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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image storage managing apparatus and
image storage managing method for properly retrieving and displaying
stored image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
For shops and sales companies which sell merchandise, sales management of
merchandise and customer management are important managerial work.
Recently, POS (Point Of Sales) management has been introduced for sales
management. With the use of this POS management, as a bar code affixed to
a merchandise is read out, data on which merchandise has been sold is
registered so that it is possible to discriminate how well individual
merchandise has been sold and this information can be an index for placing
an order for merchandise or sending back some merchandise. Accumulating
such information provides a way to easily discriminating which merchandise
is sold in which season, on which day of the week and in which time zone.
It is apparent that sales management has been computerized significantly.
Customer management, however, is often a paper-basis process involving
customer cards or the like. Further, the contents of the management
information contain only imageless, character information. In some cases,
a silver photograph or Polaroid photograph may merely be stuck on each
customer card.
Attempts have also been made towards the computerization of the customer
management. In this computerized system, ID cards of a credit-card size,
such as service cards and membership cards, affixed with bar codes or
magnetic tapes are issued to individual customers, and various types of
information are data-based for the individual customers. In this case,
however, accumulated information also consists only of character
information.
Although the computerization of both the merchandise sales management and
customer management is progressing gradually, those managements are
independent of each other and are not linked to each other. For instance,
for convenience stores, it is not so important who bought what, i.e., it
is not considered so important what merchandise has been sold to which
people.
However, there are some fields in which it is very important what
merchandise has been sold to what people. In the apparel field, for
example, if the preferences and purchase history is known, this known
bought what merchandises or clothes is known, this information becomes
very effective in planning and selling clothes. This system requires image
data as well as character data.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to ensure the management
of merchandise information containing images and customer information also
containing images in association with each other.
To achieve the above object, according to one aspect of this invention,
there is provided an image storage managing apparatus comprising:
customer data storage means for storing various types of information on
each customer together with image data thereof;
merchandise data storage means for storing various types of information on
each merchandise together with image data thereof;
sales data storage means for storing customer-merchandise link data for
each customer, indicating merchandises purchased by the customer; and
customer-merchandise retrieving means for retrieving information on a
specific customer and information on each merchandise purchased by the
specific customer from the customer data storage means and the merchandise
data storage means based on the customer-merchandise link data stored in
the sales data storage means, and displaying those information with images
in association with each other.
According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided an image
storage managing method comprising the steps of:
storing various types of information on each customer together with image
data thereof in customer data storage means;
storing various types of information on each merchandise together with
image data thereof in merchandise data storage means;
storing customer-merchandise link data for each customer in sales data
storage means, the link data indicating merchandises purchased by the
customer; and
retrieving information on a specific customer and information on each
merchandise purchased by the specific customer from the customer data
storage means and the merchandise data storage means based on the
customer-merchandise link data stored in the sales data storage means, and
displaying those information with images in association with each other.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the
description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the
description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects
and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of
the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the
appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part
of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the
invention, and together with the general description given above and the
detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to
explain the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a first embodiment of the
present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a retrieval process executed by a
processor in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing various retrieval results;
FIG. 4 is a diagram exemplifying the actual customer retrieval list display
in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a diagram exemplifying the actual customer data individual
display in FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of the customer data individual
display in FIG. 3;
FIG. 7 is a diagram exemplifying the actual customer-merchandise purchase
display in FIG. 3;
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of the customer-merchandise
purchase display in FIG. 3;
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a further example of the customer-merchandise
purchase display in FIG. 3;
FIG. 10 is a diagram exemplifying the actual merchandise retrieval list
display in FIG. 3;
FIG. 11 is a diagram exemplifying the actual merchandise data individual
display in FIG. 3;
FIG. 12 is a diagram exemplifying the actual memo data list display;
FIGS. 13A through 13E present a sequence of flowcharts for explaining the
timing for storing image data and the actual utilization of the stored
image data;
FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a process for inputting images in a
data storage section;
FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a process for inputting sales data in
the data storage section;
FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating a process concerning a list display
portion in a retrieval process done by a processor according to a second
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an image list display or an image list display
screen;
FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a way to enlarge an image whose enlargement is
specified in the image list display screen;
FIG. 19 is a diagram showing another way to enlarge an image whose
enlargement is specified in the image list display screen;
FIG. 20 is a diagram showing how to enlarge an image whose enlargement is
specified in a purchase display;
FIGS. 21A and 21B present a sequence of flowcharts for a process executed
by the processor when the transfer of image data is instructed by an
instruction input section;
FIGS. 22A and 22B are diagrams showing transfer setting screens;
FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an image list display screen;
FIG. 24 is a diagram showing how to enlarge an image whose enlargement is
specified in the image list display screen;
FIG. 25 is a diagram showing the discriminative display of images which are
selected to be transferred in the image list display screen;
FIG. 26 is a diagram showing the list display screen after the selected
images in FIG. 25 are transferred;
FIG. 27 is a diagram showing the list display screen after the screen in
FIG. 26 is changed to the next or previous screen; and
FIG. 28 is a diagram showing another way to enlarge an image whose
enlargement is specified in the image list display screen.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described
referring to the accompanying drawings. The following description will be
given of the case where this invention is applied to a small apparel shop
which plans, manufactures and retails clothes. This is to be considered as
illustrative and not restrictive and the invention may be adapted for
larger apparel shops or other businesses.
In FIG. 1 showing the structure of a first embodiment of this invention, an
image generator 10 picks up the images of merchandise and customers to
generate their image data. A card camera, such as an electronic still
camera, which electronically stores picked-up image data into a recording
medium like a memory card may be used as this image generator 10. This
card camera is equipped with a small color display, e.g., liquid crystal
display, for displaying image data stored in the recording medium, and may
be connected to a color video printer or the like as needed to print out
the image data.
The image data generated by the image generator 10 is supplied to an image
storage managing section that is constituted by, for example, a personal
computer system. In this case, the supply of image data is accomplished by
dismounting a memory card 12 as a recording medium from the card camera,
installing the memory card 12 in an image input section 14, e.g., a card
reader, and then reading the stored data from the memory card 12.
Alternatively, a compact hard disk (HD) 16 may be used as a recording
medium, or the image generator 10 may be directly connected to the image
input section 14 via a wire 18.
The image data input from the image input section 14 is stored in a data
storage section 22 under the control of a processor 20. A recording
medium, such as a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk or a laser disk, may
be used as this data storage section 22. The data storage section 22
includes a customer data storage section 24 for storing customer data, a
merchandise data storage section 26 for storing merchandise data, a sales
data storage section 28 for storing sales data and a memo data storage
section 30 for storing other various types of data.
The customer data storage section 24 stores data in an image data section
24A, a link item section 24B and a key item section 24C for each customer
image data input through the image input section 14. The image data stored
in the image data section 24A alone just forms images. To indicate to
which customer the image data belongs, key data, such as the name, address
and telephone number, is stored in the key item section 24C. This key data
is written by the processor 20 in accordance with the input operation of a
key input section 32 like a keyboard. The image data (24A) does not exist
alone but is associated with some other pictures and/or files. That is,
for the same customer, image data contains a plurality of images, such as
a full-size image, a half-size image and a face image, which should be
linked to one another to prevent the disordered arrangement of the images.
In this respect, link data to link those images from one to another is
stored in the link item section 24B. In other words, least associated
image data can be linked together by this link data. This link data is
written by the processor 20 in accordance with the input operation of the
link input section 34 like a keyboard.
Like the customer data storage section 24, the merchandise data storage
section 26 stores data in an image data section 26A, a link item section
26B and a key item section 26C for each merchandise image data input
through the image input section 14.
The sales data storage section 28 stores sales data as customer-merchandise
link data and customer-merchandise link data. Customer-merchandise link
data 28A indicates a merchandise M purchased by each customer C, which is
stored for that customer C. Likewise, customer-merchandise link data 28B
indicates a customer C who has purchased each merchandise M, which is
stored for each merchandise M. In other words, if there are some pieces of
merchandise data, the sales data storage section 28 stores information on,
for example, when a merchandise one (M1) was purchased by which customer
C, or when the merchandise M1 was sold to a certain customer C1. This
sales data is written by the processor 20 in accordance with the input
operation of the keyboard for a manual input or the input operation of a
sales data input section 36, which is constituted as a POS terminal, for
an automatic input.
The memo data storage section 30 stores various kinds of image data for
reference, e.g., buttons, designs and images of magazines. Like the
customer data storage section 24 and the merchandise data storage section
26, this memo data storage section 30 stores data in an image data
section, a link item section and a key item section for each image data
input from the image input section 14 though not illustrated.
Further connected to the processor 20 are a customer ID input section 38,
an instruction input section 40, a display 42, an image output section 44
and an external input/output (I/O) unit 46.
To retrieve images, associated with a customer when this customer came to
the shop previously, from the data storage section 22, the shop should
quickly find out who the customer is or the name and the number of that
customer. In this respect, the customer ID input section 38 is provided.
More specifically, this customer ID input section 38 serves to input data
specifying each customer in order to make the use of available associated
images even if the name of the customer is not forgotten or known. The
customer ID input section 38 may be a card reader or bar code reader which
reads out data specifying each customer from an ID card issued to that
customer. Alternatively, the customer ID input section 38 may be a
keyboard or voice input ten keys through which the customer inputs the ID
number. In the latter case, however, some measures should be taken to
cause each customer to enter his or her own ID number willingly. For
example, when a customer comes shopping in a shop where every customer is
asked to change the shoes to slippers, an attendant could say something
like "please give me your ID number and we will bring the slippers you
wore last time" to obtain the ID number such as the telephone number from
the customer. In this case, the slippers are used as a tool to convince
each customer that the ID number is needed to have the slippers
particularly prepared for that customer.
The instruction input section 40 is a keyboard or a mouse for instructing
the processor 20 to execute retrieval or the like of data in the data
storage section 22, and the display 42 is a CRT monitor or the like for
displaying the results of the retrieval.
The image output section 44, as opposed to the image input section 14, is a
card writer for writing image data, read from the data storage section 22,
onto the memory card 12 as a recording medium. The image output section 44
may be a device which writes image data on a compact HD 16 as a recording
medium.
The recording medium, such as the memory card 12 or compact HD 16, is
installed in a house-to-house sales tool 48. The card camera in the image
generator 10 may be used directly as this tool 48. That is, image data
electronically stored in the installed recording medium may be displayed
on a small color display like a color liquid crystal display or the card
camera may be connected to a color video printer or the like as needed to
print out the image data to help explain popular merchandise in a
customer's house, another sales company, a retail shop or the like.
Assuming that there are top ten well-selling clothes and information
thereon are stored and organized in the data storage section 22, then the
mobility is apparently improved significantly if the images of those
clothes are saved on a recording medium, such as the memory card 12, and
the salesman or saleswoman brings the recording medium and the card camera
along than if the salesperson actually brings the clothes along. The
house-to-house sales tool 48 may be a compact and light computer or a
so-called notebook computer, as well as the card camera.
The external I/O unit 46 includes an interface to external memory devices,
such as an FD drive, MO drive and CD-ROM drive, and an image scanner that
is used as an auxiliary image input section.
The thus constituted image storage managing apparatus can register an input
image in a computer, and can retrieve individual image-containing
information and display the retrieval results in some cases or can display
the images of both a customer and a merchandise in association with each
other to clarify the correlation between the customer and merchandise.
FIG. 2 presents a flowchart illustrating a retrieval process executed by
the processor 20. With a vast amount of data already stored in the data
storage section 22, when a retrieval condition is input as needed through
the instruction input section 40 to instruct retrieval of customers (step
S10), the processor 20 selects a list display as one way of displaying the
retrieval result (step S12), and searches the customer data storage
section 24 in the data storage section 22 (step S14). The processor 20
then displays an image and characters (customer data representative items)
which match with the input retrieval condition on the display 42 as a
customer retrieval list display 50 (step S16) as shown in FIG. 3. This
customer retrieval list display 50 actually becomes the one shown in FIG.
4.
When an operator operates a mouse of the instruction input section .cent.0
to move a mouse cursor 40C to a target image and then clicks the right
mouse button (step S18), detailed information about that image is read out
from the key item section 24C and is displayed around the image (step S20)
as shown in FIG. 4. If the left mouse button is clicked (step S22), the
processor 20 determines whether or not the mouse cursor 40C is pointing an
image (step S24). If the mouse cursor 40C is pointing a sort order item,
not an image, the processor 20 returns to the aforementioned step S14 and
searches the customer data storage section 24 again in accordance with the
indicated sort order. If it is determined in the step S24 that an image is
pointed, the processor 20 proceeds to step S30 to be described later.
When the termination of the retrieval process is instructed through the
unillustrated keyboard of the instruction input section 40 (step S26), the
processor 20 terminates the retrieval process.
when a retrieval with a customer name or the like as a key is specified
through the instruction input section 40 in the step S10, the processor 20
selects an individual display as one way of displaying the retrieval
result (step S12), and searches the customer data storage section 24 in
the data storage section 22 (step S28). The processor 20 then displays an
image and characters (customer data essential items) which match with the
input retrieval condition on the display 42 as a customer data individual
display 52 (step S30) as shown in FIG. 3. When an image is selected in the
list display 50 in step S24, this customer data individual display 52 can
be given for the selected image.
This customer data individual display 52 actually becomes as shown in FIG.
5 or FIG. 6. FIG. 5 shows a face image fetched as the image of the
customer. When the operator points the mouse cursor 40C to, for example,
"full-length image" in the individual display as indicated in FIG. 5 and
then clicks the left mouse button (step S32), the flow returns to the step
S28 to retrieve the image data of the full-length image linked by the link
data of the image data in the link item section 24B, and the display is
switched to the full-length image display as shown in FIG. 6. If the
full-length image of the customer, instead of the face image alone, is
shown, an attendant can better understand what kinds of clothes the
customer prefers. The items, such as the aforementioned "full-length
image," are displayed when selectable images are available based on the
link data set in the link item section 24B.
When the termination of the retrieval process is instructed through the
unillustrated keyboard of the instruction input section 40 (step S34), the
processor 20 terminates the retrieval process.
When a retrieval with a key to specify a customer and an instruction to
retrieve merchandises purchased by this customer are input through the
instruction input section 40 in the step S10, the processor 20 selects a
purchase display as one way of displaying the retrieval result (step S12),
and executes a retrieval based on sales data (step S36). The processor 20
then displays the retrieval results on the display 42 as a
customer-merchandise purchase display 54 (step S38) as shown in FIG. 3.
This customer-merchandise purchase display 54 actually becomes as shown in
FIG. 7.
When the operator moves the mouse cursor 40C to a sort order item and then
clicks the left mouse button (step S40), the flow returns to the step S36
to search the customer data storage section 22 again in accordance with
the sort order specified by the mouse cursor 40C then.
When the termination of the retrieval process is instructed through the
unillustrated keyboard of the instruction input section 40 (step S42), the
processor 20 terminates the retrieval process.
If the images of clothes the customer has tried on every occasion besides
the merchandises actually purchased are stored, those images can also
displayed together with the retrieval results as shown in FIG. 8 or FIG.
9. This allows the attendant to give some advices on the selection of
merchandises in light of the total coordination with the clothes the
customer already owns.
With regard to merchandises, as in the above-described case of the
customer, as a retrieval condition is input as needed through the
instruction input section 40, the processor 20 searches the data storage
section 22 for images and characters which match the retrieval condition,
and displays the retrieval results on the display 42 as a merchandise
retrieval list display 56 as shown in FIG. 3. This merchandise retrieval
list display 56 actually becomes as shown in FIG. 10.
If any image in the merchandise retrieval list display 56 is specified or a
retrieval with a merchandise name as a key is instructed by the
instruction input section 40, the retrieval results are displayed as a
merchandise data individual display 58 as shown in FIG. 3. This
merchandise data individual display 58 actually becomes as shown in FIG.
11. If there are selectable images, those items are also displayed.
When a key specifying a merchandise and an instruction to retrieve the
customers who bought the merchandise are input through the instruction
input section 40, the processor 20 performs the retrieval process based on
sales data and displays the retrieval results on the display 42 as a
customer-merchandise purchase display 60, as shown in FIG. 3.
As various kinds of information for reference including button data, design
data, town data and measurement data are also stored as memo data in the
data storage section 22, those information can also be searched. That is,
as in the case of the customer and the case of the merchandise, a list
display or an individual display as shown in FIG. 12 may be presented.
The timing for storing image data and the actual utilization of the stored
image data will be described below with reference to a sequence of
flowcharts shown in FIGS. 13A to 13E.
First, based on information stored in the data storage section 22, a
variety of clothes are planned and considered to determine which clothes
should actually be made (step S50). That is, it is possible to design
clothes based on old merchandise images and information on magazines by
referring to the merchandise retrieval list display 56, the merchandise
data individual display 58 and memo data display.
Then, clothes whose production has been decided are prepared as samples
(ready-made clothes) (step S52), and the samples are photographed by the
card camera of the image generator 10 (step S54). The picked-up image data
of the merchandise are input through the image input section 14 and link
data and key data are input through the link input section 34 and the key
input section 32, and those data are then registered in the merchandise
data storage section 26 in the data storage section 22 (step S56).
Next, direct mails (DMs) to limited customers are prepared referring to the
customer retrieval list display 50, the customer data individual display
52 and the customer-merchandise purchase display 54 and are mailed (step
S58). At this time, the images of the merchandise, which are saved in the
house-to-house sales tool 48 from the image output section 44 and are
printed from a video printer or the like, may be used for the DMs.
When a customer actually comes to the shop (step S60), the ID number or the
like is input from the customer ID input section 38 to search the data
storage section 22 and present the customer data individual display 52 and
the customer-merchandise purchase display 54 (step S62). This system can
provide the brief information on the customer, so that even if the
attendant in charge for the customer is not present, the customer can
properly be attended. Next, the attendant photographs the customer with
the card camera of the image generator 10, prints out the photograph from
the video printer and presents the print to the customer as a remembrance
(step S64). The attendant then asks the customer the purpose of his or her
coming to the shop, i.e., asks the customer if he or she wants to buy some
ready-made clothes or prepare easy-made clothes or custom-made clothes
(step S66).
If the customer came to buy some ready-made clothes (step S68), the
attendant shows the proper merchandises according to the clothes purchased
earlier or the image of the clothes the customer is currently wearing or
in accordance with the customer's present request to allow the customer to
select a desired merchandise (step S70). If there is any desired
merchandise, the attendant asks the customer to actually try it on (step
S72), takes a picture of the customer and then prints out the photograph
from the video printer (step S74). The print can therefore be used in
place of an image on an ordinary mirror, and different postures with
different merchandise on can easily be compared with one another. Even if
some merchandise is out of stock, the images of the merchandise can be
shown to the customer as additional candidates. In this manner,
merchandise sold out or old merchandise can be counted as selling
merchandise.
When an item of merchandise to be purchased is decided upon (step S76), the
attendant enters the necessary information, such as the size, the name of
the customer, the address, the telephone number, the name of the
merchandise, the material and the price, in the sales book (step S78),
receives the money (step S80), and hands out the merchandise to the
customer (step S82). Then, the customer brings the merchandise home (step
S84). At the time data is entered in the sales book, the necessary entries
can be made by referring to the customer data individual display 52, thus
eliminating the need for asking the customer for the name, etc.
After the customer leaves the shop, the customer management process is
performed (step S86) as follows. The recording medium, such as the memory
card 12, is removed from the card camera of the image generator 10 and is
placed in the card reader of the image input section 14 to input the image
data to the data storage section 22. The customer retrieval list display
50 including the image data, the customer data individual display 52, the
customer-merchandise purchase display 54, or the like is displayed and by
referring to this display and the data-entered sales book, the attendant
operates the link input section 34, the key input section 32, the sales
data input section 36, etc., i.e., operates the keyboard to input the
necessary data.
If data is directly read from the customer's ID card or the bar code on the
tag put on each item of merchandise, the aforementioned entry to the sales
book becomes unnecessary and the amount of input data in the customer
management process can be reduced greatly.
If the customer came to order some easy-made clothes (step S68), the
attendant shows samples for easy-made clothes according to the clothes
purchased earlier or the image of the clothes the customer is currently
wearing or in accordance with the customer's present request to allow the
customer to select a desired sample (step S88).
If there is any desired sample, the attendant takes a picture of the sample
(step S90). Further, various measurements of the customer are obtained
(step S92), and the attendant enters the necessary information, such as
data on the measurements, the name of the customer, the address, the
telephone number, the name of the merchandise, the material, the price,
the amount of a deposit and the appointed date of delivery, in the order
book (step S78), receives the money (step S94). Further, the attendant
takes a picture of the customer, prints out the photograph from the video
printer and presents the print to the customer as a remembrance of the
purchase (step S96). Upon reception of the price or a deposit (step S98),
the attendant hands out a merchandise exchange ticket or the like to the
customer (step S100). Then, the customer brings the ticket home (step
102). At the time data is entered in the order book, the necessary entries
can be made by referring to the customer data individual display 52, thus
eliminating the need for asking the customer for the name, etc.
After the customer leaves the shop, the customer management process is
performed (step S104) as follows. The recording medium, such as the memory
card 12, is removed from the card camera of the image generator 10 and is
placed in the card reader of the image input section 14 to input the image
data to the data storage section 22. The customer retrieval list display
50 including the image data, the customer data individual display 52, the
customer-merchandise purchase display 54, or the like is displayed and by
referring to this display and the data-entered sales book, the attendant
operates the link input section 34, the key input section 32, the sales
data input section 36, etc., i.e., operates the keyboard to input the
necessary data.
If data is directly read from the customer's ID card or the bar code on the
tag put on each merchandise, the aforementioned entry to the sales book
becomes unnecessary and the amount of input data in the customer
management process can be reduced greatly. If there is data of the
measurements of previously purchased clothes, the step of measuring the
size may be partially omitted.
If the ordered clothes are made based on the order book (step S106) and the
clothes are complete, the attendant informs the customer of the completion
or informs the customer of the expected completion date (appointed date of
delivery) (step S108). If the date and time for the next visit of the
customer are checked here, the face and name of the customer can be
checked in advance referring to the customer data individual display 52.
When the customer came to the shop next time to pick up the completed
clothes (step S110), therefore, the retrieval as executed in the step S62
becomes unnecessary. If the attendant is not present, the customer can be
properly attended after executing the retrieval in the step S62.
Next, the attendant asks the customer to actually try the completed clothes
on (step S112), takes a picture of the customer, and then prints out the
photograph from the video printer to present the picture to the customer
(step S114). After the clothes are wrapped and given to the customer (step
S116), the customer brings the merchandise home (step S118).
After the customer leaves the shop, the customer management process is
performed (step S120) as follows. The recording medium, such as the memory
card 12, is removed from the card camera of the image generator 10 and is
placed in the card reader of the image input section 14 to input the image
data of the customer with the merchandise on to the data storage section
22. The customer retrieval list display 50 including the image data, the
customer data individual display 52, the customer-merchandise purchase
display 54, or the like is displayed and by referring to this display and
the data-entered sales book, the attendant operates the link input section
34, the key input section 32, the sales data input section 36, etc., i.e.,
operates the keyboard to input the necessary data.
When the customer having come to the shop wants to order custom-made
clothes (step S68), the customer consults with the attendant about the
design (step S122) referring to the merchandise retrieval list display 56,
the customer data individual display 58 and memo data or some printouts if
necessary. That is, the attendant can suggest designs based on the designs
of the old merchandises. Once the final design is decided (step S124), the
flow proceeds to the aforementioned step S92 to execute a sequence of
processes after the size measuring.
If the final design has not been decided yet but there are some candidates
(step S124), the attendant takes a picture of the customer and inputs the
image via the image input section 14 to the data storage section 22 (step
S126). Then, the image of the customer is combined with the images of the
candidate designs for simulation to allow the customer to decide the most
desirable design (step S128). If the final design is decided (step S130),
the flow proceeds to the step S92 to execute a sequence of processes after
the size measuring. As the customer is shown only the image of the
customer photographed in the step S126, therefore, the customer cannot
know that the images photographed at other timings are utilized in the
customer management.
Instead of taking a picture of every customer who has come to the shop to
store the images of individual customers, which | | |
