Patent ID: 7679760

Claim:
A printing service system comprising: a server; and at least one print terminal connected to the server through a communication network, the print terminal including: an image data input means for inputting image data; an image data transmission means for transmitting the image data to the server; and a destination input means for inputting an address of a recipient authorized to print the image data, and the server including: an image data reception means for receiving the image data transmitted by the image data transmission means; an ID and password generation means for generating an ID and a password for authentication when the image data is received; an image data accumulation means for accumulating the received image data in association with the ID; a code conversion means for converting the ID and the password into a code for authentication at a time of printing the image data by the recipient, wherein information on the ID and the password is encrypted into the code; a code transmission means for transmitting the obtained code to the address inputted by the destination input means; and an image data returning means for, when the print terminal decodes the code to the ID and the password and transmits the ID and the password, performing authentication using the ID and the password and, if a positive authentication result is obtained, reading the image data corresponding to the ID from the image data accumulation means and returning the read image data to the print terminal.