System and method for automatic transfer of data from one device to another

• US 20090037515A1
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ontela Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Schultz, Brian, Zapata, Charles B., Shapiro, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,009,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/64 file transfer between terminals

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method which allows for the transfer of data captured by one device to be processed and moved to another location in accordance with pre-established criteria without requiring user interaction at the time of data capture. In one embodiment, images from a camera-equipped phone are transferred to a personal computer through a file server in accordance with pre-established guidelines. The camera-equipped phone generates a digital image, for example by taking a digital photo with a built-in or attached camera, and transmits the digital image over a standard wireless network, for example the cellular GSM/GPRS network, to a file server. The file server receives the digital data from the camera-equipped phone and forwards the data to a pre-identified location, such as the user'"'"'s personal computer (or to an image processing facility) through the Internet. In one embodiment, the incoming data to the user'"'"'s PC is directed to specific applications as opposed to simply storing the data in a storage location. In other embodiments, the intermediate server interprets the data and redirects both the location to which the data is delivered as well as the function to be performed on the data at the redirected location.

Claims

1. A method for copying data captured by one device to a location external to said device;

said method comprising;

identifying when said one device has data resident thereon of the type that is to be copied to a location away from said one device;

determining when any said identified data on said one device remains uncopied; and

transmitting any said uncopied data to a processing point remote from said device, said processing point operable for receiving data copied from a plurality of other devices, wherein said identifying, determining and transmitting occur without action taken by a user of said device at the time of said identifying, determining or transmitting.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

at said processing point determining from pre-established criteria established at least in part by interaction with said user of said one device at least one desired target device; and

retransmitting from said processing point data transmitted from said one device to said determined target devices.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein at least one of said target devices is a PC identified by said user.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said processing point causes at least one processing operation to be performed on said transmitted data prior to said retransmitting.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said processing operation is performed remote from said processing point.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising;

at said processing point determining certain characteristics of each of said transmitted data based upon contents of said transmitted data and wherein said processing operation is based upon said determined characteristics.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said last-mentioned determining is controlled by at least one of the following:

metadata contained in said transmitted data, image analysis of said transmitted data, device type of said one device.

8. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

triggering at said target device upon receipt of said retransmitted data at said target device at least one active operation with respect to said received transmitted data.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said active operations are selected from the list of:

establishing a return communication message to said one device;

enabling another application to perform an operation with respect to said transmitted data;

displaying a view interface to a user of said target device;

saving a copy of said transmitted item in a specific location;

performing data processing with respect to said transmitted data;

renaming said transmitted data; and

converting of transmitted data from one format to another.

10. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

storing said received data at said target device in accordance with criteria pre-established by said user.

11. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

changing said pre-established criteria from time to time under control of said user.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said one device is a digital image capturing device having wireless transmission capability, and wherein said transmitted data is a digital image.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said wireless capability is a cellular network.

14. A machine executable application for residing on a communication device, said code comprising:

code operable without user interaction for determining when data has been captured on said device of a type that is pre-identified for delivery to a location remote from said device; and

code for controlling delivery of a copy of said determined captured data to a location remote from said device, said location operable for subsequently performing at least one function with respect to said delivery data.

15. The application of claim 14 further comprising:

code operable upon a confirmation that said copy of said data has been received by said remote location for marking said data as having been delivered.

16. The application of claim 15 further comprising:

code operable for removing any data marked as having been delivered from said capturing device.

17. The application of claim 16 wherein said capturing device is a digital camera combined with wireless communication capability.

18. The application of claim 14 wherein said functions to be performed by said location are selected from the list of:

delivery of said data to one or more other locations;

performing corrective operations on said data;

sending said data to a specific other location for processing;

alerting one or more persons of an event based upon information obtained from said data.

19. A system for managing data captured by a mobile communication device, said system comprising:

a server common to a plurality of users, said server having communication links operable for data transfer to/from a plurality of remotely located user specific data capture devices and operable for data transfer to/from a plurality of user specific PCs; and

memory for storing criteria for handling subsequent data transfers to/from said data capture devices and data storage devices unique to each said user;

wherein said subsequent data transfer occurs without user instructions at the time of said data capture.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said memory is at said server.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein said data capture device is a digital camera combined with wireless communication capability to/from said server via a cellular network and wherein said communication between said server and said PCs is via an Internet connection.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein one of said criteria for handing subsequent data transfers from a particular data capture device is to retransfer any data received at said server to a location remote from said server, wherein said retransfer occurs without user instructions at a time of retransfer.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein one of said criteria for handing subsequent data transfers from a particular data capture device is to retransfer any said received data to a specific PC and wherein said server further comprises;

a processor for controlling pooling of said data transferred over a period of time from a particular device so as to initiate said retransfer for said pooled data at one time.

24. The system of claim 23 further comprising:

a processor for saving media data captured from a particular device on said particular device until a certain event occurs; and

upon an occurrence of said event transferring said saved media data to said server.

25. The system of claim 19 wherein said shared criteria comprises information for retransferring data transferred from said data capture device to a location remote from said server, said location pre-identified by a user and said location not being a user'"'"'s PC.