Print production processing apparatus and method, and distributed print-processing system and method

1 . A print production processing apparatus, comprising:

a reception server for receiving print order information and image data;

a storage means for storing the print order information and the image data received by said reception server;

a print production means for producing prints corresponding to the print order information and the image data, sorting the produced prints every print order, and ejecting the sorted prints; and

a control means for controlling print production and sorting by said print production means based on information of a print delivery method contained in the print order information.

2 . The print production processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said control means controls a print production sequence at said print production means and the sorting by said print production means based on the information of the print delivery method so that the prints produced in accordance with print orders corresponding to the same print delivery method are continuously ejected every print order.

3 . The print production processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

said print production means produces an order print recording at least information for identifying a print order in response to the print production for the print order; and

said control means changes at least one of recording contents and a format of the order print in accordance with the information of the print delivery method.

4 . The print production processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said control means further controls a print production sequence at said print production means and the sorting by said print production means based on information showing a delivery route sequence determined previously for print delivery stores so that the prints are ejected every print order in a sequence corresponding to the delivery route sequence.

5 . The print production processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said print production means packs the sorted prints every print order and ejects the packed prints.

6 . A print distribution processing system, comprising:

plural base laboratories, each including a print production processing apparatus and taking charge of plural print delivery stores, wherein said print production processing apparatus, comprising:

a reception server for receiving print order information and image data,

a storage means for storing the print order information and the image data received by said reception server,

a print production means for producing prints corresponding to the print order information and the image data, sorting the produced prints every print order, and ejecting the sorted prints, and

a control means for controlling print production and sorting by said print production means based on information of a print delivery method contained in the print order information;

a center laboratory connected to said plural base laboratories; and

a reception apparatus connected to said center laboratory through a network, for receiving print orders, acquiring the print order information and the image data, and transmitting the acquired print order information and the acquired image data to said center laboratory,

wherein said center laboratory selects one of said plural base laboratories in accordance with the information of the print delivery method contained in the print order information transmitted from said reception apparatus and transmits the print order information and the image data to said selected base laboratory.

7 . A print production processing method, comprising the steps of:

receiving print order information and image data;

producing prints corresponding to the print order information and the image data;

sorting the produced prints every print order; and

ejecting the sorted prints,

wherein print production and sorting are controlled based on information of a print delivery method contained in the print order information.

8 . The print production processing method according to claim 7 , wherein the print production and the sorting are executed based on the information of the print delivery method so that the prints produced in accordance with print orders corresponding to the same print delivery method are continuously ejected every print order.

9 . The print production processing method according to claim 7 , comprising the steps of:

producing an order print recording at least information for identifying a print order in response to the print production for the print order,

wherein at least one of recording contents and a format of the order print is changed in accordance with the information of the print delivery method.

10 . The print production processing method according to claim 7 , wherein the print production and the sorting are executed based on information showing a delivery route sequence determined previously for print delivery stores so that the prints are ejected every print order in a sequence corresponding to the delivery route sequence.

11 . The print production processing method according to claim 7 , wherein the sorted prints every print order are packed and the packed prints ejected.

12 . A print distribution processing method, comprising the steps of:

receiving a print order and acquiring print order information and image data at a center laboratory through a network;

selecting one of plural base laboratories connected to said center laboratory in accordance with the information of the print delivery method contained in the print order;

transmitting the print order information and the image data from said center laboratory to said selected base laboratory; and

producing, at the selected base laboratory, prints corresponding to the print order information and the image data, sorting the produced prints every print order and ejecting the sorted prints based on the information of the print delivery method contained in the print order information.