to follow other users. Functions. Buttons and input fields for instructing execution of these communication functions can be provided on any screen of the image management application.

  In the following, information indicating that the communication function has been executed (like, comment, adding or canceling a clip, and following or unfollowing) is referred to as communication information.

  Here, “evaluation” indicates the level of empathy and evaluation for an image, an album, or the user himself / herself. As described above, the evaluation can be easily given by pressing the “Like” button on each screen of the image management application. Therefore, it can be said that “evaluation” is the most voting communication function.

  The “comment” indicates an impression on the image, the album, or the user. Since it takes more time to give a comment than the evaluation described above (it is necessary to fill in the comment content), it can be said that the comment has a higher communication level. In addition, it is good also as inputting a number into a comment and converting the number into the number of votes. Moreover, you may set the upper limit of the frequency | count of comment addition to a specific image, an album, and another user from a certain user. This is because, for example, a large number of very short comments are added to prevent a specific image, album, or user from putting an organization chart.

  “Clip” is a bookmark-like function called a favorite. The user who has given the clip may be able to separately browse the images and albums to which the clip has been given. Clips can also be considered as having rated images, albums, etc. higher than evaluated. On the other hand, it can be said that the user who gave the clip wants to own the image with the clip rather than the evaluation. Therefore, among the communication functions, it is desirable that the clip and the evaluation are used together in the image management application.

  “Share” is a communication function that allows the user who has given the share to share the image or album to which the share has been given with other users (users of the image management application, separate from the person who posted the image or album). is there. When the voter shares the image or album of the user (applicant) who posted the image or album with another user, the voter can be further increased. In addition, the image management application as a whole also has an advantage that the SNS function of the application is further activated by repeating the sharing of images or albums in this way. Note that the share function may be shared not only in the image management application but also in, for example, a linked message application.

  “Page browsing” refers to an act of browsing another user's dedicated screen (such as my page or album details screen) by another user. Users with a large number of page views are considered more popular or more interested by other users. Therefore, by regarding page browsing as voting (that is, converting the number of page browsing to points), users who are more popular and interested in the image management application can be scored high.

  “Follow” is a one-way relationship that a certain user makes to other users who want to know trends and information on SNS. However, if the follower is also followed, it will be a two-way relationship (mutual follow). By regarding what you follow as a vote, that is, by regarding the number of followers as the number of votes, for example, if the user (beginner) who has started using the image management app relatively recently is an applicant, it is encouraged to increase the number of followers This leads to an increase in the DAU of the image management application. Also, when the number of existing followers is regarded as the number of votes, the user who has used the image management application for a long time is more advantageous than the beginner. Therefore, if there are many users who have used the image management application for a long time, the DAU can be increased also in this case.

  In this embodiment, “follow” is performed between users, but may be performed between a user and an image (album). For example, a certain user may be able to follow an album (an album of another user) that he / she wants to be notified of when the information is changed. Also, in this case, if there is a change in information related to the album (for example, addition or deletion of an image, change in public settings, a comment attached to an album or a change in the name of an album, etc.) It may be presented to album followers.

  Of the various communication functions described above, only a part of the execution is voted on the subject of voting (images of users who passed the second screening, albums, articles, and accounts of contest applicants (second screening)). May be considered. In that case, the communication information may be information indicating only execution of communication regarded as the vote.

  FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating a voting process in the image management application. Hereinafter, a user who is a user of the image management application and who votes is referred to as a “voter”. First, the mobile terminal 6 identifies the voting object (image, album, article, and contest applicant's account) determined by the user and communication information (S500). The vote target and the communication information are determined by performing a predetermined operation (such as pressing a button) on each screen of the image management application.

  FIG. 25 is a diagram illustrating an operation performed on the portable terminal 6 in order to view a posted image of a contest applicant (secondary examination passer). (A) shows the operation method for browsing a user's contribution image from the special website of a contest, and (b) from the timeline of an image management application. The user operates the mobile terminal 6 to access the special website for the contest shown in FIG. The special website may be a part of the image providing site or may be another website. As illustrated, link icons 2321 to 2326 for displaying a My Page 3100 on the image management application of a user who has passed the secondary examination are arranged on the special website. The icon image is not particularly limited. For example, an entry image, an image taken at the time of the second screening, an image of a user icon on the image management application, or an arbitrary image designated by the contest applicant It may be. The link icons 2321 to 2326 may be assigned any one of the name of the applicant, the nickname on the image management application, and the application member ID in order to specify the applicant of the contest. When the voter selects any of the link icons 2321 to 2326 (link icon 2323 in the case of FIG. 25A), the mobile terminal 6 starts the image management application, and the applicant's My Page (indicated by the icon) ( A so-called friend page) 3100B is displayed on the display unit 605. If login to the image management application has not been performed yet, login processing to the image management application may be performed before displaying the applicant's My Page 3100B.

  On the other hand, when the user's posted image is to be browsed from the image management application as shown in FIG. 25B, for example, the voter searches the applicant's article from his / her timeline screen 3300. When the voter selects the user icon 3311B of the applicant as illustrated, the image management application causes the display unit 605 to display the My Page 3100B of the applicant (here, user B) indicated by the user icon 3311B. In addition, you may enable it to change to my page 3100B of the applicant of a contest from buttons other than having shown in (b) of FIG. For example, when a voter is following an applicant, a list of users who are following on the image management application (or a list of contest applicants among the following users) is displayed. Applicants may be selected from

  FIG. 26 is a diagram showing operations and screen transitions when voting on the user's posted image or album containing the posted image from the contest applicant's My Page or album details screen. By performing the operation shown in (a) or (b) of FIG. 25, the contest applicant's My Page 3100 is displayed as shown in (a) and (b) of FIG. Here, when an article in the posting tab 3130B or an album in the album tab 3120B is selected, the image management application displays the album details screen 3200B of the contest applicant (user B) ((c) of FIG. 26). . Then, when any one of the thumbnails is selected on the album details screen 3200, the image indicated by the selected thumbnail is superimposed and displayed at a size larger than the thumbnail ((d) in FIG. 26). Note that the screen shown in FIG. 26D may be displayed in a superimposed manner even when a thumbnail included in the article in the posting tab 3130B is selected on the applicant's My Page 3100B.

  The screen shown in (d) of FIG. 26 includes an evaluation button 4000 and a comment entry button 4001 in addition to the same configuration as the screen (superimposed of the voter) shown in FIG. Is arranged. The voter can execute an evaluation or a comment (communication function) by pressing the evaluation button 4000 or the comment entry button 4001. When the comment entry button 4001 is pressed, a comment content input field is further displayed to allow the voter to enter the comment content.

  In this way, the voter has information indicating the voting object (a specific image of the user B who is a contest applicant in the case of FIGS. 25 to 26) and communication information (in the case of FIGS. 25 to 26, evaluation or comment). ) Is determined (S500 in FIG. 24), the control unit 601 of the portable terminal 6 transmits information indicating the vote target and communication information to the server 4 (S502). When the control unit 401 of the server 4 receives this (S504, information acquisition step), if the voting target is an image or an album, the control unit 401 notifies the image management unit 415. If the voting target is the user itself, the control unit 401 notifies the user management unit 416. Information indicating the above voting object and communication information are sent. The image management unit 415 updates the image information according to the communication information when the voting target is an image, and updates the album information when the voting target is an album (S506). Also, the user management unit 416 updates the application member information according to the communication information (S506).

  When the update by the image management unit 415 or the user management unit 416 is completed, the control unit 401 transmits a voting completion notification indicating that the voting is completed to the mobile terminal 6 (S508). When the control unit 601 of the portable terminal 6 receives the voting completion notification (S510), the screen after the voting is reflected, for example, the screen in which the number of evaluations in FIG. It is created and displayed on the display unit 605 (S512).

  In FIG. 26 (d), an example in which a voter performs one evaluation for one posted image has been described. However, in the image management application according to the present invention, evaluation and comment are performed for one album. Communication functions such as these may be executable. For example, in the contest applicant's My Page 3100B (FIG. 26 (b)) and the album details screen 3200B (FIG. 26 (c)), the selected album itself may be evaluated and commented. Further, communication functions such as evaluation and comment can be executed for one article of the contest applicant (user B) displayed on the voter timeline screen 3300 shown in FIG. It may be. For example, as shown in FIG. 25B, when an evaluation button 3900 and a comment button 3901 are arranged on the timeline screen 3300B and either the evaluation button 3900 or the comment button 3901 is pressed, this article is displayed. May be considered a vote for

  Alternatively, when one of the evaluation button 3900 and the comment button 3901 is pressed, the image indicated by the thumbnail shown in the article (that is, the image added to the album) is once for each image. An evaluation or one comment may be considered to be given, and the evaluation or comment may be considered a vote. Note that the vote for this article and the vote for each image may be treated as separate votes (separate evaluations or comments). Specifically, when a voter gives an evaluation in the above article, the above evaluation is converted into one vote, and a separate evaluation is given to an image included in the above article (an album addition is indicated in the article). In this case, the evaluation attached to the image may be converted into one vote.

  In addition, if the contest applicant (applicant's account) is the final target of the ranking in the contest, the communication function for the applicant himself (followed, etc.), and the applicant submits The execution of the communication function for the selected image or album (such as a comment on the image or album) and the execution of the communication function for the article (such as a comment on the article itself) are considered as separate votes, and the score calculated from these votes You may add up.

  As described above, during the voting period, voting is performed on the voting target from the user of the image management application. When the voting period ends, the score calculation unit 418 of the server 4 refers to at least one of the image information, the album information, and the application member information during the voting period (during the local qualifying period or during the main selection period). The score for the vote target is calculated from the vote for the vote target (score calculation step). The score calculation method of the score calculation unit 418 is not particularly limited. For example, the number of times of simply executing the communication function (the number of communication information, specifically, the number of evaluations, the number of comments, the number of clips, the number of shares, the number of followers, etc.) The score may be used as it is, or the score may be weighted according to the vote type, that is, the type of communication information. For example, an evaluation (like) that shows the voter's sympathy for the image or the like is light in weight, and in the case of a clip or share that can be estimated that the voter likes the image more strongly, the weight may be increased. Good.

  Furthermore, when calculating and ranking the score of each user in the contest, the score calculation unit 418 also gives a vote for images and albums posted by the user in addition to votes for the user (number of followers, etc.). You may add up. In this case as well, the weighting may be changed between the vote for the user himself and the vote for the posted image or album.

  In addition, when only execution of some communication functions is regarded as voting (partial communication functions are used for voting), it is particularly effective to use a combination of communication functions listed below.

  For example, evaluation and follow-up action may be regarded as voting. In this case, it is desirable to calculate the score by assigning an equal weight to the number of evaluations and the number of followers (the number of followers of the contributor when the vote target is an image or an album). This is because when a user follows another user, the article of the follow-up user (the above-mentioned other user) is displayed on the timeline of the follow-up user, and it is easy to check the posting status of the image of the follow-up user, etc. This is because the SNS function of the image management application is more activated.

  Further, for example, evaluation and share may be regarded as voting. In this case, it is more desirable to weight the score per evaluation more heavily than the score per share. This is because, for example, when an image is evaluated and shared, the user of the contest applicant can get more points, and the image management application as a whole evaluates or shares images with each other. This is because the SNS function is activated by matching.

  For example, evaluation and comments may be regarded as votes. In this case, it is more desirable to weight the score per comment more heavily than the score per evaluation. This is because a comment has a higher communication level between users than an evaluation.

  Further, for example, the evaluation and the clip may be regarded as a vote. In this case, it is more preferable to weight the score of the number of clips clipped more heavily than the score per evaluation. This is because the clip is a communication performed for a vote object that is more liked than the evaluation. Therefore, by weighting the number of clipped items more heavily than the number of evaluation items, it is possible to reflect the degree of favorite of each user for the vote target in the score.

  Furthermore, even when voting is performed using the same communication function, the score given to the vote target may be changed depending on the member type in the image management application of the voter. Specifically, the score conversion rate for one vote may be varied depending on whether the voter is a paid member or a free member of the image management application.

  More specifically, for example, when the voter is a paid member, the score per vote using the same communication function may be higher than that of a free member. For example, one evaluation of a paid member for a posted image is converted to 5 points, and one evaluation of a free member is converted to 1 point. In this case, if the number of evaluations is 100, of which 60 are evaluations from paying members and 40 are evaluations from free members, the score is 340 points. On the other hand, out of 100 evaluation cases, 40 points are evaluations from paying members, and 60 cases are evaluations from free members, it is 260 points.

  Further, an upper limit of the number of times that voting can be performed (the number of times that the communication function can be executed or the upper limit of the number of times that the voting is regarded as voting) may be set according to the member type. Furthermore, when a voter upgrades from a free member to a paid member, the upper limit of the score conversion rate or the number of times the vote can be performed may be increased.

  Furthermore, information indicating the user's home region or current address region is stored in the app member information, and the user's home region or current address region who is the contest applicant, If the area of the current address matches, set the scoring conversion rate of one vote higher than the case where it does not match, or the upper limit of the number of times of voting (the number of times that the communication function can be executed or The upper limit of the number of times to be considered may be set high. Moreover, you may utilize the installation area of the image production apparatus 1 which produced the contributed image instead of the area where the user who is a contest applicant is from, or the area of the current address.

  Furthermore, according to the model of the image creating apparatus 1 that created the posted image, the score conversion rate in voting for the image may be varied. For example, the score conversion rate may be increased when the latest model is used as the image creation device 1, or the score conversion rate may be increased when an old model is used. Further, the score conversion rate may be increased when a contest model is used.

  As described above, in the contest described in this embodiment, posting an image or a group of images (album or timeline article) on the SNS of the image management application is an application for the contest (for local qualifying or main selection). Image or group of images). Also, in the above contest, the user of the image management application regards the images posted on the SNS, the image group, and the communication made directly to the user who is the contributor (contest applicant) as a vote. It is. Therefore, direct communication between the applicant and the voter can be promoted. Therefore, for example, users can collect post images from applicants, post the collected post images together from a single account for publishing images (for accepting votes), and enable users to vote on post images. Communication between them is deeply built. Therefore, there is an advantage that the use of the SNS function of the image management application can be further activated.

  More specifically, it is assumed that, for example, a certain user posts one image and another user performs evaluation (communication function) on the image. In this case, the user who posted the image feels that “the image has been evaluated” and that “the score from the contest has been obtained because another user has evaluated the image”. Presumed.

  In other words, when the user receives “evaluation” as a normal SNS function, the benefit obtained during the contest voting period is greater than during the non-voting period. Therefore, it is considered that the user is more interested in other users who have evaluated the images during the voting period. And it can be said that the probability of performing some kind of communication (evaluation return to other user's image (so-called like return), etc.) to the other users voted by the user is increased.

  Therefore, the use of the image management application on the SNS by holding a contest as described above, and regarding the posted images, image groups, and communication directly made to users who are these contributors as votes. There is an effect that communication between persons can be further increased.

  Note that the score calculation unit 418 only needs to be able to calculate the images, albums, and user scores that have been voted, at least at the end of the voting period. In addition, the score calculation unit 418 may calculate the score of the voting target as needed during the voting period. That is, the score calculation unit 418 may total the progress of the contest. The aggregation timing of the intermediate progress is not particularly limited.

  Further, the score calculation unit 418 may calculate and rank only the images or albums designated as the score calculation target of the contest by the user among the posted images and albums. In this case, on the image management application or the like, the user designates an image or album that is a target for score calculation of the contest, and the designation is transmitted to the image management unit 415 of the server 4. The image management unit 415 adds information indicating that the image or album is a score calculation target of the contest to the image information in the case of an image and the album information in the case of an album. Then, the score calculation unit 418 may calculate the score of only the image or album to be scored with reference to the added information when calculating the score.

  Further, in the image management application, the user may be able to use communication functions such as evaluation and comment on images and albums posted by the user and his / her own account. In other words, the user may be able to vote for the images and albums that he posted and his own account.

  The image and album posted in the image management application, the article to be presented, and the user's own information of the image management application may be set to be public or not, depending on the public setting, Information to be presented to the user may be changed. Moreover, the range which can be browsed for the information which concerns on a user may be changed according to the relationship (follow relation) with the other user who browses the said information, and the said user. More specifically, when the user's account itself in the image management application is made public, it is desirable that the user's own information (nickname, number of followers, etc.) is made public to all other users. On the other hand, when the account is not disclosed, it is desirable that only the user related to the user, that is, the follower of the user can view the information related to the user. In addition, when any image, album, or article is made public in the image management application, the image, album, or timeline information should be viewable by users included in the public range of the user's account. Is desirable. On the other hand, when any of the image, album, or article is made private, it is desirable that only the user can view the image, album, or article.

  FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing when determining whether or not to view a posted image according to various public settings of a user who entered the contest and the relationship between the user and the voter. When a certain user wants to vote for another user's image, album, or other user himself, and the user follows the voting user (YES in S600), the voting user's album If there is an album (public album) set to be publicly available (YES in S604), the public album is presented to the user (S606). Here, when there is no public album (NO in S604), the user is notified that the album of the vote-destination user is not public (S608). In this case, an album release request message or the like may be transmitted from the user to the voting destination user.

  On the other hand, when the user does not follow the voting user (NO in S600) or when the voting user's account is a public account (YES in S602), the user follows the voting user. The display similar to the above may be performed. On the other hand, when the account of the voting destination user is a private account (NO in S602), the user cannot view the information of the voting destination user. At this time, the user is notified that the information of the voting destination user is not disclosed (S610). In this case, a request message for publishing an account may be transmitted from the user to the voting destination user.

  In this way, by restricting the information to be viewed by the voting user according to the public setting of the voting destination user, for example, only the user himself / herself can select an image that the other user does not want to see or an image that is not intended for the contest. Can be viewed.

  In the above description, the communication information is described as being included in the image information, the album information, and the application member information. However, the communication information may be managed separately from these information. More specifically, the server 4 stores a communication history using the communication function separately, and the score calculation unit 418 scores by referring to the history (and image information, album information, or app member information). May be calculated.

  Further, the communication history may also record that each communication function has been canceled (evaluation, comment, clip, share, cancellation of follow, etc.) as the use of the communication function, and the score calculation unit 418. May subtract the voting target score for which the cancellation was made.

  FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a method of counting the score of the posted image when voting can be canceled. FIG. 29 is a diagram showing a data structure of an image communication history. In the examples of FIGS. 28 and 29, the vote target is an image and the vote is an evaluation (like). However, even when the vote target is an album or a user, other types of votes are used. Even if it exists, the structure of a communication history and the method of score calculation are the same. 29. As shown in FIG. 29, the communication history includes an image ID, an app member ID of the voter (information indicated in the “voter” column), whether the image is currently in an evaluation (like) state (TRUE), and an evaluation cancellation. It is information in which information indicating whether the state is (FALSE), evaluation time, and the evaluation history (log) of the voter for the image are associated with each other. The score calculation unit 418 can obtain the current evaluation state and evaluation date and time of the image and the history of evaluation and evaluation cancellation so far by referring to the communication history. It should be noted that the communication history may be differentiated between the local qualifying and the final qualifying, or may be common.

  Next, a specific example of score calculation will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 28 shows a history of evaluations (likes) performed by one voter on one image, and scores (points, pt) calculated by the score calculation unit 418. As shown in the figure, it is assumed that the image is evaluated during the local qualifying period, evaluated once, then evaluated again, further evaluated during the main selection period, evaluated, and finally evaluated again. In this case, as an example, there are three possible score calculation methods 1 to 3 as shown in the figure.

  Method 1 is a method in which a score is always assigned according to the latest evaluation state (whether or not evaluated) at the end of the voting period of the local qualifying and at the end of the voting period of the main selection. That is, at the end of voting in the local qualifying, points are given because the image is evaluated, and no points are given at the end of voting in the main selection because the image is not evaluated. The score calculation unit 418 can perform score aggregation as in the above-described method 1 by referring to the current evaluation state of the communication history. In Method 1, the points for the final selection may be the sum of the points for the local qualifying. The same applies to the following methods 2 and 3.

  On the other hand, method 2 is a method in which the score calculation unit 418 confirms a communication history log and calculates a score from the total number of times (cumulative number) that the image has been evaluated. As shown in the figure, in the local qualifying, the image is evaluated twice from this voter. Therefore, if one evaluation is 1 point (1 pt), the point of the local qualifying is 2 points. On the other hand, since the image is evaluated once in the final selection, the point is 1 point.

  Method 3 is a method in which the score calculation unit 418 confirms a communication history log and calculates one evaluation as 1 point (1 pt) and one evaluation cancellation as minus 1 point (−1 pt). Thus, by offsetting the number of evaluations and the number of evaluation cancellations, it is possible to give points according to the actual number of evaluations during the local qualifying and the final voting period. When Method 3 is adopted, the total score in the final selection is minus (-1 pt) as shown. In this way, it may be allowed that a negative score is generated in the contest, and when the score becomes negative, no score (0 points) may be set. In this way, by considering the evaluation cancellation score when calculating the score, if the communication function is excessively used only during the contest period for voting, etc., the score of the contest will be made more fair by appropriately reducing the score. can do. Furthermore, the number of points subtracted when the evaluation cancellation as described above is performed once may be increased from the score obtained when the evaluation is performed once. Specifically, when one point is obtained by one evaluation, two points may be subtracted (minus two points) when the evaluation is canceled once.

[Modification]
It should be noted that the contest held using the image management system 10 according to the present invention is for voting and scoring only the created images of the image creating device 1 of a specific model (for example, the image creating device 1 for misconentry entry). It may be a target contest. In this case, the use of the image creating apparatus 1 of the specific model can be more strongly promoted.

  On the other hand, images created by the image creation devices 1 of all models may be subject to contest voting and score calculation. In this case, since a larger number of users can enter and apply for the contest, the SNS function of the contest and the image management application can be further activated. In addition, the contest applicant selects a favorite image creation device 1 or an image creation device 1 that can photograph himself / herself best, and selects a created image of the selected image creation device 1 as a contest vote. As a result, it is possible to improve the willingness to submit images and albums for contestants. In addition, since the voting target can be determined from a larger number of images, albums, and users, the contest can be made more attractive to contest voters.

  In the image management system 10 according to the present invention, the image creating apparatus 1 may accept a contest vote. In this case, the image creating apparatus 1 receives the image, album, or user information to be voted from the server 4 and presents the information to the user, thereby allowing the user to select an image, album, or user to vote. In response to the selection, the selection is transmitted as communication information to the image management unit 415 or the user management unit 416 of the server 4.

  The score calculation unit 418 calculates a score based on the communication information received from the image creating apparatus 1 and the communication information included in the image information, album information, or application member information when calculating the score. At this time, the score calculation unit 418 may change the weight of the score between the communication information received from the image creating apparatus 1 and the communication information stored in the server 4. For example, the voting from the image creating apparatus 1 can be made more advantageous by weighting with the communication information received from the image creating apparatus 1. As a result, voting from the image creating apparatus 1 is promoted, and thus the use of the image creating apparatus 1 is promoted. The image creating apparatus 1 is an apparatus that creates an image to be posted later by the image management application. Therefore, the use of the image creation device 1 is promoted, so that the number of images posted by the image management application can be increased. Therefore, the image management application can be made more attractive, and the use of the application can be activated.

  In the image management system 10 according to the present invention, the server 4 may be a plurality of servers. Specifically, the server 4 relates to a site server that operates an image providing site, an application server that manages an image management application, an entry server that performs processing related to user entry into a contest, and a score calculation for the contest. You may divide into the contest server which processes. Further, each of the plurality of servers may transmit and receive data. An example of the configuration of the plurality of servers will be described with reference to FIG. 1 again. Each of the plurality of servers includes a communication unit 403, a control unit 401, and a storage unit 402.

  The site server includes a communication control unit 411, a notification creation unit 412, a page creation unit 413, an image storage unit 414, and a user management unit 416 in the control unit 401, and a notification database 421, a member database 422, and a page in the storage unit 402. A database 423 and an image database 424 are provided. The site server performs processing related to the image providing site.

  The application server includes a communication control unit 411 of the control unit 401, an image management unit 415, and a user management unit 416, and also includes a member database 422 and an image database 424 of the storage unit 402. The member database 422 and the image database 424 may be shared with the site server or provided separately. The application server performs processing related to the image management application.

  The entry server includes a communication control unit 411 and an entry reception unit 417 of the control unit 401, and an entry database 426 of the storage unit 402. The entry server performs entry processing.

  The contest server includes a communication control unit 411 and a score calculation unit 418 of the control unit 401, and a member database 422 and an image database 424 of the storage unit 402. The member database 422 and the image database 424 may be shared with at least one of the site server and the application server or may be provided separately. The contest server performs processing related to the score calculation of the contest.

  In the image management system 10 according to the present invention, the contestant voter purchases points (voting points) necessary for voting by charging from the image management application or the image providing site, and executes the communication function. In addition, voting may be completed by consuming the purchased points.

  The voting points may be added by adding a predetermined weight to the user's own score calculated by the score calculation unit 418. That is, voting points may be substituted for voting. Furthermore, the voting points may be transferable to other users defined by the user. Thereby, a score can be added to the other user (contest voting person) which a user supports by means other than execution of a communication function.

[Example of software implementation]
The control blocks of the image creating apparatus 1, the server 4, and the portable terminal 6 may be realized by a logic circuit (hardware) formed in an integrated circuit (IC chip) or the like, or using a CPU (Central Processing Unit). It may be realized by software.

  In the latter case, the image creating device 1, the server 4, and the portable terminal 6 record a CPU that executes instructions of a program that is software that realizes each function, and the program and various data are readable by a computer (or CPU). ROM (Read Only Memory) or storage device (these are referred to as “recording media”), RAM (Random Access Memory) for expanding 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. The program may be supplied to the computer via an arbitrary 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.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image creation apparatus 4 Server 6 Portable terminal 10 Image management system 401 Control part (voting presentation part)
415 Image management unit (information acquisition unit)
416 User management unit (information acquisition unit)
418 score calculator

Claims (13)

An image information management apparatus that provides an image browsing service for presenting an image posted by a user to a service user so as to be viewable,
An information acquisition unit that acquires communication information by the service user for at least one of the image posted by the user to the image browsing service, an image group including the plurality of images, and the user;
An image information management apparatus comprising: a score calculation unit that calculates a score of at least one of the image, the image group, and the user according to the communication information acquired by the information acquisition unit.   The score calculation unit calculates a score according to the communication information for at least one of the image and the image group posted by the user during a predetermined period set as a voting period. The image information management apparatus according to claim 1.   The score calculation unit calculates a score according to the communication information for at least one of the image and the image group posted by the user before the predetermined period in addition to the predetermined period. The image information management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:   4. The image information management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the score calculation unit calculates the score according to the communication information acquired by the information acquisition unit during the predetermined period.   The image information management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image is an image created by an image creation apparatus that creates an image according to a charge.   The communication information includes at least one of evaluation, comment, clip, follow, viewing of the dedicated page of the user in the image browsing service, and sharing of at least one of the image, the image group, and the user. The image information management device according to claim 1, wherein the image information management device is any one of the image information management devices.   The image information management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication information is information related to communication performed on a dedicated page of each service user.   The image according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the score calculation unit calculates the score for the post or the image by weighting according to a type of the communication information. Information management device.   9. The system according to claim 1, further comprising: a post presentation unit that presents the post on the dedicated page of the service user when the post of the user followed by the service user is received. The image information management device according to claim 1.   6. The score calculation unit according to claim 5, wherein the score calculation unit performs score calculation for at least one of an image, an image group, and the user for which the user wants to calculate the score in the image creating apparatus. The image information management device described in 1. A control method of an image information management apparatus that provides an image browsing service that presents an image posted by a user to a service user so as to be viewable,
An information acquisition step of acquiring communication information by the service user for at least one of the image posted by the user to the image browsing service, an image group composed of a plurality of the images, and the user;
A score calculation step of calculating a score of at least one of the image, the image group, and the user in accordance with the communication information acquired in the information acquisition step. Control method.   A control program for causing a computer to function as the image information management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control program causes the computer to function as the information acquisition unit and the score calculation unit.   A computer-readable recording medium on which the control program according to claim 12 is recorded.

Images