Methods for simulating image display for images uploading to an anchor slot in an image layout in an electronic interface

• US 9,160,869 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2013
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interactive Memories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Interactive Memories Incorporated
• Inventors: Schult, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Gillis, Brian J
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRIJALVA LOBOS, BORIS D
• Application Number:
  US13/771,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20140095587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709203-205, 709/227, 709/229, 709/247, 709/248
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1242 Image or content composition onto a page
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1272 Digital storefront, e.g. e-ordering, web2print, submitting a job from a remote submission screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1287 via internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 : Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 : using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00 : Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00161 : Viewing or previewing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0019 : on souvenir-type products or the like, e.g. T-shirts or mugs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00196 : Creation of a photo-montage, e.g. photoalbum H04N1/0019 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 : for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00456 : for layout preview, e.g. page layout

Abstract

A system for creating image and text-based projects includes a server and software running from physical medium providing a first function for establishing a client-server connection between the server and a computing appliance, a second function for initiating a data session with a user, a third function for the detecting user activity relative to uploading of, or permitting access to one or more photos to the server, a fourth function for accessing copies of the photos before or during upload and compressing them at a pre-designated resolution suitable for printing, a fifth function for transferring the photo copies in the compressed state to the server, a sixth function for decompressing and displaying the one or more photos ahead of receipt of the photos accessed, and a seventh function for replacing the displayed photo or photos with the one or more photos upon receipt thereof.

Claims

1. A system for creating and editing an image- and/or text-based project from at least one user-operated computing appliance connected to a network, while simulating how the project would appear when printed at a higher print resolution on a printer, simulated by a lower image resolution on a display, comprising:

a server connected to the network, the server comprising at least one hardware processor and a non-transitory physical storage medium, and having access to a data repository; and

program code stored on the non-transitory physical storage medium, the program code executable by the hardware processor to perform steps to;

establish a client server connection between the server and the computing appliance used by at least one user;

responsive to the user deciding to add an original photo asset into a targeted photo slot into a layout of the project, copy the layout and reduce the layout copy to a lower resolution to create a lower resolution layout by applying a multiplicative factor, wherein the lower resolution layout simulates the higher print resolution on the display, said higher print resolution of the printer having a higher resolution than the display;

display the lower resolution layout, allowing the user to visualize what the layout of the project would look like when printed at the higher print resolution on the printer;

wait until the original photo asset is received from the computing appliance to the server; and

responsive to the original photo asset being received, replace the targeted photo slot on the lower resolution layout with the original photo asset before printing the project.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising program code to perform steps to:

utilize a texture mask to further reduce an apparent visual resolution of the layout copy.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the texture mask adds dots to the layout copy.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the multiplicative factor is selected from the group consisting of 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the multiplicative factor is pre-determined.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the multiplicative factor is dynamically determined.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet network.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing appliance is selected from the group consisting of a desktop, a smartphone, a tablet, and a notebook computer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing appliance has a touch screen display.

10. A non-transitory, physical storage medium storing program code for creating and editing an image- and/or text- based project from at least one user-operated computing appliance connected to a network, while simulating how the project would appear when printed at a higher print resolution on a printer, simulated by a lower image resolution on a display, the program code executable by a hardware processor to perform steps to:

establish a client server connection between a server and the computing appliance used by at least one user;

responsive to the user deciding to add an original photo asset into a targeted photo slot into a layout of the project, copy the layout and reduce the layout copy to a lower resolution to create a lower resolution layout by applying a multiplicative factor, wherein the lower resolution layout simulates the higher print resolution on the display, said higher print resolution of the printer having a higher resolution than the display;

display the lower resolution layout, allowing the user to visualize what the layout of the project would look like when printed at the higher print resolution on the printer;

wait until the original photo asset is received from the computing appliance to the server; and

responsive to the original photo asset being received, replace the targeted photo slot on the lower resolution layout with the original photo asset before printing the project.

11. The non-transitory, physical storage medium of claim 10, further comprising program code to perform steps to:

utilize a texture mask to further reduce an apparent visual resolution of the layout copy.

12. The non-transitory, physical storage medium of claim 11, wherein the texture mask adds dots to the layout copy.

13. The non-transitory, physical storage medium of claim 10, wherein the multiplicative factor is selected from the group consisting of 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75.

14. The non-transitory, physical storage medium of claim 10, wherein the multiplicative factor is pre-determined.

15. The non-transitory, physical storage medium of claim 10, wherein the multiplicative factor is dynamically determined.

16. The non-transitory, physical storage medium of claim 10, wherein the network is the Internet network.

17. The non-transitory, physical storage medium of claim 10, wherein the computing appliance is selected from the group consisting of a desktop, a smartphone, a tablet, and a notebook computer.

18. The non-transitory, physical storage medium of claim 10, wherein the computing appliance has a touch screen display.