JP6311383B2 - PHOTOGRAPHIC EDITING DEVICE, ITS CONTROL METHOD, CONTROL PROGRAM, AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM CONTAINING THE CONTROL PROGRAM - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a photography editing apparatus related to an image management service for managing a photographed image obtained by photographing a subject or image data that is an edited image thereof.

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

  When logging in to a site related to such a service (image providing site), it is necessary to input a member ID and a password, as in various other sites. However, if the site is not used for a long time, the user may forget the member ID or password. In this case, there is a problem that the user may not be able to use the user account of the site managed by the member ID and password.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for returning a password to an initial password when the user forgets the password. Here, the initial password is a password initially assigned to the user by the site administrator, and is notified to the user by e-mail or written document.

JP 2004-326763 A (published on November 18, 2004)

  However, the above-described conventional technique has a problem in that if the member ID or password is forgotten, it is necessary to go through complicated procedures in order to log in to the site again.

  For example, with the technique described in Patent Document 1, if the password is forgotten, the password is returned to the initial password. Since the initial password has a large number of characters and characters are arranged at random, it is difficult for the user to memorize it. For this reason, normally, notification of the initial password is searched and input is performed while watching the notification. Also, even if the initial password notification is found and the site can be accessed again, a complicated procedure is required for the user to newly log in to the site, such as reissuing the password.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is photography editing that enables login without complicated procedures even if the member ID or password is forgotten. It is to provide a device or the like.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the photo photographic editing apparatus (photo sticker creating apparatus 1) of the present invention provides an image management service for managing image data of a photographic image obtained by photographing a subject or image data that is an edited image thereof. A photo-taking and editing apparatus to be transmitted to a server (management server 4) provided, and authenticates whether or not the user is a member of the image management service from a photographed image photographed with the user as a subject or the edited image. The feature quantity extraction means (feature quantity extraction unit 316A) for extracting the feature quantity for this purpose matches the feature quantity extracted by the feature quantity extraction means with the previously registered image authentication information used for the authentication. Authentication result acquisition means (authentication result receiving unit 316C) that acquires the result of the determination as a result of the authentication.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the control method of the present invention is a method for taking and editing images in which a photographed image obtained by photographing a subject or image data that is an edited image thereof is transmitted to a server that provides an image management service that manages the image data. A method for controlling an apparatus, wherein a feature amount extraction step is performed for extracting a feature amount for authenticating whether or not the user is a member of the image management service from a captured image taken with the user as a subject or an edited image thereof. And a result of determination as to whether or not the feature amount extracted in the feature amount extraction step matches the image authentication information used for the authentication registered in advance as the authentication result. An acquisition step.

  According to the above configuration or method, the photography / editing apparatus authenticates (user authentication) whether or not the user is a member of the image management service by using the photographed image taken with the user as a subject or the edited image. The result can be obtained. Thereby, the photography editing apparatus can perform user authentication without allowing the user to input a member ID or a password. In other words, the user can perform user authentication for enabling the use (log-in) of the image management service simply by photographing his / her own photographed image using the photography / editing apparatus.

  As described above, even if the member ID or password is forgotten, it is possible to log in without going through complicated procedures.

  The photography editing apparatus according to the present invention further includes an authentication request unit (authentication request unit 316B) that requests the server to perform the authentication by transmitting the feature amount extracted by the feature amount extraction unit to the server. The authentication result acquisition unit may receive a result of determining whether or not the feature amount matches the image authentication information from the server.

  According to the above configuration, the photography / editing apparatus can request user authentication from the server to the server using a photographed image photographed with the user as a subject. Therefore, even if the member ID or password is forgotten, it is possible to log in without going through complicated procedures.

  In addition, the photography editing apparatus of the present invention determines whether or not the feature amount and the image authentication information match, and transmits the determination result to the authentication result acquisition unit as a result of the authentication. (Authentication unit 317) may be provided, and the authentication result acquisition means may receive the determination result from the authentication means.

  According to the above configuration, the photography / editing apparatus performs user authentication in its own device using a photographed image photographed with the user as a subject. As a result, it is possible to avoid a situation in which a user waits for a long time until the end of the authentication due to a communication trouble with the server or a situation in which the authentication ends abnormally as in the case of performing user authentication on the server side.

  The photography editing apparatus of the present invention is a member that acquires member information of the user related to the image management service when the authentication result acquired by the authentication result acquisition unit indicates a successful authentication. Information acquisition means (authentication result receiving unit 316C) may be provided.

  According to the above configuration, even if the member information such as the member ID or password is forgotten for a long time because the image management service has not been accessed, the photographed and edited device is used to display the self-captured image. Membership information can be acquired simply by shooting. Therefore, it is possible to revive again the account area of a user who has been dormant simply because he / she took a photographed image by using a photography / editing device and has not accessed the image management service for a long time. Is possible.

  In the photography editing apparatus according to the present invention, the feature amount is extracted from a photographed image obtained by photographing the user as a subject, and a feature relating to a feature of a part of the user's body and a feature of the user's posture. The image authentication information may be information related to a characteristic of a part of the user's body and a characteristic of the posture of the user.

  According to the above configuration, the characteristics of a part of the user's body (for example, the face) and the characteristics of the user's posture (pose) are used for authentication in combination, so Even if the authentication accuracy is somewhat low, high authentication accuracy can be ensured.

  In the photography editing apparatus according to the present invention, the feature amount is extracted from a photographed image obtained by photographing the user as a subject, and a feature relating to a feature of a part of the user's body and a feature of the user's movement. The image authentication information may be information related to a characteristic of a part of the user's body and a characteristic of the user's movement.

  According to the above configuration, the characteristics of a part of the user's body (for example, the face) and the characteristics of the user's movement (gesture) are used for authentication in combination. Even if the authentication accuracy is somewhat low, high authentication accuracy can be ensured.

  In the photography editing apparatus of the present invention, the feature amount is extracted from an edited image obtained by editing a photographed image photographed with the user as a subject, and the feature of the part of the user's body and the edited image are extracted. It is a feature amount related to the feature of graffiti, and the image authentication information may be information related to a feature of a part of the user's body and a feature of graffiti.

  According to the above configuration, the characteristics of a part of the user's body (for example, the face) and the characteristics of the graffiti (for example, a flower press or a sign) by the user are used for authentication. Even if the accuracy of authentication according to the feature of the unit is somewhat low, high authentication accuracy can be ensured.

  The photography / editing apparatus according to each aspect of the present invention may be realized by a computer. In this case, the photography / editing apparatus is made a computer by operating the computer as each unit included in the photography / editing apparatus. The control program of the photography editing apparatus realized by the above and a computer-readable recording medium on which the control program is recorded also fall within the scope of the present invention.

  According to the present invention, even if the member ID or password is forgotten, there is an effect that login can be performed without going through complicated procedures.

It is a block diagram which shows the principal part structure of the management server which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the picked-up image management system which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structural example of the external appearance of the photograph sticker production apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the perspective view which looked at the external appearance of the photograph sticker production apparatus concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention from other angles. It is a figure explaining the movement of the user in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the imaging | photography part with which the photograph sticker production apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention is equipped. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the background part with which the photograph sticker production apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention is equipped. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the edit part with which the photograph sticker production apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention is equipped. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the aft customer service part with which the photograph sticker production apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention is equipped. It is a block diagram which shows the example of an internal structure of the photograph sticker production apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a functional block diagram which shows the detailed structural example of the control part with which the photograph sticker production apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention is equipped. It is a block diagram which shows the principal part structure of the portable terminal which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a screen transition figure which shows an example of the web page displayed on the display part of a portable terminal at the time of the member registration process in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the flow of a series of processes from photography to image preservation | save in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a screen transition diagram which shows an example of the web page displayed on the display part of a portable terminal at the time of the image preservation | save process to the management server in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the flow of a series of processes regarding the image preservation | save to the portable terminal in the picked-up image management system which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a screen transition diagram which shows an example of the web page displayed on the display part of a portable terminal at the time of the image preservation | save process to the portable terminal in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the flow of a series of processes regarding the user authentication in the picked-up image management system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the specific example of user authentication. It is a figure for demonstrating the specific example of user authentication. It is a functional block diagram which shows the detailed structural example of the control part with which the photograph sticker production apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention is equipped. It is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the flow of a series of processes regarding the user authentication in the picked-up image management system which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

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

(Captured image management system 10)
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of the captured image management system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the captured image management system 10 includes a photo sticker creation device (photographing / editing device) 1, a portable terminal 6, and a management server (server) 4.

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

  In order to store images on the image providing site, prior member registration is required. The user registers himself / herself as a free member in the image providing site. Free members do not need to pay membership fees, but image providers are limited in the number of images they can store. In this embodiment, the free member can store only one image in the image providing site for each game.

  The user can change his / her member attribute from a free member to a paid member. Paid members can save an unlimited number of images on an image providing site instead of having to pay a certain membership fee continuously. In the present embodiment, all the captured images generated by a single photo shoot can be stored in the image providing site.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  The base unit 43 is also provided with a foot strobe 86 for irradiating the user's foot. Fluorescent lamps are provided inside the upper strobe 82, left strobe 83, right strobe 84, lower strobe 85, and foot strobe 86, and together with the fluorescent lights inside the strobe constituting the ceiling strobe unit 24, photographing is performed. Used as illumination in the space A1. As will be described later, by adjusting the light emission amount of each fluorescent lamp, or by adjusting the number of fluorescent lamps to emit light, the brightness in the shooting space A1 becomes the content of the shooting control performed by the user. It is adjusted accordingly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  The camera 91 shoots according to the control by the control unit 201 and outputs an image (image) obtained by the shooting to the control unit 201. When performing user authentication, which will be described later, the camera 91 performs image authentication by photographing a part of the user's body, the user's posture (pose), or the user's movement (gesture) as a still image or a moving image. An image (authentication image) for generating such information (image authentication information) may be taken and transmitted to the control unit 201.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Configuration of control unit)
FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration example of the control unit 201 provided in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. As shown in this figure, the control unit 201 includes a communication control unit 311, a shooting control unit 312, an editing control unit 313, a print control unit 314, a post-service service control unit 315, and a registration control unit 316.

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

  The shooting control unit 312 relates to a process related to a charge inserted when starting the photo sticker creation game by the shooting unit 21 and a user shooting control in the photo sticker creation game such as shooting a user group according to the user shooting control. Control processing. In addition, when performing user authentication, which will be described later, the imaging control unit 312 may perform control to operate the camera 91 to capture an authentication image. In the authentication using the graffiti feature described below, the authentication may be performed on a tablet screen (for example, various monitors described later) that can be touch-operated separately. Note that the shooting control unit 312 can also generate date and time information related to the date and time when the image was shot.

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

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

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

  The registration control unit 316 controls processing related to the user authentication process in addition to processing related to member registration of the image providing site. In this specification, user authentication refers to authentication for determining whether or not the user is a member of the image providing site (or to determine whether or not the user is qualified to log in to the image management site. Authentication). In the following description, image authentication information, which will be described later, is generated at the time of member registration, and this image authentication information is stored in the user account area of the member database 422 of the management server 4 (a storage area for storing member-specific data). Hereinafter, description will be made assuming that the data is simply stored in “account area”.

  When performing user authentication, the imaging control unit 312 captures an authentication image via the camera 91 and transmits the captured authentication image to the registration control unit 316 by user operation. Next, the registration control unit 316 requests user authentication from the management server 4 via the communication unit 203 and the communication control unit 311 and acquires an authentication result. More specifically, the registration control unit 316 includes a feature amount extraction unit (feature amount extraction unit) 316A, an authentication request unit (authentication request unit) 316B, and an authentication result reception unit (authentication result acquisition unit, member information acquisition unit) 316C. Including.

  The feature amount extraction unit 316A extracts a feature amount from the authentication image, and transmits the extracted feature amount to the authentication request unit 316B. Here, the “feature amount” is a part of the user's body (specifically, a facial part, an iris of an eye, a palm, a fingerprint of a finger, etc.), a user's posture (pose), and a user's movement (gesture). Or information for identifying the user extracted from a graffiti (for example, a flower press or a sign) in an edited image.

  The authentication request unit 316B transmits the feature amount extracted by the feature amount extraction unit 316A and the user authentication request to the management server 4 via the communication control unit 311 and the communication unit 203.

  The authentication result receiving unit 316C receives an authentication result (a notification indicating success or failure of authentication) from the management server 4 via the communication control unit 311 and the communication unit 203. In addition, when the user authentication in the management server 4 is successful, the authentication result receiving unit 316C receives member information including user identification information of the authenticated user. The user identification information and member information will be described in detail later.

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

  The management server 4 may periodically transmit member information (details will be described later) stored in the member database 422 of the storage unit 402 to the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 (the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 is a member). Information may be downloaded periodically). In this case, it is desirable that the management server 4 and the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 communicate in the morning or night with a relatively small communication load to transmit / receive member information.

(Details of control unit 401)
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the control unit 401 includes a communication control unit 411, a mail creation unit 412, a web page creation unit 413, an image management unit 414, and an authentication unit (authentication unit) 415.

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

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

(Web page creation unit 413)
The web page creation unit 413 creates a web page displayed on the mobile terminal 6 or the photo sticker creation device 1 (various monitors described later). In the present embodiment, the web page creation unit 413 creates a web page corresponding to the access request received from the mobile terminal 6 or the photo sticker creation device 1 using the data stored in the web page database 423, and performs communication. The data is output to the control unit 411. Although details will be described later, the web page creation unit 413 creates a web page corresponding to the user's membership type.

  In the following description, “page” refers to data that the management server 4 transmits to the communication terminal such as the mobile terminal 6 or the photo sticker creation apparatus 1 for display, such as a web page. The page usually includes text data and image data, and may further include audio data and moving image data.

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

(Authentication unit 415)
The authentication unit 415 receives a user authentication request from the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 and performs user authentication. The authentication unit 415 receives the feature amount extracted by the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 via the communication unit 403 and the communication control unit 411. More specifically, authentication unit 415 includes a verification unit 415A.

  The collation unit 415A collates the image authentication information of the user stored in the member database 422 with the received feature amount.

  Here, when the feature amount and the image authentication information match, the management server 4 notifies the registration control unit 316 (authentication result receiving unit 316C) of the control unit 201 that the user authentication has been successful (and the member information of the user). Send to. On the other hand, if the feature amount and the image authentication information do not match, the management server 4 notifies the registration control unit 316 (authentication result receiving unit 316C) of the control unit 201 that the user authentication has failed. The management server 4 may permit the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 to access the image providing site when the user authentication is successful. Then, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 may allow the user to browse and edit various data on the image providing site using various monitors of the own device described later.

  If user authentication fails a predetermined number of times, the authentication may be switched to normal authentication using a member ID and password. Alternatively, when a plurality of types of authentication are possible, an operation of switching the authentication method to another authentication method may be performed, and the authentication operation may be continued again with the other authentication method. In addition, if the authentication is not successful, the member account has not been used for a specified period of time after notifying the recipient of the email address to be entered separately that the image will be deleted. May delete images stored on the server.

  Here, the image authentication information is information used as a reference for user authentication in the management server 4 as described above. On the other hand, the feature amount is information for collating with the image authentication information as described above to obtain a collation result (whether authentication is possible). Therefore, the feature amount may be information with such accuracy that the determination accuracy of the collation result with the image authentication information does not decrease, and may be information with lower calculation accuracy than the image authentication information.

  When the feature quantity received from the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 matches the image authentication information, the authentication unit 415 searches the member database 422 using the user specifying information corresponding to the image authentication information as a key, thereby obtaining the user The member information of the user indicated by the specific information is read out. Then, the authentication unit 415 transmits a notification indicating successful authentication and the read member information to the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 via the communication control unit 411 and the communication unit 403.

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

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

(Member database 422)
The member database 422 stores various information (member information) related to users who are members of the image providing site. In the present embodiment, the member database 422 stores information (user specifying information) for specifying a user who uses the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 for each user. Examples of the user specifying information include a user's member ID, e-mail address, nickname, password, date of birth, address, member attribute, membership date, and terminal ID of a mobile terminal held by the user. Moreover, as a member attribute, a pay member, a free member, etc. can be mentioned, for example.

(Web page database 423)
The web page database 423 stores various data for creating a web page of an image providing site displayed on the mobile terminal 6 or the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 (various monitors described later).

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Member registration process)
In the photographed image management system 10, a user who has registered as a member on the image providing site can save the photographed image on the image providing site. The user registers himself / herself as a free member in the image providing site according to a predetermined procedure. The procedure will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is a screen transition diagram illustrating an example of a web page displayed on the display unit 605 of the mobile terminal 6 during the member registration process. Hereinafter, (i) a method of accessing the image providing site using the mobile terminal 6 and registering as a member and (ii) a method of registering as a member from the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 will be described.

≪1: Perform membership registration on mobile terminal 6≫
The user accesses the image providing site using the portable terminal 6 in order to register as a member in the image providing site. As a result, the top page 1001 of the image providing site as shown in FIG. 13A is displayed on the display unit 605 of the mobile terminal 6. The top page 1001 includes at least a link image 1002 for proceeding with the member login process and a link image 1003 for proceeding with the free member registration process.

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

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

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

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

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

  The user can register himself / herself as a paying member in the image providing site by logging in to the image providing site by entering a member ID and password after registering a free member and following a predetermined procedure. After this registration is completed, information indicating that the user is a paid member is added to the user's account area.

≪2: Register as a member with the photo sticker creation device 1≫
The photo sticker creating apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment may cause a non-member user to perform member registration from the own device to the image providing site. In the following description, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 performs processing related to free membership registration of a non-member user. However, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 is input by the user with items necessary for paid member registration. If this happens, processing related to the paid member registration of the user may be performed.

  The registration control unit 316 of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment controls processing related to the above-described process related to user authentication and performs processing related to member registration of the image providing site. The registration control unit 316 controls processing related to member registration when the control unit 201 receives an input signal indicating member registration from various monitors in at least one of the steps of the photo sticker creation game.

  The “various monitors” referred to here indicate members that receive input instructions from the user in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. That is, the various input devices are any one of the touch panel monitor 93, the tablet built-in monitor 131, and the tablet built-in monitor 161. Each web page described above may be displayed on these various monitors.

  The registration control unit 316 causes various monitors to display an input form for inputting items (necessary items) necessary for member registration, and the user inputs the necessary items into the input form (and confirms the input). Then, the necessary items are transmitted to the management server 4. At this time, the registration control unit 316 may store the necessary items in the storage unit 202.

  The “necessary items” are information including at least user specifying information. Examples of necessary items include a user's name (nickname), password, e-mail address, gender, date of birth, residence area (address), and the like.

(Member registration process flow)
Next, the flow of member registration processing in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 and the management server 4 will be described. In the following description, an example in which member registration is performed when the user inputs an e-mail address in the post-service process (step S5 in FIG. 14 described later) will be described.

  However, the member registration may be performed at any time as long as it is performed from the start to the end of the photo sticker creation game (between steps S1 to S6 in FIG. 14). For example, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 may cause the user to input necessary items and perform member registration processing in the photo shooting process (step S2 in FIG. 14) of the photo sticker creating game.

  When the post-service process is started, the post-service customer control unit 315 displays a screen for selecting whether or not to perform member registration on the tablet built-in monitor 161. If the user selects not to register as a member, the post-service control unit 315 causes the tablet built-in monitor 161 to display an e-mail address input screen and a selection screen for images to be transmitted. Thereafter, the post-service customer control unit 315 performs control related to the post-service service described above (step S5 in FIG. 14). More specifically, the post-service customer control unit 315 displays a selection screen for images (including edited images) on the tablet built-in monitor 161 and allows the user to select an image to be transmitted to the management server 4.

  On the other hand, when the selection to perform member registration is made, the post-service customer control unit 315 notifies the registration control unit 316 of the start of the member registration process. In response to the notification, the registration control unit 316 causes the tablet built-in monitor 161 to display an input form for inputting necessary items.

  Here, when necessary items are input and confirmed by the user in the input form, the tablet built-in monitor 161 transmits the input necessary items to the registration control unit 316. Upon receiving the necessary items, the registration control unit 316 transmits this to the management server 4 via the communication control unit 311 and the communication unit 203.

  When the communication control unit 411 of the management server 4 receives the necessary information for member registration from the photo sticker creating apparatus 1, the communication control unit 411 creates an account area for the user (a storage area for storing member-specific data) in the member database 422. In the account area, the above necessary information is stored as member information. At this time, the management server 4 may generate information that uniquely identifies the user (for example, a member ID) and store the information in association with the necessary items.

  Then, the management server 4 transmits a notification to the effect that the member registration has been completed to the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. When the registration control unit 316 of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 receives the notification, the registration control unit 316 transmits the notification to the subsequent customer service control unit 315. The subsequent customer service control unit 315 causes the tablet built-in monitor 161 to display a screen indicating that member registration has been completed.

  Note that the management server 4 may permit the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 to access the image providing site after the member registration is completed. Then, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 may allow the user to browse and edit various data of the image providing site using various monitors of the own device.

  Also, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 uses the necessary information (member information) input by the user at the time of member registration for providing services for the subsequent processes of the photo sticker creating game (for example, the post-service process and the printing process). May be.

  With the above processing, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 can allow a non-member user to register as a member from its own device while performing the photo sticker creating game. As a result, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 can save the user from having to register as a member separately from the photo sticker creating game. Further, it is possible to log in to the image providing site from the photo sticker creating apparatus 1.

≪3: Register image authentication information when registering as a member≫
In addition, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment acquires information (image authentication information) related to image authentication by the camera 91 at the time of member registration, and together with necessary items input by the user, the image authentication Information may be transmitted to the management server 4. In addition, when the photograph sticker creating apparatus 1 edits a photographed image photographed by the camera 91 under the control of the editing control unit 313, the image authentication information is obtained from the edited image received from the editing control unit 313 at the time of member registration. And the image authentication information may be transmitted to the management server 4 together with necessary items input by the user. Specifically, the image authentication information related to the image data for face authentication may be generated from a captured image acquired by the game. In addition, in order to generate image authentication information, captured images such as gestures, poses, and graffiti may be acquired separately. In addition, gesture and pose registration processing may be performed at the time of shooting, and at the time of editing the shot image, a recognition graffiti (a pen image of a predetermined trajectory recognized by a touch operation or tablet built-in monitor) is registered. May be. The post-service unit 13 may be provided with an imaging unit, a touch panel monitor, and the like, and various feature quantities of the user may be individually registered and stored.

  Also, the management server 4 according to the present embodiment stores the image authentication information as member information in the user's account area in the member database 422.

  Here, the image authentication information is a part of the body specific to the user (for example, a face), a user-specific posture (pose), a user-specific motion (gesture), This is information relating to the characteristics of user-specific graffiti (for example, flower press or sign). Specific examples of the image authentication information include information for recognizing the user's face (positional relationship, size, skin color, etc. of facial parts), information for performing user eye authentication (iris, etc.), user Information for performing fingerprint authentication. Other examples include information for recognizing the user's posture (pose) and information for recognizing the user's movement (gesture) (hand gesture, gesture, etc.). .

  In the case of the present embodiment, the camera 91 captures a part of the user's body, the posture of the user, or the movement of the user as a still image or a moving image, thereby generating an image or moving image (authentication). Image) is taken and transmitted to the registration control unit 316. The authentication image is preferably an unprocessed captured image (not edited by the user), but may be an edited image obtained by editing the captured image. In this case, the editing control unit 313 transmits the edited edited image as an authentication image to the feature amount extracting unit 316 of the registration control unit 316 when editing of the edited image to be described later is finished. When the feature amount extraction unit 316 receives the edited image, the feature amount extraction unit 316 extracts the feature amount from the edited image. For example, the feature amount extraction unit 316 may extract a feature amount related to the feature of graffiti (for example, flower press or sign) in the edited image. Further, the feature amount extraction unit 316 may generate image authentication information related to the above-described user-specific body part, user-specific posture, or user-specific motion characteristics from the edited image.

  Separately, as a registration process for member information, the photographing unit 21 and the editing unit 12 may accept a registration operation. At that time, the registered contents can be confirmed by the user, and the registration is accepted a predetermined number of times as necessary.

  When the registration control unit 316 receives an authentication image from the camera 91 or receives an editing image (authentication image) from the editing control unit 313, the registration control unit 316 analyzes the image to generate image authentication information. Then, the registration control unit 316 transmits the image authentication information to the management server 4 in association with the necessary items input by the user during the member registration process. The management server 4 stores the received image authentication information together with the necessary items as member information in the user's account area in the member database 422.

  The registration control unit 316 may transmit the authentication image together with the necessary items input by the user to the management server 4 so that the management server 4 generates image authentication information.

  Also, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 has already registered as a member but has not registered the image authentication information, taking the image for authentication, generating the image authentication information, and transmitting it to the management server 4. Also good. Thereby, even a user who has registered as a member of the image providing site from the mobile terminal 6 can generate image authentication information and register it in the management server 4 (member database 422).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  The communication control unit 411 receives the transmitted request through the communication unit 403 (step S11) and outputs it to the web page creation unit 413. The web page creation unit 413 determines the member type of the user by referring to the member database 422 for the member ID included in the request (step S12). In the present embodiment, the web 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 web page creation unit 413 determines that the user is a free member, the web page creation unit 413 creates a web page 1103 for the free member to store images as shown in FIG. On the other hand, when it is determined that the user is a paying member, a web page 1107 for the paying member to save the image is created as shown in FIG.

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

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

  In this example, since the user is a free member, the web page creation unit 413 creates a web page 1103 for a free member. The web page creation unit 413 outputs the created web page 1103 to the communication control unit 411. The communication control unit 411 transmits the input web page 1103 to the mobile terminal 6 through the communication unit 403 (step S13).

(Save image)
The portable terminal 6 receives the web page 1103 through the communication unit 603 (step S14). The web page 1103 is output to the display control unit 613 via the communication control unit 611. The display control unit 613 outputs the input web page 1103 to the display unit 605. The user confirms the web page 1103 displayed on the display unit 605. When the user is a free member, even if there are a plurality of images, only one of them can be stored in the image providing site. When the user wants to save one image, the user selects the link image 1106 through the input unit 604. Note that the image to be stored is not limited to the image selected as the image to be transmitted to the mobile terminal 6 in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1, and is designated as an image to be stored in the mobile terminal 6 accessing the image providing site, for example. It may be an image.

  The input control unit 612 receives a selection input from the input unit 604 and notifies the communication control unit 611 that the link image 1106 has been selected. In response to this, the communication control unit 611 transmits an image storage instruction to the management server 4 (step S15).

  The communication control unit 411 receives the transmitted storage instruction through the communication unit 403 (step S16). As a result, the communication control unit 411 instructs the image management unit 414 to store the image. In response to this instruction, the image management unit 414 stores the user image stored in the temporary storage database in the image database 424 in association with the user member ID (step S17). At that time, if there is only one image, the image is saved. On the other hand, if there are a plurality of images, one of them (for example, an image corresponding to the thumbnail image 1104) is stored. Thereby, a series of processes shown in FIG. 14 is completed.

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

  In addition, the saving process when the user is a paying member is essentially the same as the saving process when the user is a free member. However, the user selects the link image 1108 included in the web page 1107. As a result, the management server 4 stores all images in the user image storage area in the image database 424.

  Note that the selection of an image to be saved by the user (one image for a free member and all images for a paid member) may be accepted by the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. In this case, the image management unit 414 may store the image selected in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 in the image database 424.

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

  The user accesses the image providing site in order to log in to the image providing site. As a result, the top page 1001 of the image providing site as shown in FIG. 17A is displayed on the display unit 605 of the mobile terminal 6. The user operates the input unit 604 of the mobile terminal 6 to select a link image 1002 for proceeding with member login processing to the image providing site. The input control unit 612 receives this selection operation and notifies the communication control unit 611 that the link image 1002 has been selected. As a result, the communication control unit 611 reads the user's member ID and password from the storage unit 602, transmits them to the management server 4 via the communication unit 603, and requests the management server 4 to log in to the image providing site (step S21). . Note that when the link image 1002 is selected, the communication control unit 611 may acquire a login processing page 1051 for inputting the user's member ID and password, as shown in FIG. In this case, the management server 4 may accept the input of the member ID and password on the login processing page 1051. Specifically, the user inputs a member ID in the ID input area 1052 and inputs a password in the password input area 1053. Although details will be described later, when the user forgets the member ID or password, the user selects the forget ID / password button 1054 and enters the member ID or password by performing a predetermined procedure described later. You may be able to log in to the image providing site without doing it.

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

  The web page creation unit 413 determines whether or not the user is registered as a member on the image providing site by checking the input member ID and password against the member database 422. If it is determined that it is registered, data for generating the member top page 1031 is acquired from the web page database 423. The web page creation unit 413 generates a member top page 1031 as shown in FIG. 17B using the data and outputs the member top page 1031 to the communication control unit 411. The member top page 1031 includes a link image 1032 for displaying a list of user images stored in the image providing site. The communication control unit 411 transmits the member top page 1031 to the mobile terminal 6 through the communication unit 403 (step S23).

  The communication control unit 611 of the mobile terminal 6 receives the member top page 1031 through the communication unit 603. The communication control unit 611 outputs the received member top page 1031 to the display control unit 613. The display control unit 613 outputs the member top page 1031 to the display unit 605. As a result, the member top page 1031 is displayed on the display unit 605 (step S24).

  The user selects the link image 1032 by operating the input unit 604 of the mobile terminal 6 (step S25). The input control unit 612 receives this selection operation and notifies the communication control unit 611 that the link image 1032 has been selected. As a result, the communication control unit 611 transmits a request for providing a web page including a list of user images stored in the image providing site to the management server 4 through the communication unit 603.

  The communication control unit 411 of the management server 4 receives the transmitted request through the communication unit 403 (step S26). Next, the communication control unit 411 instructs the web page creation unit 413 to generate an image list page 1041 including a list of user images stored in the image database 424.

  The web page creation unit 413 acquires data for generating the image list page 1041 from the web page database 423. The web page creation unit 413 uses the data and refers to all the images of the user stored in the image database 424 to generate an image list page 1041 as shown in FIG. 411. The image list page 1041 includes a plurality of thumbnail images 1042 that individually represent all the images of the user stored in the image database 424. The communication control unit 411 transmits the image list page 1041 to the mobile terminal 6 through the communication unit 403 (step S27).

  The communication control unit 611 of the portable terminal 6 receives the image list page 1041 through the communication unit 603. The communication control unit 611 outputs the received image list page 1041 to the display control unit 613. The display control unit 613 outputs the image list page 1041 to the display unit 605. As a result, the image list page 1041 is displayed on the display unit 605 (step S28).

  The user operates the input unit 604 of the mobile terminal 6 to select a thumbnail image 1042 corresponding to an image to be stored in the mobile terminal 6 among the displayed thumbnail images 1042 (step S29). The input control unit 612 receives this selection operation and notifies the communication control unit 611 that the thumbnail image 1042 has been selected. As a result, the communication control unit 611 transmits a request for providing an image corresponding to the selected thumbnail image 1042 to the management server 4 through the communication unit 603.

  The communication control unit 411 of the management server 4 receives the transmitted request through the communication unit 403 (step S30). Next, the communication control unit 411 instructs the image management unit 414 to output the image of the user requested to be provided from the portable terminal 6 to the communication control unit 411.

  The image management unit 414 acquires the instructed image from the image database 424 and outputs the acquired image to the communication control unit 411. The communication control unit 411 transmits the input image to the mobile terminal 6 through the communication unit 403 (step S31).

  The communication control unit 611 of the portable terminal 6 receives the transmitted image through the communication unit 603 and stores it in the storage unit 602 (step S32). Thus, the image storage process on the mobile terminal 6 is completed.

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

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

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

[Embodiment 2]
In addition, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 uses the camera 91 to photograph an authentication image for login (photographs a login image) for a user who has once registered as a member (and registered image authentication information) in the past. The user authentication may be performed using the feature amount generated from the login image (or the edited image). As a result, even if the user forgets the member ID or password for reasons such as not accessing the image providing site for a long time, the user inputs the member ID or password through a predetermined procedure described later. Without having to log in to the image provider site. In addition, since it is possible to log in to the image providing site without inputting a member ID or password in this way, a photo sticker creating apparatus can be re-applied to a user who has forgotten the member ID or password or a user whose email address has been changed. 1 can guide you to take a picture. Hereinafter, an embodiment in which a login image is captured and user authentication is performed using a feature amount generated from the login image will be described as a second embodiment.

  Here, the feature amount can be generated by the same method as the image authentication information described above. Further, like the authentication image, the “login image” is preferably an unprocessed captured image (not edited by the user), but may be an edited image obtained by editing the captured image.

  More specifically, when the registration control unit 316 receives a login image from the camera 91 or receives an edited image of the login image from the editing control unit 312, the feature amount extraction unit 316A generates image authentication information. A feature amount is generated by a method similar to the method and transmitted to the management server 4. Then, the management server 4 collates the user image authentication information stored in the management server 4 with the received feature amount.

  Here, when the feature amount and the image authentication information match, the management server 4 transmits the fact that the user authentication has succeeded (and the member information of the user) to the authentication result receiving unit 316C. On the other hand, if the feature amount does not match the image authentication information, the management server 4 notifies the authentication result receiving unit 316C that the user authentication has failed. When the user authentication is successful, the management server 4 may permit the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 to access the image providing site (login to the image providing site may be permitted). Thereby, the user can browse and edit various data of the image providing site using the various monitors of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1.

  Here, the image authentication information is information used as a reference for user authentication in the management server 4 as described above. On the other hand, the feature amount is information for collating with the image authentication information as described above to obtain a collation result (whether authentication is possible). Therefore, the feature amount may be information with such accuracy that the determination accuracy of the collation result with the image authentication information does not decrease, and may be information with lower calculation accuracy than the image authentication information.

  Through the above processing, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 can allow the user to perform user authentication (login to the image providing site) from the own device. Here, in the user authentication using the feature amount, the user can perform the user authentication only by photographing the login image. That is, the user can log in to the image providing site without performing prior login to the image providing site or inputting necessary items in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. Therefore, for example, even a user who has forgotten the member ID or password can log in to the user authentication and image providing site.

  Further, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 can obtain member information by performing user authentication from the login image only by allowing the user to take a login image. As a result, the user can reuse (revive) the member information such as the previously registered e-mail address, member ID, and password. The photo sticker creating apparatus 1 can provide a service corresponding to the obtained member information in each process of the photo sticker creating game (for example, a process of taking a picture, editing, and a subsequent customer service).

  FIG. 18 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of login processing when the user forgets the member ID or password.

  First, the user accesses the image providing site using the various monitors of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. As a result, the top page 1001 of the image providing site as shown in FIG. 13A is displayed on the various monitors. When the link image 1002 is selected on the top page 1001, a login processing page 1051 shown in FIG. 13D is displayed on the various monitors. Here, since the user has forgotten the member ID or password, the user selects the forget ID / password button 1054. The registration control unit 316 is notified that the forgotten ID / password button 1054 has been selected. The registration control unit 316 displays a comment “Please shoot an authentication image” on the various monitors, and prompts the user to shoot a login image.

  Next, in response to a user operation, the imaging control unit 312 captures a login image (authentication image) via the camera 91 and transmits the captured login image to the feature amount extraction unit 316A of the registration control unit 316. (Step S101). When editing the login image, the editing control unit 313 transmits the edited edited image as a login image to the feature amount extraction unit 316A of the registration control unit 316 by a user operation. May be.

  The feature amount extraction unit 316A extracts a feature amount from the received login image, and transmits the extracted feature amount to the authentication request unit 316B (step S102: feature amount extraction step).

  The authentication request unit 316B transmits the feature amount extracted by the feature amount extraction unit 316A and the user authentication request to the management server 4 via the communication control unit 311 and the communication unit 203 (step 103).

  The authentication unit 415 of the management server 4 receives a user authentication request from the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 and performs user authentication. The authentication unit 415 receives the feature amount extracted by the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 via the communication unit 403 and the communication control unit 411 (step S104). The collation unit 415A of the authentication unit 415 collates the user image authentication information stored in the member database 422 with the received feature amount (step S105).

  Here, when the feature amount and the image authentication information match, the management server 4 indicates that the user authentication has been successful [and the member information of the user (including the member top page 1031)]. 316 (authentication result receiving unit 316C) (step S106: authentication result acquisition step). Specifically, when the user authentication is successful, the management server 4 reads out the corresponding member ID and password from the member database 422, outputs them to the web page creation unit 413, and creates the member top page 1031 as a web page. The creation unit 413 is instructed. The web page creation unit 413 determines whether or not the user is registered as a member on the image providing site by checking the input member ID and password against the member database 422. If it is determined that it is registered, data for generating the member top page 1031 is acquired from the web page database 423. The web page creation unit 413 generates a member top page 1031 as shown in FIG. 17B using the data, and outputs the member top page 1031 to the communication control unit 411. The member top page 1031 includes a link image 1032 for displaying a list of user images stored in the image providing site. The communication control unit 411 reads the member information from the member database 422 and transmits the member top page 1031 to the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 through the communication unit 403 together with the member information.

  On the other hand, when the feature amount and the image authentication information do not match, the management server 4 notifies the registration control unit 316 (authentication result receiving unit 316C) of the control unit 201 that the user authentication has failed (step S108).

  The authentication result receiving unit 316C receives an authentication result (notification indicating success or failure of authentication) from the management server 4 via the communication control unit 311 and the communication unit 203 (step S107: authentication result acquisition step). Further, when the user authentication in the management server 4 is successful, the authentication result receiving unit 316C receives the member information (including the member top page 1031) including the user specifying information of the authenticated user and stores the received member information. This is temporarily recorded in the unit 202.

  When the user authentication is successful, the registration control unit 316 reads the member top page 1032 [see FIG. 17B] from the storage unit 202 and displays it on the various monitors (step S110). On the other hand, if the user authentication fails, the process is terminated and the process ends.

  In addition, since the process after step S110 should just perform the process similar to the process from step S25 to step S32 shown in FIG. 16 between the photograph sticker production apparatus 1 and the management server 4, it demonstrates here. Omitted.

  Moreover, in the above description, the form which logs in to the image provision site from the photo sticker production apparatus 1 was demonstrated, displaying each web page on the said various monitors of the photo sticker production apparatus 1. FIG. However, by linking the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 and the portable terminal 6, the photograph sticker creating apparatus 1 takes a login image and displays the login authentication while displaying each web page on the display unit 605 of the portable terminal 6. If the authentication is successful, the mobile terminal 6 may be able to log in to the image providing site. Thereby, even when the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 does not have a function of displaying each web page of the image providing site, the above-described login authentication can be realized.

  According to the above-described embodiment, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 obtains a result of authenticating whether or not the user is a member of the image providing site by using a photographed image taken with the user as a subject or an edited image thereof. Can do. As a result, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 can perform user authentication without allowing the user to input a member ID or a password. In other words, the user can perform user authentication for enabling the use of the image providing site (login) only by taking a photographed image using the photo sticker creating apparatus 1.

  As described above, even if the member ID or password is forgotten, it is possible to log in without going through complicated procedures.

(User authentication form)
Next, various forms of user authentication will be described with reference to FIGS. 19 and 20. 19 and 20 are diagrams for explaining a specific example of user authentication. FIG. 19A shows an example of a form in which user authentication is performed using a combination of a part of the user's body (for example, a face) and the posture (pose) of the user. In the figure, the user is taking a so-called V-sign pose and taking a picture for authentication. As described above, user authentication may be performed by combining authentication by a part of the body (for example, face authentication) and authentication by a user's posture (pose). Specifically, skin color recognition is performed, and authentication is performed based on whether a part of the skin color region coincides in shape with the feature of the pose data indicating the registered feature amount.

  Next, FIG. 19B shows a user's movement (gesture) of drawing a letter Z in the air with the fingertip. In this way, user authentication may be performed in combination by combining authentication by a part of the body described above and authentication by the movement of the user. Specifically, at a predetermined time, a portion having a change is extracted from the moving image, and authentication is performed using the feature of the change.

  FIG. 19C illustrates an example of an authentication image including a user image and a user-specific signature (graffiti). In the figure, as a signature peculiar to the user, a circle is written, and a signature S with “, (ten)” in the circle is shown.

  In this way, user authentication may be performed by combining the above-described authentication by a part of the body and a user-specific signature (graffiti).

  As described above, by combining the authentication with a part of the body and another authentication method, the success rate of the user authentication can be improved even if the accuracy of the authentication with the part of the body is not so high. it can.

  Next, FIG. 20A shows an authentication iris image obtained by photographing the iris with the illumination condition adjusted (with the flash turned off) in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. Image authentication information may be generated from the iris image obtained by shooting in this way and registered in the member database 422 of the management server 4.

  After that, as shown in FIG. 20B, the feature amount is extracted from the iris image photographed by the portable terminal 6 and transmitted to the management server 4, and the feature amount is compared with the image authentication information. User authentication may be performed. This makes it possible to perform user authentication using an iris image that is easily captured by the mobile terminal 6.

  Next, (c) of FIG. 20 shows an iris image for authentication in which an iris is photographed by using the catch light with the photograph sticker creating apparatus 1. When shooting with a catchlight, as shown in the figure, it can give a sparkle to the eyes. There is a problem that accuracy is lowered. However, since the illumination effect of the catch light is generally different for each photo sticker creating apparatus, the same photo sticker creating apparatus can also perform user authentication using an iris image by photographing using the catch light.

[Embodiment 3]
Next, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 may download information necessary for authentication from the management server 4 in advance, instead of communicating with the management server 4 in real time. Then, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 may perform user authentication in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 using the downloaded information. In the third embodiment, a mode in which user authentication is performed in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 will be described.

  Specifically, for example, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 communicates with the management server 4 in the morning or at night when the communication load is relatively small, and manages the member information of each user stored in the member database 422 described above. Downloaded from the server 4 and stored in the storage unit 202. As a result, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the authentication is terminated abnormally or a situation in which the authentication is terminated abnormally due to a communication trouble with the server, as in the case where login authentication is performed on the server side. FIG. 21 is a functional block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration example of the control unit 201A provided in the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 according to the third embodiment.

(Registration control unit 316)
When performing user authentication, the imaging control unit 312 captures an authentication image via the camera 91 and transmits the captured authentication image to the registration control unit 316. However, here, as described above, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 downloads the image authentication information generated at the time of member registration from the management server 4 and stores it in the user account area of the storage unit 202. It is explained as a thing The registration control unit 316 requests user authentication from the authentication unit 317 and acquires an authentication result. More specifically, the feature amount extraction unit (feature amount extraction unit) 316A of the registration control unit 316 extracts the feature amount from the authentication image, and sends the extracted feature amount to the authentication request unit (authentication request unit) 316B. Send. The authentication request unit 316B transmits the feature amount extracted by the feature amount extraction unit 316A and the user authentication request to the authentication unit 317.

  The authentication result receiving unit (authentication result acquiring unit, member information acquiring unit) 316C acquires an authentication result (notification indicating success or failure of authentication) from the authentication unit 317. Further, when the user authentication in the authentication unit 317 is successful, the authentication result receiving unit 316C acquires the member information including the user specifying information of the authenticated user from the storage unit 202 and displays it on the various monitors.

(Authentication unit 317)
The authentication unit 317 receives a user authentication request from the authentication request unit 316B and performs user authentication. The authentication unit 317 receives the feature amount from the authentication request unit 316B. More specifically, authentication unit 317 includes a verification unit 317A.

  The collation unit 317A collates the user image authentication information stored in the storage unit 202 with the acquired feature amount.

  Here, when the feature amount matches the image authentication information, the authentication unit 317 transmits information indicating that the user authentication is successful to the registration control unit 316 (authentication result receiving unit 316C). On the other hand, if the feature amount and the image authentication information do not match, the authentication unit 317 notifies the registration control unit 316 (authentication result receiving unit 316C) that the user authentication has failed. When the user authentication is successful, the registration control unit (login request unit) 316 reads the member ID and password from the storage unit 202 and transmits them to the management server 4 and requests login to the image providing site. .

  The communication control unit 411 of the management server 4 receives the login request through the communication unit 403. Next, the communication control unit 411 outputs the received member ID and password to the web page creation unit 413 and instructs the web page creation unit 413 to create the member top page 1031. The web page creation unit 413 determines whether or not the user is registered as a member on the image providing site by checking the input member ID and password against the member database 422. If it is determined that it is registered, data for generating the member top page 1031 is acquired from the web page database 423. The web page creation unit 413 generates a member top page 1031 as shown in FIG. 17B using the data, and outputs the member top page 1031 to the communication control unit 411. The communication control unit 411 transmits the member top page 1031 to the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 through the communication unit 403.

  The photo sticker creating apparatus 1 receives the member top page 1031 through the communication unit 203. The photo sticker creating apparatus 1 displays the received member top page 1031 on the various monitors. As a result, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 can browse and edit various data on the image providing site using the various monitors.

  When the feature amount acquired from the authentication request unit 316B matches the image authentication information, the authentication unit 317 searches the storage unit 202 using the user specifying information corresponding to the image authentication information as a key, thereby identifying the user. The member information of the user indicated by the information is read. Then, the authentication unit 317 transmits the read member information to the authentication result reception unit 316C. The registration control unit 316 displays the member information received by the authentication result receiving unit 316C on the various monitors.

  Next, FIG. 22 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of login processing when the user forgets the member ID or password.

  First, the user accesses the image providing site using the various monitors of the photo sticker creating apparatus 1. As a result, the top page 1001 of the image providing site as shown in FIG. 13A is displayed on the various monitors. When the link image 1002 is selected on the top page 1001, a login processing page 1051 shown in FIG. 13D is displayed on the various monitors. Here, since the user has forgotten the member ID or password, the user selects the forget ID / password button 1054. The registration control unit 316 is notified that the forgotten ID / password button 1054 has been selected. The registration control unit 316 displays a comment “Please shoot an authentication image” on the various monitors, and prompts the user to shoot a login image.

  Next, in response to a user operation, the imaging control unit 312 captures a login image (authentication image) via the camera 91 and transmits the captured login image to the feature amount extraction unit 316A of the registration control unit 316. (Step S101). When editing the login image, the editing control unit 313 transmits the edited edited image as a login image to the feature amount extraction unit 316A of the registration control unit 316 by a user operation. May be.

  The feature amount extraction unit 316A extracts a feature amount from the received login image, and transmits the extracted feature amount to the authentication request unit 316B (step S102: feature amount extraction step).

  The authentication request unit 316B transmits the feature amount extracted by the feature amount extraction unit 316A and the user authentication request to the authentication unit 317 (step S103).

  The authentication unit 317 receives a user authentication request from the authentication request unit 316B and performs user authentication. The authentication unit 317 acquires the feature amount extracted by the feature amount extraction unit 316A from the authentication request unit 316B. The collation unit 317A of the authentication unit 317 collates the user image authentication information stored in the storage unit 202 with the acquired feature amount (step S111).

  If the feature amount and the image authentication information match, the authentication unit 317 notifies the registration control unit 316 (authentication result receiving unit 316C) that the user authentication has been successful (authentication result acquisition step). On the other hand, when the feature amount and the image authentication information do not match (when user authentication fails), the authentication unit 317 notifies the registration control unit 316 (authentication result receiving unit 316C) that the user authentication has failed (authentication). Result acquisition step), the process ends and ends.

  When the user authentication is successful, the registration control unit 316 reads and transmits the member ID and password from the storage unit 202 to the management server 4 and requests login to the image providing site (step S112).

  The communication control unit 411 of the management server 4 accepts the login request through the communication unit 403 (step S113). Next, the communication control unit 411 outputs the received member ID and password to the web page creation unit 413 and instructs the web page creation unit 413 to create the member top page 1031. The web page creation unit 413 determines whether or not the user is registered as a member on the image providing site by checking the input member ID and password against the member database 422. If it is determined that it is registered, data for generating the member top page 1031 is acquired from the web page database 423. The web page creation unit 413 generates a member top page 1031 as shown in FIG. 17B using the data, and outputs the member top page 1031 to the communication control unit 411. The communication control unit 411 transmits the member top page 1031 to the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 through the communication unit 403 (step S114).

  The photo sticker creating apparatus 1 receives the member top page 1031 through the communication unit 203. The photograph sticker creating apparatus 1 displays the received member top page 1031 on the various monitors (step S115).

  In addition, since the process after step S115 should just perform the process similar to the process from step S25 to step S32 shown in FIG. 16 between the photograph sticker production apparatus 1 and the management server 4, for example, here. Description is omitted.

  Moreover, in the above description, the form which logs in to the image provision site from the photo sticker production apparatus 1 was demonstrated, displaying each web page on the said various monitors of the photo sticker production apparatus 1. FIG. However, by linking the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 and the portable terminal 6, the photograph sticker creating apparatus 1 takes a login image and displays the login authentication while displaying each web page on the display unit 605 of the portable terminal 6. If the authentication is successful, the mobile terminal 6 may be able to log in to the image providing site. The photo sticker creating apparatus 1 may perform face authentication and the portable terminal 6 may perform graffiti authentication.

  Thereby, even when the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 does not have a function of displaying each web page of the image providing site, the above-described login authentication can be realized.

  According to the above-described embodiment, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 obtains a result of authenticating whether or not the user is a member of the image providing site by using a photographed image taken with the user as a subject or an edited image thereof. Can do. As a result, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1 can perform user authentication without allowing the user to input a member ID or a password. In other words, the user can perform user authentication for enabling the use of the image providing site (login) only by taking a photographed image using the photo sticker creating apparatus 1.

  As described above, even if the member ID or password is forgotten, it is possible to log in without going through complicated procedures.

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

  In the latter case, the photo sticker creating apparatus 1, the management server 4, and the portable terminal 6 are configured such that a CPU that executes instructions of a program (control program) that is software that realizes each function, and the program and various data are stored in a computer (or CPU). ROM (Read Only Memory) or a storage device (these are referred to as “recording media”), a 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. Further, the program may be supplied to the computer via any transmission medium (such as a communication network or a broadcast wave) that can transmit the program. The present invention can also be realized in the form of a data signal embedded in a carrier wave in which the program is embodied by electronic transmission.

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

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

1 Photo sticker creation device (photographing and editing device)
4 management server (server)
6 Mobile terminal 11 Shooting unit 12 Editing unit 13 Subsequent customer service unit 21 Shooting unit 91 Camera 201 Control unit 311 Communication control unit 312 Shooting control unit 313 Edit control unit 314 Print control unit 315 Post-service customer control unit 316 Registration control unit (login request means) )
316A feature quantity extraction unit (feature quantity extraction means)
316B Authentication request part (authentication request means)
316C Authentication result receiving unit (authentication result acquisition means, member information acquisition means)
317 Authentication unit (authentication means)
317A Verification unit 401 Control unit 402 Storage unit 403 Communication unit 411 Communication control unit 412 Mail creation unit 413 Web page creation unit 414 Image management unit 415 Authentication unit (authentication means)
415A Verification unit 422 Member database 601 Control unit 602 Storage unit 603 Communication unit 604 Input unit 605 Display unit 611 Communication control unit 612 Input control unit 613 Display control unit

Claims (10)

Imaging unit to perform the photographing control to the user, and includes an editing unit to perform the user edit control is a process for editing an image obtained by the photographing control, the captured image or the obtained by photographing a subject by said imaging unit A photographing and editing apparatus that transmits image data that is an edited image by an editing unit to a server that provides an image management service for managing image data,
A feature extraction means for photographing field image or we obtained by photographing the user as an object, the user extracts a feature quantity for authenticating whether the member of the image management service by the imaging unit,
Authentication result acquisition means for acquiring, as a result of the authentication, a result of determining whether or not the feature quantity extracted by the feature quantity extraction means matches the image authentication information used for the authentication registered in advance. And a photography editing apparatus characterized by comprising: An authentication requesting unit that requests the server to perform the authentication by transmitting the feature amount extracted by the feature amount extraction unit to the server;
2. The photography editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the authentication result acquisition unit receives a result of determining whether or not the feature amount matches the image authentication information from the server. An authentication unit that determines whether the feature amount and the image authentication information match, and transmits the determination result to the authentication result acquisition unit as a result of the authentication;
The photography editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the authentication result acquisition unit receives the determination result from the authentication unit.   Characterized in that it comprises member information acquisition means for acquiring member information of the user related to the image management service when the authentication result acquired by the authentication result acquisition means indicates successful authentication. The photography editing apparatus according to claim 1. The above features are
It is a feature amount related to a feature of a part of the user's body and a feature of the user's posture extracted from a captured image obtained by photographing the user as a subject,
The above image authentication information
The photography editing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the information is information relating to a characteristic of a part of the user's body and a characteristic of the posture of the user. The above features are
It is a feature amount related to a feature of a part of the user's body and a feature of the user's movement extracted from a captured image obtained by photographing the user as a subject,
The above image authentication information
The photography editing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the photography editing apparatus is information relating to characteristics of a part of the body of the user and characteristics of movement of the user. The above features are
Extracted from an edited image obtained by editing a photographed image taken with the user as a subject, a feature amount of a part of the user's body, and a graffiti feature in the edited image,
The above image authentication information
The photography editing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the photography editing apparatus is information related to characteristics of a part of the body of the user and characteristics of graffiti. Imaging unit to perform the photographing control to the user, and includes an editing unit to perform the user edit control is a process for editing an image obtained by the photographing control, the captured image or the obtained by photographing a subject by said imaging unit A method of controlling a photography editing apparatus that transmits image data that is an edited image by an editing unit to a server that provides an image management service that manages image data,
A feature amount extraction step of photographing field image or we obtained by photographing the user as an object, the user extracts a feature quantity for authenticating whether the member of the image management service by the imaging unit,
An authentication result acquisition step for acquiring, as a result of the authentication, a result of determining whether or not the feature amount extracted in the feature amount extraction step matches the image authentication information used for the authentication registered in advance. And a control method comprising:   A control program for causing a computer to function as the photographic editing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the control program causes the computer to function as each of the means. A computer-readable recording medium on which the control program according to claim 9 is recorded.

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