Arrangement and method for displaying and sharing images

• US 7,124,165 B1
• Filed: 08/06/2001
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Original Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Inventors: Barraclough, Keith, Noonen, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): WINDER, PATRICE L
• Application Number:
  US09/923,084
• Time in Patent Office: 1,898 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/205, 709/227, 709/228, 709/203, 709/206, 709/232, 709/249, 345/841, 345/733, 358/487, 379/93.17, 715/501.1
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking

Abstract

According to an aspect of the disclosure, the present invention provides methods and arrangements for using the internet and an internet access appliance to share images, wherein the images are captured, downloaded, and sent to a server. At the server, the images are parsed and posted to a web page. Subsequent communication is automatically sent to individuals selected by the sender to notify them of the posting of new images. The present invention provides an effective and efficient manner in which to share images for business, marketing, and home use.

Claims

1. A method for displaying and sharing digital images using an internet access appliance with internet telephony and image capture capability, comprising the steps of:

capturing digital images of an item being viewed by a sender;

downloading the digital images to the internet access appliance or directly to network storage through the appliance;

including the digital images with a first email addressed to a server and sending the first email;

parsing the first email at the server and posting the images to a storage location where the images are stored;

selecting at least one set of individuals for whom targeted images are to be sent, each set including at least one individual;

sending a communication to the at least one selected set of individuals to notify of the posted images; and

while viewing the item, using the internet access appliance to establish a telephony connection with said at least one individual who converses with the sender and concurrently reviews the posted images.

2. A method, according to claim 1, wherein the images are accompanied by descriptions, and are included with the first email as attachments.

3. A method, according to claim 1, wherein the images are posted onto a web page with information imbedded into them, wherein the selected individuals visit the web page to view the images.

4. A method, according to claim 3, wherein clicking on the images initiates an internet phone call to the sender.

5. A method, according to claim 4, wherein an internet phone conference call is held between the sender and the selected individuals while simultaneously accessing web pages with images.

6. A method, according to claim 3, wherein clicking on the images initiates an email letter to the sender.

7. A method, according to claim 3, wherein clicking on the images initiates access to the sender'"'"'s internet web page.

8. A method, according to claim 1, wherein the images that are of low to medium resolution can be downloaded for viewing across the internet.

9. A method, according to claim 1, wherein the images that are of high resolution are stored for making professionally-developed reprints.

10. A method, according to claim 1, wherein the sender also uses the internet access appliance for conversing with said at least one individual.

11. A method, according to claim 1, wherein the sets of selected individuals comprise potential purchasers of real estate and wherein the digital images comprise images of real estate property.

12. A method for displaying and sharing digital images using an internet access appliance with telephony and image capture capability, comprising the steps of:

posting at least one digital image via a server to a web page where the at least one image is made available for viewing, the at least one digital image being a digital image of an item captured by a sender;

selecting at least one individual for whom the at least one image is to be made accessible for viewing;

notifying the at least one individual of the at least one image being posted to the web page; and

while viewing at least one image, using the internet access appliance to establish a telephony connection between said at least one individual and a second individual, where the at least one individual and the second individual concurrently review the at least one image at the web page.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

prior to posting the at least one digital image via the server to a web page, downloading the at least one digital image to the internet access appliance; and

sending the at least one digital image to a server.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein downloading the at least one digital image to the internet access appliance includes downloading the at least one digital image directly to a network storage arrangement via the internet access appliance.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the internet access appliance has internet telephony capability, wherein establishing a telephony connection between said at least one individual and a second individual includes establishing an internet telephony connection between the at least one individual and the second individual.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising establishing access to the posted at least one digital image to a plurality of individuals, wherein any first one of the plurality of individuals is the selected at least one individual, and wherein any second one of the plurality of individuals is the second individual.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the second individual is the sender.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

capturing a digital image with the internet access appliance; and

wherein posting at least one digital image includes posting the captured image with the internet access appliance.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein capturing a digital image includes using a digital image capturing device of the internet access appliance to capture the digital image.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein capturing a digital image includes capturing digital video.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein posting at least one digital image via a server includes using the internet access appliance to send the digital image to the server.

22. An arrangement for displaying and sharing digital images using an internet access appliance with internet telephony and image capture capability, comprising:

a means for capturing digital images of an item being viewed by a sender;

a means for downloading the digital images to the internet access appliance or directly to network storage through the appliance;

a means for including the digital images with a first email addressed to a server and sending the first email;

a means for parsing the first email at the server and posting the images to a web page where the images are stored;

a means for selecting at least one set of individuals for whom targeted images are to be sent, each set including at least one individual;

a means for sending a communication to the at least one selected set of individuals to notify of the images posted to the web page; and

a means for, while viewing the item, using the internet access appliance to establish a telephony connection with said at least one individual who converses with the sender and concurrently reviews the posted images.

23. An arrangement for displaying and sharing digital images using an internet access appliance with internet telephony and image capture capability, the arrangement comprising:

means for capturing digital images of an item being viewed by a sender;

means for downloading the digital images to the internet access appliance or directly to network storage through the appliance;

means for including the digital images with a first email addressed to a server and sending the first email;

means for selecting at least one set of individuals for whom targeted images are to be sent, each set including at least one individual;

means for sending a communication to the at least one selected set of individuals to notify of the posted images; and

means for using, while viewing the item, the internet access appliance to establish a telephony connection with said at least one individual who converses with the sender and concurrently reviews the posted images.

24. A method for displaying and sharing digital images using a telephony appliance with telephony, image capture and internet access capabilities, the method comprising:

capturing at least one digital image with the telephony appliance;

posting the at least one captured digital image from the telephony appliance to a web page where the image is made available for viewing;

selecting at least one individual for whom the at least one image is to be made accessible for viewing;

notifying the at least one individual of the at least one image being posted to the web page; and

while viewing at least one image, using the telephony appliance to establish a telephony connection between an individual at the telephony appliance and another individual, wherein the individual at the telephony appliance and the other individual concurrently review the at least one image at the web page.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein using the telephony appliance to establish a telephony connection between an individual at the telephony appliance and another individual includes establishing a voice conversation between the individual at the telephony appliance the other individual.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein posting the at least one captured digital image from the telephony appliance includes posting the image while using the telephony appliance to engage in a telephony conversation.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein capturing at least one digital image includes capturing video.