(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2002/0078093 A1
`Samaniego et al.
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Jun. 20, 2002
`
`US 20020078093A1
`
`(54) AUTOMATED MEDIA DELIVERY SYSTEM
`(76) Inventors: Christopher Samaniego, San
`Francisco, CA (US); Nelson H. Rocky
`Offner, Kensington, CA (US); Adrian
`D. Thewlis, Sausalito, CA (US); David
`R. Boyd, San Francisco, CA (US);
`David C. Salmon, San Rafael, CA
`(US); Joshua N. Devan, Kentfield, CA
`(US)
`Correspondence Address:
`GLENN PATENT GROUP
`3475 EDSON WAY
`SUTE L
`MENLO PARK, CA 94025 (US)
`(21) Appl. No.:
`09/929,904
`(22) Filed:
`Aug. 14, 2001
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 09/425,326,
`filed on Oct. 21, 1999. Non-provisional of provisional
`application No. 60/226,043, filed on Aug. 16, 2000.
`
`Publication Classification
`
`(51) Int. Cl. ................................................... G09G 5/12
`(52) U.S. Cl. ......................................... 707/513; 707/500.1
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`An automatic graphics delivery System that operates in
`parallel with an existing Web site infrastructure is provided.
`The System Streamlines the post-production proceSS by
`automating the production of media through content gen
`eration procedures controlled by proprietary tags placed by
`an author within URLS embedded within Web documents.
`
`
`
`| | O
`
`Y
`
`Web Seryer
`
`!
`
`Ot
`r
`\
`
`f 3O
`
`--
`Y.
`
`Client Browsef
`
`internet
`
`
`
`Client Browser
`
`Client Browsef
`
`Glient Browser
`
`---
`
`Akamai Ex. 1007
`Akamai Techs. v. Equil IP Holdings
`IPR2023-00330
`Page 00001
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 1 of 23
`
`US 2002/007
`8093 A1
`
`Wet Sefyer
`
`
`
`Client Browser
`
`internet
`
`
`
`Client Browser
`
`
`
`Client Browser
`
`Client Browser
`
`-
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00002
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 2 of 23
`
`US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`Original Media
`
`COO --
`
`Media Post
`Production
`Systems
`
`
`
`Media is manipulated by
`hard and prepared for the
`Web
`
`22 O 1N-
`
`Generated Web
`
`media
`
`i C --
`
`f6 O -
`
`tsee
`
`2 J
`
`internet
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Web Browser
`
`3 O
`
`HTML refering to media tags
`
`Fig 2
`( P3 to 2. A2. T)
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00003
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 3 of 23
`
`US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`Original Media
`
`
`
`29 O
`
`Generated Seb
`
`Tedia
`
`internet
`
`! (o O
`
`
`
`
`
`Web Browser
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00004
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 4 of 23
`
`US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`-
`--
`
`9
`
`4 CPR og A 2)
`
`
`
`4 OO
`
`Disk
`Management
`
`Manipulation
`Conversion
`Upload
`poa
`
`Web Images
`
`Disk
`Management
`
`HTML Pages
`
`
`
`4(O
`
`O
`
`O
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00005
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 5 of 23
`
`US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`HTML Pages
`
`
`
`I O
`
`Asset Management
`Automatic Manipulation
`Automatic Conversion
`Automatic Upload
`Automatic Disk Management
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00006
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Jun. 20, 2002. Sheet 6 of 23
`
`US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`
`
`QO2
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00007
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 7 of 23
`
`US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`g s t
`
`(original in edia i
`R
`Created
`\
`
`-- 2 OC
`
`7
`
`in
`
`l
`
`Media is plact
`syste
`
`Media
`repository
`
`r- ( (a C
`
`(2 3 O
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Generated
`media is placed in
`media cache
`
`- O
`---
`O
`3.
`9 eneratec
`viet media
`
`Proprietory media
`tag is converted to
`System Standard HM )
`
`that refers to
`in edia i? cache
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`. Media tag and
`the HTM
`equivalent are
`stored in media
`tags database
`
`
`
`Media tags
`database
`
`/
`(c. 4 O
`
`al
`
`Media tag to HTML
`converter
`
`7CO
`
`Media cache
`
`Parser pa?ses \
`HTML looking for
`media tags.
`
`
`
`/ Parsef looks
`media tags in
`i database. If tedia
`tag is found then i N
`\ produce
`|
`---.
`Mcd fied Hirii
`
`
`
`/ Media tags are
`replaced by
`standard HTML
`equivalent in
`ML document.
`
`
`
`
`
`f
`Modified HM
`| document is delivered to
`\
`Web Server
`A
`
`...Y ( Web Server \
`Deivers modified
`HTM to Browser
`
`Media creation systern
`
`Media tag is
`used to
`nerate Web
`gener N.
`
`(, C.
`
`
`
`
`
`Y
`g
`Web Server
`i passes requested
`web page to
`parser
`
`a
`
`HTML is created with
`f
`Tedia tags and ;
`\ placed on Web Server
`original HTML N 2, OO
`
`r- O
`
`Web Server
`
`| 2. O
`
`
`
`f
`User ways
`\ web page
`
`User ; equests a\
`- \ web page
`
`a
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00008
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 8 of 23
`
`US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`( )
`
`3 O
`
`4 a.
`
`
`
`User places HTML
`9 Web Serve
`
`-
`
`3 2
`
`-4
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00009
`
`

`

`Patent Applicati O Publication
`
`un. 20, 2002. Sheet 9 of 23
`
`US 2002/007 8093 A1
`
`HTML Parsing Flowchart
`
`User requests Web
`page
`
`Web Server hands
`request of Web
`page to syster
`
`--- G 2
`
`
`
`
`
`System parses
`Web page
`
`1s
`H2O
`
`3. 4. O
`
`
`
`
`
`ound a media
`tag?
`
`
`
`
`
`Deliver modified
`Web page to Web
`Serve
`
`g 3. O
`
`a 3 ?)
`
`
`
`
`
`Retrieve HM
`equivalent of
`in edia tag
`
`2 to O
`
`
`
`Replace media tag
`with HTML
`equivalent
`
`
`
`77O -
`
`--
`
`Continue parsing
`Web page
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00010
`
`

`

`Patent Applicatio
`
`Publication Jun. 20, 2002. Sheet 1() 0
`f 23
`
`US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`
`
`| OO }
`
`System requests
`O ) r- HTML equivalent
`to a media tag
`
`
`
`
`
`O2- O
`
`Media tag is
`combined with
`bandwidth
`information
`
`
`
`Does media tag
`exist in media tag
`database?
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`No
`
`C 7 O
`
`Have any of the original
`assets used to create the
`media changed?
`
`
`
`Yes
`
`Re?nove media tag
`entry iron media
`tag database
`
`Create media
`using media tag
`
`
`
`
`
`Store media in
`media cache
`
`Retrieve HTMt.
`equivalent from
`database
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`| O 6 O -
`
`Return HTML
`equivalent to
`requestor
`
`Generate HM
`refering to
`generated media
`
`f / O O
`
`and HTML
`Place media tag
`equivalent in
`media tag
`database
`
`| | | O
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00011
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Jun. 20, 2002. Sheet 11 of 23
`
`US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`£) y y
`
`&
`
`| s
`
`:
`
`i
`
`
`
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`
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`
`
`
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`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00012
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 12 of 23 US 2002/0078093 A1
`Database
`Description
`
`OO
`
`Script Table
`
`Media Script
`
`2 - O
`
`HTML Equivalent
`
`2-2. O
`
`
`
`
`
`rename
`
`Modification Date
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00013
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 13 of 23
`
`US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`«O
`
`
`
`Origina
`| images
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00014
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 14 of 23 US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`
`
`HTML Document with Proprietary Tag
`
`Kht x
`Khead>
`<titex
`Tig Frame
`x/title>3
`k/head>
`xbodyx
`ximgsrc= <freeride imagex war i = new Media(); iLoad(name & logo3.tga);
`iScale (ys a 65, Constrain a true, aig @ "smooth".), i. Crop(xs (380, y's @ 8Q.
`padcolor (g Oxffffff: war i2 = new tedia (); i2. Load (name 3
`thumbnail-mask,tga); i. Composite(source (G. i2); i. Scate(xs (a 60, y's 360, ag
`G. "smooth"); i.Reduce(); i.Save(type (g "gif"); x/freeride imagex
`heigth=60 width=60 border=0}<br>
`(bodyx
`KAhtm>
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00015
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 15 of 23 US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`a
`
`: Back Furs ad Sig Refresh Horne Favorites History search if larger smailer Print
`
`syster, a
`
`f6 OO
`
`tiernet zone
`
`
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`<httils
`
`HTML document source
`
`| 5 |O
`
`<title>
`ite Frare
`<tities
`<A heads
`abody
`<lmg src=
`ree ride, rageer statine, '...'JE-23; 4.3.3.gif"
`height-60 Aldth=60 border=0s.<bris
`</body
`</htm>
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00016
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 16 of 23 US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`Generated GIF image
`
`
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00017
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 17 of 23 US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`
`
`original Media
`
`!
`
`Media Post / 210
`Production
`Systems
`
`230 &
`
`HTMLPage
`referring to
`i Media URLs
`
`
`
`
`
`Media
`
`--------------------a% -- - -
`
`-
`
`Web Server
`
`------
`
`... ------------ F '
`
`Ea
`
`Client Browser
`
`Yes
`
`Client BrOWser
`
`fig. 7
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00018
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 18 of 23 US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`
`
`
`
`HTML Page
`with Tag
`embedded
`
`Original
`Media
`
`Web Server
`
`i
`
`- - - - - ------ - -
`
`--
`
`--
`
`p
`
`f
`A
`
`Client Browser
`
`
`
`Client Browser
`
`Client Browser
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00019
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 19 of 23
`
`US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`460 N
`| HTML Pages
`s
`-
`
`
`
`1 OO
`
`110
`
`---------
`
`120 C Browse Y
`--
`-
`
`-
`
`O
`'s
`-\.
`------
`Asset Management
`Automatic Manipulation
`Automatic Conversion
`Automatic Uploag
`Automatic Disk Management
`Proxy-cache Control
`Delivery
`
`Automatic
`C ustomization
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00020
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 20 of 23 US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`
`
`HTML Pages
`with
`Proprietary
`gs
`
`--
`i
`
`;
`
`. . . . .
`
`W-- - W.
`
`-m-m-m- - -
`:
`
`. . . . . . . --- 100
`2C1
`System
`-010
`
`3.
`8000
`
`aw
`eO30 Y.
`/cone
`Media
`/ Media
`---,
`Generation
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`- Caching S- is Creation <--
`System
`System
`Pogue
`e-
`-
`w
`
`Server
`
`-- - - - -
`
`
`
`2O60
`
`Generated images
`
`Original Media
`
`fig. 2O
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00021
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 21 of 23 US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`laser
`h a 2
`a 2
`
`Original
`Media is
`Created
`
`20
`- - Y
`
`- -
`
`-- -
`
`\
`
`1OO
`
`9 80
`270
`a
`-
`Y
`260 . . .
`Primary Cached
`i
`Secondary
`"viejia"
`cached media
`Elie
`:
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`f
`- -------- ------
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`N
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`-1
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`s
`250 A.
`?
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`f
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`W /
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`N.
`u-
`/
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`---
`2, 20 ) Media Cache k-
`t
`N
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`- 0 -
`S- N Secondary Key / s Cons Station
`|\
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`OCSCS
`\
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`N
`also a
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`Media
`:
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`Respository
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`Y
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`ly
`
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`
`w
`
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`
`w
`
`
`
`HTML. Page with
`Proproprietary
`URL Tags
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00022
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002 Sheet 22 of 23 US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`r
`N
`
`-
`
`- - - - - Y --- - - - - -
`
`a OO
`URL
`- -/ Q
`28.10
`Parse Proprietary URL Tags
`;
`--- ... v . -
`- - - - - - - - - - - -
`-
`- 620 2.2-O
`Final Lookup Key Generation
`
`4-Y-- - - - - - K Image Cached?
`N
`
`N
`
`30
`
`t
`
`40
`
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`
`N
`------------Y------ - - - -
`Separate Dynamic tags
`------
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`intermediate image Lookup Key L3250
`Generation
`--- -
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`
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`Retired K-Y-( Image Cached?
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`t-i- -----
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`362
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`L.
`-- - - - - -
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`63
`intermediate image
`Caching
`r
`--------
`- N s72
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`Processing?
`1
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`1.
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`
`
`
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`s
`Content Generation 1- Y -
`for Zoopascale -Y
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`Conversion
`
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`
`2880. - - -
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`-->
`
`Proxy-cache Control
`y
`To Browser
`/
`-- -----
`
`2a90
`
`Y-2395
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00023
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Jun. 20, 2002. Sheet 23 of 23
`
`US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`Y
`
`Start
`- -----, -
`.
`.
`
`. u-220
`
`-
`-
`
`User adds original
`graphic to System
`
`231 O
`
`- - - - - - - - -
`
`-
`
`-
`
`-Y
`
`--
`
`User Creates Content
`generation procedures on
`system to manipulate
`Originals
`
`320
`
`f
`
`|
`
`.
`
`User Creates HTML
`pages on Web Server
`with Proprietary URL
`Tags
`
`'-- - - --- murruuuuuu
`
`--- 340
`End
`
`IPR2023-00330 Page 00024
`
`

`

`US 2002/0078093 A1
`
`Jun. 20, 2002
`
`AUTOMATED MEDIA DELIVERY SYSTEM
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`0001) 1. Technical Field
`0002 The invention relates to software systems. More
`particularly, the invention relates to an Internet Server-based
`Software System that provides delivery of automated graph
`ics and other media to Web sites for access by an end user
`O COSUC.
`0003 2. Description of the Prior Art
`0004 Most Web sites today are primarily handmade.
`From the guy publishing a simple online technology news
`letter from his home, to the Fortune 1000 company's multi
`tiered site with hundreds of pages of text, images, and
`animations, the Web developer and each of his HTML
`coding and graphics-producing coworkers toil page by page
`and image by image. Thousands of established online com
`panies employ hundreds of highly-skilled workers just to
`produce and maintain their Web sites. After all, the Web is
`now a major Selling vehicle and marketing medium for
`many of these companies. The Web has even sprouted
`Service industries Such as, for example, public companies
`with multi-billion dollar valuations created just to consult
`and produce Web sites for others.
`0005 Most Web developers who use established WYSI
`WYG tools in the industry still must produce each page on
`their Web site one by one. The same rate applies to preparing
`and placing images, animations, and other visual assets.
`Each page represents its own Set of issues ranging from
`whether to use GIF, JPEG, or PNG file formats, to finding
`the optimum bit depth for each image to ensure the fastest
`downloading through the different browsers of the con
`Sumer. The bottlenecked state of the customer's workflow to
`produce graphics for Web pages can be described as follows:
`0006 Current Workflow for Creating Web Graphics
`0007 Original Artwork/Asset Creation
`0008 Use third-party point products
`0009 Asset Editing
`0010 Scale/reduce/slice
`0011 Asset Format Conversion
`0012 JPEG/GIF/PNG
`0013 Asset Staging
`0014 Place in Web file system
`0015) Edit HTML
`Create/Modify HTML for particular page
`0016
`0017)
`Store HTML on Web server
`View final pages
`0018)
`0019 Repeat process for each version of each
`graphic on each page
`0020 Estimated time
`0021. Two hours per page times the number of
`pageS
`
`0022. Also, from a user's perspective, the current state of
`the art is to offer the consumer Zooming and panning
`capabilities So that by clicking on an image the consumer
`can view more closely or from a different angle. On the
`horizon are pages with three-dimensional imagery that
`enable a user to move around a page that can look more like
`a room than a brochure. While interesting, these features are
`merely incremental improvements to a consumer's Surfing
`experience.
`0023 D. C. A. Bulterman, Models, Media, and Motion:
`Using the Web to Support Multimedia Documents, Proceed
`ings of 1997 International Conference on Multimedia Mod
`eling, Singapore, Nov. 17-20, 1997 discloses “an effort
`underway by members of industry, research centers and user
`groups to define a Standard document format that can be
`used in conjunction with time-based transport protocols over
`the Internet and intranets to Support rich multimedia pre
`sentations. The paper outlines the goals of the W3C's
`Synchronized Multimedia working group and presents an
`initial description of the first version of the proposed mul
`timedia document model and format.”
`0024 Text and Graphics on UMI’s ProQuest Direct: The
`Best (yet) of both Worlds, Online, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 73-7,
`March-April 1997 discloses an information system that
`offers “periodical and newspaper content covering a wide
`range of business, news, and professional topics . . . letting
`the user Search both text and graphics and build the product
`to Suit. Articles can be retrieved in varying levels of detail:
`citation, abstracts, full text, and text with graphics. Images
`come in two flavors: Page Image, a virtual photocopy, and
`Text--Graphics, in which graphics are Stored Separately from
`the text and are manipulable as discrete items .
`.
`. The
`system comes in two versions: Windows and Web.”
`0025) John Mills Dudley, Network-Based Classified
`Information Systems, AU-A-53031/98 (Aug. 27, 1998) dis
`closes a “system for automatically creating databases con
`taining industry, Service, product and Subject classification
`data, contact data, geographic location data (CCG-data) and
`links to web pages from HTML, XML, or SGML encoded
`web pages posted on computer networkS Such as Internets or
`Intranets .
`.
`. The .
`.
`. databases may be searched for
`references (URLS) to web pages by use of enquiries which
`reference one or more of the items of the CCG-data.
`Alternatively, enquiries referencing the CCG-data in the
`databases may Supply contact data without web page refer
`ences. Data duplication and coordination is reduced by
`including in the web page CCG-data display controls which
`are used by web browsers to format for display the same data
`that is used to automatically update the databases.”
`0026 Cordell et al, Automatic Data Display Formatting
`with A Networking Application, U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,084
`(Dec. 1, 1998) discloses a placeholder image mechanism.
`“When a data request is made, the data transfer rate is
`monitored. When the receive data transfer rate is slow, and
`the data contains an embedded graphical image of unknown
`dimensions, a Small placeholder image is automatically
`displayed for the user instead of the actual data. The Small
`placeholder image holds a place on a display device for the
`data or the embedded graphical image until the data or
`embedded graphical image is received. When embedded
`graphical image is received, the placeholder image is
`removed, and the display device is reformatted to display the
`embedded graphical image.”
`
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`Jun. 20, 2002
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`0027 Jonathon R. T. Lewis, System For Substituting
`Tags For Non-Editable Data Sets In Hypertext Documents
`And Updating Web Files Containing Links Between Data
`Sets Corresponding To Changes Made To The Tags, U.S.
`Pat. No. 5,355,472 (Oct. 11, 1994) discloses a “hypertext
`data processing System wherein data Sets participating in the
`hypertext document may be edited, the data processing
`System inserting tags into the data Sets at locations corre
`sponding to the hypertext links to create a file which is
`editable by an editor and the data processing System remov
`ing the tags, generating a revised data Set and updating the
`link information after the editing process. Its main purpose
`is to preserve the linking hierarchy that may get lost when
`the individual data sets get modified.”
`0028 Wistendahl et al, System for Mapping Hot Spots in
`Media Content Interactive Digital Media Program, U.S. Pat.
`No. 5,708,845 (Jan. 13, 1998) discloses a “system for
`allowing media content to be used in an interactive digital
`media (IDM) program that has Frame Data for the media
`content and object mapping data (N Data) representing the
`frame addresses and display location coordinates for objects
`appearing in the media content. The N Data are maintained
`Separately from the Frame Data for the media content, So
`that the media content can be kept intact without embedded
`codes and can be played back on any system. The IDM
`program has established linkages connecting the objects
`mapped by the N Data to other functions to be performed in
`conjunction with display of the media content. Selection of
`an object appearing in the media content with a pointer
`results in initiation of the interactive function. Abroad base
`of existing non-interactive media content, Such as movies,
`Videos, advertising, and television programming can be
`converted to interactive digital media use. An authoring
`System for creating IDM programs has an object outlining
`tool and an object motion tracking tool for facilitating the
`generation of N Data. In a data Storage disk, the Frame Data
`and the N Data are Stored on Separate Sectors. In a network
`System, the object mapping data and IDM program are
`downloaded to a Subscriber terminal and used in conjunction
`with presentation of the media content.”
`0029 Rogers et al, Method for Fulfilling Requests of A
`Web Browser, U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,451 (Dec. 23, 1997) and
`Lagarde et al, Method for Distributed Task Fulfillment of
`Web Browser Requests, U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,918 (Jan. 20,
`1998) disclose essentially “improvements which achieve a
`means for accepting Web client requests for information,
`obtaining data from one or more databases which may be
`located on multiple platforms at different physical locations
`on an Internet or on the Internet, processing that data into
`meaningful information, and presenting that information to
`the Web client in a text or graphics display at a location
`Specified by the request.”
`0030 Tyan et al, HTML Generator, European Patent
`Application No. EP 0843276 (May 20, 1998) discloses
`"generating an HTML file based on an input bitmap image,
`and is particularly directed to automatic generation of an
`HTML file, based on a scanned-in document image, with the
`HTML file in turn being used to generate a Web page that
`accurately reproduces the layout of the original input bitmap
`image.”
`TrueSpectra has a patent pending for the technol
`0.031
`ogy employed in its two products, IrisAccelerate and Iris
`
`Transactive. These products are designed for Zooming and
`panning and Simple image transformations and conversions,
`respectively. They support 10 file formats and allow devel
`opers to add new file formats via their SDK. They do not
`require the use of Flashpix for images. However, their
`documentation points out that performance is dependent on
`the Flashpix format. The system would be very slow if a
`non-Flashpix format was used.
`0032 TrueSpectra allows the image quality and compres
`sion to be set for JPEGs only. The compression setting is set
`on the Server and all images are delivered at the same Setting.
`0033 TrueSpectra has a simple caching mechanism.
`Images in the cache can be cleared out automatically at
`certain times and it does not have any dependency features
`for image propagation. The Web Server needs to be brought
`down in order to update any original assets.
`0034) TrueSpectra does not require plug-ins to operate
`features Such as Zooming?panning or compositing. The alter
`native to plug-ins is using their JavaScript or active Server
`page technology. These technologies are used by many Web
`sites to provide interactivity, but not all Web browsers work
`correctly with these technologies.
`0035 TrueSpectra relies on Flashpix as its native file
`format and does not Support media types Such as multi-GIFs
`and Sound formats. Flashpix files are typically larger than
`most file formats. Access to files is faster for Zooming and
`panning, but appears to be quite slow.
`0036) The key to IrisTransactive is the compositing Sub
`System. It requires three things to build a shopping Solution
`using image composition.
`0037 1) The original images must be created. It is
`Suggested that the image be converted to Flashpix for
`better performance.
`0038 2) All of the individual images must be
`described in XML using the image composer pro
`gram. The program allows the editor to specify
`anchor points, layer attributes, and layer names. The
`resulting file is between 5 k and 50 k.
`0039) 3) The Web designer must place HTML refer
`ring to the XML in the Web site. By specifying
`parameters to the XML, the Web designer can turn
`on or off layers.
`0040. The herein above process for compositing images
`enables Web designers to create Shopping Sites. However, a
`lot of overhead is the result. The XML documents add 5 k-50
`k to a Web Site. The compositing commands that are
`embedded in the HTML are difficult to understand. And,
`because the compositing feature requires Several Steps to
`implement, it is not Suitable for every image on a Web site.
`The process Seems to be designed for the Specific purpose of
`Shopping.
`0041) MediaBin(TM) is limited to activities behind the
`firewall automating only the “post-creative busy work.” In
`addition, MediaBin requires the use of an application Server
`to function through a web interface. Thus images may not be
`directly added to any existing web page.
`0042. Macromedia's Generator operates by embedding
`variables in their proprietary Flash format. Therefore the
`
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`actual imaging operations are Somewhat limited and cannot
`be controlled directly from a web page request.
`0.043 MGI Software sells point solutions that require
`end-users to download a viewer to process a proprietary
`image format.
`0044 PictureIQ offers a server-side image-processing
`appliance that provides a limited Set of Photoshop function
`alities. This appliance runs on the web-page Server, pro
`ceSSes information embedded in the web page, and rewrites
`the web page with image data.
`004.5 The disclosed prior art fail to provide systems and
`methodologies that result in a quantum leap in the Speed
`with which they can modify and add images, Video, and
`Sound to Sites, in the Volume of data they can publish
`internally and externally, and in the quality of the output.
`The development of Such an automated media delivery
`System would constitute a major technological advance.
`0046. It would be advantageous to empower an end user
`with flexibility and control by providing interactive page
`capabilities.
`0047. It would be advantageous from an end user's
`perspective to generate Web pages that contain active graph
`ics. For example, clicking on a Corvette image will cause a
`Simple menu to pop up Suggesting alternative colors and
`sizes in which to See the car. Clicking on portions of the
`image, Such as a fender, can call up a close-in view of the
`fender.
`0.048. It would be advantageous to provide an automated
`graphics delivery system that becomes part of the Web site
`infrastructure and operates as part of the Web page transac
`tion and that thereby provides a leSS expensive and leSS
`time-consuming process.
`0049. It would be advantageous to provide a system for
`automated processing and delivery of media (images, video,
`and sound) to a Web server whereby it eliminates the
`laborious post-production and conversion work that must be
`done before a media asset can be delivered on a Web server.
`0050. It would be advantageous to create a dynamic Web
`Site, wherein images are generated on demand from original
`assets, wherein only the original assets need to be updated,
`and wherein updated changes propagate throughout the Site.
`0051. It would be advantageous to provide a system that
`generates media based on current Web server traffic thereby
`optimizing throughput of the media through the Web Server.
`0.052
`It would be advantageous to provide a system that
`generates media that is optimized for the Web client,
`wherein client connection Speed determines optimum qual
`ity and file size.
`0053. It would be advantageous to provide a system that
`generates media, whereby the media is automatically
`uploaded.
`0054.
`It would be advantageous to provide a system that
`automatically caches generated media So identical requests
`can be handled without regeneration of images.
`0055. It would be advantageous to provide a system that
`resides behind the Web server, thereby eliminating security
`issues.
`
`0056. It would be advantageous to provide a system
`wherein the client browser does not require a plug-in.
`0057. It would be advantageous to provide a system
`wherein the System does not require any changes to a Web
`SCWC.
`0058. It would be advantageous to provide a system
`wherein the System manages the Web Server media cache.
`0059. It would be advantageous to provide a system
`wherein the Web media is generated only if requested by a
`client browser.
`0060. It would be advantageous for a system to reduce
`the need for a Web author to create different versions of a
`Web site, the System automatically handling image content.
`0061. It would be advantageous to provide dynamic
`imaging capabilities, have a more complete Set of image
`processing functionality, and be controlled directly through
`an image URL.
`0062. It would be advantageous to provide an end-to-end
`Solution requiring only a Standard browser that is completely
`controllable using the proprietary tags contained within a
`Simple image link in the web page.
`0063. It would be advantageous to run an image appli
`cation as a separate Server controlled directly by Single
`image requests to that Server, Such that any web server, even
`one that is only Sending Static HTML can acceSS imaging
`features.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`0064. An automatic graphics delivery system that oper
`ates in parallel with an existing Web Site infrastructure is
`provided. The System Streamlines the post-production pro
`ceSS by automating the production of media through content
`generation procedures controlled by proprietary tags placed
`within URLS embedded within Web documents. The author
`Simply places the original media in the System, and adds
`proprietary tags to the URLS for accessing that media. The
`System automatically processes the URL encoded tags and
`automatically produces derivative media for the web site
`from the original media.
`0065. The system takes as input the client connection,
`Server traffic, content generation procedures, and proprietary
`tags placed within the URL to generate optimized media for
`the client. The need for the Web author to create different
`versions of a Web site is reduced because the image content
`of the site is automatically handled by the system. In
`addition, generated media is cached Such that further
`requests for the same media require little overhead.
`0066. Because the invention takes the original media,
`content generation procedures, and proprietary URL tags as
`inputs for generating the Web media, it is possible to modify
`any of these inputs and have the System automatically
`update the media on the associated Web pages.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`0067 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the place
`ment of the system within a current Web infrastructure
`according to the invention;
`
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`Jun. 20, 2002
`
`0068 FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing how a
`typical Web site delivers an HTML document and its graph
`ics to a Web browser according to the prior art;
`0069 FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing delivery of
`an HTML document and media to a Web browser according
`to the invention;
`0070 FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the com
`ponents involved in Web Site administration according to the
`prior art;
`0071
`FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the com
`ponents of the system involved in Web site administration
`according to the invention;
`0.072
`FIG. 6 is a simple overview showing the compo
`nents of the System according to the invention;
`0.073
`FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the process
`flow of a proprietary enabled page delivered to a Web
`browser according to the invention;
`0.074
`FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing an authoring
`process according to the invention;
`0075 FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing an HTML parsing
`process according to the invention;
`0076 FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing a media creation
`process according to the invention;
`0.077
`FIG. 11 is a screen shot showing an administration
`tool according to the invention;
`0078 FIG. 12 displays a structure of a database record
`used for the System according to the invention;
`007.9
`FIG. 13 shows original media to be processed
`according to the invention;
`0080 FIG. 14 shows a portion on an HTML document
`with a proprietary tag according to the invention;
`0081 FIG. 15 shows an HTML document and an HTML
`document Source according to the invention;
`0082 FIG.16 shows a generated GIF image according to
`the invention;
`0.083
`FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of an image system
`within a typical Web infrastructure according to the inven
`tion;
`0084 FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram showing delivery
`of an HTML document and original media according to the
`invention;
`0085 FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram showing compo
`nents of Web Site administration according to a preferred
`embodiment of the invention;
`0.086
`FIG. 20 is a simple overview showing components
`of the image System according to a preferred embodiment of
`the invention;
`0.087
`FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram showing process
`flow of a proprietary enabled page delivered to a Web
`browser according to a preferred embodiment of the inven
`tion;
`0088 FIG.22 shows a flowchart of a content generation
`procedure according to a preferred embodiment of the
`invention; and
`
`0089 FIG. 23 is a flow chart showing an authoring
`process according to a preferred embodiment of the inven
`tion.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`0090 An automatic graphics delivery system that oper
`ates in parallel with an existing Web Site infrastructure is
`provided. The System Streamlines the post-production pro
`ceSS by autom