System and method for sharing digital images
OwnerNigel Biggs, Mike Stroudinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for sharing one or more digital image files comprises sending the image files from a sender's computer to a central server. The image files are stored at a central data store associated with the central server, and reduced size files (“thumbnails”) are generated at the central server from the image files. An email message to a recipient is generated, to which are attached the thumbnails and an HTML link to the central server. The email message is then sent to the recipient.
Claims30
A method for sharing one or more digital image files, said method comprising:
- sending the image files from a sender's computer to a central server;
- storing the image files at a central data store associated with the central server;
- generating reduced size image files at the central server from the image files;
- generating an email message to a recipient;
- attaching the reduced size image files, and an HTML link to the central server, to the email message;
- and
- sending the email message to a recipient.
A system for sharing digital image files, comprising:
- a central server for receiving and distributing image files;
- a central data store associated with the central server for storing image files;
- client software installable on a sender's computer for associating a text message with digital image files and sending the text message and image files to the central server;
- and
- software operable by the central server for storing the image files received from the sender in the central data store, generating reduced size image files from the received image files, associating the reduced size image files with HTML links to the corresponding image files in the central data store, generating an email message to a recipient including the text message, attaching the reduced size image files and associated HTML links to the email message, and sending the email message to the recipient.
A method for storing and distributing digital image files, comprising:
- receiving digital image files and recipient information from a sender;
- storing the digital image files in a central data store;
- generating reduced size image files from the received digital image files;
- associating with each reduced size image file an HTML link to the corresponding digital image file stored at the central data store;
- generating an email message to a recipient;
- attaching to the email message the reduced size image files and associated HTML links;
- and
- sending the email message to the recipient.
A method of sending a digital image file from a sender's computer to a central server, comprising:
- installing client software on the sender's computer;
- operating the client software so as to generate a reduced size image file from the digital image file and send the reduced size image file to the central server.
A computer program arranged when executed to reduce the size of a digital image file and send a reduced size image file to a central server.
A system for sharing digital image files, said system comprising:
- central server means for receiving and distributing image files;
- central data storage means associated with the central server means for storing image files;
- associating means for associating a text message with digital image files, and for sending the text message and digital image files to the central server means;
- and
- instruction means operable by the central server for storing the image files received from the sender in the central data storage means, for generating reduced size image files from the received image files, for associating the reduced size image files with HTML links to the corresponding image files in the central data storage means, for generating an e-mail message to a recipient including the text message, for attaching the reduced size image files and associated HTML links to the e-mail message, and for sending the e-mail message to the recipient.
A system for storing and distributing digital image files, said system comprising:
- receiving means for receiving digital image files and recipient information from a sender;
- storing means for storing the digital image files in a central data storage means;
- generating means for generating reduced size image files from the received digital image files;
- associating means for associating with each reduced image file an HTML link to the corresponding digital image file stored at the central data storage means;
- generating means for generating an e-mail message to a recipient;
- attaching means for attaching to the e-mail message the reduced size image files and associated HTML links;
- and
- sending means for sending the e-mail message to the recipient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.