# US 2014/0153845 A1 · Managing Digital Images > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0153845 A1 - Document ID: US20140153845A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/175,299 - Filed: 2014-02-07 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2006-09-22 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Alexander David Wallace; Laurent Perrodin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153845A1 ## CPC - G06T 11/60: Creating or editing images; Combining images with text - G06F 16/172: Caching, prefetching or hoarding of files - G06F 16/51: Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures - G06F 16/58: Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually - G06F 16/587: using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Approaches for managing a library of digital images and information about any editing operations performed on those digital images are provided. A managed library of digital images and a referenced library of digital images may be maintained. Digital images may be moved from the managed library of digital images to the referenced library of digital images, and vice-versa. A preview digital image data may also be generated from master digital image data. Rather than performing image operations directly on the master digital image data, change data that identifies one or more operations to perform to a digital picture represented by either the preview digital image data or the master digital image data may be stored, thereby allowing operations to be performed on the preview digital image data when the master digital image data is not accessible. Digital image may be automatically renamed based on rules for doing so. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for managing digital images, comprising: storing location data in a first storage device that identifies an initial location for each of a plurality of digital images; detecting that a second storage device is presently inaccessible; determining a first subset of the plurality of digital images stored on the second storage device by accessing the location data; and causing, to be displayed to a user, information indicating that at least a portion of the first subset of digital images is inaccessible. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting that a third storage device is presently accessible; determining a second subset of the plurality of digital images stored on the third storage device by accessing the location data; and causing, to be displayed to a user, information indicating that at least a portion of the second subset of digital images is accessible. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting that the second storage device, which was previously inaccessible, is presently accessible; and causing, to be displayed to a user, information indicating that at least a portion of the first subset of digital images is accessible. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving an instruction to perform an action with respect to a first digital image of the plurality of digital images; determining a third subset of the plurality of digital images defined by sharing at least one characteristic of the first digital image; performing the action on each accessible digital image in the third subset of digital images; and storing the action to be performed on each inaccessible digital image in the third subset of digital images. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: determining that one or more of the previously inaccessible digital images is presently accessible; and performing the previously stored action on the one or more previously inaccessible digital images. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the action is one of: renaming the first digital image; importing the first digital image; and moving the first digital image from the initial location to a second location. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the characteristic comprises at least one of metadata, location data, file name, and storage location. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the location data identifies on which storage device, of a plurality of storage devices, each of the plurality of digital images is stored; and the second storage device is one of the plurality of storage devices. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the first subset of digital images comprises more than one digital image. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving user input that defines a rule for performing an action, wherein the action is at least one of renaming a digital image, importing a digital image, and moving a digital image; and automatically performing the action on one or more accessible digital images based on the rule. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining that a first digital image of a third subset of the plurality of digital images is currently stored at a different location than the initial location of the first digital image; and updating the location data to identify that each digital image in the third subset of digital images is currently stored at said new location. ### Claim 12 A non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising code adapted to: store location data in a first storage device that identifies an initial location for each of a plurality of digital images; detect that a second storage device is presently inaccessible; determine a first subset of the plurality of digital images stored on the second storage device by accessing the location data; and cause, to be displayed to a user, information indicating that at least a portion of the first subset of digital images is inaccessible. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the code is further adapted to: detect that a third storage device is presently accessible; determine a second subset of the plurality of digital images stored on the third storage device by accessing the location data; and cause, to be displayed to a user, information that indicates that at least a portion of the third subset of digital images is accessible. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the code is further adapted to: receive an instruction to perform an action with respect to a first digital image of the plurality of digital images; determine a third subset of the plurality of digital images defined by sharing at least one characteristic of the first digital image; perform the action on each accessible digital image in the third subset of digital images; and store the action to be performed on each inaccessible digital image in the third subset of digital images. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the code is further adapted to: determine that one or more of the previously inaccessible digital images is presently accessible; and perform the previously stored action on the one or more previously inaccessible digital images. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the characteristic comprises at least one of metadata, location data, file name, and storage location. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the code is further adapted to: receive user input that defines a rule for performing an action, wherein the action is one of renaming a digital image, importing a digital image, and moving a digital image; and automatically perform the action on one or more accessible digital images based on the rule. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the code is further adapted to: determine that a first digital image of a third subset of the plurality of digital images is currently stored at a different location than the initial location of the first digital image; and update the location data to identify that each of the digital images in the third subset of digital images is currently stored at said new location. ### Claim 19 A system comprising: a location storage device that stores an initial location for each of a plurality of digital images; and a processor communicatively coupled to the location storage device and configured to: detect that a second storage device is presently inaccessible; determine a first subset of the plurality of digital images stored on the second storage device by accessing the location data; and cause, to be displayed to a user, information indicating that at least a portion of the first subset of digital images is inaccessible. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to: detect that a third storage device is presently accessible; determine a second subset of the plurality of digital images stored on the third storage device by accessing the location data; and cause, to be displayed to a user, information that indicates that at least a portion of the third subset of digital images is accessible.