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Every once in a while, I scan the United States Patent Office database of filed and granted patents. I’m very interested in the online photo space and decided to check out patents in this area.
Sure enough, United States Patent 7,146,575 was filed in 2003 by Shutterfly and is a patent that does the following:
A computer-implemented method uploads image data to a remote computer such as a server by: defining an area in a user interface adapted to receive an image; generating a thumbnail associated with the image when the image is associated with the area; and, uploading the image to the server.
This application is continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/450,804, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,583,799, which claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/167,243, entitled “Digital Photo Printing Service”, filed Nov. 24, 1999.
A method for processing an image, comprising: defining an area to receive an image file in a user interface, dragging and dropping a symbol of the image file into the area in the user interface; and, processing the image after the image symbol is dropped into the area in the user interface, wherein the step of processing comprises at least two of image compressing, image decompressing, image resizing, image rotating, or image sharpening.
More,
A computer system 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 represents a typical hardware setup for executing software that allows a user to perform tasks such as communicating with other computer users, accessing various computer resources, and viewing, creating, or otherwise manipulating electronic content–that is, any combination of text, images, movies, music or other sounds, animations, 3D virtual worlds, and links to other objects. The system includes various input/output (I/O) devices (mouse 103, keyboard 105, display 107) and a general purpose computer 100 having a central processor unit (CPU) 121, an I/O unit 117 and a memory 109 that stores data and various programs such as an operating system 111, and one or more application programs 113. The computer system 100 also typically includes non-volatile memory 110 (e.g., flash RAM, a hard disk drive, and/or a floppy disk or other removable storage media) and a communications card or device 123 (e.g., a modem or network adapter) for exchanging data with a network 127 via a communications link 125 (e.g., a telephone line).
The computer 100 of FIG. 1 also can be connected to various peripheral I/O devices. One of the more popular of such peripheral devices is a digital camera 108 that enables users to take pictures and save them in digital (electronic) format. The digital camera 108 enables users to take pictures (i.e., images), which are saved in memory (not shown) within the digital camera 108 in a digital (electronic) format. After taking and storing the images, the user can connect the digital camera 108 to a computer system 100 in order to upload the digital images to the computer’s disk drive or other non-volatile memory 110. Once the digital images are uploaded to the computer system 100, the user can erase the digital images from the memory of the digital camera 108 so that the user can take and store additional images using the digital camera 108. Typically, the digital camera 108 is connected to the computer 100 only while the user is uploading images to the computer’s disk drive or other non-volatile memory 110.
Users also can obtain digital images, for example, of film-based prints from a traditional camera, by sending an exposed film into a photo-finishing service, which develops the film to make prints and then scans (or otherwise digitizes) the prints or negatives to generate digital image files. The digital image files then can be transmitted back to the user by e-mail or on a CD-ROM, diskette, or other removable storage medium.
In any event, once the digital images are stored on the computer 100, a user can perform various operations on them. For example, an image viewer application can be used to view the images or a photo editor application can be used to touch-up or otherwise modify the images. In addition, an electronic messaging (e.g., e-mail) application can be used to transmit the digital images to other users.
In addition to viewing the digital images on the computer display 107, users often desire to have hard copies (physical prints) made of digital images. Such hard copies can be generated locally by the user using output devices such an inkjet printer or a dye sublimation printer. In addition, users can transmit digital images (e.g., either over a computer network or by using a physical storage medium such as a floppy disk) to a photo-finishing service, which can make hard copies of the digital images and send them (e.g., by U.S. Mail or courier service) back to the user.
It was filed by Eva Manolis, et al, who is a co-founder at Shutterfly, but now is a Vice President at Amazon. I’ve actually met her while I was with Amazon, and she is not only bright, but actually very nice.
The patent goes beyond just the browser or the gestures of drag ‘n’ drop of photos or thumbnails. The patent extends to the rasterization of the photos, the pre-press process, bindery, and fullfillment. Fascinating stuff. Below are some images of the filing:
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
This is pretty ridiculous to allow a patent of a common process that preceeds the company claiming it. This patent isn’t worth 10 cents if it ever goes to court. The process of uploading photos is as old as the internet itself and preceeds this (2006) company filing by far. The process, code, and systems have been common open source for a long, long time. It’s like Hot mail acting like they invented email (last year), oh brother, not sure how these bogus patents get accepted, the USPTO database is full of pretend inventors…