Patent ID: 7864196
Filing Date: 2011-01-04
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A server device, comprising: a communication section that communicates with a client device having a display device; a storage section that stores a plurality of image data sets and layout information indicating layout of one or a plurality of sub images forming, as a whole, a background image behind a main image; a main image select section that selects one image data set as a main image data set expressing a main image, from the plurality of image data sets in accordance with a select request transmitted from the client device through the communication section; a characteristic specifying section that specifies a characteristic of the main image data set selected by the main image select section; a sub image extract section that extracts, as one or a plurality of image data sets each expressing a sub image, the one or plurality of image data sets each having a characteristic making a relationship with the characteristic specified by the characteristic specifying section, among the plurality of image data sets stored in the storage section other than the main image data set, the relationship satisfying a predetermined condition; an image output section that transmits the layout information stored in the storage section, the main image selected by the main image select section, and the one or plurality of sub images extracted by the sub image extract section, to the client device via the communication section; a change request receive section that receives a change request from the client device via the communication section, the change request indicating that one of the one or plurality of sub images which is displayed on the display device is to be set as a new main image data set; and a main image change section that changes the main image data set in accordance with the change request received by the change request receive section, wherein the storage section is configured to store at least one group identifier specifying at least one image group including at least one of the plurality of image data sets, and further stores at least one layout information set for each of the at least one image groups, the sub image extract section is configured to extract one or a plurality of new sub image data sets, based on the new main image data set changed by the main image change section, and the image output section is configured to transmit, to the client device, one of the at least one layout information sets, the changed new main image data set, and the one or plurality of new sub image data sets, the one of the at least one layout information sets being related to the image group to which the changed new main image data set belongs, wherein the storage section is configured to store a count number for each of the plurality of image data sets, the count number indicating a number of times the change request is received while each of the plurality of image data sets is extracted as a sub image, and the sub image extract section is configured to extract, as one of the new one or a plurality of sub image data sets, one of the plurality of image data sets in prioritized order from one related to the greatest one of the count numbers.