Method and apparatus for recording order information

• US 6,198,526 B1
• Filed: 09/10/1998
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohtsuka, Shuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell
• Assistant Examiner(s): FULLER, RODNEY EVAN
• Application Number:
  US09/150,899
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 355/40, 348/239, 348/232, 348/207, 348/231, 395/102, 395/117, 707/526, 707/527, 396/310, 396/311, 396/321, 358/906, 358/909.1
• US Class Current: 355/40
• CPC Class Codes: G03D 15/005 Order systems, e.g. printsorter
• 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 1/00143 Ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00188 Printing, e.g. prints or reprints H04N1/0019, H04N1/00196 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9202 the additional signal being a sound signal H04N5/9155, H04N5/92 take precedence

Abstract

In the case of a print order where the content of an order regarding print output is provided from a user to a laboratory in a digital form, necessity of printing or the like can be decided at the time of image data acquisition and the image data sets can be classified and stored before they are provided to the laboratory. Furthermore, an order of prints wherein a plurality of image data sets are used, such as printing of a composed photograph, can be placed easily. A portion of the order information, such as necessity of printing, is added to image data as tag information. The reset of the order information is described as order information in an order file. The image data to be printed is specified by image information in the order file, and an addition to flag showing that the tag information needs to be referred to is set to ON. A printing order receiving apparatus receives both the image file and the order file and carries out processing on the image data according to the tag information and the order information.

Claims

1. An order information recording method for recording image data and content of an order relating to output printing of the image data in a recording medium as digital data, comprising:

recording image data together with first print order information, describing a portion of the content of the output printing order, on a recording medium; and

recording an order file, including location information referring to a location of image data to be printed, and recording addition information referencing that the first print order information has been stored together with the image data, on a recording medium, wherein the first print order information is recorded after display of the image data using a digital camera.

2. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the image data, first print order information and order file are each recorded on the same recording medium.

3. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first print order information includes quantity information specifying a print quantity.

4. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first print order information includes trimming information specifying an area of the image data to be printed.

5. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first print order information includes size information specifying a print size.

6. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the location information includes information identifying a plurality of sets of image data to be printed.

7. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 1 wherein second print order information showing a content of the order is recorded in the order file.

8. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the first print order information shows processing content for each image data set and the second print order information includes processing content common among image data sets.

9. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the second print order information includes information specifying a combination of image data sets.

10. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the second print order information includes template information specifying a template describing a combination of image data sets.

11. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the second print order information includes character string information specifying a character string to be combined with a composite image generated using the template.

12. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the print order information includes image processing information specifying a kind of image processing to be carried out on the image data.

13. A printing order receiving method comprising:

obtaining the image data to which the first print order information has been added; and

obtaining the order file from the recording medium, wherein the first order information and order file have been recorded by the print order information recording method as defined by claim 1.

14. A printing order receiving method comprising:

obtaining the image data to which the first print order information has been added; and

obtaining the order file, including the second order information, from the recording medium, wherein the first order information and order file have been recorded by the print order information recording method as defined by claim 7.

15. A printing method for printing based on the image data and the order file obtained by the printing order receiving method as defined by claim 14, comprising:

comparing the content of the first print order information with the content of the second order information; and

carrying out printing according to either the first or the second print order information when the content conflicts between the first and the second print order information.

16. A printing method as claimed in claim 15 further comprising:

comparing a time of image data generation and order file generation when the content of the first print order information conflicts with the content of the second print order information; and

carrying out the printing based on the print order information having the relatively most recent time of generation.

17. A computer-readable recording medium, containing a program further causing a computer

to obtain image data, to which the first print order information has been added, from a recording medium, wherein the first order information and order file have been recorded according to the print order information recording method as defined in claim 1;

and

for causing a computer to obtain the order file.

18. A computer-readable recording medium containing a program for causing a computer

to obtain image data, to which the first print order information has been added, from a recording medium, wherein the first order information and order file have been recorded according to the print order information recording method as defined in claim 7;

and

for causing a computer to obtain the order file.

19. A computer-readable recording medium containing a program for causing a computer to execute a printing method in which printing is carried out based on the image data and the order file obtained by the printing order receiving method as defined in claim 14, wherein

the program further causes the computer to compare the content of the first print order information with the content of the second print order information;

and

causes the computer to carry out the printing based on either the first or the second print order information when the content conflicts between the first and the second print order information.

20. The computer-readable recording medium as claimed in claim 19 wherein the program further causes the computer to compare a time of generation of the image data with a time of generation of the order file when the content conflicts between the first and the second print order information, and

causes the computer to carry out the printing based on the print order information having the most recent time of generation.

21. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the addition information indicates a presence or absence of the first order information.

22. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image data and first print order information are recorded on the recording medium using a digital camera.

23. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the first print order information is recorded after display of the image data using a digital camera.

24. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the first print order information is stored as tag information associated with the image data.

25. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the first print order information includes a print flag indicating whether or not an image should be printed.

26. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the first print order information includes a print flag indicating whether or not an image should be printed.

27. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first print order information includes a print flag indicating whether or not an image should be printed.

28. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

displaying selectable print first print order information after recording image data; and

selecting first print order information to be recorded with the image data.

29. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the image data and first print order information are recorded on the recording medium using a digital camera.

30. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the first print order information includes a print flag indicating whether or not an image should be printed.

31. An order information recording method as claimed in claim 30, wherein other first print order information is selected upon the print flag being set so as to indicate that an image should be printed.

32. An order information recording apparatus for recording image data and content of an order relating to output printing of the image data in a recording medium as digital data, comprising:

image data recorder, adapted to record on a recording medium, image data together with first print order information describing a portion of the content of the output printing order; and

order file recorder, adapted to record on a recording medium, an order file including location information referring to a location of image data to be printed, and adapted to record addition information referencing the first print order information has been stored together with the image data, wherein the first print order information is recorded after display of the image using a digital camera.

33. An order information recording apparatus as claimed in claim 32 wherein the image data, the first print order information and order file are recorded on the same recording medium.

34. An order information recording apparatus as claimed in claim 32, wherein the first print order information includes quantity information specifying a print quantity.

35. An order information recording apparatus as claimed in claim 32 wherein the first print order information includes trimming information specifying an area of the image data to be printed.

36. An order information recorded apparatus as claimed in claim 32 wherein the first print order information includes size information specifying a print size.

37. An order information recording apparatus as claimed in claim 32 wherein the location information includes information identifying a plurality of sets of image data to be printed.

38. An order information recording apparatus as claimed in claim 32 wherein second print order information showing a content of the order is recorded in the order file.

39. An order information recording apparatus as claimed in claim 38 wherein the first print order information shows processing content for each image data set and the second print order information includes processing content common among image data sets.

40. An order information recording apparatus as claimed in claim 39 wherein the second print order information includes information specifying a combination of image data sets.

41. An order information recording apparatus as claimed in claim 38 wherein the second print order information includes template information specifying a template describing a combination of image data sets.

42. An order information recording apparatus as claimed in claim 41 wherein the second print order information includes character string information specifying a character string to be combined with a composite image generated using the template.

43. An order information recording apparatus as claimed in claim 38 wherein the second print order information includes image processing information specifying a kind of image processing to be carried out on the image data.

44. A printing order receiving apparatus comprising:

image data obtaining means for obtaining image data having the first print order information from the recording medium added thereto, wherein the first order information and order file have been recorded by the print order information recording apparatus as defined in claim 38; and

order file obtaining means for obtaining the order file.

45. A printing apparatus comprising:

printing means for printing based on the image data and the order file obtained by the printing order receiving apparatus as defined in claim 44; and

content comparing means for comparing the content of the first print order information with the content of the second print order information,

wherein the printing means carries out the printing based on either the first or the second print order information when the content conflicts between the first and the second print order information.

46. A printing apparatus as claimed in claim 45 further comprising:

time-of-generation comparing means for comparing time of generation between the image data and the order file when the content conflicts between the first and the second print order information, wherein

the printing means carries out the printing based on the print order information having the most recent time of generation.

47. A printing order receiving apparatus comprising:

image data obtaining means for obtaining for obtaining image data having the first print order information from the recording medium added thereto, wherein the first order information and order file have been recorded by the print order information recording apparatus as defined in claim 32; and

order file obtaining means for obtaining the order file.

48. A computer-readable recording medium including a program for causing a computer to execute a print order information recording method in which the content of a print order regarding print output of image data is recorded in a recording medium as digital data together with the image data, comprising:

a first segment for causing the computer to record on a recording medium, image data including first print order information, describing a portion of the content of the print order; and

a second segment for causing a computer to record on a recording medium, an order file including location information referring to a location of image data to be printed, and to record addition information referencing that the first print order information has been stored together with the image data, wherein the first print order information is recorded after display of the image data using a digital camera.

49. A computer-readable recording medium as claimed in claim 48 wherein the image data, first print order information and order file are each recorded on the same recording medium.

50. A computer-readable recording medium as claimed in claim 48 wherein the first print order information includes quantity information specifying a print quantity.

51. A computer-readable recording medium as claimed in claim 48 wherein the wherein the first print order information includes trimming information specifying an area of the image data to be printed.

52. A computer-readable recording medium as claimed in claim 48 wherein the first print order information includes size information specifying a print size.

53. A computer-readable recording medium as claimed in claim 48 wherein the location information includes information identifying a plurality of sets of image data to be printed.

54. A computer-readable recording medium as claimed in claim 48 wherein the second print order information showing a content of the order is recorded in the order file.

55. A computer-readable recording medium as claimed in claim 54 wherein the first print order information shows processing content for each image data set and the second print order information includes processing content common among image data sets.

56. A computer-readable recording medium as claimed in claim 55 wherein the second print order information includes information specifying a combination of image data sets.

57. A computer-readable recording medium as claimed in claim 54 wherein the second print order information includes template information specifying a template describing a combination of image data sets.

58. A computer-readable recording medium as claimed in claim 57 wherein the second print order information includes character string information specifying a character string to be combined with a composite image generated using a template.

59. A computer-readable recording medium as claimed in claim 54 wherein the second print order information includes image processing information specifying a kind of image processing to be carried out on the image data.

60. An order information recording method for recording image data and content of an order relating to output printing of the image data in a recording medium as digital data, comprising:

recording image data together with first print order information, describing a portion of the content of the output printing order, on a recording medium; and

recording an order file, including location information referring to a location of image data to be printed, and recording addition information referencing that the first print order information has been stored together with the image data, on a recording medium.

61. An order information recording apparatus for recording image data and content of an order relating to output printing of the image data in a recording medium as digital data, comprising:

an image data recorder, adapted to record on a recording medium, image data together with first print order information describing a portion of the content of the output printing order; and

an order file recorder, adapted to record on the recording medium, an order file including location information referring to a location of image data to be printed, and adapted to record addition information referencing that the first print order information has been stored together with the image data.

62. A computer-readable recording medium including a program for causing a computer to execute a print order information recording method in which the content of a print order regarding print output of image data is recorded in a recording medium as digital data together with the image data, comprising:

a first segment for causing the computer to record on a recording medium, image data including first print order information, describing a portion of the content of the print order; and

a second segment for causing a computer to record on the recording medium, an order file including location information referring to a location of image data to be printed, and to record addition information referencing that the first print order information has been stored together with the image data.