METHOD FOR PROVIDING DESIGN DATA AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING DESIGN DATA

• US 20050157254A1
• Filed: 01/19/2005
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hoya Lens Manufacturing Philippines, Inc. (Hoya Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: KUBOTA, Satoshi, SHINOHARA, Toshihide, KAGA, Tadashi, TAKEUCHI, Masaaki, KATO, Kazutoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,159,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 351/158
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 13/003 Measuring during assembly or fitting of spectacles
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/061 Spectacle lenses with progressively varying focal power

Abstract

A method for providing design data and a system for providing design data that enable a lens processor to manufacture a desired inner-surface progressive addition lens corresponding to prescription data. A design data providing system is a system such that a design data creator provides design data of an inner-surface progressive addition lens to a lens processor in the case where the lens processor has agreed upon a contract to the effect that the lens processor receives provision of the design data of the inner-surface progressive addition lens from the design data creator on the condition that the lens processor pays a consideration. The design data providing system has a server device as a host computer device, a terminal computer device, and a network for connecting the server device to the terminal computer device.

Claims

1. A method for providing design data in a system comprising a terminal computer device, a processing machine connected to the terminal computer device and operated by a lens processor, and a host computer device connected to the terminal computer device via a communication line and managed by a design data creator, the design data including information of an inner-surface progressive addition lens having a distance portion and a near portion with different respective powers, and a progressive portion disposed between the distance and near portions where power changes progressively, the method comprising:

a contract agreement information acquisition process in which the host computer device acquires information indicating that the lens processor has agreed to pay consideration to the design data creator in order to receive design data of an inner-surface progressive addition lens used for controlling the processing machine;

a prescription data acquisition process performed after the contract agreement information acquisition process in which the host computer device acquires prescription data of the inner-surface progressive addition lens from the lens processor via the communication line;

a design data generation process in the host computer device for generating design data corresponding to the acquired prescription data; and

a design data distribution process in which the host computer device distributes the generated design data to the terminal computer device.

2. The method for providing design data as claimed in claim 1, wherein the design data generation process includes:

selecting predetermined reference design data on the basis of the acquired prescription data from plural reference design data; and

processing the selected reference design data on the basis of the prescription data.

3. The method for providing design data as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an inspection data generation process for generating inspection data for inspecting optical characteristics of a spectacle lens; and

an inspection data distribution process for distributing the generated inspection data to the terminal computer device.

4. The method of providing design data as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

an inspection result acquisition process for acquiring an inspection result of the spectacle lens based on the inspection data; and

a compensation process for compensating the design data on the basis of the acquired inspection result.

5. The method for providing design data as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a number of times of distribution counting process for counting the number of times of distribution of the design data by the design data distribution process; and

a billing information generation process for generating billing information to the lens processor on the basis of the counted number of times of distribution.

6. The method for providing design data as claimed in claim 4, wherein the compensation process is conducted in the host computer device.

7. The method of providing design data s claimed in claim 6, further comprising a compensated design distribution process for distributing the compensated design data to the terminal computer device.

8. A system for providing design data of an inner-surface progressive addition lens having a distance portion and a near portion with different respective powers and a progressive portion disposed between the distance and near portions where power changes progressively, the system comprising a terminal computer device, a processing machine connected to the terminal computer device and operated by a lens processor, and a host computer device connected to the terminal computer device via a communication line and managed by a design data creator, the host computer device comprising:

a contract agreement information acquisition unit for acquiring information indicating that the lens processor has agreed to pay consideration to the design data creator to receive design data of an inner-surface progressive addition lens used for controlling the processing machine;

a prescription data acquisition unit for acquiring prescription data of the inner-surface progressive addition lens from the lens processor via the communication line;

a reference design data acquisition unit for selecting predetermined reference design data on the basis of the acquired prescription data from plural reference design data;

an arranged design unit for processing the selected reference design data on the basis of the prescription data; and

a distribution unit for distributing the processed design data to the terminal computer device.

9. The system for providing design data as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

an inspection data generation unit for generating inspection data for inspecting optical characteristics of a spectacle lens; and

an inspection data distribution unit for distributing the generated inspection data to the terminal computer device.

10. The system of providing design data as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

an inspection result acquisition unit for acquiring an inspection result of the spectacle lens based on the inspection data; and

a compensation unit for compensating the design data on the basis of the acquired inspection result.

11. The system for providing design data as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

a number of times of distribution counting unit for counting the number of times of distribution of the design data by the distribution unit; and

a billing information generation unit for generating billing information to the lens processor on the basis of the counted number of times of distribution.

12. The system for providing design data as claimed in claim 10, wherein the compensation unit is located in the host computer device.

13. The system of providing design data s claimed in claim 12, further comprising a compensated design distribution unit for distributing the compensated design data to the terminal computer device.

14. A system for providing design data in a system comprising a terminal computer device, a processing machine connected to the terminal computer device and operated by a lens processor, and a host computer device connected to the terminal computer device via a communication line and managed by a design data creator, the design data including information of an inner-surface progressive addition lens having a distance portion and a near portion with different respective powers, and a progressive portion disposed between the distance and near portions where power changes progressively, the system comprising:

a contract agreement information acquisition unit in which the host computer device acquires information indicating that the lens processor has agreed to pay consideration to the design data creator in order to receive design data of an inner-surface progressive addition lens used for controlling the processing machine;

a prescription data acquisition unit operable after the contract agreement information acquisition unit acquires the consideration information for allowing the host computer device to acquire prescription data of the inner-surface progressive addition lens from the lens processor via the communication line;

a design data generation unit in the host computer device for generating design data corresponding to the acquired prescription data; and

a design data distribution unit operable for allowing the host computer device to distribute the generated design data to the terminal computer device.

15. The system for providing design data as claimed in claim 14, wherein the design data generation unit is operable for selecting predetermined reference design data on the basis of the acquired prescription data from plural reference design data;

and processing the selected reference design data on the basis of the prescription data.

16. The system for providing design data as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

an inspection data generation unit for generating inspection data for inspecting optical characteristics of a spectacle lens; and

an inspection data distribution unit for distributing the generated inspection data to the terminal computer device.

17. The system of providing design data as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

an inspection result acquisition unit for acquiring an inspection result of the spectacle lens based on the inspection data; and

a compensation unit for compensating the design data on the basis of the acquired inspection result.

18. The system for providing design data as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

a number of times of distribution counting unit for counting the number of times of distribution of the design data by the design data distribution unit; and

a billing information generation unit for generating billing information to the lens processor on the basis of the counted number of times of distribution.

19. The system for providing design data as claimed in claim 17, wherein the compensation unit is located in the host computer device.

20. The system of providing design data as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a compensated design distribution unit for distributing the compensated design data to the terminal computer device.