Network photograph service system

Details Network photograph service system Network photograph service system

1997-11-14

2001-11-27

Millin, Vincent (Department: 2164)

Data processing: financial, business practice, management, or co

Automated electrical financial or business practice or...

Electronic shopping

C705S026640, C705S001100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06324521

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network photograph service system which provides a customer with a photograph service via a network such as the Internet.
2. Description of the Related Art
For providing to a photograph service to a customer, a network photograph service has been proposed which provides a variety of services such as an order of extra prints, attachment of a photograph image to an electronic mail message, and download of picture image data by installing a variety of equipment (for example, a scanner, a printer, and a server computer comprising a large capacity disc (hereinafter called an image server)) in a major wholesale lab in order to enable a customer to save a picture he/she recorded in the image server and to access the image server via a network.
The advantage of the network photograph service is that a customer can order a print even when the customer is staying at home or in an office. However, in reality, not everything, such as depositing a film or receiving a print, can be carried out on a network, . Therefore, it is usual to provide the service through a local camera shop or a minilab as an agency.
When this service is viewed from the customer side, the more agencies there are, the more convenient it is. However, it is preferable to have only one wholesale lab which receives orders, from the viewpoint of easier understanding of where to access when placing an order, or easier data management. Therefore, when a network photograph service is provided, it is considered to be better if a wholesale lab has concentrated equipment so that as many agencies as possible can be dealt with.
However, in the form where all equipment is concentrated in one large scale wholesale lab as described above, it is inevitable that the date of delivery of a print will be delayed, since a delivery path from an agency to the wholesale lab becomes longer and a wait time after depositing a film at an agency and before collection of the film is necessary.
Even though more rapid processing can be carried out by increasing the number of the wholesale labs to shorten the delivery path while increasing the frequency of collection and delivery, the advantage of a network photograph service system, such as easier understanding of where to access and collective data management, is lost. Moreover, the increased frequency of collection and delivery leads to a rise in collection and delivery cost. Therefore, this idea is not a preferable solution.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Based on consideration of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a network photograph service system which can provide a prompt service to a customer without losing the advantage of a network photograph service system such as easier understanding where to access and collective data management.
A network photograph service system of the present invention comprises at least one laboratory server which has a communication ability via a network and is installed in a laboratory having a picture printer, and a center server installed in a service center which receives a printing service order via the network, wherein the center server carries out processing comprising the steps of storing a picture recorded by a customer of each laboratory as digital image data, making the digital image data accessible on the network, selecting one laboratory to output a print among the laboratories in response to order information transferred from the customer via the network, and providing a printing service requested by the order to the customer by transmitting instructing information to the laboratory server installed in the selected laboratory.
“The laboratory server” herein referred to means a server computer installed in an individual laboratory such as an over-the-counter minilab. “The center server” is a server computer installed in a service center which collectively manages image data. Both the laboratory and the center servers have a data recording medium such as a hard disc with a capacity sufficient to store necessary image data. The laboratory server plays a roll of a so-called printer server, and has a connection to a picture printer (in the case where a plurality of picture printers exist, the connection to the printers can be switched from one to another).
“Receives a printing service order via a network” means that an order is transferred from a customer as the order information in a predetermined data format. More specifically, the format of the order information is, for example, disclosed on a web cite on the Internet and a customer sends to the center server, via an electronic mail message, the order information created in accordance with the format. Alternatively, if a customer creates an order by inputting information in a predetermined screen, the order may be converted automatically into the predetermined format of the order information and transmitted to the center server.
“The picture image obtained by a laboratory” means a picture image obtained by a film scanner by scanning a film that a customer of the laboratory brought in for first printing. Alternatively, a picture image obtained from a memory or the like of a digital camera brought in by a customer, by using a variety of data reading transferring means such as a card reader, may be included as the picture image. These picture images are hereinafter dealt with as digital image data.
The reading processing may be carried out at a service center (in a collective manner) However, if each laboratory carries out this processing, the date of delivery can be made sooner because collection and delivery and wait time therefore are not necessary. In this case, an operation for transferring the digital image data obtained by the laboratory to the center server will be necessary. This data transfer to the center server may be carried out via the network each time the laboratory obtains digital image data, or collectively at a predetermined timing. Alternatively, the center server may periodically take in the data in each laboratory server. In some cases (where the data are large), the data may be stored in a medium and then transferred without using a network.
“The network” herein referred to means a network as represented by the Internet. The network is meant to include all communication means having a communication speed sufficient to transfer the order information and image data, such as a dedicated line, a CATV network, a dial-up connection, and a LAN.
The center server “carries out a processing comprising the steps of storing a picture recorded by a customer of each laboratory as digital image data, making the digital image data accessible on the network” so that the digital image data are collectively managed and the customer can refer to the digital image data. When an extra print of a picture is ordered, the picture to be printed is often selected by referring to all pictures recorded. The above image accessing function of the center server is a function to carry out this selection on a display screen.
“Selecting one laboratory to output a print among the laboratories in response to order information” means to select a laboratory having special equipment as the print outputting laboratory, when the printing service requested by the order needs special equipment to provide the service, such as generation of a picture postcard or a creative calendar. Alternatively, upon receiving order of a print, by letting a customer specify the laboratory at which he/she receives a print and by including information showing the specified laboratory in the order information, the specified laboratory may be selected as the laboratory to output the print. “Selecting one laboratory” means to include the case where only one laboratory exists and the laboratory is selected as the laboratory to output a print.
“The processing comprising the steps of providing a printing service to the customer” means all processing necessary for providing a printing service to the customer. For example, when an extr

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