KR20010094464A - Method for placing a order of photo via a network - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for ordering a photo through the network is provided for a user to easily order a desired photo by using a user terminal through the internet, and to safely manage the original image. CONSTITUTION: The user terminal requests a web page by designating URL of a server system. The server system receives the request and sends the web page to the user terminal through a server engine. The user terminal displays the web page. When ordering the photo, the user inputs authentication information. The server system checks the authentication information through a photo DB and sends data(for example, image of photo, file number of each image) about the photo requested by the user to the user terminal. The user browses the photo and applies the order of the photo. The server system sends the user terminal the web page for confirming the application of the order. According to the order, the photo is printed by a traditional way or different digital printing way. Finally, the printed photo is delivered in different way, such as e-mail, CD-Recordable, and so on.

Description

How to order photos via the network {METHOD FOR PLACING A ORDER OF PHOTO VIA A NETWORK}

The present invention relates to a new method of ordering photos over a network.

Orders for conventional photographs are placed by a photo lab or a company that substitutes them. However, if you want to display a picture that you want to print, you have to check it through the developed small film, so this method is likely to make a mistake of printing an unwanted picture. In addition, the film should be stored for a long time in case the picture is to be reprinted, and there is a risk of discoloration of the film. Particularly in the case of group photos, it is common for two or more people to print a photo. In this case, the printed photo is attached to a certain place to check whether the photo is ordered additionally. However, this should indicate that each orderer will visit the place and how much of the picture to print, and there is a burden to repeat the visit to the same place even if the order is to be withdrawn. In other words, in the case of group photography, a very complicated procedure is required for ordering photos, and there has been a request for a method of managing them collectively.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method in which a user can indicate whether to order a photo using a network including the Internet. More specifically, it provides a way to order a desired picture using a user system through a network including the Internet.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a new ordering method that enables the input of additional information about a picture.

1 illustrates the initial construction of a photographic database.

2 illustrates a configuration of a user system and a subsystem according to the present invention.

3 is a flowchart illustrating an ordering method for an application photograph.

4 shows a photographic database.

Figure 5 is a specific example showing the user's modification to the application photo.

The ordering method for a picture using a network according to the present invention includes a) an authentication step for a photo database, b) displaying information about an application picture on a user system, and c) an order for a picture to be ordered. Making it possible, d) building a database for the ordered photos, and e) performing the order.

The ordering method of the present invention may employ a means for attaching a memo to a picture to be ordered by a user, attaching an external pattern of the picture, and modifying them.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 illustrates the initial construction of a photographic database. When a film of a photograph desired to be printed is received by mail from the owner of the film (hereinafter referred to as "founder"), it is developed, scanned (102) to form an image file (101), and a unique file name (102) is given to each photo. And stored in the photo database 103. If taken with a digital camera, the file can also be received by e-mail from the owner of the file (hereinafter referred to as "founder"), in which case the photo development and scanning procedure are omitted.

The photo database 103 is given unique authentication information 104 for each application photo or for each establisher. In the present specification, the authentication information 104 is generically related to personal privacy that should not be disclosed to others in the case of a photograph, and thus generically refers to information for confirming whether a user is authorized to use a photograph database to maintain security. It is. This may be the password of an individual, or may be a file name, or may require additional authentication information in addition to these. Such authentication information 104 is designated for each establisher, but can manage the photos applied by the same establisher at once. In this case, there may be a problem that the previous order is displayed with the application picture to be ordered to make the work difficult. Therefore, the authentication information 104 is more preferably given for each request. This will increase the efficiency of your work by separating the previously ordered photos from the ones you wish to order. The authentication information 104 may be designated by the establisher, and may be arbitrarily designated when the authentication information is not specified by the establisher or when additional authentication information is required in addition to the authentication information designated by the establisher. In this case, however, the authentication information 104 should be notified to the establisher. In the case of a group photo, the establisher will notify 105 of the other person (hereinafter referred to as "member") who has taken this authentication information 104 together. The establisher and / or member (hereinafter referred to as "user") inputs the authentication information 104 to perform various operations such as ordering and modifying the application picture.

2 is a black diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment allows for ordering photos over the Internet using the World Wide Web (hereinafter "WWW"). The server system 210 preferably includes a server engine 211, various web pages 212, a user database 213, an order database 214, and a photo database 215.

When the user computer system connects to the server system by designating a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), the server engine 211 transmits the web page 212 to various users. The user database 213 stores various information about the user. Examples of the user information may include a user ID, a user name, a password, whether the user is an establisher or a member, fee information, payment information, or a combination thereof.

The order database 214 stores data that has been ordered from the user but has not yet been sent. This data can be modified, i.e. withdraw the order or adjust the order quantity.

Photo database 215 stores the data for the application photo, as described above is provided with the same authentication information to the plurality of application pictures requested by the establisher, each application photo is assigned a file number. The user displays a plurality of application pictures through the user's display device by inputting authentication information. You can order a specific application photo or do something else.

The user system 220 includes a main body 221 and a display device 222, and the main body is equipped with a browser capable of browsing a photograph. The server system and the user system will exchange information over the communication link 230.

However, the above description describes a method of ordering an application photograph through the Internet, but it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be applied to other environments other than the Internet. will be. For example, the ordering method for the application picture may be applied to various communication channels such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and the like. In addition, an order for an application photograph can be made using an electronic mail system. That is, when the establisher designates a member of the application photo in advance and sends mail information about the member, the establisher may receive the order and transmit the application photo to their mail to order the application photo. In this case, the member's mail information will correspond to the authentication information.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the order database and the photographic database are separated, but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be integrated and managed.

3 is a flowchart illustrating an ordering method for an application photograph. When the user system requests a web page by specifying a URL to the server system, the server system receives the request and sends the web page using the server engine. The user system receives and stores it and displays it using the display device. In order to place an order for an application picture, the user must input authentication information, and the server system identifies the authentication information for the photo database, and the information on the application picture requested by the user (for example, the application picture). Image, file number for each image, etc.) is sent to the user system. The user subscribes the order to the application picture to be ordered by browsing the displayed application picture. Order subscription can be accomplished by a variety of means, including mouse clicks, enter or voice on a keyboard, etc. The ordering method also uses Amazon's single-action model without a shopping cart model. Various methods can be employed. For the user's new order, the server system sends a web page confirming that the order has been successfully submitted (accepting the order). Photo printing according to the order received is performed by a conventional silver printing method or by various digital printing methods such as inkjet, electrophotographic, fusion thermal transfer, and sublimation thermal transfer. Lastly, photo-delivery is traditionally adopted, but if the user wants the image file itself, such as using a photographic image as the background of the computer operating system on a computer monitor, electronic delivery over the Internet can also be performed at the same time. have. In addition, if the user desires, the image files of the requested photo requested by the user or a photo previously applied under the same person's name are collected and delivered in a storage medium for a computer such as a recordable compact disc (CD-Recordable). Can be.

4 shows a photographic database. The photo database contains the image of the application photo, a unique file number, a certification number, retention period, the creator, the ordered member, the quantity ordered, or a combination thereof. When the user accesses the subsystem and inputs the authentication number, the file corresponding to the authentication number is retrieved from the photo database and transmitted to the user system, and the application picture information including the image, file number, retention period, etc., is displayed on the user's display device. Is displayed. However, if the user is the founder, the ordered member and the order quantity can be displayed. By doing so, it is possible to manage the application photo to the founder, and the provider of the service includes a user including the founder and the member for a small amount of the application photo. It is possible to enable delivery and / or billing for one establisher without having to deliver and / or bill all. However, this is optional by the user, and if it is not desired, it can be delivered to the individual and charged.

Figure 5 is a specific example showing the user's modification to the application photo. The user often wants to add other information (hereinafter referred to as "additional photo information") that he / she wants to order for the application photo 501 to be ordered, such as a change of an external pattern 502, an attachment of a memo 503, etc. The present invention includes this modification step. The input of additional photographic information is based on sharing of the database in principle, and the generated information can be added as a new photographic photograph or can replace a previous photographic photograph.

By the photo ordering method through the network, each user can reduce the mistake of printing an unwanted photo, and there is an advantage in that the photo can be edited according to his personality by inputting additional photo information. In addition, it is possible to prevent the inconvenience of having to store the developing film for a long time and to damage the original image due to the discoloration of the film that was stored during further printing. In particular, in the case of a group photo, it is possible to obtain convenience that each orderer can order using his terminal device.

Claims (6)

a) authentication step for the photo database, b) displaying the information on the application photo on the user system, c) allowing the order to be subscribed to the photos you wish to order, d) building a database of ordered photos, e) fulfilling the order Ordering method of a photo via a network comprising a. The method of claim 1 including the step of adding additional photo information for the photo that you want to order. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the subscription of an order is made by a method using a shopping cart or a method using a single action. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when two or more users order a picture, performance of the order is performed on a per-user basis or integratedly. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the fulfillment of the order is carried out by transmission over a network or by physical delivery of a storage medium for a computer on which printed photographs or image files thereof are recorded. The method of claim 5, wherein when the order is performed in the form of a photograph, a digital printing method such as a silver dye photograph method or an inkjet method, an electrophotographic method, a melt thermal transfer method, a sublimation thermal transfer method, or the like may be used. Using a method.