Method and system for distributing images to client systems
First Claim
1. A distribution system for distributing images for display by client systems, the distribution system comprising:
- a server component comprising;
an image store configured to store a plurality of images;
a customer store configured to store information associated with customers of the distribution system, the information associated with a customer including an identification of a client system of the customer and criteria of the customer, the criteria including an image plan to which the customer is subscribed, the image plan specifying a subject matter attribute characterizing the subject matter of images that are to be distributed to the customer;
an image packaging component configured to periodically create a package of images for a client system of a customer based on the criteria associated with the customer, the package of images including at least one image stored in the image store; and
a distribution component configured to send the package of images to the client system via a communications link on a periodic basis in response to receiving a heartbeat communication from the client system.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for distributing images for display by client systems. A distribution system includes an image server system that is connected to image client systems via a communications link, such as the Internet. The image server system is responsible for providing image packages to the image client systems and for collecting information from the image client systems. Each image client system periodically sends a heartbeat communication to the image server system. Upon receiving a heartbeat communication, the image server system determines the state of the image client system that sent the heartbeat communication and responds appropriately. The response may include instructions for the image client system to retrieve new images, to retrieve software updates, to send usage data, and so on.
40 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A distribution system for distributing images for display by client systems, the distribution system comprising:
a server component comprising; an image store configured to store a plurality of images; a customer store configured to store information associated with customers of the distribution system, the information associated with a customer including an identification of a client system of the customer and criteria of the customer, the criteria including an image plan to which the customer is subscribed, the image plan specifying a subject matter attribute characterizing the subject matter of images that are to be distributed to the customer; an image packaging component configured to periodically create a package of images for a client system of a customer based on the criteria associated with the customer, the package of images including at least one image stored in the image store; and a distribution component configured to send the package of images to the client system via a communications link on a periodic basis in response to receiving a heartbeat communication from the client system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method in a computer system of distributing images to client systems for display on a display device, the method comprising:
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periodically generating by the computer system packages of images to be sent to client systems, a package of images including images selected in accordance with preferences associated with a client system to which the package is to be sent; and sending a generated package of images to one or more client systems for display of the images at the client systems directly in response to receiving a heartbeat communication from the one or more client systems. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A computer system for distributing images to client systems for display on a display device, the system comprising:
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means for periodically generating by the computer system packages of images to be sent to client systems, a package of images including images selected in accordance with preferences associated with a client system to which the package is to be sent; and means including a communication device for sending, directly responsive to receiving a heartbeat communication from one or more client systems, a generated package of images to the one or more client systems for display of the images at the client systems. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method in a client computer system for communicating with an image distribution system, the method comprising:
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sending to the image distribution system a heartbeat communication; receiving from the image distribution system a response to the heartbeat communication, the response indicating whether a package of images is ready to be distributed to the client computer system; if the response indicates that a package of images is ready to be distributed to the client computer system, retrieving, by the client computer system, the package of images from the image distribution system; and if the response does not indicate that a package of images is ready to be distributed to the client system, performing, by the client computer system, an action specified by the response. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. An image distribution system comprising:
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means for preparing a package of images to be distributed to at least one client system; means for receiving at least one heartbeat communication from the at least one client system; means for sending a response to the received at least one heartbeat communication with an indication of whether a prepared package of images is ready to be distributed to the at least one client system; and means for sending a response to the received at least one heartbeat communication with an indication of an action to be performed by the at least one client system. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification