Image ordering system and method

• US 7,424,460 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2001
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohta, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischer; Andrew J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MURDOUGH, JOSHUA A
• Application Number:
  US09/805,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20020046039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,735 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/26, 705/27, 705/50, 705/77, 705/78, 705/79, 358/1.1, 358/1.9, 358/1.14, 358/1.15
• US Class Current: 705/78
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/027 involving a payment switch or gateway
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Order data is transmitted from a computer that has been installed at a travel agency to a center server. The order data is transmitted from the server to a photo lab. An order form is printed by an order-form printer located in the photo lab. Film having an image that complies with the order is found in a film library in accordance with the specifics written on the order form. The film that has been found is duplicated by a developing apparatus. The duplicated film and the order form are sealed in an envelope and mailed to the travel agency.

Claims

1. An image ordering system comprising:

a center server;

a first client computer for an orderer; and

a plurality of second client computers for a laboratory,

wherein said center server, said first client computer, and said plurality of second client computers are capable of communicating data with one another;

said first client computer comprising;

an input unit for inputting data that specifies an image to be printed; and

a first transmitting unit for transmitting, to said center server, the image specifying data that is input from said input unit and data specifying the orderer;

said center server comprising;

a memory for storing correspondence data in advance, the correspondence data representing which of the plurality of second client computers is affiliated with the first client computer of the orderer;

a first receiving unit for receiving the image specifying data and the orderer specifying data transmitted from said first transmitting unit of said first client computer;

a determination unit for determining, on the basis of the correspondence data, which of the plurality of second client computers is affiliated with the orderer specified by the orderer data received by said first receiving unit;

a second transmitting unit for transmitting the image specifying data and the orderer specifying data, which has been received by said first receiving unit, to one of said plurality of second client computers that has been determined by said determination unit in association with each other; and

an image database for storing client images,

wherein said one of said plurality of second client computers comprising;

a second receiving unit for receiving the image specifying data and the orderer specifying data transmitted from said second transmitting unit of said center server; and

a first alerting unit for giving notice of information regarding an image specified by the image specifying data and of an orderer represented by the orderer specifying data, which items of data have been received by said second receiving unit, and

wherein the data that specifies an image to be printed is matched to a client image stored in said image database.

2. The system according to claim 1,

said center server further comprising:

a transmit controller for controlling said second transmitting unit to transmit the image data and the orderer specifying data to said second client computer that has been determined by said determination unit.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said center server further comprises an image database storing image data;

and

said first client computer includes a display controller for displaying, on a display unit, a thumbnail image of an image represented by image data that has been stored in said image database of said center server.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said center server further comprises:

a calculation unit which, on the basis of image specifying data received by said first receiving unit, calculates an estimate of a printing fee for printing an image specified by the image specifying data; and

a third transmitting unit for transmitting, to said first client computer, data representing the estimate calculated by said calculation unit; and

said first client computer further comprises;

a third receiving unit for receiving the estimate data transmitted from said third transmitting unit of said center server; and

a second alerting unit for giving notice of the estimate represented by the estimate data received by said third receiving unit.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said center server further comprises:

a calculation unit for calculating a printing fee for printing the image; and

a fifth transmitting unit for transmitting data representing the fee calculated by said calculation unit to at least one of said first client computer and one of said second client computers;

at least one of said first client computer and one of said second client computers further comprises;

a fifth receiving unit for receiving fee data transmitted from said fifth transmitting unit of said center server; and

a second alerting unit for giving notice of the fee represented by the fee data received by said fifth receiving unit.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said first client computer and one of said second client computers each comprises:

a sixth receiving unit for receiving fee data transmitted from said fifth transmitting unit of said center server; and

a third alerting unit for giving notice of a fee represented by the fee data received by said sixth receiving unit,

said fifth transmitting unit of said center server transmitting data representing the fee calculated by said fee calculation unit to said first client computer after it transmits this data to one of said second client computers.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein said fifth transmitting unit transmits fee data of orderers affiliated with said second client computers.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein each of a plurality of agencies is provided with a third client computer for the agency;

laboratories affiliated with the agencies and orderers affiliated with the laboratories each being decided; and

said fifth transmitting unit transmitting fee data to the third client computer of a corresponding agency, to one of said second client computers of the laboratory and to said first client computer of the orderer.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said fifth transmitting unit of said center server transmits the fee data to one of the second client computers of the laboratory after it transmits it to the third client computer of the agency;

said third client computer of the agency comprises;

a first verification unit for verifying a fee represented by fee data transmitted from said fifth transmitting unit of said center server; and

a sixth transmitting unit for transmitting verification data to said center server in response to verification performed by said verification unit;

said center server further including a seventh receiving unit for receiving verification data transmitted from said third client computer of the agency; and

said fifth transmitting unit transmitting the fee data to said one of the second client computers of the laboratory in response to reception of the verification data by said seventh receiving unit.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein said fifth transmitting unit of said center server transmits the fee data to the first client computer of the orderer after it transmits it to one of the second client computers of the laboratory;

one of said second client computers of the laboratory further comprising;

a second verification unit for verifying a fee represented by fee data transmitted from said fifth transmitting unit of said center server; and

a seventh transmitting unit for transmitting verification data to said center server in response to verification performed by said second verification unit,

said center server including an eighth receiving unit for receiving verification data transmitted from said one of the second client computers of the laboratory;

said fifth transmitting unit transmitting the fee data to said first client computer of the orderer in response to reception of the verification data by said eighth receiving unit.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein a third client computer for an agency is provided, said third client computer comprising:

a first setting unit for setting at least one of a laboratory affiliated with an agency and an orderer affiliated with a laboratory; and

an eighth transmitting unit for transmitting attribute data, which has been set by said first setting unit, to said center server.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein one of said client computers for laboratory further comprises:

a second setting unit for setting an orderer affiliated with a laboratory; and

a ninth transmitting unit for transmitting attribute data, which has been set by said second setting unit, to said center server.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one client computer of the third client computer for the agency and one of the second client computers for the laboratory further comprises:

a third setting unit for setting a service, from among a plurality of services, that can be utilized by the orderer; and

a tenth transmitting unit for transmitting data, which represents the service that has been set by said third setting unit, to said center server.

23. The image ordering system according to claim 1, wherein the correspondence data which represents which of the plurality of second client computers is affiliated with the first client computer of the orderer, comprises:

a management information database including at least one of a table of user names, a table of company names, a table of company—

user link information, a table of company master—

slave information, a table for setting system services, a table for setting printing services, an order table, a product table, and a table for specifying consignees.

24. The image ordering system according to claim 23, wherein at least two of the table of company names, the table of company—

user link information, the table of company master—

slave information, the table for setting system services, the table for setting printing services, are linked to each other by company identification (ID) data.

25. The image ordering system according to claim 23, wherein at least two of the table of user names, the table of company—

user link information, and the order table are linked to each other by user identification (ID) data.

26. The image ordering system according to claim 23, wherein the table for setting printing services and the order table are linked to each other by service identification (ID) data.

27. The image ordering system according to claim 23, wherein the order table and the product table are linked to each other by product number data.

28. The image ordering system according to claim 23, wherein the order table and the table for specifying consignees are linked to each other by consignee service identification (ID) data.

29. The image ordering system according to claim 1, wherein the correspondence data which represents which of the plurality of second client computers is affiliated with the first client computer of the orderer, comprises:

master—

slave relationships between a plurality of first client computers for orderers and said plurality of second client computers for the laboratory.

30. The image ordering system according to claim 29, wherein said master—

slave relationships between a plurality of first client computers for orderers and said plurality of second client computers for the laboratory, comprise;

relationships between at least two of user name information, user identification information, company name information, company identification information, company—

user link information, company master—

slave information, system services information, printing services information, order tables, product tables, and consignee information.

31. The image ordering system according to claim 1, wherein said determination unit determines, using the correspondence data, whether one of the plurality of second client computers is affiliated with the orderer specified by the orderer data received by said first receiving unit;

and

wherein, if said determination unit determines, using the correspondence data, that one of the plurality of second client computers is affiliated with the orderer, then said second transmitting unit transmits the image specifying data and the orderer specifying data to said one of the plurality of second client computers determined to be affiliated with the orderer.

14. A center server comprising:

a memory for storing correspondence data in advance, the correspondence data representing which of a plurality of client computers for a laboratory is affiliated with a client computer of an orderer;

a receiving unit for receiving data specifying an image and data specifying an orderer transmitted from the client computer of the orderer;

a determination unit for determining, on the basis of the correspondence data, which one of the plurality of client computers for the laboratory is affiliated with the orderer specified by the orderer data received by said receiving unit;

a transmitting unit for transmitting the image specifying data and the orderer specifying data, which has been received by said receiving unit, to said one of the client computers for the laboratory that has been determined by said determination unit in association with each other; and

an image database for storing client images,

wherein the data specifying an image is matched to a client image stored in said image database.

15. In an image ordering, system comprising a center server, a first client computer for an orderer and a plurality of second client computers for a laboratory that are capable of communicating data with one another, an image ordering method comprising:

inputting data that specifies an image to be printed;

transmitting, to said center server, the image specifying data that is input and data specifying the orderer,

wherein said first client computer implements said inputting data and transmitting to said center server;

storing correspondence data in advance, the correspondence data representing which of the plurality of second client computers is affiliated with the first client computer of the orderer;

receiving the image specifying data and the orderer specifying data transmitted from said first client computer;

determining, on the basis of the correspondence data, which of the plurality of second client computers is affiliated with the orderer specified by the orderer data received by said first receiving unit;

transmitting the received image specifying data and orderer specifying data to said second client computer that has been determined in association with each other;

wherein said center server implements said storing, said receiving the image specifying data, said determining, and said transmitting to said second client computer;

receiving the image specifying data and the orderer specifying data transmitted from said center server;

giving notice of information regarding an image specified by the received image specifying data and of an orderer represented by the received orderer specifying data,

wherein said second client computer implements said receiving the image specifying data and the orderer specifying data transmitted from said center server and said giving notice of information; and

searching an image database, which stores client images, and matching the received image specifying data to a client image stored in said image database.

16. A method of controlling operation of a center server, comprising:

storing correspondence data in advance, the correspondence data representing which of a plurality of client computers for a laboratory is affiliated with a client computer of an orderer;

receiving data specifying an image and data specifying an orderer transmitted from a first client computer of the orderer;

determining, on the basis of the correspondence data, which one of the plurality of client computers for the laboratory is affiliated with the orderer specified by the orderer data received by said receiving unit;

transmitting the received image specifying data and orderer specifying data to said one of the plurality of client computers for the laboratory in association with each other; and

searching an image database, which stores client images, and matching the received image specifying data to a client image stored in said image database.

17. An image ordering system comprising:

a first client computer of an orderer;

a center server that communicates data with said first client computer,

wherein said center server comprises;

a memory for storing correspondence data in advance, the correspondence data representing which of a plurality of second client computers for a laboratory is affiliated with the first client computer of the orderer;

a first receiving unit for receiving image specifying data and orderer specifying data transmitted from said first client computer;

a determination unit for determining, on the basis of the correspondence data, which of the plurality of second client computers is affiliated with the orderer specified by the orderer data received by said first receiving unit;

a second transmitting unit for transmitting the image specifying data and the orderer specifying data, which has been received by said first receiving unit, to one of said plurality of second client computers that has been determined by said determination unit; and

an image database for storing client images,

wherein the data specifying an image is matched to a client image stored in said image database.

18. The image ordering system according to claim 17, wherein said first client computer comprises:

an input unit for inputting data that specifies an image to be printed; and

a first transmitting unit for transmitting, to said center server, the image specifying data that is input from said input unit and data specifying the orderer.

19. The image ordering system according to claim 17, wherein said one of the plurality of second client computers comprises:

a second receiving unit for receiving the image specifying data and the orderer specifying data transmitted from said second transmitting unit of said center server; and

a first alerting unit for giving notice of information received by said second receiving unit,

wherein said information includes at least one of an image specified by the image specifying data and of an orderer represented by the orderer specifying data.

20. An image ordering method for an image ordering system comprising a center server, a first client computer for an orderer and a plurality of second client computers for a laboratory that are capable of communicating data with one another, said image ordering method comprising:

transmitting data from said first client computer to said center server;

storing correspondence data in advance, wherein the correspondence data includes which of the plurality of second client computers is affiliated with the first client computer of the orderer;

receiving said data, at the center server, from said first client computer;

determining, on the basis of the correspondence data, which one of the plurality of second client computers is affiliated with the orderer specified by said data received by said first receiving unit;

transmitting said data from said center server to said one of the plurality of second client computers;

receiving said data transmitted from said center server at said one of the second client computers;

giving notice of information specified by said data; and

searching an image database, which stores client images, and matching the received image specifying data to a client image stored in said image database.

21. The image ordering method according to claim 20, wherein said data comprises at least one of image specifying data and data specifying the orderer.

22. The image ordering method according to claim 20, wherein said information comprises at least one of an image specified by said data and of an orderer represented said data.