System and method for managing images over a communication network

• US 8,621,047 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2010
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 83 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: McIntyre, Dale F., Parulski, Kenneth A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joo, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US12/903,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20110025713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/203, 709217-219, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/61 wherein solid state memory is used for storing A/V content
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A program storage device and method for creating an electronic icon containing information unique to a category and to a network address including information for associating the icon with a digital image and sending the digital image over a network to the network address.

Claims

1. A program storage device readable by a network connected machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method comprising:

displaying a plurality of digital images for categorization;

displaying at least one digital image icon associated with a selection category and with at least one network address, wherein the digital image icon consists of a cropped portion of at least one of the digital images being categorized;

selecting one of the at least one digital image icon for association with the at least one of the digital images, including searching the plurality of digital images for image information contained in pixels that match image information contained in pixels of the at least one digital image icon;

categorizing a matching one of the at least one of the digital images according to the selection category associated with the at least one digital image icon; and

sending the at least one of the digital images to the associated network address over the connected network.

2. The program storage device of claim 1, wherein the at least one digital image icon is associated with a corresponding text.

3. The program storage device of claim 2, wherein the at least one digital image icon includes a subset of contiguous pixels cropped from the matching one of said at least one of the digital images.

4. The program storage device of claim 1, further comprising providing for the addition of a new digital image icon for use in categorizing.

5. The program storage device of claim 4, wherein the new digital image icon is obtained using one of the digital images being categorized.

6. A method for organizing a plurality of digital images comprising:

displaying a plurality of digital images; and

categorizing at least one of the plurality of digital images using at least one digital image icon including searching the plurality of digital images for image information contained in pixels that match image information contained in pixels of the at least one digital image icon and determining that the at least one of the plurality of digital images includes matching image information, wherein the digital image icon is associated with a selection category and with a network address, wherein the digital image icon consists of a cropped portion of the at least one of said plurality of digital images being categorized; and

sending the at least one of the plurality of digital images to the associated network address.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the digital image icon is associated with a corresponding text.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing an additional selection feature for adding a customized digital image icon.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the customized digital image icon comprises a subset of contiguous pixels cropped from the at least one of the plurality of digital images being categorized.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing for the addition of a new digital image icon for use in categorizing.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the new digital image icon is obtained using the at least one of the plurality of digital images being categorized.

12. A method comprising:

selecting a digital image icon for association with one of a plurality of digital images, including searching the plurality of digital images for image information contained in pixels that match image information contained in pixels of the digital image icon;

displaying the digital image icon, wherein the digital image icon is associated with a selection category and with a network address, and wherein the digital image icon consists of a cropped portion of at least one of the plurality of digital images;

categorizing a matching one of the at least one of the digital images according to the selection category associated with the digital image icon; and

sending the at least one of the digital images to the associated network address over a connected network.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing a new digital image icon.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the new digital image icon is obtained using one of the plurality of digital images being categorized.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the digital image icon includes a portion of a face of an individual taken from one of the plurality of digital images.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the digital image icon includes a representation of a user-selected category of images.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the digital image icon includes a user-selected image.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing an additional selection feature for adding a customized digital image icon.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the customized digital image icon comprises a subset of contiguous pixels cropped from the at least one of the plurality of digital images being categorized.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein searching the plurality of digital images includes searching low resolution image collections of the plurality of digital images.