Patent Publication Number: US-7590560-B2

Title: Information providing apparatus which performs data processing in accordance with order from user

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to an information providing apparatus which manages orders for data processing. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Recently, with improvements in communication infrastructures and advances in information communication techniques, online information providing services using services which use the Internet and the like can be provided. Some of these information providing services are provided by using apparatuses which receive and manage orders for data processing such as print processing. Such an apparatus must hold order information about an order in the time interval between the instant at which a user gives the order for data processing and the instant at which the order is carried out. 
   A conventional apparatus managed the order information and the personal information of the user altogether while associating them with each other. For this reason, if the personal information is changed or deleted, the order information is often influenced. Therefore, the execution of such a change must be suspended until the order is carried out. 
   For example, in a conventional photo-site which provides services such as storage, editing, printing, and browsing of image data through the Internet, the image data of a user as personal information is part of order information. If the image data is deleted, since the target for which ordered processing is to be performed disappears, the image data cannot be deleted until data processing such as printout processing is completed. In many cases, an upper limit is set for a storage area in the photo-site which is given to one user. If, therefore, ordered image data cannot be deleted until it is printed out, new image data may not be stored in the system. 
   In a conventional information providing apparatus which demands user registration, if a registration is canceled, order information is deleted together with personal information. This, however, makes it impossible to carry out the order. Therefore, the registration cannot be canceled until the order is carried out. 
   As described above, in conventional apparatuses, limitations are imposed on editing and the like of personal information, resulting in an inability to speedily handle requests from users. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problem in the prior art, and has as its object to provide an information providing apparatus which can speedily handle requests from users, a control method therefor, a control program, and a storage medium. 
   According to the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing an information providing apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus through a network, comprising reception means for receiving an order for data processing from the information processing apparatus, first management means for integrally managing personal information of a user of the information processing apparatus and order information associated with an order for the data processing, copying means for creating a copy of the order information, and second management means for managing the copy of the order information which is created by the copying means independently of the personal information. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing a control method for an information providing apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus through a network, comprising the step of receiving an order for data processing from the information processing apparatus, the first management step of integrally managing personal information of a user of the information processing apparatus and order information associated with an order for the data processing, the copying step of creating a copy of the order information, and the second management step of managing the copy of the order information which is created in the copying step independently of the personal information. 
   In still another aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing a control program for an information providing apparatus which is connected to an information processing apparatus through a network and has a processor, causing the processor to execute the step of receiving an order for data processing from the information processing apparatus, the first management step of integrally managing personal information of a user of the information processing apparatus and order information associated with an order for the data processing, the copying step of creating a copy of the order information, and the second management step of managing the copy of the order information which is created in the copying step independently of the personal information. 
   Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram conceptually showing an information providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing the schematic arrangement of the overall information providing system according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a view showing a data table associated with customer information managed in a photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a view showing a customer state table for managing information representing the current state of a user using the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a view showing a customer album data table managed in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a view showing an album information data table managed in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a view showing an album image data table managed in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a view showing an image information table managed in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 9  is a view showing an order information table managed in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 10  is a view showing an ordered image data table managed in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 11  is a view showing an order settlement data table managed in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 12  is a view showing an orderer data table managed in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 13  is a view showing a print-site data table managed in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 14  is a view showing the contents of a database for managing photo-site information in a print-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 15  is a view showing the contents of an order information table in a print-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 16  is a view showing the contents of a print image information table in a print-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 17  is a view showing the contents of an order delivery table in a print-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 18  is a view showing an example of the window to be displayed when a server service is started in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 19  is a flow chart showing processing in the photo-site when user registration is performed with respect to the information providing system according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 20  is a view showing a window for user registration with respect to the information providing system according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 21  is a view showing the error window to be displayed when data concerning a necessary item is not input at the time of user registration in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 22  is a view showing an example of the error window to be displayed when a login name has already been registered at the time of user registration in the photo-site according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 23  is a view showing a window for prompting a user to input a password again at the time of user registration in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 24  is a view showing an example of the warning window to be displayed when a password is wrong at the time of user registration in the information providing system according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 25  is a view showing a user registration confirmation window in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 26  is a view showing an example of the contents of e-mail issued at the time of user registration in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 27  is a view showing an example of the window to be displayed when the user fails to log in on a service start window in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 28  is a view showing the window to be displayed when the user properly logs in to the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 29A  is a flow chart showing processing associated with edit operation by the user in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 29B  is a view showing a window to be displayed upon withdrawal processing by a user in a photo-site according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 30  is a flow chart showing a procedure for album edit processing in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 31  is a view showing an album property setting window in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 32  is a view showing an album e-mail notification setting window in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 33  is a view showing an album delete confirmation window in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 34  is a flow chart showing processing associated with album selection and display when one of album selection buttons is pressed in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 35  is a view showing an example of an album detailed display window in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 36  is a flow chart showing a procedure for uploading images to a currently displayed/edited album in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 37  is a view showing a warning window indicating that no image can be uploaded in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 38  is a view showing an uploaded image selection window according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 39  is a view showing the warning window to be displayed when a file other than images to be processed in the embodiment of the present invention is uploaded; 
       FIG. 40  is a flow chart showing processing for calculating the number of files that can be added according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 41  is a flow chart showing the flow of processing among a client PC, the photo-site, and a print-site when a print order is to be placed by using the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 42  is a view showing a print-site selection window according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 43  is a view showing an image print order window according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 44  is a view showing the estimate display window to be displayed when an image print order is placed according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 45  is a view showing the orderer information input display window to be displayed when an image print order is placed according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 46  is a view showing the destination information input window to be displayed when an image print order is placed according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 47  is a flow chart showing the contents of temporary print order issuing processing in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 48  is a view showing the warning window to be displayed when no image is selected at the time of print order processing according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 49  is a flow chart showing the contents of display processing for a print image selection window in a print-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 50  is a flow chart showing estimation calculation in a print-site and notification of estimate information to the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 51  is a flow chart showing processing in the photo-site in the interval between the instant at which the estimate notified from the print-site is acquired and the instant at which a formal print order is issued according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 52  is a view showing a benefit information setting window in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 53  is a view showing an example of the temporary print order format notified from the photo-site to a print-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 54  is a view showing an example of the format of estimate information notified from the print-site to the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 55  is a view showing an example of the formal print order format notified from the photo-site to the print-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 56  is a view showing an example of the order contents confirmation window displayed in the information providing system according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 57  is a view showing an example of a service item data list in the print-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 58  is a view showing an example of a benefit list in the print-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 59  is a view showing an example of the e-mail to be notified when a print order is placed according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 60  is a flow chart showing the details of formal print order reception processing in the print-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 61  is a view showing an example of album notification mail according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 62  is a flow chart showing check digit embedding processing in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 63  is a view showing a list representing the relationship between the buttons of a portable terminal and alphabetical characters input by pressing the buttons according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 64  is a flow chart showing disclosure album ID creating processing in the photo-site according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 65  is a flow chart showing the processing of associating numerals with alphabetical characters and calculating buttons of a portable terminal which can input the alphabetical characters; 
       FIG. 66  is a view showing an album browse start window in the information providing system according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 67  is a view showing an album browse window in the information providing system according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 68  is a flow chart showing the processing of checking the ID input when the user tries to browse an album in the information providing system according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 69  is a view showing the window to be displayed when no album is found which corresponds to the ID input at the time of album browsing in the information providing system according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 70  is a view showing the first window to be displayed when the user browses an album through a portable terminal in the information providing system according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 71  is a view showing the window to be displayed when the user browses an album from the portable terminal in the information providing system according to the embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 72  is a view showing the first window to be displayed when the user browses an album from the portable terminal. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the relative positions of constituent elements, display windows, and the like described in the embodiments unless otherwise specified. 
   First Embodiment 
   An information providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention which shares and provides digital image data through the Internet will be described. 
   In general, digital image information is provided by an image input device. The following is a background to this trend. With smooth decreases in semiconductor device size, the part sizes and costs of LSIs and solid-state image sensing elements which constitute image input devices represented by digital still cameras and digital video cameras have been scaled down. As a consequent, image input devices for photographing images have been widely used. 
   For example, the image data photographed by a digital camera is stored in a memory inside the digital camera. The data is then transferred to a recording unit represented by an HDD or the like in a personal computer owned by the user of the digital camera and managed/stored or is written in an external recording medium such as a CD-R and stored. With the widespread use of color scanners as well as digital cameras, images can be easily created and stored as electronic data. 
   In consideration of such a situation, the information providing system according to this embodiment includes an image service provider (to be referred to as a photo-site hereinafter) and print service provider (to be referred to as a print-site hereinafter). This photo-site provides services like keeping the image data photographed by users using image input devices in storage areas in servers on the Internet and allowing customers to browse the image data again at the time they require it. The print-site prints out electronic documents such as New Year&#39;s cards, word processed documents, and images which are transferred through the Internet, and provides the printed matter as merchandise. 
   The photo-site according to this embodiment does not provide any print service by itself but forms an affiliation with a print-site which can provide various print services and gives a print order to the print-site. 
   &lt;Outline of System&gt; 
   An outline of the information providing system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is a view showing how data are exchanged among a PC (Personal Computer)  102  (to be referred to as a user PC hereinafter) or portable terminal  113  of a user who receives services, a photo-site  105  which manages images and personal information of the user, and a print-site  109  which manages print processing and print unit prices between the instant at which the user generates a request to browse images and the instant at which printed matter is acquired. 
   In step S 1 , the user accesses a Web server  121  in the photo-site  105  by using a browser  120  of the user PC  102 , and generates a request to browse images stored in an image database (DB)  117  in the photo-site  105 . In step S 2 , the photo-site  105  displays images on the browser  120  under a predetermined condition. 
   In step S 3 , the user selects an image to be printed out from the images browsed on the browser  120 . In step S 4 , the identification information of the selected image is transferred from the photo-site  105  to the print-site  109  (temporary print order). The flow advances to step S 5 , in which the print-site  109  adds information about a form (size and the like) that can be printed out and causes a Web server  122  to present the user PC  102  with the information together with the image, thereby prompting the user to input a print form, a print count, and the like. 
   In step S 6 , when the user inputs a print form, a print count, and the like for each selected image through the browser  120  and sends a print instruction to the print-site  109 , the print-site  109  calculates a price (estimated price) requested to carry out the print instruction by using a print information database  119  and price calculation module  110 . 
   In step S 7 , when the print-site  109  temporarily transfers the estimated price to the photo-site  105 , the photo-site  105  calculates a price (offered price) on the basis of the estimated price factoring in the personal information by using a personal information database  118  and price calculation module  108 . 
   In step S 8 , the photo-site  105  causes the browser  120  of the user PC  102  to display the presented price by using the Web server  121 . 
   In step S 9 , if the user approves the presented price and the user PC  102  returns an approval action to the photo-site  105 , a settlement module  107  serving as a settlement means receives this action and performs settlement processing. 
   In step S 10 , the photo-site  105  sends a formal print order to the print-site  109 . At the same time, copies of various pieces of information associated with the order given by the user, e.g., an ordered image, print form, order count, settlement method, contact address, and delivery destination are retained in another area in the photo-site  105 . This allows the user to delete print image data immediately after the order is given to a print-site and cancel the membership contract with the photo-site. The print-site  109  sends the formal print order to the print-site  109 . Upon reception of the formal print order, the print-site  109  performs printing in accordance with the formal print order by using the printing means owned by the print-site  109 . 
   In step S 11 , the print-site  109  delivers printed matter  112  obtained by printing to the destination designated by the user of the user PC  102 , who has generated the print request, by a transportation means of some kind. 
   &lt;Arrangement of System&gt; 
     FIG. 2  is a view showing the detailed arrangement of the information providing system according to this embodiment. 
   Reference numeral  101  denotes an image input apparatus which converts an optical image as image information into an electrical signal, performs predetermined image processing, and records/reproduces the resultant information as digital information. This image input apparatus may be a digital still camera capable of photographing a still image and recording the image as image data or a digital video camera capable of photographing a moving image and recording the image as moving image data. 
   Reference numeral  102 A denotes a user personal computer; and  116 , a data transfer interface for transferring image data photographed between the image input apparatus  101  and the user PC  102 A. The data transfer interface  116  may be a wire interface represented by USB (Universal Serial Bus) or IEEE1394 or a wireless interface represented by IrDA or Bluetooth. 
   The image data photographed by the image input apparatus  101  and stored as digital information is transferred to a storage area in an information storage unit represented by the HDD of the user PC  102 A through the data transfer interface  116 . For image data transfer from the image input apparatus  101  to the user PC  102 A, the following two cases are present. In the first case, in accordance with an instruction from the OS or special software installed in the user PC  102 A, the image data stored in the image input apparatus  101  are transferred at once. In the second case, in response to the instruction of a transfer command from the image input apparatus  101 , the OS or special software in the user PC  102 A ensures a data recording area in the information storage unit in the user PC  102 A and transfers the image data to the area. 
   A browser  120 A having a standard protocol capable of transmitting information on the Internet  104  can run on the user PC  102 A. With this browser  120 A, a user can access the photo-site  105  using the standard protocol such as HTTP protocol to display Web information created by a description language such as HTML or XML. Web information is linked to multimedia information such as images or sounds managed by photo-site  105  on the Internet  104 . With this operation, the user of the user PC  102 A can receive services provided by the photo-site  105  using the Internet  104 . 
   The image data photographed by the image input apparatus  101  and stored in the information storage are in the user PC  102 A is transferred to the photo-site  105  in accordance with a request from the user of the user PC  102 A (this transfer will be referred to as image upload hereinafter). This method of uploading an image includes a method in which image data to be transferred is selected using the above browser  120 A and transferred in synchronism with the action of requesting image upload and a method in which image data is directly selected and transferred by using image upload software. Either method is executed on the basis of a protocol usable on the Internet, e.g., HTTP or FTP. A photo sharing module  106  is a module which executes this series of operations in the photo-site  105 . 
   The photo sharing module  106  checks whether the uploaded image data is data that can be used in the photo-site  105 . If it is determined that the data can be used, the uploaded image data is stored in the image database  117 , and its attribute information or the like is stored in the database  118 . The photo-site  105  may put a plurality of uploaded image data into one unit and manage it as an album for browsing. 
   In this stage, the photo sharing module  106  notifies the user PC  102 A that the image data is normally uploaded. The user of the user PC  102 A can upload image data through the Web browser in this manner. 
   In addition to the above attribute information of image data, various data are collectively managed in the database  118 . For example, such data include the data of user attribute information registered in the photo-site  105  and the data of attribute information of a print-site which is requested to print out uploaded image data. 
   The flow of print order processing for uploaded image data will be sequentially described next. The user of the user PC  102 A can browse the image data which is uploaded by himself/herself through the Web browser  120 A. The methods of selecting images to be browsed include a method of selecting images to be sequentially browsed image by image, and a method of registering a plurality of images as one album, selecting an album to be browsed from a plurality of albums, and selecting/browsing each image managed in the selected album. 
   The photo-site  105  gives a print order for the image data uploaded from the user to a print provider which provides printouts of image data. This print provider is one of print-sites  109 A,  109 B, and  109 C. For the sake of illustrative convenience, only the three print-sites are illustrated. However, the number of print-sites is not specifically limited and may be more than four. 
   The user of the user PC  102 A selects image data which he/she wants to print out so as to purchase the printed matter as merchandise from the browse window of the uploaded images. The user then selects a print-site to which he/she wants to give an order from the print-sites  109 A,  109 B, and  109 C which the photo-site  105  can provide. The user selects the print-site  109  to which he/she gives an order in consideration of, for example, the services provided by each print-site  109 , unit price, and delivery time. For the sake of descriptive convenience, the following description will be made on the assumption that the user has selected the print-site  109 A. Even if, however, the user selects the print-site  109 B or  109 C, since the basic flow of information remains the same, a description thereof will be omitted. 
   When the user selects image data for which he/she wants to give a print order from the browse window, and notifies the photo-site  105  of the corresponding information, the photo-site  105  creates, in a predetermined form, a temporary print order associated with the image data for which the printout request has been given, and transmits it through the Internet  104 , thereby requesting the print-site  109 A to make an estimate. 
   Upon reception of the temporary print order from the photo-site  105 , the print-site  109 A acquires necessary image data from the image database  117  in the photo-site  105  and creates selected image information. By transmitting this selected image information to the user PC  102 A through the Internet  104 , the user can input a print form, a print count, and the like for each selected image on the Web browser  120 A of the user PC  102 A. 
   The print-site  109 A calculates an estimated price by using a price calculation module  110 A on the basis of the information such as the print form and print count for each selected image, and transmits the calculated estimated price to the photo-site  105  through the Internet  104 . 
   The photo-site  105  receives the information of the estimated price transmitted from the print-site  109 A in real time. The photo-site  105  then changes the received estimated price by using the price calculation module  108  in consideration of the personal information of the user. More specifically, the photo-site  105  can accumulate “points” as alternative currency that functions as currency with respect to the photo-site  105  for each registered user. When the user is to use the accumulated points, he/she can receive a discount on the print price in accordance with the points. 
   The Web server  121  in the photo-site  105  transfers the presented price based on the estimated price factoring in the points as Web information to the user PC  102 A, thereby dynamically presenting the price to the user who gives a print order. 
   That is, when the user selects image data for which he/she wants to give a print order and the print-site  109  and inputs a print form, a print count, and the like on the Web browser  120 A of the user PC  102 A, a price required for the printing operation is quickly displayed. 
   When the user of the user PC  102 A, who has given the print order, approves of purchasing the service at this presented price and returns an approval action to the photo-site  105 , the settlement module  107  serving as a settlement means receives this and performs settlement processing. When the settlement is completed, the photo-site  105  sends a formal print order to the print-site  109 A. 
   When the print-site  109 A receives this formal print order, it is determined that the settlement is confirmed, and the flow advances to print processing. In the print processing, first of all, the print-site  109 A acquires the image data required for printing out from the image database  117  in the photo-site  105 . The image data acquired in this manner is printed out as printed matter  112 A by a printer  111 A connected to the print-site  109 A. The printed matter  112 A is delivered, by some transportation means, to the destination designated by the user of the user PC  102 A who has given the printout request. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the printer  111 A is connected to the print-site  109 A. However, this printer need not be connected to the print-site  109 A as long as the printer is under the control of the user of the print-site  109 A. 
   The above description has been made on the outline of the system designed to allow a user who has uploaded the image data photographed by the image input apparatus  101  through the user PC  102 A to browse the image data in the photo-site  105  and give a print order. In this case, as a terminal for uploading image data, a PC has been exemplified. However, the information providing system according to the present invention is not limited to this. Image data may be uploaded from a portable terminal or may be directly uploaded from an image input apparatus such as a digital camera, digital video camera, scanner, or copying machine. 
   A method of allowing a person other than a user who has uploaded image data in the photo-site  105  to browse the image data uploaded in the photo-site  105  and stored in the database  117  through the Internet  104  will be described next. 
   The photo-site  105  provides the third party designated by a user who has uploaded images with browse and print order services with respect to the “uploaded images” or “album that manages a plurality of uploaded images as one archive”. The user who has uploaded the image data in the photo-site  105  notifies the photo-site  105 , by using the Web browser  120 A, of the attribute information of a user (to be referred to as a browse user hereinafter) who is permitted to browse the images, e.g., the name of the browse user, and the e-mail address. 
   When disclosing images to the browse user, the photo-site  105  creates a URL (Universal Resource Locator) required for disclosure. As the URL to be created at this time, a unique address using a random number or the like that cannot be uniquely predicted is assigned. The following is an example:
         http://◯◯◯
 
.com/PhotoSite/Album/AlbumEntry.cgi?AlbumID=AJNWDMF (Such a URL that cannot be uniquely predicted will be referred to as a random URL hereinafter.)
       

   The photo-site  105  notifies the browse user of the random URL created in this manner by e-mail through the Internet  104  upon adding password information required for browsing to the e-mail as needed. Upon reception of the e-mail, the browse user accesses the Internet  104  from a user PC  102 B, and inputs the random URL notified by the e-mail to a Web browser  102 B. This allows the browse user to browse the images and album designated by the user who has uploaded the images. 
   A method of allowing a browse user who uses the user PC  102 B to give a print order for image data that can be browsed in this manner will be described next. The photo-site  105  gives a print order for image data from the browse user to one of the print-sites  109 A,  109 B, and  109 C which provide printouts of image data. 
   The browse user of the user PC  102 A selects image data which he/she wants to print out so as to purchase the printed matter as merchandise from the browse window. The browse user of the user PC  102 B then selects the print-site  109  to which he/she wants to give an order from the print-sites  109 A,  109 B, and  109 C which the photo-site  105  can provide. The browse user selects the print-site  109  to which he/she gives an order in consideration of, for example, the services provided by each print-site  109 , unit price, and delivery time. For the sake of descriptive convenience, the following description will be made on the assumption that the user has selected the print-site  109 B. Even if, however, the user selects the print-site  109 A or  109 C, since the basic flow of information remains the same, a description thereof will be omitted. 
   When the browse user selects image data for which he/she wants to give a print order from the browse window, and notifies the photo-site  105  of the corresponding information, the photo-site  105  creates, in a predetermined form, a temporary print order associated with the image data for which the printout request has been given, and transmits it through the Internet  104 , thereby requesting the print-site  109 B to make an estimate. 
   Upon reception of the temporary print order from the photo-site  105 , the print-site  109 B acquires necessary image data from the image database  117  in the photo-site  105  and creates selected image information. By transmitting this selected image information to the user PC  102 B through the Internet  104 , the user can input a print form, a print count, and the like for each selected image on the Web browser  120 B of the user PC  102 B. 
   The print-site  109 B calculates an estimated price by using a price calculation module  110 B on the basis of the information such as the print form and print count for each selected image, and transmits the calculated estimated price to the photo-site  105  through the Internet  104 . 
   The photo-site  105  receives the information of the estimated price transmitted from the print-site  109 B in real time. If the browse user has no personal information, the estimated price transmitted from the print-site  109 B to the user PC  102 B is transferred as Web information. If the browse user has personal information, the presented price based on the estimated price factoring in points is transferred as Web information, thereby dynamically presenting the price to the browse user who has given the print order. 
   When the browse user of the user PC  102 B, who has given the print order, approves of purchasing the service at this presented price and returns an approval action to the photo-site  105 , the settlement module  107  serving as a settlement means receives this and performs settlement processing. When the settlement is completed, the photo-site  105  sends a formal print order to the print-site  109 B. The print-site  109 B receives this formal print order and acquires the image data required for printing out from the image database  117  in the photo-site  105 . The image data acquired in this manner is printed out as a printed matter  112 B by a printer  111 B serving as a printing means owned by the print-site  109 B. The printed matter  112 B is delivered, by some transportation means, to the browse user of the user PC  102 B who has given the printout request. 
   The photo-site  105  can provide the portable terminal owner designated by a user who has uploaded images with a service of making a notification of browsing of images (or an album) and browse function and print order services. A user can also receives notification e-mail containing a URL for browsing an album through a portable terminal, and at the same time, can browse images or an album or give a print order through the portable terminal (a user who uses the photo-site  105  through a portable terminal will be referred to as a portable browse user hereinafter). 
   The use who has uploaded image data from the user PC  102 A to the photo-site  105  through the Internet  104  notifies the photo-site  105 , by using the Web browser  120 A, of the attribute information of a user who is permitted to browse the images, e.g., the name of the browse user, and the e-mail address. 
   In disclosing images and an album to a portable browse user, the photo-site  105  creates a random URL necessary for disclosure. The photo-site  105  notifies a portable terminal  113 A of the portable browse user of the random URL by using e-mail upon adding password information necessary for browsing, as needed. This e-mail notified to the portable browse user is sent out from a mail distribution server in the photo-site  105  to a mobile network  114 A, which can exchange various data with the portable terminal  113 A, through the Internet  104  and an Internet connection gateway  115 A, and is transferred to the portable terminal  113 A. Upon reception of the e-mail, the portable browse user accesses the photo-site  105  through the route of the mobile network  114 , Internet connection gateway  115 A, and Internet  104 , by inputting the random URL address notified by the e-mail. 
   The photo-site  105  has browser information dedicated to portable terminals, which is created by a description language dedicated to portable terminals, e.g., WML or CompactHTML, in addition to Web information created by a description language such as HTML or XML which can be displayed on the Internet  104 . The photo-site  105  also has image data re-sized to a size that can be displayed on the portable terminal  113 A. In accordance with a request from the portable terminal  113 A, the photo-site  105  discriminates the model of the terminal, and transmits information that can be displayed on the portable terminal  113 A. According to an environment for portable terminals capable of browsing, pieces of browser information in various formats are prepared in the photo-site  105  to provide services for portable communication terminals that can browse the browser information, including not only the portable terminal  113 A but also the portable terminal  113 B that differs from the portable terminal  113 A in communication protocol specifications, information description languages, and mobile network environments. For the sake of descriptive convenience,  FIG. 2  shows only the two usable portable terminals, namely the portable terminals  113 A and  113 B. However, three or more portable terminals may be used. 
   A browse request from the portable terminal  113 B is sent from a mobile network  114 B that can be used by the portable terminal  113 B to an Internet connection gateway  115 B. After protocol conversion, the request is sent to the photo-site  105  connected to the Internet  104 . In addition to the Web display information created by a description language such as HTML or XML which can be browsed on the Internet  104 , the photo-site  105  has the browser information created by a description language dedicated to portable terminals, such as WML or CompactHTML by re-sizing image data to a size that can be browsed on the portable terminal  113 B. In accordance with a request from the portable terminal  113 B, the photo-site  105  discriminates the model of the terminal, and sends out information that can be browsed on the portable terminal  113 B. 
   A method of allowing a portable browse user, i.e., the user of the portable terminal  113 A or  113 B, to select image data and give a print order will be described next. 
   The transmission path of information between the photo-site  105  and the portable terminal  113 A is photo-site  105 →Internet  104 →Internet connection gateway  115 A→mobile network  114 A→portable terminal  113 A. 
   The portable browse user can browse the images or album designed by the user who has uploaded the images by inputting the random URL notified by e-mail to the browser of the portable terminal. 
   The portable browse user selects a print-site to which he/she wants to give an order from the print-sites  109 A,  109 B, and  109 C which the photo-site  105  can provide. The portable browse user selects the print-site  109  to which he/she gives an order in consideration of, for example, the services, unit price, and delivery time provided by each print-site  109 . For the sake of descriptive convenience, the following description will be made on the assumption that the user has selected the print-site  109 C. Even if, however, the user selects the print-site  109 B or  109 A, since the basic flow of information remains the same, a description thereof will be omitted. 
   When the user selects image data for which he/she wants to give a print order from the browse window, and notifies the photo-site  105  of the corresponding information, the photo-site  105  creates a temporary print order associated with the image data for which the printout request has been given, and transmits it through the Internet  104 , thereby requesting the print-site  109 C to make an estimate. 
   Upon reception of the temporary print order from the photo-site  105 , the print-site  109 C acquires image data necessary for selected window information from the image database  117  in the photo-site  105  and creates selected image information. By transmitting this selected image information to the portable terminal  113 A through the Internet  104 , the portable browse user can input a print form, a print count, and the like for each selected image on the portable terminal  113 A. 
   The print-site  109 C calculates an estimated price by using a price calculation module  110 C on the basis of the information such as the print form and print count for each selected image, and transmits the calculated estimated price to the photo-site  105  through the Internet  104 . 
   The photo-site  105  receives the information of the estimated price transmitted from the print-site  109 C in real time. If the portable browse user has no personal information, the estimated price transmitted from the print-site  109 C to the portable terminal  113 A is transferred as Web information. If the portable browse user has personal information, the presented price based on the estimated price factoring in points is transferred as Web information, thereby dynamically presenting the price to the portable browse user who has given the print order. 
   When the portable browse user of the portable terminal  113 A, who has given the print order, approves of purchasing the service at this presented price and returns an approval action to the photo-site  105 , the settlement module  107  serving as a settlement means receives this and performs settlement processing. When the settlement is completed, the photo-site  105  sends a formal print order to the print-site  109 C. The print-site  109 C receives this formal print order and acquires the image data required for printing out from the image database  117  in the photo-site  105 . The image data acquired in this manner is printed out as printed matter  112 C by a printer  111 C serving as a printing means owned by the print-site  109 C. The printed matter  112 B is delivered, by some transportation means, to the browse user of the portable terminal  113 A who has given the printout request. 
   The above description has been made on the outline of the information providing system designed to allow a user as the third party who has received a permission to browse images or an album from a user who has uploaded the images to browse the image data and give a print order on the basis of the information received from the photo-site  105 . 
   &lt;Arrangement of Database&gt; 
     FIGS. 3 to 13  are views showing the contents of the database  118  managed by the photo-site  105  in this embodiment. 
     FIG. 3  is a view showing a data table associated with the customer information managed by the photo-site  105  in this embodiment. When a user executes user re-encoding, one record of a customer information data table  400  is created and registered and managed and registered in the database  118  to be managed. For a registered user, a unique user ID is defined, and the user is managed on the database by the customer information data table  400  using a user ID  401  as a key. The information managed as customer information includes a notification destination mail address  402 , login name  403 , password  404 , name (last name)  405 , name (first name)  406 , phonetic transcriptions in kana (last name)  407 , phonetic transcriptions in kana (first name)  408 , zip codes ( 1 ,  2 )  409  and  410 , municipal division code  411 , addresses ( 1 ,  2 )  412  and  413 , telephone numbers ( 1 ,  2 ,  3 )  414 ,  415 , and  416 , and user registration state  417 . When the user registration state  417  is 1, it indicates that the user has already been registered and is allowed to use the photo-site. When this information is 0, it indicates that the use of the photo-site is inhibited. 
     FIG. 4  is a view showing a customer state table for managing information representing the current state of each user who uses the photo-site  105  in this embodiment. When the user executes user registration, one record of a customer state data table  500  is created and registered in the database  118  to be managed. Each set value in this record is updated whenever necessary in accordance with the operation performed by the user while using the photo-site  105 . When, therefore, the user logs in, the state set when the user used the photo-site last is stored in the customer state data table  500 . The data stored in this customer state data table  500  include, by using a user ID  501  serving as a key, an album ID  502  of the album that was displayed last by the user, a maximum disc capacity  503 , and a point  504  that is accumulated when the user gives a print order. With respect to the same user, the user ID  501  and user ID  401  are equal in value. 
     FIG. 5  is a view showing the customer album data table managed by the photo-site  105  in this embodiment. When the user creates one new album while using the photo-site  105 , one record of a customer album data table  600  is created and registered in the database  118  to be managed. When the user deletes an album, the corresponding record is deleted from the information database  118 . The data stored in the customer album data table  600  include, by using a user ID  601  of the registered user which serves as a key, an album ID  602  of the album created by the user, and a display ordinal number  603  of the album. Note that with respect to the same user, the user ID  601  and user ID  401  are equal in value. 
     FIG. 6  is a view showing the album information data table managed by the photo-site  105  in this embodiment. When the user creates a new album while using the photo-site  105 , one record of an album information data table  700  is created and registered in the information database  118  to be managed. When the user deletes this album, the corresponding record is deleted from the information database  118 . The album information data table  700  manages, by using an album ID  701  as a key, an album name  702 , a file path  703  to a comment on the album, a disclosure permission/inhibition flag  704  for the album, a password permission/inhibition flag  705 , an album password  706 , a print permission/inhibition flag  707 , an original image display permission/inhibition flag  708 , and a display form number  709 . If the disclosure permission/inhibition flag  704  for the album is 1, it indicates that the album can be disclosed. If this flag is 0, it indicates the inhibition of disclosure. If the flag is −1, it indicates that the disclosure of the album is inhibited by the managing operator of the photo-site. If the password permission/inhibition flag  705  is 1, it indicates the presence of a password. If this flag is 0, it indicates the absence of a password. If the password permission/inhibition flag  705  is 1, the password is stored in the album password  706 . If the print permission/inhibition flag  707  is 1, it indicates the album can be printed. If this flag is 0, it indicates that the album cannot be printed. If the original image display permission/inhibition flag  708  is 1, it indicates that display operation can be done. If this flag is 0, it indicates that display operation cannot be done. If the display form number  709  is 1, it indicates that the album is displayed in the form of a list. If this flag is 2, it indicates that the album is displayed in detail. Note that with respect to the same album, the value stored in the album ID  701  is equal to that in the album ID  602 . 
     FIG. 7  is a view showing the album image data table managed by the photo-site  105  in this embodiment. Every time the user uploads one image onto an album, one record of an album image data table  800  is increased and registered in the information database  118  to be managed. When an image is deleted, the corresponding record is deleted from the information database  118 . The data managed in the album image data table  800  include an image ID  802  of an image stored in an album ID  801  and an image display number  803  indicating the display position of the image in the album. Note that with respect to the same album, the ID stored in the album ID  801  is equal to that in the album ID  701 . 
     FIG. 8  is a view the image information data table managed by the photo-site  105  in this embodiment. Every time the user uploads an image onto an album, one record of an image information data table  900  is created and registered in the information database  118  to be managed. When an image is deleted, the corresponding record is deleted from the information database  118 . The data stored in the image information data table  900  includes, by using an image ID  901  serving as a key, a user ID  902  of the user who owns the image, an image name  903 , a file path  904  to the original image, a file path  905  to a thumbnail file, a file path  906  to a display image, a path  907  to a comment file to the image, an image browse count  908 , and an image print count  909 . With respect to the same image, the value stored in the image ID  901  is equal to that in the image ID  802 . With respect to the same user, the value stored in the user ID  902  is equal to that in the user ID  401 . 
     FIG. 9  is a view showing the order information data table managed by the photo-site  105  according to this embodiment. When a print order for an album is placed, one record of an order information data table  1000  is created per order and registered in the database  118  to be managed. The data stored in the order information data table  1000  includes, by using an order number  1001  serving as a key which is issued for each print order, an orderer ID  1002 , a receiver name  1003 , destination zip codes ( 1 ,  2 )  1004  and  1005 , destination municipal code  1006 , destination addresses ( 1 ,  2 )  1007  and  1008 , destination telephone numbers ( 1 ,  2 ,  3 )  1009 ,  1010 , and  1011 , a print-site ID  1012 , an order date  1013 , and an order status  1014 . If the order status  1014  is 0, it indicates that no order has been given to the print-site. If it is 1, it indicates that an order has been given to the print-site. If it is 2, it indicates that delivery has done. 
     FIG. 10  is a view showing the ordered image data table managed by the photo-site  105  according to this embodiment. When a print order for an album is placed, records are created in an ordered image data table  1100  in number equal to the number of images notified from the photo-site  105  to the print-site  109  in the process of giving the print order and registered in the database  118  to be managed. The ordered image data table  1100  manages, by using an order number  1101  as a key, a receipt number  1102  of the print-site  109 , an image number  1103  managed on a print order basis, file paths  1104 ,  1105 , and  1106  to a thumbnail image copied for a print order, an original image, and an image for preview display, a print count  1107 , a print size  1108 , a print type  1109 , and an image ID  1110 . “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, and “5” set in the print size  1108  respectively indicate L size, 2L size, postal card size, postcard size, and A4 size. “0” and “1” set in the print type  1109  respectively indicate a brimless print and brimmed print. With the respect to the same order, the number stored in the order number  1101  is equal to that in the order number  1001 . The image ID  1110  indicates the image ID before coping, and in which the same value as that in the image ID  901  is held. 
     FIG. 11  is a view showing the order settlement data table managed by the photo-site  105  according to this embodiment. One record of an order settlement data table  1200  is created per print order for an album and registered in the database  118  to be managed. The order settlement data table  1200  manages, by using an order number  1201  as a key, a settlement method  1202 , a total price  1203 , a print price  1204 , a print price benefit  1205 , a print tax charge  1206 , a delivery charge  1207 , a delivery tax charge  1208 , a photo-site benefit  1209 , and a status  1210 . In the settlement method  1202 , “1” indicates transfer; “2”, cash on delivery; and “3”, “credit settlement”. This embodiment will exemplify only the flow of processing for credit settlement. If the status  1210  is 0, it indicates the completion of settlement. If this status is 1, it indicates an incomplete transaction. With respect to the same order, the value stored as the order number  1201  is equal to that stored as the order number  1001 . 
     FIG. 12  is a view showing the orderer data table managed by the photo-site  105  according to this embodiment. One record of an orderer data table  1300  is created per print order for an album and registered in the database  118  to be managed. The orderer data table  1300  manages, by using an orderer ID  1301  as a key, a user ID  1302 , a notification destination mail address  1303 , a name (last name)  1304 , a name (first name)  1305 , a phonetic transcriptions in kana (last name)  1306 , phonetic transcriptions in kana (first name)  1307 , zip codes ( 1 ,  2 )  1308  and  1309 , a municipal division code  1310 , addresses ( 1 ,  2 )  1311  and  1312 , and telephone numbers ( 1 ,  2 ,  3 )  1313 ,  1314 , and  1315 . If the orderer is not a registered user of the photo-site, 0 is assigned to the user ID  1302 . With respect to the same order, the ID stored in the orderer ID  1301  is identical to that in the orderer ID  1002 . If the orderer is a member of the photo-site, the same ID is stored in the user ID  1302  and user ID  401  with respect to the same orderer. In this case, as the respective pieces of user information in the fields  1303  to  1315 , the values input as the corresponding pieces of user information in the customer information data table  400  having the same user ID  401  are copied. 
     FIG. 13  is a view showing the print-site data table managed by the photo-site  105  according to this embodiment. When a new print-site that can be connected to the photo-site  105  is constructed, a new record of a print-site data table  1400  is created and registered in the database  118  to be managed. The print-site data table  1400  manages, by using a print-site ID  1401  as a key, a provider name  1402 , a URL  1403  to a CGI (Common Gateway Interface) for notifying a temporary print order, a URL  1404  to a CGI for notifying a formal print order, and a URL  1405  to a CGI for order cancellation. 
     FIGS. 14 to 17  are views showing the contents of databases  119 A,  119 B, and  119 C managed by the print-sites  109 A,  109 B, and  109 C in this embodiment. Note that since the print-sites  109 B and  109 C have the same arrangement as that of the print-site  109 A, only the arrangement of the print-site  109 A will be described below. 
     FIG. 14  is a view showing the contents of the database for managing the information of the photo-site  105  which the print-site  109 A has in this embodiment. When a photo-site  105  which can give an order to the print-site  109 A is constructed, a new record of a photo-site data table  1500  is created and registered in the database  119 A. The photo-site data table  1500  manages a photo-site ID  1501 , a photo-site name  1502 , a URL  1503  to a CGI for notifying an estimate, a URL  1504  to a CGI for notifying exceptional processing such as deletion of an order or changing of a price, and a URL  1505  to a CGI for notifying a print status. 
     FIG. 15  is a view showing the contents of an order data table which the print-site  109 A according to this embodiment has. Every time a temporary print order is issued from the photo-site  105 , one record of an order data table  1600  is created and registered in the database  119 A to be managed. When the photo-site  105  notifies an order delete request for this record, it is deleted from the database  119 A. The order data table  1600  in the print-site  109 A manages a receipt number  1601 , a photo-site ID  1602  of the photo-site  105  which has issued an order, an order number  1603  of the photo-site  105 , a temporary print order date  1604 , a formal print order date  1605 , an order status  1606 , a print type  1607  to be set when a print order is placed, a print price  1608 , a print-site bargain price  1609 , a print tax charge  1610 , a delivery charge  1611 , a delivery tax charge  1612 , and a total price  1613 . If the order status  1606  is 0, it indicates a temporary print order. If this status is 1, it indicates that a formal print order is placed but printing has not be done. If the status is 2, it indicates that a formal print order is placed and printing has been done. It the status is 3, it indicates that delivery has been done. If the status 4, it indicates that settlement has been made. If the print type  1607  is 0, it indicates a brimless print. If it is 1, it indicates a brimmed print. 
     FIG. 16  is a view showing the contents of a print image information table  1700  which the print-site  109 A according to this embodiment has. When a temporary print order is issued from the photo-site  105 , records of a print image information table  1700  which the print-site  109 A has are created in number corresponding to the image information contained in the order and registered in the database  119 A to be managed. When an order delete request is notified from the photo-site  105 , the corresponding record is deleted from the database  119 A. The print image information table  1700  in the print-site manages a receipt number  1701 , an image number  1702 , a URL  1703  on the photo-site  105  which is used to acquire a print image file, a URL  1704  on the photo-site  105  which is used to acquire a preview display image file, a URL  1705  on the photo-site  105  which is used to acquire a thumbnail image file to be displayed on a print order window when a temporary print order is placed, a print count  1706 , a print size  1707 , a print status  1708 , and a print unit price  1709 . The images sent from the photo-site  105  are numbered when a temporary print order is placed, with the first image being numbered 1. This number is stored in the image number  1702 . “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, and “5” set in the print size  1707  respectively indicate L size, 2L size, postal card size, postcard size, and A4 size. If the print status  1708  is 0, it indicates that the image has not been printed. If this status is 1, it indicates that the image has been printed. With respect to the same print order, the number stored in the receipt number  1701  is equal to that in the receipt number  1601 . 
     FIG. 17  is a view showing the contents of an order delivery table which a print-site has. When a formal print order is notified from the photo-site  105 , one record of an order delivery table  1800  is created and registered in the database  119 A to be managed. The order delivery table  1800  in the print-site manages an order number  1801 , a receiver name  1802 , destination zip codes ( 1 ,  2 )  1803  and  1804 , a destination municipal code  1805 , destination addresses ( 1 ,  2 )  1806  and  1807 , destination telephone numbers ( 1 ,  2 ,  3 )  1808 ,  1809 , and  1810 , a delivery date  1811 , and a status  1812 . If the status  1812  is 0, it indicates that delivery has not been done. If this status is 1, it indicates that delivery has been done. 
   &lt;Outline of Services&gt; 
   The following services can be realized by the above system according to this embodiment: 
   (1) user registration: performing registration for the use of the photo-site  105  by using the user PC  102 A and making the photo-site  105  issue a user ID to the registered user; 
   (2) image data upload: transferring images from the user PC  102 A to the photo-site  105 ; 
   (3) print order: sending an instruction to print image data from the user PC  102 A to the photo-site  105  and printing an image through the print-site  109 A; 
   (4) notification of browse permission: sending e-mail from the user PC  102 A to the user PC  102 B to permit the browsing of image data stored in the photo-site  105 ; 
   (5) browsing of image data: allowing a user to browse image data stored in the photo-site  105  through the user PC  102 B; and 
   (6) browsing of images from portable terminal: allowing a user to browse image data stored in the photo-site  105  through the portable terminal  113 A. 
   The contents of the respective services will be described in detail below. Note that the services and functions realized by the system according to this embodiment are not limited those described above. 
   &lt;Entrance of Photo-Site&gt; 
     FIG. 18  shows an example of the window to be displayed first when a user tries to receive a service from the photo-site  105  according to this embodiment. 
   HTML data for displaying a window  1900  is stored in a storage medium in the photo-site  105 . This data can be freely downloaded through the Internet  104 . When, therefore, the user activates the Web browser  120 A in the user PC  102 A and designates a URL representing the address of a Web server, the window  1900  shown in  FIG. 18  is displayed. 
   The areas and buttons arranged on the window  1900  are a user registration button  1901 , a login name input area  1902  which is used when the user having undergone user registration uses the photo-site  105 , a password input area  1903 , a login button  1904 , an album ID input area  1905  for album browsing, an album browse button  1906 , a print order ID input area  1907  for checking the status of a print order, and a print order confirmation button  1908 . 
   The processing to be performed when each button on the window  1900  is pressed will be described below. 
   &lt;User Registration&gt; 
   A procedure for user registration will be described first. When the user registration button  1901  on the window  1900  is pressed, the processing shown in the flow chart of  FIG. 19  is performed.  FIG. 19  shows the flow chart representing processing in the photo-site  105  at the time of user registration. When the user registration button  1901  on the window  1900  is pressed, a window  2100  shown in  FIG. 20  is displayed, and user registration processing is started (step S 2001 ). 
   The window shown in  FIG. 20  is a window for performing user registration in this embodiment. This window includes a notification destination address input area  2101  for a user to be registered, a login name input area  2102  for the user, a password input area  2103 , name input areas  2104  and  2105 , input areas  2106  and  2107  for the phonetic transcriptions of the name in kana, zip code input areas  2108  and  2109  for the user to be registered, a municipal division selection area  2110 , address input areas  2111  and  2112 , and telephone number input areas  2113 ,  2114 , and  2115 . Although not shown in  FIG. 19 , when a cancel button  2117  is pressed, the window  1900  is restored without performing user registration processing. 
   When the registration button  2116  is pressed, it is checked in step S 2002  whether data concerning necessary items have been input. Assume that in this embodiment, the necessary items are the mail address  2101 , login name  2102 , password  2103 , name ( 2104  and  2105 ), and telephone numbers  2113 ,  2114 , and  2115 . 
   If it is determined that data concerning the necessary items have not been completely input in the photo-site  105 , an error window is displayed in step S 2003 .  FIG. 21  is a view showing an error window  2200  to be displayed at this time. When an OK button  2201  is pressed, the window  2100  is displayed again. 
   If it is determined in step S 2002  that data concerning the necessary items have been input, the photo-site  105  searches the customer information data table  400  in the database  118  (step S 2004 ) to check whether the login name input in the input area  2102  has already been used (step S 2005 ). 
   If the login name input in the input area  2102  has already been used, an error window is displayed in step S 2006 .  FIG. 22  shows an error window  2300  displayed at this time. If an OK button  2301  is pressed, the window  2100  is displayed again. 
   If the login name input in the input area  2102  is not found in the database  118 , a window  2400  shown in  FIG. 23  is displayed to prompt the user to input a password again (step S 2007 ). If a cancel button  2403  is pressed, the registration processing is interrupted, and the window  2100  is displayed, although not shown in  FIG. 19 . 
   If an OK button  2402  is pressed, it is checked whether the password input in a password input area  2401  coincides with the password input in the password input area  2103  on the window  2100  (step S 2008 ). 
   If it is determined in step S 2008  that the input password differs from the input characters, an error window  2500  shown in  FIG. 24  is displayed (step S 2009 ). If an OK button  2501  on this window is pressed, the window  2400  is displayed again. 
   If it is determined in step S 2008  that the input passwords coincide with each other, the flow advances to step S 2010  to display a user information confirmation window  2600  shown in  FIG. 25 , determining that all the information necessary for user registration is input. The information displayed on the window  2100  is the information input by the user. If a correction button  2602  is pressed, the flow returns to step S 2001  to display the window  2100  again to allow the user to edit input information. 
   If a confirmation button  2601  is pressed, the maximum value of the values of user IDs issued in the past is acquired from the customer information data table  400  in the database  118 . The value obtained by adding 1 to the acquired value is the user ID of the user to be newly registered (step S 2012 ). 
   In step S 2013 , a new customer information data table  400  is created on the basis of the user ID obtained in step S 2012 , and the information input on the window  2100  is registered in the customer information data table  400 . That is, the contents of the input areas  2101 ,  2102 ,  2103 ,  2104 ,  2105 ,  2106 ,  2107 ,  2108 ,  2109 ,  2110 ,  2111 ,  21112 ,  2114 , and  2115  shown in  FIG. 20  are respectively stored in the fields  402 ,  403 ,  404 ,  405 ,  406 ,  407 ,  408 ,  409 ,  410 ,  411 ,  412 ,  413 ,  414 ,  415 , and  416  shown in  FIG. 3 . In addition, the user registration state  417  is set to 1. 
   When a user is newly registered, there are no album created by the user or uploaded image. When a user is newly registered, one each of record of the customer album data table  600  shown in  FIG. 5  and album information data table  700  shown in  FIG. 6  may be created and registered in the database  118  in advance. In this case, the value obtained by adding one to the maximum value of the album IDs that have been issued so far by the database  118  is set in the album ID  602 . In addition, 1 is set in the display ordinal number  603 , and a temporary album name, e.g., “my album”, may be set as a default. In addition, obviously, the initial values determined by the photo-site  105  are set in the album information data table  700 . 
   When registration in the database  118  is completed, e-mail having the same contents as those displayed on the window  2600  in  FIG. 25  is created and transmitted to the e-mail address registered in the customer information data table  400  in  FIG. 3  (step S 2014 ).  FIG. 26  shows an example of the contents of the e-mail issued at this time. 
   &lt;Login&gt; 
   A procedure for allowing a user having undergone user registration for the photo-site  105  to actually receive a service from the photo-site  105  will be described next. Assume that in this embodiment, all the images uploaded by users are managed in the photo-site  105  on a folder (called an album) basis. 
   When the user inputs a login name and password in the login name input area  1902  and password input area  1903 , respectively, and presses the login button  1904 , the photo-site  105  searches the customer information data table  400  in the database  118 . Assume that no corresponding login name is found in the customer information data table  400  or the password in the found record differs from the character string input in the password input area  1903 . In this case, a warning window  2800  shown in  FIG. 27  is displayed. If a button  2801  is pressed at this time, the window  1900  is displayed again. 
   If the password for the found record coincides with the character string input in the input area  1903 , it is determined that the photo-site input user is properly authenticated, and a window  2900  shown in  FIG. 28  is displayed. 
   On the window  2900 , a button  2901  is a button for changing user information. A button  2902  is a logout button. In addition, a button  2936  is a button to be used when a registered user withdraws from his/her membership. Buttons for edit operation for the album displayed on this window are arranged in an area  2903 . A button  2904  is a button for setting the properties of an album. A button  2905  is an album notification button. A button  2906  is a button for newly creating an album. A button  2907  is a button for deleting an album. A button  2908  is a button for uploading image data. A button  2909  is a print order button. An area  2910  is an area in which buttons for album selection are displayed. On the head portion of this area, the data sizes of images stored in the photo-site  105  are displayed, together with its ratio to the allowable capacity. Buttons equal in number to the albums created by the user are arranged below the head portion. 
   Referring to  FIG. 28 , buttons  2911  to  2915  indicate that five albums were created by the user. When a given one of the buttons is pressed, the photo-site  105  changes the images displayed in an album display area  2923  in accordance with the selected album, and displays the album name of the album on the upper left end of the album display area. An area  2916  is an area in which buttons for editing the respective images in the album are arranged. When a given one of buttons  2917  to  2922  is pressed, edit processing corresponding to the pressed button is performed for one of the images displayed in the album display area  2923  which corresponds the check box that is checked. The area  2923  is an album image display area. In this area, the images stored in the album are sequentially displayed, and check boxes corresponding to the images are arranged. When a displayed image is pressed, a property setting window for the image is displayed. 
     FIG. 29A  is a flow chart showing a processing method for edit operation by a user after the window  2900  in  FIG. 28  is displayed. The following processing is performed in accordance with user operation on the window  2900 . 
   When a user input is received in step S 3001 , it is checked in step S 3002  whether the user input is an album edit instruction. If a button in the area  2903  on the window  2900  is pressed, it is determined that the input is an album edit instruction. In this case, the flow advances to album edit processing in step S 3003 . 
   If it is determined in step S 3002  that the user instruction is not an album edit instruction, the flow advances to step S 3004  to check whether the user input is an image edit instruction. If a button in the area  2916  on the window  2900  is pressed, it is determined that the input is an image edit instruction, and the flow advances to step S 3005 . In step S 3005 , processing like rotating 90° clockwise/counterclockwise, deleting, moving, copying, or changing the order is performed for the image selected in the album. 
   If it is determined in step S 3004  that the user input is not an image edit instruction, the flow advances to step S 3006  to check whether the user input is a user information edit instruction. When the button  2901  on the window  2900  is pressed, it is determined that the input is a user information edit instruction. When this button is pressed, the window  2100  shown in  FIG. 20  is displayed in step S 3007  to allow the user to change the registered information. The user information edit processing in this case is almost the same as the user registration processing described in &lt;User Registration&gt; except that the pieces of information registered by the user are displayed as initial values when the window is displayed, the window  2900  is displayed when the registration button  2116  or cancel button  2117  is pressed, and registration of user information in the database amounts to the updating of existing user information instead of the registration of new information. 
   If it is determined in step S 3006  that the user input is not a user information edit instruction, the flow advances to step S 3008  to check whether the user input is an image selection instruction. If the user selects an image in the area  2923  on the window  2900  by, for example, clicking on the image with a mouse, it is determined that an image is selected, and the flow advances to image property edit processing in step S 3009 . As image property edit processing, editing of an image file or comment can be done. 
   If it is determined in step S 3008  that the user instruction is not an image selection instruction, the flow advances to step S 3010  to check whether the user instruction is an album selection instruction. If a button in the area  2910  on the window  2900  is pressed, it is determined that an album is selected, and album display processing in step S 3011  is performed. 
   If it is determined in step S 3010  that the user input is not an album selection request, it is checked in step S 3012  whether the user input is a withdrawal request. If the button  2936  on the window  2900  is pressed, it is determined that the user input is a withdrawal request, and the flow advances to step S 3013 . 
   In step S 3013 , the window  8000  shown in  FIG. 29B  is displayed to check whether the user really withdraws from his/her membership. If it is determined that the user really withdraws from his/here membership, withdrawal processing is performed in step S 3014 . If the user does not withdraw form his/her membership, the flow returns to step S 3001  to wait for the next user input. 
   In step S 3014 , the image information data table is searched to delete image files written in all records which have the ID of the user in the user ID  902  from the image database  117 . In addition, the customer information data table  400 , customer state data table  500 , customer album data table  600 , album information data table  700 , album image data table  800 , and image information data table  900  which are associated with the user are all deleted from the database  118 . Thereafter, the display window is restored to the window  1900 . 
   If it is determined in step S 3012  that the user input is not a withdrawal request, it is checked in step S 3015  whether the user input is a logout request. If a button  2902  on the window  2900  is pressed, it is determined that the user input is a logout request, and the flow advances to step S 3016  to perform logout processing. In the logout processing, the photo-site  105  updates the customer state data table  500  by registering the currently displayed album ID in the last display album ID  502  of the customer state data table  500 . After this, the display window is restored to the window  1900 . 
   If it is determined in step S 3015  that the user input is not a logout instruction, the flow returns to step S 3001  to wait for the next user input. 
   Step S 3003  (album edit processing) and step S 3011  (album display processing) will be described in detail below. 
   [Album Edit Processing] 
     FIG. 30  is a flow chart showing a procedure for album edit processing in the photo-site  105 . 
   It is checked in step S 3101  whether property setting is selected. If the button  2904  on the window  2900  is pressed, it is determined that property setting is selected, and the flow advances to step S 3102  to display a window  3200  shown in  FIG. 31  to allow the user to set various attributes associated with the selected album (the album displayed in the album display area  2923  in  FIG. 29  immediately before this operation). 
   If it is determined in step S 3101  that property setting is not selected, the flow advances to step S 3103  to check whether album notification is selected. If the button  2905  on the window  2900  is pressed, it is determined that album notification is selected, and the flow advances to step S 3104  to display a window  3300  shown in  FIG. 32  to allow the user to make settings to notify, by e-mail, the third party of a method of browsing the selected album. 
   If it is determined in step S 3103  that album notification is not selected, it is checked in step S 3105  whether creation of a new album is selected. If the button  2906  on the window  2900  is pressed, it is determined that creation of a new album is selected, and the flow advances to step S 3106  to display a window  3200  shown in  FIG. 31 . If a new album name (an album name that has not been registered by the login user) is input in an album name input area  3201  on the window  3200  and a setting button  3208  is pressed, a new album is created. 
   If it is determined in step S 3105  that creation of a new album is not selected, it is checked in step S 3107  whether deletion of an album is selected. If the button  2907  on the window  2900  is pressed, it is determined that deletion of an album is selected, and the flow advances to step S 3108 . If the button  2907  is pressed, a window  3400  shown in  FIG. 33  is displayed to allow the user to delete the selected album. When album deletion is executed, a record in the album image data table  800  which has the same album ID as that of a currently browsed album and a record in the image information data table  900  which has the same image ID as the image ID  802  written in the record are deleted from the database  118 . At the same time, the image data written in the original image file path  904 , thumbnail file path  905 , and display image file path  906  are deleted from the database  117 . Thereafter, records associated with the currently displayed album are deleted from the album information data table  700 , and the last display album ID in the customer state data table  500  is changed to another album ID. 
   If it is determined in step S 3107  that deletion of an album is not selected, it is checked in step S 3109  whether uploading of an image to a selected album is selected. If the button  2908  on the window  2900  is pressed, it is determined that uploading of an image is selected, and the flow advances to step S 3110  to perform upload processing. 
   If it is determined in step S 3109  that uploading of an image to an album is not selected, it is checked in step S 3111  whether print order processing for an album is selected. If the button  2909  on the window  2900  is pressed, it is determined that print order processing for an album is selected, and the flow advances to step S 3112  to perform print order processing. 
   [Album Display Processing] 
     FIG. 34  is a flow chart showing processing associated with selection and display of an album when one of the album selection buttons  2911  to  2915  in the album selection area  2910  on the window  2900  is pressed. 
   It is checked in step S 3501  which ordinal number the pressed button has with respect to the head of the group of buttons, and the database  118  is searched for the customer album data table  600  having this number in the display ordinal number  603 . The album ID  601  is then acquired as AlbumID. The album information data table  700  is specified from the album ID  601 , thereby deriving album information. 
   In step S 3502 , the database  118  is searched for all the records in the album image data table  800  having AlbumID obtained in step S 3501  in the album ID  801 . The number of hits, i.e., found records, is represented by N, and 1 is assigned to an image count process variable I. 
   It is checked in step S 3503  whether I≦N. The processing from step S 3504  to step S 3509  is repeated while I≦N, thus displaying all the images within the album. 
   In step S 3504 , the album image data table  800  having I in the image display number  803  is searched with the records found in the step S 3502 , and the image ID  802  of the image is obtained. When the image ID  802  is obtained, the database  118  is searched for a record in the image information data table  900  having the image ID  802  in the image ID  901 . 
   In step S 3505 , the path  905  to a thumbnail file of images is acquired from the record found in step S 3504 . 
   In step S 3506 , it is checked whether the value of the display form number  709  in the album information data table  700  acquired in step S 3501  is 1. In this embodiment, if this value is 0, it indicates thumbnail display. If the value is 1, it indicates detailed display. 
   If the display form number  709  is 1 in step S 3506 , the thumbnail images and the detailed information associated with the images are displayed in step S 3507 . In this embodiment, as the detailed information, the image names, comments, browse counts, and print counts from the image information data table  900  are displayed, together with check boxes for image edit processing. A window  3600  shown in  FIG. 35  is an example of album display when detailed display is performed. Since this window  3600  is the same in function as the window  2900  except for the display method of the album display area  2923 , a detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
   If it is determined in step S 3506  that the display form number  709  is not 1, thumbnail images, image names, and image edit check boxes are displayed in step S 3508 . The window  2900  shown in  FIG. 28  is an example of such a simple display. 
   If it is determined in step S 3503  that I&gt;N, since all the images in the album are displayed, the processing is terminated. 
   In the above embodiment, only the two display forms are described. Obviously, however, more display forms may be used. 
   &lt;Image Upload&gt; 
   Image upload processing with respect to a selected album will be described next. When the upload button  2908  on the window  2900  is pressed, image upload processing is started.  FIG. 36  is a flow chart showing the flow of the processing of uploading images to a selected album. 
   First of all, when the button  2908  on the window  2900  is pressed, the photo-site  105  calculates the number of files (Files) which the login user can add in the photo-site  105 . Since the resources of the photo-site  105  are limited, each login user can store images only to a predetermined capacity. No image file can be uploaded beyond this capacity. 
   Whether uploading can be done is determined by checking in step S 3702  whether “Files” is a positive integer. If “Files” is less than one, it is determined that uploading cannot be done, a window  3800  shown in  FIG. 37  is displayed (step S 3703 ). When an OK button  3801  on the window  3800  is pressed, the window  2900  is restored. 
   If “Files” is one or more, an upload window  3900  shown in  FIG. 38  is displayed in step S 3704 . On this window, image sets, each constituted by a reference button  3901  for selection of a file in the user PC  102 A, an input area  3902  for inputting a file path, and a preview display area  3903  for displaying a thumbnail image of a selected image, are displayed in number equal to the number of files (Files) that was calculated in step S 3701 . When a transmission button  3904  is pressed, the flow advances to step S 3705  to transfer the selected image files from the user PC  102 A to a work area in the photo-site  105 . Although no shown in the flow chart of  FIG. 36 , when a cancel button  3905  is pressed, the upload processing is terminated, and the window  2900  is displayed. 
   The image files transferred to the photo-site  105  are stored in the database  117 . Let N be the number of transferred files. In addition, the process variable I is set to 1 (step S 3706 ). 
   It is checked in step S 3707  whether I≦N. If I&gt;N, the window  2900  is displayed in step S 3716 , and the processing is terminated. 
   If it is determined in step S 3707  that I≦N, it is checked in step S 3708  whether the Ith transferred file is an image file that can be handled by the photo-site  105 . In this embodiment, the transferred file is determined as a file that can be used by the photo-site  105  only when the uploaded image is a JPEG file, and digital camera photographing condition information in the DCF format can be extracted from its header field. If the transferred file is anything other than the above file, a window  4000  shown in  FIG. 39  is displayed in step S 3709 . In step S 3710 , this file set in the work area in the photo-site  105  is deleted. Note that when an image is printed in the print-site  109 A, the DCF information is used for color correction and the like for printing by using a shutter speed, information indicating whether electronic flash has been used or not, and the like. When an OK button  4001  is pressed, the flow advances to step S 3715  to upload the next file. 
   If it is determined in step S 3708  that the uploaded file is an image file having a predetermined format, the flow advances to step S 3711  to create a thumbnail image of this image and store it from the work area in the photo-site  105  to the image database  117 . 
   It is then checked in step S 3712  whether a file can be added. This determination is done by checking whether the maximum disk capacity is exceeded when the file in process is registered. If it is determined in step S 3712  that no file can be added, the window  3800  shown in  FIG. 37  is displayed, and all the image files in the work area in the photo-site  105  which have not been registered in the image database  117  are deleted. In step S 3716 , the window  2900  is displayed. 
   If it is determined in step S 3712  that a file can be added, the image information is registered in the database  118  in step S 3714 . More specifically, with respect to the uploaded image file, the image information data table  900  shown in  FIG. 8  is created in such a manner that the value obtained by adding one to the maximum image ID of all the image IDs registered so far is set in the image ID  901  of the added image; a file path, in the original image file path  904 ; file paths to the newly created thumbnail display image and display image, in the thumbnail file path  905  and display image file path  906 , respectively; 0, in the image browse count  908 ; and 0, in the image print count  909 . The album image data table  800  is registered in which the album ID of the currently selected album is set in the album ID  801 ; the above image ID, in the image ID  802 ; and the value obtained by adding one to the number of images in the album, in the image display number  803 . 
   I is incremented by one in step S 3715 , and the flow returns to step S 3707 . 
   The processing from step S 3707  to step S 3715  is repeated while I is equal to or less than N, thereby registering uploaded image files in the database to the maximum capacity. 
     FIG. 40  is a flow chart showing the processing of calculating the number of files (Files) that can be added in step S 3701 . 
   First of all, in step S 4101 , the database is searched for the image information data table  900  to extract records having the user ID of a login user. Let N be the number of corresponding records. In addition, 1 is assigned to the process variable I for image records, and 0 is assigned to a variable process Size for the calculation of the image size used by the user. 
   It is checked in step S 4102  whether I≦N. If I≦N, the flow advances to step S 4103  to acquire an image file by using the original image file path of the Ith record found in step S 4101 . 
   In step S 4104 , the size of the image file is added to Size, and 1 is added to I in step S 4105 . 
   By performing the processing from step S 4103  to step S 4105  while I≦N, the disk capacity Size of the disk currently used by the user can be calculated. 
   In step S 4106 , the database  118  is searched for the user state data table  500  with the user ID  501  of the login user, and the maximum disk capacity  503  is set to Max_Size. 
   It is checked in step S 4107  whether Size&lt;Max_Size. If NO in step S 4107 , since there is no disk area left for this user, 0 is assigned to Files in step S 4108 . 
   If it is determined in step S 4107  that Size&lt;Max_Size, it is checked in step S 4109  whether N is 0. If N is not 0, an average file size S of one file of the user is obtained in step S 4110  as
 
 S =Size/ N  
 
If N is 0, the average file size of images photographed by a widely used digital camera with an average number of pixels is assigned to S in step S 4111 . In this embodiment, an average image size of 500 kbytes (500000) obtained when images are photographed by 2,000,000-pixel digital cameras is assigned to S.
 
   In step S 4112 , the number of albums that can be added (Files) is calculated by dividing the remaining user disk capacity by the average file size. That is, “Files” is obtained by
 
Files=(Max_Size−Size)/ S  
 
   It is checked in step S 4113  whether Files=0. If Files=0, “Files” is changed to Files=0 in step S 4114 . 
   In steps S 4109  and S 4110 , as a file size that is expected to be used by the user, the average of the sizes of image files that have already been uploaded by the user is used. Only when no user image is uploaded, the average file size of images photographed by widely used digital cameras with an average number of pixels is used. However, the average file size of images photographed by widely used digital cameras with an average number of pixels may always be used. In this case, there is no need to perform determination in step S 4109 , and hence the flow directly advances from step S 4107  to step S 4111 . 
   &lt;Print Order&gt; 
     FIG. 41  is a flow chart showing the flow of processing among the user PC  102 , the photo-site  105 , and the print-site  109  when the user gives a print order by using the photo-site  105 . The user can give a print order for an image in a selected album in the photo-site by pressing the print order button  2909  on the window  2900 . Note that the parenthesized steps are the corresponding steps in  FIG. 1 . 
   When the user generates an album browse request in step S 4201  (step S 1 ), the photo-site  105  reads out album images and presents them to the user in step S 4202  (step S 2 ). That is, on the window  2900 , album images corresponding to a pressed album selection button in the album selection area  2910  are displayed in the album display area  2923 . 
   In step S 4203  (step S 3 ), the user gives a print order instruction. The print order instruction is issued when the print order button  2909  on the window  2900  is pressed. 
   When the print order instruction is issued, the flow advances to step S 4204 , in which the photo-site  105  creates a window  4300  for the selection of the print-site  109  shown in  FIG. 42  and presents it to the user PC  102 . 
   When the user selects the print-site  109  from a print-site selection area  4301  and presses an OK button  4302  in step S 4205 , the photo-site  105  issues a temporary print order to the print-site  109 A selected by the user in step S 4206  (step S 4 ).  FIG. 53  shows an example of the data of the temporary print order issued to the print-site  109 A. Although not shown in  FIG. 41 , if the user presses a cancel button  4303  in step S 4205 , the processing is interrupted, and the photo-site  105  displays the currently selected album on the window  2900  again. When a button  4304  is pressed, information about the currently selected print-site  109 A is displayed. 
   Upon notification of the temporary print order, the print-site  109 A creates data for displaying an image selection window  4400  shown in  FIG. 43  and transmits the data to the user PC  102  in step S 4207  (step S 5 ). The window  4400  is a print order image selection window created by the print-site  109 A, and includes a selection area  4401  for the selection of a print type (brimmed or brimless) at the time of printing, an area  4402  in which a thumbnail image in the album acquired from the photo-site  105  is displayed, a selection area  4403  for the selection of a print size, an input area  4404  in which a print count is designated, an estimation request button  4405 , and a cancel button  4406 . Note that thumbnail image display areas  4402 , size selection areas  4403 , and print count input areas  4404  exist in number equal to the number of image data contained in the temporary print order. 
   When the user selects an image to be ordered from the image selection window  4400  and presses the estimation request button  4405  upon inputting a size and print count in step S 4208 , the flow advances to step S 4209  (step S 6 ), in which the print-site  109 A performs estimation calculation processing. When estimation calculation is completed in step S 4209  (step S 7 ), the corresponding information is notified to the photo-site  105 . Note that an estimated price may be derived by calculation. Alternatively, a table storing calculation results may be prepared, and an estimated price may be read out from the table. 
   If no estimation request is generated in step S 4208 , i.e., the cancel button  4406  on the window  4400  is pressed, the temporary print order in the print-site  109 A is deleted, and the photo-site  105  is notified that the order is aborted. In step S 4221 , the photo-site  105  cancels the order, and stops the temporary print order processing. The window  2900  is then restored. 
   When the estimate data is notified from the print-site  109 A, the photo-site  105  reads out the cumulative points  504  from the customer state data table  500  in the database  118  in the photo-site  105 , subtracts the cumulative points from the estimated price, and displays the result to the user.  FIG. 44  shows the estimate window displayed at this time. In the case of a browse user including portable browse user, if there is no customer state data about the user, the print-site  109 A displays the estimate data to the user. 
   When the estimate window is displayed, the user considers purchase in step S 4211  (step S 9 ). Referring to  FIG. 41 , this processing is briefly written as “purchase considered?” in step S 4211 . However, when the user considers purchase, the credit information shown in  FIG. 45  and the destination shown in  FIG. 46  are input between the photo-site and the user. If the cancel button  4503 ,  4602 , or  4702  is pressed during this operation, the flow shifts to order cancellation approval processing in step S 4218 . In this embodiment, since a uniform delivery charge is set, the above flow is used. If, however, different charges are set depending on destinations, the window in  FIG. 46  is displayed in the print-site  109 A before estimate calculation processing in step S 4209  is performed. 
   If the user gives an order, the photo-site  105  performs settlement processing in step S 4212 . In step S 4213  (step S 10 ), the photo-site  105  issues a formal print order to the print-site  109 A. 
   Upon notification of the formal print order, the print-site  109 A performs order reception processing in step S 4214 . In step S 4215 , the print-site  109 A acquires image data from the photo-site  105 , and performs print processing for the image data in step S 4216 . In step S 4217  (step S 11 ), a delivery instruction is issued, and the processing is terminated. Although not shown in the flow chart of  FIG. 41 , when processing in step S 4214  to step S 4217  is performed, the status of the print-site  109 A is returned to the photo-site  105 , and the corresponding information is stored in the database  118  in the photo-site  105 . 
   When the photo-site  105  approves order cancellation in step S 4218 , the photo-site  105  gives a temporary print order delete request to the print-site  109 A. In step S 4219 , the print-site  109 A deletes the temporary print order in accordance with this request. 
     FIG. 47  is a flow chart showing the contents of temporary print order issue processing in the photo-site  105  which is performed in steps S 4204  and S 4206 .  FIG. 53  shows an example of the format of a temporary print order issued by this processing. 
   When the print order button  2909  on the window  2900  is pressed, the photo-site  105  searches the album image data table  800  to acquire an image count N of the currently selected album in step S 4801 . In addition, 1 is assigned to a display image work counter I, and 0 is assigned to a selected image work counter J. The maximum order number of the order numbers of orders issued in the past is acquired from the orderer data table  1300  in the database  118 , and the value obtained by adding one to the acquired number is set as an order number Order_ID of the current temporary print order. 
   In step S 4802 , the photo-site  105  opens a work file (Work file) for the creation of a temporary print order. 
   It is checked in step S 4803  whether I≦N. 
   It is checked in step S 4804  whether the Ith image is selected. If the user has checked a check box, of the check boxes indicated by buttons  2930  to  2935  on the window  2900 , which is associated with the Ith image, it is determined that the Ith image is selected, and the flow advances to step S 4805 . 
   In step S 4805 , the photo-site  105  searches the album image data table  800  in the database  118  for a record whose image display number is I, and acquires the image ID  802  of the image. The photo-site  105  also searches the image information data table  900  for a record with image information having the image ID  901 . From the searched image information data table  900 , the photo-site  105  acquires the file path  904  to the original image, the file path  905  to the thumbnail image, and the file path  906  to the display image, and copies the respective images in a folder which can be accessed from the print-site  109 A. 
   In step S 4806 , the selected image counter J is incremented by one. 
   In step S 4807 , a sent image number J, the image name  903  acquired from the image information data table  900 , and URLs for accessing the original image, thumbnail image, and display image copied in step S 4805  from the print-site  109 A are written in the Work file. In addition, the ordered image data table  1100  is created and registered. At this time, Order_ID obtained in step S 4801  is set to the order number  1101 ; J, to the image number; and the file paths to the three copied images, to  1104  to  1106 . The remaining information in the record is set when an estimate is notified from the print-site  109 A, and hence 0 is assigned to all the information. 
   In step S 4808 , I is incremented by one. If it is determined in step S 4804  that no image is selected, the flow also advances to step S 4808 . The flow then returns to step S 4803 . By repeating the processing in step S 4804  to step S 4808  while I≦N, the identification information of all selected images for which a temporary print order is placed are written in the Work file. 
   If it is determined in step S 4803  that 1&gt;N, it is determined that the selection of the print order associated with all the images in the album has been checked, and the flow advances to step S 4809  to check whether J=0, i.e., there is a selected image. 
   If it is determined in step S 4809  that J=0, a window  4900  shown in  FIG. 48  is displayed in step S 4810 . When an OK button  4901  on the window  4900  is pressed, the Work file is deleted in step S 4816 , and the ordered image data table  1100  registered in step S 4807  is completed deleted. Thereafter, the window  2900  is displayed. 
   If NO in step S 4809 , the flow shifts to step S 4204  to perform display processing for the print-site selection window  4300 . 
   In step S 4812 , a user input is checked (as in step S 4205 ). If the OK button  4302  on the window  4300  is pressed, the header field (up to &lt;Estimeteitem&gt; tag) of a temporary print order XML file  5401  shown in  FIG. 53  shown in  FIG. 53  is created in step S 4813 . In the header field, the above order number and J are respectively assigned to PhotositeOrderid and Count, but the remaining fields are fixed. 
   In step S 4814 , the Work file is merged with the temporary print order XML file  5401 . More specifically, elements expressed by &lt;estimeteitem&gt; tag and &lt;/estimeteitem&gt; tag of the temporary print order XML data  5401  are created by using the identification information of a selected image in the Work file which is written by the processing in steps S 4804  to S 4808 . By further adding the end tag of the order, the XML file  5401  to be notified from the photo-site  105  to the print-site  109 A is completed. 
   In step S 4815 , the XML file created in steps S 4813  and S 4814  is notified to the print-site  109 A. A destination CGI is acquired from the URL  1403  to a temporary print order notification CGI in the print-site data table  1400 . 
   If the cancel button  4304  on the print-site selection window  4300  is pressed, since is it is determined in step S 4812  that the OK button is not pressed, the flow advances to step S 4816  to delete the Work file. In step S 4816 , the registered ordered image data table  1100  which is created in step S 4807  is completely deleted. Thereafter, the window  2900  is displayed, and the processing is terminated. 
     FIG. 49  is a flow chart showing the contents of display processing for a print image selection window in the print-site  109 A in step S 4207 . 
   In step S 5001 , a temporary print order file is acquired from the photo-site  105 . 
   In step S 5002 , the order data table  1600  is created and registered in the database  119 A. The value obtained by adding one to the maximum value of the values of receipt numbers issued in the order data table  1600  is set in the receipt number  1601 , and the photo-site ID  1602  and photo-site order number  1603  are acquired from the acquired temporary print order file. The date when the temporary print order file was acquired is set in the temporary print order  1604 , and 0 (temporary print order) is assigned to the order status. Of the items in the order data table  1600 , the items  1607  to  1613  are registered when an estimate is issued, and hence 0 is set in all these items. 
   In step S 5003 , N and 1 are respectively assigned to the temporary print order image count and the work image counter I. 
   It is checked in step S 5004  whether I≦N. If I≦N, the flow advances to step S 5005 . 
   In step S 5005 , the print image information table  1700  associated with the Ith image written in the temporary print order file is created. The same value as the receipt number  1601  in step S 5001  is set in the receipt number  1701 , and I is set in the image number  1702 . As the URLs  1703 ,  1704 , and  1705 , the corresponding URLs are acquired from the temporary print order file and set. Of the items in the print image information table  1700 , the items  1705  to  1708  are registered when an estimate is issued, and hence 0 is set in all these items. 
   In step S 5006 , the thumbnail image acquired in step S 5005  is acquired from the photo-site  105 . In step S 5007 , the thumbnail image is displayed as the Ith image. 
   In step S 5008 , order count and order size input areas are created, and 1 and L size are set as initial values. As items to be selected in the order size input area, items are acquired from a service contents data list  5800  shown in  FIG. 57 . The service contents data list  5800  is a list for setting service contents and corresponding unit prices in advance in the print-site  109 A. 
   In step S 5009 , I is incremented by one, and the flow shifts to determination in step S 5004 . By repeating the processing in steps S 5005  to S 5009  while I≦N, all the images registered in the temporary print order can be displayed on the order window. If it is determined in step S 5004  that I&gt;N, the processing is terminated. 
     FIG. 50  is a flow chart showing estimate calculation in the print-site  109  in step S 4209  in  FIG. 41  and notification of estimate information to the photo-site  105 .  FIG. 54  shows an example of the estimate information that is created by the print-site  109 A and notified to the photo-site  105 . 
   In step S 5101 , the number of images displayed on the window  4400  is assigned to N; 1, to the work image counter I; 0, to the work order image count J; and 0, to a work total price Account. 
   In step S 5102 , a Work file is created. 
   In step S 5103 , it is checked whether I≦N. If I≦N, the flow advances to step S 5104 . 
   In step S 5104 , the value of the input area  4404  associated with the Ith image on the window  4400  is acquired, and it is checked whether the value is 0. If the value is not 0, the information set in the selection area  4403  is acquired in step S 5105 , and a unit price U corresponding to the size is acquired from the corresponding paper size in the service contents data list  5800 . If it is determined in step S 5104  that the order count is 0, the flow advances to step S 5108 . 
   In step S 5106 , the amount obtained by multiplying the image print count by U is added to Account. 
   In step S 5107 , the order estimate information associated with the Ith image is added to the Work file. The print image information table  1700  in the database  119 A is searched for a record having the current print-site receipt number in the receipt number  1701  and I in the image number  1702 . The print count  1706  and print size  1707  of the found record are updated by the current set values, and the print unit price  1709  is updated by U. In addition, by adding the currently set print count to J, the number of images for which print orders have been given is stored. 
   In step S 5108 , I is incremented by one, and the flow returns to the processing in step S 5103 . By repeating the processing in steps S 5104  to S 5108  while I≦N, estimate information and a total price with respect to all the images can be obtained. 
   It is checked in step S 5109  whether J=0. If J=0, since no print image is selected, a warning window is displayed in step S 5115 . The warning window displayed at this time is the same as the window  4900 . When the OK button is pressed, the Work file is deleted in step S 5116 , and the window  4400  is displayed again. 
   If it is determined in step S 5109  that J is not equal to 0, a price corresponding to a benefit, if any, in the print-site  109 A is calculated in step S 5110 . In this case, a print-site benefit list  5900  shown in  FIG. 58  is searched for a benefit. If there is a list corresponding to the size IDs in the service contents data list, the user can receive a discount written in “reduced price” in accordance with the print count in “benefit unit”. 
   In step S 5111 , the header field (up to &lt;resultitem&gt; tag) of an estimate XML file  5501  shown in  FIG. 54  is created. PrintSiteOrderid is obtained by adding “pr-” to the receipt number of the print-site  109 A. J is input to count. In addition, a print price, tax charge, delivery charge, and delivery tax charge are added. 
   In step S 5112 , the contents of the Work file are merged with the estimate XML file  5501 . If there is a benefit in the print-site  109 A, benefit information is also added to this file, and the end tag of the estimate is finally added to the file, thereby completing the estimate information file  5501 . 
   In step S 5113 , the order data table  1600  is searched for a record having the current print-site receipt number in the receipt number  1601 . The print type  1607  of the found record is updated by the information input in the type input area  4401  on the window  4400 , and Account is assigned to the print price  1608 . In addition, the bargain price and print tax charge are respectively input to the print-site bargain price  1609  and print tax charge  1610 . Furthermore, the estimated delivery charge is input to the delivery charge  1611 , the delivery tax charge is input to the delivery tax charge  1612 , and the sum total of the values set in  1608  to  1612  is set in the total price  1613 , thus updating the record. 
   The estimate information created in step S 5114  is notified from the print-site  109 A to the photo-site  105 . 
     FIG. 51  is a flow chart showing processing in the photo-site  105  in the interval between the instant at which the estimate notified from the print-site  109 A is acquired and the instant at which a formal print order is issued in step S 4213  in  FIG. 41 . 
   In step S 5201 , estimate data is acquired from the print-site  109 A. 
   In step S 5202 , the cumulative points  504  are acquired from the customer state data table  500  and assigned to Pt. In this embodiment, the cumulative points are converted into yen at a conversion rate of one yen per point. In addition, the value of Pt is assigned to a process variable New_Pt for the calculation of a point after the end of the order. In the case of a browse user including a portable browse user, if there is no customer state data with respect to the user, 0 is assigned to Pt. 
   In step S 5203 , the estimated total price for printing in the print-site  109 A which is acquired from the estimate data is assigned to Price. 
   It is checked in step S 5204  whether Price&lt;Pt. If Price&lt;Pt, Price is assigned to Pt. 
   In step S 5206 , the estimate is displayed. A window  4500  shown in  FIG. 44  is an example of the estimate display window displayed at this time. In an estimate display area  4504 , print prices are displayed on a print paper basis, and benefit information in the print-site  109 A is displayed next. In addition, a tax charge, total price (print price) to be paid to the print-site  109 A, delivery charge, and delivery tax charge are added, and benefit information in the photo-site  105  is added, thereby displaying the amount to be paid by the user. Although not shown, in the case of a browse user including a portable browse user, if there is no customer state data with respect to the user, a benefit information button  4501  is not displayed. 
   When the benefit information button  4501  is pressed, it is determined in step S 5207  that changing of the benefit information is selected, and a benefit information setting window  5300  shown in  FIG. 52  is displayed to allow the user to determine whether to use a benefit for this payment (step S 5205 ). If a radio button  5301  on the window  5300  is selected, the current points are used as a benefit. If a radio button  5302  is set, the points input in a point input area  5304  can be used as a benefit. If a radio button  5303  is selected, the benefit is not reflected in the estimate. If an OK button  5305  is pressed, the flow returns to step S 5204  to perform addition processing for points again. If a cancel button  5306  is pressed, the flow returns to step S 5206  to display the window  4500 , although not shown in  FIG. 51 . 
   If a cancel button  4503  on the window  4500  is pressed, the flow shifts from step S 5209  to step S 5210  to perform delete processing for the temporary print order. In this processing, the order information data table  1000  associated with the print order and the image information data table  900  which are registered in the photo-site  105  are deleted, and the print-site  109 A is notified of the deletion of the temporary print order. The window  2900  is then restored. 
   When a credit information setting button  4502  is pressed, the flow shifts from step S 5209  to step S 5211  to subtract the point count used this time from the current point count as New_Pt and add 1% of Price. 
   In step S 5212 , a window  4600  shown in  FIG. 45  is displayed to make the user give a print order and set information for payment. When an order button  4601  on the window  4600  is pressed, a window  4700  shown in  FIG. 46  is displayed to prompt the user to input a destination. In the case of a browse user including a portable browse user, if there is no customer state data with respect to the user, “the same destination as orderer” is not displayed. When an order button  4701  on the window  4700  is pressed, the photo-site  105  updates the respective tables in the database  118 . First of all, the value of New_Pt is stored in the cumulative points  504  in the customer state data table  500 . That is, the point count used for this order is subtracted, and then a point count to be added for this print order is added. In the case of a browse user including a portable browse user, if there is no customer state data with respect to the user, the customer state data table  500  is not updated. The order information about each image is acquired from the estimate information file acquired from the print-site  109 A, and the print count, print size, and print type of the record of each corresponding image in the ordered image data table  1100  are updated. In addition, a new order settlement data table  1200  is created on the basis of the current order number, and the contents displayed in an estimate display area  4504  on a window  4500  are registered in the table. “1” indicating the completion of settlement is assigned to the status  1210 . Furthermore, an orderer data table  1300  is created, and the current orderer information is acquired from the customer information data table  400  and copied to the orderer data table  1300 . Lastly, an order information data table  1000  is created, and the destination information input on the window  4700  is registered in the table. “1” indicating that an order has been given to the print-site is assigned to the order status  1014 . This order information data table  1000  is not deleted even if the user who has given the order withdraws from his/her membership with the photo-site  105  immediately after the user has given the order. 
   The flow then advances to step S 5213 , in which the photo-site  105  notifies the print-site  109 A of a formal print order.  FIG. 55  is a view showing an example of the formal print order XML data that is notified at this time. Note that this notified data  5601  is almost the same data obtained by adding a destination to the estimate data  5501  shown in  FIG. 54  and changing each tag name. 
   In step S 5214 , order contents are displayed, and the orderer is notified of the contents by mail.  FIG. 56  shows a display window  5700  of the order contents. When a button  5701  is pressed, the photo-site  105  displays the window  2900 .  FIG. 59  shows an example of the mail to be notified when a print order is placed. Although not shown, in the case of a browse user including a portable browse user, if there is no customer state data with respect to the user, mail notification is not performed. 
     FIG. 60  is a flow chart showing the details of order reception processing in step S 4214  in  FIG. 41 . 
   First of all, in step S 6101 , order information is acquired and an order number is extracted from the order information to search for the order data table  1600  having the order number. Order notification time is set in the formal print order date  1605  in the order data table  1600 , and the order status  1606  is changed to 1 indicating that no image corresponding to the formal order has been printed. Destination information is further acquired from the acquired order information. 
   In step S 6102 , the acquired information is registered in the order delivery table  1800 . The status  1812  is set to 0 indicating that delivery has not been done. 
   &lt;Notification of Album&gt; 
     FIG. 32  is a view showing the window displayed when the notification button  2905  on the window  2900  is pressed. 
   When the user inputs a destination mail address  3302 , sender mail address  3303 , mail title  3304 , and message  3305  on a window  3300  and presses a notification button  3306 , the photo-site  105  merges the above contents with the mail document created in the photo-site  105  and issues album notification mail to the destination mail address. 
     FIG. 61  shows an example of the album notification mail. The URL and album ID contained in the notification mail are the same as the URL on the window  3300  and the contents displayed in a disclosure album ID display area  3308 . Upon reception of the mail, the user can browse an album by designating the URL written in the mail. By inputting the album ID written in the mail in the album ID input area  1905  on the window  1900  and presses the OK button  1906 , the user can also browse the same album as that browsed when the URL is designated. In this case, the value of parameter AlbumID=written in the URL is equal to the album ID of the disclosure album. A window  7800  shown in  FIG. 72  is a window used to access an album through the portable terminal  113  that can be connected to the Internet. The user can browse the album by inputting the album ID in an input area  7801 . 
   &lt;Creation of Disclosure Album&gt; 
   A procedure for creating a disclosure album ID will be described next. A disclosure album ID needs to have a value from which the third party cannot easily guess or infer the original album ID  701  and the disclosure album ID of another album on the basis of the number/character string of the ID. 
   For this purpose, a disclosure album ID must be created by encrypting an album ID managed in the photo-site  105 . In this case, as indicated by the flow chart of  FIG. 64 , in step S 6501 , the album ID is multiplied by 70, and a check digit is embedded in the value at the units place of the product. In steps S 6502  to S 6507 , the resultant data is converted into a character string that can be easily input through the portable terminal  113 . This makes it difficult for the third party to infer another disclosure album ID. 
   [Embedding of Check Digit] 
     FIG. 62  is a flow chart showing the processing of embedding a check digit in step S 6501  in  FIG. 64 . In this embodiment, the value obtained by multiplying the album ID  701  by seven to ID, and the value at each digit place of ID expressed in decimal is multiplied by the number of digits. The sum total of the products is then obtained, and a complement to the value at the units place is set as a check digit. Each digit of ID is carried by one, and the check digit is added to the units place, thus obtaining a new ID. 
   In step S 6301 , the album ID  701  of the album for which a notification is to be currently done is obtained, and the value obtained by multiplying the ID by seven is assigned to ID. 
   In step S 6302 , a process variable Div in which the quotient obtained by sequentially dividing ID by 10 is stored is initialized to ID; a process variable Order for counting the number of digits of ID, to 1; a process variable Rem in which the remainder obtained by sequentially dividing ID by 10 is stored, to 0; and a process variable Check for check digit calculation, to 0. 
   In step S 6303 , it is checked whether Div is 0. If Div is not 0, the flow advances to step S 6304 . 
   In step S 6304 , the remainder of the quotient obtained by dividing Div by 10 is assigned to Rem, the quotient obtained by dividing Div by 10 is assigned to Div, and Rem×Order is added to Check. 
   In step S 6305 , one is added to Order, and the flow returns to step S 6303 . By repeating the processing in steps S 6304  and S 6305  until Div becomes 0, a sum total Check of the products of the numerical values at the respective digit places of ID and the number of digits is calculated. 
   If it is determined in step S 6303  that Div is 0, the flow advances to step S 6306 , in which the remainder of the quotient obtained by dividing Check by 10 is subtracted from 10, and the resultant value is assigned to Check. 
   In step S 6307 , the value obtained by multiplying ID by 10 and adding Check to the product is set as a new ID. 
   The numerical values before and after ID obtained in this manner do not become album IDs. Even if a given person tries to search for other albums by manipulating the acquired disclosure album ID, the photo-site  105  can detect such unauthorized access and reject album display. 
   &lt;Conversion for Portable Terminal&gt; 
   The processing in step S 6502  and the subsequent steps in  FIG. 64  will be described next. In this processing, an encrypted disclosure album ID is converted into a character string that can be easily input by a terminal with a small number of keys. In this embodiment, a character string in which characters input by the same button (e.g., A and B) do not consecutively appear is created by referring to a list  6400  for managing character codes corresponding to the respective numerical values of a portable terminal. 
   In the portable terminal button/alphabet list  6400  in  FIG. 64 , the buttons (Button) of a telephone, character codes (Letters) corresponding to the buttons, and the numbers (AL) of character codes corresponding to the respective buttons are managed. The number AL of character codes corresponding to a button X is represented by AL[X]. 
   In this embodiment, a base — 26 number with A to Z assigned to 0 to 25 will be considered first. When a given character is used, a base — 23 or base — 22 number is created by using an alphabet from which the character input by the same button for the given character is excluded, with A being set as a 0 starting point (if the preceding character is A, B, or C, D is used as a starting point). 
   In step S 6502 , 1 is set as an initial value in a process variable Button indicating the currently pressed button; 1, in a process variable Prev_Button indicating the immediately preceding button that was pressed; ID, in a process variable Dib representing the quotient obtained by dividing ID by the number of types of characters that can be used; 0, in the process variable Rem representing the remainder obtained by dividing ID by the number of types of characters that can be used; and a null character string, in a character string Str that is finally obtained. 
   It is checked in step S 6503  whether Div is 0. At first, since ID is assigned to Div in step S 6502 , the flow advances to step S 6504 . 
   In step S 6504 , Div is divided by the number of characters that can be currently used, and the quotient and remainder are respectively set in Div and Rem. In the initial state, since Prev_Button is 1, and 0 is set as the value of AL[ 1 ] in  FIG. 63 , 26 types of characters can be used. Thereafter, 22 or 23 types of characters can be used in accordance with the value of Button. 
   In step S 6505 , the character chr and the button number Button to which chr belongs are calculated from the value of Rem and Prev_Button. 
   In step S 6506 , chr is added to Str. 
   In step S 6507 , Button is set in Prev_Button, and the flow returns to the processing in step S 6503 . Characters chr are added to the character string Str one by one by repeating the processing in steps S 6504  to S 6507  until Div becomes 0. 
   If it is determined in step S 6503  that Div becomes 0, Str becomes a character string representing a disclosure album ID. 
     FIG. 65  is a flow chart showing the processing of obtaining the character chr corresponding to Rem and the button number Button to which the character belongs in step S 6505  in  FIG. 64 . 
   In step S 6601 , a process variable Sum which is used to count the number of characters that appear when the buttons of the portable terminal  113  are sequentially pressed from button 1 is initialized to −1, and Button is initialized to 1. 
   In step S 6602 , it is checked whether Button is equal to Prev_Button. If they are equal to each other, since the corresponding button cannot be used, the flow advances to step S 6604 . If they are not equal, the number of characters AL[Button] that can be input by using Button is added to Sum. 
   In step S 6604 , it is checked whether Sum&lt;Rem. If Sum&lt;Rem, 1 is added to Button, and the flow returns to step S 6602 . If Rem≦Sum, since there is a character corresponding to Rem in Button, the flow advances to step S 6606 . 
   In step S 6606 , chr is obtained. Note that chr is the (Rem_Sum+AL[Button])th character in Letters[Button]. 
   &lt;Browsing of Album&gt; 
   The user who has received the notification mail shown in  FIG. 61  can display the album browse start window  6700  shown in  FIG. 66  by designating a URL  6201  written in the mail document. Note that this window can also be displayed by inputting an album ID  6203  written in the notification mail in the album ID input area  1905  and pressing the “GO!” button  1906  on the window  1900 . 
     FIG. 68  is a flow chart showing the processing of checking, upon designation of an album ID by the user through the portable terminal  113 , whether an album corresponding to the designated album ID exists. 
   In step S 7401 , the number of digits of the input ID is initialized to Order; the process variable I for counting the number of digits, to 1; the process variable Chr representing a character, to the character at the first digit place; and AlbumID to be obtained, to 0. In this embodiment, input parameters representing an album ID are limited to English letters. If, however, unauthorized input, e.g., input of characters other than English letters, is checked, an error window  7501  shown in  FIG. 69  is displayed as in the case wherein no album corresponding to the designated album ID exists. 
   In step S 7402 , a button to which the character of Chr is assigned is searched from the portable terminal button/alphabet list  6400  and set to BN. 
   In step S 7403 , a specific ordinal number in the alphabet to which Chr corresponds is obtained, 1 is subtracted from the obtained value, and the resultant value is set in Num. 
   In step S 7404 , it is checked whether I&lt;Order. 
   If it is determined in step S 7404  that I&lt;Order, the character at the (i+1)th digit place is set in Prev_Chr. 
   In step S 7406 , a button to which the character of Prev_Chr is assigned is searched from the portable terminal button/alphabet list  6400  and is set in BP. 
   In step S 7407 , PB is compared with BN. Although not shown, in this embodiment, since two characters assigned to the same button are not consecutively input, if BP=BN, an error window  7500  is displayed. 
   If it is determined in step S 7407  that BP&lt;BN, only AL[BP] is subtracted from Num in step S 7408 . If it is determined in step S 7407  that BP≧BN, the flow advances to step S 7409  without performing the processing in step S 7408 . 
   In step S 7409 , the value obtained by subtracting only AL[BP] from 26 is set in a process variable Mult representing a multiplier. 
   In step S 7410 , AlbumID is multiplied by Mult, and Num is added to the product. The resultant value is then set as new AlbumID. 
   In step S 7411 , 1 is added to I, and BP and Prev_Chr are respectively assigned to BN and Chr. The flow then returns to the processing in step S 7403 . 
   If it is determined in step S 7404  that I is not larger than Order, the value obtained by multiplying AlbumID by 26 and adding Num to the product is newly set in AlbumID. If the album ID input by the user is a correct value, AlbumID obtained here becomes ID shown in  FIG. 62 . In this embodiment, since this value is the value obtained by embedding a check digit at the first digit place of the product of the existing album ID and 7, the quotient obtained by dividing Album by 10 is set in ID in step S 7413 . It is then checked in step S 7414  whether ID can be divided by 7 without a remainder. 
   If it is determined in step S 7414  that ID is divided by 7 without a remainder, ID is divided by 7 in step S 7415 . 
   In step S 7416 , the check digit embedding processing shown in  FIG. 62  is performed for this ID. In step S 7417 , it is checked whether ID coincides with AlbumID. 
   If it is determined in step S 7414  that ID cannot be divided by 7 without a remainder, and it is determined in step S 7417  that ID does not coincide with AlbumID, it indicates that a proper album ID is not input. In step S 7418 , therefore, the error window  7500  shown in  FIG. 69  is displayed. 
   The photo-site  105  analyzes AlbumID of the parameter portion of the above input URL or the album ID input to the album ID input area  1905 . Only when an album exists, the photo-site  105  searches the album information table  700  for a record having the ID obtained in step S 7414  in the album ID  701 . The photo-site  105  then searches the customer album data table  600  for a user ID having the album ID, and further searches the customer information table for a record corresponding to the user ID  401 . 
   Subsequently, the name (last name)  405  is displayed on a window  6700  shown in  FIG. 66 . If the password permission/inhibition flag  705  of the album information data table  700  searched in this case indicates that a password is set for the album, a password input area  6701  is displayed. Obviously, if no password is set for the album, a password input area  6701  is not displayed. 
   When the OK button  6701  is pressed, for example, an album browse window  6800  shown in  FIG. 67  is displayed with respect to an album for which no password is set or an album for which a password is properly input. The contents of this window are the same as those of the album display area  2923  on the window  2900 . If a password is not properly input, the window  2500  shown in  FIG. 24  is displayed. When the OK button  2501  is pressed, the window  6700  is displayed again. 
   In addition, the value of the print permission/inhibition flag  707  is acquired from the album information data table  700 , and a button  6803  is displayed in association with an album that can be printed, thereby allowing the user to give a print order. In this case, the flow of print order processing is almost the same as login user processing (the processing to be done when the button  2909  on the window  2900  in  FIG. 28  is pressed) except that no point is added in the photo-site  105 . 
   &lt;Browsing from Portable Terminal&gt; 
   A window  7600  shown in  FIG. 70  is an example of the window displayed on the display of the portable terminal  113  at the time of browsing from the portable terminal. In response to a browse request from the user, the photo-site  105  acquires the information of the terminal which has generated the request to check whether the browse request has been generated by a portable terminal or PC. If the browse request is generated by the portable terminal, the window  7600  shown in  FIG. 70  is displayed. Note that the contents of this window are the same as those of the window  6700 . The window  7600  is displayed when the user directly designates the URL indicated by the notification mail shown in  FIG. 72 . This window is also displayed when the user inputs the album ID shown in  FIG. 62  in an album ID input area  7801  on a window  7800  shown in  FIG. 72  and selects a button  7802 . 
   When a button  7602  on the window  7600  is pressed, a window  7700  shown in  FIG. 71  is displayed. The photo-site  105  displays an image with a reduced image size. In addition, the images in the album are separated from each other to be displayed one by one in accordance with selection of a next image or previous image. When a button  7701  is pressed, detailed information such as an image name and comment is displayed. The contents of this display are the same as those displayed with respect to each image shown in  FIG. 35 . In addition, the displayed images in the album can be updated one by one by pressing buttons  7702  and  7703 . 
   Other Embodiment 
   In the above embodiment, image deletion has been described only on an album basis. Obviously, however, only an image, of images in the area  2923 , which corresponds to a checked check box can be deleted by pressing the button  2919  on the window  2900 . 
   The object of the present invention is achieved even by supplying a storage medium (or recording medium) which stores software program for implementing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus and causing the computer (or a CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus to read out and execute the program codes stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program codes read out from the storage medium implements the functions of the above-described embodiments by themselves, and the storage medium which stores the program codes constitutes the present invention. The functions of the above embodiments are realized not only when the readout program codes are executed by the computer but also when the OS (Operating System) or the like running on the computer performs part or all of actual processing on the basis of the instructions of the program codes. 
   The functions of the above embodiments are also realized when the program codes read out from the storage medium are written in the memory of a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, and the CPU of the function expansion board or function expansion unit or the like performs part or all of actual processing on the basis of the instructions of the program codes. 
   When the present invention is to be applied to the above storage medium, at least program codes are stored in the storage medium, which cause the processor to execute the step of receiving a print order from a user PC, portable terminal, or the like, the first management step of integrally managing print information associated with the print order, the copying step of generating a copy of print information, and the second management step of managing the copy of the print information which is generated in the copying step independently of personal information. 
   As has been described above, according to this embodiment, an information providing apparatus which can speedily handle requests from users, a control method therefor, a control program, and a storage medium can be provided. 
   As many apparently widely different embodiments of the present invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments thereof except as defined in the appended claims.