Method, apparatus and recording medium for selecting images and modifying images for print order status via an information handling system

• US 7,574,673 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2002
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Umeda, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US10/085,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20020126149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,720 Days
• Field of Search: 715/838, 715/523, 715/716, 715/717, 715/769, 715/835, 715/837, 715/846, 715/733, 715/748, 715/750, 715/764, 715/810, 715/845, 715/500, 715/512, 715/527, 715/526, 715/530, 385/1.15, 348/207.2, 348/231.99, 348/231.2, 348/231.3, 348/231.4, 348/231.6, 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 358/1.17, 358/403, 358/402
• US Class Current: 715/838
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/127 by using hot folders, e.g. folder for which print settings or print data management rules are set in advance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

An Order icon is displayed on a user terminal and image data sets to be printed are registered by drag-and-drop operations for the image data sets onto the Order icon. By opening the Order icon, thumbnail images of the registered image data sets are displayed, and print sizes and quantities are input to generate order information. The order information is transferred to an order reception server together with the image data sets, and further transferred to a DPE store where the image data sets are printed.

Claims

1. A data management method comprising:

displaying on a display an icon corresponding to a data management unit;

selecting data and registering the selected data with the data management unit by dragging-and-dropping the selected data onto the icon;

carrying out a simple output of the data registered with the data management unit to the display by opening the icon, wherein said simple output indicates a content of an order for the data registered with the data management unit; and

the data are image data and the simple output is displaying a thumbnail image or thumbnail images of the image data that have been registered with the data management unit;

displaying input fields for inputting print quantities corresponding to the thumbnail image or the thumbnail images;

displaying on the display, in the case where a plurality of sets of the image data have been registered with the data management unit, an order screen for all the image data sets together with the thumbnail images thereof;

receiving an input of the content of a print order for the image data sets; and

generating order information representing the content of the print order for the image data sets.

4. The data management method of claim 1, wherein a remote service provider is connected to the data management unit, the remote service provider providing services including storing image data, recording the image data on portable recording medium and printing image data.

7. The data management method of claim 1, wherein the data includes image data, audio data, moving-image data and text-file data.

10. The data management method of claim 7, wherein when the data is image data, the simple output is a display of a thumbnail image of the image data,

wherein when the data is audio data, the simple output is a display of a link corresponding to the audio data that, when selected, plays a portion of the audio data,

wherein when the data is moving-image data, the simple output is a display of a still image of a scene in the moving-image data, and

wherein when the data is text-file data, the simple output is a print preview of the text file.

13. The data management method of claim 1, wherein the data management unit stores the data or a link to the data.

16. The data management method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of data is individually dragged-and-dropped onto the icon to register the plurality of data in the data management unit.

19. The data management method of claim 16, wherein the data management unit stores the plurality of data or respective links to the plurality of data.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein data selection and order content input can be carried out at one time.

2. A data management apparatus comprising:

a data management unit;

a display; and

a control circuit,

wherein the control circuit displays an icon corresponding to the data management unit on the display, selects data and registers the selected data with the data management unit by dragging-and-dropping the data onto the icon, and carries out a simple output of the data registered with the data management unit to the display wherein the data are image data and the simple output is displaying a thumbnail image or thumbnail images of the image data that have been registered with the data management unit, and displays input fields for inputting print quantities corresponding to the thumbnail image or the thumbnail images;

wherein the control circuit is configured to display on the display, in the case where a plurality of sets of the image data have been registered with the data management unit, an order screen for all the image data sets together with the thumbnail images thereof;

wherein the control circuit is configured to receive an input of the content of a print order for the image data sets; and

wherein the control circuit generates an order information representing the content of the print order for the image data sets.

5. The data management apparatus of claim 2, wherein a remote service provider is connected to the data management unit, the remote service provider providing services including storing image data, recording the image data on portable recording medium and printing image data.

8. The data management apparatus of claim 2, wherein the data includes image data, audio data, moving-image data and text-file data.

11. The data management apparatus of claim 8, wherein when the data is image data, the simple output is a display of a thumbnail image of the image data,

wherein when the data is audio data, the simple output is a display of a link corresponding to the audio data that, when selected, plays a portion of the audio data,

wherein when the data is moving-image data, the simple output is a display of a still image of a scene in the moving-image data, and

wherein when the data is text-file data, the simple output is a print preview of the text file.

14. The data management apparatus of claim 2, wherein the data management unit stores the data or a link to the data.

17. The data management apparatus of claim 2, wherein a plurality of data is individually dragged-and-dropped onto the icon to register the plurality of data in the data management unit.

20. The data management apparatus of claim 17, wherein the data management unit stores the plurality of data or respective links to the plurality of data.

3. A computer-readable recording storage medium for storing a program that causes a computer to execute a data management method, the method comprising:

displaying on a display an icon corresponding to a data management unit;

selecting data and registering the selected data with the data management unit by dragging-and-dropping the selected data onto the icon; and

carrying out a simple output of the data that have been dragged-and-dropped onto the icon and registered with the data management unit to the display; and

the data are image data and the simple output is displaying a thumbnail image or thumbnail images of the image data that have been registered with the data management unit;

displaying input fields for inputting print quantities corresponding to the thumbnail image or the thumbnail images;

displaying on the display, in the case where a plurality of sets of the image data have been registered with the data management unit, an order screen for all the image data sets together with the thumbnail images thereof;

receiving an input of the content of a print order for the image data sets; and

generating order information representing the content of the print order for the image data sets.

6. The computer-readable recording storage medium for storing a program that causes a computer to execute a data management method of claim 3, wherein a remote service provider is connected to the data management unit, the remote service provider providing services including storing image data, recording the image data on portable recording medium and printing image data.

9. The computer-readable recording storage medium for storing a program that causes a computer to execute a data management method of claim 3, wherein the data includes image data, audio data, moving-image data and text-file data.

12. The computer-readable recording storage medium for storing a program that causes a computer to execute a data management method of claim 9, wherein when the data is image data, the simple output is a display of a thumbnail image of the image data,

wherein when the data is audio data, the simple output is a display of a link corresponding to the audio data that, when selected, plays a portion of the audio data,

wherein when the data is moving-image data, the simple output is a display of a still image of a scene in the moving-image data, and

wherein when the data is text-file data, the simple output is a print preview of the text file.

15. The computer-readable recording storage medium for storing a program that causes a computer to execute a data management method of claim 3, wherein the data management unit stores the data or a link to the data.

18. The computer-readable recording storage medium for storing a program that causes a computer to execute a data management method of claim 3, wherein a plurality of data is individually dragged-and-dropped onto the icon to register the plurality of data in the data management unit.

21. The computer-readable recording storage medium for storing a program that causes a computer to execute a data management method of claim 18, wherein the data management unit stores the plurality of data or respective links to the plurality of data.

22. An image display and ordering method, comprising:

displaying on a display a display icon corresponding to a stored image data set;

displaying on the display an order icon corresponding to an image data set selected for ordering;

displaying on the display a simple image corresponding to an image in the stored image data set by opening the display icon;

registering the image for ordering with the order icon by dragging-and-dropping the simple image onto the order icon; and

a simple output is displaying the image;

displaying input fields for inputting print quantities corresponding to the image; and

performing image order processing of the registered image;

displaying on the display, in the case where a plurality of sets of the image data have been registered with the data management unit, an order screen for all the image data sets together with the thumbnail images thereof;

receiving an input of the content of a print order for the image data sets; and

generating order information representing the content of the print order for the image data sets.

23. The image display and ordering method of claim 22, wherein the image order processing comprises:

displaying a simple image of each registered image;

requesting print order information corresponding to each registered image; and

sending the print order information to a remote processing center via at least one of a recording medium and a network connection.

24. An image display and ordering apparatus, comprising:

a display; and

a control circuit,

wherein the control circuit displays a display icon corresponding to a stored image data set and an order icon corresponding to an image data set selected for ordering,

wherein the control circuit displays a simple image corresponding to an image in the stored image data set when the display icon is opened,

wherein the control circuit registers the image for ordering with the order icon when the simple image is dragged-and-dropped onto the order icon, and displays a thumbnail image of the image registered with the data management unit through a simple output, displays input fields for inputting print quantities corresponding to the image or the thumbnail image; and

performs image order processing of the registered image or images;

wherein the control circuit is configured to display on the display, in the case where a plurality of sets of the image data have been registered with the data management unit, an order screen for all the image data sets together with the thumbnail images thereof;

wherein the control circuit is configured to receive an input of the content of a print order for the image data sets; and

wherein the control circuit generates an order information representing the content of the print order for the image data sets.

25. The image display and ordering apparatus of claim 24, wherein the image order processing comprises:

displaying a simple image of each registered image;

requesting print order information corresponding to each registered image; and

sending the print order information to a remote processing center via at least one of a recording medium and a network connection.

26. A computer-readable recording storage medium for storing a program that causes a computer to execute a data management method, the method comprising:

displaying on a display a display icon corresponding to stored image data set;

displaying on the display an order icon corresponding to an image data set selected for ordering;

displaying on the display a simple image corresponding to an image in the stored image data set by opening the display icon;

registering the image for ordering with the order icon by dragging-and-dropping the simple image onto the order icon;

performing image order processing of the registered image or images;

displaying on the display, in the case where a plurality of sets of the image data have been registered with the data management unit, an order screen for all the image data sets together with the thumbnail images thereof;

receiving an input of the content of a print order for the image data sets; and

generating order information representing the content of the print order for the image data sets.

27. The computer-readable recording storage medium for storing a program that causes a computer to execute a data management method of claim 26, wherein the image order processing comprises:

displaying a simple image of each registered image;

requesting print order information corresponding to each registered image; and

sending the print order information to a remote processing center via at least one of a recording medium and a network connection.