Patent ID: 8144359

Claim:
A system for handling image data, the system comprising: an image processing system that performs a specific process on image data; and a terminal, wherein the image processing system includes a specific process portion that performs a specific process on first image data to generate second image data, an estimating portion that, if it is specified that the second image data is to be stored into a portable storage medium, estimates a necessary time that is a time required for the second image data to be generated, a selection portion for a user to determine whether or not to store, instead of the second image data, identification information for obtaining the second image data into the portable storage medium, if the necessary time thus estimated is longer than a predetermined period of time, an image data storage control portion that, if the user determines not to store the identification information into the portable storage medium, stores the second image data into the portable storage medium after the second image data is completely generated, and an identification information storage control portion that, if the user determines to store the identification information into the portable storage medium, stores, as the identification information, information including a storage location of the second image data into the portable storage medium, and stores the second image data into an image data storage portion after the second image data is completely generated, the terminal includes a reading portion that reads out the identification information from the portable storage medium, and a request portion that makes a request to the image processing system, via a communication line, for the second image data based on the identification information thus read out, and the image processing system further includes a transmission portion that transmits, to the terminal, the second image data stored in the image data storage portion in accordance with the request from the terminal.