Method and system for hosting entity-specific photo-sharing websites for entity-specific digital cameras

• US 9,118,740 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2013
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Chemtron Research LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: KDL Scan Designs LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Petersen, Lynn Erich, Anderson, Eric C, Morris, Robert P
• Primary Examiner(s): Pulliam, Christyann
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ohba, Mellissa M
• Application Number:
  US14/144,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20140115049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5683 Storage of data provided by user terminals, i.e. reverse caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00132 in a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00137 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00148 Storage information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00156 with a group of selected individuals or correspondents
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00172 directly from a still digital camera or from a storage medium mounted in a still digital camera H04N1/0018 takes precedence
• 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 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 : Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 : Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet

Abstract

A system and method hosts entity-specific photo-sharing websites for entity-specific image capture devices. The system and method provides software for the entity-specific image capture devices that causes the image capture devices to transmit entity ID information when the image capture devices transmit images over the Internet. The system and method further provide an online photosharing service capable of hosting the entity-specific photo-sharing websites for each of the entities, such that when the image capture devices connect to photo-sharing service, the photo-sharing service uses the entity ID received from the image capture devices to automatically associate the image with the photo-sharing websites of the identified entity.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

wirelessly transmitting an entity identification from a device to a server configured to host a plurality of photo-sharing websites corresponding to a plurality of entities; and

transmitting an image from the device to the server;

wherein the entity identification is configured to;

identify an entity associated with the device including a manufacturer of the device, a company that owns or controls the device, a retailer that sells the device, or combinations thereof;

identify a specific photo-sharing website corresponding to the entity;

locate an account on the specific photo-sharing website for the device; and

associate the image transmitted by the device to the server with the account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein wirelessly transmitting the entity identification from the device to the server further comprises wirelessly transmitting the entity identification from the device to the server in response to determining a presence of a wireless communication network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the image from the device to the server further comprises wirelessly transmitting the image from the device to the server in response to determining a presence of a wireless communication network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising wirelessly transmitting a device identification from the device to the server, the device identification being configured to identify the device to the server.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising capturing the image.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an account information packet from the server, the information packet comprising information associated with the account.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the information associated with the account comprises a universal reference locator (URL) configured to enable the device to access the image on a global network.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the information associated with the account comprises an action list configured to specify actions to be taken on the image.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the information associated with the account comprises an advertisement.

10. A device, comprising:

a memory device configured to store instructions; and

a processing device configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device to;

wirelessly transmit an entity identification to a server configured to host a plurality of photo-sharing websites corresponding to a plurality of entities; and

transmit an image to the server;

wherein the entity identification is configured to;

identify an entity associated with the device, the entity comprising a manufacturer of the device, a company that owns or controls the device, a retailer that sells the device, or combinations thereof;

identify a specific photo-sharing website corresponding to the entity;

identify an account on the specific photo-sharing website for the device; and

store the image transmitted by the device to the server in association with the account.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the processing device is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device further to wirelessly transmit the entity identification to the server in response to determining a presence of a wireless communication network.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the processing device is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device further to wirelessly transmit the image to the server in response to determining a presence of a wireless communication network.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the processing device is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device further to wirelessly transmit a device identification to the server, the device identification being configured to identify the device to the server.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the processing device is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device further to capture the image.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the processing device is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device further to receive an account information packet from the server, the information packet comprising information associated with the account.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the information associated with the account comprises a universal reference locator (URL) configured to enable the device to access the image on a global network.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the information associated with the account comprises an action list configured to specify actions to be taken on the image.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein information associated with the account comprises an advertisement.

19. A device, comprising:

a memory configured to store an entity identification corresponding to an entity associated with the device;

a processor configured to;

transmit the entity identification stored in the memory to a server configured to host a plurality of photo-sharing websites corresponding to a plurality of entities; and

capture an image; and

transmit the image to the server;

wherein the entity identification is configured to;

comprises identify a manufacturer of the device, a company that owns or controls the device, a retailer that sells the device, or combinations thereof; and

identify a specific photo-sharing website corresponding to the entity;

create an account on the specific photo-sharing website for the device; and

store the image in association with the account.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to wirelessly transmit the entity identification in response to determining a presence of a wireless communication network between the device and the server.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to wirelessly transmit the image to the server in response to determining a presence of a wireless communication network.

22. The device of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to wirelessly transmit a device identification to the server, the device identification being configured to identify the device to the server.

23. The device of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to receive an account information packet from the server, the information packet comprising information associated with the account.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the information associated with the account comprises a universal reference locator (URL) configured to enable the device to access the image on a global network.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein the information associated with the account comprises an action list configured to specify actions to be taken on the image.

26. The device of claim 23, wherein the information associated with the account comprises an advertisement.