Printed matter sales system and printed matter sales method

Abstract

To allow a user to properly receive a photographic print which has been ordered and settled in advance.SOLUTION: A photographic print sales system includes: a server device which receives an order for printing an image from a user terminal, and transmits a code image to the user terminal, the code image being formed by encoding identification information for identifying the printing order; and a plurality of image printing devices configured to receive and store image data from the server device and print out the image data. The image printing device reads the identification information from the code image displayed on the user terminal, and transmits the identification information to the server device. The server device manages print status of the printing order and determines whether to permit printing on the basis of the print status corresponding to the printing order indicated by the identification information received from the image printing device. When the server device permits the printing, the image printing device prints out the image data on the basis of contents of the order.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a print sales system and a print sales method. [Background technology]

[0002] At baseball stadiums, concert halls, and other event venues, photos (bromides) of the performers at the event, i.e., baseball players and artists, are sold. Recently, a service has been provided in which professional photographers take photos at the event and print them out for sale on the day.

[0003] In such services, for example, a business operator uploads images taken by a photographer to a server as needed during an event, and then posts them on an image sales website. Users (potential buyers) access the image sales website using their own user terminals, such as smartphones, select images, and purchase them by credit card payment or other means. After payment, the server sends a two-dimensional code for printing to the user terminal.

[0004] At the event venue, a printing terminal is installed to which image data of images for sale is delivered from a server. After the event ends, the user goes to the printing terminal and holds up the two-dimensional code displayed on the user terminal. The printing terminal notifies the server of the information read from the two-dimensional code, and receives information about the images purchased by the user from the server. The printing terminal prints out the images based on the information received from the server, allowing the user to obtain prints of the images they purchased.

[0005] Multiple printing terminals are installed at an event venue, and with such a service, it is necessary to prevent a single user from repeatedly scanning a two-dimensional code on one printing terminal to output a printout multiple times, or from scanning the code on multiple printing terminals to output a printout from multiple printing terminals in parallel.

[0006] Furthermore, errors can occur during printing due to printer jams or other reasons. Even if an error occurs, it is necessary to ensure that users can obtain the printed materials without any shortages. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-164482 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide a print product sales system and a print product sales method that enable users to correctly receive print products that they have ordered and paid for in advance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The print sales system according to the present invention comprises a server device that stores image data of a captured image, creates an image selection screen using the image data and transmits it to a user terminal, accepts a print order for an image selected from the user terminal via the image selection screen, creates a code image by encoding identification information that can identify the print order and transmits it to the user terminal, and a plurality of image printing devices that receive the image data from the server device and store it and are capable of printing out the image data, wherein the image printing devices read the identification information from the code image displayed on the user terminal and notify the server device, the server device manages the print status of the print order, determines whether or not to permit printing based on the print status corresponding to the print order indicated by the identification information notified from the image printing device, and transmits the determination result to the image printing device, and when printing is permitted by the server device, the image printing device prints out the image data based on the order details received from the server device.

[0010] The print sales method according to the present invention comprises the steps of: a server device that stores image data of a captured image distributing the image data to a plurality of image printing devices; the server device creating an image selection screen using the image data and transmitting it to a user terminal, accepting a print order for an image selected from the user terminal via the image selection screen, transmitting a code image that encodes identification information that can identify the print order to the user terminal, and managing a print status of the print order; a step in which any of the plurality of image printing devices reads the identification information from the code image displayed on the user terminal and notifies the server device; the server device determining whether or not to permit printing based on the print status corresponding to the print order indicated by the identification information notified from the image printing device, and if printing is permitted, transmitting order details of the print order to the image printing device; and a step in which the image printing device prints out the image data based on the order details received from the server device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, the user can correctly receive the prints that he or she has ordered and paid for in advance. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a print product sales system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the server device. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image selection screen. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a two-dimensional code display screen. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a change in print status. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a change in print status. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a print sales system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The print sales system is a system for selling prints such as photographs at event venues such as sports facilities and concert halls, and includes a server device 1 that processes the sales of images, a user terminal 4 that allows customers to check, select, order, and pay for images on sale, and an image printing device 5 that automatically prints out prints (photographs). The user terminal 4 is, for example, a smartphone owned by the customer. Multiple image printing devices 5 are installed at the event venue.

[0015] Photographs of athletes in a sports match or musicians at a concert are taken by a professional photographer's camera 2. The images taken by camera 2 are uploaded to server device 1 by administrator terminal 3 and are made available for sale on the day. Server device 1 is a computer that distributes image data of images for sale to image print devices 5 and provides an image sales website.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, the server device 1 has a storage unit 10 including a ROM, a RAM, a nonvolatile memory, a hard disk drive, or the like, and the storage unit 10 stores a sales program and the like.

[0017] When the CPU of the server device 1 executes the sales program, the functions of an image registration unit 11, an image distribution unit 12, an order reception unit 13, a code creation unit 14, a code transmission unit 15, and a management unit 16 are realized, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0018] The image registration unit 11 stores the image data received from the administrator terminal 3 in the storage unit 10 and registers it as an image for sale.

[0019] The image distribution unit 12 distributes image data of the sales image to the image printing device 5. The image data may be distributed to the image printing device 5 every time image data is received from the administrator terminal 3, or at predetermined time intervals.

[0020] The order receiving unit 13 provides an image sales site and receives orders for images from user terminals 4 that access the image sales site.

[0021] The order receiving unit 13 transmits a sales image selection screen to the user terminal 4 that has accessed the image sales site. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, the image selection screen includes an image display area, a purchase quantity designation button B1, a confirmation button B2, etc.

[0022] When a customer operates the image selection screen to specify the image and number of copies to purchase, and presses the Confirm button B2 to confirm the print order, the order receiving unit 13 generates an order number that uniquely identifies this order, calculates the total amount, and generates and sends a payment screen to the user terminal 4. The customer operates the user terminal 4 and enters their credit card number, etc. on the payment screen.

[0023] Once payment is complete, the order receiving unit 13 stores order information including the order number and order details in the storage unit 10. The order details include the file names or image numbers of the purchased images, the number of each image purchased, etc. The order receiving unit 13 also creates a print status registration area for this order in the storage unit 10. The print status will be described later.

[0024] The code creation unit 14 creates a two-dimensional code that indicates the order number.

[0025] The code sending unit 15 sends the two-dimensional code created by the code creating unit 14 to the user terminal 4.

[0026] After the event is over, the customer goes to the image printing device 5 and holds the two-dimensional code Q displayed on the display of the user terminal 4 over the image printing device 5, as shown in FIG.

[0027] The image printing device 5 has a communication unit for communicating with the server device 1, a printer, a two-dimensional code reading unit, a memory unit for storing image data distributed from the server device 1, etc. The image printing device 5 reads the two-dimensional code to obtain an order number and notifies the server device 1 of the order number.

[0028] When the management unit 16 of the server device 1 shown in Fig. 2 receives an order number from the image printing device 5, it checks the print status of this order and determines whether to permit printing. There are three print statuses: "not output," "outputting," and "output completed."

[0029] "Not yet output" means that the print process is not in progress and has not been completed in any of the multiple image printing devices 5. The print status becomes "not yet output" immediately after the order receiving unit 13 receives an order from a customer and completes payment.

[0030] "Outputting" means that printing is currently being performed in any of the image printing devices 5.

[0031] "Output completed" is a state in which the print process has been completed in any of the plurality of image print devices 5 and the printout has already been output.

[0032] If the print status corresponding to the order number notified by the image printing device 5 is "not output", the management unit 16 permits the image printing device 5 to print and transmits the order details to the image printing device 5. The management unit 16 also changes (updates) the print status of this order from "not output" to "outputting".

[0033] The image printing device 5 that has been permitted to print performs the printing process of the image based on the order details. When the printing process is completed, the image printing device 5 notifies the server device 1 of the completion of printing. When the management unit 16 receives the notification of the completion of printing, it changes the print status of this order from "outputting" to "output completed."

[0034] If the print status corresponding to the order number notified from the image printing device 5 is "outputting" or "output completed", the management unit 16 determines that printing is not possible and notifies the image printing device 5 that printing is prohibited. This makes it possible to prevent an order currently being printed by one image printing device 5 from being printed in parallel by another image printing device 5, or to prevent an order that has already been printed from being printed again.

[0035] If an error such as a paper jam occurs during printing and the printing process is interrupted, the image printing device 5 notifies the server device 1 of the interruption of the printing process due to the error. When the management unit 16 receives the notification of the interruption of the printing process, it changes the print status of this order from "outputting" to "not outputted." This makes it possible to perform the printing process on an image printing device 5 different from the image printing device 5 where the error occurred, or to perform the printing process again on an image printing device 5 that has recovered from the error, allowing the customer to receive all of the printed materials they purchased.

[0036] 5 shows an example of how the print status changes after payment is completed. When the customer completes payment, the management unit 16 sets the print status of this order to "not printed" (time T0). A two-dimensional code is also sent to the customer's user terminal 4.

[0037] The customer goes to the image printing device 5A and has the two-dimensional code displayed on the user terminal 4 read (time T1). The image printing device 5A obtains the order number from the read two-dimensional code and notifies the server device 1. Because the print status of this order is "not yet output," the management unit 16 sends the order information to the image printing device 5A, permits printing, and changes the print status to "outputting." The image printing device 5A starts the print process based on the order information.

[0038] Consider the case where, while image printing device 5A is performing printing processing, a customer has adjacent image printing device 5B read the two-dimensional code displayed on the user terminal 4 (time T2). Image printing device 5B obtains the order number from the read two-dimensional code and notifies the server device 1. Because the print status of this order is "outputting," the management unit 16 notifies image printing device 5B that printing is prohibited. Image printing device 5B may display a message that printing processing cannot be performed.

[0039] When the image printing device 5A completes the printing process, it notifies the server device 1 of the completion of printing (time T3). When the management unit 16 receives the notification of the completion of printing, it changes the print status of this order from "outputting" to "output completed." The customer obtains the printed matter output from the image printing device 5A.

[0040] Consider the case where, after obtaining a printout, the customer has the image printing devices 5A and 5B read the same two-dimensional code (times T4 and T5). The image printing devices 5A and 5B obtain the order number from the read two-dimensional code and notify the server device 1. Because the print status of this order is "output completed," the management unit 16 notifies the image printing devices 5A and 5B that printing is prohibited. The image printing devices 5A and 5B may display a message indicating that printing cannot be performed or a message indicating that there is no order.

[0041] 6 shows another example of the change in print status after payment is completed. When the customer completes payment, the management unit 16 sets the print status of this order to "not printed" (time T10). A two-dimensional code is also sent to the customer's user terminal 4.

[0042] The customer goes to the image printing device 5A and has the two-dimensional code displayed on the user terminal 4 read (time T11). The image printing device 5A obtains the order number from the read two-dimensional code and notifies the server device 1. Because the print status of this order is "not yet output," the management unit 16 sends the order information to the image printing device 5A, permits printing, and changes the print status to "outputting." The image printing device 5A starts the print process based on the order information.

[0043] Consider a case where an error occurs during print processing in the image print device 5A (time T12). The image print device 5A notifies the server device 1 that the print processing has been interrupted due to an error. The management unit 16 changes the print status of this order from "outputting" to "not outputting."

[0044] The customer moves to the adjacent image printing device 5B and has the two-dimensional code displayed on the user terminal 4 read (time T13). The image printing device 5B obtains the order number from the read two-dimensional code and notifies the server device 1. Because the print status of this order is "not yet output," the management unit 16 sends the order information to the image printing device 5B, permits printing, and changes the print status to "outputting." The image printing device 5B starts the print process based on the order information.

[0045] Even if the image printing device 5A recovers from the error during the printing process at the image printing device 5B and the customer has the image printing device 5A read the two-dimensional code again (time T14), the print status of this order is "outputting", so the management unit 16 notifies the image printing device 5A that printing is prohibited.

[0046] When the image printing device 5B completes the printing process, it notifies the server device 1 of the completion of printing (time T15). When the management unit 16 receives the notification of the completion of printing, it changes the print status of this order from "outputting" to "output completed." The customer obtains the printed matter output from the image printing device 5B.

[0047] 6, after an error occurs in the image printing device 5A, the image printing device 5A may be allowed to read the two-dimensional code again after recovery without using another image printing device such as 5B. In this case, the print status is "not output," so the management unit 16 allows the execution of the print process.

[0048] As described above, according to this embodiment, the print status of print orders is managed, which prevents the acquisition of excessive prints by preventing the print of one order from being printed out multiple times or from being printed out in parallel on multiple image printing devices 5. Furthermore, if an error occurs during printing processing, printing can be performed on another image printing device 5 or on the same image printing device 5 that has recovered from the error, so that the customer can obtain the prints as ordered.

[0049] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which print status is managed on an order-by-order basis when an error occurs, but print status may also be managed on an image-by-image basis.

[0050] For example, when managing print status on an order-by-order basis, in print processing after an error occurs, all images are printed out regardless of which images were printed out before the error occurred.

[0051] On the other hand, when managing the print status on an image-by-image basis, the image printing device 5 notifies the server device 1 of the images that have been successfully printed out when notifying the server device 1 that the print processing has been interrupted due to an error. In the subsequent print processing, the server device 1 instructs the image printing device 5 to print only the images that have not yet been printed out.

[0052] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the order number is converted into a two-dimensional code and sent to the user terminal 4, but the information to be converted into the two-dimensional code may also be other identification information capable of identifying the print order, such as a member ID or an encrypted string to be decrypted on the server side.

[0053] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the components can be modified and embodied in practice without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining multiple components disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, some components may be omitted from all the components shown in the embodiments. Furthermore, components from different embodiments may be appropriately combined. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 1. Server device 2 Cameras 5. Administrator terminal 4. User terminal 5. Image printing device

Claims

1. a server device that stores image data of a photographed image, creates an image selection screen using the image data, transmits the image selection screen to a user terminal, accepts a print order for an image selected from the user terminal via the image selection screen, and creates a code image by encoding identification information that can identify the print order, and transmits the code image to the user terminal; a plurality of image printing devices that receive and store the image data from the server device and are capable of printing out the image data; Equipped with the image printing device reads the identification information from the code image displayed on the user terminal and notifies the server device of the identification information; the server device manages the print status of the print order, determines whether or not to permit printing based on the print status corresponding to the print order indicated by the identification information notified from the image print device, and transmits the determination result to the image print device; When the server device permits printing, the image printing device prints out the image data based on the order content received from the server device. The print status is a "not output" state indicating that printing is not being performed in any of the plurality of image printing devices and that printing is not completed; an output indicating that a print process is being performed in any one of the plurality of image printing devices; an output completion indicating that the printing process has been completed in any one of the plurality of image printing devices and that a printed matter has already been output; Including, The server device When the print status corresponding to the print order indicated by the identification information notified from the image print device is "not output", permitting printing, transmitting order details corresponding to the print order indicated by the identification information to the image print device, and updating the print status from "not output" to "currently outputting", The print sales system determines that printing is not possible when the print status corresponding to the print order indicated by the identification information notified from the image printing device is outputting or outputting completed.

2. When an error occurs during the print process and the print process is interrupted, the image print device notifies the server device of the interruption of the print process due to the error; 2. The print sales system according to claim 1, wherein said server device, upon receiving a notice of interruption of print processing from said image printing device, changes the print status corresponding to said print order from "outputting" to "not outputting."

3. a step in which a server device that stores image data of the captured image distributes the image data to a plurality of image printing devices; a step in which the server device creates an image selection screen using the image data and transmits it to a user terminal, accepts a print order for an image selected from the user terminal via the image selection screen, transmits a code image in which identification information capable of identifying the print order is coded to the user terminal, and manages a print status of the print order; a step in which any one of the plurality of image printing devices reads the identification information from the code image displayed on the user terminal and notifies the server device; a step in which the server device determines whether or not to permit printing based on a print status corresponding to the print order indicated by the identification information notified from the image printing device, and if the server device permits printing, transmits the order details of the print order to the image printing device; a step in which the image printing device prints out the image data based on the order content received from the server device; Equipped with The print status is a "not output" state indicating that printing is not being performed in any of the plurality of image printing devices and that printing is not completed; an output indicating that a print process is being performed in any one of the plurality of image printing devices; an output completion indicating that the printing process has been completed in any one of the plurality of image printing devices and that a printed matter has already been output; Including, The server device When the print status corresponding to the print order indicated by the identification information notified from the image print device is "not output", permitting printing, transmitting order details corresponding to the print order indicated by the identification information to the image print device, and updating the print status from "not output" to "currently outputting", The print sales method determines that printing is not possible when the print status corresponding to the print order indicated by the identification information notified from the image printing device is outputting or outputting completed.

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