System and method for exchanging images
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for providing a peer-to-peer photo-sharing environment. The system includes: manual and automatic photo annotation at the client; periodic client-server synchronization; an index of client photos on a central server or a photo database that is resident on the central server, which is updated by the client-server synchronization function; end-user search functionality to search the centralized index or photo database; and transmission of the relevant photos to the client via an on-line image cache. In one embodiment, one client'"'"'s new photos are automatically displayed on another client'"'"'s computer (e.g., via screen saver or another mechanism).
144 Citations
41 Claims
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1-18. -18. (canceled)
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19. A computer-implemented process for sharing images comprising the process actions of:
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receiving at a central server a search query formatted using annotation data describing an image from a requesting client, said server hosting a master index of all images available for sharing;
searching said master index at said central server using annotation data provided in said search query and obtaining a result; and
sending said search result from said central server to said requesting client. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35)
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34. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for transferring images, said computer executable instructions comprising:
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inputting images at a first client;
annotating said images with metadata;
creating a local index of said images and local database of said images at said first client;
synchronizing said first client'"'"'s local index with a master index of a central server, said master index comprising all images available for sharing. searching by a second client of said central servers master index for a particular image using said metadata;
returning a search result from said central server to said second client; and
coordinating the transfer of a desired image found in said search result from said first client to said second client. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. A system for transferring files, the system comprising:
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a general purpose computing device; and
a computer program comprising program modules executable by the computing device, wherein the computing device is directed by the program modules of the computer program to, input files at a first client;
annotate said files at said first client;
create a local index of said files and a local database of said files at said first client;
synchronize said first client'"'"'s local index with a master index of a central server, said master index comprising all files available for sharing;
search by a remote client of said central server'"'"'s master index for a particular file using said annotated data;
return a search result from said central server to said remote client; and
transfer a desired file found in said search result to said remote client. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41-54. -54. (canceled)
Specification