Method and system for sharing images over a communication network among a plurality of users in accordance with a criteria

• US 20030236832A1
• Filed: 06/19/2002
• Published: 12/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: McIntyre, Dale F., Telek, Michael J., Ortiz, Juan E., Dawson, Mark D., McBride, John K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,392,296 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00137 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00148 Storage information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00177 from a user terminal, e.g. personal computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104

Abstract

A method for sharing a compilation of digital images over a communication network among a plurality of users using a controlling computer. A subcompliation of the compilation of digital images is forwarded to the plurality of users over the communication network by the controlling computer wherein the digital images in the subcompilation are displayed in a predetermined sequence. Each of the users have the ability to view the digital images in the compilation in accordance with a criteria selected by the user.

Claims

1. A method for sharing a compilation of digital images over a communication network among a plurality of users using a controlling computer, comprises the steps of:

controlling the forwarding of a subcompliation of said compilation of digital images to said plurality of users over said communication network by said controlling computer wherein said digital images in said subcompilation are displayed in a predetermined sequence, wherein each of said users having the ability to view said digital images in said compilation in accordance with a criteria selected by said user.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said controlling computer is operated by one of said plurality of users.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said controlling computer is operated by a service provider.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said sharing is initiated by an initiator.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said initiator controls what may be shared among said plurality of user.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said compilation of digital images corresponds to a selected theme.

7. A method according to claim 4 wherein said predetermined sequence is determined by said initiator.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein additional data is associated with said images of said compilation.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein said additional information is related to said associated image.

10. A method according to claim 8 wherein said additional data comprises sound.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein said sequence of users is dependant upon which of said users is actively connected to said controlling computer over said communication network.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein said subcompilation is presented to each of said users in a preselected pattern.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein said preselected pattern comprises scrolling said compilation of images on said display device being used by said user.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein said user display device is controlled by a computer, said subcompilation is scrolled across said display device.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein said user display device is controlled by a computer, said compilation is presented atop another program being run by said computer.

16. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of said user making an inquiry with respect to one of said images of said compilation.

17. A method according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined criteria is a theme.

18. A method according to claim 1 wherein said criteria comprises a theme selected from the following:

a sport;

a hobby;

a particular type goods or service.

19. A method according to claim 1 wherein said subcompilation is created using metadata associated with said images.

20. A method for forwarding images from a compilation of digital images over a communication network to a plurality of users using a controlling computer, comprising the step of:

a. forwarding a subcompilation of said compilation of digital images to one of said users from said plurality of said users in accordance with a criteria selected by said one of said users for display on a display device of a user computer.

21. A method according to claim 20 wherein said sharing is initiated by an initiator.

22. A method according to claim 21 wherein said initiator controls what may be shared among said plurality of user.

23. A method according to claim 20 wherein said compilation of digital images corresponds to a selected theme.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein said predetermined sequence is determined by said initiator.

25. A method according to claim 20 wherein additional data is associated with said images of said compilation.

26. A method according to claim 25 where said additional information is related to said associated image.

27. A method according to claim 25 where said additional data comprises sound.

28. A method according to claim 20 wherein said subcompilation is presented in a preselected pattern.

29. A method according to claim 28 wherein said preselected pattern comprises scrolling said compilation of images on said display device being used by said user.

30. A method according to claim 20 wherein said subcompilation is scrolled across said display device.

31. A method according to claim 30 wherein said compilation is presented atop another program being run by said user computer.

32. A method according to claim 20 further comprising the step of said user making an inquiry with respect to one of said images of said compilation.

33. A method according to claim 20 wherein said subcompilation is created using data associated with said images.

34. A computer software program for sharing a compilation of digital images over a communication network among a plurality of users using a controlling computer, comprises the step of:

a. controlling the forwarding of a subcompliation of said compilation of digital images to said plurality of users over said communication network by said controlling computer wherein said digital images in said compilation are displayed in a predetermined sequence, wherein each of said users having the ability to view said digital images in said compilation in accordance with a criteria selected by said user.

35. A method for sharing a compilation of digital images over a communication network among a plurality of users using a controlling computer, comprises the steps of:

controlling the forwarding of a subcompliation of said compilation of digital images to said plurality of users over said communication network by said controlling computer wherein said digital images in said subcompilation are displayed in a predetermined sequence, said subcompliation is determined based upon the voting selections of said plurality of users.