AGGREGATION OF REDUCED-SIZED IMAGES

• US 20110229050A1
• Filed: 03/22/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Wilson, Michael K., Hess, Martin L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,255,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/235
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A method includes receiving, from a first user, first location data identifying a first storage location at which a first image is stored, The first image is retrieved from the first storage location identified by the first location. A first reduced-size image is generated using the first image. The first reduced-size image is aggregated with a second reduced-size image for presentation at a remote site, the second reduced-size image being generated using a second image retrieved from a second storage location identified by second location data received from a second user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from a first user, first location data identifying a first storage location at which a first image is stored;

retrieving the first image from the first storage location identified by the first location data;

generating a first reduced-size image using the first image; and

aggregating the first reduced-size image with a second reduced-size image for presentation at a remote site, the second reduced-size image being generated using a second image retrieved from a second storage location identified by second location data received from a second user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first reduced-size image is a thumbnail image.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the first user, publication data to be published in association with the first image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location data identifies a network address at which the first image is stored.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location data specifies a directory path to a location at which the first image is stored.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the aggregating includes aggregating the first reduced-size image with the second reduced-size image onto a web page for presentation at the remote site.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image is retrieved concurrently with the retrieval of the second image.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating of the first reduced-size image includes decompressing the first image from a source format to generate a decompressed image, converting the decompressed image to fit within a predetermined space to generate a converted image, and recompressing the converted image into an output format.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the first location data includes converting the first location data to have a correct syntax.

10. A method comprising:

receiving a first image location from a first client computer over a network;

receiving a second image location a second client computer over the network;

retrieving a first image from the first image location;

manipulating the first image to produce a first reduced-size image using a server;

retrieving a second image from the second image location;

manipulating the second image to produce a second reduced-size image using the server; and

creating a customized web page including the first and second reduced-size images using the server.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the first and second reduced-size images are of a determined size and format.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving first publication data from the first client computer for the network and receiving the second publication data from the second client computer over the network, wherein the first and second publication data includes first and second descriptions respectively, and the creating of the customized web page further comprises including the first and second descriptions within the customized web page.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first image location and the second image location comprises a directory path.

14. The method of claim 10, including concurrently retrieving the first image from the first image location and the second image from the second image location.

15. A method comprising:

using a server to harvest user-specified images from a plurality of sites based upon user-supplied information received from a plurality of client computers, the user-supplied information identifying locations from which the user-specified images are retrievable;

creating reduced-size images corresponding to the harvested user-specified images; and

aggregating the reduced-size images for presentation at a remote site.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the user-specified images are associated with an item listing, and the user-supplied information includes a description of an item for sale, the description to be included in the item listing.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the creating of the reduced-size images corresponding to the harvested user-specified images comprises:

for each harvested user-specified image, decompressing the harvested user-specified image from a source format to a decompressed image format;

converting the decompressed image format to a thumbnail image format; and

compressing the thumbnail image format into an output format.

18. A system comprising:

a listing component to receive, from a first user, first location data identifying a storage location at which a first image is stored;

a harvesting component to retrieve the first image from the first storage location identified by the first location data, and to generate a first reduced-size image using the first; and

a management component to aggregate the first reduced-size image with a second reduced-size image for presentation at a remote site, the second reduced-size image being generated using a second image retrieved from a second storage location identified by second location data received from a second user.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first reduced-size image is a thumbnail image.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the listing component is to receive, from the first user, publication data to be published in association with the first image.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the first location data identifies a network address at which the first image is stored, and the harvesting component is to retrieve the first image from the network address.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the first location data specifies a directory path to a location at which the first image is stored, and the harvesting component is to retrieve the first image using the directory path.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the management component is to aggregate the first reduced-size image with the second reduced-size image onto a web page for presentation at the remote site.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the harvesting component is to retrieve the first image concurrently with the second image, and is to use the second image to generate the second reduced-size image.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the harvesting component is to decompress the first image from a source format to generate a decompressed image, convert the decompressed image to fit within a predetermined space to generate a converted image, and recompress the converted image into an output format.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the harvesting component is to convert the first location data to have a correct syntax.

27. A system comprising:

a publication component to;

receive a first image location from a first computer over a network; and

receive a second image location from a second computer over the network;

a harvesting component to;

retrieve a first image from the first image location;

manipulate the first image to produce a first reduced-size image;

retrieve a second image from the second image location; and

manipulate the second image to produce a second reduced-size image; and

a management component to create a customized web page including the first and second reduced-size images.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein each of the first and second reduced-size images are of a determined size and format.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising receiving first and second publication data from the first and second computers respectively, and the management component is to include the first and second publication data within the customized web page.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein at least one of the first image location and the second image location comprises a directory path.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the harvesting component is concurrently to retrieve the first image from the first image location and the second image from the second image location.

32. A system comprising:

a harvesting component of a server to harvest user-specified images from a plurality of sites based upon user-supplied information received from a plurality of client computers, the user-supplied information identifying locations from which the user-specified images are retrievable, and to create reduced-size images corresponding to the harvested user-specified images; and

an aggregation component of the server to aggregated the reduced-size images for presentation at a remote site.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the user-supplied information includes a description of an item for sale.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the harvesting component is to:

for each harvested user-specified image, decompress the harvested user-specified image from a source format to a decompressed image format;

convert the decompressed image format to a thumbnail image format; and

compress the thumbnail image format into an output format.

35. A system comprising:

first means for receiving, from a first user, first location data identifying a first storage location at which a first image is stored;

second means for retrieving the first image from the first storage location identified by the first location data, and for generating a first reduced-size image using the first image;

third means for aggregating the first reduced-size image with a second reduced-size image for presentation at a remote site, the second reduced-size image being generated using a second image retrieved from a second storage location identified by second location data received from a second user.

36. A system comprising:

publication means for;

receiving a first image location from a first computer over a network;

receiving a second image location from a second computer over the network;

harvesting means for;

retrieving a first image from the first image location;

manipulating the first image to produce a first reduced-size image;

retrieving a second image from the second image location;

manipulating the second image to produce a second reduced-size image; and

aggregation means for creating a customized web page including the first and second reduced-size images.

37. A server comprising:

harvesting means for harvesting user-specified images from a plurality of sites based upon user-supplied information, the user-supplied information identifying locations from which the user-specified images are retrievable, and for creating reduced-size images corresponding to the harvested user-specified images; and

aggregation means for aggregating the reduced-size images for presentation at a remote site.

38. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which when implemented by one or more processors perform the following operations:

receiving, from a first user, first location data identifying a first storage location at which a first image is stored;

retrieving the first image from the first storage location identified by the first location data;

generating a first reduced-size image using the first image; and

aggregating the first reduced-size image with a second reduced-size image for presentation at a remote site, the second reduced-size image being generated using a second image retrievable from a second storage location identified by second location data received from a second user.

39. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which when implemented by one or more server processors perform the following operations:

harvesting user-specified images from a plurality of sites based upon user-supplied information, the user-supplied information identifying locations from which the user-specified images are retrievable;

creating reduced-size images corresponding to the harvested user-specified images; and

aggregating the reduced-size images for presentation at a remote site.

40. A method comprising:

receiving a first image location from a first computer over a network;

receiving a second image location from a second computer over the network;

carrying out a harvesting process comprising;

retrieving a first image from the first image location;

manipulating the first image to produce a first reduced-size image;

retrieving a second image from the second image location; and

manipulating the second image to produce a second reduced-size image; and

creating a customized web page including the first and second reduced-size images.

41. A method comprising:

harvesting user-specified images from a plurality of sites based upon user-supplied information, the user-supplied information identifying locations from which the user-specified images are retrievable, the locations indicating a site of a first image specified by a first user and a site of a second image specified by a second user;

creating reduced-size images corresponding to the harvested user-specified images; and

aggregating the reduced-size images for presentation at a remote site.

42-44. -44. (canceled)

45. A method of managing images between multiple computers in communication over a network comprising the steps of:

receiving a first description and a first image location relating to the first description, the first image location referencing a first storage computer on the network;

receiving a second description and a second image location relating to the second description, the second image location referencing a second storage computer on the network;

retrieving the first image from the first storage computer based on the first image location;

producing a first thumbnail image from the first image and storing the first thumbnail image on a server;

retrieving the second image from second first storage computer based on the second image location;

producing a second thumbnail image from the second image and storing the second thumbnail image on the server;

periodically reloading the first image and the second image from any computer on the network where the first and second images are stored in order to obtain any changes that were made to the first image and the second image; and

updating the first thumbnail image and the second thumbnail image on the server.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein periodically reloading the first image and the second image in order to obtain any changes that were made to the first image and the second image includes obtaining an updated image location for the first image and an updated image location for the second image.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein periodically reloading the first image and the second image in order to obtain any changes that were made to the first image and the second image includes obtaining an updated first image and an updated second image.

48. The method of claim 45, further comprising presenting a web page to a third computer that includes the updated first and second thumbnail images.

49. The method of claim 45, wherein the updated first image is in one of a plurality of predetermined source image formats and the updated second image is in one of a plurality of predetermined source image formats.

50. The method of claim 45, wherein the first image has the same source format as the updated first image.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the second image has the same source format as the updated second image.

52. The method of claim 45, wherein the first image location references the first computer and the second image location references the second computer.

53. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

presenting a first registration web page to the first computer over the network, wherein

the first registration web page solicits information relating to the first description and the first image location of the first product; and

presenting a second registration web page to the second computer over the network,

wherein the second registration web page solicits information relating to the second description and the second image location of the second product.

54. The method of claim 45, wherein presenting a web page to a third computer that includes the first and second thumbnail images includes creating a customized web page that includes the updated first and second thumbnail images.

55. A method of facilitating electronic commerce over a network comprising the steps of:

using one or more processors to execute instructions retained in machine-readable media to perform at least the following steps;

receiving a first description and a first image location relating to the first description, the first image location referencing a first storage computer on the network;

receiving a second description and a second image location relating to the second description, the second image location referencing a second storage computer on the network;

retrieving the first image from the first storage computer based on the first image location;

producing a first thumbnail image from the first image and storing the first thumbnail image on a server;

retrieving the second image from second first storage computer based on the second image location;

producing a second thumbnail image from the second image and storing the second thumbnail image on the server;

periodically reloading the first image and the second image from any computer on the network where the first and second images are stored in order to obtain any changes that were made to the first image and the second image; and

updating the first thumbnail image and the second thumbnail image on the server.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein periodically reloading the first image and the second image in order to obtain any changes that were made to the first image and the second image includes obtaining an updated image location for the first image and an updated image location for the second image.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein periodically reloading the first image and the second image in order to obtain any changes that were made to the first image and the second image includes obtaining an updated first image and an updated second image.

58. The method of claim 55, further comprising presenting a web page to a third computer that includes the updated first and second thumbnail images.

59. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

presenting a first registration web page to the first computer over the network, wherein

the first registration web page solicits information relating to the first description and the first image location of the first product; and

presenting a second registration web page to the second computer over the network,

wherein the second registration web page solicits information relating to the second description and the second image location of the second product.

60. A non-transitory machine-readable media containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform operations comprising:

receiving a first description and a first image location relating to the first description, the first image location referencing a first storage computer on the network;

receiving a second description and a second image location relating to the second description, the second image location referencing a second storage computer on the network;

retrieving the first image from the first storage computer based on the first image location;

producing a first thumbnail image from the first image and storing the first thumbnail image on a server;

retrieving the second image from second first storage computer based on the second image location;

producing a second thumbnail image from the second image and storing the second thumbnail image on the server;

periodically reloading the first image and the second image from any computer on the network where the first and second images are stored in order to obtain any changes that were made to the first image and the second image; and

updating the first thumbnail image and the second thumbnail image on the server.

61. The machine-readable media of claim 60, further containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform operations comprising:

presenting a web page to a third computer that includes the updated first and second thumbnail images.

62. The machine-readable media of claim 60, wherein periodically reloading the first image and the second image in order to obtain any changes that were made to the first image and the second image includes obtaining an updated first image and an updated second image.

63. The machine-readable media of claim 60, wherein periodically reloading the first image and the second image in order to obtain any changes that were made to the first image and the second image includes obtaining an updated image location for the first image and an updated image location for the second image.

64. The machine-readable media of claim 60, further containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform operations comprising:

presenting a first registration web page to the first computer over the network, wherein

the first registration web page solicits information relating to the first description and the first image location of the first product; and

presenting a second registration web page to the second computer over the network,

wherein the second registration web page solicits information relating to the second description and the second image location of the second product.