Techniques for generating a distributed low-resolution digital image capable of viewing in any resolution

1. In a distributed computing system, a method of sharing a multi-media object between a first node and a second node, comprising;

at the first node,

storing a digital negative of the multi-media object, wherein the digital negative represents the multi-media object at a first resolution and a first format;

modifying the digital negative to form a resultant image at a second resolution and a second format different from the first resolution and first format;

associating an edit list based on the modifying with the resultant image;

linking the edit list to the digital negative;

at the second node,

fetching the resultant image;

determining an output resolution and an output format of the resultant image;

converting the resultant image to the determined output resolution and the determined output format; and

outputting the resultant image at the determined output resolution and output format; and

wherein the first resolution is a higher resolution than the second resolution; and

wherein the converting comprises:

if the determined output resolution is the second resolution, then outputting the resultant image at the second resolution; and

if the determined output resolution is a third resolution that is different than the first and second resolution, then

fetching the edit list;

fetching the digital negative linked to the edit list;

operating on the digital negative to form the resultant image at the third resolution based upon the edit list.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first node is a first computing device coupled to a first input device and a first output device and wherein the second node is a second computing device coupled to a second output device and a second input device.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are linked in a peer-to-peer arrangement.

4. A method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are wirelessly linked.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the converting is performed at the second computing device.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 , wherein the multi-media object is a digital image formed of a plurality of pixels.

7. A method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the converting is performed on a subset of the plurality of pixels based upon the edit list and the third resolution thereby preserving transmission resources required to link the first and the second computing devices.

8. A method as recited in clam 1 , wherein the first format is selected from a group comprising: JPEG, TIFF, and PNG.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second format is selected from a group comprising: JPEG, TIFF, and PNG.

10. An apparatus for sharing a multi-media object between a first node and a second node, comprising:

at the first node,

a means for storing a digital negative of the multi-media object, wherein the digital negative represents the multi-media object at a fist resolution and a first format;

a means for modifying the digital negative to form a resultant image at a second resolution and a second format;

a means for associating an edit list based on the modifying with the resultant image;

a means for linking the edit list to the digital negative;

at the second node,

a means for fetching the resultant image;

a means for determining an output resolution and an output format of the resultant image;

a means for converting the resultant image to the determined output resolution and output format; and

a means for outputting the resultant image at the determined output resolution and output format; and

wherein the first resolution is a higher resolution than the second resolution; and

wherein the means for converting comprises:

a means for outputting the resultant image at the second resolution if the determined output resolution is the second resolution;

a means for fetching the edit list;

a means for fetching the digital negative linked to the edit list; and

a means for operating on the digital negative to form the resultant image at the third resolution based upon the edit list if the determined output resolution is a third resolution that is different than the first and second resolution.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the first node is a first computing device coupled to a first input device and a first output device and wherein the second node is a second computing device coupled to a second output device and a second input device.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are linked in a peer-to-peer arrangement.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are wirelessly linked.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 13 , wherein the means for converting is coupled to the second computing device.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein the multi-media object is a digital image formed of a plurality of pixels.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 15 , wherein the means for converting is coupled to a subset of the plurality of pixels based upon the edit list and the third resolution thereby preserving transmission resources required to link the first and the second computing devices.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the first format is selected from a group comprising: JPEG, TIFF, and PNG.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the second format is selected from a group comprising: JPEG, TIFF, and PNG.