System and method for ordering printing of images, and system and method for printing edited images

• US 6,853,461 B1
• Filed: 04/08/1999
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Shiimori, Yoshiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAHIMI, IRAJ A
• Application Number:
  US09/288,087
• Time in Patent Office: 2,133 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 705/26
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2179 Interfaces allowing access to a plurality of users, e.g. connection to electronic image libraries

Abstract

The user of a client computer is notified of services made available by a desired store. A store server is installed in a store. The user of the client computer sends an order-taking server an indication of a service the user wishes to have performed, and the order-taking server retrieves the names of stores providing this desired service. Information relating to stores found is transmitted from the order-taking server to the client computer. The store-related information is displayed on the client computer and a desired store (e.g., one located near the user'"'"'s residence) is selected by the user. A service relating to image printing selected by the user is performed at the selected store. When the printing of the image is completed at the selected store, the user goes to the store to pick up the printed matter.

Claims

1. A system for ordering printing of images, in which a store server is installed in each of a plurality of stores, a client computer and an order-taking server are capable of communicating data with each other, and said order-taking server and said store servers are capable of communicating data with each other,

wherein said order-taking server comprises:

store-name-list-data transmitting means, which is responsive to a store-name-list request from said client computer, for transmitting data representing a list of store names for ordering printing of an image to said client computer,

wherein said client computer includes;

first display control means for controlling a display unit so as to display the list of store names represented by the store-name-list data transmitted from said store-name-list-data transmitting means;

designating means for designating a desired store in the store-name list displayed on said display unit based upon display control by said first display control means;

designated-store-name transmitting means for transmitting, to said order-taking server, data representing the store name designated by said designating means; and

order information transmitting means for transmitting order information, which relates to printing of an image, to said order-taking server,

wherein said order-taking server further includes order-related information transmitting means for transmitting information, which is related to the order information transmitted by said order information transmitting means, to said store server installed in the store designated by the data representing the designated store name transmitted from said designated-store-name transmitting means, and

wherein said store server includes order-related-information receiving means for receiving the order-related information transmitted from said order-related information transmitting means.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said client computer further includes area-specifying data transmitting means for transmitting area-specifying data, which is for specifying and area, to said order-taking server;

and

said store-name list data transmitting means of said order-taking server transmits, to said client computer, a list of names of stores located in the area represented by the area-specifying data transmitted from said area-specifying data transmitting means.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said order-taking server further includes service-data transmitting means for transmitting, to said client computer, image-processing-service data representing services relating to image processing performed by a designated store;

wherein said client computer further includes;

second display control means for controlling the display unit so as to display image processing services represented by the image-processing-service data;

image-processing-service selection means for selecting a desired image processing service from the image processing services displayed on the display unit based upon display control by said second display control means; and

selected-image-processing-service-data transmitting means for transmitting, to said order-taking server, selected-image-processing data representing the image processing service selected by said image-processing-service selection means; and

wherein said order-taking server further includes means for executing the image processing service, which is represented by the selected-image-processing data that has been transmitted from said selected-image-processing-service-data transmitting means, in regard to image data representing the image to be printed, and transmitting the image data, which has been subjected to the image processing, to said store server.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said order-taking server further includes service-data transmitting means for transmitting, to said client computer, image-processing service data representing services relating to image processing performed by a designated store;

wherein said client computer further includes;

second display control means for controlling the display unit so as to display image processing services represented by the image-processing service data;

image-processing-service selection means for selecting a desired image processing service from the image processing services displayed on the display unit based upon display control by said second display control means; and

selected-image-processing-service-data transmitting means for transmitting, to said order-taking server, selected-image-processing-service data representing the image processing service selected by said image-processing-service selection means; and

wherein said order-taking server further includes means for transmitting, to the selected store server, the selected-image-processing-service data transmitted from said selected-image-processing-service-data transmitting means.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said client computer further includes:

image-processing-service selection means for selecting a service relating to desired image processing from services relating to a plurality of types of image processing; and

selected-image-processing-service-data transmitting means for transmitting, to said order-taking server, selected image-processing-service data representing the service relaying to the image processing selected by said image-processing-service selection means,

wherein said order-taking server further includes image-processing-store-name-list-data transmitting means for transmitting, to said client computer, image-processing-store-name-list data representing a list of names of stores which perform a service relating to the image processing represented by the selected-image-processing-service data transmitted from said selected-image-processing-service-data transmitting means, and

wherein said designating means for said client computer designates a desired store from the list of image-processing store names represented by the image-processing-store-name-list data transmitted from said image-processing-store-name-list-data transmitting means.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said order-taking server further includes:

user-fee calculating means for calculating a user fee incurred at a designated store in regard to a selected image processing service; and

user-fee transmitting means for transmitting the user fee calculated by said user-fee calculating means to said client computer.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said order-taking server further includes advertising-data transmitting means which, in response to receipt of data representing a designated store, transmits data representing an advertisement regarding this designated store to said client computer.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein, when said client computer and said order-taking server are first connected, said first display control means controls said display unit to display a personal information recording area, a service menu area, and a store list area.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein selection by said user of said store list area generates said store-name-list request from said client computer.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein selection by said user of one of said service menu area and said store list area generates said store-name-list request from said client computer.

23. The system according to claim 1, wherein said order-taking server transmits said data representing a list of store names to said client computer prior to a display by said display unit of a user fee.

24. The system according to claim 1, wherein said designated-store-name transmitting means transmits the data representing the store name designated to said order-taking server prior to a transmittal of the order information by said order information transmitting means to said order taking server.

25. The system according to claim 2, wherein said area-specifying data comprises one of prefecture, postal zip code, city/town, and user address.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein said area-specifying data comprises personal-information data input to a personal information recording area of said client computer.

30. The system according to claim 1, wherein said order-taking server transmits said data representing a list of store names to said client computer prior to a transmittal of order information by said order information transmitting means to said order-taking server.

39. The system of claim 1, wherein the order information includes image data representing the image to be printed, and the store server causes the image to be based on the image data transmitted to the store server.

53. The system according to claim 1, wherein upon said client computer first communicating with said order taking server, said display unit displays a store list area for requesting said list of store names for ordering printing of an image.

54. The system according to claim 53, wherein said store list area is included on a top page of said order-taking server.

55. The system according to claim 53, wherein selecting a store from said store list causes order information for printing an image to be transmitted to said order-taking server which transmits said order information to a store server corresponding to a store which was selected.

56. The system according to claim 55, wherein said order information comprises image data representing an image to be printed.

8. A client computer constructing a system in which a store server is installed in each of a plurality of stores, the client computer and an order-taking server are capable of communication data with each other, and said order-taking server and said store servers are capable of communicating data with each other, said client computer comprising:

store-name-list-data receiving means for receiving data representing a list of store names for ordering printing of an image transmitted from said order-taking server;

first display control means for controlling a display unit so as to display the list of store names represented by the store-name-list data received by said store-name-list-data receiving means;

designating means for designating a desired store in the store-name list displayed on said display unit based upon display control by said first display control means;

designated-store-name transmitting means for transmitting, to said order-taking server, data representing the store name designated by said designating means; and

order information transmitting means for transmitting order information, which relates to printing of an image, to said order-taking server.

31. The client computer according to claim 8, wherein said order-taking server transmits said data representing a list of store names to said client computer prior to a transmittal of order information by said order information transmitting means to said order-taking server.

40. The client computer of claim 8, wherein the order information includes image data representing the image to be printed, and the store server causes the image to be based on the image data transmitted to the store server.

9. An order-taking server constructing a system in which a store server is installed in each of a plurality of stores, a client computer and the order-taking server are capable of communicating data with each other, and said order-taking server and said store servers are capable of communicating data with each other, said order-taking server comprising:

store-name-list-data transmitting means, which is responsive to a store-name-list request, for transmitting data representing a list of store names for ordering printing of an image to said client computer;

receiving means for receiving data representing a store name designated in said client computer and order information relating to printing of an image; and

order-related information transmitting means for transmitting information, which is related to the order information transmitted by said order information transmitting means, to said store server installed in the store designated by the data representing the designated store name received by said receiving means.

32. The order-taking server according to claim 9, wherein said order-taking server transmits said data representing a list of store names to said client computer prior to a transmittal of order information by said order information transmitting means to said order-taking server.

41. The order-taking server of claim 9, wherein the order information includes image data representing the image to be printed, and the store server causes the image to be based on the image data transmitted to the store server.

10. An order-taking server constructing a system in which a client computer and the order-taking server are capable of communicating data with each other, said order-taking server comprising:

store-name-list-data transmitting means, which is responsive to a store-name-list request, for transmitting data representing a list of store names for ordering printing of an image to said client computer;

receiving means for receiving data representing a store name designated in said client computer and order information relating to printing of an image; and

printing means for printing an image based upon the order information received by said receiving means.

33. The order-taking server according to claim 10, wherein said order-taking server transmits said data representing a list of store names to said client computer prior to a transmittal of order information by said order information transmitting means to said order-taking server.

42. The order-taking server of claim 10, wherein the order information includes image data representing the image to be printed, and the store server causes the image to be based on the image data transmitted to the store server.

11. A method of ordering printing of images in a system in which a store server is installed in each of a plurality of stores, a client computer and an order-taking server are capable of communicating data with each other, and said order-taking server and said store servers are capable of communicating data with each other, said method comprising:

transmitting data representing a store-name list including a list of store names for ordering printing of an image from the order-taking server to the client computer in response to a request for the store-name list from the client computer;

displaying, on a display unit of the client computer, the store-name list represented by the store-name-list data transmitted from the order-taking server;

designating a desired store in the store-name list displayed on the display unit;

transmitting, from the client computer to the order-taking server, data representing the designated store name and order information relating to printing of an image;

transmitting information, which is related to the order information transmitted at the order information transmitting step, from the order-taking server to the store server installed in the store designated by the data representing the designed store name transmitted from the client computer; and

receiving the order-related information, which is transmitted from the order-taking server, at the store server.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting area-specifying data, which is for specifying an area, from said client computer to said order-taking server; and

transmitting, from said order-taking server to said client computer, a list of names of stores located in the area represented by the area-specifying data transmitted from said client computer.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting, from said order-taking server to said client computer, image-processing-service data representing services relating to image processing performed by a designated store;

displaying image processing services represented by the image-processing-service data on a display unit of said client computer;

selecting a desired image processing service from the image processing services displayed on the display unit;

transmitting, from said client computer to said order-taking server, selected-image-processing-service data representing the image processing service that has been selected; and

in said order-taking server, executing the selected image processing services, which is represented by the selected-image-processing data that has been transmitted, in regard to image data representing the image to be printed, and transmitting the image data, which has been subjected to the image processing, to said store server.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting, from said order-taking server to said client computer, image-processing-service data representing services relating to image processing performed by a designated store;

displaying image processing services represented by the image-processing-service data on a display unit of said client computer;

selecting a desired image processing service from the image processing services displayed on the display unit of said client computer;

transmitting, from said client computer to said order-taking server, selected-image-processing-service data representing the image processing service that has been selected; and

transmitting, from said order-taking server to the selected store server, the selected-image-processing-service data that has been transmitted.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising in said client computer:

selecting a desired image processing service from a plurality of image processing services;

transmitting, to said order-taking server, selected-image-processing-service data representing the image processing service that has been selected; and

selecting in said order-taking server a desired store form the list of image-processing store names represented by the image-processing-store-name-list data.

34. The method according to claim 11, wherein said order-taking server transmits said data representing a list of store names to said client computer prior to a transmittal of order information by said order information transmitting means to said order-taking server.

43. The method of claim 11, wherein the order information includes image data representing the image to be printed, and the store server causes the image to be based on the image data transmitted to the store server.

16. A method of controlling operation of a client computer constructing a system in which a store server is installed in each of a plurality of stores, the client computer and an order-taking servers are capable of communicating data with each other, and said order-taking server and said store servers are capable of communicating data with each other, comprising:

receiving data representing a list of store names for ordering printing of an image transmitted from said order-taking server;

displaying the list of store names represented by the store-name-list data that has been received;

designating a desired store in the store-name list that has been displayed;

transmitting, to said order-taking server, data representing the store name that has been designated; and

transmitting order information, which related to printing of an image, to said order-taking server.

35. The method according to claim 16, wherein said order-taking server transmits said data representing a list of store names to said client computer prior to a transmittal of order information by said order information transmitting means to said order-taking server.

44. The method of claim 16, wherein the order information includes image data representing the image to be printed, and the store server causes the image to be based on the image data transmitted to the store server.

17. A method of controlling an order-taking server constructing a system in which a store server is installed in each of a plurality of stores, a client computer and the order-taking server are capable of communicating data with each other, and said order-taking server and said store servers are capable of communicating data with each other, comprising:

transmitting data representing a list of store names for ordering printing of an image to said client computer in response to a store-name-list request;

receiving data representing a designated store name and order information relating to printing of an image; and

transmitting information, which is related to the order information, to said store server installed in the store designated by the data representing the designated store name that has been received.

36. The method according to claim 17, wherein said order-taking server transmits said data representing a list of store names to said client computer prior to a transmittal of order information by said order information transmitting means to said order-taking server.

45. The method of claim 17, wherein the order information includes image data representing the image to be printed, and the store server causes the image to be based on the image data transmitted to the store server.

18. A method of controlling operation of an order-taking server constructing a system in which a client computer and the order-taking server are capable of communicating data with each other, comprising:

transmitting data representing a list of store names for ordering printing of an image to said client computer in response to a store-name-list request;

receiving data representing a designated store name and order information relating to printing of an image; and

printing an image based upon the order information that has been received.

37. The method according to claim 18, wherein said order-taking server transmits said data representing a list of store names to said client computer prior to a transmittal of order information by said order information transmitting means to said order-taking server.

46. The method of claim 18, wherein the order information includes image data representing the image to be printed, and the store server causes the image to be based on the image data transmitted to the store server.

19. A recording medium storing a program for controlling operation of a client computer constructing a system in which a store sever is installed in each of a plurality of stores, the client computer and an order-taking server are capable of communicating data with each other, and said order-taking server and said store servers are capable of communicating data with each other, so as to:

receive data representing a list of store names including a list of store names for ordering printing of an image transmitted from said order-taking server;

display the list of store names represented by the store-name-list data that has been received;

designate a desired store in the store-name list that has been displayed;

transmit, to said order-taking server, data representing the store name that has been designated; and

transmit order information, which relates to printing of an image, to said order-taking server.

38. The recording medium according to claim 19, wherein said order-taking server transmits said data representing a list of store names to said client computer prior to a transmittal of order information by said order information transmitting means to said order-taking server.

47. The recording medium of claim 19, wherein the order information includes image data representing the image to be printed, and the store server causes the image to be based on the image data transmitted to the store server.

27. A system for ordering printed images entries, comprising:

at least one store server located in at least one store for printing images;

an order-taking server communicatively connected with said at least one store server, said order-taking server for taking an order from a client and for calculating a fee based on said order; and

a client computer communicatively connected with said order-taking server, said client computer including display control means for controlling a display to display a list of store names for ordering printing of an image,

wherein said order-taking server, based upon a store-name-list request from said client computer, transmits data representing said list of store names for ordering printing of an image to said client computer, and

wherein said order-taking server calculates said fee based on said order after the client selects a store from said displayed list of store names.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said client computer further includes:

designating means for designating a desired store in the store-name list displayed on said display unit based upon display control by said display control means;

designated-store-name transmitting means for transmitting, to said order-taking server, data representing the store name designated by said designating means; and

order information transmitting means for transmitting order information, which relates to printing of an image, to said order-taking server.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein said order-taking server further includes order-related information transmitting means for transmitting information, which is related to the order information transmitted by said order information transmitting means, to said at least one store server installed in the store designated by the data representing the designated store name transmitted from said designated-store-name transmitting means, and

wherein said at least one store server includes order-related-information receiving means for receiving the order-related information transmitted from said order-related information transmitting means.

48. The system of claim 27, wherein the order information includes image data representing the image to be printed, and the store server causes the image to be based on the image data transmitted to the store server.

49. The system according to claim 27, wherein said display unit displays a top page screen comprising a personal information recording area, a service menu area, and a store list area.

50. The system according to claim 49, wherein said service menu area is selected to display a service menu display screen comprising an area representing a content of services capable of being utilized in said system.

51. The system according to claim 49, wherein said store list area is selected to display a store list display screen comprising a store display area including said list of store names, an area for indicating a method of narrowing down stores, and a pull-down area for changing said method of narrowing down stores.

52. The system according to claim 27, wherein said list of store names are displayed on a display screen along with an area indicating a method of narrowing down stores in said list.