Enlarged Digital Image Providing Method and Apparatus Using Data Communication Networks

PURPOSE: A method and device for supplying a digital enlarged image through a data communication network is provided to reduce a complex calculating process in a server being performed at requesting an image enlarging process from a client and to response to the client request rapidly using a received image document stored in a cache memory when the client requests a frequency display moving control to an enlarged image. CONSTITUTION: A network connection processing unit(31) is connected to a communication network as the Internet for transmitting/receiving data. A web server(32) supplies an image to a client through a web page. A mail server(33) supplies an image to a client through E-mail and an electronic catalogue. The original image receiving unit(34) receives the original image as digital data from an external device as a digital camera and a scanner. Data of the original image are recorded in a recording storing device(30). A fragment image creating unit(36) divides a reduce image created by the original image receiving unit(34) and a reduced image creating unit(35) into a plurality of fragment images. The reduced image creating unit(35) creates a reduced image and divides the reduced image created by the fragment image creating unit(36) into fragment images having the same sizes, and the fragment images are continuously stored in the recording storing device(30) with a parameter as an independent fragment image document. An image transmitting control unit(37) reads the image document supplied from the web server(32) and the mail server(33) and requests an image enlargement by designating a partial portion of the corresponding image document or performs a control for transmitting the fragment image document to the client.