Systems and Methods of Building and Using an Image Catalog

A computer system for managing an image catalog, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• memory;
• and
• one or more programs stored in the memory and configured for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for, at the computer system:
• receiving reduced-resolution versions of one or more images stored in a first image database of an external service distinct from the computer system;
• for each of the received reduced-resolution versions, creating a respective index entry in the image catalog;
• receiving a query from a user;
• matching the query to a first index entry in the image catalog, the first index entry corresponding to a first image stored as a full-resolution version in the first image database;
• transmitting, to an owner of the first image, a request for authorization of the user to view the first image;
• and
• in accordance with a determination that the user is authorized to view the first image:
• retrieving the full-resolution version of the first image from the first image database of the external service;
• temporarily storing the full-resolution version of the first image in a temporary storage of the computer system;
• and
• transmitting the full-resolution version of the first image to the user;
• and
• releasing the full-resolution version of the first image from the temporary storage in response to the transmitting of the full-resolution version of the first image to the user.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by one or more processors of a computer system for managing an image catalog, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

• receiving reduced-resolution versions of one or more images stored in a first image database of an external service distinct from the computer system;
• for each of the received reduced-resolution versions, creating a respective index entry in the image catalog;
• receiving a query from a user;
• matching the query to a first index entry in the image catalog, the first index entry corresponding to a first image stored as a full-resolution version in the first image database;
• transmitting, to an owner of the first image, a request for authorization of the user to view the first image;
• and
• in accordance with a determination that the user is authorized to view the first image:
• retrieving the full-resolution version of the first image from the first image database of the external service;
• temporarily storing the full-resolution version of the first image in a temporary storage of the computer system;
• and
• transmitting the full-resolution version of the first image to the user;
• and
• releasing the full-resolution version of the first image from the temporary storage in response to the transmitting of the full-resolution version of the first image to the user.