Shooting apparatus, managing server, shooting managing system and shooting managing method

• US 20050226413A1
• Filed: 03/09/2005
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Wada, Toshiaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,515,180 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/210
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00132 in a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00137 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00145 from a remote location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00151 with selective access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3281 Encryption; Ciphering

Abstract

There is disclosed a shooting apparatus includes a shooting portion which shoots a subject to generate an original image, an index image generating portion which generates an index image from the original image, an image memory which stores at least an image, a communicating portion which performs transmission/reception of information with a managing server which manages images by radio, a transmitting portion which transmits the original image shot by the shooting portion to the managing server through the communicating portion, and an original image specifying information storage portion which stores in the image memory the index image of the original image and original image specifying information which specifies the original image in the managing server in association with each other.

Claims

1. A shooting apparatus comprising:

a shooting portion which shoots a subject to generate an original image;

an index image generating portion which generates an index image from the original image;

an image memory which stores at least an image;

a communicating portion which performs transmission/reception of information with a managing server which manages images by radio;

a transmitting portion which transmits the original image shot by the shooting portion to the managing server through the communicating portion; and

an original image specifying information storage portion which stores in the image memory the index image of the original image and original image specifying information which specifies the original image in the managing server in association with each other.

2. The shooting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display which displays the plurality of index images stored in the image memory;

a selecting portion which selects at least one index image from the plurality of index images displayed in the display;

an image request transmitting portion which transmits the original image specifying information corresponding to the index image selected by the selecting portion to the managing server through the communicating portion;

an original image receiving portion which receives the original image transmitted from the managing server in accordance with the original image specifying information through the communicating portion; and

an original image storage portion which stores the received original image in the image memory.

3. The shooting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display which displays the plurality of index images stored in the image memory;

a selecting portion which selects at least one index image from the plurality of index images displayed in the display; and

a print order transmitting portion which transmits the original image specifying information corresponding to the index image selected by the selecting portion and information for ordering printing of an original image specified by the original image specifying information to the managing server through the communicating portion.

4. A shooting apparatus comprising:

a shooting portion which shoots a subject to generate an original image;

an index image generating portion which generates an index image from the original image;

an image memory which stores at least an image;

a communicating portion which performs transmission/reception of information with a managing server which manages images by radio;

an original image specifying information generation portion which generates original image specifying information which specifies the original image;

an encryption key request transmitting portion which transmits an encryption key request including the original image specifying information to the managing server through the communicating portion;

an encryption key receiving portion which receives an encryption key from the managing server through the communicating portion;

an encryption portion which encrypts the original image by using the received encryption key; and

an encrypted image storage portion which stores the original image specifying information, the encrypted original image and the index image of the original image in the image memory in association with each other.

5. The shooting apparatus according to claim 4, comprising:

a display which displays the plurality of index images stored in the image memory;

a selecting portion which selects at least one index image from the plurality of index images displayed in the display;

an extraction portion which extracts the original image specifying information corresponding to the index image selected by the selecting portion from the image memory;

a decryption key request transmitting portion which transmits a decryption key request including the original image specifying information to the managing server through the communicating portion;

a decryption key receiving portion which receives a decryption key transmitted from the managing server in accordance with the original image specifying information through the communicating portion;

a decryption portion which decrypts the encrypted original image specified by the original image specifying information by using the received decryption key; and

an original image storage portion which stores the original image decrypted by the decryption portion in the image memory.

6. A shooting apparatus which operates under management by a managing server which manages shooting, the shooting apparatus comprising:

a shooting portion which shoots a subject to generate an original image;

an index image generating portion which generates an index image from the original image shot by the shooting portion;

an image memory which stores at least an image;

a shooting management signal receiving portion which receives a shooting management signal which manages shooting from the managing server; and

an image storage control portion which determines a mode of storing the original image in the image memory based on shooting admission level information included in the shooting management signal.

7. The shooting apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a communicating portion which performs transmission/reception of information with the managing server by radio,

wherein the image storage control portion determines either storing an original image shot by the shooting portion and an index image of the original image in the image memory, or transmitting the original image to the managing server and storing the index image in the image memory depending on the shooting admission level information.

8. The shooting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the image storage control portion controls the shooting portion to be prevented from performing shooting when the shooting management signal receiving portion is not receiving the shooting management signal or when the received shooting admission level information represents inhibition of shooting.

9. The shooting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the image storage control portion controls an original image shot by the shooting portion to be prevented from being stored in the image memory when the shooting management signal receiving portion is not receiving the shooting management signal or when the received shooting admission level information represents inhibition of shooting.

10. The shooting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the image storage control portion transmits an original image shot by the shooting portion to the managing server by using the communicating portion when the received shooting admission level represents restriction of shooting.

11. The shooting apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

an original image specifying information receiving portion which receives through the communicating portion the original image specifying information transmitted from the managing server in accordance with the original image transmitted to the managing server; and

an index storage portion which stores the original image specifying information acquired by the original image specifying information receiving portion and an index image of the original image in the image memory in association with each other.

12. The shooting apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a display which displays the plurality of index images stored in the image memory;

a selecting portion which selects at least one index image from the plurality of index images displayed in the display;

a selected information transmitting portion which transmits the original image specifying information corresponding to the index image selected by the selecting portion to the managing server through the communicating portion; and

an original image acquisition portion which receives the original image transmitted from the managing server in accordance with the original image specifying information and stores the received original image in the image memory.

13. The shooting apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a display which displays the plurality of index images stored in the image memory;

a selecting portion which selects at least one index image from the plurality of index images displayed in the display; and

a print order transmitting portion which allows the original image specifying information corresponding to the index image selected by the selecting portion to be included in information for ordering printing of the original image, and transmits the obtained information to the managing server through the communicating portion.

14. A shooting apparatus which operates under management of a managing server which manages shooting, the shooting apparatus comprising:

a shooting portion which shoots a subject to generate an original image;

an index image generating portion which generates an index image from the original image;

an image memory which stores at least an image;

a communicating portion which performs transmission/reception of information with the managing server by radio;

an original image specifying information generation portion which generates original image specifying information which specifies the original image;

a shooting management signal receiving portion which receives a shooting management signal which manages shooting from the managing server;

an encryption key request transmitting portion which transmits an encryption key request including the original image specifying information to the managing server through the communicating portion;

an encryption key receiving portion which receives an encryption key from the managing server through the communicating portion;

an encryption portion which encrypts the original image by using the received encryption key;

an encrypted image storage portion which stores the original image specifying information, the encrypted original image and an index image of the original image in the image memory in association with each other; and

an image storage control portion which determines either storing the original image encrypted by the encryption portion in the image memory by using the encrypted image storage portion or storing the original image in the image memory as it is depending on a shooting admission level information included in the shooting management signal.

15. The shooting apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the image storage control portion controls the shooting portion to be prevented from performing shooting when the shooting management signal receiving portion is not receiving the shooting management signal or when the received shooting admission level information represents inhibition of shooting.

16. The shooting apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the image storage control portion controls an original image shot by the shooting portion to be prevented from being stored in the image memory when the shooting management signal receiving portion is not receiving the shooting management signal or when the received shooting admission level information represents inhibition of shooting.

17. The shooting apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the image storage control portion encrypts an original image shot by the shooting portion by using the encryption portion and stores the encrypted original image in the image memory when the received shooting admission level information represents restriction of shooting.

18. The shooting apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

a display which displays the plurality of index images stored in the image memory;

a selecting portion which selects at least one index image from the plurality of index images displayed in the display;

an extraction portion which extracts original image specifying information corresponding to the index image selected by the selecting portion from the image memory;

a decryption key request transmitting portion which transmits a decryption key request including the original image specifying information to the managing server through the communicating portion;

a decryption key receiving portion which receives a decryption key transmitted from the managing server in accordance with the original image specifying information through the communicating portion;

a decryption portion which decrypts the encrypted original image specified by the original image specifying information by using the received decryption key; and

an original image storage portion which stores the decrypted original image in the image memory.

19. A managing server which manages images shot by shooting apparatuses, the managing server comprising:

an information communicating portion which performs transmission/reception of information with each shooting apparatus;

an image receiving portion which receives an image from the shooting apparatus through the information communicating portion;

a specific information generation portion which generates image specifying information which specifies the received image;

an information memory which stores the image received by the image receiving portion and the image specifying information which is generated by the specific information generation portion and specifies the image in association with each other; and

a specific information transmitting portion which transmits the image specifying information which is generated by the specific information generating portion and specifies the image to the shooting apparatus through the information communicating portion.

20. The managing server according to claim 19, further comprising an image transmitting portion which reads an image specified by the received image specifying information and transmits the read image to the shooting apparatus through the information communicating portion when the information communicating portion receives image request information including the image specifying information from the shooting apparatus.

21. The managing server according to claim 19, further comprising a print order transmitting portion which reads an image specified by the image specifying information and transmits the read image together with print order information for ordering printing of an image specified by the image specifying information to a print server when the information communicating portion receives a print request information including the image specifying information and the print order information.

22. A managing server which manages images shot by shooting apparatuses, the managing server comprising:

a shooting admission level setting portion which sets a level of restricting a shooting operation of the shooting apparatuses;

a shooting management signal generation portion which generates a shooting management signal including a shooting admission level set by the shooting admission level setting portion as shooting admission level information;

a shooting management signal transmitting portion which transmits the shooting management signal;

an information communicating portion which performs transmission/reception of information with each shooting apparatus;

an image receiving portion which receives an image transmitted by the shooting apparatus through the information communicating portion;

a specific information generation portion which generates image specifying information which specifies the received image;

an information memory which stores the image received by the image receiving portion and the image specifying information which is generated by the specific information generating portion and specifies the image in association with each other; and

a specification information transmitting portion which transmits the image specifying information which is generated by the specific information generating portion and specifies the image to the shooting apparatus through the information communicating portion.

23. The shooting apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising:

an image transmitting portion which reads an image specified by the received image specifying information from the information memory and transmits the read image to the shooting apparatus through the information communicating portion when the information communicating portion receives image request information including the image specifying information from the shooting apparatus.

24. The shooting apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising:

a print order transmitting portion which reads an image specified by the image specifying information from the information memory and transmits the read image together with print order information for ordering printing of the image specified by the image specifying information to a print server when the information communicating portion receives print request information including the image specifying information and the print order information.

25. A managing server which manages images shot by shooting apparatuses, the managing server comprising:

an information communicating portion which performs transmission/reception of information with each shooting apparatus;

an information memory which stores the information received through the information communicating portion;

an encryption key request receiving portion which receives an encryption key request including image specifying information which specifies an image in the shooting apparatus from the shooting apparatus through the information communicating portion;

an encryption key generation portion which generates an encryption key and a decryption key in accordance with the encryption key request;

an encryption key transmitting portion which transmits the encryption key generated by the encryption key generation portion to the shooting apparatus through the communicating portion;

a decryption key storage portion which stores the image specifying information included in the encryption key request and the decryption key generated by the encryption key generation portion in the information memory in association with each other;

a decryption key request receiving portion which receives a decryption key request including the image specifying information from the shooting apparatus through the communicating portion;

a decryption key read portion which reads the decryption key from the information memory in accordance with the image specifying information included in the decryption key request; and

a decryption key transmitting portion which transmits the decryption key read by the decryption key read portion to the shooting apparatus through the communicating portion.

26. The shooting apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising:

a shooting admission level setting portion which sets a level of restricting a shooting operation of the shooting apparatuses;

a shooting management signal generation portion which generates a shooting management signal which includes a shooting admission level set by the shooting admission level setting portion as shooting admission level information; and

a shooting management signal transmitting portion which transmits the shooting management signal.

27. A shooting managing system comprising:

shooting apparatuses; and

a managing server which manages images shot by the shooting apparatuses, each shooting apparatus having;

a shooting portion which shoots a subject to generate an image;

an index image generating portion which generates an index image from the image;

an image memory which stores at least the index image generated by the index image generating portion;

a first communicating portion which performs transmission/reception of information with the managing server by radio;

a transmitting portion which transmits the image shot by the shooting portion to the managing server through the first communicating portion;

a receiving portion which receives image specifying information which specifies the image in the managing server through the first communicating portion; and

an image specifying information storage portion which stores the received image specifying information and the index image of the image in the image memory in association with each other,

the managing server having;

a second communicating portion which performs transmission/reception of information with each shooting apparatus;

an image receiving portion which receives the image transmitted by the shooting apparatus through the second communicating portion;

a specific information generating portion which generates the image specifying information which specifies the received image;

an information memory which stores the image received by the image receiving portion and the image specifying information which specifies the image generated by the specific information generating portion in association with each other; and

a specification information transmitting portion which transmits the image specifying information which is generated by the specific information generating portion and specifies the image to the shooting apparatus through the second communicating portion.

28. The image managing system according to claim 27, wherein the shooting apparatus further has:

a display which displays the plurality of index images stored in the image memory;

a selecting portion which selects at least one index image from the plurality of index images displayed in the display;

an image request transmitting portion which transmits an image request signal including the image specifying information corresponding to the index image selected by the selecting portion to the managing server through the first communicating portion;

an image receiving portion which receives the image transmitted from the managing server in accordance with the image request signal through the first communicating portion; and

an image storage portion which stores the received image in the image memory; and

the managing server further has;

an image transmitting portion which reads an image specified by the received image specifying information from the information memory and transmits the read image to the shooting apparatus through the second communicating portion when the second communicating portion receives the image request signal including the image specifying information from the shooting apparatus.

29. The image managing system according to claim 27, wherein the shooting apparatus further has:

a display which displays the plurality of index images stored in the image memory;

a selecting portion which selects at least one index image from the plurality of index images displayed in the display; and

a print order transmitting portion which allows the image specifying information corresponding to the index image selected by the selecting portion to be included in print order information for ordering printing of an image, and transmits the obtained information to the managing server through the first communicating portion, and

the managing server further has;

a print server transmitting portion which extracts the image specifying information from the print order information received through the second communicating portion, reads an image specified by the extracted image specifying information from the information memory, and transmits the read image together with the print order information to a print server.

30. The image managing system according to claim 27, wherein the managing server further has:

a shooting admission level setting portion which sets a level of restricting a shooting operation of the shooting apparatuses;

a shooting management signal generation portion which generates a shooting management signal which includes a shooting admission level set by the shooting admission level setting portion as shooting admission level information; and

a shooting management signal transmitting portion which transmits the shooting management signal, and

the shooting apparatus further has;

a shooting management signal receiving portion which receives the shooting management signal which manages shooting from the managing server; and

an image storage control portion which determines a mode of storing the image in the image memory based on the shooting admission level information included in the shooting management signal.

31. The image managing system according to claim 30, wherein the image storage control portion controls the shooting portion to be prevented from performing shooting when the shooting management signal receiving portion is not receiving the shooting management signal or when the received shooting admission level information represents inhibition of shooting.

32. The image managing system according to claim 30, wherein the image storage control portion controls an image shot by the shooting portion to be prevented from being stored in the image memory when the shooting management signal receiving portion is not receiving the shooting management signal or when the received shooting admission level information represents inhibition of shooting.

33. The image managing system according to claim 30, wherein the image storage control portion transmits an image shot by the shooting portion to the managing server by using the communicating portion when the received shooting admission level information represents restriction of shooting.

34. The image managing system according to claim 33, wherein the shooting apparatus further has:

a display which displays the plurality of index images stored in the image memory;

a selecting portion which selects at least one index image from the plurality of index images displayed in the display;

an image request transmitting portion which transmits an image request signal including the image specifying information corresponding to the index image selected by the selecting portion to the managing server through the first communicating portion;

an original image receiving portion which receives the image transmitted from the managing server in accordance with the image request signal through the first communicating portion; and

an original image storage portion which stores the received image in the image memory, and

the managing server further has;

an image transmitting portion which reads an image specified by the received image specifying information and transmits the read image to the shooting apparatus through the second communicating portion when the second communicating portion receives the image request information including the image specifying information from the shooting apparatus.

35. The image managing system according to claim 33, wherein the shooting apparatus further has:

a display which displays the plurality of index images stored in the image memory;

a selecting portion which selects at least one index image from the plurality of index images displayed in the display; and

a print order transmitting portion which allows the image specifying information corresponding to the index image selected by the selecting portion to be included in print order information for ordering printing of an image, and transmits the obtained information to the managing server through the communicating portion, and

the managing server further has;

a print server transmitting portion which extracts the image specifying information from the print order information received through the second communicating portion, reads an image specified by the extracted image specifying information from the information memory, and transmits the read image together with the print order information to a print server.

36. A shooting managing system comprising:

shooting apparatuses; and

a managing server which manages images shot by the shooting apparatuses, each shooting apparatus having;

a shooting portion which shoots a subject to generate an image;

an index image generating portion which generates an index image from the image;

an image memory which stores images;

an image specifying information generation portion which generates image specifying information which specifies the image shot by the shooting portion;

a first communicating portion which performs transmission/reception of information with the managing server by radio;

an encryption key request transmitting portion which transmits an encryption key request including the image specifying information to the managing server through the first communicating portion;

an encryption key receiving portion which receives an encryption key requested through the first communicating portion from the managing server;

an encryption portion which encrypts the image by using the received encryption key; and

an encrypted image storage portion which stores the encrypted image in the image memory in association with the image specifying information,

the managing server having;

a second communicating portion which performs transmission/reception of information with the shooting apparatus;

an information memory which stores the information received through the second communicating portion;

an encryption key generation portion which generates an encryption key and a decryption key;

an encryption key request receiving portion which receives the encryption key request through the second communicating portion;

an encryption key generation portion which generates an encryption key and a decryption key in accordance with the encryption key request;

an encryption key transmitting portion which transmits the generated encryption key to the shooting apparatus through the second communicating portion; and

a decryption key storage portion which stores the image specifying information included in the encryption key request and the decryption key generated by the encryption key generation portion in the information memory in association with each other.

37. The shooting managing system according to claim 36, wherein the shooting apparatus further has:

a display which displays the plurality of index images stored in the image memory;

a selecting portion which selects at least one index image from the plurality of index images displayed in the display;

a decryption key request transmitting portion which transmits a decryption key request signal including image specifying information of an image corresponding to the index image selected by the selecting portion to the managing server through the first communicating portion;

a decryption key receiving portion which receives the decryption key transmitted from the managing server in accordance with the original image specifying information through the first communicating portion;

a decryption portion which decrypts the encrypted image specified by the image specifying information by using the received decryption key; and

an image storage portion which stores the decrypted image in the image memory, and

the managing server further has;

a decryption key request receiving portion which receives a decryption key request including the image specifying information from the shooting apparatus through the second communicating portion;

a decryption key read portion which reads the decryption key from the information memory in accordance with the image specifying information included in the decryption key request; and

a decryption key transmitting portion which transmits the decryption key read by the decryption key read portion to the shooting apparatus through the second communicating portion.

38. The shooting managing system according to claim 36, wherein the managing server has:

a shooting admission level setting portion which sets a level of restricting a shooting operation of the shooting apparatuses;

a shooting management signal generation portion which generates a shooting management signal which includes a shooting admission level set by the shooting admission level setting portion as shooting admission level information; and

a shooting management signal transmitting portion which transmits the shooting management signal, and

the shooting apparatus further has;

an image storage control portion which determines either storing an image encrypted by the encryption portion in the image memory by using the encrypted image storage portion or storing the image in the image memory as it is depending on the shooting admission level information included in the shooting management signal.

39. The shooting managing system according to claim 38, wherein the image storage control portion controls the shooting portion to be prevented from performing shooting when the shooting management signal receiving portion is not receiving the shooting management signal or when the received shooting admission level information represents inhibition of shooting.

40. The shooting managing system according to claim 38, wherein the image storage control portion controls an image shot by the shooting portion to be prevented from being stored in the image memory when the shooting management signal receiving portion is not receiving the shooting management signal or when the received shooting admission level information represents inhibition of shooting.

41. The shooting managing system according to claim 38, wherein the image storage control portion encrypts an image shot by the shooting portion by using the encryption portion and stores the encrypted image in the image memory when the received shooting admission level information represents restriction of shooting.

42. An image managing method in a system comprising shooting apparatuses and a managing server,

each shooting apparatus having:

a shooting portion which shoots a subject to generate an image;

an image memory which stores at least the image; and

a first information communicating portion which performs transmission/reception of information by radio, the managing server having;

a second information

communicating portion which performs transmission/reception of information with each shooting apparatus by radio; and

an information memory which stores information,

wherein the shooting apparatus performs;

shooting a subject by using the shooting portion;

generating an index image of the shot image from the shot image; and

transmitting the shot image to the managing server through the first information communicating portion,

the managing server performs;

receiving the image transmitted by the shooting apparatus through the second information communicating portion;

generating image specifying information which specifies the image received through the second information communicating portion;

storing the received image and the generated image specifying information which specifies the image in the information memory in association with each other; and

transmitting the generated image specifying information to the shooting apparatus through the second information communicating portion, and

the shooting apparatus performs;

receiving the image specifying information transmitted by the managing server through the first information communicating portion; and

storing the received image specifying information and the index image of the image shot by the shooting portion in the image memory in association with each other.

43. The image managing method according to claim 42, wherein the shooting apparatus performs:

displaying the plurality of index images stored in the image memory in a display;

selecting at least one index image from the plurality of index images displayed in the display; and

transmitting an image request signal including image specifying information of an image corresponding to the selected index image to the managing server through the first information communicating portion,

the managing server performs;

receiving the image request signal transmitted from the shooting apparatus through the second information communicating portion;

reading an image specified by the image specifying information included in the received image request signal from the information memory; and

transmitting the image read from the information memory to the shooting apparatus through the second information communicating portion, and

the shooting apparatus performs;

receiving the image from the managing server through the first information communicating portion; and

storing the received image in the image memory.

44. The image managing method according to claim 42, wherein the shooting apparatus performs:

displaying the plurality of index images stored in the image memory in a display;

selecting at least one index image from the plurality of index images displayed in the display; and

allowing the image specifying information corresponding to the selected index image to be included in print order information for ordering printing of an image, and transmitting the obtained information to the managing server through the first information communicating portion, and

the managing server performs;

receiving the print order signal transmitted from the shooting apparatus through the second information communicating portion;

extracting the image specifying information from the received print order information; and

reading an image specified by the extracted image specifying information from the information memory, and transmitting the read image together with the print order information to a print server.

45. The image managing method according to claim 42, wherein the managing server performs:

setting a level of restricting a shooting operation of the shooting apparatuses as a shooting admission level;

generating a shooting management signal including the set shooting admission level; and

transmitting the shooting management signal, and

the shooting apparatus performs;

receiving the shooting management signal transmitted from the managing server; and

determining a mode of storing the image in the image memory based on the shooting admission level information included in the received shooting management signal.

46. The image managing method according to claim 45, wherein the shooting apparatus performs:

controlling a subject to be prevented from being shot when the shooting management signal is not being received or when the received shooting admission level information represents inhibition of shooting.

47. The image managing method according to claim 45, wherein the shooting apparatus performs:

controlling a shot image to be prevented from being stored in the image memory when the shooting management signal is not being received or when the received shooting admission level information represents inhibition of shooting.

48. The image managing method according to claim 45, wherein the shooting apparatus performs:

transmitting an image shot by the shooting portion to the managing server through the first communicating portion when the received shooting admission level information represents restriction of shooting.

49. The image managing method according to claim 48, wherein the shooting apparatus performs:

displaying the plurality of index images stored in the image memory in a display;

selecting at least one index image from the plurality of index images displayed in the display; and

transmitting an image request signal including image specifying information of an image corresponding to the selected index image through the first information communicating portion,

the managing server performs;

receiving the image request signal transmitted from the shooting apparatus through the second information communicating portion;

reading an image specified by the image specifying information included in the received image request signal from the information memory; and

transmitting the image read from the information memory to the shooting apparatus through the second information communicating portion, and

the shooting apparatus performs;

receiving the image transmitted by the managing server through the first information communicating portion; and

storing the received image in the image memory.

50. The image managing method according to claim 48, wherein the shooting apparatus performs:

displaying the plurality of index images stored in the image memory in a display;

selecting at least one index image from the plurality of index images displayed in the display; and

allowing image specifying information of an image corresponding to the selected index image to be included in print order information for ordering printing of the image, and transmitting the obtained information to the managing server through the first information communicating portion, and

the managing server performs;

receiving the print order information transmitted from the shooting apparatus through the second information communicating portion;

extracting the image specifying information from the received print order information; and

reading an image specified by the extracted image specifying information from the information memory, and transmitting the read image together with the print order information to a print server.

51. An image managing method in a system comprising shooting apparatuses and a managing server,

each shooting apparatus having:

a shooting portion which shoots a subject to generate an image;

an image memory which stores at least the image; and

a first information communicating portion which performs transmission/reception of information by radio,

the managing server having;

a second information communicating portion which performs transmission/reception of information with each shooting apparatus by radio; and

an information memory which stores information,

wherein the shooting apparatus performs;

shooting a subject by using the shooting portion;

generating an index image of the shot image and image specifying information which specifies the image; and

transmitting the generated image specifying information to the managing server through the first information communicating portion,

the managing server performs;

receiving the image specifying information from the shooting apparatus through the second information communicating portion;

generating an encryption key and decryption key;

storing the generated decryption key and the received image specifying information in the information memory in association with each other;

transmitting the encryption key to the shooting apparatus through the second communicating portion, and

the shooting apparatus performs;

receiving the encryption key from the managing server through the first communicating portion;

encrypting the image by using the received encryption key; and

storing the encrypted image and the image specifying information in the image memory in association with each other.

52. The image managing method according to claim 51, wherein the shooting apparatus performs:

displaying the plurality of index images stored in the image memory in a display;

selecting at least one index image from the plurality of index images displayed in the display; and

transmitting a decryption key request signal including image specifying information of an image corresponding to the selected index image through the first information communicating portion,

the managing server performs;

receiving the decryption key request signal transmitted from the shooting apparatus through the second information communicating portion;

reading a decryption key specified by the image specifying information included in the received image request signal from the information memory; and

transmitting the decryption key read from the information memory to the shooting apparatus through the second information communicating portion, and

the shooting apparatus performs;

receiving the decryption key transmitted by the managing server through the first information communicating portion;

decrypting the image by using the received decryption key; and

storing the decrypted image in the image memory.

53. The image managing method according to claim 51, wherein the managing server performs:

setting a level of restricting a shooting operation of the shooting apparatuses as a shooting admission level;

generating a shooting management signal including the set shooting admission level; and

transmitting the shooting management signal, and

the shooting apparatus performs;

receiving the shooting management signal transmitted from the managing server; and

determining either storing the encrypted image in the image memory or storing the image in the image memory as it is depending on the shooting admission level included in the shooting management signal.

54. The image managing method according to claim 53, wherein the shooting apparatus controls shooting to be prevented when the shooting management signal is not being received or when the received shooting admission level information represents inhibition of shooting.

55. The image managing method according to claim 53, wherein the shooting apparatus controls a shot image to be prevented from being stored in the image memory when the shooting management signal is not being received or when the received shooting admission level information represents inhibition of shooting.

56. The image managing method according to claim 53, wherein the shooting apparatus encrypts a shot image and stores the encrypted image in the image memory when the received shooting admission level information restricts shooting.