Cloud storage for image data, image product designs, and image projects

1. A computer-implemented method for providing image services over a computer network, comprising:

establishing a unified data structure that defines images and secondary image projects associated with a first user;

automatically storing the images according to the unified data structure in a cloud storage system;

automatically identifying a group of images in the unified data structure;

determining whether number of images in the group is within a predetermined range;

automatically creating, by a computer processor, a secondary image project incorporating the images in the group without receiving a user request for creating an image project when the number of images in the group is within the predetermined range, wherein the step of automatically creating a secondary image project comprises automatically selecting at least one page layout for the secondary image project and placing the images in the page layout;

automatically storing the secondary image project according to the unified data structure in the cloud storage system; and

sending the secondary image project stored at the cloud storage system to users' devices.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the secondary image project is automatically created without receiving user request.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing images in an image service center according to the unified data structure.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the secondary image project is automatically created by one or more servers in the image service center.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the secondary image project is automatically created by a client application in communication with the image service center or the cloud storage system.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the secondary image project is automatically created on a user device using a web interface in communication with the image service center or the cloud storage system.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the secondary image project comprises an image product design.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the unified data structure includes a user identification, one or more image albums, and one or more folders each comprising one or more secondary image projects.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving from a second user, definition of roles of the users in accessing the secondary image project stored in the cloud storage system.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the secondary image project stored at the cloud storage system are accessed by the users' devices based on corresponding users' access roles.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the secondary image project includes a photobook that incorporates the images associated with the user.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:

automatically selecting a format or a style for a design of the photobook.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising:

assigning a portion of the images into a first page group and a second page group each comprising one or more images;

placing the first page group of one or more images in the first page of the photobook; and

placing the second page group of one or more images in the second page of the photobook.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising:

automatically selecting a first page layout from a library of page layouts, wherein the first page group of one or more images are placed in the first page according to the first page layout; and

automatically selecting a second page layout from the library of page layouts, wherein the second page group of one or more images are placed in the second page according to the second page layout.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein at least two of the portion of images are separated into the first page group and the second page group based on capture times of the two images.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein at least two of the portion of images are separated into the first page group and the second page group based on color content of the two images.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein at least two of the portion of images are separated into the first page group and the second page group based on image-capture locations of the two images.

18. A computer-implemented method for providing image services over a computer network, comprising:

establishing a unified data structure that defines images and secondary image projects associated with a first user, wherein the secondary image projects include image product designs;

enabling an image product design to be created incorporating one or more of the images comprising:

identifying a group of images in the unified data structure;

determining number of images in the group; and

automatically creating the image product design incorporating the images in the group without receiving a user request for creating an image project when the number of images in the group is within the predetermined range, wherein the step of automatically creating a secondary image project comprises automatically selecting at least one page layout for the secondary image project and placing the images in the page layout;

automatically storing the image product design according to the unified data structure in a cloud storage system; and

sending the secondary image project stored at the cloud storage system to users' devices.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18 , wherein the image product design is automatically created without receiving a request from a user.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 18 , wherein the image product design is initiated by a user.