US 7,411,693 B2 · Image data dissemination system and method

Abstract

An image data dissemination system and method for anticipating user image requests from a user workstation and for locating, transforming and, as necessary, migrating anticipated representations of image data files to a local storage area for efficient access. An anticipated image request is determined based on a number of factors including the image retrieval historical information associated with a user and/or the user workstation. An anticipated representation of the image data file is also determined. An image data file that satisfies the anticipated image request and is in the anticipated representation is then identified, copied and stored in an optimal local storage area. When a user workstation generates the anticipated image request, the corresponding image data file stored on the optimal local storage area is provided the user workstation.

Claims10

Dependent claims

An image data dissemination system for retrieving and displaying an image, said system comprising:

(a) a first storage area for storing an image data file associated with the image;
(b) a user workstation coupled to the first storage area at a first transmission distance for generating an image request and for displaying the image data file;
(c) a processor coupled to the user workstation and the first storage area, said processor being adapted to receive the image request from the user workstation and to selectively retrieve the image data file from the first storage area, said processor
(i) maintaining an image retrieval history for the user workstation;
(ii) using the image retrieval history to determine an anticipated image request for the user workstation;
(iii) using the image retrieval history to determine an anticipated representation associated with the anticipated image request;
(iv) determining whether the first storage area contains an image data file that satisfies the anticipated image request and is of the anticipated representation;
and
(v) if (iv) is true, then when the user workstation generates the anticipated image request, providing the image data file that satisfies the anticipated image request from said first storage area to the user workstation for display.

6 more elements

A method of retrieving and displaying an image within an image data dissemination system having first storage area for storing an image data file associated with the image and a user workstation coupled to the first storage area for generating an image request and for displaying the image, said user workstation being coupled to the first storage area at a first transmission distance, said method comprising:

(a) maintaining an image retrieval history for the user workstation;
(b) using the image retrieval history to determine an anticipated image request for the user workstation;
(c) using the image retrieval history to determine an anticipated representation associated with the anticipated image request;
(d) determining whether the first storage area contains an image data file that satisfies the anticipated image request and is of the anticipated representation;
and
(e) if (d) is true, then when the user workstation generates the anticipated image request, providing the image data file that satisfies the anticipated image request from said first storage area to the user workstation for display.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Image data dissemination system and method

Life of this patent

Image data dissemination system and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10