Information processing system, information processing apparatus, information processing method, storage medium that stores program for implementing it to be readable by information processing apparatus and that program

Abstract

Upon transferring image data stored in a first information processing apparatus (photo site) to a second information processing apparatus (print site), at least one of information that pertains to whether or not the image data is to be acquired by the second information processing apparatus, information that pertains to whether or not the image data has already been acquired by the second information processing apparatus, and information that pertains to the number of times of acquisition of the image data by the second information processing apparatus is managed, and whether or not unwanted image data is transferred to the second information processing apparatus, and whether or not image data illicitly leaks to the second information processing apparatus are monitored on the basis of the managed information. The first information processing apparatus (photo site) prepares required image data in accordance with the current state of a series of processes to be executed by the second information processing apparatus (print site), and passes it to the second information processing apparatus, thereby preventing the first information processing apparatus that saves image data from passing unwanted image data to the second information processing apparatus that processes image data.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An information processing system which includes a first information processing apparatus that stores data, and a second information processing apparatus which acquires the data and executes an output process, 
 wherein said first information processing apparatus comprises: 
 management means for managing, at least one of information that pertains to whether or not the data can be used by said second information processing apparatus and information that pertains to the number of times of acquisition of the data by said second information processing apparatus; and  
 monitor means for monitoring the data on the basis of various kinds of information managed by said management means.  
   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said management means manages state of acquisition by said second information processing apparatus, and when the information indicates that the data can be used by said second information processing apparatus, and has not been acquired by said second information processing apparatus yet, said monitor means determines that said second information processing apparatus has not normally executed an acquisition process.  
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein when the information indicates that the data cannot be used by said second information processing apparatus, and the number of times of acquisition of the data by said second information processing apparatus is not less than a predetermined value, said monitor means determines that said second information processing apparatus has illicitly acquired the data.  
     
     
         4 . An information processing apparatus comprising: 
 storage means for storing data;    transfer means for transferring the data to another information processing apparatus;    management means for managing, at least one of information that pertains to whether or not the data can be used by the other information processing apparatus and information that pertains to the number of times of acquisition of the data by the other information processing apparatus; and    monitor means for monitoring the data on the basis of various kinds of information managed by said management means.    
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said management means manages state of acquisition by said second information processing apparatus, and when the information indicates that the data can be used by the other information processing apparatus, and has not been acquired by the other information processing apparatus yet, said monitor means determines that the other information processing apparatus has not normally executed an acquisition process.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein when the information indicates that the data cannot be used by the other information-processing apparatus, and the number of times of acquisition of the data by the other information processing apparatus is not less than a predetermined value, said monitor means determines that the other information processing apparatus has illicitly acquired the data.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said transfer means transfers the data to the other information processing apparatus to make the apparatus execute an output process of the data.  
     
     
         8 . An information processing method comprising: 
 a storage step of storing data;    a transfer step of transferring the data to another information processing apparatus;    a management step of managing, at least one of information that pertains to whether or not the data can be used by the other information processing apparatus and information that pertains to the number of times of acquisition of the data by the other information processing apparatus; and    a monitor step of monitoring the data on the basis of various kinds of information managed in the management step.    
     
     
         9 . A storage medium storing, to be readable by an information processing apparatus, a program for implementing an information processing method, said method comprising: 
 a storage step of storing data;    a transfer step of transferring the data to another information processing apparatus;    a management step of managing, at least one of information that pertains to whether or not the data can be used by the other information processing apparatus and information that pertains to the number of times of acquisition of the data by the other information processing apparatus; and    a monitor step of monitoring the data on the basis of various kinds of information managed in the management step.    
     
     
         10 . A program for making an information processing apparatus implement an information processing method, said method comprising: 
 a storage step of storing data;    a transfer step of transferring the data to another information processing apparatus;    a management step of managing, at least one of information that pertains to whether or not the data can be used by the other information processing apparatus and information that pertains to the number of times of acquisition of the data by the other information processing apparatus; and    a monitor step of monitoring the data on the basis of various kinds of information managed in the management.    
     
     
         11 . An information processing system which includes a first information processing apparatus that stores data, and a second information processing apparatus which acquires the data and executes an output process, 
 wherein said second information processing apparatus comprises: notification means for notifying said first information processing apparatus of information associated with state of processes to be executed by said second information processing apparatus, and    said first information processing apparatus comprises: 
 management means for managing the information; and  
 control means for controlling said second information processing apparatus to acquire the data on the basis of the information.  
   
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein said notification means notifies at least one of state of an acquisition process of the data, state of an output process of the data, state of an estimation process of cost required for the output process of the data, and state of a settlement process of the cost required for the output process of the data, which are executed by said second information processing apparatus.  
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein said management means manages state of processes to be executed by said first information processing apparatus on the basis of the information.  
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the processes to be executed by said first information processing apparatus include a process for storing data received from a third information processing apparatus, or a process for instructing said second information processing apparatus to execute an output process of the data on the basis of a request from the third information processing apparatus.  
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein said control means controls to acquire attribute data, said attribute data including credit information used to pay cost required for an output process of the data, or shipping address information of a printout as the result of the output process of the data.  
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein the data includes a thumbnail of the data.  
     
     
         17 . An information processing apparatus comprising: 
 storage means for storing data;    transfer means for transferring the data stored in said storage means to another information processing apparatus;    reception means for receiving information associated with state of processes to be executed by the other information processing apparatus;    management means for managing the information; and    control means for controlling transfer of the data to the other information processing apparatus on the basis of the information.    
     
     
         18 . An information processing apparatus for acquiring data transferred from another information processing apparatus, and executing an output process, comprising: 
 notification means for notifying the other information processing apparatus of information associated with state of an executed process; and    acquisition means for acquiring the data controlled by the other information processing apparatus on the basis of the information.    
     
     
         19 . An information processing method comprising: 
 a storage step of storing data;    a transfer step of transferring the data to another information processing apparatus;    a reception step of receiving information associated with state of processes to be executed by the other information processing apparatus;    a management step of managing the information; and    a control step of controlling transfer of the data to the other information processing apparatus on the basis of the information.    
     
     
         20 . An information processing method for acquiring data transferred from another information processing apparatus, and executing an output process, comprising: 
 a notification step of notifying the other information processing apparatus of information associated with state of an executed process; and    an acquisition step of acquiring the data controlled by the other information processing apparatus on the basis of the information.    
     
     
         21 . A storage medium storing, to be readable by an information processing apparatus, a program for implementing an information processing method, said method comprising: 
 a storage step of storing data;    a transfer step of transferring the data stored in the storage step to another information processing apparatus;    a reception step of receiving information associated with state of processes to be executed by the other information processing apparatus;    a management step of managing received information; and    a control step of controlling transfer of the data to the other information processing apparatus on the basis of the information.    
     
     
         22 . A storage medium storing, to be readable by an information processing apparatus, a program for implementing an information processing method for acquiring data transferred from another information processing apparatus, and executing an output process, said method comprising: 
 a notification step of notifying the other information processing apparatus of information associated with state of an executed process; and    an acquisition step of acquiring the data controlled by the other information processing apparatus on the basis of the information.    
     
     
         23 . A program for implementing an information processing method, said method comprising: 
 a storage step of storing data;    a transfer step of transferring the data stored in the storage step to another information processing apparatus;    a reception step of receiving information associated with state of processes to be executed by the other information processing apparatus;    a management step of managing received information; and    a control step of controlling transfer of the data to the other information processing apparatus on the basis of the information.    
     
     
         24 . A program for implementing an information processing method for acquiring data transferred from another information processing apparatus, and executing an output process, said method comprising: 
 a notification step of notifying the other information processing apparatus of information associated with state of an executed process; and    an acquisition step of acquiring the data controlled by the other information processing apparatus on the basis of the information.