Information processing apparatus for providing image to communication terminal and control method therefor

• US 7,284,040 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2003
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Makoto, Maeda, Kenji, Yamaguchi, Kotaro, Murase, Yoko, Sunata, Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Jean; Frantz B.
• Application Number:
  US10/660,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/219, 709/217, 715/500, 358/2.1, 348/231.6
• US Class Current: 709/219
• 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 1/00143 Ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00151 with selective access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00188 Printing, e.g. prints or reprints H04N1/0019, H04N1/00196 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00196 Creation of a photo-montage, e.g. photoalbum H04N1/0019 takes precedence
• 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 1/00312 with a digital transmission apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, SMS or ISDN device transmitting or receiving via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network or the internet H04N1/00214; transmission of digital information H04L
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/324 intermediate the transmitter and receiver terminals, e.g. at an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/34 for coin-freed systems ; Pay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3295 Deletion of stored data; Preventing such deletion

Abstract

As an apparatus which provides a high-quality service that reduces the service usage load of users, there is disclosed an information processing apparatus accessed from a communication terminal to browse images, which includes an issuing unit that assigns a session identification to a communication terminal, a storage unit that stores the session identification and the communication terminal user'"'"'s personal information, a receiving unit that receives a session identification and a printing request of images, a determination unit that determines if the session identification is stored in the storage unit, a transmission unit that transmits the personal information to the communication terminal if the determination unit determines that the session identification is stored with the personal information in the storage unit, and an obtaining unit that obtains the user'"'"'s personal information if the determination unit determines that the session identification is not stored in the storage unit.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus that stores images and provides a communication terminal with the stored images, the apparatus comprising:

an issuing unit configured to issue a uniquely defined session ID to the communication terminal which accesses the information processing apparatus in order to browse the stored images;

a storage unit configured to store the session ID and personal information of a user of the communication terminal to which the session ID is issued by the issuing unit;

a receiving unit configured to receive, from the communication terminal, a printing request, together with the session ID issued by the issuing unit, to print images stored by the information processing apparatus;

a determination unit configured to determine whether or not the session ID received with the printing request is stored in the storage unit;

a transmission unit configured to, in a case where the determination unit determines that the session ID is stored in the storage unit, and determines that the session ID is stored with the personal information of the user, transmit the personal information to the communication terminal in order to request confirmation of the personal information by the user;

an obtaining unit configured to, in a case where the determination unit determines that the session ID is not stored in the storage unit, obtain personal information of the user of the communication terminal which has sent the printing request, in order to store the personal information with the session ID in the storage unit; and

a print processing unit configured to print the stored images designated in the printing request after the user confirms the personal information transmitted by the transmission unit, or after storing the personal information in the storage unit obtained by the obtaining unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a managing unit configured to manage an effective term of the session ID.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the issuing unit sends the session ID to the communication terminal as a part of a URL.

4. A method for an information processing apparatus that stores images and provides a communication terminal with the stored images, comprising:

an issuing step of issuing a uniquely defined session ID to the communication terminal which accesses the information processing apparatus in order to browse the stored images;

a storage step of storing, in a storage unit, the session ID and personal information of a user of the communication terminal to which the session ID is issued by the issuing step;

a receiving step of receiving, from the communication terminal, a printing request, together with the session ID issued by the issuing step, to print images stored by the information processing apparatus;

a determination step of determining whether or not the session ID received with the printing request is stored in the storage unit by the storage step;

a transmission step of, in a case where the determination step determines that the session ID is stored in the storage unit, and determines that the session ID is stored with the personal information of the user, transmitting the personal information to the communication terminal in order to request confirmation of the personal information by the user;

an obtaining step of, in a case where the determination step determines that the session ID is not stored in the storage unit by the storage step, obtaining the personal information of the user of the communication terminal which has sent the printing request, in order to store the personal information with the session ID in the storage unit; and

a print processing step of performing a process to print the stored images designated in the printing request after the user confirms the personal information transmitted by the transmitting step, or after storing the personal information in the storage unit obtained by the obtaining step.

5. A computer-readable storage medium on which is stored a computer program that implements a method for an information processing apparatus that stores images and provides a communication terminal with the stored images, the method comprising:

an issuing step of issuing a uniquely defined session ID to the communication terminal which accesses the information processing apparatus in order to browse the stored images;

a storage step of storing, in a storage unit, the session ID and personal information of a user of the communication terminal to which the session ID is issued by the issuing step;

a receiving step of receiving, from the communication terminal, a printing request, together with the session ID issued by the issuing step, to print images stored by the information processing apparatus;

a determination step of determining whether or not the session ID received with the printing request is stored in the storage unit by the storage step;

a transmission step of, in a case where the determination step determines that the session ID is stored in the storage unit, and determines that the session ID is stored with the personal information of the user, transmitting the personal information to the communication terminal in order to request confirmation of the personal information by the user;

an obtaining step of, in a case where the determination step determines that the session ID is not stored in the storage unit by the storage step, obtaining the personal information of the user of the communication terminal which has sent the printing request, in order to store the personal information with the session ID in the storage unit; and

a print processing step of performing a process to print the stored images designated in the printing request after the user confirms the personal information transmitted by the transmitting step, or after storing the personal information in the storage unit obtained by the obtaining step.