Image analysis – Image compression or coding
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-09
2001-05-01
Patel, Jayanti K. (Department: 2623)
Image analysis
Image compression or coding
C348S014160, C370S282000, C379S093010, C382S305000, C705S026640
Reexamination Certificate
active
06226412
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to the communication of text and image information between a central server computer and one or more client computers located at remote sites. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and method of storing, retrieving, and displaying test and data compressed image files describing unique products, services or individuals.
2. Prior Art
Various systems have been proposed for accessing text and image information associated with catalog type sales, wherein each listed item is advertised in terms of desired quantities, qualities, and so forth. Updates to such systems are done on an occasional or seasonal basis, as new products are added and older products are removed. While some searching of the database may be possible, it is generally limited to the different styles, colors, etc., of products manufactured in large quantities.
Systems also exist which support the sale of unique products or items, such as trucks having particular equipment, or persons having particular characteristics. One example of a system of this type is disclosed by Bijnagte (U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,680), wherein the product is real estate. The system architecture of Bijnagte is limited to that of the host-terminal, however, and all transactions, including picture scanning, are performed on an on-line, interactive basis. Images are limited to 8-bit color and a maximum of sixteen in number, and are further limited in size to dimensions in pixels of 128×100 (approximately ¼ screen at relatively low resolution), and data compression is limited to approximately 2:1, which is characteristic of “loss-free” compression in which there is no actual reduction in the amount of data. In addition, only limited means are included to prevent unauthorized access or modification of records.
Another related information system is disclosed by Sibley, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,552), in which commodity market bids are conveyed between remote terminal sites by way of local trade exchanges and satellite communication links. By their very nature, such products are not unique, and would not benefit from the use of image information.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention provides a method of storing and retrieving information relating to unique products, services and/or individuals. The invention utilizes a client/server architecture applied to a central relational database, using advanced image data compression to provide realistic image rendition and rapid communication response time. In addition, image capture is performed on a non-interactive basis insofar as the central database server, so as to minimize server participation and communications costs. All text and image data is processed within respective remote client computers, permitting the central relational database to be rapidly updated in a single series of transactions. In one aspect, batch uploading is used. The remote computer may maintain its own local database, however, so that images and text may be uploaded to the central computer on a selective basis, and added to the central relational database or included in listings published on video cassettes, optical or magneto-optical discs of any format, or other popular consumer distribution formats, in accordance with pending applications U.S. Ser. No. 08/453,393 and U.S. Ser. No. 08/393,493, the description of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Images may be stored as individual files or as “pages” within an image compilation file. All records and communications are protected by security measures such as log-on verification, “Caller ID”, or data encryption (whether hardware-based or software-based), so as to restrict access or modification of records to the “owners” of the individual records.
The system may make advantageous use of different image data compression formats for the various users and sources. In one embodiment, a first format may be used for the locally stored images, a second format may be used for images transmitted from a remote site to the central computer database, and a third format may be used for images transmitted from the central computer database to a remote site. As such, locally stored images could not be transmitted or transferred by magnetic disc or other media to any other remote site unless routed through the central computer, at which time the images are reformatted and retransmitted.
An additional feature is the inclusion of provisions for electronic messaging, with or without association to particular files. For example, a customer could register a bid on a listed product, or a customer searching for a particular product not listed in the database could leave a message so that another customer considering the possibility of a sale might respond to that request. Furthermore, such bidding may be carried out on a live or an interactive basis, facilitating an on-line auction. Alternatively, electronic messaging may be directed towards individuals listed in the database, or those customers who might wish to contact other customers on a confidential basis.
A further feature is the inclusion of provisions to implement a hardware security key (commonly referred to as a “dongle”) in which security information are included. Such security information may include passwords, database connection information, control of available program features specific to a particular client, or other suitable information.
Although in one embodiment the system uses a single, central computer site in conjunction with a plurality of remote computer sites, it may be advantageous to organize the central computer system as a network of regional computers, each servicing a subset area of a particular remote computer site. These regional computers would be connected through dedicated communication links, to reduce local telephone call costs and for redundancy in case of natural disasters or accidents.
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patent: 5235680 (1993-08-01), Bijnagte
patent: 5307262 (1994-04-01), Ertel
patent: 5465401 (1995-11-01), Thompson
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patent: 5751286 (1998-05-01), Barber et al.
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Simpson et al., “The SSABLE system: Automated Archive, Catalog, Browse, and Distribution of Satellite Data in Near-Real Time”, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Mar. 1993, pp. 515-525.
Patel Jayanti K.
Plunkett & Cooney PC
Weintraub Arnold S.
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