Synchronizing image data among applications and devices

• US 9,367,832 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2006
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Martin, Joseph J., Singh, Jerald J., Srinivasan, Venkatachary, Boerries, Marco, Schulz, Torsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Jagannathan, Melanie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ansari, Najeebuddin
• Application Number:
  US11/325,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20070156434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,814 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-217, 707/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

For providing synchronization of image data among diverse devices and applications, exemplary systems include a direct client application providing a user interface operable to allow a user to organize image data according to albums, and to select one or more albums for synchronization with one or more server interfaces that provide various image data manipulation, sharing, and features related thereto. Systems also include an intermediary system to assist in synchronization of select albums with handheld devices, and a notification server to provide scalable notifications of album updates made at server interfaces by users. Exemplary methods include steps providing for selection, from direct client applications, of albums to synchronize with devices, including handheld devices, and various steps of providing updates and notifications among appropriate system components.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor;

a storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising;

album data receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving, from a first client device, album data for an album of images designated for synchronization with multiple devices, wherein the album data comprises image data;

album review request logic executed by the processor for receiving, from a second client device of the multiple devices, a request to review the album of images, where the request comprises an invitation to share the album transmitted to the second client device by the first client device;

album data review logic executed by the processor, for in response to the request, permitting the second client device to review the album data;

album data update receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving, from the first client device, an update to the album, the update comprising image data and tag data;

album data update notification logic executed by the processor for;

determining a granularity of the update;

determining whether the granularity of the update meets user-selected trigger criteria for notifying the second client device, wherein the granularity of the update indicates the update comprises tag data and the trigger criteria for notifying the second client device indicates a notification should be sent to the second client device in response to an update to a tag associated with an image of the album of images;

in response to determining the granularity of the update meets the user-selected trigger criteria, sending a notification to the second client device of the update to the album; and

album data update retrieval logic executed by the processor for permitting the second client device to retrieve the update.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises a UDP datagram that does not contain image data.

3. A method, comprising:

receiving, using a computing device, from a first client device, album data for an album of images designated for synchronization with multiple devices, wherein the album data comprises image data;

receiving, using the computing device, from a second client device of the multiple devices, a request to review the album of images, where the request comprises an invitation to share the album transmitted to the second client device by the first client device;

in response to the request, permitting, using the computing device, the second client device to review the album data;

receiving, using the computing device, from the first client device, an update to the album, the update comprising image data and tag data;

determining, using the computing device, a granularity of the update;

determining, using the computing device, whether the granularity of the update meets user-selected trigger criteria for notifying the second client device, wherein the granularity of the update indicates the update comprises tag data and the trigger criteria for notifying the second client device indicates a notification should be sent to the second client device in response to an update to a tag associated with an image of the album of images;

in response to determining the granularity of the update meets the user-selected trigger criteria, sending a notification, using the computing device, to the second client device of the update to the album; and

permitting, using the computing device, the second client device to retrieve the update.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the notification comprises a UDP datagram.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the UDP datagram does not contain image data.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining, using the computing device, the update has not been retrieved for a threshold period of time; and

in response to determining the update has not been retrieved for a threshold period of time, notifying, using the computing device, the second client device of the update to the album a second time.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the notification comprises a thumbnail of the image data.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the granularity of the update indicates the update comprises image data and the trigger criteria for notifying the second client device indicates a notification should be sent to the second client device in response to an update to an image of the album of images.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the trigger criteria for notifying the second client device further comprise a notification time, wherein the second client device is notified of the update when a current time is equal to the notification time.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the update is received at a first resolution from the first client device and the second client device is permitted to receive the update at a second resolution, wherein the second resolution is lower than the first resolution.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the update is received without redactions from the first client device and the second client device is permitted to receive the update with redactions.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with executable instructions for a server, the instructions for:

receiving, from a first client device, album data for an album of images designated for synchronization with multiple devices, wherein the album data comprises image data;

receiving, from a second client device of the multiple devices, a request to review the album of images, where the request comprises an invitation to share the album transmitted to the second client device by the first client device;

in response to the request, permitting the second client device to review the album data;

receiving, from the first client device, an update to the album, the update comprising image data and tag data;

determining a granularity of the update;

determining whether the granularity of the update meets user-selected trigger criteria for notifying the second client device, wherein the granularity of the update indicates the update comprises tag data and the trigger criteria for notifying the second client device indicates a notification should be sent to the second client device in response to an update to a tag associated with an image of the album of images;

in response to determining the granularity of the update meets the user-selected trigger criteria, sending a notification to the second client device of the update to the album; and

permitting the second client device to retrieve the update.