Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Emulation or plural modes
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-19
2004-10-19
Garcia, Gabriel (Department: 2624)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Emulation or plural modes
C358S001100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06806974
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a print order receiving apparatus, and in particular, to a print order receiving apparatus which can receive print orders easily based on image data.
A digital camera which can convert optical images of a subject into digital image data to store them in a memory card has been developed, and it is already available on the market. Since the digital camera is usually provided with a liquid crystal panel for image display, it is possible to make the digital camera to display photographed images on the liquid crystal panel based on the image data stored.
Unlike silver halide photographs, images displayed on a liquid crystal panel of a digital camera are temporary ones which might disappear when a power source, for example, for the digital camera is turned off. Therefore, there is a problem that the display by the crystal panel is inappropriate when an image is appreciated for a long time. Further, there is an occasion to photograph a subject including plural people with a digital camera and to deliver the image to each of the plural people. There is a problem, in this case, that a person having no image-display means can not appreciate the image when the person receives a storage medium storing copied image data, although image data themselves can be copied on another storage medium.
On the contrary, it is possible to read image data stored in a storage medium into a personal computer to display them on a display means as an image or to make a print of the image through a printer connected to the personal computer. However, all the people trying to appreciate an image photographed by a digital camera can not always use a personal computer, because peripheral equipment for a personal computer and a printer are generally expensive. Therefore, there is a demand for a system wherein an image photographed by a digital camera can be appreciated in a simpler way.
For the problems stated above, there is an idea of a service to make a print from an image based on image data obtained through photographing by, for example, a digital camera. The service of this kind is one wherein a customer takes a storage medium (media) in which image data are stored to a photofinisher, then, a print is made from the image data to be handed to the customer in exchange for a charge in the photofinisher. The customer who utilizes this service can obtain prints simply in the same way as in silver halide photography without having any special equipment to make a print from an image.
When forming an image based on image data obtained through photographing by a digital camera, a simple equipment such as a general-purpose printer capable of being connected to a personal computer is not sufficient for obtaining high image quality equal to that in silver halide photography, and an image forming apparatus of higher accuracy is needed. Possibility for the image forming apparatus of this kind to be introduced widely in a short period of time is low, because the price of the image forming apparatus is relatively high presently. Therefore, before the image forming apparatus of this kind is introduced widely, the service to make prints from images obtained by a digital camera is considered to take a form wherein information including image data and contents of orders is received, through a print order receiving apparatus having a storage unit, from a customer at each of plural intermediation stores, for example, then, the information is sent to an image forming apparatus installed in a specific location so that prints may be made from desired images, and the prints are delivered to the customer through the intermediation store where the order was received.
In this case, when a print needs to be made by composing images of a post card or a calendar, for example, it is a problem to select a mode to give an order for prints. In such a case, in the case of an order for first cycle print for a silver halide film, a customer gives an order by imaging a final print form wherein images of a subject are synthesized, referring to a sample of a post card prepared in a intermediation store. On the other hand, since image data can be synthesized, it is preferable if it is possible for a customer to confirm an image (for example, an image of a subject processed to be a post card) based on image data after composition, when giving a print order in, for example, an intermediation store. However, composition of image data obtained through photographing by a digital camera having CCD of 2 million pixels or more, for example, requires a memory with considerable capacity, and the composition takes time. It is therefore difficult to conduct composition of image data for every order of prints.
It is further considered that some customers desire to compose handwritten images and characters, for example, with images of a subject, without using, or in addition to template images prepared in advance, for obtaining prints which display originality. However, it is a problem to select a mode to input such handwritten images and characters.
Further, when installing a print order receiving apparatus capable of inputting image data in an intermediation store, it is a problem to select a mode to transmit information for printing from the print order receiving apparatus to an image forming apparatus. In this case, it is preferable that information for printing can be transmitted through a simpler operation. Further, how to confirm the transmission of information is another problem.
In addition to the problems stated above, there is a problem that storage capacity is limited for a storage means which is needed for storing information relating to print orders before transmitting to an outer image forming apparatus, and thereby, unlimited storage is impossible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In consideration of the problems of the prior art stated above, an object of the invention is to provide a print order receiving apparatus wherein print order processing for images obtained through photographing by a digital camera as an example, can be conducted more easily and efficiently.
The above object can be attained by the following structures.
(1-1) A print order receiving apparatus, comprises:
a reader to read image data from a media in which the image data are stored;
a producing section to produce information regarding a print order for an image based on the image data read by the reader and to confirm the print order by a confirming operation;
a transmitting section to transmit the information regarding the pint order produced by the producing section to an external image forming apparatus; and
a selecting section capable of selecting one of a first mode and a second mode, wherein in the first mode, the transmitting section transmits the information regarding the pint order to the external image forming apparatus in respond to the confirming operation at the producing section, and in the second mode, the transmitting section transmits the information regarding the pint order to the external image forming apparatus a predetermined time after the confirming operation was conducted at the producing section.
(1-2) In the print order receiving apparatus of (1-1), the transmitting section correlates the image data read by the reader with the information regarding the print order produced by the producing section and transmits the image data together with the correlated information regarding the print order.
(1-3) In the print order receiving apparatus of (1-1), the predetermined time is a time when the information regarding the print order is accumulated by a predetermined amount.
(1-4) In the print order receiving apparatus of (1-1), the predetermined time is a time preset in a day.
(1-5) In the print order receiving apparatus of (1-1), the transmitting section transmits the information through a network to the external image forming apparatus.
(1-6) In the print order receiving apparatus of (1-1), the print order receiving apparatus further comprises
an output section to output at least a part of the informa
Ueda Yutaka
Uemura Hiroyuki
Frishauf Holtz Goodman & Chick P.C.
Garcia Gabriel
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