System and method for embedding symbology in digital images and using the symbology to organize and control the digital images

• US 7,991,792 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2008
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qmage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rothschild Trust Holdings LLC (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Inventors: Rothschild, Leigh M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Isaac M
• Application Number:
  US12/317,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20090171915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 707600-831
• US Class Current: 707/791
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2179 Interfaces allowing access to a plurality of users, e.g. connection to electronic image libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2187 with image input from a plurality of different locations or from a non-central location, e.g. from one or more users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2191 for simultaneous, independent access by a plurality of different users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32112 in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3264 of sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3267 of motion picture signals, e.g. video clip
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• 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 and system for designing and affixing symbology, e.g., an identifier, into digital and printed images and using that symbology to link these images to a global computer network to allow the organization and processing of these images both while in digital form, and later when in printed form are provided. The method includes the steps of capturing an image with a digital image capture device and creating a digital image file; associating at least one identifier to the digital image file; and encoding the at least one identifier of the digital image file. The identifier includes a site location number (SLN), a customer identification number (CIN), a date the image was taken (DIT) and a picture sequence number (PSN). The identifier will be printed with the image and be used to retrieve the image at a later date and process user requests.

Claims

1. A method for managing a plurality of digital images over a network comprising:

receiving, at an imaging web server coupled to the network, a digital image file along with information associated to the digital image file, wherein the digital image file comprises data representing a digital image and the associated information includes at least one of a location of the imaging web server, a customer identification number, a date image was taken, a picture sequence number, a name of the digital image, a time the digital image was taken, location where the image was taken at, author/publisher of the digital image, subject matter of the digital image;

keyword for the digital image file and a name of the imaging web server;

parsing the associated information to extract multiple pieces of information from the associated information;

coding the multiple pieces of extracted information of the associated information to create an identifier for the digital image file;

storing the digital image file and the identifier in a database coupled to the imaging web server;

receiving a search request;

querying the database with the search request;

retrieving at least one requested digital image file matching the search request; and

presenting at least one requested digital image corresponding to the at least one requested digital image file to a user.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of printing the digital image with a visual representation of the identifier.

3. The method as in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the identifier of the digital image file and at least one request;

querying the database to retrieve a record associated to the digital image file based on the identifier; and

processing the at least one request with information in the record associated to the digital image file.

4. The method as in claim 3, wherein the at least one request is displaying of the digital image in a particular sequence, printing of the digital image, e-mailing of the digital image file or storing the digital image file on a second server coupled to the network.

5. The method as in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

positioning a hot spot on the at least one requested digital image; and

selecting the hot spot, wherein upon selection the associated information for the corresponding requested digital image is presented to the user.

6. The method as in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

positioning a hot spot on the at least one requested digital image; and

selecting the hot spot, wherein upon selection the user is linked to at least a second server storing the at least one requested digital image file.

7. The method as in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a user request pertaining to the at least one requested digital image; and

processing the user request with the associated information of the at least one requested digital image.

8. The method as in claim 7, wherein the user request is e-mailing of the at least one requested digital image file, purchasing of the at least one requested digital image, resizing of the at least one requested digital image, playing of associated audio or video of the at least one requested digital image, printing of the at least one requested digital image, or simultaneously sharing of the at least one requested digital image file with at least a second user.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein the identifier is an alphanumeric string.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein the identifier is a barcode.

11. The method as in claim 1, wherein the identifier is the printed digital image.