Method and system for distributing images to client systems
First Claim
1. A distribution system for distributing images for display by client systems, the distribution system comprising:
- a server component with an image store containing images;
a customer store containing information relating to each customer of the distribution system, the information including an identification of a client system of the customer and criteria of the customer;
an image packaging component that periodically creates a package of images for each client system of a customer based on criteria associated with the customer; and
a distribution component that sends packages of images to client systems via a communications link on a periodic basis in response to receiving a heartbeat communication; and
a client component with a heartbeat component that sends heartbeat communications to the server component via the communications link;
a receive package component that receives packages sent by the server component; and
a display component that displays the images of the received packages.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for distributing images for display by client systems. A distribution system includes an image server system that is connected to image client systems via a communications link, such as the Internet. The image server system is responsible for providing image packages to the image client systems and for collecting information from the image client systems. Each image client system periodically sends a heartbeat communication to the image server system. Upon receiving a heartbeat communication, the image server system determines the state of the image client system that sent the heartbeat communication and responds appropriately. The response may include instructions for the image client system to retrieve new images, to retrieve software updates, to send usage data, and so on.
50 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A distribution system for distributing images for display by client systems, the distribution system comprising:
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a server component with an image store containing images;
a customer store containing information relating to each customer of the distribution system, the information including an identification of a client system of the customer and criteria of the customer;
an image packaging component that periodically creates a package of images for each client system of a customer based on criteria associated with the customer; and
a distribution component that sends packages of images to client systems via a communications link on a periodic basis in response to receiving a heartbeat communication; and
a client component with a heartbeat component that sends heartbeat communications to the server component via the communications link;
a receive package component that receives packages sent by the server component; and
a display component that displays the images of the received packages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method in a display system for displaying images distributed via a communications link, the method comprising:
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providing a data store of images to be displayed serially on a display device;
periodically sending a heartbeat communication to a server system via the communications link;
in response to sending a heartbeat communication, receiving from the server system a package of images;
updating the provided data store with the images of the received package; and
displaying images of the updated data store on the display device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method in a distribution system for providing packages of images to client systems, the method comprising:
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providing a customer store indicating preferences relating to images to be distributed to each client system;
receiving from a customer via a web-based interface a request to modify the preferences of a client system;
in response to receiving the request, updating the customer store with the modified preferences for the client system of the customer;
generating a package of images for the client system of the customer based on the modified preferences of the customer store; and
in response to receiving a heartbeat communication from the client system of the customer, sending the generated package of images to the client system of the customer. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to provide packages of images to client systems, by a method comprising:
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maintaining a customer store indicating preferences relating to images to be distributed to each client system;
receiving from customers via a web-based interface a request to modify the preferences of client systems;
in response to receiving the request, updating the customer store with the modified preferences for the client system of the customer;
periodically generating packages of images for the client systems based on the modified preferences of the customer store; and
sending the generated packages of images to the client systems. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method of distributing images to client systems for display on a display device, the method comprising:
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providing a collection of images;
periodically generating packages of images to be sent to client systems, each package containing images selected in accordance with preferences associated with the client systems to which the package is to be sent; and
sending each package of images to one or more client system for display of the images at the client systems that receive a package.
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Specification