Patent ID: 6993553

Claim:
A data providing system, comprising: a data providing apparatus, having: issuing means for issuing an identifier to each of a template image into which a predetermined user image can be inlaid as superimposed upon a predetermined advertisement image and an advertisement image; provision image data generating means for generating provision image data of a provision image with said advertisement image inlaid into said template image; and providing-side transmitting means for transmitting said provision image data and said identifier corresponding to said provision image data via a network; a data acquiring apparatus, having: acquiring-side receiving means for receiving said provision image data and said identifier from said network; transmission image data generating means for generating transmission image data by manipulating said provision image by presenting said provision image based on said provision image data displayed on predetermined display means and then inlaying said user image into said template image of said provision image as superimposed upon said advertisement image so that said user image is displayed in preference to said advertisement image; and acquiring-side transmitting means for adding said received identifier to said transmission image data and transmitting said resulting transmission image data to a predetermined destination via said network; and a fee-charge processing apparatus; having: fee-charge receiving means for receiving said transmission image data added with said identifier being transmitted once every time said transmission image data added with said identifier are transmitted from said data acquiring apparatus to said predetermined destination via said network; and fee-charge processing means for computing a template usage fee to be paid to a creator of said template image by counting a number of times said template image corresponding to said identifier added to said transmission image data has been used for displaying said advertisement image at said generation of said transmission image data.