Patent ID: 8234414
Filing Date: 2012-07-31
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. In a network photosharing system having a peer computer coupled to a photosharing system server, a method for serving an image stored in the peer computer to a requesting computer, comprising: (a) caching a copy of the image in the photosharing server; (b) receiving a request for the image from the requesting computer; (c) in response to the photosharing server receiving the request from the requesting computer for the image stored in the peer computer, sending a request from the photosharing server to the peer computer to determine if the image has been modified; (d) if a response from the peer computer indicates that the image has not been modified, transmitting the cached image from the photosharing server to the requesting computer; (e) if the image has been modified, caching a copy of the modified image on the photosharing server, and transmitting the modified image from the photosharing server to the requesting computer; and (f) synchronizing the photosharing server with the peer computer as a background process during image transmission of the cached image between the photosharing server and the requesting computer, wherein during synchronization, the peer computer uploads timestamps associated with all images stored on the peer computer.