Creating and sharing digital photo albums
First Claim
1. A method of accessing, over a network, an image album comprising a plurality of source images, wherein a representation of the image album is stored on a first server, the method comprising the steps of:
- downloading to a receiver, from the first server, the representation of the image album;
downloading to the receiver, from the first server, reduced resolution images of the plurality of source images dependent upon the representation of the album; and
at the receiver, designating one of the reduced resolution images and, if the receiver requests a high resolution image, then;
sending, from the receiver to the first server, a request for a source image corresponding to one of the reduced resolution images, the first server selecting a second server from a plurality of servers storing a copy of the source image and redirecting the request to the second server;
receiving, at the receiver, from the first server, a notification that the second server and the plurality of servers are off-line;
the receiver sending to the first server, based on said notification, a request for delayed delivery of the source image, the first server selecting a providing server from among the second server and said plurality of servers once the providing server is on-line; and
the receiver receiving, over the network from a storage device associated with the selected providing server that is located remotely from the first server, the source image corresponding to the reduced resolution version, in response to the request for delayed delivery of the source image.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system (1321) for accessing an image album comprising a plurality of source images over a network (1305) is disclosed. A representation of the image album is stored on a server (1301). The system (1321) comprises means (1304) for downloading, from the server (1301), the representation of the image album. The means (1304) accesses a reduced resolution version of a said one of the plurality of source images dependent upon the representation of the album, and retrieves, from a storage device (eg 1302) located remotely from the server (1301), the source image corresponding to the reduced resolution version.
33 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of accessing, over a network, an image album comprising a plurality of source images, wherein a representation of the image album is stored on a first server, the method comprising the steps of:
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downloading to a receiver, from the first server, the representation of the image album; downloading to the receiver, from the first server, reduced resolution images of the plurality of source images dependent upon the representation of the album; and at the receiver, designating one of the reduced resolution images and, if the receiver requests a high resolution image, then; sending, from the receiver to the first server, a request for a source image corresponding to one of the reduced resolution images, the first server selecting a second server from a plurality of servers storing a copy of the source image and redirecting the request to the second server; receiving, at the receiver, from the first server, a notification that the second server and the plurality of servers are off-line; the receiver sending to the first server, based on said notification, a request for delayed delivery of the source image, the first server selecting a providing server from among the second server and said plurality of servers once the providing server is on-line; and the receiver receiving, over the network from a storage device associated with the selected providing server that is located remotely from the first server, the source image corresponding to the reduced resolution version, in response to the request for delayed delivery of the source image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A receiving apparatus for communicating source images from an image album, over a network, wherein a representation of the image album is stored on a first server, the apparatus comprising:
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means for downloading, from the first server, the representation of the image album; means for downloading, from the first server, reduced resolution images of the source images dependent upon the representation of the image album; means for designating one of the reduced resolution images; means for requesting a high resolution image associated with the designated reduced resolution image; means for sending to the first server a request for a source image corresponding to the designated reduced resolution image, the first server selecting a second server from a plurality of servers storing a copy of the source image and redirecting the request to the second server; means for receiving, from the first server, a notification that the second server and the plurality of servers are off-line; means for sending to the first server, based on said notification, a request for delayed delivery of the source image, the first server selecting a providing server from among the second server and said plurality of servers once the providing server is on-line; and means for receiving over the network, from a storage device associated with the selected providing server that is located remotely from the first server, the source image corresponding to the reduced resolution version.
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13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program recorded therein, in executable form, for causing a computer to communicate source images of an image album, over a network, wherein a representation of the image album is stored on a first server, the program causing the computer to perform the steps of:
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downloading to the computer, from the first server, the representation of the image album; downloading to the computer, from the first server, reduced resolution images of the source images dependent upon the representation of the image album; at the computer, designating one of the reduced resolution images; if a high resolution image is requested, then; sending, from the computer to the first server, a request for a source image corresponding to the designated reduced resolution image, the first server selecting a second server from a plurality of servers storing a copy of the source image and redirecting the request to the second server; receiving, at the computer, from the first server, a notification that the second server and the plurality of servers are off-line; the computer sending to the first server, based on said notification, a request for delayed delivery of the source image, the first server selecting a providing server from among the second server and said plurality of servers once the providing server is on-line; and the computer receiving over the network, from a storage device associated with the selected providing server that is located remotely from the first server, the source image corresponding to the reduced resolution version, in response to the request for delayed delivery of the source image.
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Specification