Image management system, image management method, and computer program product

• US 10,136,057 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2017
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Taneichi, Satoshi, Ito, Takeshi, Watanabe, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Nazrul, Shahbaz
• Application Number:
  US15/646,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20170310893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00217 only involving computer data transmission protocols, e.g. SMTP, WAP or HTTP communication protocol aspects and techniques in packet data networks H04L69/00; network-specific arrangements or communication protocols supporting networked applications H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32776 using an interactive, user-operated device, e.g. a computer terminal, mobile telephone H04N1/32782, H04N1/32784 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4728 for selecting a Region Of Interest [ROI], e.g. for requesting a higher resolution version of a selected region
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/325 Modified version of the image, e.g. part of the image, image reduced in size or resolution, thumbnail or screennail
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure

Abstract

The present invention is concerning to an image management system that communicates with a first communication terminal via a communication network, the image management system comprising: an image storage unit configured to store image data; a receiving unit configured to receive, from the first communication terminal, link information that includes image identification information for identifying the image data and includes predetermined-area information that indicates a predetermined area in the image data; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit, to the first communication terminal, the image data that is indicated by the image identification information included in the link information received by the receiving unit and the predetermined-area information included in the link information.

Claims

1. An image management system that communicates with a first communication terminal and a second communication terminal via a communication network, the image management system comprising:

circuitry configured to receive, from the second communication terminal, image data and predetermined area information that indicates a predetermined area in the image data based on an angle of view which originates at the center of a virtual sphere, the image data being a fully spherical panoramic image and the predetermined area in the image data being selected by a user of the second communication terminal and being a portion of the fully spherical panoramic image;

wherein,

the circuitry is configured to receive, from the first communication terminal, a request for the image data,

the circuitry is configured to transmit, to the first communication terminal, the image data and the predetermined-area information, and

the predetermined-area information causes the first communication terminal to display the predetermined area selected by the user of the second communication terminal as a zoomed in portion of the overall image data from which the user of the first communication terminal performs input operations to view other portions of the image data surrounding the predetermined area.

2. The image management system according to claim 1, further comprising a memory configured to store the image data and predetermined area information received from the second communication terminal.

3. The image management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate thumbnail data from the predetermined area in the image data by using the image data received by the communication interface and the predetermined area indicated by the predetermined-area information, and wherein

the circuitry transmits, to the first communication terminal, the generated thumbnail data.

4. The image management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

the circuitry receives, from the second communication terminal, comment data with regard to the image data as well as image identification information and the predetermined area information, and

the circuitry transmits, to the first communication terminal, the comment data as well as link information.

5. The image management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

the circuitry receives, from the second communication terminal, user identification information for identifying the user who uses the second communication terminal as well as image identification information and the predetermined area information, and

the circuitry transmits, to the first communication terminal, the user identification information as well as link information.

6. A method, implemented by an image management system that communicates with a first communication terminal and a second communication terminal via a communication network, the method comprising:

receiving, by circuitry, from the second communication terminal, image data and predetermined area information that indicates a predetermined area in the image data based on an angle of view which originates at the center of a virtual sphere, the image data being a fully spherical panoramic image and the predetermined area in the image data being selected by a user of the second communication terminal and being a portion of the fully spherical panoramic image;

wherein,

the circuitry receives, from the first communication terminal, a request for the image data,

the circuitry transmits, to the first communication terminal, the image data and the predetermined-area information, and

the predetermined-area information causes the first communication terminal to display the predetermined area selected by the user of the second communication terminal as a zoomed in portion of the overall image data from which the user of the first communication terminal performs input operations to view other portions of the image data surrounding the predetermined area.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a program which when executed by an image management system that communicates with a first communication terminal and a second communication terminal via a communication network, causes the image management system to perform a method comprising:

receiving, by circuitry, from the second communication terminal, image data and predetermined area information that indicates a predetermined area in the image data based on an angle of view which originates at the center of a virtual sphere, the image data being a fully spherical panoramic image and the predetermined area in the image data being selected by a user of the second communication terminal and being a portion of the fully spherical panoramic image;

wherein,

the circuitry receives, from the first communication terminal, a request for the image data,

the circuitry transmits, to the first communication terminal, the image data and the predetermined-area information, and

the predetermined-area information causes the first communication terminal to display the predetermined area selected by the user of the second communication terminal as a zoomed in portion of the overall image data from which the user of the first communication terminal performs input operations to view other portions of the image data surrounding the predetermined area.