Photosharing server filters for automatic storage and sharing of digital files

2 The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) further includes the step of:

• providing categories of trigger handlers, including any combination of a container creation/population handler, a notification handler, a print handler, and a postcard handler.

3 The method of claim 2 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

• allowing the user to configure the container creation/population handler to cause the server to automatically store uploaded files matching the attribute criteria into a specified container.

4 The method of claim 3 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

• allowing the user to configure the container creation/population handler to automatically create the specified container if necessary.

5 The method of claim 4 wherein step (a) further includes the step of:

• allowing the user to configure the creation/population handler to store files of different Mime types in the same container.

6 The method of claim 2 wherein steps (c) and (d) further includes the step of:

• extracting any metadata associated with each uploaded file, and comparing the metadata with the attribute criteria entered by the user for each of the trigger handlers.

7 The method of claim 3 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

• creating a user account for the user, including a user ID.

8 The method of claim 4 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

• saving the attribute criteria entered by the user for each of the trigger handlers as filter preferences.

9 The method of claim 8 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

• storing the filter preferences with the user account.

10 The method of claim 9 wherein step (c) further includes the step of:

• when files are uploaded, using the user ID of the user to retrieve the user's filter preferences.

11 The method of claim 2 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

• displaying a series of configuration forms for the user to enter the attribute criteria.

12 The method of claim 11 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

• providing each form with a first section for allowing the user to specify which file attributes and metadata fields from uploaded files are to be matched and the nature of the match, and a second section for allowing the user to specify what actions are to be taken in response to a match.

14 The method of claim 13 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

• providing categories of trigger handlers, including any combination of a container creation/population handler, a notification handler, a print handler, and a postcard handler.

15 The method of claim 14 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

• allowing the user to configure the container creation/population handler to cause the server to automatically store uploaded files matching the attribute criteria into a specified container.

16 The method of claim 15 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

• allowing the user to configure the container creation/population handler to automatically create the specified container if necessary.

17 The method of claim 16 wherein step (a) further includes the step of:

• allowing the user to configure the creation/population handler to store files of different Mime types in the same container, including any combination of images, video, audio, and text.

18 The method of claim 14 wherein steps (c) and (d) further includes the step of:

• extracting any metadata associated with each uploaded image file, and comparing the metadata with the attribute criteria entered by the user for each of the trigger handlers.

19 The method of claim 15 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

• creating a user account for the user, including a user ID.

20 The method of claim 16 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

• saving the attribute criteria entered by the user for each of the trigger handlers as filter preferences.

21 The method of claim 20 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

• storing the filter preferences with the user account.

22 The method of claim 21 wherein step (c) further includes the step of:

• when files are uploaded, using the user ID of the user to retrieve the user's filter preferences.

23 The method of claim 14 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

• displaying a series of configuration forms for the user to enter the attribute criteria.

24 The method of claim 23 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

• providing each form with a first section for allowing the user to specify which file attributes and metadata fields from uploaded files are to be matched and the nature of the match, and a second section for allowing the user to specify what actions are to be taken in response to a match.

26 The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein instruction (a) further includes the instruction of:

• providing categories of trigger handlers, including any combination of a container creation/population handler, a notification handler, a print handler, and a postcard handler.

27 The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein instruction (b) further includes the instruction of:

• allowing the user to configure the container creation/population handler to cause the server to automatically store uploaded files matching the attribute criteria into a specified container.

28 The computer-readable medium of claim 27 wherein instruction (b) further includes the instruction of:

• allowing the user to configure the container creation/population handler to automatically create the specified container if necessary.

29 The computer-readable medium of claim 28 wherein instruction (a) further includes the instruction of:

• allowing the user to configure the creation/population handler to store files of different Mime types in the same container.

30 The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein instructions (c) and (d) further includes the instruction of:

• extracting any metadata associated with each uploaded file, and comparing the metadata with the attribute criteria entered by the user for each of the trigger handlers.

31 The computer-readable medium of claim 27 wherein instruction (b) further includes the instruction of:

• creating a user account for the user, including a user ID.

32 The computer-readable medium of claim 28 wherein instruction (b) further includes the instruction of:

• saving the attribute criteria entered by the user for each of the trigger handlers as filter preferences.

33 The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein instruction (b) further includes the instruction of:

• storing the filter preferences with the user account.

34 The computer-readable medium of claim 33 wherein instruction (c) further includes the instruction of:

• when files are uploaded, using the user ID of the user to retrieve the user's filter preferences.

35 The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein instruction (b) further includes the instruction of:

• displaying a series of configuration forms for the user to enter the attribute criteria.

36 The computer-readable medium of claim 35 wherein instruction (b) further includes the instruction of:

• providing each form with a first section for allowing the user to specify which file attributes and metadata fields from uploaded files are to be matched and the nature of the match, and a second section for allowing the user to specify what actions are to be taken in response to a match.