Abstract:
In a method for intermediating images, user group information concerning at least one user group to which the user belongs is extracted from a user group table recording a relationship between the user and the user group based on the authentication information of a user. The user group information extracted is sent to the user and obtaining information of a selected user group selected by the user and an image corresponding to the selected user group selected by the user is extracted. Then, the image corresponding to the selected user group is sent to the user.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention generally relates to a method for intermediating images that provides a service providing images via a network.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Recently, a net album service is provided to allow users to register images (including static images and dynamic images) on a service site of the Internet. In such a conventional image providing service, a user uploads a digital image through the network or brings image data or a film to a DPE shop and asks the DPE shop to upload through the network, so as to register images to the service site of the Internet. The service site protects the images registered by the user by a password and then opens the images on the network. After that, the user and visitors permitted by the user can browse, select, and download an image. Also, the user and the visitors can make a request of the service site for an extra development of a silver film of the images.  
           [0005]    The conventional technique described above is effective in a case in which the user personally registers the image data. However, in a case in which a plurality of users as a group individually attempt to register images to the same album, several problems occur.  
           [0006]    For example, the group travels together and several people take some pictures. And each of the photographers separately registers images in the conventional technique. And, each of the photographers is required to provide his or her password to all members of the group and the members of the group are required to input a different password for each of the photographers to access his or her album registered by each of the photographers  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    It is a general object of the present invention to provide a method for intermediating images in which the above-mentioned problems are eliminated.  
           [0008]    A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a method for intermediating images at the service site in that an album is provided to be shared by a group on the network, and users belonging to the group can freely refer to the same album and register the images to the service site.  
           [0009]    The above objects of the present invention are achieved by a method for intermediating images, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving authentication information of a user; (b) extracting user group information concerning at least one user group to which the user belongs, from a user group table recording a relationship between the user and the user group based on the authentication information; (c) sending the user group information extracted in the step (b) to the user and obtaining information of a selected user group selected by the user; (d) extracting an image corresponding to the selected user group selected by the user; and (e) sending the image corresponding to the selected user group to the user. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is an overview diagram showing a system according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a process overview according to the embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a user authentication process;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a group selecting process;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining an image displaying process;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an image registering process;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining an image purchasing process;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 is a diagram showing examples of a user file, user group file, and an image managing file;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a storage structure of the image file;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing examples of a user group selecting window and an image list window; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 11 is a diagram showing examples of an image registering window and an image displaying window. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]    An overview of a system according to the present invention will be described. An image intermediating site  101  may be managed by a company providing a DPE service on a network.  
         [0023]    In the image intermediating site  101 , an image intermediating system  102  is employed as a main computer system in an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]    The image intermediating system  102  includes a communication controlling part and for example, a user terminal  112  is connected to the image intermediating system  102  through the Internet  111  as a network. Also, a plurality of the user terminals  112  can be connected to the image intermediating system  102  through the Internet  111 .  
         [0025]    The image intermediating system  102  includes an installer  11 , a receiving program  103  for receiving information from the user terminal  112 , a sending program  104  for sending information to the user terminal  112 , a data registering program  105  for registering image information of the user by accessing each file in the information intermediating system  102  based on the information received by the receiving program  103 , a data extracting program  106  for extracting information to be provided to the user terminal  112 , and an order receiving program  107  for accepting order information from the user terminal  112 .  
         [0026]    These programs  103  through  107  are stored in an external storage unit of the image intermediating system  102  by the installer  11  installing from a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory)  2 , and read and temporarily stored in an internal storage unit when each of the programs  103  through  107  is being executed.  
         [0027]    Moreover, the external storage unit of the image intermediating system  102  includes a user group file  108  for storing user group information, a user file  109  for storing user information, and an image managing file  110  for managing images of the user group. These files  108  through  110  are referred to and updated by the receiving program  103 , the sending program  104 , the data registering program  105 , and the data extracting program  106  if necessary.  
         [0028]    An overview of a main process will be described according to the embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. 2.  
         [0029]    In step S 201 , a user verifying process is conducted. When the user is provided with service from the image intermediating system  102 , the user connects the user terminal  112  to the image intermediating system  101  through the Internet  111 .  
         [0030]    In this case, a user ID and a password are registered with user information of the user to the image intermediating system  102  beforehand. Thus, the user sends the user ID and the password from the user terminal  112  to the image intermediating system  102 , and then the receiving program  103  receives the user ID and the password. In addition, the receiving program  103  conducts user verification.  
         [0031]    In step S 202 , a group selecting process is conducted. Based on the user ID received by the receiving program  103 , the data extracting program  106  extracts the user group information showing a group to which the user belongs and then the sending program  104  provides the user group information to the user terminal  112 . The user selects the user group, which the user wants to see images of, from the information.  
         [0032]    In step S 203 , the image displaying process is conducted. When the receiving program  103  received user group selection information, which is information of the user group selected by the user in the step S 202 , the data extracting program  106  extracts an image set as images of the user group selected by the user from images registered in the image intermediating site  102  based on the user group selection information. The sending program  104  provides information concerning the image set to the user. Three alternatives are provided to the user.  
         [0033]    In step S 204 , an image registering process is conducted. In the image registering process, the data registering program  105  adds and registers an image to the information concerning the image set provided in the step S 203 . When the image registering process is completed, the main process goes to step S 206 .  
         [0034]    In step S 205 , an image purchasing process is conducted. The user selects a desired image from the information concerning the image set. The receiving program  107  performs a service of the extra development (hard copy) of the desired image. When the main process is completed, the main process goes to the step S 206 .  
         [0035]    In the step S 206 , it is determined whether or not the main process is completed. When the user makes an instruction for completing a request of the service, the image intermediating system is terminated. Otherwise, the main process goes back to the step S 203 .  
         [0036]    Each process in FIG. 2 will be described in detail.  
         [0037]    The user verifying process in the step S 201  in FIG. 2 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3.  
         [0038]    In step S 301 , the user terminal  112  sends login information input by the user to the image intermediating system  102 . That is, the user inputs the user ID and the password and information indicating the user ID and the password is sent to the image intermediating system  102 .  
         [0039]    In step S 302 , the receiving program  103  receives the login information sent in the step S 301 .  
         [0040]    In step S 303 , the user file  109  is retrieved by the receiving program  103 .  
         [0041]    A user file  801  in FIG. 8 is an example of the user file  109 . The user file  801  includes the user ID identifying the user, a user name, the password for verification, an address, and credit card information.  
         [0042]    The data extracting program  106  searches for the user file  801  by the user ID of the login information received in the step S 302 , as a search key.  
         [0043]    In step S 304 , based on a search result in the step S 303 , it is determined to which step the user verifying process branches. As for the search result when it is determined that the user information matches with the search key and further a password indicated in the user information matches with the password indicated in the login information received from the user terminal  112 , the user is successfully verified. Then, the user verifying process in the step S 201  is completed.  
         [0044]    However, as for the search result in the step S 303  when it is determined that there is no user information matching with the search key or when the password indicated in the user information does not match with the password indicated in the login information received from the user terminal  112  even if the user information matches with the search key, the user is not verified. Thus, the user verification abnormally ends and the process goes to step S 305 .  
         [0045]    In step S 305 , the sending program  104  sends to the user terminal  112  information showing a request of re-sending the login information. In this case, the user is required to send the login information again to the image intermediating system  102 .  
         [0046]    The group selecting process in the step S 202  in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 4.  
         [0047]    When the user verifying process in the step S 201  is completed normally, the data extracting program  106  extracts the user group information showing a group to which the user belongs, by using the user group file  108  (step S 401 ).  
         [0048]    An example of the user group file  108  is shown as a user group file  802  in FIG. 8. The user file  802  stores a user group ID for identifying the user group, a user group name, and registered members of which the user ID of the user registered in the user group is registered.  
         [0049]    In the user group file  802 , the registered members where user group ID includes group G 001  are users having the user Ids  123 ,  456 ,  789 , . . . . The registered members where user group ID includes group G 002  are users having the user Ids  456 ,  234 , . . . . The registered members where user group ID includes group G 003  are users having the user Ids  567 ,  890 ,  345 ,  678 ,  901 , . . . . The registered members where user group ID includes group G 004  are users having the user Ids  123 ,  456 ,  789 , . . . . The registered members where user group ID includes group G 005  are users having the user Ids  123 ,  456 ,  789 , . . . .  
         [0050]    The data extracting program  106  searches for the registered members of the user group file  802  by the user ID as a search key and extracts record information including the user ID.  
         [0051]    Based on the record information extracted by the data extracting program  106 , a user group selecting window is edited. A user group selecting window  1001  in FIG. 10 shows an example of the user group selecting window.  
         [0052]    As a result of extracting the group information in the step S 401 , when the user does not belong to a plurality of groups, that is, when the user belongs to only one group and when it is not needed to select a group, the group selecting process in the step S 202  is completed.  
         [0053]    A user group selecting window  1001  is divided into a header  11 , a body  12 , and a footer  13 . In the header  11 , the user ID used when the user logs in at the user terminal  112  and the user name obtained by searching for the user file  801  by the user ID as a search key are transferred In the body  12 , the user group names indicated by the record information extracted from the user group file  802  are transferred. In addition, in the body  12 , a button for selection is provided for each user group name. In the footer  13 , an end button is arranged.  
         [0054]    When the user group selecting window  1001  is completely edited, the sending program  104  sends information of the user group selecting window  1001  to the user terminal  112  (step S 403 ). The information is received by the user terminal  112  and displayed on a display unit (not shown) (step S 404 ).  
         [0055]    The user selects one of the user groups to display, from the body  12  of the user group selecting window  1001  and clicks the button for the selected user group. In response to an instruction from the user, the user terminal  112  sends group selection information to the image intermediating system  102  (step S 405 ).  
         [0056]    If the user clicks the end button of the user group selecting window  1001 , the group selecting process is interrupted.  
         [0057]    The group selection information sent in the step S 405  is received by the receiving program  103  (step S 406 ).  
         [0058]    The group selecting process in the step S 203  in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 5.  
         [0059]    When the group selecting process in the step S 202  is normally completed, the data extracting program  106  refers to the image managing file  110  and extracts a reduced image under the group selected by the user (step S 501 ).  
         [0060]    An image managing file  803  in FIG. 8 is an example of the image managing file  110 . The image managing file  803  stores the user group ID showing the user group to which the image belongs, an image number identifying the image, an image name, members permitted to inquire, and the image information.  
         [0061]    The members permitted to inquire are users who are permitted to inquire about the image. That is, users having user IDs  123  and  456  can inquire about image P 001 . Users having the user ID  123  can inquire about image P 002 . Users having the user IDs  123  and  456  can inquire about image P 003 . Users having the user IDs  123  and  456  can inquire about image P 004 . Users having user IDs  456  and  234  can inquire about image P 005 .  
         [0062]    Also, the image information indicates pointer information toward an actual image file. That is, the image P 001  of a user group G 0000  is in a folder located at C:¥data¥g 001 ¥p 001 . The image P 002  of the user group G 0000  is in a folder located at C:¥data¥g 001 ¥p 002 . The image P 003  of the user group G 000  is in a folder located at C:¥data¥g 001 ¥p 003 . The image P 004  of the user group G 001  is in a folder located at C:¥data¥g 001 ¥p 004 . The image P 001  of the user group G 002  is in a folder located at C:¥data¥g 002 ¥p 001 .  
         [0063]    An image storing method will be further described with reference to an image file storage structure  901  in FIG. 9. Referring to FIG. 9, in data folders of a C drive, there are folders G 001 , G 002 , G 003 , . . . for the user groups, respectively. There are further folders P 001 , P 002 , P 003 , P 004 , . . . for each of the user groups.  
         [0064]    And, the actual image file is stored in two forms such as an org.gif and a mini.gif in a folder for each image. The org.gif is a regular size image and the mini.gif is a reduced image reducing the regular size image.  
         [0065]    The reduced image is extracted in the step S 501 .  
         [0066]    Next, an image list window is edited based on reduced image information extracted as the reduced image. An image list window  1002  in FIG. 10 is an example of the image list window.  
         [0067]    The image list window  1002  is divided into a header  21 , a body  22 , and a footer  23 . In the header  21 , the user group name of the user group selected in the step S 202 , the user ID used when the user logs in at the user terminal  112 , and the user name obtained by searching for the user file  801  by the user ID as the search key are transferred.  
         [0068]    In the body  22 , the reduced images under the user group extracted in the step S 501  are shown with the image names of the image managing file  803 . In addition, a check box is provided for each image. Based on the number of images, a scroll bar for scrolling the images is displayed.  
         [0069]    And in the footer  23 , a purchase button, a register button, and an end button are arranged.  
         [0070]    When the image list window  1002  is completely edited, the sending program  104  sends information of the image list window  1002  to the user terminal  112  (step S 502 ). The information of the image list window  1002  is received by the user terminal  112  and displayed at the display unit (not shown).  
         [0071]    Images displayed in the image list window  1002  received in the step S 503  are the reduced images. When the user wants to see the regular size image (step S 504 ), the user clicks one of the reduced images displayed in the image list window  1002  and then the user terminal  112  sends a regular size image sending instruction to the image intermediating system  102  (step S 505 ).  
         [0072]    When the image intermediating system  102  receives the regular size image sending instruction (step S 506 ), the image intermediating system  102  checks whether or not the user is authorized to inquire about the image selected by the user based on the image managing file  803  (step S 507 ).  
         [0073]    As a result in the step S 507 , when the user is not authorized to inquire, that is, when there is no user ID of the user as a member permitted to inquire in the image managing file  803 , a message showing “Not authorized to inquire” is sent to the user terminal  112  (step S 508 ).  
         [0074]    On the other hand, as a result in the step S 507 , when the user is authorized to inquire, that is, when there is the user ID of the user as a member permitted to inquire in the image managing file  803 , the image managing file  803  is directed to extract the regular size image (step S 509 ).  
         [0075]    Next, an image displaying window is edited based on regular size image information extracted in the step S 509 . An example of the image displaying window is shown as an image displaying window  1102  in FIG. 11.  
         [0076]    The image displaying window  1102  is divided into a body  42  and a footer  43 . In the body  42 , the regular size image extracted in the step S 509  is displayed. And in the footer  43 , the end button is provided.  
         [0077]    When the image displaying window  1102  is completely edited, the sending program  104  sends information of the image displaying window  1102  to the user terminal  112  (step S 510 ). The information of the image displaying window  1102  is received by the user terminal  112  (step S 511 ) and then displayed at the display unit (not shown).  
         [0078]    When the user wants to end displaying the regular size image, the user clicks the end button provided in the footer  43  of the image displaying window  1102  and then the image list window  1002  is again displayed.  
         [0079]    Three alternatives are provided to the user receiving the image list window  1002 . An image registering process for registering a new image (step S 204 ), an image purchasing process for purchasing the image (step S 205 ), and a process to terminate (step S 206 ) are provided to the user.  
         [0080]    In a case in which the user registers the new image, when the user clicks the register button of the footer  23 , register button clicked information is sent to the image intermediating system  102  (step S 601 ).  
         [0081]    When the receiving program  103  receives the register button clicked information sent in the step S 601 , a window for registering the image is formed. An example of the window for registering the image is shown as an image registering window  1101  in FIG. 11.  
         [0082]    The image registering window  1101  is divided into the header  31 , a body  32 , and a footer  33 . In the header  31 , the user group name of the user group selected in the step S 202 , the user ID used when the user logs in at the user terminal  112 , and the user name obtained by searching for the user file  801  by the user ID as the search key are transferred.  
         [0083]    In the body  32 , a text box for indicating which image the user wants to register, another text box for indicating the image name of the image which the user wants to register, and two list boxes  35  and  36  for authorizing to inquire about the image are provided.  
         [0084]    The user group file  802  is referred to and user names included in the user group selected in the step S 202  are transferred to the list box  35 . The list box  36  is provided to show a list of user names selected by the user.  
         [0085]    In the footer  33 , a register button and a cancel button are provided.  
         [0086]    When the image registering window  1101  is completely edited, the sending program  104  sends information of the image registering window  1101  (step S 603 ). The information of the image registering window  1101  is received by the user terminal  112  (step S 604 ) and then displayed at the display unit.  
         [0087]    When the user terminal  112  receives and displays the image registering window  1101 , the user indicates a registration file, the image name, and the members permitted to inquire.  
         [0088]    The text box for indicating the registration file is used for a method in which a location storing the image file and a file name are directly indicated. Alternatively, the text box is used for another method in which a folder and a file are selectively indicated in a dialog box (not shown) for indicating a file displayed by clicking a refer button positioned at the right side of the list box.  
         [0089]    In the body  32  of the image registering window  1101  displayed at the user terminal  112 , an area  34  for selecting members permitted to inquire includes the list box  35  located at the left side and displaying a list of the user names of the group, the list box  36  located at the right side and displaying a list of the user names currently permitted to inquire, an IN button, and an OUT button.  
         [0090]    The user selects the user name to permit to inquire from the list box  35  and clicks the IN button to move the user name to the list box  36  located at the right side. On the other hand, the user selects the user name to invalid a permission to inquire from the list box  36  and clicks the OUT button to move the user name to the list box  35  located at the left side.  
         [0091]    When the user completes to input image registration information to the image registering window  1101  and clicks the register button in the footer  33 , the image registration information is sent to the image intermediating system  102  (step S 605 ). The image registration information sent in the step S 605  is received by the receiving program  103  (step S 606 ).  
         [0092]    The data registering program  105  stores the image registration information received in the step S 606  to the image managing file  803  (step S 607 ). The group ID of the group selected in the step S 202  is stored as the user group ID of the image managing file  803 . An image number is automatically obtained and stored as an image No. of the image managing file  803 . An image name is transferred from the image registration information. The members permitted to inquire are transferred. Then, the group ID, the image No., the image name, and the members permitted to inquire are stored in one record.  
         [0093]    Since the folder name is uniquely given for each image as a folder for the group selected in the step S 202 , pointer information of the folder is stored as image information in the image management file  803 .  
         [0094]    Subsequently, as indicated by the pointer information, an actual image file is stored in the external storage unit of the image intermediating system  102  (step S 608 ). In this case, the regular size image file is named as the org.gif and the regular size image file is automatically reduced and the reduced image file is named as the mini.gif. The org.gif and the mini.gif are stored in the folder newly created.  
         [0095]    The image purchasing process in the step S 205  in FIG. 2 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 7.  
         [0096]    When the user purchases the image, in the image list window  1002  displayed at the display unit of the user terminal  112  in the step S 203 , the user makes a check mark in a check box provided under a desired image and then clicks the purchase button in the footer  23 . Purchase information including the image ID identifying the desired image is sent to the image intermediating system  102  (step S 701 ).  
         [0097]    When the receiving program  103  receives the purchase information sent in the step S 701  (step S 702 ), the image intermediating system  102  checks whether or not the user is permitted to inquire about the desired image selected by the user based on the image managing file  803 .  
         [0098]    As a check result in the step S 703 , when the user is not permitted to inquire, that is, when the user ID of the user is not included in the members permitted to inquire in the image managing file  803 , a message showing “Not authorized to purchase” is sent to the user terminal  112  (step S 704 ).  
         [0099]    On the other hand, as the check result in the step S 703 , when the user is permitted to inquire, that is, when the user ID of the user is included in the members permitted to inquire in the image managing file  803 , a sales process is executed (step S 705 ). Specifically, the purchase information including the user ID and the image ID is provided to the receiving program  107 . The receiving program  107  searches for the user file  801  based on the purchase information, extracts address information and the credit card information, and provides the purchase information, the address information, and the credit card information to a sales system of the image intermediating system  101 .  
         [0100]    A conventional technique can be applied to the sales process in the sales system for shopping by a credit card or an online shopping. Thus, a detailed explanation thereof is omitted.  
         [0101]    In the embodiment, the address information and the credit card information of the user are maintained in the user file  801 . Alternatively, the address information and the credit card information can be managed in another system (regardless of whether an inside or an outside of the image intermediating site  101 .  
         [0102]    Moreover, in the embodiment, a static image is illustrated to explain the image provided by the image intermediating system  102 . Alternatively, the image provided by the image intermediating system  102  can be a dynamic image.  
         [0103]    Furthermore, in the embodiment, the user group is related to the image information in the image managing file  110 . Alternatively, attribute information can be provided for every image and the attribute information can be related to the user group information.  
         [0104]    Moreover, a method for intermediating images applied to the image intermediating system  102  can be programmed and recorded in a computer-readable recording medium. Thus, the method can be realized by executing a program recorded in the computer-readable recording medium. As the computer-readable recording medium, a magnetic recording device or a semiconductor memory can be used. In a case of distributing in a market, the program in accordance with the method can be stored in a portable recording medium such as the CD-ROM  2  in FIG. 1, a floppy disk, or the like, or the program can be transmitted to another computer through the network.  
         [0105]    In a case of traveling in a group, freely sharing the album within the group is provided. It is possible for the user being a photographer to freely inquire about the image or register the image from anywhere the user can connect to the network. In addition, it is possible to set the members permitted to inquire for each image. Thus, although all members of the group can refer to the reduced image, only members permitted to inquire are allowed to inquire about the regular size image. Moreover, only members permitted to inquire can purchase the image. Accordingly, such a flexible setting can be realized.  
         [0106]    The present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiments, variations and modifications, and other variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.  
         [0107]    The present application is based on Japanese Priority Application No.2001-218037 filed on Jul. 18, 2001, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.