KR20030020599A - Internet-based digital camera storage media exchange system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A system for exchanging digital camera storage media based on the Internet is provided to reduce inconveniences generated by limit of memory capacity of the digital camera storage media. CONSTITUTION: A communication interface(302) is for communication shop clients(300) with a central server(100). An image data input part(304) receives image data from a digital camera storage medium of a user visiting a shop. An image data storing part(306) stores the input image data. An image data output part(308) outputs the stored image data. A photo reproducing part(310) converts the output image data into a photo image. An image data requesting part(102) transmits an image data requesting signal to the corresponding shop client in response to the request of a user PC(200) connected through the Internet. An image data receiving part(104) receives the image data from the shop client. An image data transmitting part(106) transmits the received image data to the user PC. The user visits the shop to store the image data stored in the digital camera storage medium at the image data storing part of the shop client, and then exchange from the digital camera storage medium to a new digital camera storage medium.

Description

Internet-based digital camera storage media exchange system

The present invention relates to a system for exchanging a storage medium for a digital camera using the Internet.

Recently, digital cameras are widely used. As digital cameras store image data of subjects in digital form by image sensors (CCD, CMOS sensor, etc.), they can be processed as PC and output to printer. It is a trend that is used to replace the existing analog camera because of the advantage that it does not need. A storage medium used in a digital camera is a kind of memory device that stores digital data converted from image data, unlike a photosensitive film that has previously stored shadows of an image itself by a chemical reaction. Storage media currently include products such as "memory sticks", "smart media" and "compact flashes".

On the other hand, with the recent spread of the Internet, a variety of information provided or services that were made offline in the past have been made online. These Internet services utilize the rapidly developed communication protocol, image processing technology, software, multimedia, and multitasking technology, and do not require space and management personnel as in a conventional large store, and service users have no time and place restrictions. The advantage of providing services is that they are widely used in education, advertising, and learning.

However, digital camera storage media also have a limited memory capacity (usually tens of megabytes), so if the memory becomes full during shooting, the contents of the memory should be deleted and reused or replaced with a new storage media. The price of a storage medium for a digital camera is very high, so it is difficult to purchase and carry several. Especially, for a traveler, when using a digital camera, a shortage of storage media is required.

Accordingly, the applicant has designed an internet-based digital camera storage medium exchange system that implements a business that allows travelers to take a large number of photos even if they do not carry several storage media for digital cameras.

The present invention comprises a central server and a plurality of store clients controlled by the central server, and the user travels with a digital camera and visits a specific store to store image data stored in a storage medium full of memory in the store client. An object of the present invention is to provide an internet-based digital camera storage medium exchange system for exchanging new storage mediums.

1 is a block diagram of a digital camera storage medium exchange system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a block diagram of a digital camera storage medium exchange system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

<Description of Drawing>

Central server 100, image data requesting unit 102, image data receiving unit 104, image data transmitting unit 106, 116, image data receiving and receiving unit 112, image data storing unit 114, user PC ( 200, store client 300, communication interface 302, 312, image data input unit 304, 314, image data storage unit 306, image data output unit 308, 316, photo reproduction unit 310, 318)

<Overview of invention>

The system according to the invention consists of a central server and a plurality of store clients controlled by the central server. A central server is installed at one or a few central headquarters and store clients are installed at each store. For example, central headquarters may be installed in Seoul, and stores may be installed in various municipalities. A user travels with a digital camera, visits a store, stores image data in a memory-rich storage medium, and exchanges a new storage medium (or stores the entire contents of the user's storage medium in the store client). Place and make the storage medium empty). Then, the image data stored in the store client is sent to the central server via the Internet and transmitted by means such as e-mail.

<Example>

First embodiment

1 is a block diagram of an Internet-based digital camera storage medium exchange system according to a first embodiment of the present invention, the central server 100 is connected to the Internet so that the user PC 200 can access, the central server A plurality of store clients 300 are connected to 100 to exchange data through the communication interface 302.

The configuration of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The store client 300 includes a communication interface 302 for communicating with the central server 100; An image data input unit 304 for receiving image data from a digital camera storage medium of a user visiting the store; An image data storage unit 306 for storing input image data; An image data output unit 308 for outputting stored image data; And a photo reproducing unit 310 which physically converts the output image data and reproduces the image data.

The central server 100 includes: an image data request unit 102 for transmitting an image data request signal to a corresponding store client 300 according to a request of a user PC 200 connected through the Internet; An image data receiver 104 for receiving image data from the store client 300; And an image data transmission unit 106 for transmitting the received image data to the user PC.

Through the system configured as described above, when a user visits a local post-in store and presents a storage medium for a digital camera during a travel or business trip, the store displays image data through the image data input unit 304 of the store client 300. Is stored in the image data storage unit 306 and replaced with a new storage medium or the user's storage medium is emptied. Then, in order to receive the image data stored in the store client 300, the user accesses the central server 100 via the Internet using his PC 200 and receives the image data owned by the user.

According to the first embodiment of the present invention, since there are a plurality of store clients 300 connected to the central server 100, the central server 100 must manage each store client 300 by giving an identification code. . Therefore, the image data transmitted through the communication interface 302 between the central server 100 and the store client 300 should include an identification code of the store client 300 in which the data is stored. In addition, since there will be many users who use each store client 300, an identification code for each user management is also required. Therefore, in order to receive the service of the present invention, each user must input his or her personal information to the central server 100 in advance and be given an identification code (ID). As described above, the image data transmitted between the central server 100 and the store client 300 includes an identification code of the store client 300 in which the data is stored, and an identification code of a user who is the owner of the image data. Should be

In FIG. 1, a photo printer, a VHS recorder, a CD ROM writer, or the like may be used as the photo reproducing unit 310 of the store client 300. Thus, similar to a conventional DP & E store, a user can visit a store with a digital camera storage medium and play it with printed pictures, video tapes, CD-ROMs, and the like. And, the communication interface 302 for transmitting and receiving image data between the buried client 300 and the central server 100 is as known to those skilled in the art.

On the other hand, when the user requests the image data by directly accessing the central server 100 using his PC (200), the image data request unit 102 of the central server 100 the image to the store client 300 The data is requested, and the image data received through the image data receiver 104 is transmitted to the user PC 200 through the image data transmitter 106. Here, the image data transmission unit 106 may transmit image data to the user through an e-mail using an e-mail server. In addition, it may be stored in the form of a file in the central server 100 and transmitted by the user to download it.

Second embodiment

2 is a block diagram of an Internet-based digital camera storage medium exchange system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The difference from the first embodiment is whether the image data input from the storage medium of the user is stored in the store client 300 side or the central server 100 side. In the case of the first embodiment, the image data is stored in the burial client 300, but in the second embodiment, the image data is stored in the central server 100.

According to the first embodiment, even though a large number of store clients are connected to the central server, the central server communicates with the store client only when necessary, so there is a small bottleneck in communication, but the burden on the store operator is because the memory capacity of the store client must be increased. Can give On the other hand, according to the second embodiment, since all the image data is stored in the memory of the central server, the store client only needs to receive the image data from the storage medium, but transmits the image data between the store client and the central server. ) Occurs frequently, so communication bottlenecks can be a big problem.

The configuration of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The store client 300 includes: an image data input unit 314 for receiving image data from a digital camera storage medium of a user visiting the store; A communication interface 312 for transmitting the input image data to the central server 100 and receiving the image data from the central server 100; An image data output unit 316 for outputting image data received from the central server 100; And a photo reproducing unit 318 which physically converts the output image data and reproduces the image data.

The central server 100 includes: an image data receiving and receiving unit 112 for receiving image data transmitted from the store client 300 and sending the image data to the store client 300; An image data storage unit 114 for storing image data received from the store client 300; The image data transmission unit 116 transmits the image data stored in the image data storage unit 114 to the user PC 200 in response to a request of the user PC 200 connected through the Internet.

Similarly to the first embodiment, in the second embodiment, when a user visits a local post-in store and presents a storage medium for a digital camera during a trip or a business trip, the store stores the image data input unit 314 of the store client 300. Transfer the image data to the central server 100 through the storage, and exchange for a new storage medium or empty the storage medium of the user. Then, the user is connected to the central server 100 via the Internet using his PC (200) receives the image data owned by the user.

In addition, in the image data transmitted between the central server 100 and the store client 300, as in the first embodiment, the identification code of the store client that transmitted the data and the identification code of the user who is the owner of the image data. Must contain a. By doing so, although each store client does not store image data on its own side (store), it is possible to retrieve image data from the central server with its own identification code.

In the second embodiment of FIG. 2, a photo printer, a VHS recorder, a CD ROM writer, or the like may be used as the photo reproduction unit 318 of the store client 300. Thus, similar to a conventional DP & E store, a user can visit a store with a digital camera storage medium and play it with printed pictures, video tapes, CD-ROMs, and the like. And, the communication interface 312 for transmitting and receiving image data between the buried client 300 and the central server 100 is as known to those skilled in the art.

On the other hand, when the user requests the image data by directly accessing the central server 100 using his PC 200, the central server 100 receives the image data from the image data storage unit 114 with the corresponding user identification code. The search is transmitted to the user PC 200 through the image data transmission unit 116. Here, the image data transmission unit 116 may be transmitted to the user through an email using an email server. In addition, the image data transmission unit 116 may be stored in the form of a file in the central server 100 and transmitted in such a manner as to be downloaded by the user. .

As described above, according to the Internet-based digital camera storage medium exchange system of the present invention, the inconvenience caused by the limitation of the memory capacity of the storage medium in using the digital camera (when the memory space of the storage medium is insufficient during shooting Therefore, the stored memory contents can be deleted and reused or replaced with new storage media.

Claims (5)

A system consisting of a central server connected to the Internet and accessible through a user PC, and a plurality of store clients connected to the central server. Store client, the communication interface for communicating with the central server; An image data input unit for receiving image data from a digital camera storage medium of a user visiting the store; An image data storage unit for storing input image data; An image data output unit for outputting stored image data; It consists of a photo playback unit for physically converting the output image data to play back as a photo image, The central server comprises: an image data request unit for transmitting an image data request signal to a corresponding store client in response to a request of a user PC connected through the Internet; An image data receiving unit for receiving image data from a store client; An image data transmission unit for transmitting the received image data to a user PC, The user visits the store, stores the image data stored in the storage medium for the digital camera in the image data storage of the store client, exchanges it with a new storage medium, and transmits the user's own image data through the central server using the user's PC. Internet-based digital camera storage medium exchange system, characterized in that receiving. A system consisting of a central server connected to the Internet and accessible through a user PC, and a plurality of store clients connected to the central server. The store client may include an image data input unit configured to receive image data from a digital camera storage medium of a user visiting the store; A communication interface for transmitting the input image data to the central server and receiving the image data from the central server; An image data output unit for outputting image data received from a central server; It consists of a photo playback unit for physically converting the output image data to play back as a photo image, The central server includes: an image data receiver for receiving image data from a store client and sending the image data to the store client; An image data storage unit for storing image data received from a store client; It is composed of an image data transmission unit for transmitting the image data stored in the image data storage unit to the user PC in response to the request of the user PC connected via the Internet, When a user visits a store and inputs a storage medium for a digital camera, the store client transmits and stores the image data to the central server, and receives the image data owned by the user through the central server using the user's PC. Internet-based digital camera storage media exchange system. The Internet-based digital camera storage medium exchange system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the image data includes an identification code of a corresponding store client and an identification code of a user. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the picture reproducing unit is a picture printer, a VHS recorder, or a CD ROM writer. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the image data transmitting unit of the central server is an e-mail server.