System and method for storing and accessing images based on position data associated therewith
A method and system for providing a network-based photosharing service is disclosed. The photosharing service includes a central photosharing site having a server, and a plurality of peer nodes each containing digital images. The method and system include associating metadata with each image that is to be shared. The metadata is standardized data indicating at least the position where the image was created. Preferably the data is GPS data, but can be from other sources, and is standardized. Storage of the images is maintained on the respective peer nodes. In response to the peer server receiving search criteria based on the metadata submitted from a first one of the peer nodes, the peer server returns a list of image locators for images matching the search criteria to the first peer node. The images are returned in order of accuracy of the position information data source. There is also disclosed a method and system implemented on a single computer.
1 . A method for providing a network-based photosharing service, the photosharing service including a central photosharing site having a server, and a plurality of peer nodes each containing digital images, the method comprising:
(a) associating with each image that is to be shared on the photosharing site from the peer nodes, metadata relating to the images, said metadata comprising at least standardized information about the position where the image was created;
(b) sharing the images on the photosharing site while maintaining storage of the images on the respective peer nodes;
(c) in response to the server receiving standardized location search criteria based on the metadata submitted from a first peer node, returning at least one image locator for at least one image matching the search criteria to the first peer node; and
(d) generating on the first peer node a graphical representation of the position being searched with at least one image that matches the search criteria being displayed on the same graphical representation.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprises additional metadata further comprising additional information about the date and time when the at least one image was created.
3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising additional metadata related to the position of the peer on which the image is stored based on the IP address of the said peer.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising dynamically generating on the first peer node advertising about the general position where the image was created.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said standardized information is Global Positioning System data.
6 . The method of claim 5 further comprising additional metadata about location of the peer on which the image is stored based on the IP address of said peer.
7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said metadata further comprises time and date of the image.
8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising in response to the server receiving a search criteria based on the metadata submitted from a first peer node, returning at least one of the location of peers in proximity to where the image was taken, other images taken in proximity to where the image was taken, and other images taken at about the same time and date the image was taken.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising dynamically generating on the first peer node advertising related to the general position where the image was created.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said standardized information is obtained by at least one of: 1) a camera with a GPS receiver attached; 2) a camera/cell phone; 3) a capture device with Internet connectivity; and 4) user input of position data based on standardized map.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said standardized information is converted to GPS data format irrespective of source.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the source of the data is indicated as part of the standardized information.
13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising returning at least one image locator in order of accuracy of the position information source, with the most accurate returned first.
14 . A method for storing and searching images on a single computer containing digital images, the method comprising:
(a) associating with each image that is to be located on the computer, metadata relating to each image, said metadata comprising at least standardized information about the position where the image was created; and
(b) in response to a user inputting a search criteria based on said standardized information, returning at least one image that matches the search criteria; and
(c) generating a graphical representation of the location being searched, while showing each returned image on the representation.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said metadata further comprises information about the date and time wherein the at least one image was created.
16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising dynamically generating advertising related to the general position where the image was created.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said standardized information is Global Positioning System data.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said metadata further comprises the time and date the image was created.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising in response to a user inputting a search criteria, returning at least one other image in proximity to where the image was taken and at least one other image taken at about the same time and date the image was taken.
20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said standardized information is obtained by at least one of: 1) a camera with a GPS receiver attached; 2) a camera/cell phone; 3) a capture device with Internet connectivity; and 4) user input of position data based on standardized map.
21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein said standardized information is converted to GPS data format irrespective of source.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the source of the data is indicated as part of the standardized information.
23 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising returning at least one image locator in order of accuracy of the position information source, with the most accurate returned first.
24 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising dynamically generating on the computer advertising related to the general position where the image was taken.
25 . A peer-to-peer photosharing system, comprising:
a plurality of peer nodes, wherein each node stores respective images, and each image has an associated a set of metadata which is standardized information describing the image by at least the position where the image was created;
a central site in communication with the peer nodes over a network, such that when images from each of the peer nodes are to be shared, the image data remains on the respective peer nodes, the central site further configured for functioning to allow a user of one of the peer nodes to submit a search request based on the metadata, and in response, returns at least one image locator matching the search criteria; and
application software on each of the peer nodes for dynamically displaying at least one image by using the image locator to retrieve the at least one image from other peer nodes.
26 . The system of claim 25 , wherein said metadata further comprises information about the date and time the image was created.
27 . The system of claim 26 , further comprising additional metadata about location of the peer on which the image is stored based on the IP address of said peer.
28 . The system of claim 25 , further comprising said computer being programmed for dynamically generating on the first peer node advertising related to the general position where the image was created.
29 . The system of claim 25 , wherein said standardized information is Global Positioning System data.
30 . The system of claim 29 , wherein said metadata further comprises information about the date and time when the image was created and about the position of the peer storing the image based on IP address said peer.
31 . The system of claim 29 , wherein said metadata further comprises time and date data.
32 . The system of claim 25 , wherein said standardized information has been obtained by at least one of: 1) a camera with a GPS receiver attached; 2) a camera/cell phone; 3) a capture device with Internet connectivity; and 4) user input of position data.
33 . The system of claim 32 , wherein said standardized information has been converted to GPS data format irrespective of source.
34 . The system of claim 33 , wherein the source of the data has been indicated as part of the standardized information.
35 . The system of claim 34 , wherein said application software is configured for displaying the at least one image in order of accuracy of the position information source, with the most accurate displayed first.
36 . A system for storing and searching images on a single computer containing digital images, comprising:
a computer storing images, and each image having an associated set of metadata which is standardized information describing the image by at least the position where the image was created;
application software on the computer for allowing a user to submit a search request based on the metadata, and in response, return at least one image locator matching the search criteria; and
application software on the computer for displaying the at least one image matching the search criteria.
37 . The system of claim 36 , wherein said metadata further comprises information about the date and time when the at least one image was created.
38 . The system of claim 36 , wherein the computer is programmed for dynamically generating advertising related to the general position where the image was created.
39 . The system of claim 36 , wherein said standardized information is Global Positioning System data.
40 . The system of claim 39 , wherein said metadata further comprises the time and date the image was created.
41 . The system of claim 36 , wherein said standardized information has been obtained by at least one of: 1) a camera with a GPS receiver attached; 2) a camera/cell phone; 3) a capture device with Internet connectivity; and 4) user input of position data.
42 . The system of claim 41 , wherein said standardized information has been converted to GPS data format irrespective of source.
43 . The system of claim 42 , wherein the source of the data has been indicated as part of the standardized information.
44 . The system of claim 43 , wherein said application software is configured for displaying the at least one image in order of accuracy of the position information source, with the most accurate displayed first.