On-demand image delivery server, image resource database, client terminal, and method of displaying retrieval result

• US 7,423,771 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2001
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Abe, Keiko, Yamamoto, Yasushi, Ohata, Tadahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MADELEINE ANH VINH
• Application Number:
  US09/904,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20020048054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,616 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/402, 358/442, 358/400, 358/1.1, 358/1.17, 358/1.13, 358/403, 358/444
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor

Abstract

On-demand image delivery server delivering designated image data based on a request from a client terminal with one or a plurality of retrieval items as a retrieval condition inputted from the client terminal, made up by a retrieval function portion, which retrieves one or a plurality of image resource databases, and a retrieval result displaying function portion, which displays on the screen of the client terminal for confirmation of contents of image data subject to delivery, simplified image data of the image data matching a retrieval condition and/or data regarding attached contents-related information.

Claims

1. An on-demand image delivery server delivering image data based on a request from a client terminal, said server having one or more retrieval items as a retrieval condition inputted from the client terminal, comprising:

a retrieval function portion retrieving an image resource database; and

a retrieval result displaying function portion displaying a view of simplified image data of image data matching said retrieval condition and/or data regarding a designated item among contents-related information attached to said image data, on a screen of the client terminal, for confirmation of contents of image data to be delivered,

wherein the simplified image data is a function of capabilities of the client terminal,

wherein the simplified image data is generated from original image data for displaying a retrieval result,

wherein said contents-related information includes information with regard to location, object, situation, shooting point and shooting time of the retrieval result,

wherein the retrieval result determines the image data to be delivered in accordance with the retrieval condition and difference information,

wherein difference information is information indicating a difference or a plurality of differences in contents-related information attached to each image data,

wherein said simplified image data matching said retrieval condition is mapped to a corresponding position on a map by using attached GPS information, and a result of said mapping is displayed on said client terminal.

2. The on-demand image delivery server according to claim 1, wherein said retrieval result displaying function portion determines said designated item based on a setting of an image resource database.

3. The on-demand image delivery server according to claim 1, wherein said retrieval result displaying function portion determines said designated item based on a setting of a device thereof.

4. The on-demand image delivery server according to claim 1, wherein said retrieval result displaying function portion determines said designated item based on a setting of said client terminal.

5. The on-demand image delivery server according to claim 1, wherein said contents-related information includes GPS information.

6. The on-demand image delivery server according to claim 1, wherein said image data can be delivered to a client terminal distinct from a client terminal issuing a retrieval request, based on a request from said client terminal issuing said retrieval request.

7. The on-demand image delivery server according to claim 1, wherein a retrieval item inputted from said client terminal includes position information and/or time information.

8. The on-demand image delivery server according to claim 1, wherein contents-related information of each image data is displayed according to a table form matching items subject to display.

9. An image resource database storing image data along with simplified image data thereof and/or contents-related information attached thereto, comprising:

a retrieval execution portion outputting said simplified image data of said image data matching a retrieval condition and/or data regarding a designated item among contents-related information attached to said image data, when responding to an on-demand image delivery server in relation to a retrieval result,

wherein the simplified image data is a function of capabilities of a client terminal,

wherein the simplified image data is generated from original image data for displaying the retrieval result,

wherein said contents-related information includes information with regard to location, object, situation, shooting point and shooting time of the retrieval result,

wherein the retrieval result determines the image data to be delivered in accordance with the retrieval condition and difference information,

wherein difference information is information indicating a difference or a plurality of differences in contents-related information attached to each image data, and

wherein said simplified image data matching said retrieval condition is mapped to a corresponding position on a map by using attached GPS information, and a result of said mapping is displayed on said client terminal.

10. A client terminal receiving from an on-demand image delivery server and displaying on a screen, information on image data matching a retrieval condition, said client terminal comprising:

a retrieval result display function portion outputting simplified image data of said image data matching said retrieval condition and/or data regarding a designated item among contents-related information attached to said image data which are notified from said on-demand image delivery server,

wherein the simplified image data is a function of capabilities of the client terminal,

wherein the simplified image data is generated from the original image data for displaying a retrieval result,

wherein said contents-related information includes information with regard to location, object, situation, shooting point and shooting time of the retrieval result,

wherein the retrieval result determines the image data to be delivered in accordance with the retrieval condition and difference information,

wherein difference information is information indicating a difference or a plurality of differences in contents-related information attached to each image data, and

wherein said simplified image data matching said retrieval condition is mapped to a corresponding position on a map by using attached GPS information, and a result of said mapping is displayed on said client terminal.

11. A server system having an on-demand image delivery server and an image resource database,

wherein said on-demand image delivery server delivering image data based on a request from a client terminal, comprises:

a retrieval execution portion retrieving said image resource database, and a retrieval result display function portion displaying on a screen of said client terminal for confirmation of contents of image data subject to delivery, simplified image data of said image data matching a retrieval condition and/or data regarding a designated item among contents-related information attached thereto; and

said image resource database storing image data along with simplified image data thereof and/or contents-related information attached thereto, comprises;

a retrieval execution portion outputting said simplified image data of said image data and/or data regarding a designated item among contents-related information attached to said image data, when responding to an on-demand image delivery server,

wherein the simplified image data is a function of capabilities of the client terminal,

wherein the simplified image data is generated from the original image data for displaying a retrieval result,

wherein said contents-related information includes information with regard to location, object, situation, shooting point and shooting time of the retrieval result,

wherein the retrieval result determines the image data to be delivered in accordance with the retrieval condition and difference information,

wherein difference information is information indicating a difference or a plurality of differences in contents-related information attached to each image data, and

wherein said simplified image data matching said retrieval condition is mapped to a corresponding position on a map by using attached GPS information, and a result of said mapping is displayed on said client terminal.

12. An on-demand image delivery system having an on-demand image delivery server, an image resource database and a client terminal, wherein said on-demand image delivery server delivering image data based on a request from said client terminal, comprises:

a retrieval function portion retrieving said image resource database; and

a retrieval result display function portion displaying on the screen of said client terminal for confirmation of contents of image data subject to delivery, simplified image data of said image data matching a retrieval condition and/or data regarding a designated item among contents-related information attached to said image data;

said image resource database storing said image data along with simplified image data of said image data and/or contents-related information attached thereto, comprises;

a retrieval execution portion outputting said simplified image data of said image data matching a retrieval condition and/or data regarding a designated item among contents-related information attached thereto, when responding to an on-demand image delivery server;

and said client terminal receiving from said on-demand image delivery server and displaying on a screen, information on image data matching a retrieval condition, said client terminal comprises;

a retrieval result display function portion outputting simplified image data of said image data matching said retrieval condition and/or data regarding a designated item among contents-related information attached to said image data which are notified from said on-demand image delivery server,

wherein the simplified image data is a function of capabilities of the client terminal,

wherein the simplified image data is generated from the original image data for displaying a retrieval result,

wherein said contents-related information includes information with regard to location, object, situation, shooting point and shooting time of the retrieval result,

wherein the retrieval result determines the image data to be delivered in accordance with the retrieval condition and difference information,

wherein difference information is information indicating a difference or a plurality of differences in contents-related information attached to each image data, and

wherein said simplified image data matching said retrieval condition is mapped to a corresponding position on a map by using attached GPS information, and a result of said mapping is displayed on said client terminal.

13. A retrieval result displaying method related to an on-demand image delivery system, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying a view of simplified image data of said image data matching a retrieval condition and/or data regarding an item set by an image resource database among contents-related information attached to said image data, on a screen of a client terminal,

wherein the simplified image data is a function of capabilities of the client terminal,

wherein the simplified image data is generated from the original image data for displaying a retrieval result,

wherein said contents-related information includes information with regard to location, object, situation, shooting point and shooting time of the retrieval result,

wherein the retrieval result determines the image data to be delivered in accordance with the retrieval condition and difference information,

wherein difference information is information indicating a difference or a plurality of differences in contents-related information attached to each image data, and

wherein said simplified image data matching said retrieval condition is mapped to a corresponding position on a map by using attached GPS information, and a result of said mapping is displayed on said client terminal.

14. A retrieval result displaying method related to an on-demand image delivery system comprising:

displaying a view of simplified image data of said image data matching a retrieval condition and/or data regarding an item set by an on-demand image delivery server among contents-related information attached to said image data, on a screen of a client terminal,

wherein the simplified image data is a function of capabilities of the client terminal,

wherein the simplified image data is generated from the original image data for displaying a retrieval result,

wherein said contents-related information includes information with regard to location, object, situation, shooting point and shooting time of the retrieval result,

wherein the retrieval result determines the image data to be delivered in accordance with the retrieval condition and difference information,

wherein difference information is information indicating a difference or a plurality of differences in contents-related information attached to each image data, and

wherein said simplified image data matching said retrieval condition is mapped to a corresponding position on a map by using attached GPS information, and a result of said mapping is displayed on said client terminal.

15. A retrieval result displaying method related to an on-demand image delivery system comprising:

displaying on a screen of a client terminal, simplified image data of said image data matching a retrieval condition and/or data regarding a designated item among contents-related information attached to said image data, according to matrix form corresponding to items to be displayed,

wherein the simplified image data is a function of capabilities of the client terminal,

wherein the simplified image data is generated from the original image data for displaying a retrieval result,

wherein said contents-related information includes information with regard to location, object, situation, shooting point and shooting time of the retrieval result,

wherein the retrieval result determines the image data to be delivered in accordance with the retrieval condition and difference information,

wherein difference information is information indicating a difference or a plurality of differences in contents-related information attached to each image data, and

wherein said simplified image data matching said retrieval condition is mapped to a corresponding position on a map by using attached GPS information, and a result of said mapping is displayed on said client terminal.