System and method for automatic transfer of data from one device to another

• US 9,009,265 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Photobucket Corporation (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Zapata, Charles B., Shapiro, Daniel J., Schultz, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): DENNISON, JERRY B
• Application Number:
  US11/877,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20090037515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,729 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/202, 348/231.2, 707/999.202, 707/999.204
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/64 file transfer between terminals download of applications H04M1/72406; transfer of messages, e.g. SMS, e-mail or MMS H04M1/7243

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method which allows for the transfer of data captured by one device to be processed and moved to another location in accordance with pre-established criteria without requiring user interaction at the time of data capture. In one embodiment, images from a camera-equipped phone are transferred to a personal computer through a file server in accordance with pre-established guidelines. The camera-equipped phone generates a digital image, for example by taking a digital photo with a built-in or attached camera, and transmits the digital image over a standard wireless network, for example the cellular GSM/GPRS network, to a file server. The file server receives the digital data from the camera-equipped phone and forwards the data to a pre-identified location, such as the user'"'"'s personal computer (or to an image processing facility) through the Internet. In one embodiment, the incoming data to the user'"'"'s PC is directed to specific applications as opposed to simply storing the data in a storage location. In other embodiments, the intermediate server interprets the data and redirects both the location to which the data is delivered as well as the function to be performed on the data at the redirected location.

Claims

1. A method for copying images captured by a camera within a particular cell phone to a location external to said particular cell phone;

said method comprising;

identifying when said particular cell phone has image data resident thereon of a type that is to be copied to at least one target device remote from said particular cell phone;

determining when any of said identified data on said particular cell phone remains uncopied;

when said uncopied data includes image data, modifying said image data by lowering a resolution of said image data or compressing said image data to produce modified image data;

selectively transmitting said uncopied data to one of a plurality of servers remote from said particular cell phone based on a type of said uncopied data, wherein said modified image data is associated with a first type and is transmitted to a directory of a first server of said plurality of servers wherein non-image data included in said uncopied data is associated with a second type that is different from the first type and is transmitted to a second server of said plurality of servers, said first server operable for receiving image data of the first type from a plurality of cell phones that include the particular cell phone, said second server operable for receiving non-image data of the second type from said plurality of cell phones, wherein said first server has a first unique directory for each of said plurality of cell phones, each of said first unique directories storing image data received from one of said plurality of cell phones, wherein said second server has a second unique directory for each of said plurality of cell phones, each of said second directories storing non-image data received from one of said plurality of cell phones, wherein said identifying, determining, modifying and transmitting occur without action taken by a user of said particular cell phone, and wherein said identifying, determining and modifying are controlled, at least in part by a processor located within said particular cell phone and wherein said transmitting is controlled, at least in part, by at least one of authorization and authentication credentials coordinated between said particular cell phone and said plurality of servers prior to said identifying; and

receiving, at said particular cell phone from said first server, information derived by said first server from an image included in said modified image data.

2. The method of claim 1 further, wherein said first server retransmits said modified image data to said at least one target device, wherein said at least one target device is a personal computer, said personal computer being identified to said server by said user.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said first server causes at least one processing operation to be performed on said modified image data prior to said retransmitting.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said at least one processing operation is performed remote from said server.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said first server determines certain characteristics of said modified image data based upon contents of said modified image data, and wherein said at least one processing operation is based upon said certain characteristics.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein a determination of said certain characteristics by said first server is controlled by at least one of the following:

metadata contained in said modified image data, image analysis of said modified image data, and device type of said particular cell phone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one target device, upon receipt of said modified image data, initiates at least one active operation with respect to said modified image data.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said at least one active operation is selected from the list of:

establishing a return communication message to said particular cell phone;

enabling another application to perform an operation with respect to said modified image data;

displaying a view interface to a user of said at least one target device;

saving a copy of said modified image data in a specific location;

performing data processing with respect to said modified image data;

renaming said modified data; and

converting of said modified image data from one format to another.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one target device stores said modified image data in accordance with criteria pre-established by said user.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

changing said pre-established criteria from time to time under control of said user.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said image includes contact information, and wherein said information includes said contact information, said method further comprising storing said contact information in a database of said particular cell phone.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said image is an image of a product, and wherein said information includes an advertisement for said product.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the uncopied data includes at least one file, and wherein said method includes modifying a filename of said at least one file, wherein modification of said filename appends information that indicates the file is being transmitted to a particular server and is not accessible to one or more additional devices that are distinct from said particular cell phone and said particular server, wherein the particular server is one of the first server and the second server, wherein, after transfer of said at least one file to said particular server is complete, said particular server removes said appended information, and wherein removal of said information by said particular server indicates that said at least one file is accessible to said one or more additional devices.

11. A machine executable application for residing on a communication device having a camera built into said communication device, said application comprising:

code embodied on a non-transitory processor readable medium included in said communication device operable without user interaction for determining when data has been captured on said communication device of a type that is pre-identified for delivery to one of a plurality of servers remote from said communication device;

code embodied on the non-transitory processor readable medium for, when said uncopied data includes image data, modifying said image data by lowering a resolution of said image data or compressing said image data to produce modified image data;

code embodied on the non-transitory processor readable medium included in said communication device for selectively controlling delivery of a copy of said uncopied data to particular servers of said plurality of servers based on a type of said uncopied data, wherein said modified image data is associated with a first type and is transmitted to a first server of said plurality of servers, wherein non-image data is associated with a second type that is different from the first type and is transmitted to a second server of said plurality of servers, said first server operable for receiving image data of the first type from a plurality of communication devices that includes said communication device, said second server operable for receiving non-image data of the second type from said plurality of communication devices, wherein said first server has a first unique directory for each of said plurality of communication devices, each of said first unique directories storing image data received from one of said plurality of cell phones, wherein said second server has a second unique directory for each of said plurality of cell phones, each of said second directories storing non-image data received from one of said plurality of cell phones, and wherein said delivery is further controlled, at least in part, by at least one of authorization and authentication credentials coordinated between said communication device and each of said plurality of servers prior to a time when said uncopied data has been identified on said communication device; and

code embodied on the non-transitory processor readable medium included in said communication device for receiving, at said communication device from said first server, information derived by said first server from an image included in said modified image data.

12. The application of claim 11 further comprising:

code embodied on the non-transitory processor readable medium included in said communication device operable, upon a confirmation that said copy of said modified image data has been received by said first server, for marking said modified image data as having been delivered.

13. The application of claim 12 further comprising:

code embodied on the non-transitory processor readable medium included in said communication device operable for removing any image data from said communication device in response to receiving confirmation that said modified image data has been delivered.

14. The application of claim 11 wherein said first server makes any image data captured by said camera available to a user-selected computer separate from said communication device.

15. The application of claim 11 wherein said first server is operable to perform any of the functions selected from the list of:

delivery of said modified image data to one or more other locations;

performing corrective operations on said modified image data;

sending said modified image data to a specific other location for processing; and

alerting one or more persons of an event based upon information obtained from said modified image data.