BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an advice device, a print-out, and a recording medium in which is stored a program. In particular, the present invention relates to an advice device for giving advice to a customer shooting an image, a print-out that is added to photographic prints when photographic prints that have been created in accordance with a request from the customer are delivered to the customer via an order receiving center, which is called DPE (Developing, Printing and Enlarging) shop or a photo shop, and a storage medium in which is stored a program for allowing a computer to function as the advice device.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Digital still cameras (abbreviated as “DSC” below) of a configuration in which a subject is shot with an imaging device such as a CCD, an analog image signal obtained by the shooting is converted to digital image data, and thereafter the image data is stored in an information storage medium such as SmartMedia® are characterized in that, by playing back and displaying the shot image on a liquid crystal screen (LCD) at the place where the image was shot, a user can check to see whether the shooting was successful or a failure at the place where the image was shot. Such DSCs have rapidly become widespread in recent years. An image shot with a DSC can be preserved as a high-definition photographic print by, for example, a customer bringing the image data to an order receiving center and requesting photographic processing such as the creation of photographic prints. It is also possible for the image represented by the image data to be easily recorded on paper or the like by a printer that the customer owns.

[0005] A technique has been proposed in which a communication device of service center and the user's communication device are connected via public communication line, and the information relating to the shot image is transmitted from the customer to the service center. In service center, an expert photographer analyzes the transmitted information, judges the shot image and transmits advice to the customer (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2002-107797).

[0006] Requests to create photographic prints from images shot using a DSC or an ordinary camera are ordinarily carried out by the customer bringing to an order receiving center the shot photographic film or the recording medium in which the shot image data is stored. Photographic prints created on the basis of a request from the customer using the shot photographic film or the shot image data read from the recording medium are delivered to the customer returning to the order receiving center.

[0007] Conventionally, various technology has been developed for improving the image quality of photographic prints. For example, in digital printers (photographic prints created by a system in which an image is exposed and recorded on printing paper by scanning the printing paper with laser light modulated according to the data of the image to be recorded), which can relatively freely control image quality, various image processing for improving the image quality of photographic prints is provided (e.g., hyper-tone processing that corrects a backlit scene by compressing the gray scale of the low-frequency luminance component of the image).

[0008] However, various factors affect the image quality (reproducibility of the shot subject) of photographic prints, and image quality is largely affected depending on, for example, whether or not the shooting operation of the customer during shooting is appropriate.

[0009] In particular, recent DSCs have become more sophisticated and more multifunctional, and operations for mastering the functions with which a DSC is disposed have become complex. For this reason, among customers who own a DSC, there are not a few who either do not fully understand the functions with which the DSC that they own is disposed or do not fully understand the operations for utilizing each of the functions with which the DSC is disposed. Additionally, there is an extremely large number of customers who feel dissatisfied with the result (e.g., image quality) of images that they themselves have shot.

[0010] For example, the shooting modes currently disposed in many DSCs are configured to eliminate the cumbersomeness of the customer having to change the fine settings (e.g., shutter speed, aperture, etc.) of the DSC in accordance with a scene that is to be shot, so that a shot image of high quality measuring up to the capabilities of the DSC is obtained by the intuitive operation of selecting the shooting mode in accordance with the scene that is to be shot. However, because the number of types of shooting modes tends to increase in accompaniment with the increasing sophistication and multifunctionality of DSCs, the current situation is one where some customers have come to feel that the operations for selecting appropriate shooting modes in accordance with the scene to be shot are in themselves complex.

[0011] Currently, in order for customers who have purchased a DSC to understand the functions of the purchased DSC and become acquainted with its shooting operations, there are no other options but to read the operations manual enclosed with the purchased DSC and try out the various operations. Because the volume of such operations manuals also tends to increase in accompaniment with the increasing sophistication and multifunctionality of DSCs, the costumer segment whose level of understanding with respect to the functions of the DSCs and whose level of acquaintance with the shooting operations are insufficient is also increasing. Thus, other than relying on the self-help efforts of customers, such as reading operations manuals, there is a need for the establishment of customer services associated with improving the customer's level of understanding with respect to the functions of the DSCs and the customer's level of acquaintance with shooting operations.

[0012] Also, because it is difficult to finely check the image quality of a shot image with an LCD whose screen size is small and which is disposed in the DSC, it is often the case that customers whose level of understanding with respect to DSC functions and whose level of acquaintance with shooting operations are insufficient first feel dissatisfied with the result (e.g., image quality) when they receive and visually check the created photographic prints or visually check the images recorded on paper or the like.

[0013] It is extremely difficult to completely prevent the customer requesting the creation of photographic prints from being dissatisfied with the image quality of the finished photographic prints. Additionally, the delivery of photographic prints is simply done in a short period of time when the customer returns to the order receiving center in order to pick up the photographic prints, and the current situation is one where the customer is not asked whether he/she is dissatisfied with the image quality of the photographic prints and information useful to individual customers is not provided.

[0014] For this reason, even if, for example, the customer himself/herself carried out shooting operations that adversely affected the image quality of the photographic prints, it is difficult for the customer to become aware of this. Thus, there has been the problem that the customer is frequently dissatisfied with the image quality because the same shooting operations are repeated. There has also been the problem that, even when there is the potential for the dissatisfaction of the customer in regard to the image quality of photographic prints to be eliminated by ordering specific image processing at the time the creation of photographic prints is requested, there is no opportunity for the customer to become aware of this.

[0015] In particular, photographic prints are created by an image forming system disposed at a processing station (a so-called large lab) or by an image forming system disposed at an order receiving center, by the customer taking the trouble of going to an order receiving center and ordering only images of the shot images that the customer wishes to preserve as high-definition photographic prints. Thus, the standards demanded by the customer with respect to the result of the photographic prints are high, and there is the potential for dissatisfaction in regard to the results of the photographic prints to be associated with a drop in the level of trust of the customer with respect to DSCs, order receiving centers, and image forming systems, such that, for example, customers who feel dissatisfaction in regard to the result of the photographic prints also feel distrust for DSCs, order receiving centers and image forming systems. For this reason, there is a need for the establishment of customer services associated with the improvement of the image quality of photographic prints and, consequently, the improvement of the level of satisfaction of the customer.

[0016] The problem that there are customers whose level of understanding with respect to the functions of shooting devices and whose level of acquaintance with shooting operations are insufficient is not limited to cases where the shooting device is a DSC (specifically, a DSC designed exclusively for shooting). This problem is also common to cases where, for example, the shooting device is an ordinary camera, a digital video camera, or a DSC disposed in a portable device such as a mobile telephone or a PDA. With respect to these customer segments also, there is a need for the establishment of customer services associated with the improvement of the level of understanding with respect to functions and the level of acquaintance with shooting operations.

[0017] Although the invention disclosed in the above described JP-A No. 2002-107797 has an advantage that objective evaluation of the image shot by the customer is provided to the customer, the invention is not associated with improvements of the customer's level of understanding with respect to the functions of the DSCs and the customer's level of acquaintance with shooting operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The present invention was devised in consideration of the above-described facts, and it is an object thereof to obtain an advice device, a print-out, and a recording medium in which is stored a program that can realize the improvement of services with respect to a customer who conducts a shooting operation and requests the creation of image outputted media such as photographic prints.

[0019] In order to achieve the aforementioned object, according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an advice device comprising: an identification section for identifying, on the basis of data of a shot image shot by a customer, a shooting operation of the customer during shooting that has the potential to affect the image quality of the shot image; a determination section for determining whether or not the shooting operation of the customer identified by the identification section is appropriate; and a generation section for generating, on the basis of a result of determination by the determination section, advice information representing advice relating to a shooting operation.

[0020] A person who conducts a shooting operation and a person who requests the creation of image outputted medium (photographic print or the like) can be the same person or different person, and both are collectively referred to as “customer”.

[0021] The shooting operation of the customer during shooting that has the potential to affect the image quality of the shot image is identified on the basis of the data of the shot image shot by the customer. In the present invention, examples of a shooting device used by the customer for the shooting include a shooting device of a configuration in which an analog image signal obtained by a subject being shot with an imaging device is converted to digital image data and stored in an information storage medium (a DSC designed exclusively for shooting). However, the shooting device may also be an ordinary camera in which a subject is exposed and recorded on a photosensitive material such as silver photographic film, a digital video camera, or a DSC disposed in a portable device such as a mobile telephone or a PDA.

[0022] Specific examples of the shooting operations of the customer during shooting that have the potential to affect the image quality of the shot image include a selection operation of a shooting mode disposed in the shooting device, a selection operation of firing or not firing a flash, and a selection operation of a flash mode. Forgetting to set or forgetting to restore the shooting mode, the firing or non-firing of the flash, or the flash mode are also included in the shooting operations of the customer during shooting. The identification section can identify the shooting operation on the basis of the data of the shot image, e.g., at least one of shooting information representing shooting conditions during shooting and image data of the shot image.

[0023] The image data of the shot image is generated and recorded at the same time as the shooting if the shooting device used for shooting is a device other than an ordinary camera. However, when the shooting device is an ordinary camera, processing for visualizing the image exposed and recorded by the camera on the photosensitive material is conducted, and thereafter the image data of the shot image is obtained by reading the visualized image with a reading device such as a scanner or the like. When the image data of the shot image is used, the shooting operation can be identified by analyzing the image data of the shot image.

[0024] The information representing the shooting conditions is generated and recorded at the same time as the shooting if the shooting device is a digital video camera or a DSC designed exclusively for shooting. For example, in DSCs designed exclusively for shooting, shooting information is recorded together with image data as an EXIF-format image file or an image file of another format. There are also ordinary cameras that generate information representing shooting conditions during shooting and record the information on photographic film (e.g., APS film) or another recording medium (e.g., an internal memory), and the shooting operation can be identified by using this as the shooting information.

[0025] In the present invention, the determination section determines whether or not the customer's shooting operation identified by the identification section is appropriate. The determination of whether or not the customer's shooting operation is appropriate can be conducted by, for example, analyzing the image data of the shot image. Specifically, determining whether or not a shooting mode selection operation is appropriate from the customer's shooting operation can be conducted by, for example, analyzing the image data and determining whether or not the main subject of the shot image can be specified, and when the main subject can be specified, comparing the shooting mode identified by the identification section with a shooting mode suited for the subject type of the specified main subject (when the shooting modes do not match, it is determined that the shooting operation is not appropriate).

[0026] For example, of the customer's shooting operations, determining whether or not the selection operation of firing or not firing the flash is appropriate can be conducted by, for example, analyzing the image data and determining whether or not the main subject of the shot image can be specified, and when the main subject can be specified, determining whether or not the exposure of the main subject in the shot image is appropriate, the exposure of the main subject is insufficient, the distance between the camera and the main subject during shooting is a distance reachable by the light of the flash, and determining whether or not the selection operation of firing or not firing the flash identified by the identification section is an operation selecting “no flash firing” (when the above determination is affirmative, it is determined that the shooting operation is not appropriate).

[0027] For example, of the customer's shooting operations, determining whether or not the selection operation of the flash mode is appropriate can be conducted by, for example, analyzing the image data, determining whether or not the main subject of the shot image can be specified and determining whether or not the main subject is a person, and when it can be determined that the main subject is a person, determining whether or not there is poor color tone such as red eyes or gold eyes in a region corresponding to an eye portion of the person, there is poor color tone such as red eyes or gold eyes in the region corresponding to the eye portion of the person, and determining whether or not the selection operation of the flash mode identified by the identification section is an operation selecting a firing mode other than a firing mode (e.g., red-eye reduction mode) that reduces poor color tone (when the above determination is affirmative, it is determined that the shooting operation is not appropriate).

[0028] Also, in the present invention, advice information representing advice relating to a shooting operation (for example, advice information representing advice to the customer relating to a shooting operation for improving the image quality of the shot image ) is generated, on the basis of the result of determination by the determination section, by the generation section. Thus, when the customer has selected a shooting mode that is not suited for the subject type of the shooting target and conducted a shooting operation, advice information indicating the customer of (recommending to the customer) a more suitable shooting mode is generated. For example, when the customer has conducted a shooting operation without firing the flash in a situation where firing the flash is preferable, advice information recommending that the customer fire the flash is generated. Alternatively, for example, when poor color tone resulting from the light of the flash has arisen in the eye portion of a person serving as the main subject of the shot image and the customer has conducted a shooting operation without selecting the flash mode that reduces poor color tone, advice information recommending selecting a firing mode that reduces poor color tone is generated.

[0029] Because the advice information generated by the generation section is generated on the basis of the result in which it is determined whether or not the shooting operation of the customer during shooting is appropriate, appropriate advice information corresponding to the shooting operations of individual customers is generated and the advice information is provided to the customer, whereby a customer who has conducted a shooting operation can deepen his/her understanding with respect to the functions of the shooting device used for shooting and can become acquainted with the shooting operations on the basis of the provided advice information, without having to read through a voluminous operations manual. In this manner, according to the invention, because the customer's level of understanding with respect to the functions of the shooting device used for shooting and the customer's level of acquaintance with shooting operations can be improved, improvement of services with respect to customers conducting shooting operations can be realized.

[0030] Incidentally, although at least the image data of the shot image is included in the data of the shot image pertaining to the invention, when the shooting device used for shooting is a shooting device of the type that generates and records shooting information during shooting as mentioned above, shooting information representing shooting conditions during shooting can also be included in the data of the shot image. When shooting information and image data of the shot image are included in the data of the shot image, it is preferable to configure the invention so that at least one of the identification of the shooting operation by the identification section, the determination by the determination section, and the generation of the advice information by the generation section is conducted on the basis of the shooting information and the image data of the shot image.

[0031] Although it is also possible for the identification of the shooting operation by the identification section, the determination by the determination section, and the generation of the advice information by the generation section to be conducted on the basis of the result of analyzing the image data of the shot image, the configuration of at least one of the identification section, the determination section, and the generation section can be simplified by using the shooting information and the image data of the shot image.

[0032] When advice information in regard to a selection operation of the shooting mode, which is one type of shooting operation, is to be generated, the invention can be configured so that the identification section identifies, on the basis of the shooting information, a shooting mode used during shooting as the shooting operation of the customer during shooting, the determination section determines whether or not a subject type of the shot image that is determined by analyzing the image data of the shot image is a subject type suited for being shot in the shooting mode identified by the identification section, and the generation section generates, as the advice information, advice information indicating the shooting mode suited for shooting the subject type when it is determined by the determination section that the subject type of the shot image is not the subject type suited for being shot in the identified shooting mode.

[0033] Thus, even when an appropriate shooting mode was not selected during shooting with respect to a subject type of the shot image (e.g., when “portrait mode” was selected as the shooting mode despite the fact that the subject type was a landscape), advice information indicating a more suitable shooting mode (e.g., landscape mode) is generated by the generation section. Thus, the customer to whom the generated advice information is presented can become aware of the fact that there is a more suitable shooting mode than the shooting mode selected during shooting and can utilize the more suitable shooting mode for future shooting operations.

[0034] When consideration is given to the fact that the functions (e.g., types of shooting modes, types of flash modes, capabilities of the flash) with which shooting devices are disposed differ for each model of shooting device, it is preferable to configure the invention to further include a storage section in which is stored specification information representing specifications of shooting devices having the potential to be used by the customer for shooting, wherein the determination section determines whether or not the shooting operation of the customer is appropriate by identifying, on the basis of the data of the shot image, the model of the shooting device used by the customer for shooting and referencing, on the basis of the identified model, the corresponding specification information stored in the storage section.

[0035] Thus, because the determination section can precisely grasp, on the basis of the specification information stored in the storage section, the specification of the shooting device that the customer used for the shooting, the determination section can more precisely identify whether or not the shooting operation of the customer is appropriate. Needless to say, the specification information stored in the storage section can also be used when the generation section generates the advice information.

[0036] Because parties related to image outputting processing in which the shot image is outputted by the image forming system in accordance with the customer's request (e.g., processing stations in which an image forming system is disposed, order receiving centers, and manufacturers of shooting equipment such as shooting devices) can record predetermined information in the storage section and reference the information stored in the storage section, it is preferable for the related parties to be able to share the information via the storage section. Image outputting is processing such as exposure-recording image on silver halide photosensitive material, outputting printed image created by image recording with recording liquid (ink) adhesion on the recording material, or writing processed image data on the information recording medium such as CD-R.

[0037] Thus, for example, manufacturers of shooting devices can provide specification information representing the specifications of individual shooting devices that they manufacture (store the specification information in the storage section), and information such as the shooting operation of the customer during shooting and conditions of use of the shooting by the customer generated by the order receiving center receiving the request from the customer or the processing station conducting image outputting processing in accordance with the request from the customer and stored in the storage section is obtained, whereby the information becomes useful for the development of future products and the manufacturers can formulate plans for manufacturing and storage of time-change components.

[0038] It is also preferable for the shot image to be an image for which the image outputting has been requested by the customer with respect to an image forming system, for the advice device to further include an output section for analyzing the shot image on the basis of the data of the shot image, conducting image processing corresponding to the result of the analysis, and outputting the image, and for the generation section to add, to the generated advice information, notification information notifying the customer of the image processing conducted by the output section (e.g., notification of at least one of the type of image processing, the reason for implementing the image processing, the processing conditions of the image processing, and the reason for determining the processing conditions). Thus, by referencing the notification information added to the provided advice information, a customer, who has been provided with the advice information generated by the generation section, can understand what kind of image processing was conducted at the time the image was outputted. Thus, the trust of the customer with respect to processing stations and the like can be improved.

[0039] Sometimes the image quality of outputted images can be improved by conducting specific image processing at the time of the image outputting, even in cases where the finishing of the shot images was not appropriate due to reasons such as the shooting operation of the customer during shooting not being appropriate or the shooting device that the customer used for shooting being a shooting device that did not include functions for obtaining a shot image with an appropriate finish under specific conditions during shooting. However, many times, customers whose knowledge in relation to the image outputting is poor are also unaware of the existence of such image processing.

[0040] In consideration of this, when the shot image is an image for which the image outputting has been requested by the customer with respect to a image forming system, it is preferable for the generation section to determine, on the basis of the data of the shot image, a type of image processing that is preferable to order at the time the image outputting is requested, and to add the determined type of image processing to the advice information.

[0041] Thus, a customer who has been provided with the advice information generated by the generation section can become aware of the existence of image processing that is preferable to order at the time the image outputting is requested, and order the image processing when reordering the image outputting or when requesting the image outputting of other images. Thus, according to the invention, further improvement of services with respect to customers conducting shooting operations can be realized.

[0042] The generation section may be configured to generate a simulated image obtained when the specific image processing is conducted with respect to the shot image (this simulated image may also be smaller than the normal size of the images outputted by the image forming system). By providing the customer with the simulated image, the customer can more effectively be made aware of the existence of image processing that is preferable to order at the time the image outputting is requested.

[0043] The shot image is an image for which an image outputting has been requested with respect to an image forming system, and the advice device further includes a display control section which, when there is an inquiry from the customer, via a terminal separate from the image forming system, relating to the advice that the advice information represents, generates a simulated image representing an image to be obtained by conducting a shooting operation corresponding to the advice or by ordering the image processing corresponding to the advice at the time the image outputting is requested again and displays the simulated image on a display of the terminal.

[0044] Thus, when a customer who has been provided with the advice information generated by the generation section, wishes to check the difference in the finish of the image obtained when the recommended shooting operation is conducted in relation to the advice that the provided information represents or wishes to check the finish of the image obtained when the image processing that is preferable to order at the time the image outputting is requested is ordered, it becomes possible for the customer to check the difference in the finish by an image being displayed on the display of the terminal if the customer makes an inquiry via the terminal separate from the image forming system. Thus, further improvement of services with respect to customers conducting shooting operations can be realized.

[0045] The shot image is an image for which an image outputting has been requested by the customer with respect to an image forming system, and the advice information generated by the generation section is conveyed to the customer when an outputted image in accordance with the customer's request is delivered to the customer.. Thus, the customer can receive the advice information without much hassle.

[0046] Although several ways of conveying the advice information are conceivable, such as conveying the advice information by audio or recording the advice information in an information storage medium and giving the information storage medium to the customer, it is preferable for the generation section to print the generated advice information as a finishing memo and for the finishing memo to be added to the outputted image delivered to the customer via the order receiving center. By adding the advice information as a finishing memo, the customer can more easily check the content of the advice that the advice information represents in comparison with recording the advice information in an information storage medium and giving the information storage medium to the customer, and it becomes possible for the customer to repeatedly refer to the content of the advice in comparison with conveying the advice information by audio.

[0047] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a print-out for being added to an outputted image when an image outputting of a shot image is requested by the customer with respect to an image forming system and the outputted image outputted by the image forming system in accordance with the request is delivered to the customer, wherein, on the basis of data of the shot image, a shooting operation during shooting is identified, it is determined whether or not the identified shooting operation is appropriate, and advice information that is generated on the basis of a result of the determination and represents advice relating to a shooting operation is printed on the print-out.

[0048] Because the advice information—in which the shooting operation of the customer during shooting is identified, it is determined whether the identified shooting operation of the customer is appropriate, and which is generated on the basis of the result of the determination-representing advice relating to a shooting operation is printed on the print-out pertaining to the invention, the customer's level of understanding with respect to the functions of the shooting device used for shooting and the customer's level or acquaintance with the shooting operations can be improved, and improvement of services with respect to customers conducting shooting operations can be realized.

[0049] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a storage medium in which is stored a program for implementing processing in a computer, the processing comprising: a first step for identifying, on the basis of data of a shot image shot by a customer, a shooting operation of the customer during shooting; a second step for determining whether or not the customer's shooting operation identified in the first step is appropriate; and a third step for generating, on the basis of a result of the determination in the second step, advice information representing advice relating to a shooting operation.

[0050] Because the program stored in the storage medium pertaining to the invention is a program for allowing a computer to function as the advice device, improvement of services with respect to customers conducting shooting operations can be realized by a computer reading and implementing the program.

[0051] In the third step, a type of image processing that is preferable to order at the time an image outputting is requested is determined on the basis of data of the shot image, and the determined type of the image processing is added to the advice information. Thus, a customer provided with advice information can become aware of the existence of image processing that is preferable to order at the time the image outputting is requested and can order the image processing when reordering the creation of image outputted medium with respect to the same image or requesting the image outputting with respect to other images, whereby further improvement of services with respect to customers conducting shooting operations can be realized.

[0052] According to a still further aspect of the invention, there is provided an advice device comprising: an input section for a customer, who received an image outputted medium created from an image obtained by shooting with a shooting device, to input, when the customer is dissatisfied with the image quality of the image outputted medium, information representing the reason for the dissatisfaction; and a generation section for determining, when the information has been inputted by the customer via the input section, a remedy for eliminating the customer's dissatisfaction that the information represents and generating advice information recommending implementation of the determined remedy to the customer.

[0053] The input section for a customer, who has received an image outputted medium created from an image obtained by the shooting with a shooting device, to input, when the customer is dissatisfied with the image quality of the image outputted medium, information representing the reason for the dissatisfaction is disposed in the advice device pertaining to the invention. Examples of the shooting device used by the customer for the shooting include a shooting device of a configuration in which an analog image signal obtained by a subject being shot with an imaging device is converted to digital image data and stored in an information storage medium (a DSC designed exclusively for shooting). However, the shooting device may also be an ordinary camera in which a subject is exposed and recorded on a photosensitive material such as silver photographic film, a digital video camera, or a DSC disposed in a portable device such as a mobile telephone or a PDA.

[0054] When the information is inputted by the customer via the input section, a remedy for eliminating the customer's dissatisfaction that the information represents is determined and advice information recommending implementation of the determined remedy to the customer is generated by the generation section. Examples of remedies for eliminating the customer's dissatisfaction specifically include improving the shooting operation of the customer during shooting and the customer ordering predetermined image processing at the time the creation of the image outputted medium is requested. Because the advice information representing such remedies is provided to the customer, a customer who is dissatisfied with the image quality of an image outputted medium can become aware of the remedy for eliminating the dissatisfaction. Thus, improvement of services with respect to customers who have requested the creation of image outputted medium can be realized.

[0055] The determination of the remedy (remedy for eliminating the customer's dissatisfaction) by the generation section can be conducted by corresponding and storing, in a storage section, reasons for dissatisfaction that have the potential of being inputted as the information by the customer with remedies for eliminating the dissatisfaction, and determining the remedy on the basis of the information stored in the storage section.

[0056] The information in which reasons for dissatisfaction and their remedies are corresponded may be stored in the storage section in a database form, or may be stored in the storage section as an algorithm (program). When there are several type of remedies for eliminating the customer's dissatisfaction and the appropriate remedy differs in accordance with the functions with which the shooting device that the customer used for shooting is disposed, it is preferable to store the several types of remedies and to store selection conditions for each because it is necessary to identify the functions with which the shooting device that the customer used for shooting is disposed and select the appropriate remedy.

[0057] Specifically, the generation section can be configured to determine a shooting operation for eliminating the customer's dissatisfaction that the information inputted via the input section represents, and generate advice information recommending implementation of the determined shooting operation to the customer. Thus, because the advice information representing such remedies is provided to the customer, a customer who is dissatisfied with the image quality of an image outputted medium can become aware of the shooting operation for eliminating the dissatisfaction.

[0058] When consideration is given to the fact that there are cases where the appropriate remedy differs in accordance with the functions with which the shooting device that the customer used for shooting is disposed, it is preferable for the generation section to identify, on the basis of data of the shot image obtained by the shooting, the functions of the shooting device that the customer used during the shooting and determine a shooting operation for eliminating the dissatisfaction of the customer in accordance with functions of the identified shooting device. Thus, the shooting operation for eliminating the customer's dissatisfaction can be more precisely determined.

[0059] Specifically, it is preferable to configure the generation section so that the generation section determines whether or not the customer's dissatisfaction that the information inputted via the input section represents can be eliminated by ordering predetermined image processing at the time creation of the image outputted medium is requested and, when it is determined that the customer's dissatisfaction can be eliminated by ordering the predetermined image processing, generates advice information recommending ordering the predetermined image processing.

[0060] In a case where, of the remedies for eliminating the customer's dissatisfaction, a shooting operation will not contribute to improving the image quality of photographic prints created from shot images but the customer's dissatisfaction can be eliminated by ordering predetermined image processing at the time the creation of the image outputted medium is requested, because the advice information recommending ordering the predetermined image processing is generated, the advice information is provided to the customer, whereby a customer who is dissatisfied with the image quality of the image outputted medium can become aware of the existence of the predetermined image processing for eliminating the dissatisfaction. Also, by ordering the predetermined image processing and requesting the recreation of photographic prints with whose image quality the customer is dissatisfied, it becomes possible for the customer to obtain photographic prints in which the image quality is improved.

[0061] When it is determined that the customer's dissatisfaction can be eliminated by ordering the predetermined image processing, the generation section generates image data representing an image to be outputted on the image outputted medium obtained by ordering the predetermined image processing and displays the image that the image data represents on a display. Thus, the customer can visually and easily become aware of the degree to which the image quality of the image outputted medium will be improved by ordering the predetermined image processing.

[0062] When the predetermined image processing is image processing in which the processing result will differ in accordance with parameter settings, plural images in which the settings of the parameters of the predetermined image processing are mutually different may be respectively displayed. Alternatively, the settings of the parameters of the predetermined image processing may be repeatedly changed and images may be displayed in accordance with instructions inputted by the customer via the input section.

[0063] It is preferable for the advice device to be disposed at an order receiving center. Thus, in a case where a customer visiting the order receiving center in order to pick up the created photographic prints checks, at that place, the image outputted medium picked up at the order receiving center and is dissatisfied with the image quality of the image outputted medium, the customer can immediately operate the advice device and be provided with the advice information, whereby the customer can instantly become aware of the remedy for eliminating the dissatisfaction.

[0064] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a recording medium in which is stored a program for implementing predetermined processing in a computer disposed with an input section for inputting information, the predetermined processing comprising: a first step for determining, when a customer who received an image outputted medium created from an image obtained by shooting with a shooting device, is dissatisfied with the image quality of the image outputted medium, and inputted information representing the reason for the dissatisfaction via the input section, a remedy for eliminating the customer's dissatisfaction that the information represents; and a second step for generating advice information recommending, to the customer, implementation of the remedy determined in the first step.

[0065] Because the program stored in the storage medium pertaining to the invention is a program for implementing processing including the first and second steps in a computer (i.e., a program for allowing a computer to function as the advice device), improvement of services with respect to customers who have requested the creation of photographic prints can be realized by a computer reading and implementing the program.

[0066] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an advice device comprising: an identification section for identifying a shooting operation during shooting, on the basis of data of an image obtained by shooting; an input section for inputting information about the image; an analyzing section for analyzing the information inputted via the input section; a determination section for determining whether or not the shooting operation identified by the identification section is appropriate; and a generation section for generating advice information, on the basis of at least one of a result of analysis by the analyzing section and a result of the determination by the determination section.

[0067] The information inputted via the input section is information about at least one of image output, image processing, the shooting operation, and a shooting condition. The information inputted via the input section is also at least one of a request, a problem, dissatisfaction, a query, and an answer. More specifically, the information inputted via the input section is dissatisfaction with image output. The advice information is about at least one of image processing which is applicable to the image and a possible improvement of the shooting operation.

[0068] It is possible that the advice device comprises: an identification section for identifying a shooting operation during shooting, on the basis of data of an image obtained by shooting; an input section for inputting information about the image; an analyzing section for analyzing the information inputted via the input section; and a generation section for generating advice information, on the basis of a result of analysis by the analyzing section.

[0069] It is also possible that the advice device comprises: an identification section for identifying a shooting operation during shooting, on the basis of data of an image obtained by shooting; an input section for inputting information about the image; a determination section for determining whether or not the shooting operation identified by the identification section is appropriate; and a generation section for generating advice information, on the basis of a result of the determination by the determination section.