US 8,526,751 B2 · Managing image storage size

Abstract

A system and method for managing image storage size. The invention uses reduction criteria to determine how much to reduce the storage size of an image over time. In one embodiment, reduction of data storage size includes degrading the quality of the image. The reduced-size image replaces the image from the previous iteration. The smaller storage allows longer access to the information in quick access storage and quicker transmission time.

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Drawings

Claims35

Dependent claims

A method for managing an image of a financial document stored in a database, the method comprising the steps of:

reducing a storage size of the image from a base level to at least one secondary level based on reduction criteria that determine to what extent the storage size of the image can be reduced, wherein each secondary level is smaller in storage size than the base level;
wherein the step of reducing includes replacing the image with a size-reduced image version such that the size-reduced image version is the only version of the image stored in the database;
and
wherein the reduction criteria include considering available data storage, a time period that has elapsed since creation of the financial document, prior size reduction performed on the image associated with the financial document, access history detailing access to the financial document, value of the financial document, a type of account that is associated with the financial document, a volume of other financial documents that are associated with the account, a total value associated with the account, a preselected reduction profile of a user listed on the account that designates desired image reduction options that can be performed on documents in the account, whether any user fees have been paid to improve image quality of financial documents that are associated with the account, whether an account history indicates the account as having had suspicious activity conducted thereon, and whether the financial document contains information on a front-side and a back-side of the document.

1 more element

A method of managing storage size of an image of a financial document, wherein the image is accessed by a user, the method comprising the steps of:

reducing the storage size of the image based on reduction criteria to create a size-reduced version, the size-reduced version replacing the image such that the size-reduced image version is the only version of the image stored in the database, wherein the reduction criteria determine to what extent the storage size of the image can be reduced, the reduction criteria include considering available data storage, a time period that has elapsed since creation of the financial document, prior size reduction performed on the image associated with the financial document, access history detailing access to the financial document, value of the financial document, a type of account that is associated with the financial document, a volume of other financial documents that are associated with the account, a total value associated with the account, a preselected reduction profile of a user listed on the account that designates desired image reduction options that can be performed on documents in the account, whether any user fees have been paid to improve image quality of financial documents that are associated with the account, whether an account history indicates the account as having had suspicious activity conducted thereon, and whether the financial document contains information on a front-side and a back-side of the document;
allowing user access to the size-reduced version for a predetermined duration;
and
repeating the steps of reducing and allowing after expiration of the predetermined duration, wherein each reduction replaces a previous size-reduced version.

1 more element

A system for managing storage size of an image of a financial document where the image is accessed by a user online, the system comprising:

a size-reduction evaluator to periodically evaluate whether the image is subject to a size reduction based on size-reduction criteria, wherein the size-reduction criteria determine to what extent the storage size of the image can be reduced, the reduction criteria include considering available data storage, a time period that has elapsed since creation of the financial document, prior size reduction performed on the image associated with the financial document, access history detailing access to the financial document, value of the financial document, a type of account that is associated with the financial document, a volume of other financial documents that are associated with the account, a total value associated with the account, a preselected reduction profile of a user listed on the account that designates desired image reduction options that can be performed on documents in the account, whether any user fees have been paid to improve image quality of financial documents that are associated with the account, whether an account history indicates the account as having had suspicious activity conducted thereon, and whether the financial document contains information on a front-side and a back-side of the document;
and
a size reducer to reduce the size of the image based on instructions from the size-reduction evaluator and to replace the image with a size-reduced image version such that the size-reduced image version is the only version of the image stored in the database.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description6,680 words

Summary1,547 words

#1. Technical Field

#The present invention relates generally to image data, and more particularly, to a system and method for managing image storage size.

#2. Related Art

Brief description of the drawings4 figures

#The preferred embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like elements, and wherein:

#FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an exemplary environment where the invention finds applicability;

#FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an image management system of FIG. 1;

Detailed description5,048 words

#For convenience purposes only, the following description includes the following subtitles: I. Introduction II. Image Capture System III. Data Management System (DMS) A. Process and DMS Logic B. Reduction Criteria C. Exemplary Operation IV. Alternatives and Other System Components I. Introduction

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one exemplary environment in which the present invention is applicable. In this setting, customer(s) or user(s) 2 access an entity 3 web server 4 in a known fashion to view stored images online that are part of an image inventory stored in a database 5. Entity 3 may be any institution that makes images available online. Images, as used herein, may be of any object and may include multiple parts. For purposes of this disclosure, the invention will be described with entity 3 as a financial institution such as a bank. Likewise, images will be described in terms of bank-related documents such as checks. The multiple parts of imaged checks may include a header, an image portion (e.g., check background art) and a text portion. User(s) 2 access is over known networks such as a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN) and/or the Internet. One preferred access mechanism is the Internet.

#Web server 4 includes, or can access, database(s) 5. Database 5 may include an archive version 6 of a complete image inventory and an active, or online, version 7 of at least part of the complete image inventory. Archive version 6, which is optional, includes images that are stored for long periods of time, and generally are in a write once, read only form. For financial institutions, archived images may be of any document that must be stored for a legally mandated duration, e.g., seven years. Negotiable instruments such as checks are one of these type documents. It should be recognized that archived version 6, although shown for clarity to be part of database 5, may be stored in a variety of manners. One other common storage technique for archive version 6 is compact disc read only memory (CD ROM). Entity 3 also includes an image management system 8 capable of attaining images of object(s) 9 via an image capture device 10 and managing image inventory storage size. Image management system 8 interacts with database(s) 5 to control image data storage. System 8 may be part of web server 4, but in one preferred embodiment is a separate system.

Facts

Application

09/939,066Filed 24 Aug 2001

Published

US 2003/0044076 A16 Mar 2003

Granted

3 Sep 2013

Term ends

2 Sep 2029

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 2,931 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification2 codes

G06T 3/40
Geometric image transformations in the plane of the image: scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
G06T
Image data processing or generation, in general

Timeline

24 Aug 2001Application filedUS 09/939,066
24 Aug 2001Assigned to International Business Machines Corporationassignment of assignor's interest
6 Mar 2003PublishedUS 2003/0044076 A1
3 Sep 2013GrantedUS 8,526,751 B2
1 Mar 2021Assigned to International Business Machines Corporationcorrective assignment to correct the name of conveying party joan l. mitchell to spell out the name previously recorded on reel 012128 frame 0110. assignor(s) hereby confirms the assignment.
25 Oct 2022Assigned to Truist Bankassignment of assignor's interest
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
2 Sep 2029Term endsEstimated, includes 2,931 days of adjustment

Managing image storage size

Life of this patent

Managing image storage size

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims35

Description6,680 words

Drawings

Classification2 codes

Life of this patent

Description6,680 words