Method and computer software program for sharing images over a communication network among a plurality of users in accordance with a criteria

• US 7,392,296 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2002
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: McIntyre, Dale F., Telek, Michael J., Ortiz, Juan E., Dawson, Mark D., McBride, John K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino; Joseph E
• Application Number:
  US10/174,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20030236832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,197 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-206, 709217-219, 709227-229, 715730-732
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00137 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00148 Storage information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00177 from a user terminal, e.g. personal computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104

Abstract

A method for sharing a compilation of digital images over a communication network among a plurality of users using a controlling computer. A subcompliation of the compilation of digital images is forwarded to the plurality of users over the communication network by the controlling computer wherein the digital images in the subcompilation are displayed in a predetermined sequence. Each of the users have the ability to view the digital images in the compilation in accordance with a criteria selected by the user.

Claims

1. A method for sharing digital images over a communication network among a plurality of users using a controlling computer, comprises:

providing an image sharing event with respect to a compilation of digital image of a selected theme over a communication network between said plurality of users;

forming a sub-compilation of said compilation in accordance with a criteria selected by at least one of said plurality of users; and

controlling the forwarding of said sub-compilation of said compilation between said plurality of users over said communication network that are connected to said image sharing event at the same time over said communication network by said controlling computer, wherein said digital images in said sub-compilation and said compilation are displayed in a predetermined sequence and each user has the ability to add additional images to said compilation that can be viewed by successive viewers, wherein said sub compilation is presented to each of said users in a pre-selected pattern.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said controlling computer is operated by one of said plurality of users.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said controlling computer is operated by a service provider.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said sharing event is initiated by an initiator.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein said predetermined sequence is determined by said initiator.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said initiator controls what may be shared among said plurality of user.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein additional data is associated with said images of said compilation.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein said additional information is related to said associated image.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein said additional data comprises sound.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein a sequence of users is dependant upon which of said users is actively connected to said controlling computer over said communication network.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein said pre-selected pattern comprises scrolling said compilation of images on said display device being used by said user.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein said user display device is controlled by a computer, said sub-compilation is scrolled across said display device.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein said user display device is controlled by a computer, said compilation is presented atop another program being run by said computer.

14. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of said user making an inquiry with respect to one of said images of said compilation.

15. The method according to claim 1 wherein said criteria comprises a theme selected from the following:

a sport;

a hobby;

a particular type goods or service.

16. The method according to claim 1 wherein said sub-compilation is created using metadata associated with said images.

17. A computer software program comprising:

a computer useable medium and computer readable code embodied on the computer useable medium for causing the sharing of a compilation of digital images over a communication network between a plurality of users using a controlling computer, said computer readable code when loaded onto a computer will cause the computer to perform the step of;

providing an image sharing event with respect to a compilation of digital image of a selected theme over a communication network between said plurality of users;

forming a sub-compilation of said compilation in accordance with a criteria selected by a user of said plurality of users for viewing by said user; and

controlling the forwarding of said sub-compilation of said compilation between said plurality of users over said communication network that are connected to said image sharing event at the same time over said communication network by said controlling computer, wherein said digital images in said sub-compilation and said compilation are displayed in a predetermined sequence and each user has the ability to add additional images to said compilation that can be viewed by successive viewers, wherein said sub compilation is presented to each of said users in a pre-selected pattern.