# US 9,438,660 B2 · Method and system for distributing art > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,438,660 B2 - Document ID: US9438660B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/965,011 - Filed: 2013-08-12 - Published: 2013-12-12 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 1999-02-03 - Assignees: William H. Gates, III - Applicants: William H. Gates, III - Inventors: David Muoio; James P. Cook; Richard Hasha - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438660B2 ## CPC - G06F 8/38: for implementing user interfaces - G06F 9/449: {Object-oriented method invocation or resolution} - G06F 9/465: {Distributed object oriented systems (remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548)} - G06Q 90/00: Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing - G06T 1/00: General purpose image data processing - H04L 67/02: based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP] - H04N 21/26258: {for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list (retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40)} - H04N 21/43615: {Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals (home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805)} - H05B 47/10: Controlling the light source - H05B 47/155: Coordinated control of two or more light sources - H04L 12/2803: {Home automation networks} - H04L 12/2834: {Switching of information between an external network and a home network (access arrangements H04L12/2856)} - H04L 2012/2849: {Audio/video appliances} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract An art distribution system for distributing art to multiple display devices within an environment. The art distribution system provides a technique for specifying images to be displayed in an environment. The art distribution system provides a hierarchical representation of spaces within the environment. Each space may be further subdivided into subspaces. The art distribution system allows a user to select a space within the hierarchy and then to select an image that is to be displayed at the display devices within the selected space. The art distribution system then displays the selected image within the space including within all subspaces of the selected space. The art distribution system may allow a subsequent assignment of the image to a subspace to override within that subspace the previous selection of an image for the space. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A display distribution system, comprising: a server computer storing a plurality of images in an image database and in network communication with a display device capable of displaying images; and a client computer in network communication with the server computer, wherein the client computer indicates a criterion for a plurality of images to be presented, wherein the display device being in a space separated from the client computer, wherein the server computer retrieves at least one of the plurality of images from the image database based on the criterion indicated by the client computer and presents the retrieved plurality of images to the client computer, wherein the client computer selects at least one of the retrieved plurality of images from the server computer, and the server computer transfers the at least one of the selected plurality of images to the display device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the client computer comprises a capability of instructing the server computer to transfer a subset of the plurality of images to the display device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system as recited in claim 2 wherein the subset of the plurality of images is associated with a play list. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system as recited in claim 3 wherein the play list comprises a time associated with the display of an image. ### Claim 5 A display distribution device, comprising: at least one processor; a network device in communication with the at least one processor, the network device configured to provide network communication with at least one computing device, the at least one computing device having access to one or more storage devices having stored thereon a plurality of images, the at least one computing device in network communication with a display device capable of displaying images; and at least one memory in communication the at least one processor and having stored thereon instructions that upon execution by the at least one processor at least to: receive from a user a selection of at least one image from the plurality of images; and provide an indication of the selected at least one image to at least one computing device causing the at least one computing device to transfer the at least one of the plurality of images to the display device for display on the display device, said display device being in a space separated from the display distribution device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device as recited in claim 5 wherein the at least one memory comprises instructions that upon execution at least transfers a subset of the plurality of images to the display device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device as recited in claim 6 wherein the subset of the plurality of images is associated with a play list. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The device as recited in claim 7 wherein the play list comprises a time associated with the display of an image. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device as recited in claim 8 wherein the time is user specified. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The device as recited in claim 5 wherein the at least one computing device is in network communication with a second display device and wherein the display distribution device instructs the at least one computing device to transmit the at least one image to the second display device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The device as recited in claim 5 wherein the at least one computing device stores information associated with the at least one image and wherein the information associated with the at least one image is transmitted to the display device in association with the at least one image. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The device as recited in claim 11 wherein the information is capable of being displayed by the display device. ### Claim 13 A method for efficiently distributing images over a computer network, the method comprising: receiving from a user a selection of at least one image from the plurality of images stored in one or more storage devices accessible over a network device in communication with at least one computing device, the at least one computing device having access to the one or more storage devices, the at least one computing device in network communication with a display device capable of displaying images; and transmitting an indication of the selected at least one image to at least one computing device causing the at least one computing device to transfer the at least one of the plurality of images to the display device for display on the display device, said display device being in a space separated from the display distribution device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising transferring a subset of the plurality of images to the display device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the subset of the plurality of images is associated with a play list. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the play list comprises a time associated with the display of an image. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method as recited in claim 16 wherein the time is user specified. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the at least one computing device is in network communication with a second display device and wherein the method further comprises instructing the at least one computing device to transmit the at least one image to the second display device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the at least one computing device stores information associated with the at least one image and wherein the information associated with the at least one image is transmitted to the display device in association with the at least one image. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method as recited in claim 19 wherein the information is capable of being displayed by the display device.