Meta-application architecture for integrating photo-service websites

• US 6,453,361 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2000
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mind Fusion, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: IPAC Acquisition Subsidiary I LLC
• Inventors: Morris, Robert Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, David Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/698,777
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/200, 709/250
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00132 in a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00137 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00145 from a remote location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0065 Converting image data to a format usable by the connected apparatus or vice versa

Abstract

A meta-application architecture for integrating photo-service-based websites is disclosed. The online system includes a plurality of client devices capable of storing and displaying digital images, wherein a portion of the client devices communicate data in different formats. The system also includes a plurality of online photo-service sites, wherein each of the photo-service sites utilize different data models. The online system further includes a server for communicating with both the client devices and the photo-service sites over a network. A meta-application is also provided that is accessible by the server for defining a common data model format for the different formats of the photo-service sites. In operation, when a request is received from a client device for photo-services from a particular photo-service site, the request is passed to the photo-service site. When a response from the photo-service site is received, the response is converted from the data model of the photo-service site to the common data model format, and the converted request is then presented to the requesting client device in the data format required by the requesting client device.

Claims

1. An online system, the online system including a plurality of client devices capable of storing and displaying digital images, wherein a portion of the client devices communicate data in different formats, the system further including a plurality of online photo service sites, wherein each of the photo service sites utilize different data models, the online system comprising:

a server for communicating with client devices and the photo service sites over a network; and

a meta-application accessible by the server for defining a common data model format for the different formats of the photo service sites, such that when a request is received from a client device for photo services from a particular photo service site, the request is passed to the photo service site, and wherein when a response from the photo service site is received, the response is converted from the data model of the photo service site to the common data model format, the converted request is then presented to the requesting client device in the data format required by the requesting client device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the server communicates with the meta-application through a server meta-application programming interface that enables the server to pass the requests of the client devices to the meta-application in a device independent fashion.

3. The system of claim 2 further including at least one site adapter in communication with the meta-application for converting between the data models of each photo-service site and the common data model format.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the converted request is further modified using device-specific style sheets that specify required presentation of the data and functions to be displayed on each of the client device types.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the converted request is further modified using site-specific style sheets that identify the photo-service site providing the services.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein images in the response are transformed and scaled to provide images in web pages suitable for display on the requesting client device.

7. The system of claim 3 wherein the site adapter communicates with the meta-application through an adapter meta-application programming interface (AMAPI).

8. The system of claim 7 wherein additional site adapters may be added to the image gateway 18 as new photo-service sites are supported.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein a meta-application library plug-in is installed at one of the photo-service site for converting between the data models of each photo-service site and the common data model format.

10. The system of claim 1 further including database a for supporting the aggregation of data and services across the photo-service sites.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the database is used to support single login for each client device.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the database is synchronized with data stored on the photo serving sites.

13. A method for integrating services of online photo-service sites for access by client devices, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving requests from multiple client devices for photo services from multiple photo-service sites, wherein the client devices communicate data in different formats, and wherein each of the photo services utilize different data models;

(b) defining a common data model format for the different data models of the photo service sites;

(c) passing the requests to the photo-service sites;

(d) receiving responses from the photo-service sites;

(e) converting the request from the data models of the photo-service sites to the common data model format; and

(f) presenting the converted request to the client devices in the data format required by the requesting devices.

14. The method of claim 13 further including the step of defining the common data model format using a meta-application.

15. The method of claim 14 further including the step of passing the request from the client devices to the photo-service sites in a device independent fashion.

16. The method of claim 15 further including the step of providing a site adapter in communication with the meta-application for converting between the data models of each photo-service site and the common data model format.

17. The method of claim 16 further including the step of using device-specific style sheets to modify the converted request, wherein the device-specific style sheets specify required presentation of the data and functions to be displayed on each of the client device types.

18. The method of claim 17 further including the step of using site-specific style sheets to modify the converted request, wherein the site-specific style sheets identify the photo-service site providing the services.

19. The method of claim 18 further including the step of performing image transformation and scaling on images in the response to provide images in web pages suitable for display on the requesting client device.

20. The method of claim 16 further including the step of providing an adapter meta-application programming interface (AMAPI) for allowing communication between the site adapter and the meta-application.

21. The method of claim 20 further including the step of adding additional site adapters as new photo-service sites are supported.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein a meta-application library plug-in is installed at one of the photo-service site for converting between the data models of each photo-service site and the common data model format.

23. The method of claim 13 further including the step of providing a database for supporting the aggregation of data and services across the photo-service sites.

24. The method of claim 23 further including the step of using the database to support single login for each client device.

25. The method of claim 24 further including the step of synchronizing the database with data stored on the photo serving sites.