JP3910402B2 - Data providing server device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system that provides image data for printing using a network.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Printed materials such as advertisements and pamphlets created by companies are created based on printed originals called positive films. Usually, printing works such as advertisements using positive film are performed by printing companies, so companies need to provide positive films to printing companies by mail or delivery to create printed materials. .
[0003]
In addition, there are image management companies that perform this type of work by reading this type of positive film with a scanner and storing and managing it as image data. When a company deposits image data with such an image management company, the image data read from the database of the image management company is sent to the company in the form of a recording medium, or a network or the like. It is sent to the company using it, and then it is transferred from the company to the printing company.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Regardless of whether it is in the state of a positive film or in the form of a storage medium that stores image data, it takes time and effort to send a printed document using means such as mailing or delivery. In addition, when a print document is provided in the form of a storage medium storing image data, the printing company that finally produces the printed material needs to create a positive film again from the image data, which takes extra time. So it is inefficient.
[0005]
On the other hand, as a method for transmitting image data quickly and easily, a method of transmitting the image data using a network such as the Internet can be considered. However, in an open network such as the Internet, there is a problem that it is relatively easy for a third party to obtain and use a printed document without permission.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide image data and the like efficiently via a network by taking security measures to prevent unauthorized use by a third party. To do.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  According to one aspect of the present invention, in a data providing server device capable of communicating with a data requester's terminal and a data user's terminal via a network, the data user's information and data are transmitted from the data requester's terminal. A data receiving means for receiving a data request including the designation of data, a data storage means for creating one storage unit for the data request, and storing the data specified by the data request in the storage unit; In response to the data request, access information generating means for generating access information including address information of the storage unit;Access information transmitting means for transmitting the access information to the terminal of the data user, and when the data user accesses the storage unit based on the access information, is stored in the storage unit Data transmitting means for transmitting data to the terminal of the data user, the access information generating means has expiration date setting means for setting an expiration date for the address information of the storage unit, and the data transmitting means The data stored in the storage unit is transmitted to the terminal of the data user only for access to the storage unit made within the expiration date.
[0008]
  According to the data providing server device configured as described above, when the data requester wants to provide predetermined data to the data user using the data providing system, first, the data requester Make a data request including information and data designation. When receiving the data request, the data providing server device creates a dedicated storage unit and stores the data designated by the data requester in the storage unit. Further, the data providing server generates access information including the address information of the storage unit and transmits it to the data user.When there is an access based on the access information from the data user, the data stored in the storage unit is transmitted in response thereto. According to this, the data user can easily acquire the data simply by accessing the data providing server based on the designated access information. In addition, since the address information of the storage unit that stores the data designated by the data requester becomes invalid after the expiration date, the state in which the data can be accessed for a period longer than necessary does not continue. Opportunities for unauthorized access by three parties can be reduced.
[0009]
  Of the data providing server deviceIn one aspect, the expiration date setting means sets the expiration date after a predetermined time has elapsed from the date and time when the claim receiving means received the data request.
[0010]
  According to this aspect, if the predetermined time is set in advance on the data providing server device side, the expiration date of the address information to the storage unit can be automatically set.
[0011]
  According to another aspect of the present invention, in a data providing server apparatus capable of communicating with a data requester's terminal and a data user's terminal via a network, the data user's information and data are transmitted from the data requester's terminal. A data receiving means for receiving a data request including the designation of data, a data storage means for creating one storage unit for the data request, and storing the data specified by the data request in the storage unit; In response to the data request, access information generating means for generating access information including address information of the storage unit, access information transmitting means for transmitting the access information to the terminal of the data user, and the data user, When the storage unit is accessed based on the access information, the data stored in the storage unit is used as the data usage. Comprising user data transmitting means for transmitting to the terminal, the completion report means the data transmitting means transmits the completion report information indicating that the transmitted data stored in the storage unit to the terminal of the data claimant.
[0012]
  According to the data providing server device configured as described above, when the data requester wants to provide predetermined data to the data user using the data providing system, first, the data requester Make a data request including information and data designation. When receiving the data request, the data providing server device creates a dedicated storage unit and stores the data designated by the data requester in the storage unit. Further, the data providing server generates access information including the address information of the storage unit and transmits it to the data user. When there is an access based on the access information from the data user, the data stored in the storage unit is transmitted in response thereto. According to this, the data user can easily acquire the data simply by accessing the data providing server based on the designated access information.Further, when the data user acquires the data, the fact is sent to the data requester as completion report information, so that the data requester can easily confirm that the data user has acquired the data.
[0013]
  In one aspect of the data providing server apparatus, the data is image data, and the completion report unit includes the thumbnail image data of the data transmitted from the data transmission unit to the terminal of the data user in the completion report information. .
[0014]
  According to this aspect, since the thumbnail image of the image data acquired by the data user is included in the completion report information and sent to the data requester, the data requester surely acquires the data requested by the data user by the data user. Can be confirmed.
[0015]
  In another aspect of the present invention, in a data providing server device that can communicate with a data requester's terminal and a data user's terminal via a network, the data user's information and data are designated from the data requester's terminal. A data receiving means for receiving a data request including: a data storage means for creating one storage unit for one data request and storing the data designated by the data request in the storage unit; and the data request The access information generating means for generating access information including address information of the storage unit, the access information transmitting means for transmitting the access information to the terminal of the data user, and the access from the data user When the storage unit is accessed based on information, the data user stores the data stored in the storage unit. A data transmission means for transmitting to the terminal, the data transmission means, the data stored in the storage unit, and transmits to the terminal of the data user only once.
[0016]
  According to the data providing server device configured as described above, when the data requester wants to provide predetermined data to the data user using the data providing system, first, the data requester Make a data request including information and data designation. When receiving the data request, the data providing server device creates a dedicated storage unit and stores the data designated by the data requester in the storage unit. Further, the data providing server generates access information including the address information of the storage unit and transmits it to the data user. When there is an access based on the access information from the data user, the data stored in the storage unit is transmitted in response thereto. According to this, the data user can easily acquire the data simply by accessing the data providing server based on the designated access information.Further, since data transmission to the data user is limited to once, it is prevented that a third party acquires unauthorized data after the data user acquires data.
[0017]
  In still another aspect of the data providing server device, the information on the data user includes an email address of the data user, and the access information transmitting means sends the access information to the data user by email. Send by.
[0018]
  According to this aspect, since the access information is sent to the data user by e-mail, if the data user has knowledge for processing the e-mail, the data can be easily acquired without special knowledge. can do.
[0019]
  In still another aspect of the data providing server device, the access information generation unit generates unique access information for one data request.
[0020]
  According to this aspect, since one access information is generated for one data request, data confusion can be prevented even when a plurality of data requests are made. It is also possible to prevent a third party from acquiring data illegally.
[0021]
  In still another aspect of the data providing server device, the access information further includes an access ID and a password, and the data transmitting means stores the storage only when the access ID and password input by the data user are correct. The data stored in the section is transmitted.
[0022]
  According to this aspect, since the authentication process is performed using the access ID and password, it is possible to prevent data from being provided for unauthorized access by a third party or the like. In addition, since the access ID and password are generated in response to the data request and transmitted only to the data user, the possibility of theft by a third party can be reduced.
[0023]
  In still another aspect of the data providing server device, the network may be the Internet, and the address information of the storage unit may be a URL. As a result, a large number of persons having an Internet environment can safely exchange data.
[0028]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0029]
FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an image data providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an image requester's terminal 2, an image user's terminal 3, and an image management server 5 that stores and manages image data owned by a company are configured to be communicable via a network 1. A preferred example of the network 1 is the Internet, but other various networks can also be used. In addition, by making this network a broadband high-speed network, the advantages of this system can be further utilized.
[0030]
An image user is a person who receives image data provided by the system and actually uses the image data, and corresponds to a printing company, for example. The image requester is a person who makes a request to the image management server 5 for transmitting image data from the image management server to the terminal 3 of the image user. For example, when an advertisement image related to a product handled by a company A is managed by the image management server 5, a sales representative of the company A prints a specific image on the image management server 5 using the terminal 2. Request to be sent to the company terminal 3. The printing company that is the image user receives the image data designated by the sales representative of the company A from the image management server 5 and produces printed matter of the advertisement using the image data. Note that the image data in this case is image data of a printed document such as an advertisement.
[0031]
Each of the terminals 2 and 3 can be a personal computer or a terminal device installed in each company or company. The terminals 2 and 3 have a communication function for accessing the image management server 5 via the network 1, a browser function for browsing and searching image data stored in the image management server 5, and e-mail. And a mail function for sending and receiving messages. Note that these functions can be realized by introducing corresponding application software into each of the terminals 2 and 3.
[0032]
As illustrated, the image management server 5 includes a server device 10, a main database (DB) 11, and a temporary DB 12. The server device 10 performs processing such as data storage and calling on the main DB 11 and the temporary DB 12, and communicates with the terminals 2 and 3 to execute processing to be described later.
[0033]
The main DB 11 stores and manages a plurality of image data. The image data can be from a plurality of companies including company A, for example. In that case, image data is stored in the main DB 11 in a form classified by company.
[0034]
On the other hand, the temporary DB 12 is a database for temporarily storing only image data requested to be transmitted from the image requester's terminal 2, and includes a plurality of individual DBs 15 for managing image data. . One individual DB 15 is created for one image request by the image requester, and only the image data that is the object of the image request is stored. As a result, even when a plurality of image requesters request a plurality of images, each image user cannot view images other than the images to be transmitted to himself / herself, and the confidentiality of the image data is maintained. Be drunk.
[0035]
Next, the operation of the image data providing system of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Consider a case where the image requester uses the terminal 2 to transmit predetermined image data to the image user who uses the terminal 3. The image data is managed in the main DB 11 in the image management server 5.
[0036]
First, the image requester operates the terminal 2 to access the image management server 5 via the network 1 and browses image data stored in the main DB 11. Then, the image data to be transmitted to the image user is designated and a transmission instruction is given (step S1). FIG. 3A shows an example of a display screen when the image requester designates image data and issues a transmission instruction. This screen is an example of a display image displayed on the screen of the terminal 2 when the image requester connects to the image management server 5.
[0037]
In this display example, an “image data request menu” is displayed to the image requester. In the image data request menu, the image requester inputs information on the transmission destination of the image data (that is, the image user), and further specifies the image data to be transmitted. Specifically, the image requester inputs the mail address, company name, and person in charge of the image user. Further, an image list is displayed as necessary, and image data to be transmitted is designated from the list. When the image requester instructs the request on the menu, the image request including the information input by the image requester in the image data request menu is sent to the server device 10 of the image management server 5.
[0038]
Next, the server device 10 in the image management server 5 creates one individual DB 15 in the temporary DB 12 for this image request, and copies the image data specified by the image requester in step S1 to the main DB 11. And stored in the individual DB 15 (step S2).
[0039]
Next, the server device 10 generates a URL, an access ID, and a password (Step S3). These pieces of information are information necessary for downloading designated image data when the image user accesses the image management server 5 later.
[0040]
Here, the URL is the URL of the site accessed by the image user when providing the image data designated by the image requester, and is generated in a form associated with the individual DB 15 created in step S2. . A unique URL is generated for one image request. Therefore, the URL generated here is different from the URL used when the image requester accesses the image management server 5 in step S1. Note that the URL may be generated according to a specific rule, or may be randomly generated.
[0041]
The access ID and password are authentication information required when the image user downloads the image data, and may be duplicated with other image requests, but only one for each image request. More preferably.
[0042]
Thereby, the individual DB 15 including only the image data designated by the image requester is created and associated with the unique URL associated with the image request.
[0043]
Furthermore, the server device 10 sets an expiration date for the generated URL. This expiration date limits the period during which the image user can access the URL and download the image data, and can be set, for example, several days or weeks from the time when the image requester requests the image. . This period is stored in the server device 10 in advance, and the server device 10 automatically calculates the date and time after the above period has elapsed, starting from the date and time when the image request by the image requester is received. You can set a deadline. The automatically calculated expiration date is stored in the server device 10 in association with the URL.
[0044]
Next, the server device 10 creates an electronic mail including the URL, access ID, and password information generated in step S3, and transmits the electronic mail to the image user (step S4). An example of the contents of this e-mail is shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, this e-mail is addressed to the image user specified by the image requester in step S1, and is transmitted to the e-mail address designated by the image requester. The contents of the e-mail describe the URL, access ID, and password generated by the server device 10 in step S3. Furthermore, the expiration date information of the URL is also included.
[0045]
The image user receives an e-mail as shown in FIG. 3B from the image management server 5 (step S5). Then, the URL shown in the electronic mail is accessed to download the image data (step S6). FIG. 4A shows an example of a display screen displayed on the terminal 3 when the image user accesses the URL specified in the e-mail. As shown in the figure, when an image user accesses a designated URL, first, as an authentication process, an input of an access ID and a password is requested. Here, the image user logs in by inputting the access ID and password described in the received e-mail.
[0046]
If the login is successful, a list of image data designated by the image requester is displayed as shown in FIG. In this list, image data stored in the individual DB 15 corresponding to the URL designated by the image user is listed. When the image user gives a download instruction, the server device 10 extracts the image data from the corresponding individual DB 15 and transmits it to the terminal 3 operated by the image user via the network 1. In this way, the image user can acquire the image designated by the image requester.
[0047]
Note that when the image user accesses the URL, the server device 10 checks the expiration date set in advance for the URL. If the URL has expired, the server apparatus 1 displays that fact and prohibits downloading of image data, and a message that the URL has already expired and is invalid. Is displayed.
[0048]
As described above, in the present invention, when the image requester requests an image from the image management server, the URL and authentication information corresponding to the database storing the image designated by the image request are used in the form of an e-mail. Sent to the user. The image user can download the image data requested by the image requester by accessing the URL specified in the e-mail and using the authentication information specified in the e-mail.
[0049]
As a result, the image data itself to be transmitted to the image user is sent directly from the image management server to the image user's terminal without going through the image requester, so that unnecessary communication is not performed. .
[0050]
The image management server 5 prepares only one individual DB 15 for one image request from the image requester, and stores only the image data requested by the image request in the individual DB 15. Only the image data stored in the individual DB 15 can be acquired from the URL guided to the image user, and since the URL is not known to other image users, the image data is stored in the image requester. Only the image user specified by can access and download. Therefore, even when an open network such as the Internet is used, it is possible to provide image data safely only to a specific image user.
[0051]
In addition, by setting an expiration date in the URL presented to the image user, it is possible to limit the period during which image data can be downloaded, and to reduce the chances of illegal downloads as much as possible.
[0052]
[Modification]
In the above system, the server device 10 is configured so that the URL generated by the server device 10 is valid only once, and the URL is invalidated after the image user has accessed once and downloaded the image data. You can also. In this way, it is possible to prevent a third party other than the image user from acquiring image data illegally.
[0053]
Further, when the image user accesses the designated URL and downloads the image data, the server device 10 may create a completion report mail indicating that and send it to the image requester. it can. By doing so, the image requester can confirm that the image user has received the image data. Further, in the completion report mail sent to the image requester, information specifying the image data itself downloaded by the image user, preferably image data obtained by data compression of the same image data (it is a small image but the contents can be confirmed) Data, which is called “thumbnail image” in this specification), the image requester can confirm that the image data specified by the user is surely provided to the image user. it can.
[0054]
Further, the image management server can charge for a series of services that provide image data to the image user in response to an image request from the image requester. There are various charging methods, such as determining the number of image data transmitted to the image user and the amount of data, and determining the number of image requests. In the above system, image management is possible. It is also possible to charge for each individual DB created by the server (that is, one URL creation).
[0055]
In the above example, the image requester is a sales representative of company A, and the image user is a printing company used by company A. However, the relationship between the image requester and the image user is not limited to this example, and the image requester provides the image data stored in the image management server to the image user who actually uses the image. It can be applied to various cases. For example, the system of the present invention can be used when a person in charge in a management department such as a head office of a company becomes an image requester and specific image data is transmitted to an image user in a branch of the same company. it can.
[0056]
Moreover, although the case where image data is transmitted has been described in the above example, the present invention can also be applied when transmitting various data other than image data.
[0057]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when the image requester specifies the image data to be transmitted and the transmission destination (image user) and requests the image, the image user obtains the image data. URL and authentication information for notification are notified in the form of an e-mail. The image user can acquire image data using the URL and authentication information. Here, the URL notified to the image user is uniquely generated for the image request and is associated with the individual DB storing only the image data designated by the image requester. It is possible to safely provide image data designated only for the user.
[0058]
In addition, by setting an expiration date for the URL, or by performing a procedure such as invalidating the URL once accessed, unauthorized access by a third party or the like can be effectively prevented. Security can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image data providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing image data request and provision processing by the system shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 shows an example of a display screen in a process for requesting and providing image data.
FIG. 4 shows an example of a display screen in a process for requesting and providing image data.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 network
2, 3 terminal
5 Image management server
10 Server device
11 Main DB
12 Temporary DB
15 Individual DB

Claims (9)

In a data providing server device capable of communicating with a terminal of a data requester and a terminal of a data user via a network,
Bill receiving means for receiving a data request including data user information and data designation from the data requester's terminal;
Data storage means for creating one storage unit for one data request and storing the data designated by the data request in the storage unit;
In response to the data request, access information generating means for generating access information including address information of the storage unit;
Access information transmitting means for transmitting the access information to the terminal of the data user;
When the data user accesses the storage unit based on the access information, the data user comprises data transmission means for transmitting the data stored in the storage unit to the terminal of the data user,
The access information generating means has an expiration date setting means for setting an expiration date for the address information of the storage unit,
The data transmission server device transmits the data stored in the storage unit to the data user's terminal only for access to the storage unit made within the expiration date. . 2. The data providing server device according to claim 1 , wherein the expiration date setting unit sets the expiration date after a predetermined time has elapsed from a date and time when the billing reception unit received the data request. In a data providing server device capable of communicating with a terminal of a data requester and a terminal of a data user via a network,
  A bill receiving means for receiving a data bill including data user information and data designation from the data biller's terminal;
  Data storage means for creating one storage unit for one data request and storing the data designated by the data request in the storage unit;
  In response to the data request, access information generating means for generating access information including address information of the storage unit;
  Access information transmitting means for transmitting the access information to the terminal of the data user;
  Data transmitting means for transmitting data stored in the storage unit to the terminal of the data user when access is made to the storage unit based on the access information from the data user;
  A data providing server device comprising: a completion report unit that transmits completion report information indicating that the data transmission unit has transmitted data stored in the storage unit to the terminal of the data requester. The data is image data;
4. The data providing server apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the completion report unit includes thumbnail image data of data transmitted from the data transmission unit to the terminal of the data user in the completion report information. In a data providing server device capable of communicating with a terminal of a data requester and a terminal of a data user via a network,
  A bill receiving means for receiving a data bill including data user information and data designation from the data biller's terminal;
  Data storage means for creating one storage unit for one data request and storing the data designated by the data request in the storage unit;
  In response to the data request, access information generating means for generating access information including address information of the storage unit;
  Access information transmitting means for transmitting the access information to the terminal of the data user;
  The data user accesses the storage unit based on the access information. A data transmission means for transmitting the data stored in the storage unit to the terminal of the data user,
  The data transmission server device, wherein the data transmission means transmits the data stored in the storage unit to the data user's terminal only once.   6. The data user information includes an email address of the data user, and the access information transmitting means transmits the access information to the data user by email. The data provision server apparatus as described in any one of Claims.   The data providing server apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the access information generating unit generates unique access information for one data request.   The access information further includes an access ID and a password, and the data transmitting means transmits the data stored in the storage unit only when the access ID and password input by the data user are correct. The data provision server apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 7.   9. The data providing server device according to claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet, and the address information of the storage unit is a URL.

Images