Patent ID: 7966565
Filing Date: 2011-06-21
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for distributing a modifiable group of digital still images over a communication network comprising the steps of: a plurality of users connecting to the communication network simultaneously via a corresponding plurality of user display devices; a controlling computer storing said modifiable group of digital still images including automatically forwarding said modifiable group of digital still images only to a first one of said plurality of simultaneously connected user display devices over said communication network in accordance with a programmed forwarding sequence of the users stored on the controlling computer, the stored programmed forwarding sequence for identifying said first one of said plurality of simultaneously connected user display devices as a first one in the stored forwarding sequence; said first one of said plurality of user display devices receiving said modifiable group of digital still images, including automatically displaying each of the digital still images in the modifiable group of digital still images in a programmed display sequence stored on the controlling computer and adding a digital image that is stored on said first one of said plurality of user display devices to said group of digital still images for forming a modified group of digital still images; said first one of said plurality of user display devices automatically forwarding said modified group of digital still images to the controlling computer over the communication network, including the controlling computer storing the modified group of digital still images and forwarding the modified group of digital still images only to a second one of said plurality of simultaneously connected user display devices over said communication network in accordance with the stored programmed forwarding sequence, the stored programmed forwarding sequence also for identifying said second one of said plurality of simultaneously connected user display devices as a second one in the stored forwarding sequence; said second one of said plurality of user display devices receiving said modified group of digital still images stored on the controlling computer, including automatically displaying each of the digital still images in the modifiable group of digital still images in said stored programmed display sequence as received from the controlling computer; and said second one of said plurality of user display devices automatically displaying digital still images in an earlier portion of said stored programmed display sequence simultaneously with said first one of said plurality of user display devices automatically displaying digital still images in a later portion of said stored programmed display sequence, wherein no one of the digital images is simultaneously displayed on the first and second user display devices.