Method of providing preprocessed images for a plurality of internet web sites

• US 6,732,162 B1
• Filed: 11/15/1999
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lupercal LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Internet Pictures, Corporation
• Inventors: Wood, Lisa T., Lewis, Scott M., Fried, Robin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, WEN TAI
• Application Number:
  US09/440,461
• Time in Patent Office: 1,632 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/205-206, 707/201, 707/200, 707/170, 707/103, 707/204, 707/205, 707/1, 707/2, 707/104.1, 707/100, 707/101, 711/171, 711/170
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

The present invention, generally speaking, provides a broad-based solution for acquisition, processing and distribution of media objects including pictures (images), movies, videos, graphics, sound clips, etc via the Internet or the like. And specifically, it is a solution to such systems for use in applications wherein there are multiple originators of media objects that will be viewed in multiple web sites having different viewing requirements. A browser-based Aprepare and post@ tool prepares and submits media objects from inside a standard browser to a remote server. A Media Acquisition, Processing and Distribution (MAPD) system receives these media objects, processes them to meet specific requirements, and delivers them for integration into remote databases. MAPD system services include media object submission, processing, hosting and mirroring. The hosting service delivers a media object URL to a remote database, allowing the media object to be requested and served by the media object server. The mirroring service delivers the actual media object to multi-point remote databases to be stored and served by the customer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

submitting by a user a digital image through a user interface presented on a web page viewed on a client computer, the web page being served by a remote web server;

preprocessing the digital image on the client computer through functionality encoded in the web page, said step of preprocessing comprising at least the step of resizing of the digital image;

uploading the preprocessed digital image through the user interface from the client computer;

storing the digital image on a server, said stored digital image being based on the preprocessed digital image uploaded from the client computer;

receiving a request for the stored digital image, said request originating from one of a plurality of destination web sites, each of the plurality of destination web sites having unique viewing requirements and a web server for the destination web site;

processing the stored digital image in accordance with the viewing requirements for the requesting destination web site to create a processed digital image;

transmitting the processed digital Image to the web server corresponding to the requesting destination web site; and

displaying the processed digital image on the requesting destination web site.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital image is a still image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of preprocessing further comprises reformatting the submitted digital image.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of associating a URL with the stored digital image.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the request originates from the URL embedded in a destination web site.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of returning to the client computer the URL associated with the stored digital image.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps are performed sequentially as listed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a request for the stored digital image is performed in conjunction with a mirror service.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital image is a video image.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital image is a PDF file.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital image is an immersive image.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital image comprises a plurality of digital images.

13. A method comprising:

submitting by a user a digital image through a user interface viewed on a client computer, the user interface being served by a remote server;

preprocessing the digital image on the client computer through functionality downloaded from the remote server, said step of preprocessing comprising at least the step of resizing of the digital image;

uploading the preprocessed digital image through the served user interface from the client computer;

storing the digital image on a server, said stored digital image being based on the preprocessed digital image uploaded from the client computer;

receiving a request for the stored digital image, said request originating from one of a plurality of web sites, each of the plurality of web sites having unique image requirements;

processing the stored digital image in accordance with the image requirements for the requesting web site to create a processed digital image; and

transmitting the processed digital image to the requesting web site.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the digital image is a still image.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of preprocessing further comprises reformatting the submitted digital image.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of associating a URL with the stored digital image.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the request originates from the URL embedded in a destination web site.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of returning to the client computer the URL associated with the stored digital image.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the steps are performed sequentially as listed.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of receiving a request for the stored digital image is performed in conjunction with a mirror service.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the digital image is a video image.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the digital image is a PDF file.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the digital image is an immersive image.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the digital image comprises a plurality of digital images.