Method and device for access to a digital image stored on a server computer

• US 20050196050A1
• Filed: 02/28/2005
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Clare, Maryline, Henry, Felix
• Granted Patent: US 8,230,103 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/232
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself

Abstract

A method of access by a client computer to a digital image stored on a server computer via a communication network, the digital image being represented by sets of digital data associated respectively with various blocks (Bi) and various resolution levels (Rj) of the image or with various blocks (Bi) and various quality levels (Qk) of the image, comprises a step (E47) of identifying a set of data to be acquired, a step (E48) of calculating the size in bits (b) of the set of data to be acquired, a step (E49) of comparing a number of acquired data bits (B) incremented by the calculated size (b) with a predetermined bit threshold value (S), and a step (E52) of acquiring the set of data identified if the number of data bits acquired incremented by the calculated size (B+b) is less than the predetermined bit threshold value (S). Has particular use for limiting free access to a digital image.

Claims

1. A method of access by a client computer to a digital image stored on a server computer via a communication network , said digital image being represented by sets of digital data associated respectively with various blocks and various resolution levels of the image or with various blocks and various quality levels of the image, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

identifying a set of data to be acquired amongst said sets of digital data representing the image;

calculating the size in bits of said set of data to be acquired;

comparing a number of data bits acquired incremented by said calculated size with a predetermined threshold value of bits ; and

acquiring said identified set of data if said number of data bits acquired incremented by said calculated size is less than said predetermined bit threshold value.

3. An access method according to one of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a step of updating a number of acquired data bits by adding the size of said set of acquired data.

4. An access method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said bit threshold value is predetermined according to the bit size of the sets of digital data associated with the image.

5. An access method according to claim 4, characterized in that said bit threshold value is equal to a percentage of between 25% and 50% of the bit size of said sets of digital data associated with the image.

6. An access method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it also comprises a step of displaying a number of acquired data bits.

7. An access method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said comparison step is implemented on the client computer, using said predetermined bit threshold value stored on the client computer.

8. An access method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the set of data to be acquired corresponds to a set of data associated with a block of the image, a resolution level and a quality level .

9. An access method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it also comprises a step of displaying a warning message on the client computer when the number of acquired data bits incremented by the size in bits of said set of data to be acquired is greater than said predetermined bit threshold value.

15. A computer, characterized in that it comprises means adapted to implement the access method according to one of claims 1 or 2.

16. A communication network, characterized in that it comprises means adapted to implement the access method according to one of claims 1 or 2.

17. An information storage means, possibly partially or totally removable, which can be read by a computer system, comprising instructions for a program adapted to implement the access method according to one of claims 1 or 2, when the program is loaded into and executed by the computer system.

18. A computer program, which can be read by a microprocessor, characterized in that it comprises portions of software code adapted to implement the access method according to one of claims 1 or 2, when said computer program is loaded into and executed by the microprocessor.

2. A method of access by a client computer to a digital image stored on a server computer via a communication network , said digital image being represented by sets of digital data associated respectively with at least two various blocks and various resolution levels of the image and various quality levels of the image, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

identifying a set of data to be acquired amongst said sets of digital data representing the image;

calculating the size in bits of said set of data to be acquired;

comparing a number of data bits acquired incremented by said calculated size with a predetermined threshold value of bits ; and

acquiring said identified set of data if said number of data bits acquired incremented by said calculated size is less than said predetermined bit threshold value.

10. A device for access to a digital image stored on a client computer via a communication network, said digital image being represented by sets of digital data associated respectively with various blocks and various resolution levels of the image or with various blocks and various quality levels of the image, characterized in that it comprises:

means for identifying a set of data to be acquired amongst said sets of digital data representing the image;

means for calculating the size in bits of said set of data to be acquired;

means for comparing a number of data bits acquired incremented by said calculated size with a predetermined threshold value of bits; and

means for acquiring said identified set of data if said number of data bits acquired incremented by said calculated size is less than said predetermined bit threshold value.

12. An access device according to one of claim 10 or 11, characterized in that it is integrated into a client computer of the communication network.

13. An access device according to one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that it comprises means for updating a number of acquired data bits by adding the size of said acquired data set.

14. An access device according to one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that it comprises means for displaying said number of acquired data bits.

11. A device for access to a digital image stored on a client computer via a communication network, said digital image being represented by sets of digital data associated respectively with at least two various blocks and various resolution levels of the image and various quality levels of the image, characterized in that it comprises:

means for identifying a set of data to be acquired amongst said sets of digital data representing the image;

means for calculating the size in bits of said set of data to be acquired;

means for comparing a number of data bits acquired incremented by said calculated size with a predetermined threshold value of bits; and

means for acquiring said identified set of data if said number of data bits acquired incremented by said calculated size is less than said predetermined bit threshold value.