Photographic image service system

Abstract

Photographic images of local area events are efficiently provided. Each of a plurality of laboratories obtains photographic images of events in their local areas and uploads the images to a management server. The management server stores the images, correlated with area specifying data that specifies the location of the laboratory which has uploaded them. A user transmits the zip code of an area in which an event for which he desires photographic images was held, via an Internet television set. The management server searches for images uploaded by a laboratory in an area that matches the transmitted zip code, and transmits the images to the Internet television set. The user selects desired images. Then, the management server generates and transmits an output command that causes a laboratory to print the images selected by the user.

1 . A management server communicably linked to at least one service shop for providing a photographic image service and at least one order terminal, the management server comprising: 
 memory configured to record at least one photographic image of an event, the at least one photographic image received from a service shop, correlated with area specifying data that specifies an area where the service shop is located;    a search module configured to search the memory for the at least one photographic image of the event received from the service shop which is designated by area designating data received from the order terminal;    an image exhibiting module for transmitting the at least one photographic image found by the search module to the order terminal; and    an output controller configured to transmit output commands that cause at least one photographic image, specified by image specifying data received from the order terminal from among the at least one photographic image of the event, to be transmitted to a predetermined service shop.    
     
     
         2 . The management server as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the event comprises a plurality of sub-events; 
 wherein the memory module is further configured to record the at least one photographic image of the event, correlated with at least one of the plurality of sub-events at which the photographic image was obtained;    wherein the management server is further configured to receive sub-event specifying data from the order terminal, the sub-event specifying data specifying a sub-event desired by a use; and    wherein the image exhibiting module is further configured to transmit at least one photographic image of an event which was obtained at the sub-event which is specified by the sub-event specifying data, from among the photographic images of the event which were located by the search module.    
     
     
         3 . The management server as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the memory employs the time and date of photography of the photographic image of the event and the time and date that the sub-event was held to record the at least one photographic image of the event, correlated with the sub-event at which the photographic image was obtained.  
     
     
         4 . The management server as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the memory employs the location of photography of the photographic image of the event and the location where the sub-event was held, to record the at least one photographic image of the event, correlated with the sub-event at which the photographic image was obtained.  
     
     
         5 . The management server as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the image exhibiting module transmits a confirmation image of the at least one photographic image of the event.  
     
     
         6 . The management server as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the output controller is configured to cause a service shop, selected by a shop selecting module of the order terminal, to output the at least one photographic image of the event.  
     
     
         7 . The management server as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an extracting module configured to extract at least one photographic image in which the target subject is pictured, from among the at least one photographic image of the event, based on a characteristic image received from the order terminal; wherein the image exhibiting module is further configured to transmit only the at least one photographic image in which the target subject is pictured, extracted by the extracting module, to the order terminal.    
     
     
         8 . The management server as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the target subject is a person and the characteristic image is a photographic image of the person's face.  
     
     
         9 . The management server as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the output controller is configured to cause a service shop, selected by a shop selecting module of the order terminal, to output the at least one photographic image of the event.  
     
     
         10 . The management server as set forth in  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 an extracting module configured to extract at least one photographic image in which the target subject is pictured, from among the at least one photographic image of the event, based on a characteristic image received from the order terminal; wherein the image exhibiting module is further configured to transmit only the at least one photographic image in which the target subject is pictured, extracted by the extracting module, to the order terminal.    
     
     
         11 . The management server as set forth in  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 an extracting module configured to extract at least one photographic image in which the target subject is pictured, from among the at least one photographic image of the event, based on a characteristic image received from the order terminal; wherein the image exhibiting module is further configured to transmit only the at least one photographic image in which the target subject is pictured, extracted by the extracting module, to the order terminal.