Abstract:
An image layout apparatus includes a cropping unit, a displaying unit, a checking unit, first and second computing units, a noticing unit, and a preventing unit. The cropping unit crops an image file image. The displaying unit displays and arranges cropped images on a page. The checking unit checks whether first and second image files are same. The first computing unit computes, in response to the first image file and the second image file being the same, an overlapping area between a first displayed image and a second displayed image. The second computing unit computes overlapping size ratio of the computed overlapping area. The noticing unit notices, in response to the first image file and the second image file being the same, information regarding duplication of image files. The preventing unit prevents, in response to the computed overlapping size ratio being smaller than a predetermined value, noticing the information.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/564,801, filed on Nov. 29, 2006, which claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-024573, filed Feb. 1, 2006, and from Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-370098, filed Dec. 22, 2005, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a technique for editing, arranging, and displaying a plurality of images by using an information processing apparatus. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Conventionally, there is an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer that is capable of capturing an image file by using an application program so as to display the image file on a display screen. In addition, there is a PC that is capable of creating an electronic album by arranging a plurality of images on a plurality of pages by using an application program. 
         [0006]    Further, there is a PC that is capable of capturing an image file by photographing with a digital camera and uploading the image file to an image management server via a network so as to share an image with other users. 
         [0007]    Among conventional electronic album creation apparatuses as described above, there is an electronic album creation apparatus that is capable of confirming, by an instruction of a creator of an album, whether an image file to be captured in an electronic album overlaps with an image file already captured, based on attribute information such as a file name of the image file, and issues a warning to the creator of the album if there is an overlapping image file. 
         [0008]    In recent years, a digital camera can photograph an image having an excellent quality which enables sufficient printing and display in an electronic album even in the case of a cropped image obtained by extracting only one part of an image. 
         [0009]    However, a conventional electronic album creation apparatus as described above has following defectives when an image file is loaded into an electronic album while confirming whether the same image file is already used based on attribute information such as a file name. 
         [0010]      FIG. 33  illustrates one defective as an example. The example as shown in  FIG. 33  shows three images  3301 ,  3302 , and  3303 . Each of the images  3301 ,  3302 , and  3303  is obtained by cropping different areas of one image file  3304 . In the example as shown in  FIG. 33 , the creator of the album desires to intentionally capture the same image file so as to use the images of different portions of the image file for the electronic album. 
         [0011]      FIG. 34  illustrates another defective as an example. An image  3401  is obtained by enlarging an image  3402 . Thus, images can be obtained by changing a display magnification and enlarging a whole part of one image in multiple steps. Also in this case, the creator of the album desires to intentionally capture the same image file in an overlapping manner so as to use an image magnified or reduced at a different magnification for the electronic album. 
         [0012]    However, in a conventional album creation apparatus as described above, whether the image files mutually overlap, is determined based on attribute information such as a file name of each image file at a time of capturing the image files. Accordingly, an intent of the creator of an album is not considered, and a warning is issued even when different forms of the same image file are used in the electronic album. This requires the creator of the album to inconveniently respond to the meaningless warning. 
         [0013]    In a conventional album creation apparatus as described above, the determination as to whether the image files overlap is made at the time of capturing the image files. Accordingly, once the image files are taken into the album, no warning is issued to the creator of the album even if the creator of the album completes editing of the album forgetting the processing for cropping the image, or magnification and reduction processing. Accordingly, a plurality of similar images may be included in the album, and thus the creator of the album may undesirably obtain a failed print product and preview image of an album. 
         [0014]    In addition, since an electronic album includes a number of pages and images, in a case where a warning of overlapping images is generated, there is a need to notify a user where an image is placed which overlaps with the image that the user desires to use. 
         [0015]    Further, in a case where a plurality of users create an electronic album in cooperation using a server on a network, the users often desire to be able to easily know what kind of images are utilized by other users and in what situation, so as to prevent unintentional use of an overlapping image. 
         [0016]    In addition, there is a case where even when the image that the user desires to use overlaps with an image existing in an electronic album, the user absolutely wishes to use the image. In this case, the addition of the overlapping image by the user can disturb the other user who has registered the same overlapping image. Accordingly, in this case, there is a need to send a message to the other user to that effect. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    According to an aspect of the present invention, an image layout apparatus includes a cropping unit configured to crop an image corresponding to an image file, a displaying unit configured to display and arrange a plurality of cropped images on a page, a checking unit configured to check whether a first image file of a first displayed image and a second image file of a second displayed image are same based on at least one of file names of image files and binary data of the image files, a first computing unit configured to compute, in response to a result of the checking indicating that the first image file and the second image file are the same, an overlapping area between the first displayed image and the second displayed image, a second computing unit configured to compute overlapping size ratio of the computed overlapping area in the image of the image file, a noticing unit configured to notice, in response to the result of the checking indicating that the first image file and the second image file are the same, information regarding duplication of image files, and a preventing unit configured to prevent, in response to the computed overlapping size ratio being smaller than a predetermined value, the noticing unit from noticing the information. 
         [0018]    According to another aspect of the present invention, at least one embodiment is directed to an electronic album editing system that edits an electronic album in which a plurality of images are arranged, and includes a server apparatus capable of communicating with a client apparatus via a network. The client apparatus includes: an editing unit configured to edit an image file; a display control unit configured to control display so that the images are displayed in the electronic album based on the image file and editing information on the editing performed by the editing unit; and an editing information sending unit configured to send the editing information to the server apparatus. The server apparatus includes: an editing information receiving unit configured to receive the editing information from the client apparatus; an editing information storage unit configured to store the editing information that is received by the editing information receiving unit; a determination unit configured to determine whether the images that are displayed by the display control unit overlap with each other based on the editing information stored in the editing information storage unit; and a notification unit configured to notify a result of determination performed by the determination unit to the client apparatus. 
         [0019]    Further features and aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  illustrates a hardware configuration of an album creation apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  illustrates a configuration of an image file according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  illustrates a flow chart showing a procedure for creating a new album that is performed by the album creation apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  schematically illustrates an album management table that is stored in a hard disk of the album creation apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  schematically illustrates an image management table that is stored in a hard disk of the album creation apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  illustrates an album editing screen displayed on a display device of the album creation apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  illustrates an image editing screen displayed on the display device of the album creation apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  illustrates a processing selection screen displayed on the display device of the album creation apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  schematically illustrates a warning management table that is stored in the hard disk of the album creation apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 10  illustrates one example of an environment setting screen that is displayed on the display device of the album creation apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 11  schematically illustrates a page management table that is stored in the hard disk of the album creation apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0032]      FIG. 12  schematically illustrates a page image management table that is stored in the hard disk of the album creation apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0033]      FIG. 13  is a flow chart that illustrates a procedure in which the album creation apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention determines whether the images in the album are used in an overlapping manner and issues a warning to that effect. 
           [0034]      FIG. 14  illustrates one example of a warning screen that is displayed on the display device of the album creation apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0035]      FIG. 15  illustrates one example of an album editing screen that is displayed on the display device of the album creation apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0036]      FIG. 16  schematically illustrates the warning management table that is stored in the hard disk of the album creation apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0037]      FIG. 17  is a flow chart that illustrates a procedure in which the album creation apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention determines whether the images in the album are used in an overlapping manner and issues a warning to that effect. 
           [0038]      FIG. 18  illustrates one example of an overall configuration of an album creation system according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0039]      FIG. 19  is a flow chart that illustrates a procedure for notification of the creation of the album to a participant sent from a user terminal, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0040]      FIG. 20  schematically illustrates one example of a participant information management table according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0041]      FIG. 21  is a flow chart that illustrates a procedure for producing an album page performed in the user terminal, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0042]      FIG. 22  illustrates one example of a page editing screen according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0043]      FIG. 23A  and  FIG. 23B  are flow charts that respectively illustrate a procedure for uploading page data from the user terminal to the album management apparatus, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0044]      FIG. 24  illustrates one example of a page selection screen according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0045]      FIG. 25  illustrates one example of verification data according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0046]      FIG. 26  illustrates one example of a content of an electronic mail according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0047]      FIG. 27  schematically illustrates one example of a page information management table according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0048]      FIG. 28  is a flow chart that illustrates a procedure for checking the images for overlapping within the album performed by the album management apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0049]      FIG. 29  illustrates one example of returned data according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0050]      FIG. 30  is a flow chart that illustrates a procedure for checking the images for overlapping within the album performed by the user terminal and the album management apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0051]      FIG. 31  illustrates one example of a warning screen according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0052]      FIG. 32  illustrates one example of an overlapping checking screen according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0053]      FIG. 33  illustrates one example in which plural portions of one image are cropped from the image. 
           [0054]      FIG. 34  illustrates one example of the images having different magnifications that are obtained from one image. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0055]    Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the relative arrangement of the components, the numerical expressions and numerical values set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention unless it is specifically stated otherwise. 
       First Exemplary Embodiment 
       [0056]      FIG. 1  illustrates a hardware configuration of an album creation apparatus  100 . The album creation apparatus  100  (also referred to herein as “electronic album editing apparatus”) can be configured by an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer. The album creation apparatus  100  manages images by linking the images with an album, and creates an album using the images. 
         [0057]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a display device  101 , which is configured by a cathode ray tube (CRT), displays editing information including an album that is currently edited, for example, a document, a graphic, an image, and a comment, and user interface information such as an icon, a message, and a menu. In this exemplary embodiment, an example is described in which a CRT is used as the display device, however, the display is not limited to the CRT. A liquid crystal display (LCD) and an electro luminescent (EL) display can also be used. 
         [0058]    An image to be displayed on a display screen of the display device  101  is rendered on a video RAM (VRAM)  102 . The image produced on the VRAM  102  is transferred to the display device  101  according to a specific regulation, and thus the image is displayed on the display device  101 . 
         [0059]    A bit move unit (BMU)  103  controls a data transfer between memories (for example, between the VRAM  102  and other memory) or between a memory and each I/O device (for example, a network interface  111 ). 
         [0060]    A keyboard  104  includes various keys for inputting documents and the like. A pointing device  105  is used for pointing objects such as an icon and a menu displayed on the screen of the display device  101 . 
         [0061]    A central processing unit (CPU)  106  controls each device connected via a bus  112  based on a control program stored on a read only memory (ROM)  107  and a hard disk  109 . 
         [0062]    The ROM  107  stores various kinds of control programs and data. A random access memory (RAM)  108  includes a work area for the CPU  106 , a save area for saving data at a time of handling an error, and a load area of the control program. 
         [0063]    The hard disk  109  is capable of storing a content and control program that is executed in the information processing apparatus. The hard disk  109  of the album creation apparatus  100  stores a content file such as an image file and a text file, an operating system (OS), electronic album data, an image file, an album creation program, and a table for managing various kinds of information. 
         [0064]    The hard disk  109  can be included in the information processing apparatus or can be externally installed so as to be controlled by the CPU  106 . Additionally, it is noted that not all the information described above as an example need to be stored in the hard disk  109 . Some of the information can be stored in an external file server so that a user can access and acquire the information as necessary. 
         [0065]      FIG. 2  illustrates one example of a configuration of an image file  200  stored in the hard disk  109 . When the image file  200  is an image file photographed by a digital camera, a portion  201  includes as attribute information, for example, photographing information such as date and time of photography, a model name of the digital camera, a shutter speed, a stop value, an exposure correction, and a white balance. In a portion  202 , a thumbnail image is stored. The thumbnail image is compliant with a standard such as an Exif specification and has a resolution with which a content of the image can be confirmed. In a portion  203 , an original image is stored. The original image has a resolution higher than the resolution of the thumbnail image. The original image  203  is suitable for printing on a paper and displaying on a large screen. 
         [0066]    A flexible disk drive (FDD)  110  controls access to a flexible disk. Through the network interface  111 , the information processing apparatus can communicate with other information processing apparatus and a printer. 
         [0067]    The control program can be supplied to the CPU  106  from the ROM  107 , the hard disk, and a flexible disk. In addition, the control program can be supplied to the CPU  106  from other information processing apparatus via the network interface  111 . 
         [0068]    Next, a procedure for executing the album creation program stored in the hard disk  109  and creating an album, which the CPU  106  of the album creation apparatus  100  performs, is described with reference to  FIG. 3 . 
         [0069]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , first, in step S 301 , the CPU  106  displays an album setting screen on the display device  101 . The user, as instructed by the album setting screen, operates the keyboard  104  and the pointing device  105  so as to input a name of the album. Then, the user inputs an instruction for newly creating an album. 
         [0070]    When the instruction for newly creating an album is input in step S 301 , in step S 302 , the CPU  106  issues an album ID for uniquely identifying the album that is to be newly created. Then, the CPU  106  adds a new record to an album management table  400  as shown in  FIG. 4 , and stores the record in the hard disk  109 . An album ID  401 , an album name  402 , a type of template  403 , which is described below, and a total number of pages  404  are managed using the album management table  400  as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0071]    In step S 303 , the CPU  106  displays an image selection screen on the display device  101 . The user, as instructed by the album setting screen, operates the keyboard  104  and the pointing device  105  so as to select an image file to be linked with the album. Thumbnail images of each image files are displayed on the image selection screen. The user can select a desired image with reference to the displayed image files. In addition, a new record is created and managed as to the image selected by step S 303  in an image management table  500  in the hard disk  109  as shown in  FIG. 5 . If the same image file is selected a plurality of times by step S 303 , a plurality of records having different image IDs  501 , and a same file name  502  and file path  513  are produced. 
         [0072]      FIG. 5  illustrates the image management table  500  that manages the images placed on the album by the album creation apparatus  100 . 
         [0073]    The records of the image management table  500  stores the image ID  501 , the image file name  502 , the image file path  513 , an album ID  514  of the album on which the image is placed, and a page number  515 . Here, with respect to the image ID  501 , the images are serially numbered in an order of selection by step S 303 . For the page number  515 , a value “1” is set to a first page, a value “2” is set to a next page (two-page-spread, page 2 and 3), and a value “n+1” is set to following pages (two-page-spread, page 2n and 2n+1). In addition, with respect to a portion of the image that is actually displayed in the album, information including following items is stored in the record. That is, an inner-image position  503  of a leftmost pixel for cropping, an inner-image position  504  of a rightmost pixel for cropping, an inner-image position  505  of an uppermost pixel for cropping, and an inner-image position  506  of a lowermost pixel for cropping, are stored in the record. In addition, an image rotation angle  507 , a shape  508  of an area in which the image is displayed are stored in the record. Further, with respect to an area within the two-page-spread in which the image is displayed, a position  509  of a leftmost pixel for display, a display position  510  of a rightmost pixel, a display position  511  of an uppermost pixel, and a display position  512  of a lowermost pixel are stored in the record. In the shape  508 , values linked with a shape are stored, such that a value “1” is set for a rectangle and a value “2” is set for an oval on which a displayed rectangle is inscribed. Coordinate values concerning the display position are managed in a coordinate system having its origin at an upper left position of the area in which an x-axis shows positive values on the right side of the origin and a y-axis shows positive values in a downward direction. The coordinate values concerning the display position correspond to the position on a paper on which each image area is printed when the album is printed. 
         [0074]    In step S 303 , information is stored in the image ID  501 , the image file name  502 , the image file path  513 , and the album ID  514 , of the records. The storing of information about other parameters of the records is described below. 
         [0075]    In step S 304 , the CPU  106  displays a template selection screen on the display device  101 . The user, according to the template selection screen, operates the keyboard  104  and the pointing device  105  so as to select a type of a template. The template defines an arrangement, an output size, and a frame design of each image; a design of a background and a top cover; a page size; and the total number of pages. The definition of each template is stored in the hard disk  109 . The values that indicate the type of the template selected by step S 304  are stored in the hard disk  109  as the template type  403  of the album management table  400 . 
         [0076]    In step S 305 , the CPU  106  arranges the images on the album in the order of selection performed by step S 303 , according to the template selected by step S 304 . Then, the CPU  106  displays an album editing screen  600  on the display device  101 . The CPU  106  stores information in each of the parameters  502  through  512  of the image management table  500 , based on a state of the images arranged according to the template. 
         [0077]      FIG. 6  illustrates the album editing screen  600  displayed on the display device (CRT)  101  of the album creation apparatus  100 . 
         [0078]    In  FIG. 6 , a page editing area  601  for editing one two-page-spread in the album is shown. In the album editing screen  600  as shown in  FIG. 6 , five images are respectively displayed in five image areas  611  through  615  in the page editing area  601 . Here, the coordinates of the position of each image displayed in the two-page-spread are stored in the parameters  509  through  512  of the image management table  500 , respectively. The shape of the image area and the rotation angle of the image are stored in the parameter  508  and  507 . 
         [0079]    With respect to a whole image, the coordinates of the portion of the image actually displayed in the page editing area  601  are stored in the parameters  503  through  506  of the image management table  500 . The CPU  106  reads the whole image of the image file stored in the hard disk  109 . Then, the CPU  106  produces as a rendered image of the portion that is indicated by the coordinates  503  through  506  with respect to the read out whole image. Then, the CPU  106  stores the rendered image on the VRAM and displays the rendered image on the display device  101 . 
         [0080]    A page selection area  602  is an area for selecting the two-page-spread that is edited by the album creation apparatus  100 . In the page selection area  602 , the page produced in the album is displayed in a thumbnail image, per each two-page-spread. The two-page-spread that is currently displayed in the page editing area  601  and being edited, is highlighted. The user can change the two-page-spread displayed in the page editing area  601  by clicking and selecting the page to be edited, with the pointing device  105  from among the two-page-spreads that are displayed in thumbnails. 
         [0081]    A scroll bar  603  is used when not all the pages can be displayed in a selected area of the two-page-spread. The user selects left and right arrow buttons that are respectively positioned at both ends of the scroll bar so as to display in the page selection area  602  the two-page-spread that is previous or subsequent to the two-page-spread currently displayed. 
         [0082]    A button  604  is used for adding an image to the two-page-spread that is currently edited. The user can add an image to the two-page-spread displayed in the page editing area  601  by selecting an image file after pressing the button  604 . A place in the page at which the image is added, is displayed in a manner such that image areas according to a number of images placed on each page of the album are previously stored in the template so as to automatically insert the images into the image areas . The place at which the image is added can be explicitly specified by the operation of the pointing device  105  by the user. 
         [0083]    A button  605  is used for erasing the image placed in the two-page-spread displayed in the page editing area  601 . The user selects one image from the two-page-spread displayed in the page editing area  601 , and then presses the button  605 . In response to the operation by the user, the CPU  106  does not allow the selected image to be displayed on the two-page-spread and erases the record of the image from the image management table  500 . In addition, the CPU  106 , after erasing the image, acquires the image area that is previously stored in the template and then according to the number of remaining images, rearranges the disposition of the remaining images so as to display the remaining images. 
         [0084]    A button  606  is used for editing the image. When the user selects one image in the page editing area  601  and presses the image editing button  606 , the CPU  106  displays an image editing screen  700  as shown in  FIG. 7  on the display device  101 . 
         [0085]      FIG. 7  illustrates the image editing screen  700  according to this exemplary embodiment. By using the image editing screen  700  as shown in  FIG. 7 , the user can issue an instruction for editing the image such as an image rotation processing or a cropping processing which crops one portion of the image. 
         [0086]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , an image editing area  701  displays the image that is currently edited. In addition, a portion of the currently-edited image that is actually displayed in the image area of the two-page-spread of the album is highlighted by a surrounded rectangular area  706 . By dragging each side and vertex, the rectangular area  706  can be magnified or reduced. At this time, the rectangular area  706  is magnified and reduced while maintaining a same shape as the rectangle in the image area of the two-page-spread. 
         [0087]    Buttons  702  and  703  are used for rotating the image. When the user presses each of the buttons  702  and  703 , the image displayed in the image editing area  701  that is being edited, is rotated to left or right by 90 degrees. 
         [0088]    When an OK button  704  is pressed by the user, the CPU  106  stores information including the content edited in the image editing screen  700  in the record of the image management table  500 . 
         [0089]    For example, when the position or the size of the rectangular area  706  is changed, the CPU  106  updates the parameters  503  through  506  in the record of the image management table  500  and stores the same. Then, the CPU  106  reads the whole image of the image file stored in the hard disk  109 . Then, the CPU  106  produces an image of the portion as indicated by the coordinates  503  through  506  of the read-out whole image which are newly updated, as a rendered image. Then, the CPU  106  stores the rendered image to the VRAM, and then displays the album editing screen  600  on the display device  101  together with the edited image. If the position or the size of the rectangular area  706  is changed, the portion of the image which is newly specified, is displayed in the image area of the page editing area  601  of the album editing screen  600 . 
         [0090]    When the user presses a cancel button  705 , a content edited in the image editing screen  700  is canceled. Then, the CPU  106  terminates the display of the image editing screen  700 , and returns the display on the display device  101  to the album editing screen  600 . 
         [0091]    A button  607  as shown in  FIG. 6  is used for issuing an instruction to return the display to the screen displayed previous to the album editing screen  600 . While a detailed description is omitted in this exemplary embodiment, when the user presses the button  607 , the CPU  106  displays a processing selection screen  800  as shown in  FIG. 8  on the display device  101 . 
         [0092]    A button  608  is used for issuing an instruction to change the display to the screen subsequent to the album editing screen  600 . When the user presses the button  608 , the CPU  106  displays the processing selection screen  800  as shown in  FIG. 8  on the display device  101 . 
         [0093]      FIG. 8  illustrates the processing selection screen  800  that is displayed on the display device  101  when the user presses a “next” button  608  in the album editing screen  600 . 
         [0094]    When the user presses each of buttons  801  through  804 , the CPU  106  starts a processing according to the flow as shown in  FIG. 13  that is described below. Hereinbelow, the processing is described that is performed after the CPU  106  performs the flow as shown in  FIG. 13  in response to pressing of the various buttons  801  through  804 . 
         [0095]    When the user presses the save button  801 , the CPU  106  terminates receiving of editing operations and stores the content of each page of the album edited in the album editing screen  600 , in each table in the hard disk  109 . Then, the CPU  106  ends the processing in the album creation apparatus  100 . 
         [0096]    When the user presses a preview button  802 , the CPU  106  terminates the receiving of the editing operations, and displays the content of each page of the album edited in the album editing screen  600  on the display device  101 . In this manner, the user can confirm the content of the album. A detailed description thereof is omitted here. 
         [0097]    When the user presses a print button  803 , the CPU  106  terminates the receiving of the editing operations, and produces print data. The album consisting of the print data is printed on a paper in a form similar to the display on the album editing screen  600  that can be bound into a book. 
         [0098]    More specifically, the CPU  106  acquires an album ID  1103  edited in the album editing screen  600  from a page management table  1100  that is stored in the hard disk  109  . Then, the CPU  106  acquires records having an album ID  1204  that is the same as the acquired album ID  1103 , from a page image management table  1200  stored in the hard disk  109 , in an order from a first two-page-spread. Then, the CPU  106  refers to a number  1202  of image areas and a first image number  1203  of the acquired record and acquires the record of the image placed in the two-page-spread, from the image management table  500 . Then, the CPU  106  acquires the image file  200  based on the image file path  513  of the acquired record. In addition, the CPU  106  refers to the template type  403  of the record that has the same album ID  401  as the acquired album ID  1103 , from the album management table  400  stored in the hard disk  109 . Then, the CPU  106  refers to information  503  through  506  of a cropped area of the image, information  507  through  512  of the arrangement of the image, and the template type  403  so as to produce the print data from the original image  203  of the image file  200 . 
         [0099]    Then, the CPU  106  instructs a printer driver so that the printer driver performs a print processing based on the produced print data, via the OS. The album creation apparatus  100  is connected with a printer apparatus via a communication cable or through a wireless communication. The printer apparatus, upon receipt of instruction from the printer driver of the album creation apparatus  100 , performs printing of the album based on the print data that is rendered by the printer driver. 
         [0100]    When the user presses an “order through network” button  804 , the CPU  106  connects the apparatus to a network via the network interface  111 . Then, the CPU  106  produces the print data in the same manner as the case where the user presses the print button  803 . Then, the CPU  106  accesses a web server of an online print shop, and then sends the produced print data to the web server. The web server sends web page information that defines an input form of information necessary for ordering the album, to the album creation apparatus  100 . Then, the album creation apparatus  100  activates a web browser so as to display the input form based on the web page information. The user inputs order information including a number of copies of the album, an address of a distribution destination, the name of the user, and credit information of the user, according to the input form. Then, the album creation apparatus  100  sends the order information to the web server through the web browser. The web server performs the print processing of the album based on the print data and the order information. In addition, an operator of the web server performs bookbinding and distribution of the printed album. 
         [0101]    When the user presses a return button  805 , the CPU  106  returns the display in the display device  101  to the album editing screen  600 . 
         [0102]      FIG. 9  illustrates a warning management table  900  that manages threshold value data. The album creation apparatus  100  according to this exemplary embodiment performs control to determine with the threshold value whether a warning should be issued when the images placed on the album mutually overlaps. The warning management table  900  is stored in the hard disk  109 . 
         [0103]    In this exemplary embodiment, the CPU  106  manages an overlapping ratio  901  for warning-determination by using the warning management table  900 . 
         [0104]    In this exemplary embodiment, when it is determined that the same images are used in two image areas in the album, a ratio of an area (ratio of overlapping) of the image displayed in each image area is computed. The image overlapping ratio  901  for warning-determination is a threshold value of the overlapping ratio used for determining whether a warning that the same images are used in the album should be issued to the user. 
         [0105]    With respect to the image overlapping ratio  901  for warning-determination, a value that is previously set as a fixed value by the album creation program can be stored by the album creation apparatus  100  in the RAM  108  or the hard disk  109 . Alternatively, the user can freely set the value in an environment setting screen as shown in  FIG. 10 , which the CPU  106  displays on the display device  101  according to the album creation program. 
         [0106]      FIG. 11  illustrates the page management table  1100  that is used by the album creation apparatus  100  in managing the number of pages of the album. 
         [0107]    The album creation apparatus  100  manages a number  1101  of two-page-spreads, a number  1102  of the currently-edited two-page-spreads that is displayed in the page editing area  601 , and the album ID  1103  of the album in which the page is included. 
         [0108]    Here, values that are stored in the number  1101  of two-page-spreads are described. First, the album creation apparatus  100  determines a page including the top cover and a back cover to be a first two-page-spread, and determines a two-page-spread including a back page of the top cover and page 1 to be a second two-page-spread. Then, in the case of an album of ten pages in total, for example, four two-page-spreads including “pages 2 and 3”, “pages 4 and 5”, “pages 6 and 7”, and “pages 8 and 9”, respectively, are managed as third through sixth two-page-spreads. A two-page-spread that includes page 10 and a back page of the back cover is managed as a final, seventh two-page-spread. Accordingly, in the case of the album of ten pages in total, seven two-page-spreads are included in total. Thus, a value “7” is set to the number  1101  of two-page-spreads. 
         [0109]    When a two-page-spread that is to be newly edited is selected in the page selection area  602  of the album editing screen  600  described above and a new two-page-spread is displayed in the page editing area  601 , the page number of the displayed two-page-spread is set in the number  1102  of the currently edited two-page-spread. 
         [0110]      FIG. 12  illustrates the page image management table  1200  that manages information about the images to be placed in each two-page-spread of the album produced by the album creation apparatus  100 . A number of records equivalent to the number of two-page-spreads included in the album are stored in the page image management table  1200 . 
         [0111]    In each two-page-spread, a two-page-spread number  1201 , a number  1202  of images (a number of image areas) within a page, and an image number  1203  of a first image in the page are stored. When the user selects the image adding button  604  for a two-page-spread in the album editing screen  600 , the CPU  106  adds a value “1” to the number of images  1202  within the two-page-spread. Then, the CPU  106  acquires the record of the image in each of following two-page-spreads, and adds a value “1” to the first image number  1203 . On the other hand, when the image erasing button  605  for a two-page-spread is selected in the album editing screen  600 , the CPU  106  subtracts a value “1” from each of the number of images  1202  within a page and the first image number  1203 . 
         [0112]    When the user selects the image adding button  604  for a two-page-spread in the album editing screen  600 , the CPU  106  adds a value “1” to the image ID  501  of all the records in the image management table  500  that belong to the pages following the concerned page. After that, the CPU  106  newly produces one record in the image management table  500 , and then produces a record having a value “maximum image ID (of the image management table) +1” for the image ID. On the other hand, when the user selects the image erasing button  605  for a two-page-spread in the album editing screen  600 , the CPU  106  erases the record of the concerned image ID and subtracts a value “1” from the image ID  501  as to all of following records that have the image ID  501 . In the image management table  500 , a number of the records exist which is equivalent to the number of images included in the album. 
         [0113]    Next, a flow for confirming whether the same images are used in a plurality of parts in the album, and notifying a warning is described with reference to  FIG. 13 . 
         [0114]    According to this exemplary embodiment, the processing as shown in  FIG. 13  starts when the processing selection screen  800  is displayed in response to the pressing of the “next” button  608  in the album editing screen  600 , and any of the buttons  801  through  804  for instructing various kinds of processing is selected by the user. 
         [0115]    Note that when the “next” button  608  is pressed by the user in the album editing screen  600 , the CPU  106  does not display the album editing screen  600  or displays the album editing screen  600  in a state in which the album editing is not possible, and ends the album editing processing. 
         [0116]      FIG. 13  illustrates a flow chart of the processing by which the album creation apparatus  100  according to this exemplary embodiment determines whether the images overlap in one album considering the cropped area of the image. Thus, the control is performed to determine whether a warning to that effect should be issued. Each step is performed by the CPU  106  according to the album creation program. 
         [0117]    First, in step S 1301 , the CPU  106  computes a total number N of the images that are used in the album. The number of images used in the album is equivalent to the number of the image areas used in the album. Accordingly, the CPU  106  reads from the hard disk  109  the number  1202  of image areas from each record of the two-page-spread stored in the page image management table  1200 . CPU  106  adds each read-out number  1202  of image areas so as to compute the total number N of the images. Alternatively, the total number N of the images can be computed by acquiring the total number of records of the album that have the album ID  514 , from among the records managed by the image management table  500  as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0118]    Then, in step S 1302 , the CPU  106  acquires the image overlapping ratio  901  for warning-determination from the warning management table  900  that is stored in the hard disk  109 , so as to substitute the acquired ratio for a permissible overlapping ratio P. 
         [0119]    Then, in step S 1303 , the CPU  106  initializes a work parameter I for counting the number of images with a value “1”. 
         [0120]    Then, in step S 1304 , the CPU  106  compares the work parameter I with the total number N of images to determine whether the work parameter I is less than the total number N. If the work parameter I is less than the total number N of images, the CPU  106  performs the processing following step S 1305 . If the work parameter I is equal to the total number N of images, the CPU  106  ends the processing. 
         [0121]    Then, in step S 1305 , the CPU  106  initializes a work parameter J to count the number of the images with a value “I +1”. The work parameter J is compared with the total number N of images, as described below. 
         [0122]    Then, in step S 1306 , the CPU  106  determines whether the work parameter J is equal to or less than the total number N of images. If it is determined that the work parameter J is equal to or less than the total number N of images, the processing shifts to a flow of step S 1307  and beyond for comparison to determine whether the same images are used in two image areas. If it is determined that the work parameter J is greater than the total number N of images, the processing shifts to step S 1315 . In step S 1315 , the CPU  106  adds a value “1” to the work parameter I, and then returns the processing to step S 1304 . 
         [0123]    In step S 1307 , the CPU  106  checks if an I-th image and a J-th image are included in the same image file. More specifically, the CPU  106  acquires the record of the image that is placed I-th from the first page of the album. Then, the CPU  106  acquires the image file name  502  as the attribute information, based on the acquired record of the I-th image. In addition, the CPU  106  acquires information  503 ,  504 ,  505 , and  506  of the rectangle of the cropped area of the image. Similarly, the CPU  106  can acquire the information about the record of the J-th image. Here, the CPU  106  compares the image file name  502  of the acquired records of the images with each other so as to determine whether the image file of the I-th image and the image file of the J-th image are the same. 
         [0124]    In this exemplary embodiment, it is determined whether the image file of the I-th image and the image file of the J-th image are the same, based on a result of comparison between the image file names  502 . However, the CPU  106  can be configured to acquire the image file  200  based on the image file path  513  thereof and acquire each original image  203  for comparison as to whether the binary data thereof are the same. Because the comparison of the binary data takes too much time in the case of large-size original images  203 , instead, the binary data of the thumbnail images  202  can be compared. The thumbnail images  202  can be previously stored in the image files  200 , or otherwise, a reduced image of a specific size can be previously produced for use in comparison. The processing for comparing the image files can be speeded up by converting pixel information of the original image  203  or the thumbnail image  202  into hash values with a specific algorithm and comparing the hash values. 
         [0125]    If it is determined that the I-th image and the J-th image are included in the same image file in step S 1307 , the CPU  106  determines that the I-th and the J-th images should be subjected to the determination process about overlapping, and then the CPU  106  shifts the processing to step S 1308 . If it is determined that the I-th and the J-th images are included in different image files in step S 1307 , the CPU  106  terminates the processing for comparing the images and shifts the processing to step S 1314 . 
         [0126]    In step S 1308 , the CPU  106  computes an overlapping area with respect to the I-th and the J-th images. The overlapping area can be computed by following expressions. 
         [0000]        SX =max( SIX, SJX ) 
         [0000]        SY =max( SIY, SJY ) 
         [0000]        EX =max(min( EIX, EJX ),  SX ) 
         [0000]        EY =max(min( EIY, EJY ),  SY ) 
         [0000]    where coordinates of the cropped area of the I-th image are (SIX, SIY) and (EIX, EIY) at upper left and lower right corners thereof respectively; coordinates of the cropped area of the J-th image are (SJX, SJY) and (EJX, EJY) at upper left and lower right corners thereof respectively; coordinates of the overlapping area are (SX, SY) and (EX, EY) at upper left and lower right corners thereof respectively; “max” is the larger of the values described in the round brackets; and “min” is the smaller of the values described in the round brackets. 
         [0127]    In step S 1309 , the CPU  106  computes a ratio R(I) of the overlapping area computed by step S 1308  in the cropped area of the I-th image by a following expression. 
         [0000]        R ( I )=(( EX−SX )×( EY−SY ))/(( EIX−SIX )×( EIY−SIY ))
 
         [0128]    In step S 1310 , the CPU  106  computes a ratio R(I) of the overlapping area computed by step S 1308  in the cropped area of the J-th image by a following expression. 
         [0000]        R ( J )=(( EX−SX )×( EY−SY ))/(( EJX−SJX )×( EJY−SJY ))
 
         [0129]    In step S 1311 , the CPU  106  acquires the overlapping ratio R by a following expression. 
         [0000]        R =min ( R ( I ),  R ( J )) 
         [0130]    In this exemplary embodiment, the computation of the overlapping area, and the ratio of overlapping in the image are performed using the rectangle as a reference, regardless of whether the shape of the cropped area is a rectangle or an oval. However, the embodiment is not limited to this configuration. That is, if the shape of the cropped area is an oval, detailed area computation can be performed. 
         [0131]    In step S 1312 , the CPU  106  compares the overlapping ratio R with the permissible overlapping ratio acquired by step S 1302 . In this exemplary embodiment, if the overlapping ratio R is less than the permissible overlapping ratio P, the overlapping area in the cropped area of the image is small with respect to the I-th and the J-th images. Accordingly, the warning that the I-th and the J-th images are the same, is not issued to the user. Therefore, if the overlapping ratio R is less than the permissible overlapping ratio P, the CPU  106  shifts to step S 1314 , as a next step. 
         [0132]    On the other hand, if the overlapping ratio R is not less than the permissible overlapping ratio P, a warning that the same images are displayed in plural different positions, is issued. The CPU  106  displays a warning screen  1400  as shown in  FIG. 14  in step S 1313 . The CPU  106  refers to the page image management table  1200  and computes the page number of the two-page-spread in which the I-th image and the J-th image are included, and displays the computed page number on the warning screen  1400 . 
         [0133]      FIG. 14  illustrates the warning screen  1400  that the CPU  106  displays on the display device  101  in step S 1313  when it is determined that there is an overlapping image in step S 1312 . When the user presses a button  1401 , the CPU  106  returns the display on the display device  101  to the album editing screen  600  and displays the two-page-spread that includes the I-th image on the page editing area  601 . When the user presses a button  1402 , the CPU  106  returns the display on the display device  101  to the album editing screen  600  and displays the two-page-spread that includes the J-th image, on the page editing area  601 . When the user presses a button  1403 , the CPU  106  determines that the overlapping is ignored, and performs a next processing such as the print processing. When the user presses a button  1404 , the CPU  106  returns the display on the display device  101  to the processing selection screen  800 . 
         [0134]    In step S 1314 , the CPU  106  adds a value “1” to the work parameter J, and returns the processing to step S 1306 . 
         [0135]    The processing is continuously performed and it is determined whether the image is used in an overlapping manner based on the overlapping ratio of the cropped portion of the image placed on the album. Whether the warning as to the overlapping is issued, can be controlled based on the result of the determination. 
         [0136]    In this exemplary embodiment, the example is described with reference to  FIG. 13  in which all the images are checked as to overlapping, using the instructions of various processing in the processing selection screen  800  as a trigger which are issued after the completion of the editing processing of the album. However, the embodiment is not limited to this configuration. 
         [0137]    For example, the trigger can be the selection of a new two-page-spread in the page selection area  602  of the album editing screen  600 . In this case, the CPU  106  starts the processing as shown in  FIG. 13  so that it can be checked whether the image in the two-page-spread currently displayed in the page editing area  601  overlaps with the image in other two-page-spread. In addition, the CPU  106  acquires in step S 1303  an initial value of the work parameter I from the first image number  1203  of the two-page-spread currently displayed in the page editing area  601 . Then, the CPU  106  makes the determination in step S 1304  based on whether the work parameter I has reached the value obtained by adding the number of the images  1202  in the two-page-spread to the first image number  1203  of the current two-page-spread. In this case, in order to perform a comparison between each image in the two-page-spread and all other images in the album for overlapping, the CPU  106  initializes the work parameter J set by step S 1305  with a value “1”. Then, when it is determined whether the I-th image and the J-th image are the same image in step S 1307 , the CPU  106  checks whether the numbers “I” and “J” are not the same and whether the image files of the I-th image and the image file of the J-th image are the same. 
         [0138]    In addition, the pressing of the OK button  704  in the image editing screen  700 , for example, can also be the trigger. In this case, the image ID of the image currently displayed in the image editing area  701  is set as the initial value of “I” that is substituted in step S 1303 . Then, the determination in step S 1304  can be made based on whether the work parameter I has reached the value obtained by adding a value “1” to the value of the image ID of the image that is currently displayed. Then, the CPU  106  performs the same processing as in the case of the album editing screen  600 . 
         [0139]    In this exemplary embodiment, by performing the processing described above, it is determined whether the same image is used in an overlapping manner, based on the overlapping ratio of the cropped area of the image placed on the album. Accordingly, even if the same image is used in an overlapping manner, when different portions of the same image are placed in the page of the album, the CPU does not issue a warning, recognizing that the same image is intentionally used. Thus, the creator of the album does not receive an unnecessary warning. 
         [0140]    Accordingly, the creator of the album can receive only an appropriate warning, without suffering an inconvenience of responding to an unnecessary warning. Thus, the effectiveness of creating an album can be improved. 
         [0141]    In addition, in this exemplary embodiment, the determination as to the overlapping of the images is made after the images are captured into the electronic album, for example, when the editing processing of the album is completed, when a new two-page-spread is selected, or when the editing processing of the image is completed. That is, the determination as to the overlapping is made to the images and album edited after the images are captured into the electronic album. Accordingly, the warning can be issued reflecting a result of editing by the user, and thus the user does not obtain a print product and a preview of an album created by mistakes. 
         [0142]    Further, in this exemplary embodiment, in issuing the warning of overlapping of images, the notification as to the page of the overlapping image is issued together with the warning. Accordingly, the user can easily notice and understand the warning. 
       Second Exemplary Embodiment 
       [0143]    In the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the description is made as to processing for determining whether the images placed on the album overlap with each other, in the case where the images subjected to editing such as magnification and reduction are displayed in the pages of the album. The portions that are the same as those in the first exemplary embodiment are provided with same reference numerals and symbols and are not described here. The points different from the first exemplary embodiment are described in detail in this exemplary embodiment. 
         [0144]      FIG. 15  illustrates an album editing screen  1500  displayed on the display device  101  of the album creation apparatus  100  according to this exemplary embodiment. The user issues an instruction to magnify or reduce an image as an editing instruction. The other portions are the same as those in the album editing screen  600  of the first exemplary embodiment. The image is magnified or reduced according to the magnification ratio input in a magnification entry field  1501  in the album editing screen  1500  so as to display the magnified or reduced image in the page editing area  601 . 
         [0145]      FIG. 16  illustrates a warning management table  1600  that manages a threshold value. The warning management table  1600  performs control to check whether the album creation apparatus  100  should issue a warning when the images placed on the album overlap. The warning management table  1600  is stored in the hard disk  109 . 
         [0146]    In this exemplary embodiment, the CPU  106  manages a zoom. ratio  1601  for warning-determination by using the warning management table  1600 . 
         [0147]    In this exemplary embodiment, when it is determined that the same images are used in two image areas in the album, the ratio of display magnification (zoom ratio) of the image displayed in each area is computed. The zoom ratio  1601  for warning-determination is a threshold value of the zoom ratio that is used for determining whether the warning that the same images are used should be issued to the user. 
         [0148]    With respect to the zoom ratio  1601  for warning-determination, a value that is previously set as fixed by the album creation program can be stored by the album creation apparatus  100  in the RAM  108  or the hard disk  109 . Just as in the case of the first exemplary embodiment, the user freely sets the values in an environment setting screen as shown in  FIG. 10 , which the CPU  106  displays on the display device  101  according to the album creation program. The values can be used for the zoom ratio  1601  for warning-determination . 
         [0149]      FIG. 17  illustrates a flow chart of the processing for determining whether the warning as to the overlapping of images should be issued considering the display magnification of the images placed on the album. Each step is performed by the CPU  106  according to the album creation program. 
         [0150]    First, in step S 1701 , the CPU  106  computes the total number N of images used in the album. The processing is the same as the processing by step S 1301  as shown in  FIG. 13  in the first exemplary embodiment. 
         [0151]    Then, in step S 1702 , the CPU  106  acquires a permissible magnification ratio  1601  from the warning management table  1600  stored in the hard disk  109 , and substitutes the acquired permissible magnification ratio  1601  for a permissible magnification ratio Q. 
         [0152]    Then, in step S 1703 , the CPU  106  initializes the work parameter I for counting the number of images, with a value “1”. 
         [0153]    Then, in step S 1704 , the CPU  106  makes comparison to determine whether the work parameter I is less than the total number N of images. When the work parameter I is less than the total number N of images, the CPU  106  performs the processing following step S 1705 . When the work parameter I becomes equal to the total number N of images, the CPU  106  ends the processing. 
         [0154]    Then, in step S 1705 , the CPU  106  initializes a work parameter J for counting the number of the images with a value “I+1”. The work parameter J is compared with the total number N of images, as described below. 
         [0155]    Then, in step S 1706 , the CPU  106  determines whether the work parameter J is equal to or less than the total number N of images. If it is determined that the work parameter J is equal to or less than the total number N of images, the processing shifts to a flow of step S 1707  and beyond for comparison to determine whether the same images are used in two image areas . If it is determined that the work parameter J is greater than the total number N of images, the processing shifts to step S 1716 . In step S 1716 , the CPU  106  adds a value “1” to the work parameter I, and then returns the processing to step S 1704 . 
         [0156]    In step S 1707 , the CPU  106  checks if the I-th image and the J-th image are included in the same image file. This processing is the same as the processing in step S 1307  as shown in  FIG. 13  in the first exemplary embodiment. 
         [0157]    If it is determined that the I-th image and the J-th image are included in the same image file in step S 1707 , the CPU  106  shifts the processing to step S 1708 . If it is determined that the I-th and the J-th images are included in different image files in step S 1707 , the CPU  106  terminates the processing for comparing the images and shifts the processing to step S 1715 . 
         [0158]    Then, in step S 1708 , the CPU  106  computes the magnification ratio R (I) for the original image of the I-th image. More specifically, the CPU  106  searches the image management table  500  for the record that concerns the I-th image, and acquires an upper-left position (SX, SY) and a lower-right position (EX, EY) for display of the image. Here, “SX” denotes the leftmost position  509  of the area, “SY” denotes the uppermost position  511  of the area, “EX” denotes the rightmost position  510  of the area, and “EY” denotes the lowermost position  512  of the area. Then, the CPU  106  acquires the leftmost pixel  503 , the uppermost pixel  505 , the rightmost pixel  504 , and the lowermost pixel  506  of the cropped portion of the I-th image. The magnification ratio R(I) can be computed by a following expression. 
         [0000]        R ( I )=( EX−SX )/( EIX−SIX ) 
         [0000]    where coordinates of the cropped area of the I-th image are (SIX, SIY) and (EIX, EIY) at upper left and lower right corners respectively. In this exemplary embodiment, the magnification ratio is taken in the X-axis direction, however, the same values can also be obtained if the magnification ratio is taken in the Y-axis direction. 
         [0159]    In step S 1709 , the CPU  106  computes the magnification ratio R(J) for the original image of the J-th image. The method of computation is the same as step S 1708 . That is, the magnification ratio R(J) can be computed by the following expression. 
         [0000]        R ( J )=( EX−SX )/( EJX−SJX ) 
         [0000]    where coordinates of the cropped area of the J-th image are (SJX, SJY) and (EJX, EJY) at upper left and lower right corners respectively. 
         [0160]    Then, in step S 1710 , the CPU  106  compares the magnification ratio R(I) computed by step S 1708  with the magnification ratio R(J) computed by step S 1709 . If the magnification ratio R(I) is less than the magnification ratio R(J), the CPU  106  computes a ratio R of the magnification ratio of the J-th image to the I-th image by the following expression in step S 1712 . 
         [0000]        R=R ( J )/ R ( I ) 
         [0161]    On the other hand, if the magnification ratio R(I) is equal to or greater than the magnification ratio R(J), the CPU  106  computes the ratio R of the magnification ratio of the J-th image to the I-th image by the following expression instep S 1711 . 
         [0000]        R=R ( I )/ R ( J ) 
         [0162]    Then, in step S 1713 , the CPU  106  determines whether the ratio R of the magnification ratios is less than the permissible magnification ratio Q that is computed by step S 1702 . If it is determined that the ratio R of the magnification ratios is less than the permissible magnification ratio Q, the image displayed at approximately the same magnification exists in other image area. Accordingly, the CPU  106  shifts the processing to step S 1714  and displays the warning screen  1400 , just as in the first exemplary embodiment. The processing is the same as the processing by step S 1313  as shown in  FIG. 13  in the first exemplary embodiment. 
         [0163]    On the other hand, if it is determined that the ratio R of the magnification ratios is equal to or greater than the permissible magnification ratio Q, the images are displayed in a plurality of image areas at different magnifications. Accordingly, it can be determined that the user intentionally uses the images of the same image file, and thus the CPU  106  shifts the processing to step S 1715 . 
         [0164]    In step S 1715 , the CPU  106  adds a value “1” to the work parameter J, and then returns to step S 1706 . 
         [0165]    The processing is continuously performed and it can be determined whether the same images are used in the plural image areas, based on the display magnification of the images. Whether the warning as to the overlapping use of the images is issued, can be controlled based on the result of the determination. 
         [0166]    In this exemplary embodiment, the example is described with reference to  FIG. 17  in which all the images are checked for overlapping, using the completion of the editing processing of the album as a trigger. However, the embodiment is not limited to this configuration. 
         [0167]    For example, the trigger can be the selection of a new two-page-spread in the page selection area  602  of the album editing screen  600 . In this case, the processing can be changed so that the CPU  106  checks if the image in the two-page-spread currently displayed in the page editing area  601 , overlaps with the image in other two-page-spread. The CPU  106  acquires in step S 1703  an initial value of the work parameter I from the first image number  1203  of the two-page-spread currently displayed in the page editing area  601 . Then, the CPU  106  makes the determination in step S 1704  based on whether the work parameter I has reached the value which is obtained by adding the number  1202  of the images in the two-page-spread to the first image number  1203  of the current two-page-spread. In this case, in order to perform a comparison between each image in the two-page-spread and all the other images in the album for overlapping, the CPU  106  initializes the work parameter J set in step S 1705  for which a value “1” is substituted. Then, in determining whether the I-th image and the J-th image are the same image instep S 1707 , the CPU  106  checks whether the numbers “I” and “J” are not the same and whether the image file of the I-th image and the image file of the J-th image are the same. 
         [0168]    In addition, the pressing of the OK button  704  in the image editing screen  700 , for example, can also be the trigger. In this case, the image ID of the image currently displayed in the image editing area  701  is set as the initial value which is substituted for “I” substituted in step S 1703 . Then, the determination in step S 1704  can be made based on whether the work parameter I has reached the value which is obtained by adding a value “1” to the value of the image ID of the image currently displayed. Then, the CPU  106  performs the same processing as in the case of the album editing screen  600 . 
         [0169]    In this exemplary embodiment, by performing the processing described above, the warning that there are images that are used in an overlapping manner, can be issued to the creator of the album considering the display magnification of the images placed on the album. Accordingly, even if the same images are used in an overlapping manner, when different portions of the same image are placed in the page of the album, the CPU does not issue a warning, determining that the same image is intentionally used. Thus, the creator of the album does not receive an unnecessary warning. 
       Third Exemplary Embodiment 
       [0170]    In the first and the second exemplary embodiments, the example is described with reference to  FIGS. 13 and 17  in which all the images are checked for overlapping using the instructions of various processing in the processing selection screen  800  as a trigger which are issued after the completion of the editing processing of the album. I this exemplary embodiment, the case is described where the images are checked for overlapping while the creator of the album performs the editing of the album. The portions that are the same as those in the first and the second exemplary embodiments are provided with same reference numerals and symbols and are not described here. The points different from the first and the second exemplary embodiments are described in a detailed manner in this exemplary embodiment. 
         [0171]    The CPU  106  periodically starts the processing as shown in  FIG. 13 . In the processing, while the display device  101  displays the album editing screen  600 , it is checked whether the portion of the image currently displayed in the page editing area  601  overlaps with other image displayed on the page of the album. Alternatively, the CPU  106  periodically starts the processing as shown in  FIG. 13  so that while the display device  101  displays the image editing screen  700 , it is checked whether the portion of the image currently displayed in the rectangular area  706  overlaps with other image displayed on the page of the album. 
         [0172]    Thus, the creator of the album can immediately know whether there is an overlapping image while performing the editing of the album and the cropping of the image. 
         [0173]    In this exemplary embodiment, the warning can be issued by displaying an icon for attracting an attention of the user around the image in the page editing area  601  in step S 1313  as shown in  FIG. 13 . Alternatively, the warning can be issued by displaying an icon for attracting an attention of the user, in the image editing screen  700  in step S 1714  as shown in  FIG. 17 . Thus, the user does not need to respond to the warning screen  1400  as shown in  FIG. 14  while editing the images and the album. 
       Fourth Exemplary Embodiment 
       [0174]    In this exemplary embodiment, the case is described where the images are checked for overlapping considering in which two-page-spread the images to be mutually compared, is placed. The portions that are the same as those in the first and the second exemplary embodiments are provided with same reference numerals and symbols and are not described here. The points different from the first and the second exemplary embodiments are described in a detailed manner in this exemplary embodiment. 
         [0175]    If it is determined in step S 1307  as shown in  FIG. 13  that the image file of the I-th image and the image file of the J-th image are the same, the CPU  106  refers to the page image management table  1200  so as to determine whether the image file of the I-th image and the image file of the J-th image are placed in the same two-page-spread. The same applies to the processing in step S 1707  as shown in  FIG. 17 . 
         [0176]    Then, if it is determined that the image file of the I-th image and the image file of the J-th image are not placed in the same two-page-spread, the CPU  106  performs the processing of step S 1308  and beyond as shown in  FIG. 13  or step S 1708  and beyond as shown in  FIG. 17 . 
         [0177]    It is likely that the creator of the album recognizes the overlapping of the images placed on the same two-page-spread while referring to the page editing area  601 , and accordingly, it can be assumed that the creator of the album intentionally used the same image in an overlapping manner. According to this exemplary embodiment, no warning is issued when the overlapping images are placed in the same two-page-spread, and thus the creator of the album does not need to respond to an unnecessary warning. On the other hand, it is less likely that the creator of the album recognizes the overlapping of the images placed on different two-page-spreads because it is difficult to check the overlapping by referring to the album editing screen  600  in this case. Thus, it is assumed that the creator of the album does not desire to intentionally use the images in an overlapping manner. Consequently, according to the present invention, the warning can be effectively issued to the creator of the album. 
         [0178]    Alternatively, the configuration can be such that if it is determined that the I-th and the J-th images are not placed in the same two-page-spread, it is further determined whether one of the I-th and the J-th images should be placed in the first two-page-spread that includes the top cover and the back cover. If it is determined that one of the I-th and the J-th images is placed in the first two-page-spread, the CPU  106  performs the processing in step S 1314  as shown in  FIG. 13  and beyond, and step S 1715  as shown in  FIG. 17  and beyond. Because it is likely that the creator of the album uses the same image in the top and the back covers and body pages, it can be determined that the same images are intentionally used by the creator of the album. Thus, the creator of the album does not need to perform an unnecessary processing or respond to an unnecessary warning. 
       Fifth Exemplary Embodiment 
       [0179]    In this exemplary embodiment, the case is described where the user edits each image displayed in the page of the album by cropping, magnification, or reduction. The editing is managed by using a flag, and the images are checked for overlapping based on the flag. 
         [0180]    When the user performs the cropping or the rotation in the image editing screen  700  as shown in  FIG. 7  and presses the OK button  704 , the CPU  106  turns “on” an editing flag for the record in the image management table  500  and stores the record in the image management table  500 . On the other hand, when the user presses the cancel button  705 , the CPU  106  turns “off” the editing flag and stores the record in the image management table  500 . 
         [0181]    When the user performs the magnification or the reduction of the image in the album editing screen  1500  and the magnification is set to the ratio other than “100%”, the CPU  106  turns “on” the editing flag for the record in the image management table  500  and stores the record in the image management table  500 . On the other hand, when the magnification of the image is “100%”, the CPU  106  turns “off” the editing flag and stores the record in the image management table  500 . 
         [0182]    When it is determined that the image file of the I-th image and the image file of the J-th image are the same in step S 1307  as shown in  FIG. 13 , the CPU  106  refers to the editing flag of each record of the I-th and the J-th images in the image management table  500  stored in the hard disk  109 . The same applies to the processing in step S 1707  as shown in  FIG. 17 . If the editing flag of at least one of the records of the I-th and the J-th images is set to “on”, the CPU  106  performs the processing in step S 1314  as shown in  FIG. 13  or step S 1715  as shown in  FIG. 17 . On the other hand, if both editing flags of the records for the I-th and the J-th image are set to “off”, the CPU  106  performs the processing in step S 1313  as shown in  FIG. 13  or step S 1714  as shown in  FIG. 17 . 
         [0183]    If any kind of editing is performed to the image, it is determined that the creator of the album intentionally uses the same images in an overlapping manner. Accordingly, according to the above configuration of this exemplary embodiment, an unnecessary warning is not issued to the creator of the album. In addition, in this embodiment, whether the image is edited or not, is easily determined by using the flag. Accordingly, a complicated computation processing and the comparison processing need not be performed and the processing load on the CPU  106  is reduced. 
       Sixth Exemplary Embodiment 
       [0184]      FIG. 18  illustrates an overall configuration of an album creation system that uses a network, according to the sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0185]    Referring to  FIG. 18 , an album management apparatus  1801  is implemented by an information processing apparatus such as a computer. The album management apparatus  1801  performs processing for managing the electronic album (hereinafter simply referred to as an “album”) according to an album management application  1810 . The album management apparatus  1801  is capable of communicating with external devices such as user terminals  1803  through  1806  via a network  1802 . 
         [0186]    The network  1802  connects the album management apparatus  1801  and the user terminals  1803  through  1806 . The network  1802  is, for example, a network using the Internet. 
         [0187]    The user terminals  1803  through  1806  are implemented by the information processing apparatus such as a personal computer and a portable communication apparatus. The user, using the user terminals  1803  through  1806 , performs setting for creating an album, edits each page of the album, and uploads the album to the album management apparatus  1801 , according to an album editing application  1811 . 
         [0188]    In this exemplary embodiment, it is assumed that the user terminal  1803  is such a type that a promoter A who proposes to create an album, utilizes . In addition, it is assumed that the promoter A who promotes the creation of the album, proposes the creation of the album to participants B, C, and D. Further, it is assumed that the user terminals  1804  through  1806  are such a type that the participants B, C, and D respectively utilize. 
         [0189]    The information processing apparatus such as a computer that implements the album management apparatus  1801  and the user terminals  1803  through  1806  has the same configuration as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0190]    The hard disk  109  of the album management apparatus  1801  stores an operating system (OS) , the album management application  1810 , album data, album management information, and user information. The hard disk of each of the user terminals  1803  through  1806  stores the OS, a web browser, the album editing application  1811 , and album data. 
         [0191]    First, the processing performed by the user terminal  1803  and the album management apparatus  1801  is described with reference to the flow chart of  FIG. 19  which notifies the creation of the album to the participants according to the operation by the promoter A. The CPU  106  in the user terminal  1803  and the CPU  106  of the album management apparatus  1801  control the various devices described with reference to FIG.  1 , according to the album editing application  111  and the album management application  1810  respectively. 
         [0192]    The user terminal  1803  activates the album editing application  1811  and displays an initial screen on a display unit  101  of the user terminals  1803  through  1806 . The promoter A operates the keyboard  104  and the pointing device  105  so as to select an album creation setting from a menu displayed on the initial screen. In response to the selection from the menu made by the promoter A, the user terminals  1803  through  1806  displays an album creation setting screen on their display unit  101  (step S 1901 ). By the operation of the promoter A performed according to the album creation setting screen, the promoter A inputs the setting for the album such as a title of the album, a total number of pages of the album, and the template of the album. In addition, the promoter A inputs the setting for the participants such as a user name of the participant, an electronic mail address of the participant, an allocation of pages of the album to each participant, and a message described in the electronic mail address (step S 1902 ). 
         [0193]    Then, the user terminal  1803  sends the setting for the album and the setting for the participant input in step S 1901 , to the album management apparatus  1801  (step S 1903 ). 
         [0194]    Then, the album management apparatus  1801  receives the setting for the album and the setting for the participant from the user terminal  1803  (step S 1951 ). Then the album management apparatus  1801  stores the settings in the hard disk  109  of the album management apparatus  1801  so as to manage the settings (step S 1952 ). At this time, the album management apparatus  1801  issues an album ID which uniquely identifies the album to be created. The album management apparatus  1801  stores the setting as to the design of the album, the album ID  401 , the album title  402 , total number of pages  404 , and the template type  403  received in step S 1951 , in the album management table  400 . The album management table  400  can also store a user name of the promoter. 
         [0195]      FIG. 20  schematically illustrates one example of a content of a participant information management table  2000  that the album management apparatus  1801  according to this exemplary embodiment manages. The participant information management table  2000  stores the setting as to the participant received in step S 1951 . The participant information management table  2000  is produced every time an album is newly created, and is linked with the album ID. The participant information management table  2000  stores a participant name  2001  and a participant electronic mail address  2002 . Further, the participant information management table  2000  stores the record for the promoter so that the promoter A can participate in creating the album, just as the participant. 
         [0196]    The album management apparatus  1801  refers to the participant information management table  2000  so as to produce and distribute an electronic mail (step S 1953 ). The electronic mail includes the album ID and a message made by the promoter A. The participants B through D can obtain information concerning the creation of the album by the electronic mail. 
         [0197]    Next, the processing is described which is performed in the user terminals  1804  through  1806  for producing the page of the album according to the operation performed by the participants B through D, with reference to  FIG. 21 . Hereinbelow, only an example of the case of the user terminal  1804  is described, however, the same applies also to the user terminals  1805  and  1806 . The processing in the user terminal  1804  is performed by the CPU  106  of the user terminal  1804 , which controls various modules as described with reference to  FIG. 1 , according to the album editing application. The processing in the album management apparatus  1801  is performed by the CPU  106  of the album management apparatus  1801  which controls various modules as described with reference to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0198]    The user terminal  1804  activates the album editing application  1811  so as to display an initial screen on the display unit  101  of the user terminal  1804 . The participant B operates the keyboard  104  and the pointing device  105  so as to select a “page editing” from the menu displayed on the initial screen. The user terminal  1804 , in response to the selection from the menu made by the participant B, displays a participant setting screen on the display unit  101  of the user terminal  1804 . The participant B inputs the electronic mail address and the album ID that is notified by the electronic mail, according to the participant setting screen (step S 2101 ). Then, the user terminal  1804  sends the electronic mail address and the album ID that are input in the participant setting screen to the album management apparatus  1801  (step S 2102 ). 
         [0199]    The album management apparatus  1801  receives the electronic mail address and the album ID from the user terminal  1804  (step S 2151 ). Then, the album management apparatus  1801  refers to the participant information management table  2000  that corresponds to the received album ID so as to authenticate the participant B based on whether the record that corresponds to the received electronic mail address, exists (step S 2152 ). When the participant B is authenticated, the album management apparatus  1801  acquires information necessary for creating the album, from the album management table  400  (step S 2153 ). For example, the album management apparatus  1801  acquires the album title  402 , total number of pages  404 , and the template type  403 , based on the album ID. Further, the album management apparatus  1801  acquires the participant name stored in the participant information management table  2000  based on the album ID and the electronic mail address that are received by step S 2151 . Then, the album management apparatus  1801  acquires a page number  2701  allocated to the participant B from a page information management table  2700  based on the participant name. Then, the album management apparatus  1801  sends the above information necessary for creating the album, to the user terminal  1804  (step S 2154 ). 
         [0200]    The user terminal  1804  receives the information necessary for creating the album from the album management apparatus  1801  (step S 2103 ) and displays a page editing screen  2200  as shown in  FIG. 22  on the display unit  101  of the user terminal  1804 , based on the above information (step S 2104 ). The page and the images are edited by the instruction issued from the participant B, according to the page editing screen  2200  and the image editing screen  700  as shown in  FIG. 7  (step S 2105 ). The result of editing is stored in the RAM  108 . Finally, the user terminal  1804  produces page data based on the result of editing in step S 2105  (step S 2106 ). The page data includes the image file and the editing information. 
         [0201]      FIG. 22  illustrates the page editing screen  2200  according to this exemplary embodiment. A page display area  2201  is a two-page-spread display area and displays one two-page-spread that is inserted into the album. A background of the image as shown in  FIG. 22  is determined based on the template type  403  ( FIG. 4 ) received in step S 2103 . A button  2202  is used for instructing to add the image to the two-page-spread display area  2201 . The participant B specifies the image file to be added after specifying an area within the two-page-spread area  2201  by dragging the pointing device  105  and selecting an image adding button  2202 . Then, in response, the user terminal  1804  adds and displays the image to the two-page-spread. A button  2203  is used to instruct an erasure of the image displayed in the two-page-spread area  2201 . When the participant B selects the image erasure button  2203  after selecting the image using the pointing device  105 , in response, the user terminal  1804  erases the selected image from the two-page-spread area  2201  so that the erased image is not displayed. A button  2204  instructs the editing of the image displayed in the two-page-spread area  2201 . When the user selects the image editing button  2204  after selecting the image using the pointing device  105 , in response, the user terminal  1804  displays the image editing screen  700  in the display  101  as shown in  FIG. 7 . A button  2205  edits the character string. When the participant B specifies an area using the pointing device  105  and selects the editing button  2205  for the character string, the user terminal  1804  produces an area to which a character string is added in a specified area so as to receive input of the character string. When an area  2215  is already produced and specified, the user terminal  1804  accepts the editing of the character string in the area. When an image  2211  displayed in the two-page-spread display area  2201  is specified, the user terminal  1804  accepts the editing of the character string in a character input area  2216  added to the image. 
         [0202]    A button  2206  instructs uploading of the page data that is produced after editing, to the album management apparatus  1801 . The processing performed when the button  2206  is selected, is described in detail below. 
         [0203]    A button  2207  instructs downloading of the album data from the album management apparatus  1801 . When the participant B selects the button  2207 , the user terminal  1804  downloads the album data including the page data produced by the creator of the album other than himself (for example, the promoter A or the participants C and D), from the album management apparatus  1801 . Then, the album management apparatus  1801  displays each page of the album on the display unit  101  according to the downloaded album data. 
         [0204]    A button  2208  instructs the album management apparatus  1801  to confirm whether there is an image in the page data already uploaded to the album management apparatus  1801  that overlaps with the image used in the two-page-spread that is currently edited by the user terminal  1804 . The processing performed when the button  2208  is pressed, is described in detail later below. 
         [0205]    Images  2211  through  2214  are added to the two-page-spread that is currently edited, and are displayed. 
         [0206]    In this exemplary embodiment, the participant B selects the image editing button  2204  in the page editing screen  2200 . The user terminal  1804 , in response to the selection, displays the image editing screen  700  on the display unit  101 . In addition, the user terminal  1804 , in response to pressing of the button  702  or the button  703  by the participant B, rotates the image currently edited to the left or to the right, and displays the rotated image on the display unit  101 . Further, the user terminal  1804 , in response to pressing of the OK button  704  by the participant B, stores the content of editing in the image editing screen  700  to the RAM  108 . Then, the user terminal  1804  terminates the display of the image editing screen  700  and returns the display to the page editing screen  2200 . In addition, in response to pressing of the cancel button  705  by the participant B, the user terminal  1804  cancels the editing performed in the image editing screen  700 . Then, the user terminal  1804  terminates the display of the image editing screen  700  and returns the display to the page editing screen  2200 . 
         [0207]    Then, the procedure for uploading the page data from the user terminal  1804  to the album management apparatus  1801  is described that is performed in response to the selection of the “send” button  2206  by the participant B after editing the page, with reference to  FIG. 23A  and  FIG. 23B . The processing described below is performed by the CPU  106  of the user terminal  1804  and the CPU  106  of the album management apparatus  1801  controlling the various devices as shown in  FIG. 1 , according to the album editing application  1811  and the album management application  1810  respectively. 
         [0208]    First, the user terminal  1804  displays a page number selection screen  2400  as shown in  FIG. 24  on the display unit  101 . The participant B selects the number of the page to be uploaded in the page number selection screen  2400 . The page number is input to the user terminal  1804  (step S 2301 ). 
         [0209]    In step S 2302 , the user terminal  1804  produces verification data for the mage placed in the page specified in step S 2301 . The verification data includes the album ID, the page number, identification information of the image, and the editing information indicated by the cropped area and the rotation angle set to each image. The verification data is described by XML data as shown in  FIG. 25 , for example. In this exemplary embodiment, with respect to each image placed in the page, a thumbnail image having a width of 120 pixels is newly produced from the original image  203 , as the identification information for the image. Instead of the thumbnail image, a number provided uniquely to the image file at the time of photographing by a digital camera, or the hash value used when scanning the original image  203  by a specific logic, can be used for the image identification information. 
         [0210]    In step S 2303 , the user terminal  1804  sends the verification data to the album management apparatus  1801 . In step S 2351 , the album management apparatus  1801  receives the verification data from the user terminal  1804 . In step S 2352 , the album management apparatus  1801  checks if the image placed in the page specified in step S 2301  overlaps with the image already placed in other page of the album, based on the verification data received by step S 2351 . The processing is described in detail below with reference to  FIG. 28 . 
         [0211]    In step S 2353 , the album management apparatus  1801  sends the result of overlapping check in step S 2352  to the user terminal  1804 . In step S 2304 , the user terminal  1804  receives the result of the overlapping check from the album management apparatus  1801 . Then, in step S 2305 , the user terminal  1804  determines whether there is an overlapping of image. If it is determined that there is the overlapping, the processing advances to step S 2306 . On the other hand, if it is determined that there is no overlapping, the processing advances to step S 2309 . In step S 2306 , the user terminal  1804  performs processing for displaying a warning about the overlapping image and checking the overlapping. The processing is described in detail later below with reference to  FIG. 30 . 
         [0212]    In step S 2307 , the user terminal  1804  determines whether the overlapping image should be corrected. For example, the user terminal  1804  displays a dialog box for making a selection as to whether the overlapping image should be corrected, on the display unit  101  of the user terminal  1804  so that the participant B can make the selection. If the overlapping image should be corrected, the user terminal  1804  performs the editing processing of the page (step S 2308 ) and then returns the processing to step S 2302 . If the overlapping image should not be corrected, the user terminal  1804  advances the processing to step S 2309 . 
         [0213]    In step S 2309 , the user terminal  1804  sends the page data to the album management apparatus  1801 . At this time, in this exemplary embodiment, the user terminal  1804  performs processing for rendering one two-page-spread of the page data, and then sends the result of the rendering to the album management apparatus  1801 . The rendering processing of each page data can also be performed when the user terminal  1804  sends the page data including the original image and the editing information to the album management apparatus  1801 , and the album management apparatus  1801  displays the page and performs the print processing. 
         [0214]    In step S 2354 , the album management apparatus  1801  receives the page data from the user terminal  1804 . 
         [0215]    In step S 2355 , the album management apparatus  1801  checks the images again as to overlapping based on the verification data received by step S 2351 . The processing is performed because it is necessary to make the check again considering the possibility that other participant has updated the page data of the album during a time elapsed from the checking of the overlapping of images in step S 2352  to the processing in step S 2354 . 
         [0216]    In step S 2356 , the album management apparatus  1801  determines whether there is the overlapping of image in the page data sent by the user terminal  1804 . Here, it is determined that there is the overlapping of image if other participant (for example, the participants C and D) has updated the image of the page data of each participant, as described above. Further, it is determined that there is the overlapping of image if the participant B attempts to register the page data (that is, when the participant B selects “register” button  3107  on a warning screen  3100  that is to be described below) even when there is the overlapping of images in step S 2305 . 
         [0217]    If it is determined that there is the overlapping of images in step S 2356 , the album management apparatus  1801  identifies other participant who has registered the overlapping image (for example, the participants C and D) and notifies the overlapping of images by the electronic mail (step S 2357 ). In order to acquire the electronic mail addresses of other participants, first, the album management apparatus  1801  searches for the records in the image management table  500 . Then, the album management apparatus  1801  acquires the image file path  513  set for the record. Then, the album management apparatus  1801  acquires the participant name of the concerned user from the page information management table  2700 . Then, the album management apparatus  1801  can acquire the electronic mail address of other participant by searching for the electronic mail address  2002  of the concerned user from the participant information management table  2000 , based on the acquired participant name.  FIG. 26  illustrates one example of the content of the electronic mail that is notified in this case. 
         [0218]    In step S 2358 , the album management apparatus  1801  registers the page data that is sent. More specifically, the album management apparatus  1801  produces a record that includes the page number of the concerned page and the participant name in the page information management table  2700  as schematically shown in  FIG. 27 , and then stores the file name and the number of the images of the page data in the page information management table  2700 . The page information management table  2700  includes the information such as the page number  2701  of the allocated page of the album, a user name  2702  of the participant to whom the page is allocated, and a number of registered images  2703 . In addition, the page information management table  2700  includes a file path name  2704  of the file that stores the page data uploaded from the user terminal  1804 . Here, as the page number  2701 , a value “1” is set to the first page, a value “2” is set to a next page (two-page-spread including pages 2 and 3) , and a value “n+1” is set to pages beyond (two-page-spreads including pages 2n and 2n+1). 
         [0219]    The album management apparatus  1801  registers each information about the verification data that corresponds to the image included in the page data in the image management table  500 , that is schematically shown in  FIG. 5 . In the case where the page data is updated, past information registered in the image management table  500  is erased, unlike the newly added page data. 
         [0220]    In step S 2359 , when the registration of the page data is completed, the album management apparatus  1801  notifies the completion of registration to the user terminal  1804 . In step S 2311 , the user terminal  1804  receives the notification of the completion of registration from the album management apparatus  1801 . Then, the processing for registering the page data ends. 
         [0221]      FIG. 28  illustrates a flow chart of the procedure for checking the overlapping of images performed by the album management apparatus  1801  according to this exemplary embodiment. The processing as described below is performed by the CPU  106  of the album management apparatus  1801  that controls the various devices which are described with reference to  FIG. 1 , according to the album management application  1810 . 
         [0222]    In step S 2801 , the album management apparatus  1801  confirms the content of the verification data that is uploaded from the user terminal  1804  and acquires the total number N of the images included in the verification data. 
         [0223]    In step S 2802 , the album management apparatus  1801  acquires the total number M of the images that are already registered to the album having the album identification notified by the user terminal  1804 , namely, the album to which the page data is to be registered. Although not described in detail here, if the page to be registered already exists in the album, that is, if the page data is to be updated, the images in the page data are not counted in the total number of images that are already registered. 
         [0224]    In step S 2803 , the album management apparatus  1801  initializes the work parameter I with a value “1” to count a number of the received images. 
         [0225]    In step S 2804 , the album management apparatus  1801  compares the total number N of the received images with the work parameter I. If the work parameter I is greater than the total number N of the received images as a result of comparison in step S 2804 , the album management apparatus  1801  ends the processing for checking on he overlapping of images. If the work parameter I is equal to or less than the total number N of the received images, the album management apparatus  1801  checks if each image received from the user terminal  1804  overlaps with the image that is already registered to the album, by repeating the processing of steps S 2805  through S 2812 . 
         [0226]    In step S 2805 , the album management apparatus  1801  acquires the verification data for the I-th image that is received from the user terminal  1804 . As described above, in this exemplary embodiment, the verification data includes the editing information and the thumbnail image produced from the original image that is used in the page in the user terminal  1804 . 
         [0227]    In step S 2806 , the album management apparatus  1801  initializes the work parameter J with a value “1” to count the images already used in the album. 
         [0228]    In step S 2807 , the album management apparatus  1801  compares the total number M of the registered images with the work parameter J. If the work parameter J is greater than the total number M of the registered images, the album management apparatus  1801  ends the comparison with the verification data of the I-th image and shifts the processing to step S 2812  and starts the checking of the overlapping of the received images. If the work parameter J is equal to or less than the total number M of the registered images, the album management apparatus  1801  checks the overlapping by performing the processing in steps S 2808  through S 2811 . 
         [0229]    In step S 2808 , the album management apparatus  1801  acquires the verification data of the J-th image among the images already registered to the album. 
         [0230]    In step S 2809 , the album management apparatus  1801  determines whether the verification data of the I-th image and the verification data of the J-th image overlaps with each other. Here, in order to determine the overlapping, first, the album management apparatus  1801  performs comparison as to whether the verification data of both images match with each other. In this exemplary embodiment, the comparison is performed based on whether the binary data of the thumbnail images of both images completely match with each other. If it is determined that the verification data of both images do not overlap with each other, the album management apparatus  1801  shifts the processing to step S 2811 . If the binary data of the thumbnail images of both images match with each other, the album management apparatus  1801  compares the editing information of both images such as the setting for the cropped area. More specifically, the album management apparatus  1801  compares the cropped area of the I-th image included in the verification data sent by the user terminal  1804  with the cropped areas ( 503  through  506 ) of the J-th image stored in the album management apparatus  1801 . Then, if no overlapping is present in the cropped area as a result of the comparison, the album management apparatus  1801  determines that there is no overlapping of images and shifts the processing to step S 2810 . In this exemplary embodiment, the images are determined to overlap with each other even if they match in a very small degree. However, the embodiment is not limited to this configuration. That is, the images can also be determined to overlap with each other when an area of overlapping exceeds a specific ratio. In addition, the images rotated by different angles can also be determined not to overlap with each other, considering the rotation operation of the image as the editing information. 
         [0231]    If it is determined that the images overlap with each other in step S 2809 , then in step S 2810 , the album management apparatus  1801  adds information concerning the overlapping of images to the data to be returned to the user terminal  1804 .  FIG. 29  illustrates one example of the content of the data to be returned that is produced in this case. In this example, a second image among the images that are sent, overlaps with a twelfth image among the images registered to the album management apparatus  1801 . If a plurality of overlapping images are found, the album management apparatus  1801  adds a value “1” to the value of an ImageCount variable for a Same Image tag, and one SameItem tag is newly added. If no overlapping is found, the value for the ImageCount variable of the Same Image tag is set to “0” in the data to be returned as shown in  FIG. 29 , and no SameItem tag exists. 
         [0232]    In step S 2811 , the album management apparatus  1801  adds a value “1” to the work parameter J. By performing the processing of steps S 2808  through S 2811  for a number of times equivalent to the number of images registered to the album, the returned data that concerns the received I-th image can be produced. 
         [0233]    In step S 2812 , the album management apparatus  1801  adds a value “1” to the work parameter I. By performing the processing of steps S 2804  through S 2812 , the returned data that includes the result of checking of the overlapping images with respect to all the images that are sent, can be produced. 
         [0234]    In step S 2813 , the album management apparatus  1801  sends the returned data to the user terminal  1804 . 
         [0235]    By performing the above processing, the album management apparatus  1801  can check the overlapping of the image already registered to the album management apparatus  1801  with the image received from the user terminal  1804 . 
         [0236]    Next, the description is made as to the processing displaying the warning screen and checking on the overlapping in step S 2306 . 
         [0237]      FIG. 30  illustrates a flow chart showing a procedure for displaying the warning screen and confirming overlapping images, performed by the album management apparatus  1801  and the user terminal  1804  when the image already registered to the album management apparatus  1801  overlaps with the image received from the user terminal  1804 . The processing described below is performed by the CPU  106  of the user terminal  1804  and the CPU  106  of the album management apparatus  1801 , according to the album editing application  1811  and the album management application  1810 , respectively. 
         [0238]    The processing described below starts upon receipt of the returned data that includes the result of checking on the overlapping by the user terminal  1804 , from the album management apparatus  1801 . Here, the result of checking on the overlapping indicates that there is overlapping between the image uploaded from the user terminal  1804  and the image already registered to the album management apparatus  1801 . 
         [0239]    In step S 3001 , the user terminal  1804  displays the warning screen on the display unit  101 , based on the returned data.  FIG. 31  illustrates one example of a warning screen  3100  displayed in step S 3001 . In this example, the warning of overlapping is issued with respect to two images. In the warning screen  3100 , a warning message  3101  that indicates the overlapping of images and messages  3102  and  3103  that indicate which images overlap with each other, are displayed. In addition, buttons  3104  and  3105  for displaying the page that includes the overlapping image from the album registered in the album management apparatus  1801 , are displayed. Further, a button  3106  for returning to the two-page-spread editing screen  2200  and a button  3107  for registering the page data in the album management apparatus  1801  are displayed. 
         [0240]    When the button  3104  or the button  3105  for displaying the page that includes the overlapping image from the album registered in the album management apparatus  1801  are selected, the user terminal  1804  requests for the overlapping page to the album management apparatus  1801  in step S 3002 . More specifically, the user terminal  1804  sends the image ID of the overlapping image as shown in  FIG. 29  to the album management apparatus  1801  and requests for the page data that includes the overlapping image. 
         [0241]    In step S 3051 , when the album management apparatus  1801  receives the image ID, the album management apparatus  1801  searches for the record that includes the image ID from the image management table  500  in step S 3052  so as to acquire the image file path  513 . Then, the album management apparatus  1801  searches for the record that includes the page number of the concerned page from the page information management table  2700  so as to acquire the page data file name  2704 . Then, the album management apparatus  1801  acquires the page data based on the acquired page data file name  2704 . 
         [0242]    In step S 3053 , the album management apparatus  1801  returns the page data acquired by step S 3052  to the user terminal  1804 . At the same time, the album management apparatus  1801  returns the displayed rectangle positions  509  through  512  within the page registered in the image management table  500 . 
         [0243]    In step S 3003 , the user terminal  1804  receives the page data and the information about the displayed rectangle for the overlapping image. In step S 3004 , the user terminal  1804  displays the content of the received data and the received information on the display unit  101 .  FIG. 32  illustrates an overlapping checking screen  3200  displayed on the display unit  101  of 4, in which the page including the image registered in the album management apparatus  1801  is displayed. In a page area  3201  of the overlapping checking screen  3200 , the image that is determined as overlapping is highlighted with a rectangle  3202 . When the user selects a return button  3203 , the display returns to the warning screen  3100 . 
         [0244]    In sending the page data from the album management apparatus  1801  to the user terminal  1804 , the information concerning an owner of the page data can also be sent together with the page data so as to display the content of the information on the overlapping checking screen  3200 . 
         [0245]    By performing the above processing, when the page data produced by the user terminal  1804  in the album management apparatus  1801  is uploaded, the overlapping with the image already present in the album stored by the album management apparatus  1801  can be checked. If the overlapping image exists, the content of the image can be checked using each of the user terminals  1803  through  1806 . 
         [0246]    At the time of selecting of the return button  3104  in the warning screen  3100  so as to display the page editing screen  2200 , the overlapping image can be highlighted for warning. For example, the overlapping image can be displayed for warning on the page editing screen  2200  in the same manner as highlighting the overlapping image among the images currently edited on the overlapping checking screen  3200 . 
         [0247]    In this exemplary embodiment, the method is described which checks on overlapping of the image in the course of uploading the page data from the user terminal  1804 . However, the exemplary embodiment is not limited to this configuration. That is, the overlapping of images can be checked at an arbitrary timing during the editing of the page by selecting the button  2208  for checking on the overlapping in the page editing screen  2200 . In addition, the overlapping can be checked only with respect to the image to be added to the page in timing at which the image is added. 
         [0248]    According to this exemplary embodiment, when a layout of the image is edited in a plurality of information processing apparatus via a network, it can be determined whether the display area of the image that is going to be uploaded to one of the information processing apparatuses overlaps with the display area of the image that is uploaded by other information processing apparatus. When it is determined that there is overlapping, the warning is issued to the user. Thus, the user can readily notice whether the image that other user uses overlaps with his own image. 
         [0249]    The aspect of the present invention can also be achieved by providing the system or the device with a storage medium which records a program code of software implementing the function of the embodiment and by reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium with a computer of the system or the device (the CPU or the MPU). 
         [0250]    In this case, the program code itself, which is read from the storage medium, implements the function of the embodiment mentioned above, and accordingly, the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. 
         [0251]    As the storage medium for supplying such program code, a flexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, or a ROM can be used. 
         [0252]    In addition, the function according to the embodiments described above is implemented not only by executing the program code read by the computer, but also implemented by the processing in which an OS or the like carries out a part of or the whole of the actual processing based on the instruction given by the program code. 
         [0253]    Further, in another aspect of the embodiment of the present invention, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function enhancing board inserted into the computer or in a function enhancing unit connected to the computer, the CPU provided in the function enhancing board or the function enhancing unit carries out a part of or the whole of the processing to implement the function of the embodiment as described above. 
         [0254]    While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all modifications, equivalent structures, and functions.