JP2013228962A - Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, information processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a print service provider to securely provide a print service to a user storing image data in an image storage server.SOLUTION: An information processing apparatus includes: receiving means for receiving image data uploaded from a client terminal; management means for managing the image data received at the receiving means; designation accepting means for accepting a designation of arbitrary image data to be subjected to a print service from an owner of the image data managed by the management means; and copying means for copying the image data designated at the designation accepting means in a storage region owned by a service provider providing the printing service to the image data.

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique using image data stored in an image storage service.

  Currently, in the image storage service provided on the network, a storage area is allocated for each registered user, and the registered user uses the allocated storage area to register or delete image data. Can do.

  Here, when a service provider intends to provide a service for printing image data registered by the user, the image data registered in the user's storage area can be printed, but it has already been deleted. The stored image data cannot be printed because the entity wants to exist.

  Therefore, when the service provider intends to provide a service to print and pass the selected image data to the user after one month, the selected image data has been deleted at the timing of performing the printing process. The problem arises that the printed matter cannot be delivered to the user.

  In Patent Document 1, when an album creator other than an image registrant creates an album using an image registered and published in an image sharing service, the image registrant is informed of who the album creator is. However, a technique for providing an album creator with a sufficient number of image data of an image quality necessary for creating an album is disclosed.

JP 2008-242778 A

  However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 is a technique in which an album creator other than an image registrant creates an album, and provides a print service to a user who stores image data in an image storage server. It is not a technology that enables the provider to provide the printing service with certainty.

  Accordingly, the present invention solves the above-described problem, and enables a person who provides a print service to a user who stores image data in an image storage server to reliably provide the print service. With the goal.

  The present invention is an information processing apparatus for managing uploaded image data, the receiving means for receiving image data uploaded from a client terminal, the managing means for managing image data received by the receiving means, A designation accepting unit that accepts designation of arbitrary image data to be received from the owner of the image data managed by the managing unit, and the image data designated by the designation accepting unit is printed with respect to the image data. Copy means for copying to a storage area owned by a service provider that provides the service information.

  According to the present invention, a person who provides a print service can reliably provide a print service to a user who stores image data in an image storage server.

1 is a system configuration diagram showing a configuration of an image storage system according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the hardware constitutions of the various terminals of embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the user registration process for utilizing an image preservation | save service. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the whole process using an image preservation | save service. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of an image editing process. It is a figure which shows an example of a service screen. It is a figure which shows an example of the attribute information contained in image data. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen when the registered user who operates tablet PC logs in to an image storage server immediately after user registration. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process in which the user who operates tablet PC uploads image data. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen which registers child information. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen which image | photographs an image. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process which browses the image data which the user who operates tablet PC uploaded. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen which is displaying the downloaded image data. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of an image operation process. It is a figure which shows an example of an image data selection screen. It is a figure which shows the outline of a copy. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process which prints a celebration photo. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen which displays a celebration photo. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen which designates a photo frame. It is a figure which shows an example of the produced album. It is a figure which shows that image data switches.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing the configuration of an image storage system according to the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, an image storage system (information processing system) includes an image storage server 101 (information processing apparatus), a client PC 102, and a tablet PC 103 connected via a network 104 or a wireless network 105.

  The image storage server 101 is a server that provides an image storage service (image data storage service), allocates a storage area for each registered user, stores the uploaded image data, and responds to a browsing request. Send image data.

The client PC 102 and the tablet PC 103 are terminals operated by the user, and are terminals that access the image storage server and upload or download image data. Also, it has a function of displaying the downloaded image data on the display screen. Since the tablet PC 103 has a touch panel type input function, the operability is different from that of a normal PC in that the user can perform an intuitive operation. Note that the tablet PC includes a mobile terminal such as a smartphone that can perform the same operation. The tablet PC is assumed to have a photographing function for photographing an image.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of various terminals according to the embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 2, the CPU 201 comprehensively controls each device connected to the system bus 204.

The ROM 203 or the external memory 211 stores an operating system (OS) that is a control program of the CPU 201 and programs for realizing various functions described later of each server or each client.
The RAM 202 functions as a main memory, work area, temporary save area, and the like for the CPU 201.

The input controller 205 controls input from the input unit 209. Examples of the input unit 209 include a pointing device such as a keyboard and a mouse in a terminal such as a server or a client. Moreover, in a printing apparatus etc., a touch panel, a button, a switch, etc. are mentioned.
The output controller 206 controls the display of the output unit 210. Examples of the output unit 210 include a CRT and a liquid crystal.

The external memory controller 207 controls access to the external memory 211 that stores a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, edit files, printer drivers, and the like. In addition, various tables and parameters for realizing various functions of each server or each client are stored. Examples of the external memory 211 include a hard disk (HD), a floppy (registered trademark) disk (FD), a compact flash (registered trademark) connected to a PCMCIA card slot via an adapter, and smart media.
The communication I / F controller 208 executes communication control processing with an external device via the network 214.

A program 212 for realizing the present invention is recorded in the external memory 211 and is executed by the CPU 201 by being loaded into the RAM 202 as necessary.
Next, the flow of user registration processing for using the image storage service will be described using the flowchart of FIG.
The user operates the client PC or tablet PC to access the image storage server and perform user registration.
In S301, the PC requests user registration.
In S302, the server accepts a user registration request.
In S303, the server transmits registration screen information for performing user registration.
In S304, the PC receives registration screen information.
In S305, the PC displays a registration screen in the display area using the registration screen information.

In S306, the PC accepts input of registration information. The registration information may be any information as long as it can identify the user. For example, there is a method in which the user ID is an email address and the password is an arbitrary character string.
In S307, the PC transmits the input information.
In S308, the server receives the input information.

In S309, the server performs user registration processing. Specifically, user information is registered in the management table, and a storage area (storage) is allocated to the user.
In S310, the server notifies that registration has been completed.
In S311, the PC receives the end notification and the process ends.
The flow of user registration processing for using the image storage service has been described above using the flowchart of FIG.
As a result, the registered user can use the image storage service.
Next, a procedure for a registered user to use an image storage service will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the overall flow of processing using the image storage service.
The user operates the client PC or tablet PC to access the image storage server.
In S401, the PC accepts input of login information. The login information is, for example, a user ID and a password.
In S402, the PC transmits the input login information.
In S403, the server receives login information.

  In S404, the server performs a login process. Specifically, the received login information is used to inquire whether the input login information is from a valid user.

If it is determined in S405 that the server is a valid user, the server transmits screen information for displaying a service screen. The service screen is, for example, the top screen of the image storage service.
In S406, the PC receives service screen information.

In S407, the PC displays the service screen in the display area using the service screen information. If the user makes a request to display another service screen after displaying the service screen, the PC requests the service screen, and the server transmits various service screen information in response to the request. FIG. 6 shows an example of the service screen.
FIG. 6 is an example of a service screen provided by the image storage service.

  A service screen is displayed in the browser 601. A button for selecting a service screen to be displayed is displayed in the menu area 602. When the top button 603 is pressed, the PC makes a display request for the top screen. When the travel album button 604 is pressed, a screen list display request registered as a travel album is requested. Similarly, when the child album button 605 is pressed, a display request for a screen list registered as a child album is made.

  In the example of FIG. 6, a travel album is selected, “European travel album” is displayed in the title display field 606, and a plurality of image data is displayed in the image data display area 607.

  An album is used when displaying image data of a common theme from among a plurality of image data uploaded by a user. In the example of FIG. 6, album registration is performed under the name “travel album”, and image data to be displayed is designated. There are various designation methods. As an example, there is a method using attribute information included in image data. It is possible to specify to display image data having the same tag information using the tag information in the attribute information. In the example of FIG. 6, designation is made to display image data registered as “Europe travel” in the tag information, and “Europe travel” is displayed in the title display field 606.

  An example of attribute information included in the image data is shown in FIG. In this example, as the attribute information, shooting model information 701, shooting date and time information 702, shooting location information 703, title information 704, and tag information 705 are provided. Shall be able to have. In this embodiment, tag information is an item in which an arbitrary character string can be registered.

Each image data 609 is displayed together with a title 608. The selection list 610 is displayed when editing attribute information about image data. The edited attribute information is updated in the server.
In S408, the PC performs an image editing process. Details of this processing will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of image editing processing.

  In step S501, the PC determines whether an operation for uploading image data has been performed. If Yes, the process proceeds to S502, and if No, the process proceeds to S507. For example, if a button (not shown) for selecting an image to be uploaded is pressed, the determination is Yes.

In S502, the PC accepts selection of image data to be uploaded. Specifically, selection of arbitrary image data from image data stored in a local folder such as a PC by a user operation is accepted.
In S503, the PC uploads the selected arbitrary image data.
In S504, the server receives the uploaded image data.

In step S505, the server stores the uploaded image data. Specifically, the image data is stored in the storage area of the user in association with the uploaded user.
In step S506, the server notifies that the processing has been completed.

  In step S507, the PC determines whether an operation for editing attribute information has been performed. In the case of Yes, it progresses to S508, and in No, it progresses to S514. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, when a menu display (not shown) for editing attribute information is displayed in a state where arbitrary image data is selected, “Yes” is determined.

In step S <b> 508, the PC accepts selection of image data to be edited for attribute information. For example, image data selected by the user from a plurality of image data displayed in the display area is received.
In S509, the PC edits the attribute information.
In S510, the PC transmits the edited attribute information.
In S511, the server receives attribute information.
In S512, the server updates the attribute information.
In S513, the server notifies that the processing has been completed.

  In step S514, the PC determines whether an operation for editing the album has been performed. If Yes, the process proceeds to S515, and if No, the process proceeds to S520. For example, when a button (not shown) for selecting album editing is pressed, the determination is Yes.

In S515, the PC accepts album editing. Here, creation of a new album, change to an existing album, and the like are accepted. As described above, the image data can be displayed on the album by editing the tag information in the attribute information included in the image data. Further, when the image data is hidden from the album, it can be hidden by deleting the tag information or inputting different tag information.
In S516, the PC transmits the edited album information.
In S517, the server receives the edited album information.
In S518, the server performs an update process using the received album information.
In S519, the server notifies that the processing is completed.
In step S520, the PC receives an end notification.
In S520, the PC determines whether an instruction for termination has been given. If yes, the process ends. If no, the process returns to S501.
The flow of the image editing process has been described above using the flowchart of FIG.
In S409, the PC makes a logout request.
In S410, the server accepts a logout request.
In S411, the server performs logout processing.
In S412, the server notifies that the logout has ended.
In S413, the PC receives the end notification and the process ends.
The procedure for the registered user to use the image storage service has been described above with reference to FIGS.

Next, a procedure in which a registered user who operates the tablet PC uses the image storage service will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, a case where a mother who is hospitalized for childbirth takes a picture of a baby using a tablet PC, uploads it to an image storage server, and then browses it will be described as an example.
FIG. 8 is an example of a screen when a registered user operating the tablet PC logs in to the image storage server immediately after user registration.

A service screen of the image storage service is displayed in the display area 802 of the tablet PC 801. Here, since no image data has been uploaded yet, the image data is not displayed.
Next, a procedure for a user operating the tablet PC to upload image data will be described.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing in which a user operating a tablet PC uploads image data.
The description will be made assuming that the user has already logged in to the image storage server.

  In S901, the tablet PC registers child information. In the registration method, first, the user presses a child information registration button 803 in FIG. After the depression, a child information registration screen shown in FIG. 10 is displayed, and the user inputs child information in the column 1001. In the example of FIG. 10, “Yamada Taro” is input. When the registration button 1002 is pressed, the tablet PC stores the input child information in the storage area.

  In step S902, the tablet PC determines whether an instruction to capture an image has been issued. In the case of Yes, it progresses to S903, and in No, it returns to S902. Specifically, it is determined whether or not a shooting instruction has been given via a display screen displayed when an image shooting mode button (not shown) is selected. An example of the screen is shown in FIG. An image acquired from a camera built in the tablet PC is displayed at 1101. When the shooting button 1102 is pressed by the user, it is determined that a shooting instruction has been issued.

  In S903, the tablet PC performs a photographing process. Specifically, a still image is acquired from the video that has been shot and temporarily stored in the memory as image data.

  In step S904, the tablet PC determines whether a transmission instruction has been issued. In the case of Yes, it progresses to S905, and in No, it returns to S902. Specifically, it is determined whether the button 1103 to send to the album in FIG. 11 has been pressed.

In S906, the tablet PC writes the child information registered in S901 into the tag information included in the attribute information of the image data to be transmitted that is temporarily stored in the memory.
In S907, the tablet PC transmits image data.
In S908, the server receives image data.

In S909, the server stores and manages the received image data in association with the login user information. Note that information (IP address, PC name, etc.) for identifying the transmission source tablet PC may be stored together.
In S910, the server notifies the end.
In S911, the tablet PC receives the end notification and ends the process.
The flow of processing in which the user operating the tablet PC uploads image data has been described above using the flowchart of FIG.
Next, a procedure for browsing image data uploaded by a user operating the tablet PC will be described.
FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing for browsing image data uploaded by a user operating the tablet PC.
In S1201, the tablet PC accepts input of login information. The login information is, for example, a user ID and a password.

In S1202, the tablet PC transmits the input login information. At this time, the registered child information (tag information), information for identifying the tablet PC (IP address, PC name, etc.) and the like are also transmitted. In addition, a request for browsing the image data is made.
In s1203, the server receives login information. In addition, a request for browsing image data is accepted.

  In S1204, the server performs login processing. Specifically, the received login information is used to inquire whether the input login information is from a valid user.

  In S1205, when it is determined that the server is a valid user, the server performs a filtering process. The filtering process performed here is a filtering process for allowing only the image data group uploaded via the tablet PC to be browsed on the tablet PC. Specifically, filtering is performed by using child information input in tag information included in attribute information of image data.

  The child information may be received directly or acquired indirectly. Directly received is what is directly received by the client terminal. What is acquired indirectly is acquired from a tag information management table or the like managed by a server using user information received from a client terminal.

In S1206, the server transmits the filtered image data. Here, when a dedicated application capable of displaying the image data is received by receiving the image data in the tablet PC, the image data is transmitted. On the other hand, when image data is displayed on a tablet PC using a general-purpose browser or the like, there is an embodiment in which not only image data but also screen information is transmitted.
In step S1207, the tablet PC receives image data.
In S1208, the tablet PC displays image data. An example of the display screen is shown in FIG.
FIG. 13 is an example of a screen displaying downloaded image data.

  FIG. 13 shows an example of a screen displayed after the “Go to Photo Gallery Top” button 1301 is selected. Here, “Yamada Taro-chan's calendar” is displayed in the title 1302, but “Yamada Taro”, which is tag information, is displayed. As the tag information, either tag information stored in the tablet PC or tag information included in image data filtered by the server may be used.

  In the photo display field 1303, the downloaded image data is displayed separately for each day. The display unit may be weekly or monthly, and can be arbitrarily selected.

  In the present embodiment, because of the limitation of the display area of the display column, here, one representative image data is displayed, and when the display column is selected, a group of image data of the same date can be displayed. Switch to screen display. As a method for displaying and selecting image data, for example, various methods such as an embodiment in which image data is selected from a thumbnail display can be adopted.

  Thus, by filtering using tag information, only the image data uploaded to the server by the tablet PC can be displayed on the tablet PC.

Moreover, various application methods can be considered for the user by applying filtering using tag information. For example, when an account of an image sharing server is shared by a couple, image data can be easily passed from the husband to the wife. To give a specific example, while the wife is hospitalized for childbirth, the husband accesses the image sharing server with a PC from home, and the tag information is the same as the tag information registered on the tablet PC that the wife uses at the hospital. By writing the tag information of the contents to the image data and uploading the image data, the next time the wife accesses the image sharing server using the tablet PC, the image data uploaded by the husband is downloaded. Will be displayed. Therefore, the husband can report the image data to the wife without going to the hospital. Also, if the photos are overflowing on the image sharing server, the husband can edit the number downloaded to the tablet PC instead of his wife by deleting the tag information used for filtering from the image data uploaded from the home PC You can also
Next, in S1209, the tablet PC performs an image operation process. Details of this processing will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the flow of image operation processing.

  In S1401, the tablet PC selects image data. Image data is selected according to an operation by a user via an arbitrarily displayed screen. For example, when an arbitrary date is selected in the photo display field 1303, an image data list screen corresponding to the date is displayed (FIG. 15). FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image data selection screen. The user selects image data from the thumbnail display field 1501 so that the image data and its attribute information are displayed in the image data display field 1502.

  In step S1402, the tablet PC determines whether a festive photo has been designated. In the case of Yes, it progresses to S1403, and in No, it progresses to S1409. Specifically, the determination is made based on whether or not a “celebration photo designation” button 1503 is pressed on the screen shown in FIG.

  In this embodiment, the festive photo is for use in a service for printing and presenting image data. For example, as a hospital service, a congratulatory photo designated by a mother who is hospitalized for childbirth can be printed in advance, and a photo printed at the time of medical examination for one month after discharge can be used.

In S1403, the tablet PC designates a festive photo. More specifically, the designation is made based on the contents (for example, file name) that can identify which image data is designated as the celebration photo.
In S1404, the server accepts designation of a festive photo.

  In step S1405, the server copies the image data for which the celebration photo is designated. Specifically, the image data designated as a festive photo is copied from the image data stored in the storage area of each user provided by the image storage service to a dedicated storage area. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an outline of copying. In each of the users A to C, when the festive photo is designated, the original image data is stored in the festive photo storage area 1601.

  The reason for copying the image data to the festive photo area is to enable the festive photo print service even if the original image data is deleted from the image storage area owned by each user. is there.

The number of festive photos can be set as desired. When multiple photos are specified, image data is copied each time a festive photo is specified. Each time it is overwritten.
Here, the flow of processing for printing a celebration photo will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing for printing a celebration photo.

  In S1701, the server inputs target person information. The target person information is information for specifying a person who should print a festive photo. For example, when the patient is discharged from the hospital, the name of the discharged person is input.

  In S1702, the server determines whether a predetermined period has elapsed. In the case of Yes, it progresses to S1703, and in No, it returns to S1702. For example, it is determined whether a period such as one week has elapsed.

In step S1703, the server performs processing for outputting target image data. Specifically, processing is performed for extracting and outputting image data of a person who has entered target person information within a target period and designated a festive photo from the festive photo storage area.
The flow of processing for printing a celebration photo has been described above with reference to FIG.

Subsequently, in S1406, the server transmits information for displaying a festive photo. Here, information indicating that the designation has been completed, information for displaying thumbnails of festive photos in the tablet PC, and the like are transmitted.
In step S1407, the tablet PC receives information for displaying a festive photo.

  In step S1408, the tablet PC displays the festive photo using information for displaying the festive photo. A display example is shown in FIG. Since a mark 1801 indicating a festive photo and a thumbnail 1802 of the festive photo are displayed, the user can check which image data has been designated as a festive photo. In the tablet PC, information may be stored in the mark 1801 and the thumbnail 1802 in order to be displayed.

  In step S1409, the tablet PC determines whether a photo frame is designated. If Yes, the process proceeds to S1410. If No, the process proceeds to s1415. Specifically, as shown in the example of the screen in FIG. 19, the determination is made based on whether any image data to be displayed as a photo frame is specified from arbitrary image data.

  In the screen example shown in FIG. 19, the check columns 1901 and 1902 are checked to display a photo frame, and the check column 1093 is not checked to display a photo frame.

  Note that “display as a photo frame” in this embodiment means that a plurality of image data are sequentially switched and displayed in the display area of the tablet PC like a so-called digital photo frame.

In S1410, the tablet PC transmits photo frame designation information. Specifically, information (for example, a file name) that can specify which image data is displayed as a photo frame is transmitted.
In S1411, the server receives photo frame designation information.

  In S1412, the server performs album editing processing. In the present embodiment, the album function is used in the tablet PC in order to switch and sequentially display arbitrary image data among the image data stored in the image storage server. Specifically, it creates and edits an album for realizing a photo frame display of image data having tag information designated by the tablet PC and collecting the image data designated by the photo frame on the tablet PC. . FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of the created album.

  Each time a photo frame is designated in the tablet PC, the contents are reflected in the album of the image sharing server. The image data for which the photo frame has been checked is included in the album, while the image data for which the photo frame has been unchecked is excluded from the album.

Conventionally, creating and editing an album requires special knowledge and time since it is necessary to log in to the image storage server using a PC and explicitly create or delete the album. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the user operating the tablet PC can substantially create and edit an album by performing a photo frame check operation, and thus has special knowledge of creating and editing an album. do not need.
In S1412, the server notifies that the processing is completed.
In step S1414, the tablet PC receives a notification that processing has ended.

In step S1415, the tablet PC determines whether a request for displaying a photo frame has been made. In the case of Yes, it progresses to S1416, and in No, it progresses to S1421. Specifically, the determination is made based on whether the photo frame button 1904 on the screen shown in FIG. 19 is pressed.
In step S1416, the tablet PC requests photo frame display.
In step S1417, the server accepts a photo frame display request.

In S1418, the server transmits image data for displaying a photo frame. Specifically, the image data registered in the photo frame display album is transmitted. When there are a plurality of image data, it may be transmitted in a batch or at a different timing in consideration of the network environment.
In S1419, the tablet PC receives the image data.
In S1420, the tablet PC displays the image data as a photo frame. FIG. 21 shows a display example.

  FIG. 21 shows that the display is switched from the image data (1) to the image data (2). The image data included in the photo frame album is sequentially displayed. The switching timing can be arbitrarily set. Further, the next image data may be downloaded at an image switching timing.

Next, in S1421, the tablet PC determines whether an end instruction has been given. If yes, the process ends. If no, the process returns to S1401. For example, the determination is made based on whether the logout process has been executed.
The flow of the image operation process has been described above with reference to FIG.
In S1210, the tablet PC makes a logout request.
In S1211, the server accepts a logout request.
In S1212, the server performs logout processing.
In step S1213, the server notifies that the logout has ended.
In S1214, the tablet PC receives the end notification and the process ends.
The procedure for browsing the image data uploaded by the user operating the tablet PC has been described above with reference to FIG.

  As described above, according to the present invention, a person who provides a print service can reliably provide a print service to a user who stores image data in an image storage server.

  Although the embodiments have been described in detail above, the present invention can take embodiments as, for example, a system, an apparatus, a method, a program, or a storage medium (recording medium). The present invention may be applied to a system composed of these devices, or may be applied to an apparatus composed of a single device.

  In the present invention, a software program (in the embodiment, a program corresponding to the flowchart shown in the figure) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment is directly or remotely supplied to the system or apparatus, and the computer of the system or apparatus Is also achieved by reading and executing the supplied program code.

  Accordingly, since the functions of the present invention are implemented by computer, the program code installed in the computer also implements the present invention. In other words, the present invention includes a computer program itself for realizing the functional processing of the present invention.

  In that case, as long as it has the function of a program, it may be in the form of object code, a program executed by an interpreter, script data supplied to the OS, and the like.

  As a recording medium for supplying the program, for example, floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, MO, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card ROM, DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD-R) and the like.

  As another program supply method, a client computer browser is used to connect to an Internet homepage, and the computer program of the present invention itself or a compressed file including an automatic installation function is downloaded from the homepage to a recording medium such as a hard disk. Can also be supplied. It can also be realized by dividing the program code constituting the program of the present invention into a plurality of files and downloading each file from a different homepage. That is, a WWW server that allows a plurality of users to download a program file for realizing the functional processing of the present invention on a computer is also included in the present invention.

  In addition, the program of the present invention is encrypted, stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, distributed to users, and key information for decryption is downloaded from a homepage via the Internet to users who have cleared predetermined conditions. It is also possible to execute the encrypted program by using the key information and install the program on a computer.

  In addition to the functions of the above-described embodiments being realized by the computer executing the read program, the OS running on the computer based on the instruction of the program is a part of the actual processing. Alternatively, the functions of the above-described embodiment can be realized by performing all of them and performing the processing.

  Furthermore, after the program read from the recording medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion board or The CPU or the like provided in the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

101 Image storage server 102 Client PC
103 Tablet PC
104 network 105 wireless network

Claims (6)

An information processing apparatus for managing uploaded image data,
Receiving means for receiving image data uploaded from the client terminal;
Management means for managing image data received by the receiving means;
Designation accepting means for accepting designation of arbitrary image data to be subjected to a printing service from the owner of the image data managed by the managing means;
An information processing apparatus comprising: copy means for copying image data designated by the designation receiving means to a storage area owned by a service provider that provides a print service for the image data.   And a transmission unit configured to transmit image data managed by the management unit and information specifying the image data designated by the designation receiving unit in response to a request for browsing the image data. Item 4. The information processing apparatus according to Item 1. User information accepting means for accepting input of user information;
And further comprising: a print processing unit that performs a process of printing the image data that is specified by the user information received by the user information receiving unit and is copied to another storage area by the copy unit. Item 3. The information processing device according to item 1 or 2. An information processing method in an information processing apparatus for managing uploaded image data,
A receiving step for receiving image data uploaded from a client terminal;
A management step for managing the image data received in the receiving step;
A designation receiving step for accepting designation of arbitrary image data to be subjected to a printing service from an owner of the image data managed by the management step;
An information processing method comprising: a copy step of copying the image data designated in the designation receiving step to a storage area owned by a service provider that provides a print service for the image data. A program that can be executed in an information processing apparatus that manages uploaded image data,
Receiving means for receiving image data uploaded from a client terminal;
Management means for managing image data received by the receiving means;
Designation accepting means for accepting designation of arbitrary image data to be received from the owner of the image data managed by the managing means;
A program for causing the information processing apparatus to function as a copy unit that copies image data designated by the designation receiving unit to a storage area owned by a service provider that provides a print service for the image data. . An information processing system capable of communicating between a client terminal and an information processing apparatus that manages uploaded image data,
The information processing apparatus includes:
Receiving means for receiving image data uploaded from the client terminal;
Management means for managing image data received by the receiving means;
Designation accepting means for accepting designation of arbitrary image data to be subjected to a printing service from the owner of the image data managed by the managing means;
Copy means for copying image data designated by the designation receiving means to a storage area owned by a service provider that provides a print service for the image data;
The client terminal is
An information processing system comprising: designation means for designating arbitrary image data to be subjected to a printing service from image data managed by the management means.

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