US 7,256,819 B1Granted

Order processing method and system for image output service, and order information generating apparatus, order receiving apparatus, and digital camera used in the method

AssigneeFUJIFILM Corporation

InventorHiroshi Tanaka

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Abstract

When order information is recorded in a recording medium and an image output service is requested using this order information, the content of a new order is not confused with that of an old order and a user's intention can be conveyed accurately to a service provider in the case where orders are placed repeatedly by using the same recording medium. The user is caused to confirm all order information recorded in the recording medium by using an index relating images to the quantity of prints both displayed on a screen, for example. The user's intention is confirmed by an order confirmation operation carried out by the user, and the intention is provided to the service provider as confirmed order information recorded in the recording medium.

Claims33

Dependent claims

An order processing method used in an image output service for a digital camera, the order processing method comprising the steps of:

obtaining image data by photographing an image and recording the image data into a recording medium or by reading the image data from the recording medium;
replaying the obtained image data as a visible image on a display medium;
receiving an output instruction regarding the image data, the output instruction being input from an input apparatus based on the replay of the image data;
generating order information describing the output instruction in a predetermined data format and recording the order information in the recording medium;
displaying on the display medium all image data output of which has been instructed and the content of the instruction regarding the image data so that a requester of the image output service can confirm the content of the output instruction;
certifying an order by recording confirmed order information in the recording medium when a predetermined order confirmation operation indicating that the requester has confirmed the content of the output instruction;
carrying out the image output service based on the order information recorded in the recording medium only when the confirmed order information has been recorded in the recording medium, and
selecting for an image recording mode one of a printing mode and a non-printing mode based on a selection from a user,
wherein a still image is recordable in the non-printing mode.

6 more elements

An order processing system used in an image output service, the order processing system comprising an order information generating apparatus and an order receiving apparatus, the order information generating apparatus comprising:

data obtaining means for obtaining image data by photographing an image and recording the image data into a recording medium or by reading the image data from the recording medium;
display means for carrying out replay of the obtained image data as a visible image on a display medium;
instruction receiving means for receiving an output instruction regarding the image data, the output instruction being input from an input apparatus based on the replay of the image data;
order information recording means for generating order information describing the output instruction in a predetermined data format and recording the order information in a recording medium;
order content confirming means for displaying on the display medium all image data, output of which has been instructed and the content of the instruction regarding the image data so that a requester of the image output service can confirm the content of the output instruction;
and
order certifying means for certifying an order by recording confirmed order information in the recording medium when a predetermined order confirmation operation indicating that the requester has confirmed the content of the output instruction;
the order receiving apparatus comprising:
data reading means for reading the order information recorded in the recording medium;
confirmed information certifying means for certifying whether or not the confirmed order information has been recorded in the recording medium;
and
output instructing means for instructing, based on the order information recorded in the recording medium, output of the image data to various kinds of output apparatuses only when the confirmed order information has been recorded in the recording medium,
wherein the order processing system further comprises a recording mode selector for selecting for an image recording mode one of a printing mode and a non-printing mode based on a selection from a user, wherein a still image is recordable in the non-printing mode.

10 more elements

An order information generating apparatus for a digital camera comprising:

data obtaining means for obtaining image data by photographing an image and recording the image data into a recording medium or by reading the image data from the recording medium;
display means for carrying out replay of the obtained image data as a visible image on a display medium;
instruction receiving means for receiving an output instruction regarding the image data, the output instruction being input from an input apparatus based on the replay of the image data;
order information recording means for generating order information describing the output instruction in a predetermined data format and recording the information in a recording medium;
order content confirming means for displaying on the display medium all image data output of which has been instructed and the content of the instruction regarding the image data so that a requester of an image output service can confirm the content of the output instruction;
order certifying means for certifying an order by recording confirmed order information in the recording medium when a predetermined order confirmation operation indicating that the requester has confirmed the content of the output instruction;
and
a recording mode selector for selecting for an image recording mode one of a printing mode and a non-printing mode based on a selection from a user,
wherein a still image is recordable in the non-printing mode, and
wherein the data obtaining means, the display means, the instruction receiving means, the order information recording means, the order content confirming means, and the order certifying means are physically integrated in a single body of the digital camera.

7 more elements

A digital camera having an order information generating function, the digital camera comprising:

photographing means for obtaining image data by photographing an image;
image recording means for recording the image data having been obtained in a recording medium;
display means for carrying out replay of the obtained image data as a visible image on a monitor attached to the digital camera;
instruction receiving means for receiving an output instruction regarding the image data, the output instruction being input from an operation button or the like based on the replay of the image data;
order information recording means for recording order information describing the output instruction in a predetermined data format in the recording medium;
order content confirming means for displaying on the monitor all image data output of which has been instructed and the content of the instruction regarding the image data so that a requester of an image output service can confirm the content of the output instruction;
and
order certifying means for certifying an order by recording confirmed order information in the recording medium when a predetermined order confirmation operation indicating that the requester has confirmed the content of the output instruction;
and
a recording mode selector for selecting for an image recording mode one of a printing mode and a non-printing mode based on a selection from a user,
wherein a still image is recordable in the non-printing mode, and
wherein the photographing means, the image recording means, the display means, the instruction receiving means, the order information recording means, the order content confirming means, and the order certifying means are physically integrated in a single body of the digital camera.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/219,121Filed 23 Dec 1998
Priority: JP 9-35813725 Dec 1997
Granted: 14 Aug 2007
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification23 codes

H04N 5/765
Television signal recording: interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
H04N 1/00143
In a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing…
H04N 1/00145
Ordering: from a remote location
H04N 1/00161
In a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing…