Photosharing server filters for automatic storage and sharing of digital files

• US 20040172419A1
• Filed: 02/27/2003
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Qurio Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Svendsen, Hugh B., Morris, Robert P., Scardino, Patricla
• Granted Patent: US 7,461,094 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A method and system for providing on online file-service that automatically stores and organizes digital files. The method and system include providing the server with a set of trigger handlers that are each configured to perform a particular action on a digital file. The user may log into the server and specify attribute criteria for each of the trigger handlers. Digital files uploaded by the user are received by the server, wherein each file has a plurality of attributes associated therewith. The attributes of each file are then compared with the attribute criteria entered by the user for each of the trigger handlers. And upon a match, the corresponding trigger handler is invoked, such that actions are automatically performed on the digital files.

Claims

1. A method for providing on online file service that automatically stores and organizes digital files, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing the server with a set of trigger handlers that are each configured to perform a particular action on a digital file;

(b) allowing the user to access the server and configure the trigger handlers by specifying attribute criteria for one or more of the trigger handlers;

(c) receiving digital files uploaded to the server, wherein each file has a plurality of attributes associated therewith;

(d) comparing the attributes of each file with the attribute criteria entered by the user for each of the trigger handlers; and

(e) upon a match, invoking the corresponding trigger handler, such that actions are automatically performed on the digital files.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) further includes the step of:

providing categories of trigger handlers, including any combination of a container creation/population handler, a notification handler, a print handler, and a postcard handler.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

allowing the user to configure the container creation/population handler to cause the server to automatically store uploaded files matching the attribute criteria into a specified container.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

allowing the user to configure the container creation/population handler to automatically create the specified container if necessary.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein step (a) further includes the step of:

allowing the user to configure the creation/population handler to store files of different Mime types in the same container.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein steps (c) and (d) further includes the step of:

extracting any metadata associated with each uploaded file, and comparing the metadata with the attribute criteria entered by the user for each of the trigger handlers.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

creating a user account for the user, including a user ID.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

saving the attribute criteria entered by the user for each of the trigger handlers as filter preferences.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

storing the filter preferences with the user account.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein step (c) further includes the step of:

when files are uploaded, using the user ID of the user to retrieve the user'"'"'s filter preferences.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

displaying a series of configuration forms for the user to enter the attribute criteria.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

providing each form with a first section for allowing the user to specify which file attributes and metadata fields from uploaded files are to be matched and the nature of the match, and a second section for allowing the user to specify what actions are to be taken in response to a match.

13. A method for providing an online photosharing service that automatically stores and organizes digital image files, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing the server with a set of trigger handlers that are each configured to perform a particular action on an image file;

(b) allowing the user to access the server and configure the trigger handlers by specifying attribute criteria for one or more of the trigger handlers;

(c) receiving image files uploaded to the server, wherein each image file has a plurality of attributes associated therewith;

(d) comparing the attributes of each image file with the attribute criteria entered by the user for each of the trigger handlers; and

(e) upon a match, invoking the corresponding trigger handler, such that actions are automatically performed on the image files.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

providing categories of trigger handlers, including any combination of a container creation/population handler, a notification handler, a print handler, and a postcard handler.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

allowing the user to configure the container creation/population handler to cause the server to automatically store uploaded files matching the attribute criteria into a specified container.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

allowing the user to configure the container creation/population handler to automatically create the specified container if necessary.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein step (a) further includes the step of:

allowing the user to configure the creation/population handler to store files of different Mime types in the same container, including any combination of images, video, audio, and text.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein steps (c) and (d) further includes the step of:

extracting any metadata associated with each uploaded image file, and comparing the metadata with the attribute criteria entered by the user for each of the trigger handlers.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

creating a user account for the user, including a user ID.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

saving the attribute criteria entered by the user for each of the trigger handlers as filter preferences.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

storing the filter preferences with the user account.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein step (c) further includes the step of:

when files are uploaded, using the user ID of the user to retrieve the user'"'"'s filter preferences.

23. The method of claim 14 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

displaying a series of configuration forms for the user to enter the attribute criteria.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

providing each form with a first section for allowing the user to specify which file attributes and metadata fields from uploaded files are to be matched and the nature of the match, and a second section for allowing the user to specify what actions are to be taken in response to a match.

25. A computer-readable medium containing program instructions for providing on online file service that automatically stores and organizes digital files, the instructions for:

(a) providing the server with a set of trigger handlers that are each configured to perform a particular action on a digital file;

(b) allowing the user to access the server and configure the trigger handlers by specifying attribute criteria for one or more of the trigger handlers;

(c) receiving digital files uploaded to the server, wherein each file has a plurality of attributes associated therewith;

(d) comparing the attributes of each file with the attribute criteria entered by the user for each of the trigger handlers; and

(e) upon a match, invoking the corresponding trigger handler, such that actions are automatically performed on the digital files.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein instruction (a) further includes the instruction of:

providing categories of trigger handlers, including any combination of a container creation/population handler, a notification handler, a print handler, and a postcard handler.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein instruction (b) further includes the instruction of:

allowing the user to configure the container creation/population handler to cause the server to automatically store uploaded files matching the attribute criteria into a specified container.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27 wherein instruction (b) further includes the instruction of:

allowing the user to configure the container creation/population handler to automatically create the specified container if necessary.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 28 wherein instruction (a) further includes the instruction of:

allowing the user to configure the creation/population handler to store files of different Mime types in the same container.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein instructions (c) and (d) further includes the instruction of:

extracting any metadata associated with each uploaded file, and comparing the metadata with the attribute criteria entered by the user for each of the trigger handlers.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 27 wherein instruction (b) further includes the instruction of:

creating a user account for the user, including a user ID.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 28 wherein instruction (b) further includes the instruction of:

saving the attribute criteria entered by the user for each of the trigger handlers as filter preferences.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein instruction (b) further includes the instruction of:

storing the filter preferences with the user account.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 33 wherein instruction (c) further includes the instruction of:

when files are uploaded, using the user ID of the user to retrieve the user'"'"'s filter preferences.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein instruction (b) further includes the instruction of:

displaying a series of configuration forms for the user to enter the attribute criteria.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 35 wherein instruction (b) further includes the instruction of:

providing each form with a first section for allowing the user to specify which file attributes and metadata fields from uploaded files are to be matched and the nature of the match, and a second section for allowing the user to specify what actions are to be taken in response to a match.