Distributing media with variable resolution and format
View Patent ↗An image processor receives an image. The image processor creates a low-resolution copy of the image for distribution to one or more recipients. Prior to distribution, the image processor produces permission information specifying whether a recipient is enabled to retrieve a high-resolution copy of the image. In addition to transmitting the low-resolution copy of the image to the recipient, the image processor forwards the permission information to the recipient as well. The recipient uses the permission information to determine whether the recipient is enabled to retrieve the high-resolution copy of the image. If enabled, the recipient can retrieve the high-resolution copy of the image. If disabled, the recipient cannot retrieve the high-resolution copy of the image. Accordingly, the permission information transmitted with the low-resolution copy can be used as a way of preventing or allowing access to the higher resolution copy of the image.
1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
creating, by a processor, a first copy of an image;
receiving, by the processor, input specifying whether a recipient device is enabled to receive a second copy of the image having a different resolution than a resolution of the first copy;
generating, by the processor, permission information based on the input, the permission information specifying that the recipient device is enabled to receive the first copy and whether the recipient device is enabled to receive the second copy having the different resolution; and
initiating, by the processor, distribution of the permission information with the first copy of the image to the recipient device.
2. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 , wherein creating the first copy of the image includes creating the first copy of the image to have a lower resolution than an original resolution of the image, the method further comprising:
creating, by the processor, the second copy of the image to have a higher resolution than the first copy of the image.
3. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising:
encoding, by the processor, the permission information to include format information specifying at least one corresponding format in which the second copy of the image can be retrieved by the recipient device.
4. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising:
receiving, by the processor, a request from the recipient device;
in response to receiving the request from the recipient device, initiating, by the processor, distribution of the second copy of the image to the recipient device, the second copy of the image having a higher resolution than a resolution of the first copy of the image.
5. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising:
generating, by the processor, the permission information to include a source identifier specifying a source from which the second copy can be retrieved; and
wherein distribution of the permission information includes distributing the source identifier to the recipient device along with the first copy, the source identifier enabling the recipient device to identify a location in which the second copy is stored for retrieval by the recipient device.
6. The computer-implemented method as in claim 5 further comprising:
generating, by the processor, the permission information to include an image identifier specifying the image as a corresponding resource from which the first copy is derived; and
wherein initiating distribution of the permission information includes distributing the image identifier to the recipient device along with the first copy.
7. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising:
generating, by the processor, the permission information to specify whether the second copy of the image can be edited by the recipient device.
8. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising:
generating, by the processor, the permission information to specify whether the second copy of the image can be printed by the recipient device.
9. A computer program product including a non-transitory computer-storage medium having instructions stored thereon and executable by a processing device for processing data information, such that the instructions, when carried out by the processing device, enable the processing device to perform operations of:
creating a first copy of an image;
receiving input specifying whether a recipient device is enabled to receive a second copy of the image having a different resolution than a resolution of the first copy;
generating permission information based on the input, the permission information specifying that the recipient device is enabled to receive the first copy and whether the recipient device is enabled to receive the second copy having the different resolution; and
initiating distribution of the permission information and the first copy of the image to the recipient device.
10. The computer program product as in claim 9 , wherein creating the first copy of the image includes creating the first copy of the image to have a lower resolution than an original resolution of the image, the computer program product further supporting operations of:
creating the second copy of the image to have a higher resolution than the first copy of the image.
11. The computer program product as in claim 9 further supporting operations of:
encoding the permission information to include format information specifying at least one corresponding format in which the second copy of the image can be retrieved by the recipient device.
12. The computer program product as in claim 9 further supporting operations of:
receiving a request from the recipient device;
in response to receiving the request from the recipient device, initiating distribution of the second copy of the image to the recipient device, the second copy of the image having a higher resolution than a resolution of the first copy of the image.
13. The computer program product as in claim 9 further supporting operations of:
generating the permission information to include a source identifier specifying a source from which the second copy can be retrieved; and
wherein distribution of the permission information includes distributing the source identifier to the recipient device along with the first copy, the source identifier enabling the recipient device to identify a location in which the second copy is stored for retrieval by the recipient device.
14. The computer program product as in claim 13 further supporting operations of:
generating the permission information to include an image identifier specifying the image as a corresponding resource from which the first copy is derived; and
wherein initiating distribution of the permission information includes distributing the image identifier to the recipient device along with the first copy.