Print providing system, print providing method, program, and recording medium

Abstract

The present application provides a system, method, program, and recording medium that can provide a printed matter that matches a user preference or is excellent in freshness and is desired by a user. A print providing system (10) according to an embodiment of the present application is configured of a content providing apparatus that provides a first content to a print apparatus and provides a second content that matches a user preference to a user terminal, the user terminal that accepts selection of a third content set as a print target in the second content from a user, and the print apparatus that prints a fourth content that corresponds to the third content in the first content.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] One embodiment of the present invention relates to a printing delivery system, printing delivery method, procedure, and recording medium capable of providing printed materials that meet user preferences or are of excellent freshness in a timely manner. Background Technology

[0002] Various types of digital content are produced and widely circulated. Such digital content has the advantage of being easily copied or traded without significant time or location constraints. However, this advantage can also be a factor leading to a decrease in the scarcity of the digital content. On the other hand, photocopying, copying, or trading photographs onto physical media (e.g., photographic paper) is not as easy as ensuring the scarcity of digital content. Therefore, it is easier to adopt content methods targeting subjects with good commercial value.

[0003] As a specific example of the aforementioned photocopying, there are photographs (bromides) or trading cards of musicians, athletes, characters, etc. Regarding photographs, technologies for controlling their printing or sale are known. As an example of such technology, the technology described in Patent Document 1 can be cited. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that, based on the printing and sale of photographs, uses a mobile terminal to play the voice of the musician, etc., printed on the photograph, thereby increasing the added value of the printing system.

[0004] This technology relates to a printing system, characterized in that, in a printing system comprising a vending machine-type printing device, a terminal device, and a server connected via a network, the vending machine-type printing device includes: a sending mechanism for sending photograph information of a specified person to the server; a receiving mechanism for receiving printing data of the corresponding photograph image and an image containing additional information from the server; and a printing mechanism for synthesizing and printing the photograph image and the image containing additional information. The terminal device includes: a camera mechanism for capturing the synthesized image being printed; an analysis mechanism for analyzing the image containing the additional information contained in the camera capture result; and an output mechanism for outputting voice information of the specified person corresponding to the photograph image based on the analysis result.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a technology for an event server device, an event server control method, and an event server control program capable of suppressing the leakage of personal information.

[0006] This technology relates to an event server device, characterized in that it provides one or more events via a network that can be participated in by multiple participants, and is characterized in that it comprises: a first image receiving unit for receiving an image of the organizer sent by an organizer-side terminal used by the organizer of the event; a second image receiving unit for receiving images of participants sent by participant-side terminals used by participants of the event; a first image sending unit for sending first display information to the organizer-side terminal for displaying the organizer using the organizer-side terminal and all participants of the event on a single screen; and a second image sending unit for sending second display information to the participant-side terminal for displaying the organizer and participants using the participant-side terminal on a single screen.

[0007] Previous technical documents

[0008] Patent documents

[0009] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-74856

[0010] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-40601 Summary of the Invention

[0011] The technical problem to be solved by the invention

[0012] However, with previous technologies, it has been difficult for supporters of athletes or musicians at sporting events or concerts to be satisfied with aspects such as the desire to purchase photos of their favorite supporters (so-called "favorite idols") or the freshness of images such as "a fresh snapshot of the subject at the moment of shooting." Therefore, for the subjects of such images or the operators who plan them, it is difficult to expect to expand sales channels or sales volume for photos, etc.

[0013] One embodiment of the present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a system, method, procedure and recording medium capable of providing printed matter that meets user preferences or the user's expectations of excellent freshness.

[0014] means for solving technical problems

[0015] The above objective is achieved by the printing delivery system described in any one of [1] to

[12] below.

[0016] [1] A printing delivery system comprising: Content providing device, which provides content to printing device and user terminal; The terminal receives the user's preference specification and notifies the content providing device of the specified content; and The printing device acquires identification information related to the user's determination and prints the content selected by the user as the printable content. The content providing device provides first content to the printing device and second content matching the preference to the user terminal. The terminal receives the user's selection of the third content as the printable object from the second content. The printing device prints the fourth content, which corresponds to the third content, from the first content.

[0017] [2] According to the printing supply system described in [1], wherein, The printing device acquires the identification information displayed on the medium held by the user.

[0018] [3] According to the printing supply system described in [2], wherein, The medium is the terminal.

[0019] [4] According to the printing supply system described in [1], wherein, The terminal sends the identification information and information related to the third content to the content providing device, and the content providing device sends the identification information and information related to the third content to the printing device in an associated manner.

[0020] [5] According to the printing supply system described in [1], wherein, The content providing device manages the attribute information analyzed from each of the content it holds in association, and when providing the second content that matches the user's preferences, it extracts the content whose attribute information matches the preferences.

[0021] [6] According to the printing supply system described in [5], wherein, When the content provides information about two or more people who are subjects, the content providing device determines an evaluation value for each of the subjects using a predetermined algorithm and includes the evaluation value in the attribute information.

[0022] [7] According to the printing supply system described in [6], wherein, When determining the evaluation value, the content providing device determines the evaluation value based on the area ratio occupied by the person's face or whole body in the image that serves as the content.

[0023] [8] According to the printing supply system described in [6], wherein, When determining the evaluation value, the content providing device determines the evaluation value based on the proximity of the center position of the image that is the content to the position where the person's face or whole body appears.

[0024] [9] According to the printing supply system described in [6], wherein, When determining the evaluation value, the content providing device determines the evaluation value based on the area ratio occupied by the person's face or whole body in the image that serves as the content, and the proximity of the center position of the image that serves as the content to the position where the person's face or whole body appears.

[0025]

[10] According to the printing supply system described in [6], wherein, When the content providing device receives the preferences of multiple people as the user's preferences from the user terminal, it performs statistical processing on the evaluation values ​​calculated for each of the multiple people's preferences when determining the evaluation value for a single piece of content that includes the preferences of the multiple people as the subject, and uses the result of the statistical processing as the evaluation value of the content.

[0026]

[11] The printing supply system according to [1] is characterized in that, The user terminal sends the user's holding image to the content providing device, and the content providing device receives the holding image and holds it in association with the user's preferences or the attributes of the holding image.

[0027]

[12] The printing supply system according to

[11] is characterized in that, The content providing device determines, through a predetermined algorithm, whether to use the holding image received from the user terminal as content related to the preference.

[0028] Furthermore, the above objective is achieved by the printing provision method described below

[13] .

[0029]

[13] A method for providing a printout, comprising the following steps: The content providing device provides first content to the printing device and second content that matches the user's preferences to the user terminal; The user terminal receives a preference specification from the user, notifies the providing device of the specified content, receives a selection from the user of a third content from the second content provided by the providing device as the print target, and notifies the printing device of the selection result; and The printing device acquires identification information related to the determination of the user, and prints a fourth piece of content corresponding to the third piece of content from the first piece of content provided by the providing device for the user corresponding to the identification information.

[0030] Furthermore, the above objectives can also be achieved through the procedure described below

[14] .

[0031]

[14] A program that causes a computer to perform the following steps: Provide the first content to the printing device; receive a notification based on user preferences from the user terminal; provide the second content matching the preferences to the user terminal; Receive from the terminal information about the third content selected by the user as the print target from the second content; and identification information related to the user's determination; and The identification information and information related to the third content are sent to the printing device in an associated manner.

[0032] Furthermore, the above objectives can also be achieved using the recording medium described below

[15] .

[0033]

[15] A recording medium, which is a computer-readable recording medium, the recording medium recording a program that performs the following steps: Provide the first content to the printing device; Receive notifications tailored to user preferences from the user's terminal; The second content matching the preference is provided to the user terminal; Receive from the terminal information about the third content selected by the user as the print target from the second content; and identification information related to the user's determination; and The identification information and information related to the third content are sent to the printing device in an associated manner.

[0034] Invention Effects

[0035] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system, method, procedure, and recording medium are provided that can provide printed materials that meet user preferences or have excellent freshness as desired by users. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating a structural example of the printing supply system according to this embodiment.

[0037] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware structure of the content providing device according to this embodiment.

[0038] Figure 3This is a diagram illustrating an example of the content DB involved in this implementation.

[0039] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a user database involved in this implementation.

[0040] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing an example of a correction rule table involved in this embodiment.

[0041] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates the functional components of the content providing device according to this embodiment.

[0042] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the functional parts of the printing apparatus according to this embodiment.

[0043] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the printing provision method according to this embodiment.

[0044] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the printing provision method according to this embodiment.

[0045] Figure 10 This is a diagram showing an example of an output screen according to this embodiment.

[0046] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the printing provision method according to this embodiment.

[0047] Figure 12 This diagram illustrates the service provision method based on the printing apparatus described in this embodiment.

[0048] Figure 13 This diagram illustrates an example of the ticket reading method described in this embodiment.

[0049] Figure 14 This diagram illustrates an example of the ticket reading method described in this embodiment.

[0050] Figure 15 This is a diagram showing an example of an output screen according to this embodiment.

[0051] Figure 16 This is a diagram showing an example of an output screen according to this embodiment.

[0052] Figure 17 This is a diagram showing an example of an output screen according to this embodiment.

[0053] Figure 18 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the printing provision method according to this embodiment.

[0054] Figure 19This is a diagram showing an example of the output screen in this embodiment.

[0055] Figure 20 This is a diagram showing an example of an output screen according to this embodiment.

[0056] Figure 21 This is a diagram showing an example of an output screen according to this embodiment.

[0057] Figure 22 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the printing provision method according to this embodiment.

[0058] Figure 23 This is a diagram showing an example of an output screen according to this embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0059] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

[0060] Furthermore, for ease of explanation, the following descriptions will sometimes be presented from a GUI (Graphical User Interface) perspective. Also, the fundamental data processing technologies used to implement this invention (communication / transmission technologies, data acquisition technologies, data recording technologies, data processing / analysis technologies, machine learning technologies, image processing technologies, and visualization technologies, etc.) are well-known technologies, and therefore related descriptions are omitted.

[0061] Furthermore, in this specification, the concept of "device" includes a single device that performs a specific function, and also includes a combination of multiple devices that exist separately and independently of each other and are linked (jointly) to perform a specific function.

[0062] Furthermore, in this specification, "user" refers to a user who uses the printing device of the present invention to obtain desired photos of musicians, etc. Specifically, it refers to a person who, through the functions of the printing supply system of the present invention, wishes to obtain, for example, photos of their favorite musicians on the day of an event such as a concert, cropped out only. In this embodiment, the following example is given, but the application of the invention is not limited to this method: in a printing device installed at a concert venue, images for photographs are provided from the agencies of the musicians performing at the concert, wherein images matching the user's preferences are printed.

[0063] For example, the subject matter is not limited to concerts; it can include various events such as handshake events, stage performances, fan meetings, sporting events, comic book markets, expos, and political rallies. Furthermore, the individuals whose photos are published at such events can include not only musicians such as singers or instrumentalists, but also actors, celebrities, athletes, writers, politicians, and characters from games, anime, or comics. Moreover, the subject matter can include printed materials, in addition to individual photographs, as well as photo collections or edited photo sets.

[0064] Furthermore, in this specification, "human" refers to the subject performing a specific action, including individuals, groups, legal persons and organizations such as enterprises, and further, it can also include computers and devices that constitute artificial intelligence (AI). Artificial intelligence (AI) uses hardware and software resources to achieve intelligent functions such as reasoning, prediction, and judgment. The algorithms of artificial intelligence are arbitrary, such as expert systems, case-based reasoning (CBR), Bayesian networks, or subsumption architectures.

[0065] <<One embodiment of the present invention>>

[0066] [Structure of the printing service system]

[0067] In one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, this embodiment), it is assumed that by and Figure 1 The network 1 shown constitutes a printing delivery system 5, comprising a content delivery device 10, a user terminal 30, and a printing device 40. The content delivery device 10 serves as a server device distributing photographic image data intended for printing to the printing device 40 located at the event venue. For example, this content delivery device 10 can be used as a content distribution system by a musician's agency.

[0068] Furthermore, the user terminal 30 serves as a user terminal for accessing the event facilities and enjoying the concerts of the aforementioned musicians. This user terminal 30 is, for example, a reader that reads the code printed on the concert ticket as the user's identification information. Additionally, the user terminal 30 is also an information processing device for uploading favorite photographic images (holding images) taken by the user at the concert venue to the content providing device 10. The printing device 40, located at the concert venue (which is the aforementioned event facility), serves as a device for the user to access and obtain photographs of the musicians. Furthermore, the printing device 40 receives and retains the photographic image data distributed as content from the content providing device 10, and prints photographic images that match the user's preferences as photographs.

[0069] Alternatively, the user may not use the user terminal 30, but instead have the printing device 40's UI (User Interface), i.e., the scanner, read the ticket or the screen of its own user terminal 30 (which is displaying the code printed on the ticket), or directly input the identification information of the code using the UI, i.e., the keyboard or touch panel.

[0070] Content providing device 10 stores photos of musicians or photographs of concert venues stored by the person in charge of the musician's agency or photographer in the content DB (in Figure 2 , Figure 3 (described later), and the aforementioned user preference information or photographic images are stored in the user's DB (in...). Figure 2 , Figure 4 (described later) in preparation for distributing images to the printing device 40 or user terminal 30 at the concert venue.

[0071] In addition to connecting the content providing device 10 and the printing device 40 via network 1, it is also possible to directly connect the internal bus wiring of the content providing device 10 to the interface of the printing device 40. Furthermore, it is also possible to store and manage the content DB122 and user DB123 in a database provided by a cloud service on network 1 by a device different from the content providing device 10, and to freely access them from the content providing device 10.

[0072] Furthermore, various scenarios can be envisioned, such as: users performing various operations related to printing photos via the printing device 40; photographers taking pictures of musicians at a concert venue; registrants inputting photographic images obtained through such photography (which may include scanning or uploading from the user terminal 30) to the content providing device 10; viewers browsing photographic images distributed from the content providing device 10 via the user terminal 30 or the printing device 40; cases involving different individuals; and cases involving all individuals of the same person.

[0073] [Example of the structure of a content providing device]

[0074] Next, refer to Figures 2-6 The structure of the content providing device 10 according to this embodiment will be described. The content providing device 10 is composed of a computer used by a musician's agency, etc., specifically, it is composed of a server device, a PC (Personal Computer), or a laptop PC. However, the content providing device 10 is not limited to the computer used by the aforementioned agency, etc., and computers used by other operators that receive content management or distribution services from the agency may also be included in the concept. Furthermore, the following description will focus on the case where the content providing device 10 is composed of a computer used by a musician's agency, specifically a server computer.

[0075] like Figure 2 As shown, the computer constituting the content providing device 10 includes a processor 11, an auxiliary storage device 12, a main storage device 13, an input device 14, an output device 15, and a communication device 16.

[0076] The processor 11 may be composed of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), an MCU (Micro Controller Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit).

[0077] Furthermore, the auxiliary storage device 12 may be composed of, for example, flash memory, HDD (Hard Disc Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), FD (Flexible Disc), MO (Magneto-Optical Disc), CD (Compact Disc), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), SD card (Secure Digital Card), or USB memory (Universal Serial Bus memory).

[0078] This auxiliary storage device 12 can be built into the computer body constituting the content providing device 10, or it can be externally installed on the computer body. Alternatively, the auxiliary storage device 12 can also be a NAS (Network Attached Storage) or the like. Furthermore, the auxiliary storage device 12 can also be an external device capable of communicating with a computer constituting the content providing device 10 via a communication network, such as an online storage device or a database server.

[0079] Furthermore, the auxiliary storage device 12 holds programs 121, including an operating system (OS) and content management applications. By reading and executing the programs 121 by the processor 11, the computer constituting the content providing device 10 functions... Figure 6 The functions of the receiving unit 21, determining unit 22, and distributing unit 23 shown are, in particular, to perform a series of processes related to the distribution management of photographic images as content to the user terminal 30 or the printing device 40, or the storage management of user-based photographic images uploaded from the user terminal 30.

[0080] In addition, the auxiliary storage device 12 stores, besides the program 121 described above, content DB 122, user DB 123, and rule table 124. Content DB 122, for example, includes... Figure 3 The structure shown is as follows. Content DB122 is a collection of records that contain the subject of the photographic image that is part of the content, the date and time of the photograph, the location / event of the photograph, a thumbnail, key data, and the photographer, with the Content ID that uniquely identifies the content as the key.

[0081] The photography location / event refers to the location of the photographed image, i.e., the event venue, and the value representing the identification information of the event. Furthermore, the thumbnail is a reduced-size image of the photographed image represented by the main data (Second Content), which is distributed to the user terminal 30 and becomes the object based on the user's selection instruction. The main data is the data of the aforementioned photographed image (First Content) distributed to the printing device 40 and is the printing data for the photograph to be printed. Furthermore, the photographer is the photographer of the photographed image as part of this content; when registering this content, the identification information of the registrant's affiliated agency or user becomes the value input from the input device 14 or the user terminal 30.

[0082] Furthermore, user DB123, for example, has Figure 4The structure shown is as follows. User DB123 is a collection of records containing values ​​such as the user's contacts (e.g., email address or phone number), participation in activities, preferences, and photographic images, with the user ID as the key. The activity participation value is, for example, information extracted from each user's ticket purchase records in collaboration with a ticketing management system for events such as concerts (e.g., a system operated by the aforementioned agency or ticketing operator), or information registered by the user themselves using the user terminal 30. This registration action may include actions such as accessing a predetermined registration website and entering the event name through the user terminal 30, or actions such as reading the concert ticket and obtaining the concert's identification information through the user terminal 30. Furthermore, the preference value is, for example, information about the subject or situation the user prefers, storing the identification information or name of a specific musician, ceremonies accompanying the concert (e.g., pre-concert, encore, celebration), and photographic conditions (e.g., solo shots, group photos, faces only) as values. Of course, in the user DB123, you can not only manage preferences related to such people or activities, but also preferences related to various things such as natural objects such as mountains or animals, weather phenomena, buildings or equipment, machinery, food, clothing, handicrafts and other man-made objects.

[0083] Furthermore, the photographic image is data related to an image taken by the user using a suitable photographic device such as the user terminal 30, including the date and time of the photograph, the location, and various data values. When the user terminal 30 uploads the photographic image data to the content providing device 10, the date and time or location related to the photographic image are extracted and stored as metadata.

[0084] Furthermore, Rule Table 124 is a table established for evaluating the subjects contained in a photographic image as content, for example, possessing Figure 5 The structure is shown. Rule Table 124 is a collection of records containing the rule type, algorithm, and judgment criteria, each uniquely identifying a rule and using its rule ID as the key. The type represents the category of the evaluation result, exemplified by "evaluation value" and "whether the user's photographed image is adopted." The algorithm represents the evaluation calculation content, which may include, for example, the ratio of the subject's area to the overall image area, the distance of the subject's position in the image to the image center, or a combination thereof.

[0085] Furthermore, rule "R004" provides an example of defining an "adoption determination model" as an algorithm for the category "adoption of user-captured images." In this case, the adoption determination model is defined as follows: it is obtained by machine learning using the set of correct adoption / disadvantage (whether or not a user-uploaded photograph can be set as a printable object in the printing device 40) results as teaching data. The content providing device 10 can automatically determine whether a photograph uploaded from the user terminal 30 is adopted or not by inputting it into this adoption determination model. The learning or utilization of this adoption determination model can be performed by the content providing device 10 itself, which possesses a machine learning engine, or by appropriately calling and utilizing machine learning services provided on the network 1.

[0086] The main storage device 13 is composed of semiconductor memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory). The processor 11 loads the program 121 described above onto the main storage device 13 and executes it thereon.

[0087] Input device 14 is a device that accepts user input operations, such as a keyboard, mouse, touch panel, etc. Furthermore, input device 14 may include scanning photographic equipment mounted on a digital camera. Output device 15 is, for example, a display, speaker, etc.

[0088] The communication device 16 may be composed of, for example, a network interface card or a communication interface board. The computer constituting the content providing device 10 can communicate with other devices connected to the network 1, such as the Internet and mobile communication lines, via the communication device 16.

[0089] And, as Figure 6 As shown, the content providing device 10 includes a receiving unit 21, a determining unit 22, and a distributing unit 23. These functional units are implemented by the processor 11 of the content providing device 10 executing the aforementioned program 121 and cooperating with other hardware devices of the content providing device 10.

[0090] Furthermore, the "image" in this invention is composed of multiple pixels, represented by the grayscale values ​​of each pixel, and includes at least one subject. The digital image data (hereinafter, image data) of the image, defined at a set resolution, is generated by compressing data recording the grayscale values ​​of each pixel using a predetermined compression method. Examples of image data types include irreversibly compressed image data in the form of JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), and reversibly compressed image data in the form of GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) or PNG (Portable Network Graphics).

[0091] (Acceptance Department)

[0092] The receiving unit 21 is a functional unit that receives photographic images of each musician from the user terminal 30 via the input device 14 or the communication device 16, and stores / retains these photographic images, for example, via the auxiliary storage device 12. The receiving unit 21 associates the received photographic images with their metadata and stores them in the content DB122.

[0093] In addition, the receiving unit 21 can also download photographic image data from external devices or web servers, for example, according to the designation made by the person in charge of the aforementioned affiliated office, or according to the designation of the subject received from the user terminal 30, via the network 1.

[0094] Furthermore, the receiving unit 21 is a functional unit that obtains the identification information of the concert ticket requested by the user from the user terminal 30 or the printing device 40 via the input device 14 or the communication device 16, and transmits it to the determining unit 22. The receiving unit 21 is also a functional unit that receives information related to the user's preferences from the user terminal 30 via the input device 14 or the communication device 16, and stores it in the user DB 123.

[0095] Furthermore, the method for receiving the photographic image, concert ticket identification information, and preference-related information in the receiving unit 21 is not particularly limited. It also includes a method of reading the screen display of the user terminal 30 based on the camera unit (which is provided by the input device 14 or the printing device 40) to obtain the image displayed on the screen, and obtaining the photographic image, concert ticket identification information, and preference-related information represented by the image.

[0096] For example, when receiving preference-related information, image recognition processing can be used to determine the subject contained in the image obtained as described above, and the subject can be identified as the user's preferred object. The image recognition processing described above can be performed by comparing the feature values ​​pre-calculated for each musician belonging to the aforementioned agency with the feature values ​​of the people in the image obtained from the screen display of the user terminal 30 to determine which musician is the subject.

[0097] (Determination Department)

[0098] Furthermore, the determination unit 22 has the following functions: among the content stored in the content DB122, as content distributed to the user terminal 30 in thumbnail form, for example, content related to the concert accessed by the user or the musicians attending, or content among these musicians that matches the user's preferences. Additionally, the user's preferences are information managed in the user DB123 as described above, which is identification information determining the musicians or various phenomena (e.g., natural objects) that the user likes.

[0099] The determining unit 22 uses the concert identification information obtained by the receiving unit 21 (e.g., the concert name or identification number printed on the concert ticket provided to the user) as a key to determine the records in content DB122 whose "Photography Location / Event" field values ​​match the key, and identifies the thumbnail data represented by that record as the distribution target for that user. In this case, records related to other events can also be identified using the "Subject" field value in that record as a key, and the thumbnails represented by those records can also be set as the distribution target for that user. Furthermore, regarding the user who is the distribution destination for the thumbnail data, the system searches for records in user DB123 whose "Attended Event" field value is the concert identification information, and determines the user ID and contact person represented by that record as the distribution destination information.

[0100] Furthermore, the determination unit 22 identifies records in the records stored in content DB122 whose subject identification information, represented by the value in the "Subject" column, matches the value in the "Preference" column of the user DB123 as records matching the user's preferences, and identifies the thumbnail data represented by these records as content to be distributed to the user. Additionally, when determining content matching such preferences, if the preference is "single shot," records in content DB122 with only one "Subject" value are identified; if the preference is "group photo," records in content DB122 with two or more "Subject" values ​​are identified. Furthermore, if the preference is related to the concert, such as "before the concert," records in content DB122 with a "Photography Location / Event" value indicating a concert and a "Photography Date and Time" value before the concert's start time are identified. Additionally, information related to the start or end time of the concert or the event's progress is set as information that the determination unit 22 can reference, for example, in an event management system.

[0101] Furthermore, when multiple musicians are included as subjects in a photographic image containing musicians representing user preferences, the determining unit 22 determines an evaluation value for each subject (content) in order to determine the main subject or the suitability of the subject in the photographic image, for example, according to rule table 124. Alternatively, the evaluation value can be determined even if there is only one subject in the photographic image. In this case, if the evaluation value is below a predetermined benchmark, the thumbnail will not be set as a distribution target to the user terminal 30, even if the subject matches the user preference.

[0102] When determining the aforementioned evaluation value, the determination unit 22, for example, calculates the area proportion R of the subject's face or whole body in the photographic image as content, according to rule "R001" in rule table 124, and compares the result with the judgment criteria to determine the evaluation value. The area of ​​the subject's face or whole body only needs to be calculated based on the area of ​​the face or whole body portion in the image that can be determined through image recognition processing. Furthermore, the total area of ​​the photographic image can be calculated by multiplying the dimensions of the photographic image in both the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0103] Furthermore, when determining the aforementioned evaluation value, the determining unit 22, for example, according to rule "R002" in rule table 124, calculates the distance D between the center position of the photographic image (which is the content) and the position where the subject's face or body appears, and compares the result with the judgment criteria to determine the evaluation value. The center position of the photographic image can be calculated by taking the position at an equal distance from the coordinate values ​​of each vertex of the photographic image as the center position. Furthermore, the position where the subject's face or body appears can be calculated by taking the center position of the face or body as the center of gravity of the face or body (the method for calculating the center of gravity of a predetermined shape can employ conventional methods).

[0104] The determination unit 22 checks the area ratio R or distance D calculated as described above against the numerical range represented by each determination criterion, and determines the evaluation value of the subject as the evaluation value of the value that meets the requirements of each numerical range. For example, if the area ratio R is "50% or more", the evaluation value of the subject is "60p". Similarly, if the distance D is "less than 10 pixels", the evaluation value of the subject is "60p". Based on the evaluation values ​​of each subject determined in this way, the determination unit 22 determines the subject with the highest evaluation value as the subject of the photographed image, and sets the thumbnail of the subject that matches the user's preference as the distribution target.

[0105] Alternatively, the determination unit 22 can also, as shown in rule "R003" (a combination of the aforementioned rules "R001" and "R002"), compare the values ​​of the area ratio R and distance D with the judgment criteria to determine the evaluation value of the subject. In this case, for example, if the area ratio R is "50% or more" and the distance D is "less than 10 pixels", then the evaluation value of the subject is "120p".

[0106] Furthermore, when a user's preferences relate to multiple individuals, the determination unit 22 searches the content DB122 for a photographic image containing each of those individuals as a subject when determining the aforementioned evaluation value. For each photographic image obtained through this search, the determination unit 22 determines an evaluation value for each subject according to the aforementioned rule table 124. The determination unit 22 calculates, for example, the average or maximum value of the evaluation values ​​for each subject, and sets the value obtained through this calculation as the evaluation value of the content, i.e., the photographic image. If the evaluation value thus determined meets a predetermined benchmark, the determination unit 22 designates a thumbnail of the photographic image as a distribution target for the aforementioned user.

[0107] Furthermore, the determining unit 22 determines whether to adopt the photographic image taken by the user and uploaded from the user terminal 30 and accepted by the receiving unit 21 as a printing object in the printing device 40. In this case, the determining unit 22, for example, inputs the accepted photographic image into the adoption / disadvantage determination model specified in rule "R004" of rule table 124 to determine whether it is adopted or not. The generation or use of this adoption / disadvantage determination model is as described above.

[0108] (Distribution Department)

[0109] The distribution unit 23 is a functional unit that distributes the main data (first content) of the photographic images stored in the content DB122 to the printing device 40 via the network 1. Furthermore, the distribution unit 23 is a functional unit that distributes thumbnails (second content) of the photographic images determined by the determination unit 22 for each user's participation in an activity (concert) or preference to the user terminal 30 and displays them. Therefore, the distribution unit 23 appropriately reads the data (main data or thumbnails) of the photographic images to be distributed from the content DB122 and distributes them.

[0110] (Printing device)

[0111] Next, according to Figure 7 The printing apparatus 40 will be described below. The printing apparatus 40 is a device that acquires the main data of the photographic images from the content providing device 10 and prints photographic images related to the concert attended by the user or matching the user's preferences in the form of photographs. The printing apparatus 40 includes a control unit 41, an input unit 42, a display unit 43, a printing unit 44, and a communication unit 45. The control unit 41 is a functional unit that controls the printing apparatus 40 according to an OS (Operating System) and installs the functions required for the printing apparatus 40. The input unit 42 is a functional unit consisting of a scanner or digital camera unit that reads the concert ticket provided by the user, or a keyboard or touch panel that accepts direct input from the user. The display unit 43 is a functional unit consisting of a display or speaker that displays various information accompanying the printing order of the photographs. The printing unit 44 is a functional unit that stores the photographic data distributed from the content providing device 10 in a content DB441 (the same data structure as content DB122), prints the photographic data onto photographic paper, and outputs photographs. The printing unit 44 acquires information (third content) from the user terminal 30 or from the user terminal 30 via the content providing device 10 about the photographic image selected by the user from the thumbnail as the printable object via the user terminal 30, and extracts the photographic image (fourth content) from the content DB 441 for printing. The communication unit 45 is a functional unit for communication between the printing device 40 and the user terminal 30 or the content providing device 10.

[0112] [Example of a print-providing method flow: Content distribution]

[0113] Next, as an example of the operation of the content providing device 10 in this embodiment, the distribution process of content (photographed image) using this device will be described. In the process described below, the printing providing method of the present invention is used. That is, each step in the process described below corresponds to a constituent element of the printing providing method of the present invention.

[0114] Furthermore, the following process is merely an example, and some steps in the process may be deleted, new steps may be added, or the execution order of two steps in the process may be replaced without departing from the spirit of this embodiment.

[0115] Each step in the process involved in this embodiment is handled by the processor 11 provided by the content providing device 10. Figure 8 The sequence shown is followed. That is, in each step of the image processing flow, the processor 11 performs the data processing specified in program 121. Figure 8 The processing corresponding to each step in the process.

[0116] Specifically, in the process involved in this embodiment, firstly, the distribution unit 23 categorizes the content stored in the content DB122 according to each activity represented by the value of the "Photography Location / Event" column (S1). Next, the distribution unit 23 distributes the categorized content from S1 to the printing devices 40 located at the corresponding event locations (S2). Therefore, the content providing device 10 requests and obtains information about the location of each printing device 40 from each printing device 40 via the network 1, and manages it. The control unit 41 of the printing device 40 receives the aforementioned content via the communication unit 45 and stores it in the content DB441 (S3) in preparation for future printing.

[0117] [Example of a method for printing: Obtaining information related to preferences]

[0118] Next, according to Figure 9 The process by which the content providing device 10 obtains user preferences from the user terminal 30 will be described. First, the receiving unit 21 of the content providing device 10 distributes a designated screen indicating the acceptance preference to the user terminal 30 (S5). Figure 10 The image shows an example of screen G1. Screen G1 is a screen that asks for the user's so-called "favorite idols" among musicians and accepts input from the user. Input fields related to preferences include, for example, an input field G11 for accepting the name of the group to which the musician belongs (T1) and an input field G12 for accepting the name of the musician (T2).

[0119] On the other hand, the user terminal 30 receives the aforementioned screen G1 and displays it on the monitor, and accepts input from the user in the input fields G11 and G12. Furthermore, the user terminal 30 responds to the content providing device 10 with at least one of the received preference-related information T1 and T2 (S6). The receiving unit 21 of the content providing device 10 receives the response from the user terminal 30 and acquires the preference-related information (S7). The receiving unit 21 of the content providing device 10 then stores the preference-related information in association with the user in the user DB123 (S8), ending the process.

[0120] [Example of the print delivery process: User selection and content distribution]

[0121] Next, the processing methods corresponding to the situation where the user enjoys a musician's concert and obtains photos through the printing device 40 installed at the venue will be explained. The state of this situation will be shown below. Figure 12 Users attending the concert access the printing device 40 located within the venue and check the musician images displayed on its display unit 43. For example, if a specific musician is designated as the subject of the printout for each printing device 40, the user selects the printing device 40 by using such a musician image as a marker. Additionally, as another application, if a user approaches, the display unit 43 can switch to show all the musicians performing at the event to indicate that printouts are available.

[0122] The printing device 40 includes a printing unit 44 for printing and ejecting photographs, and the user obtains the photographs ejected from the printing unit 44. Figure 12 In the example, the printing unit 44 is located at the lower front of the frame of the printing device 40, but it could also be located at the back of the frame. By having the printing unit 44 at the back of the frame, the reading of concert tickets based on the user and the receiving of printed photos can be carried out continuously in a natural flow from the front to the back of the frame of the printing device 40. Therefore, even when there are many users using the printing device 40, it is easy to provide photos smoothly.

[0123] Furthermore, the user scans the concert ticket TK in the input section 42 of the printing device 40 or in the camera unit of the user terminal 30, etc. (see reference) Figure 13 This allows the printing device 40 or user terminal 30 to acquire the ticket's identification code CD, which also becomes its own identification information. Figure 13In the example shown, the QR code CD, serving as the aforementioned identification code, is printed on the concert ticket TK, becoming a state captured by the user terminal 30 and displayed on screen G1. The user holds the user terminal 30 in this state to the input section 42 of the printing device 40, i.e., the camera unit, for reading. Or, as... Figure 14 As shown, the QR code CD of the concert ticket TK can also be held up to the input unit 42 for reading.

[0124] Furthermore, it can also be displayed on the display unit 43 of the printing device 40. Figure 15 The screen G2 shown prompts the user to enter the ticket number. In this case, the display unit 43 displays the ticket number input field G21 and the number keys G22, and accepts the ticket number input from the user.

[0125] according to Figure 11 The flow of the printing and providing method according to this embodiment will be described. The input unit 42 of the printing device 40 obtains the ticket number of the concert ticket TK through the user action described above (S10). Furthermore, the input unit 42 of the printing device 40 identifies that the user is attending the concert represented by the obtained ticket number, searches for records related to the concert in the content DB441, and determines the thumbnail represented by the record as the distribution target to the user (S11). Alternatively, the input unit 42 may make requests to the content providing device 10 to determine the thumbnail containing the ticket number and to distribute it to the user terminal 30, instead of step S11.

[0126] The communication unit 45 of the printing device 40 distributes the thumbnails determined above to the user terminal 30, and the user accepts the selection of the printing object (S12). On the other hand, in the user terminal 30, the thumbnails are displayed on the screen, and the user accepts a selection related to the image they desire. Regarding the display method of the thumbnails in the user terminal 30, using... Figure 16 , Figure 17 Examples are given for screens G3 and G4. Figure 17 , Figure 18 As shown in screen G3, each (musician's) thumbnail G31 is displayed in a tiled format, and each thumbnail G31 is assigned information about how many photos of the musician as the subject have been printed. The user browses these thumbnails, selects and clicks on the musician they wish to print (the so-called "favorite idol"). Then, as shown in screen G4, the photographic images G41 of the subject musician are displayed in a tiled format corresponding to their quantity, accepting the user's specification as the subject for printing.

[0127] User terminal 30 accepts the user's designation in the aforementioned screen G4 and responds to printing device 40 with the identification information of the designated thumbnail (S13). Printing device 40 uses the thumbnail identification information as a key to perform a search in content DB441 and determines the corresponding musician's photographic image (S14). The printing unit 44 of printing device 40 outputs the data of the determined photographic image onto predetermined photographic paper, generates and outputs a photograph (S15), and ends the process.

[0128] [Modifications of this embodiment]

[0129] This embodiment is not limited to the above-described embodiment; for example, the following modified examples can be considered. These modified examples will be described below. Furthermore, the differences between these modified examples and the above-described embodiment will be explained below.

[0130] (Regarding the first variation)

[0131] In this embodiment described above, the situation is assumed that the content providing device 10 already stores photographic images or their thumbnails in the content DB122. Under this premise, the content managed in the content DB122 mainly consists of high-quality photographic images taken by photographers commissioned by the aforementioned agency, and the user obtains photos based on these high-quality photographic images through the printing device 40. However, in this variation, the photographic images stored in the content DB122 and set as the output objects of the photos are not limited to the above method, and may also include photographic images taken by the user.

[0132] In this scenario, the user uses their own photography equipment or user terminal 30 to photograph musicians during or outside the concert venue, and displays the images on the user terminal 30's screen (G5, reference). Figure 19 The photographed image is specified in the [reference] and uploaded to the content providing device 10. Figure 19 The screen G5 shown includes an input field G51 for accepting the name of the subject of the photographic image that the user wants to upload, namely the "favorite idol", and an input field G52 for searching and specifying the object file of the photographic image.

[0133] User terminal 30 accepts various operations on screen G5 and sends the photographed image to content providing device 10 via network 1 (S25). Upon receiving the photographed image from the user, receiving unit 21 of content providing device 10 refers to rule table 124 and determines the algorithm for "Whether to adopt or not to adopt user photographed image" in rule "R004" as "Whether to adopt user photographed image" (S26).

[0134] The determination unit 22 of the content providing device 10 inputs the photographic image received from the user terminal 30 into the adoption determination model determined in S26 above, and determines whether to adopt it as a photo generation object (S27). As explained, the adoption determination model is a determination model that performs machine learning on the photographic image and whether it is adopted. In addition to being available to the content providing device 10 itself, it can also be used via the network 1 to utilize external services.

[0135] Regarding the results of the above determination, if it is determined that the above-mentioned photographic image is unusable (S28: No), the determination unit 22 of the content providing device 10 will display the image on screen G6 (reference). Figure 20 The content is displayed on the screen and responded to the user terminal 30 (S29), ending the process. On the other hand, regarding the result of the above determination, if it is determined that the photographed image is usable (S28: Yes), the determination unit 22 of the content providing device 10 will display a screen G7 (refer to) containing information G71 representing the content. Figure 21 The system responds to the user terminal 30 and stores the information in the content DB122 (S30), thus ending the process. At this time, the user's identification information is stored in the "Photographer" field of the record stored in the content DB122.

[0136] (Regarding the second variation)

[0137] In the above embodiment, an example is shown where photos of the musicians performing in a concert are output based on the concert ticket identification information provided by the user. However, there are also cases where the musicians performing in a concert are not individuals but groups of dozens, or where, as in a music festival, even if each musician performs individually, multiple musicians perform consecutively. In such cases, simply showing the user thumbnails of the musicians and allowing them to select one as the photo to print would unnecessarily increase the number of thumbnails, easily becoming a burden for the user performing the selection action. Furthermore, there is a possibility that the user may not be able to easily find the photograph of the desired musician. Therefore, in this modified example, as... Figure 22 As shown in step (S11A) of the process, the determining unit 22 of the content providing device 10 searches the content DB122 for thumbnails of photographic images containing photographic images of subjects related to the target concert and whose subjects match the user's preferences. (See also: Regarding...) Figure 4As explained in user DB123, the user's preferences refer to the musicians they consider "favorite idols," whose identification information or names can be obtained from user DB123. Therefore, the determination unit 22 uses this identification information or name as a key to perform a search in content DB122, identifying the content in the records related to the target concert whose value corresponds to the "subject" field of the record is set as matching the user's preferences, and then distributes this thumbnail to user terminal 30 (S12). Regarding subsequent steps, [further details are needed]. Figure 11 The explanation is the same.

[0138] Furthermore, the content set as the printing target in the printing device 40 can be determined as follows. Here, the user performs a scanning action on the concert ticket TK via the user terminal 30. The user terminal 30 obtains the information of the QR code CD printed on the ticket through this scanning action and notifies the content providing device 10 of it. On the other hand, the content providing device 10 performs a search in the content DB 122 based on the concert-related information contained in the notification and the user's preferences, as described in S12 above, to determine the photographic image to be distributed to the user. The content providing device 10 distributes the main data of the determined photographic image to the printing device 40 set up at the concert venue (as mentioned above, the information of the installation location of each printing device 40 is managed). The printing device 40 stores the main data of the photographic image in its own content DB 441. Furthermore, the content providing device 10 reads the thumbnail data of the determined photographic image from the content DB 122 and responds to the user terminal 30.

[0139] User terminal 30 receives the thumbnail data and displays it on the screen, accepting the user's selection of the object to be printed. User terminal 30 inputs the selected content, i.e., the identification information of the photographic image of the object to be printed, into a code generation engine to generate a QR code. Here, the identification information can include the filename of the photographic image of the object to be printed, etc., as text information. Alternatively, the identification information can be an order ID consisting of a defined string; after the filename of the photographic image of the object to be printed is associated with the order ID, it is sent to the printing device 40 via the content providing device 10. The code generation engine can be possessed by user terminal 30 itself or can be accessed from other devices via network 1. Then, the user displays the QR code on the screen of user terminal 30, and it is read by the input unit 42 of the printing device 40. The input unit 42 of the printing device 40 reads the QR code and obtains the identification information of the photographic image of the object to be printed. Furthermore, the printing device 40 extracts the main data of the photographic image of the object from the content DB441 based on the identification information and prints it through the printing unit 44 to output a photograph.

[0140] Furthermore, in addition to this, the printing device 40 can also accept the selection of the printing object. In this case, the user performs a scanning action on the concert ticket TK or inputs the ticket number, etc., printed on the ticket in the input section 42 of the printing device 40. The printing device 40 obtains the identification information of the concert ticket through the above scanning or input action and notifies it to the content providing device 10. On the other hand, the content providing device 10 performs a search in the content DB122 based on the concert-related information contained in the notification and the user's preferences, as described in S12 above, to determine the photographic image and its thumbnail of the object to be distributed to the user. The content providing device 10 distributes the main data of the determined photographic image and the thumbnail data to the printing device 40. The printing device 40 stores the main data of the photographic image and the thumbnail data in its own content DB441.

[0141] The printing device 40 displays the thumbnail data on the display unit 43, and the user selects the object to be printed. The printing device 40 obtains the identification information of the photographic image of the selected object. Furthermore, the printing device 40 extracts the main data of the photographic image of the object from the content DB441 based on the identification information, and prints it through the printing unit 44 to output a photograph.

[0142] (Regarding the third variation)

[0143] As shown in the second variation above, when a photographic image is taken as a subject of a user's preference, i.e., a musician who is a favorite idol, it may contain multiple subjects. In this case, if the determination unit 22 of the content providing device 10 determines an evaluation value for each subject and determines the main subject in the photographic image, it is possible to determine a photographic image that appropriately reflects the user's preference and output the photograph, which is therefore preferable.

[0144] Therefore, the determination unit 22 of the content providing device 10 in this modified example determines the evaluation value in the photographic image (content) for each subject according to the rule table 124.

[0145] When determining the aforementioned evaluation value, the determining unit 22, for example, calculates the area proportion R of the face or whole body of the subject G83 or G84 in the photographic image G82, which contains that subject, according to rule "R001" in rule table 124. Figure 23The image G8 shows an example where multiple subjects G83 and G84 exist in the photographic image G82. The determination unit 22 determines the pixels depicting the faces or bodies of the people in G83 and G84 through image recognition processing, and calculates the area of ​​each subject's face or body by multiplying the number of these pixels by the area per pixel. Furthermore, the determination unit 22 calculates the area of ​​the photographic image G82 by multiplying the lengths of the rectangular region constituting the photographic image G82 in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0146] The determining unit 22 calculates the proportion R for each subject based on the area calculated as described above. Furthermore, the determining unit 22 compares this proportion R with the "judgment criteria" in rule table 124 to determine the evaluation value. Figure 23 In the example, subject G83 (“●●Rina”) has an evaluation value of 30p, subject G84 (“●●Rei”) has an evaluation value of 10p, and the main subject in the final photographic image G82 is determined to be G83 (“●●Rina”). That is, the photographic image G82 is processed as an image of subject G83 (“●●Rina”).

[0147] Furthermore, the evaluation value can be determined even when there is only one subject in the photographed image. In this case, the determination unit 22 can operate as follows: if the evaluation value is below a predetermined benchmark, the thumbnail will not be set as a distribution target to the user terminal 30, even if the subject matches the user's preference.

[0148] Furthermore, when determining the aforementioned evaluation value, the determining unit 22 may, for example, calculate the distance D between the center position of the photographic image (which is the content) and the position of the subject's face or body, according to rule "R002" in rule table 124, and compare the result with the judgment criteria to determine the evaluation value. In this case, the determining unit 22 can calculate the center position of the photographic image by taking the position at equal distances from the coordinate values ​​of each vertex of the photographic image G82 as the center position. Furthermore, the determining unit 22 can calculate the position of the face or body of the subjects G83 and G84 by taking the center position of the face or body as the center of gravity of the face or body (the method for calculating the center of gravity of the predetermined shape can be a conventional method).

[0149] The determination unit 22 checks the value of the distance D calculated as described above against the numerical range represented by the "judgment criteria" in rule "R002" of rule table 124, and determines the evaluation value of the subject as the value that meets the criteria in each numerical range. For example, if the distance D obtained for a certain subject is "less than 10 pixels", the evaluation value of the subject is "60p". Based on the evaluation values ​​of each subject G83 and G84 determined in this way, the determination unit 22 determines the subject with the highest evaluation value as the subject of the photographed image, and sets the thumbnail of the subject that matches the user's preference as the distribution target.

[0150] Alternatively, the determination unit 22 can also, as shown in rule "R003" (a combination of the aforementioned rules "R001" and "R002"), compare the values ​​of the area ratio R and distance D with the judgment criteria to determine the evaluation value of each subject G83 and G84. In this case, for example, if the area ratio R is "50% or more" and the distance D is "less than 10 pixels", then the evaluation value of the subject is "120p".

[0151] Furthermore, when a user's preferences relate to multiple individuals, the determination unit 22 searches the content DB122 for a photographic image containing each of those individuals as a subject when determining the aforementioned evaluation value. For each photographic image obtained through this search, the determination unit 22 determines an evaluation value for each subject according to the aforementioned rule table 124. The determination unit 22 calculates, for example, the average or maximum value of the evaluation values ​​for each subject, and sets the value obtained through this calculation as the evaluation value of the content, i.e., the photographic image. If the evaluation value thus determined meets a predetermined criterion, the determination unit 22 designates a thumbnail of the photographic image as a distribution target for the aforementioned user.

[0152] The specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but these embodiments are merely examples provided for ease of understanding and do not limit the present invention. That is, the present invention can be modified or improved from the embodiments described below without departing from its spirit. Furthermore, the present invention includes equivalents. In addition, embodiments of the present invention may include combinations of one or more of the above embodiments with the following variations.

[0153] (Regarding computers that constitute content providing devices)

[0154] In the above embodiments, the content providing device of the present invention is constituted by a computer directly used by the user, such as a PC (Personal Computer) owned by the user. However, it is not limited to this; the content providing device of the present invention can also be constituted by a computer that the user can indirectly utilize, such as a server computer 50. Here, the server computer 50 can be, for example, a cloud service server computer, specifically, an ASP (Application Service Provider), SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), or IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) server computer. In this case, if the required information is input into the user terminal 30 owned by the user, the server computer performs various processing (operations) including content extraction and distribution based on the input information, and the results of the operations are output on the user terminal 30 side. That is, the functions of the server computer constituting the content providing device of the present invention can be utilized on the user terminal 30 side. Alternatively, in addition to the above-mentioned PC or server computer, the content providing device can also be constituted by a printing device 40 or a smartphone (a type of user terminal 30) used by the user.

[0155] (Regarding the processor's architecture)

[0156] The processors included in the content providing device of this invention include various processors. Among these various processors, for example, there is a general-purpose processor, namely a CPU, that executes software (programs) to function as various processing units.

[0157] Furthermore, various processors, including FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), are processors whose circuit structure can be changed after manufacturing, namely PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices).

[0158] In addition, various processors include ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), which have circuit structures specifically designed for specific processing, i.e., dedicated circuits.

[0159] Furthermore, one of the aforementioned processors can constitute a functional unit of the content providing apparatus of the present invention. Alternatively, a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types, such as a combination of multiple FPGAs or a combination of an FPGA and a CPU, can constitute a functional unit of the content providing apparatus of the present invention.

[0160] Furthermore, the multiple functional units of the content providing apparatus of the present invention can be constituted by one of various processors, and two or more of the multiple functional units can be constituted by one processor. Also, as in the embodiments described above, a processor can be constituted by a combination of one or more CPUs and software, and this processor can function as multiple functional units.

[0161] Furthermore, it can also take the following form: for example, a SoC (System on Chip) or similar device, which uses a processor that implements the overall system functionality, including multiple functional units in the content providing device of this invention, using a single IC (Integrated Circuit) chip. Moreover, the hardware structure of the various processors described above can be a circuit composed of circuit elements such as semiconductor elements.

[0162] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0163] 1-Network, 5-Printing system, 10-Content providing device, 11-Processor, 12-Auxiliary storage device, 121-Program, 122-Content database, 123-User database, 124-Rule table, 13-Main storage device, 14-Input device, 15-Output device, 16-Communication device, 21-Receiving unit, 22-Determining unit, 23-Distribution unit, 30-User terminal, 40-Printing device, 41-Control unit, 42-Input unit, 43-Display unit, 44-Printing unit, 441-Content database, 45-Communication unit.

Claims

1. A print delivery system comprising: A content providing device that provides content to a printing device and a user's terminal; A terminal that receives a preference specification from the user and notifies the content providing device of the specified content; and A printing device that acquires identification information related to the user's determination and prints the content selected by the user as the printable content. The content providing device provides first content to the printing device and second content matching the preference to the user's terminal. The terminal receives the user's selection of the third content, which is set as the printable object, from the second content. The printing device prints the fourth content, which corresponds to the third content, from the first content.

2. The printing supply system according to claim 1, wherein, The printing device acquires the identification information displayed on the medium held by the user.

3. The printing supply system according to claim 2, wherein, The medium is the terminal.

4. The printing supply system according to claim 1, wherein, The terminal sends the identification information and information related to the third content to the content providing device. The content providing device sends the identification information and information related to the third content to the printing device in an associated manner.

5. The printing supply system according to claim 1, wherein, The content providing device manages the attribute information analyzed from each of the content it holds in association, and when providing the second content that matches the user's preferences, it extracts the attribute information and the content that matches the preferences.

6. The print supply system according to claim 5, wherein, When the content provides information about two or more people who are subjects, the content providing device determines an evaluation value for each of the subjects using a predetermined algorithm and includes the evaluation value in the attribute information.

7. The print supply system according to claim 6, wherein, When determining the evaluation value, the content providing device determines the evaluation value based on the proportion of the area occupied by the person's face or whole body in the image that serves as the content.

8. The print supply system according to claim 6, wherein, When determining the evaluation value, the content providing device determines the evaluation value based on the proximity of the center position of the image that is the content to the position where the person's face or whole body appears.

9. The print supply system according to claim 6, wherein, When determining the evaluation value, the content providing device determines the evaluation value based on the area ratio occupied by the person's face or whole body in the image that serves as the content, and the proximity of the center position of the image that serves as the content to the position where the person's face or whole body appears.

10. The print supply system according to claim 6, wherein, When the content providing device receives the preferences of multiple people as the user's preferences from the user's terminal, it performs statistical processing on the evaluation values ​​calculated for each of the multiple people's preferences when determining the evaluation value for a single piece of content that includes the preferences of the multiple people as the subject, and uses the result of the statistical processing as the evaluation value of the content.

11. The printing supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The user terminal sends the user's holding image to the content providing device. The content providing device receives the held image and holds it in association with the user's preferences or the attributes of the held image.

12. The printing supply system according to claim 11, characterized in that, The content providing device determines, through a predetermined algorithm, whether to use the holding image received from the user's terminal as content related to the preference.

13. A method for providing printouts, comprising the following steps: The content providing device provides first content to the printing device and provides second content that matches the user's preferences to the user's terminal; The user's terminal receives a preference specification from the user, notifies the providing device of the specified content, receives a selection from the user of a third piece of content from the second content provided by the providing device that is set as the print target, and notifies the printing device of the selection result; and The printing device acquires identification information related to the determination of the user, and prints a fourth piece of content corresponding to the third piece of content from the first piece of content provided by the providing device for the user corresponding to the identification information.

14. A program that causes a computer to perform the following steps: Provide the first content to the printing device; Receive notifications about the user's preferences from the user's terminal; The second content matching the preference will be provided to the user's terminal; The terminal receives information about the third content selected by the user as the printable object from the second content, as well as identification information related to the user's determination. and The identification information and information related to the third content are sent to the printing device in an associated manner.

15. A recording medium that is computer-readable. The recording medium records a procedure that performs the following steps: providing the first content to the printing device; Receive notifications about user preferences from the user's device; The second content matching the preference will be provided to the user's terminal; The terminal receives information about the third content selected by the user as the printable object from the second content, as well as identification information related to the user's determination. and The identification information and information related to the third content are sent to the printing device in an associated manner.

Images