Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to sharing images over a network. Images obtained from a second device are presented at a first device, and shared with a plurality of third devices. The third devices are able to obtain and store images from the first device, modify the contents of a presentation, and control the rendering of the presentation. The proposed system allows for instantaneous sharing without the need to set up accounts a-priori, uploading only the images that are requested for sharing, and does not require invitations or privacy settings.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Applications No. 61/182,461, filed Jun. 20 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL AREA 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to sharing images over a network. Images obtained from a second device are presented at a first device, and shared with a plurality of third devices. The third devices are able to obtain and store images from the first device, modify the contents of a presentation, and control the rendering of the presentation. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Every day millions of digital images are captured with smart phones and the like. Opportunities exist for sharing these images electronically using photosharing services and social networks. However, these methods typically require creating accounts at the various services, uploading the images to be shared, inviting friends to view the images, and setting privacy options to make sure the images are shared with only those desired. What is needed is a solution that removes these barriers, and provides for a more frictionless ad-hoc sharing. The proposed system allows for instantaneous sharing without the need to set up accounts beforehand, uploading only the images that are requested for sharing, and does not require invitations or privacy settings. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    With the proliferation of high resolution networked display devices, such as a high definition smart TV, it has become possible to obtain and display images from a remote network source. Some smart TVs come with a built-in capability to receive and display images from a network source. Smart TVs also run 3rd party software applications, and are able to download these applications to provide to aforementioned capability. These 3rd party applications are typically provided by companies in the photo sharing business that wish to enable users of their systems to conveniently access photographs from their accounts on smart TV&#39;s and other similar network connected devices. 
         [0005]    The growing installed base of smart TV, over-the-top (OTT) devices, and the like, provides an opportunity to share the displayed images that is not currently being exploited to full effect. When a user is displaying images on the smart TV, in many cases other users viewing the images may want to gain access to the images, and copy some or all of the images. What is needed is a way to provide access to these users with a minimum number of steps. 
         [0006]    In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a user with LAN access is enabled to discover and join an image presentation. The user is then able to access all images from the image presentation, and perform certain operations on the images. One of the available operations is to save one or more of the images from the image presentation. The device may save the images to its own memory, or instruct them to be saved to another device. The other device may be on the same local area network or over a wide area network such as the Internet. 
         [0007]    A system of one or more computers can be configured to perform particular operations or actions by virtue of having software, firmware, hardware, or a combination of them installed on the system that in operation causes or cause the system to perform the actions. One or more computer programs can be configured to perform particular operations or actions by virtue of including instructions that, when executed by data processing apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform the actions. One general aspect includes a first device including: a communications interface operable to. The first device also includes couple the first device to a second device and a third device over a local area network. The first device also includes couple the first device and a fourth device over a wide area network; and a processor and a memory associated with the communications interface and operable to. The first device also includes receive, from the second device, a presentation. The first device also includes send, to the fourth device, the presentation. The first device also includes receive, from the third device, a request for the presentation. The first device also includes send, to the fourth device, the request for the presentation. The first device also includes receive, from the fourth device, the presentation. The first device also includes send to the third device, the presentation. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding computer systems, apparatus, and computer programs recorded on one or more computer storage devices, each configured to perform the actions of the methods. 
         [0008]    Implementations may include one or more of the following features. The first device where operations are performed without requiring reception of account credentials from the second device or third device for the first device or fourth device. The first device where. The first device may also include the first device is a display device selected from the group including of a television, set-top-box, over-the-top device, game console, and personal computer. The first device may also include the second device and the third device are computing devices selected from the group including of a mobile phone, personal computer, and tablet computer. The first device where the presentation is included of: an ordered list of one or more media item identifiers, a presentation name, a presentation cover, a presentation identifier, and a presentation current position. The first device where the media item identifiers are one or more of: image identifiers, video identifiers, and audio identifiers. The first device in sending the presentation to the fourth device the processor and the memory further operable to: request, from the second device, media items identified by the presentation. The first device may also include receive, from the second device, the media items. The first device may also include send, to the fourth device, the media items. The first device where in sending the presentation to the fourth device the processor and the memory are further operable to: determine an unique device identifier; and send, to the fourth device with the presentation, the unique device identifier. The first device where the processor and the memory are further operable to: send, to the fourth device, the unique device identifier; and receive, from the fourth device, based on the unique device identifier, a listing of all presentations stored at the fourth device and linked to the unique device identifier. The first device where in sending the presentation to the fourth device the processor and the memory are further operable to: determine a storage key; encrypt, using the storage key and, prior to sending to the fourth device, the presentation to produce an encrypted presentation; and send, to the fourth device, without sending the storage key, the encrypted presentation. The first device where the processor and the memory are further operable to: receive from the fourth device, the encrypted presentation. The first device may also include decrypt, using the storage key, the encrypted presentation. The first device where the processor and the memory are further operable to: receive, from the fourth device, an identifier assigned by the fourth device to the presentation; and send, to the fourth device, the identifier assigned by the fourth device to the presentation. The first device where the processor and the memory are further operable to: receive the presentation from the first device includes: receive a presentation list including a plurality of media item identifiers, and receive the plurality of media items identified by the plurality of media item identifiers. The first device where the processor and the memory are further operable to: determine that a sharing session has started. The first device may also include assign a session identifier to the sharing session. The first device may also include link, using linking information, a plurality of presentations viewed during the sharing session to the session identifier. The first device may also include send the session identifier and the linking information to the fourth device. The first device where in to determine that the sharing session has started, the processor and the memory are further operable to: determine a access code. The first device may also include present on a display coupled to the first device, the access code. The first device may also include receive from the third device, the access code. The first device where the processor and the memory are further operable to: send the session identifier to the fourth device; and receive from the fourth device, in response to sending the session identifier, information identifying the plurality of presentations viewed during the sharing session. The first device where the processor and the memory are further operable to: send, to the third device, a storage key. The first device where the processor and the memory are further operable to: receive a plurality of presentations; display information identifying the plurality of presentations; and publish, on the local area network, availability information, the availability information enabling access to information identifying the plurality of presentations. The first device where the information identifying the plurality of presentations is one or more of alphanumeric names and cover information. The first device the processor and the memory further operable to: receive, from the second device, a command indicating a designated presentation from the plurality of presentations; based on the command, initiate rendering of the designated presentation; and effect, at the third device, rendering of the designated presentation. The first device where in to initiate rendering of the designated presentation further operable to: receive, from the third device, a second request to control rendering of the designated presentation; send, to the second device, a notification; receive, from the second device, permission to grant rendering control to the third device; and grant rendering control to the third device. The first device where in to initiate rendering of the designated presentation further operable to: receive, from the third device, a second command modifying rendering. The first device may also include apply the second command. The first device may also include effect, at the second device, presentation of the designated presentation. The first device where in to publish availability information further operable to: receive, from the third device, a second request for the designated presentation; and send, to the third device, one or more media item identifiers identifying a corresponding one or more media items. The first device where the processor and the memory are further operable to: receive, from the third device, a third request for one or more media items corresponding to the one or more media item identifiers; and send, to the third device, the one or more media items. The first device the processor and the memory further operable to: receive, from the third device, a third request for at least a portion of a designated media item identified by the one or more media item identifiers; receive, from the second device, the portion of the designated media item; store, at the first device, the portion of the designated media item at the first device; and sending, to the third device, the portion of the designated media item. The first device the processor and the memory further operable to: receive, from the third device, a second request to delete a designated media item from the designated presentation. The first device where the processor and the memory are further operable to: receive, from the third device, a second request to reorder media items in the designated presentation. The first device the processor and the memory further operable to: receive, from the third device, a second request to modify the designated presentation; modify the designated presentation to produce a modified presentation; and store the modified presentation. The first device where the processor and the memory are further operable to: receive, from the third device, a second request to add a media item to the designated presentation to produce a modified presentation. The first device where to publish availability information are further operable to: store the modified presentation at the first device. The first device where in to store the modified presentation further operable to: store the modified presentation at the fourth device. The first device where in to initiate rendering of the designated presentation further operable to: present in a first area of a display coupled to the first device a current media item; and present in a second area of the display, one or more related media items, where the related media items are not included in the designated presentation. The first device where the one or more related media items are one or more related images, and the one or more related images are related based on one or more factors chosen from a group including of: subject face, event, geographical location, time of capture, location of capture, person having captured a current image, and device providing a current image. The first device where the one or more related media items are one or more related images, and the one or more related images are related based on one or more factors chosen from a group including of: subject face, event, geographical location, time of capture, location of capture, person having captured a current image, and device providing a current image. the first device where the processor and the memory are further operable to. The first device may also include receive account credentials for fifth device. The first device may also include effect the transfer of one or more media items to the one fifth device, Implementations of the described techniques may include hardware, a method or process, or computer software on a computer-accessible medium. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0009]    The accompanying drawing figures incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1A  illustrates an exemplary system for interacting with a remote presentation; 
           [0011]      FIG. 1B  illustrates an exemplary environment for interacting with a remote presentation; 
           [0012]      FIG. 1C  illustrates an exemplary structure for information defining a presentation; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2A  illustrates an exemplary user interface of a computing device for displaying a splash screen; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2B  illustrates an exemplary user interface of a computing device for selecting or creating a presentation; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3A  illustrates an exemplary user interface of a computing device for displaying and interacting with the remote presentation; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3B  illustrates an exemplary user interface of a computing device for designating actions to be performed on media items; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3C  illustrates an exemplary user interface of a computing device for displaying other accessible media items that are related to the current media being displayed at a display device; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3D  illustrates an exemplary user interface of a computing device for displaying information regarding upcoming items in a presentation being displayed at a display device; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary portion of the user interface of  FIGS. 3A and 3B  for interacting with selected images; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary portion of the user interface of  FIGS. 3A and 3B  for controlling the rendering of the remote presentation; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6A  illustrates an exemplary user interface of a computing device for creating a remote presentation; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6B  illustrates an exemplary user interface of a computing device for selecting a display device for a remote presentation; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6C  illustrates an exemplary user interface of a computing device for selecting media items for a remote presentation; 
           [0024]      FIG. 6D  illustrates an exemplary user interface of a computing device for selecting preferences for a remote presentation; 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  illustrates a network diagram for interacting with a remote presentation wherein the presentation is determined by the display device; 
           [0026]      FIG. 8A  illustrates a network diagram for interacting with a remote presentation wherein the presentation is determined by the computing device and provided to the display device; 
           [0027]      FIG. 8B  illustrates a network diagram for interacting with a remote presentation wherein the presentation is created by the computing device and provided to the display device; 
           [0028]      FIG. 9  illustrates an exemplary user interface of a display device for displaying access information; 
           [0029]      FIG. 10A  illustrates a network diagram for storing a data item at an image server device without requiring user input of credentials; 
           [0030]      FIG. 10B  illustrates a network diagram for storing a data item at an image server device without requiring user input of credentials; 
           [0031]      FIG. 11A  is an exemplary database on the image server device according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0032]      FIG. 11B  is an exemplary database on the plurality of computing devices according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0033]      FIG. 11C  is an exemplary database on the plurality of display devices according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0034]      FIG. 12  is a block diagram of the computing device of  FIG. 1  according to one aspect of the present disclosure; 
           [0035]      FIG. 13  is a block diagram of the image server device of  FIG. 1  according to one aspect of the present disclosure; and 
           [0036]      FIG. 14  is a block diagram of the display device of  FIG. 1  according to one aspect of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0037]    The present disclosure is described with specificity to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. Rather, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed subject matter might also be embodied in other ways, to include different steps or elements similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies. Moreover, although the term “step” may be used herein to connote different aspects of methods employed, the term should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between various steps herein disclosed unless and except when the order of individual steps is explicitly described. 
         [0038]    Throughout this specification, like reference numbers signify the same elements throughout the description of the figures. 
         [0039]    When elements are referred to as being “connected” or “coupled,” the elements can be directly connected or coupled together or one or more intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when elements are referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled,” there are no intervening elements present. 
         [0040]    The subject matter may be embodied as devices, systems, methods, and/or computer program products. Accordingly, some or all of the subject matter may be embodied in hardware and/or in software (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, state machines, gate arrays, etc.) Furthermore, the subject matter may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable or computer-readable storage medium having computer-usable or computer-readable program code embodied in the medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system. In the context of this document, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
         [0041]    The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. 
         [0042]    Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, flash memory, solid state memory, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and may be accessed by an instruction execution system. Note that the computer-usable or computer-readable medium can be paper or other suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other suitable medium, then compiled, interpreted, of otherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory. 
         [0043]    Communication media typically embodies computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” can be defined as a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of any of the above-mentioned should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. 
         [0044]    When the subject matter is embodied in the general context of computer-executable instructions, the embodiment may comprise program modules, executed by one or more systems, computers, or other devices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and the like, that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Typically, the functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments. 
         [0045]    Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. Therefore, any given numerical range shall include whole and fractions of numbers within the range. For example, the range “1 to 10” shall be interpreted to specifically include whole numbers between 1 and 10 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, . . . 9) and non-whole numbers (e.g., 1.1, 1.2, . . . 1.9). 
         [0046]    Although process (or method) steps may be described or claimed in a particular sequential order, such processes may be configured to work in different orders. In other words, any sequence or order of steps that may be explicitly described or claimed does not necessarily indicate a requirement that the steps be performed in that order unless specifically indicated. Further, some steps may be performed simultaneously despite being described or implied as occurring non-simultaneously (e.g., because one step is described after the other step) unless specifically indicated. Where a process is described in an embodiment the process may operate without any user intervention. 
         [0047]    As referred to herein, the term “computing device” should be broadly construed. It can include any type of mobile device, for example, a smart phone, a cell phone, a pager, a personal digital assistant (PDA, e.g., with GPRS NIC), a mobile computer with a cellular radio, or the like. A typical mobile device is a wireless data access-enabled device (e.g., an iPHONE® smart phone, a BLACKBERRY® smart phone, a NEXUS ONE™ smart phone, an iPAD™ device, or the like) that is capable of sending and receiving data in a wireless manner using protocols like the Internet Protocol, or IP, and the wireless application protocol, or WAP. This allows users to access information via wireless devices, such as smart phones, mobile phones, pagers, two-way radios, communicators, and the like. Wireless data access is supported by many wireless networks, including, but not limited to, CDPD, CDMA, GSM, PDC, PHS, TDMA, FLEX, ReFLEX, iDEN, TETRA, DECT, DataTAC, Mobitex, EDGE and other 2G, 3G, 4G and LTE technologies, and it operates with many handheld device operating systems, such as PalmOS, EPOC, Windows CE, FLEXOS, OS/9, JavaOS, iOS and Android. Typically, these devices use graphical displays and can access the Internet (or other communications network) on so-called mini- or micro-browsers, which are web browsers with small file sizes that can accommodate the reduced memory constraints of wireless networks. In a representative embodiment, the mobile device is a cellular telephone or smart phone that operates over GPRS (General Packet Radio Services), which is a data technology for GSM networks. In addition to a conventional voice communication, a given mobile device can communicate with another such device via many different types of message transfer techniques, including SMS (short message service), enhanced SMS (EMS), multi-media message (MMS), email WAP, paging, or other known or later-developed wireless data formats. Although many of the examples provided herein are implemented on a mobile device, the examples may similarly be implemented on any suitable computing device  30 . 
         [0048]    Operating environments in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented are also well-known. In a representative embodiment, a computing device  30  (shown in  FIG. 1  for example), such as a mobile device, is connectable to a transmission functionality that varies depending on implementation. Thus, for example, where the operating environment is a wide area wireless network (e.g., a 2.5G network, a 3G network, or a 4G network), the transmission functionality comprises one or more components such as a mobile switching center (MSC) (an enhanced ISDN switch that is responsible for call handling of mobile subscribers), a visitor location register (VLR) (an intelligent database that stores on a temporary basis data required to handle calls set up or received by mobile devices registered with the VLR), a home location register (HLR) (an intelligent database responsible for management of each subscriber&#39;s records), one or more base stations (which provide radio coverage with a cell), a base station controller (BSC) (a switch that acts as a local concentrator of traffic and provides local switching to effect handover between base stations), and a packet control unit (PCU) (a device that separates data traffic coming from a mobile device). The HLR also controls certain services associated with incoming calls. Of course, the present disclosure may be implemented in other and next-generation mobile networks and devices as well. The mobile device is the physical equipment used by the end user, typically a subscriber to the wireless network. Typically, a mobile device is a 2.5G-compliant device, 3G-compliant device, or a 4G-compliant device) that includes a subscriber identity module (SIM), which is a smart card that carries subscriber-specific information, mobile equipment (e.g., radio and associated signal processing devices), a user interface (or a man-machine interface (MMI), and one or more interfaces to external devices (e.g., computers, PDAs, and the like). The mobile device may also include a memory or data store. The presently disclosed subject matter is now described in more detail. 
         [0049]    For example,  FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary system for interacting with a remote presentation according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the system includes a computing device  30 . 
         [0050]    The computing device  30  may be any type of computing device  30  capable of receiving communications from another device. The computing device  30  comprises a number of functional components. This representation of the computing device  30  is meant to be for convenience of illustration and description, and it should not be taken to limit the scope of the present disclosure as one or more functions may be combined. Typically, these components are implemented in software (as a set of process-executable computer instructions, associated data structures and the like). One or more of the functions may be combined or otherwise implemented in any suitable manner (e.g., in hardware, in firmware, in combined hardware and software, or the like). Some of the components may be application level software, while other components may be operating system level components. In some cases, the connection of one component to another may be a close connection where two or more components are operating on a single hardware platform. In other cases, the connections may be made over network connections spanning long distances. Each embodiment may use different hardware, software, and interconnection architectures to achieve the described functions. The computing device  30  may include a graphics-rendering engine for displaying information and images to the user  10  in the usual manner. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the graphics-rendering engine may be used to display the exemplary user interface illustrated in  FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3A-3D, and 6A-6D . The computing device  30  is Internet-accessible and can interact with the image server device  50  and display device  80 , by use of any suitable Internet protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and the like. 
         [0051]    A computing device  30  may be, for example, a personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone, set top box, game console, or any device configured with computing hardware, software, and/or firmware configured to implement the functions of the computing device  30  in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. A computing device, such as computing device  30 , may include a control system (e.g., control systems  32 ), which is configured to communicate with and to interact with the display device  80 , other computing devices  30 , and the image server device  50 . The UI module  34  may provide notifications to the user  10  of the computing device  30 . The UI module inter alia operates to display the user interface elements such as those described in  FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3A-3D, and 6A-6D . The UI module may include, but is not limited to, a display, a speaker, one or more buttons, and/or the like. The notification engine  38  may operate to receive notifications at the computing device  30 . In embodiments of the present disclosure, a browsing module, such as browsing module  36 , is a web browser capable of communicating with the display device  80  using HTTP protocols and rendering HTML at the corresponding computing device  30 . In some instances, the web browser is a separate standalone web browser. In other instances, the browser functionality is incorporated into another software module for enhancing integration and usability. A capture module, such as capture modules  40 , may operate to manage the capture of images by an image capture module of the computing device  30 , and the subsequent storing of the images in an image store (e.g., image store  46 ) and/or the image repository  100 . Transmission of the images from a computing device  30  to the image server device  50  may be implemented by an upload module, such as upload module  42 . A location module, such as location modules  44 , may operate to determine geographical coordinates of a location at which one or more images were captured by the capture module  40  for the purpose of storing or otherwise associating the capture location with the image(s). The location module may determine the location based on technologies including GPS (satellite assisted), A-GPS (tower assisted), IP Address Translation, and or WIFI triangulation services (such as Skyhook for example). 
         [0052]    Note that some computing devices  30  may not include all modules described herein. For example, some devices may not include an image capture module. 
         [0053]    The system further comprises a display device  80 . The display device may be one of a television, smart TV, set-top-box, over-the top device, game console, av receiver, personal computer, and the like. As used herein, an OTT device is a device that allows for the delivery of audio, video, and other media over the Internet without the involvement of a multiple-system operator in the control or distribution of the content. Examples of OTT devices include the AppleTV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Google Chromecast, and the like. The display device  80  may be comprised of a control system  82 , presentation determination module  84 , sharing module  86 , presentation rendering module  88 , rendering control module  90 , notification module  92 , and authentication module  94 . The presentation determination module  84  may operate to create the presentation  160  or to receive the presentation  160  depending on the mode of operation. In one aspect, the presentation  160  is created at the display device  80  based on inputs received at the display device  80 . In another aspect, the presentation  160  is received from a control device on the same local area network as the display device  80 . The sharing module  86  operates to publish the availability of the presentation  160  being shown at the display device  80  to other computing devices  30  on the local area network that may wish to participate in the presentation  160  rendering. The availability information may be advertised on the network using technologies such as zeroconf, Bonjour, UPnP, Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP), and the like. Participation may include viewing the presentation  160  of their computing device  30 , interacting with the presentation  160  on their computing device  30 , receiving ancillary information about the contents of the presentation  160  as it is playing, and the like. The presentation rendering module  88  operates to present the contents of the presentation  160  on the display of the display device  80 . The rendering control module  90  operates to process inputs and/or commands directed to the rendering state of the presentation  160 , and to change the state of the presentation  160  rendering according to those inputs and/or commands. The inputs may be received at the display device  80 , through a TV remote control for example, or from a computing device  30  over the LAN. The notification module  92  operates to send and receive notifications. Received notifications may be presented at the display device  80  and/or forwarded to other connected computing devices  30 . The notification module  92  may also send notifications based on events originating at the display device  80 . The authentication module  94  operates to validate the identity of computing devices  30  attempting to participate in the presentation  160  rendering. In some embodiments, no validation is required (other than a presence on the LAN). This does not mean that a computing device  30  will not have to take steps to gain access to the local area network, but no additional user supplied passwords and/or credentials to access the presentation  160  are required. In other embodiments, an access code  1110  is displayed at the display device  80 , and the user  10  of a computing device  30  must correctly enter the access code  1110  at the computing device  30  to gain access to the presentation  160 . In some embodiments, this access code  1110  changes for each new user  10 . In other embodiments, the computing device  30  creating the presentation  160  provides the access code  1110  that must be entered by other computing devices  30  wishing to participate in the presentation  160  rendering. This access code  1110  may be displayed at the display device  80 , or communicated through other means. In some embodiments, the computing device  30  is able to provide a presentation  160  to the display device  80  without interacting with the display device  80  other than through the network  20  using the computing device  30 . 
         [0054]    The system further comprises an image server device  50 . The image server is comprised of a control system  52 , imaging engine  60 , user account repository  70 , and image repository  100 . The image server device  50  may provide images for a presentation  160 , or may receive images that a computing device  30  participating in a presentation  160  rendering wishes to save for later access. The imaging engine  60  provides image processing related functions such as providing a stored image in different formats and resolutions, and/or dynamically transcoding formats in real-time upon request. The user account repository  70  stores information regarding the various users of the image server device  50 , and the images they have stored in the image repository  100 . In some embodiments the media items  178  may be video items in addition to or instead of image items. In some embodiments, the presentation  160  may be comprised of a mixture of data types including still images, videos, and the like. 
         [0055]    Referring now to  FIG. 1B , an illustration of an exemplary environment  140  is provided. In this example, we have four computing devices  30 - 1  through  30 - 4 , corresponding to four viewing users  10 - 1  through  10 - 4 . The four users  10  are all sitting on a couch in front of a display device  80  showing a current image  306 . In this example, the display device  80  is a network enabled TV (SmartTV). The presentation  160  may have been determined at the display device  80 , as is described in more detail in  FIG. 7 . In another mode of operation, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the presentation  160  may have been determined at a computing device  30  and provided to the display device  80 . Each of the users  10  is enabled to interact with the presentation  160  rendering at the display device  80  as illustrated through the exemplary UI described in  FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D . 
         [0056]    In some instances, a user will gain access to the local area network simply through plugging in via an Ethernet cable. As such, no network credentials are required. 
         [0057]    As described above and throughout the present disclosure, the sharing of images and other media types, is enabled wherein the participating users  10  need not supply account user id and password) information for a photosharing site, social network, or the like prior to the sharing of images. As will be described in the present disclosure, in some embodiments, participating users may be enabled to associate images viewed in a presentation with an external account, such as a photosharing site, social network, or the like, after the sharing session has ended. This association may be made before or after the sharing of images takes place, but is not a pre-requisite to sharing. 
         [0058]    The present disclosure uses exemplary figures and nomenclature that describe the sharing of images in particular. As described herein, the present disclosure is not limited to the sharing of images. The present disclosure contemplates the sharing of other data types such as video and audio in particular. 
         [0059]    As used herein, follower devices, or “followers”, refers to computing devices  30  that are being operated by users  10  other than the presentation creator or presentation designator a user selecting an existing presentation to render). As noted elsewhere in the disclosure, a following device may become a controlling device through a request handshake. If the request handshake is completed, and permission by the current controlling device is granted, then the current controlling device is pushed onto a “stack” and that device becomes a following device until permission is returned by the now controlling device. As part of granting permission, the granting device may specify if the requesting device may pass permission to another following device, or whether control can only be returned to the granting device. 
         [0060]    Referring now to  FIG. 1C , each of one or more presentations  160  are comprised of a presentation identifier  162 , a presentation name  164 , a presentation storage location  166 , a presentation cover  168 , control permission  170 , usage permissions  172 , rendering schedule  174 , rendering position  176 , and one or more media items  178 . Each of the one or more media items  178  is comprised of a media item identifier  180 , media item name  182 , media item storage location  184 , media item alternate  186 , and media item type  188 . 
         [0061]    The presentation identifier  162  identifies the location of the presentation  160 . In some embodiments, the presentation identifier may be a URL. The presentation name  164  stores an alpha numeric name of the presentation  160  suitable for display. The presentation storage location  166  indicates the storage location of the presentation  160 . The presentation storage location  166  may be the image store  46 , the image repository  100 , some other accessible location, or any combination thereof. The presentation cover  168  is a graphical element that may be displayed to represent the presentation  160 . In the case of a presentation  160  comprised of images, the presentation cover  168  may be a representative image from the presentation  160 . In the case of a presentation  160  comprised of multiple videos, the presentation cover  168  may be representative still image frame from one of the videos. The control permissions  170  are set by a device in response to inputs received from a user and provide information indicating how the users of the presentation  160  may control the rendering of the presentation at the display device  80 . The usage permissions  172  are preferences set by the device in response to inputs received from a user that indicate if the users of the presentation  160  may reuse the various media items  178 . The rendering schedule  174  comprises information indicating when media item  178  each will be presented. The rendering position  176  comprises information indicating the current media item being displayed at the display device  80 . In the case of a video media item  178 , the rendering position  176  may be indicted as a time. 
         [0062]    The media item identifier  180  identifies the location of the media item  178 . In some embodiments, the media item identifier  180  may be a URL. The media item name  182  stores an alpha numeric name of the media item  178  suitable for display. The media item storage location  184  indicates the storage location of the media item  178 . The media item storage location  184  may be the image store  46 , the image repository  100 , some other accessible location, or any combination thereof. The media item alternate  186  indicates an alternative version of the media item  178 . For example, in the case of an image media item  178 , the media item alternate  186  may be a lower resolution thumbnail image. In the case of a video presentation  160 , the media item alternate  186  may be a lower resolution version of the video. The media item type  188  indicates the type of the media item  178 . The type may be an image, video, or the like. 
         [0063]      FIG. 2A  illustrates an exemplary user interface  200  of a computing device  30  for displaying a splash screen  202 . 
         [0064]      FIG. 2B  illustrates an exemplary user interface  220  of a computing device  30  for designating the media items  178  comprising a presentation  160 . The user interface includes a title  222 . Presentations  160  that are in-progress are shown in items  224 ,  226 , and  228  respectively. As used herein, in-progress presentation  160  refers to a presentation  160  that is currently playing, and has not reached its end. A presentation  160  rendering that is paused midstream, is therefore still an in-progress presentation. If the user  10  does not wish to join an in-progress presentation, the user  10  may access a different presentation  160 , or create 230 a new presentation  160 . 
         [0065]      FIG. 3A  illustrates an exemplary user interface  300  of a computing device for displaying and interacting with the remote presentation. The current image  306  is being presented. Posting controls  400  for interacting with the media item  178  are shown above the current item. The item previously presented  312  is shown below the current item. The next media item  310  to be shown is displayed to the right and below the current media item  178 . 
         [0066]      FIG. 3B  illustrates an exemplary user interface  320  of a computing device for displaying and interacting with the remote presentation. In some embodiments, all media items  178  in the sequence of media items to be displayed are shown. If the media items to be shown exceed one page, then the media items  178  are displayed over multiple pages. The current media item  306 , the previous media item  312 , and the next media item  310  are shown among the other media items  178 . The posting controls  400  are shown below all displayed media items  178 . In  FIG. 3B , the posting controls  400  are invoked by first selecting the media items  178  to be operated on, then invoking the desired posting control  400 . In this example, three media items  314  are marked for operation. 
         [0067]      FIG. 3C  illustrates an exemplary user interface  340  of a computing device for displaying other accessible media items that are related to the current media being displayed at the display device. In some embodiments, images  344  will reside in the image store  46  at the computing device  30 , and the user  10  will be enabled to contribute  357  one or more related images  344  to the presentation  160  at the display device  80 . The images to contribute may be designated in response to user input via the checkbox controls  345 . The related images  344  may be chosen based one or more factors such as subject faces  346 , location  348 , time  350 , event  352 , keyword, etc. The related images  344  may be chosen based on the current image, a user designated image, all images, or upcoming images. A “following” user  10  may use the navigation controls  354  to move through the sequence of images synchronously with the user controlling rendering, or asynchronously in a different order and/or rendering speed. The “following” user  10  may select the resync button  356  at any time to return to the image currently being shown at the display device  80 . 
         [0068]    Referring now to  FIG. 3D , in another aspect of the present disclosure, the computing device  30  displays an exemplary interface  360  information or metadata on images that are scheduled for future presentation at the display device  80 . This metadata may include for example, information identifying subjects appearing in the upcoming images  366 , capture location for upcoming images  368 , capture date  370 , event  372 , image contributor, keyword, and the like. In some embodiments, the information identifying subjects appearing in the upcoming images comprises visual representations of the subjects. In the example of  FIG. 3D , the user  10  has provided input indicating that the faces contained in upcoming images  364  should be shown. In some embodiments the visual representations of the subjects comprise images of the faces of the subjects. 
         [0069]      FIG. 4  illustrates an aspect  400  of the user interface of  FIGS. 3A and 3B  for interacting with the media items  178 . The “thumbs-up” control  404  is invoked by the user  10  to indicate that the media item  178  is favored. The “thumbs-down” control  402  is invoked by the user  10  to indicate that the media item  178  is not favored. The download control  406  is operable to receive input marking the media item  178  for download. The delete control  408  is used to indicate that the user  10  would like to remove the media item  178  from the presentation  160 . The Twitter control  410  is used to indicate that the media item  178  should be re-tweeted. The Tumbler control  412  is used to indicate that the media item  178  should be posted to tumbler. The Facebook control  414  is used to indicate that the media item  178  should be posted to Facebook. 
         [0070]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , rendering controls  500  are shown for directing the rendering of the presentation  160 . The complete rewind control  502  operates to set the current media item to the first media item in the sequence of media items  178  comprising the presentation  160 . The partial rewind control  504  operates to partially rewind the presentation. The play control  506  operates to either play the presentation  160  or pause the presentation depending on the state of the control when an input is received. The icon rendered for the control is based on the current state of the control. I.e. paused vs playing. The partial forward control  508  operates to partially forward the presentation. The complete forward control  510  operates to move the current rendering position to the last media item in the sequence of media items  178  comprising the presentation  160 . 
         [0071]    In another aspect of the present disclosure, the computing device  30 -N of a user  10  may join the presentation sharing system and control the display of their presentation  160  according to their own pace and preferences. In this mode of operation, the presentation, when first joined by computing device  30 -N of a user  10 , is shown at the current rendering position and rendering state of the display device  80 . If the user  10  does not take any action, then the presentation continues according to the rendering schedule on the display device  80 . If the computing device  30 -N of the user  10  receives input for the user indicating a new rendering state, then the presentation at the user  10  device proceeds according to it&#39;s own schedule. The user  10  is provided with a “sync” control  356  that enables it to sync back up to the display device  80  in terms of rendering position and state which may be invoked at any time. 
         [0072]      FIG. 6A  illustrates the user-interface  600  to create a presentation  160  on a computing device  30 . The title  602  is shown at the top of the display area. The user interface operates to allow the selection of one or more output devices on which the presentation  160  will be displayed  604 . The images that will be displayed in the presentation are determined  606  by a device in response to inputs received from a user. Preferences set at a device, in response to inputs received from a user, control how the remote presentation is displayed as well as how other users  10  in proximity to the remote device are allowed to interact with the presentation  608 . Finally the new user  10  initiates the presentation rendering  610 . In some embodiments the presentation is shown only on the display device  80 . In other embodiments the presentation is shown only on the computing device  30  in which it was created. In yet other embodiments the presentation is displayed on both the computing device  30  and the display device  80  simultaneously. Control  612  may be designated when user wishes to leave complete the operation. 
         [0073]      FIG. 6B  illustrates in additional detail on computing device  30  of the selection of the display device  80  on which the presentation  160  will be displayed. A title  622  is shown at the top of the display area. One or more output devices may be designated. If no output devices are designated the presentation  160  will be shown only on the computing device  30  in which it was created. In the exemplary user interface  620 , for possible display devices  80  have been detected on the local area network to which the computing device  30  is coupled. They are a TV  624 , a set-top box  626 , a game console  628 , and a digital picture frame  630 . If the number of available display devices  80  exceeds the screen area, scrolling controls (not shown in  FIG. 6B ) may be provided operable to enable access to additional display devices  80 . In some embodiments, additional information may be displayed in proximity to the output device icons indicating their availability to act as a display device  80  for the presentation  160  rendering. For example if the TV  624  were being used by another user  10  this information may be displayed whereby the creator of the presentation  160  may choose another display device  80  that is currently idle. 
         [0074]      FIG. 6C  illustrates an exemplary user interface  640  on computing device  30  for receiving selection  642  of the media items  178  to be displayed in the presentation  160 . In this instance the media items  178  to be displayed are images. The images may be designated by album  644 , by face  646 , by geographical location  648 , by event  650 , by season  652 , and by keyword  654 . The images may also be designated on an image by image basis (not shown). In some embodiments, the images designated for presentation  160  will reside at the computing device  30 . In other embodiments, the images designated for presentation  160  will reside at an external device, such as the image server. In yet other embodiments, images will be designated from the computing device  30 - 1  and other computing devices  30 -N. 
         [0075]      FIG. 6D  shows preferences  662  in an exemplary interface  660  on computing device  30  operable to enable the presentation creator to control how other users  10  on the local area network are able to interact with the presentation. As used herein, presentation creator refers to the user providing inputs to the device controlling the creation of a presentation  160 . The download control  664  operates to allow the presentation creator to permit other presentation  160  users  10  to download images from the presentation  160 . The Twitter® control  666 , Instagram® control  668 , and Facebook® control  670  operate respectively to allow the presentation creator to permit other presentation users  10  to tweet on Twitter®, post on Instagram®, and post on Facebook® the images from the presentation  160 . Preference control  672  operates to allow the presentation creator to permit other presentation users  10  to effect display time of images. In some embodiments this is accomplished based on other users  10  interacting with “thumbs-up” and thumbs-down” controls to indicate media items that they like vs media items that they do not care for. Preference control  674  operates to allow the presentation creator to permit other presentation users  10  to control the presentation rendering or playback. Preference control  676  operates to allow the presentation creator to permit other presentation users  10  to delete upcoming media items  178  from the presentation  160 . Preference control  678  operates to allow the presentation creator to permit other presentation users  10  to reorder the sequence of the upcoming media items  178  of presentation  160 . Preference control  680  operates to allow the presentation creator to permit other presentation  160  users to contribute new media items  178  to the sequence of media items  178  of the presentation  160 . Preference control  682  operates to allow the presentation creator to request notification whenever another user takes an action indicated by one of the other preference controls ( 664  through  680 ), and allowed to grant or deny the request on a per request basis. 
         [0076]    Referring now to  FIG. 7  a network diagram  700  is shown illustrating the network interactions between the computing device  30 , display device  80 , and image server device  50 . In the embodiment corresponding to  FIG. 7 , the presentation  160  is created  702  at the display device  80 . The availability of the presentation  160  is advertised  704  enabling other computing devices  30  on the LAN may discover the publishing service and join  708  the presentation  160 . The presentation  160  rendering may then be initiated  706 . After discovery,  708  a computing device  30  receives  710  a presentation  160 . The presentation  160  comprises information such as an ordered a list of the media items  178  used in the presentation  160 , the sequence in which the media items  178  are to be displayed by default, information indicating the current rendering position, and other related information. Based on preferences shown in  FIG. 6D , computing devices  30  are enabled to interact with the presentation  160  while it is being rendered at the display device  80 . The presentation  160  is displayed  712  at the computing device  30 . In some embodiments input from user  10  is received  714  at the computing device  30 . Based on the received user input, images are designated  716  by the device. The designated images are requested  718  from the display device  80 . The requested images are then received  720 . In other embodiments images are requested  722  from an image server  50  and received  724  from the image server  50 . The received images are stored  726  at the computing device  30 . 
         [0077]    Referring now to  FIGS. 8A and 8B , a network diagram  800  is shown illustrating the network interactions between the computing device  30 - 1  creating the presentation  160 , display device  80 , the computing device  30 -N viewing the display device  80 , and an image server device  50 . In the embodiment corresponding to  FIG. 8A , the presentation  160  is created  802  at the computing device  30 - 1 . The presentation  160  is transferred to the display device  804 . The display device  80  request and receives  806  images from the computing device  30 - 1  and or the image server  808 . The availability of the presentation  160  is advertised  810  enabling other computing devices  30  on the LAN may discover the publishing service and join  814  the presentation  160 . The presentation  160  rendering may then be initiated  812 . After discovery  708  the computing device  30 -N receives  816  presentation  160 . The presentation  160  comprises information such as the media items  178  used in the presentation  160 , the sequence in which the media items  178  will be displayed, and information indicating that the current rendering position. Based on the preference shown in  FIG. 6D , the computing device  30 -N is enabled to interact with the presentation  160  while it is being displayed at the display device  80 . The presentation  160  is displayed  818  at the computing device  30 -N. In some embodiments input from user  10 -N is received  820  at the computing device  30 . Based on the received user input, images are designated  822  by the device. The images for download are requested and received  824  from the display device  80  and or the image server  826 . The received images are stored  828  at the computing device  30 -N. 
         [0078]    Continuing with  FIG. 8B , the computing device  30 - 1  providing the presentation  160  may receive input from user  10 - 1  specifying preferences  830 . The preference data is then sent  832  to the display device  80 . Based on the preference settings restrictions are provided  834  to the computing devices  30 -N viewing the presentations  160 . The user interfaces described in  FIGS. 3A and 3B  are then rendered according to the restrictions, with unavailable functions being greyed out to indicate that they are disabled  836 . If the restriction settings permit, the user  10 -N may invoke posting modules  838 , with notifications  840  being provided to the computing device  30 - 1  providing the presentation  160 . If the restriction settings permit, the user  10 -N may invoke control modules  842  and  844  effecting rendering  846  of the presentation  160  at the display device  80  with notifications  848  being provided to the computing device  30 - 1  providing the presentation  160 . If the restriction settings permit, the user  10 -N may edit  850  the presentation  160  and provide updated presentation  852  to the display device  80 . If the user  10 -N has added images to the presentation  160 , the display device  80  may need to request and receive additional images  854  and  856 . Based on the updated presentation  160 , the presentation  160  is updated  858  at the display device  80 . If requested, a notification is provided to the computing device  30 - 1  having provided the original presentation  160  information  860 . 
         [0079]    In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the display device  80  may need to cache details of presentation  160  temporarily to allow other users sufficient time to access. When the presentation  160  is created at and provided by a computing device  30 - 1 , the presentation  160  and associated image may be provided by the computing device  30 - 1  or other remote source, such as the image server device  50 . The images may also reside at the display device  80  itself. In the event where the images are being provided by the computing device  30 - 1  or remote source to the display device  80 , the display device  80  may store or cache the presentation  160  and associated image data at the display device  80  so that it may be provided by the display device  80  to other users  30 -N. The presentation  160  and associated image data may reside at the display device  80  until the presentation completes, until sometime after completion, until the storage space is needed for other operations, or until explicitly remove by a user of the display device  80 . 
         [0080]    Referring now to  FIG. 9 , a screen for an exemplary display device  80  is shown. A unique device identifier heading  902  is displayed along with the unique device identifier value  908 . The unique device identifier  908  is a globally unique device identifier that is used to uniquely identify the display device  80 . The unique device identifier  908  is used to organize and access data items (presentations, media items, and the like) at the image server device  50 . In some embodiments, the unique device identifier  908  is a MAC address. In some embodiments, the unique device identifier  908  is generated at the device. In other embodiments, the unique device identifier  908  is received from an external server and assigned to the display device  80 . In some embodiments, the unique device identifier  908  is a Universally Unique Identifier (UUID). In embodiments where the unique device identifier  908  is generated or received, the unique device identifier  908  is determined only once for a display device  80 . Afterwards it is stored in non-volatile memory at the display device so that it may be retrieved across power cycles. 
         [0081]    As used herein, MAC address (media access control address), or physical address, refers to a unique device identifier assigned to network interfaces for communications on the physical network segment. MAC addresses are used as a network address for most IEEE 802 network technologies, including Ethernet and WiFi. Logically, MAC addresses are used in the media access control protocol sublayer of the OSI reference model. MAC addresses are most often assigned by the manufacturer of a network interface controller (NIC) and are stored in its hardware, such as the card&#39;s read-only memory or some other firmware mechanism. If assigned by the manufacturer, a MAC address usually encodes the manufacturer&#39;s registered identification number and may be referred to as the burned-in address (BIA). It may also be known as an Ethernet hardware address (EHA), hardware address or physical address. 
         [0082]    As used herein, a UUID is 16-octet (128-bit) number. In its canonical form, a UUID is represented by 32 lowercase hexadecimal digits, displayed in five groups separated by hyphens, in the form 8-4-4-4-12 for a total of 36 characters (32 alphanumeric characters and four hyphens). For example: “123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426655440000”. 
         [0083]    In some embodiments, the UUID may be used as an input to a salted hash function that further changes the UUID so that it would be difficult to reverse engineer. For example, in one embodiment, the UUID is generated along with a salt (taken as a random number from a hardware random number generator) and fed into a cryptographic hashing function that specifies the number of times to hash the function, say 130 times. The end result is then a salted hashed version of the UUID. If the display device  80  does not contain a hardware random number generator, then a pseudo random number generator could be used. In other embodiments, salted hashing could be done both on the display device  80  as just described, and also the image server device  50  so as to further increase the anonymity of the unique device identifier  908 . 
         [0084]    As used herein, a salt is random data that is used as an additional input to a one-way function that “hashes” a password or passphrase. Salts are closely related to the concept of nonce. The primary function of salts is to defend against dictionary attacks versus a list of password hashes and against pre-computed rainbow table attacks. A new salt is randomly generated for each password. In a typical setting, the salt and the password are concatenated and processed with a cryptographic hash function, and the resulting output (but not the original password) is stored with the salt in a database. Hashing allows for later authentication while protecting the plaintext password in the event that the authentication data store is compromised. 
         [0085]    A storage key heading  904  is shown along with the storage key  910 . In some embodiments, the storage key  910  is generated by the display device  80 . For example, the storage key  910  may be derived from a true random number generator either alone or in conjunction with a crypto secure pseudo random number generator. In computing, a hardware random number generator (TRNG, True Random Number Generator) is a device that generates random numbers from a physical process, rather than a computer program. Such devices are often based on microscopic phenomena that generate low-level, statistically random “noise” signals, such as thermal noise, the photoelectric effect, involving a beam splitter, and other quantum phenomena. A cryptographically secure pseudo-random number generator (CSPRNG) or cryptographic pseudo-random number generator (CPRNG) is a pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) with properties that make it suitable for use in cryptography. A pseudorandom number generator (PRNG), also known as a deterministic random bit generator (DRBG), is an algorithm for generating a sequence of numbers whose properties approximate the properties of sequences of random numbers. In other embodiments, the key may be received from an entity external to the display device  80 . In embodiments where the storage key  910  is generated or received, the storage key  910  is determined only once for a display device  80 . Afterwards it is stored in non-volatile memory at the display device so that it may be retrieved across power cycles. The storage key is used to encrypt data items stored by the display device  80  at the image server device  50 . The storage key  910  may be stored at the display device  80  and computing devices  30  having participated in a presentation. 
         [0086]    In order to enable to display device  80  to store presentations and media items  178  in instances where the display device  80  does not have the requisite storage capabilities, the unique device identifier  908  and the storage key  910  are used to store the data at an external device, such as an image server device  50  connected over a wide area network (the Internet for example). Since the unique device identifier  908  is unique, the display device  80  is able to access the stored data using the unique device identifier  908  to qualify the request. The storage key  910  ensures that only the display device  80 , or a computing device  30  having participated in a presentation at a display device  80 , is able to access the data stored at the image server device  50 . Because neither the unique device identifier  908  nor the storage key  910  are user  10  supplied, the display device  80  is able to store data at the image server device  50  without configuration. Thus a user  10  on the local area network with the display device  80 , once on the network, is able to share (and store) presentations and their corresponding data item without further configuration. In some embodiments, the data stored by the display device  80  using the unique device identifier  908  and storage key  910  may be linked and/or exported to another account. The display device  80  may be operable to receive user  10  input designating the link accounts control  906 . The display device  80  may then effect the display of another screen enabling the entry of account credentials for another account. This other account, may be for example, another photosharing site, social network, and the like. 
         [0087]    The encryption of data items stored at the image server device  50  may be accomplished in a number of different processes: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 (1.) 
                 Send the unencrypted images to the image server over an unsecure connection, 
               
               
                   
                 send the display device storage key to the server over a secure connection, server 
               
               
                   
                 encrypts the images using the display device storage key and stores encrypted 
               
               
                   
                 images 
               
               
                 (2.) 
                 Send the unencrypted images to the image server over an secure connection, send 
               
               
                   
                 the display device storage key to the server over a secure connection, server 
               
               
                   
                 encrypts the images using the display device storage key and stores encrypted 
               
               
                   
                 images 
               
               
                 (3.) 
                 Encrypt the images client side with the storage key, send first encrypted images to 
               
               
                   
                 the image server over a connection (secure or unsecure), image server generates its 
               
               
                   
                 own storage key, encrypts the first encrypted images (to create a second encrypted 
               
               
                   
                 image) and stores the second encrypted image. The server could store a salt that it 
               
               
                   
                 uses to generate the storage encryption key from a deterministic value on the 
               
               
                   
                 server that is not stored in the database. While the salt is stored in the database, 
               
               
                   
                 because the server&#39;s deterministic value is not known, the cryptographic hashing 
               
               
                   
                 algorithm is not known, and the number of times the value is hashed is unknown, 
               
               
                   
                 again, security and privacy are enhanced, though not guaranteed. Further, even if 
               
               
                   
                 the server side encryption could be reverse engineered, the display device storage 
               
               
                   
                 key would further be required to completely decrypt the image. In this case, there 
               
               
                   
                 would be a 1-to-1 correspondence between the server side salt and the sharing 
               
               
                   
                 session (i.e. session identifiers). 
               
               
                 (4.) 
                 Encrypt the images client side with a client key, send first encrypted images to the 
               
               
                   
                 image server over a connection (secure or unsecure), send the storage key to the 
               
               
                   
                 image server, encrypt the image using the storage key (to create a second encrypted 
               
               
                   
                 image) and store the encrypted image. Note, however, that in embodiments with 
               
               
                   
                 client side encryption with a client side key, the client side keys for generating the 
               
               
                   
                 encryption must be ultimately shared with all of the devices in the sharing session in 
               
               
                   
                 order to allow them to be completely decrypted. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0088]    Referring now to the network diagram  1000  of  FIG. 10A , in some embodiments, the display device  80  determines  1002  and displays an access code  1110 . The “following” user  10 -N observes  1004  and enters  1006  the access code  1110  at the computing device  30 -N. The computing device  30 -N sends  1008  the access code  1110  to the display device  80 . The display device  80  assigns  1010  a session identifier  1114  in response to receiving the access code  1110 . The session identifier  1114  enables the computing device  30 -N to browse all data items linked to a session. In another aspect of the present disclosure, the session identifier  1114  is assigned when a first presentation is designated, and no access code is determined or displayed. In some aspects, this may occur when no credentials are required to join a local area network, thus sharing is enabled without any entry of information by the user  10  in regards to the sharing. The display device  80  sends  1012  the storage key  910  to the computing device  30 -N. The computing device  30 -N stores  1014  the storage key  910 . By storing the storage key at the computing device  30 -N, the computing device  30 -N is operable to receive and decrypt encrypted data items from the image server device  50  directly without having to go through the display device  80  (when accessing data items through the display device, the decryption is done for the computing device  30 -N at the display device prior to sending the data item to the computing device  30 -N). This become advantageous when the computing device  30 -N is no longer connected to the display device  80  over the local area network (i.e. they have left the dwelling), but still desire access to the data item, and they have not stored the data item locally at the computing device  30 -N. The display device  80  sends  1016  the session identifier  1114  to the computing device  30 -N. The computing device  30 -N stores  1018  the session identifier  1114 . The computing device  30 - 1  sends  1020  to the display device  80  a data item. The data item may be, for example, presentations  160 , media items  178 , or any data item. However, the data item may be any type of data the display device wishes to store. The display device  80  retrieves  1022  the unique device identifier  908  for the display device  80 . The display device  80  obtains  1024  the storage key  910 . The display device  80  encrypts  1026  the data item using the storage key  910 . Referring now to the network diagram  1000  of  FIG. 10B , the display device  80  sends  1028  the encrypted data item to the image sharing server  50  along with the unique device identifier  908 . The image sharing server  50  stores  1030  the encrypted data item using the unique device identifier  908 . The display device  80  requests  1032  the encrypted data item using the unique device identifier  908 . By linking data items to the unique device identifier  908  the display device  80  is able to browse all data items stored by the display device  80 . The image sharing server  50  retrieves  1034  the encrypted data item using the unique device identifier  908 , and sends  1036  the encrypted data item to the display device  80 . The display device  80  decrypts  1038  encrypted data item using the storage key  910 . Using the session identifier  1114 , the computing device  30 -N may request  1040  data items linked to a session. The image server device  50  retrieves  1042  the linked data items using the session identifier  1114 , and sends  1044  them to the requesting computing device  30 -N. The computing device  30 -N is operable to decrypt the data items using the storage key  910 . 
         [0089]    In some embodiments, the data being sent from the display device  80  to the image server device  50  is not encrypted. Instead both the unique device identifier  908  and storage key  910  are sent to the image server device  50  in storing the data. Subsequent access to the data from the display device  80  requires the transmission of both the unique device identifier  908  and storage key  910 . In this embodiment, the connection between the may be over a secure connection, using for example SSL or the like. 
       EXAMPLE 
       [0090]      FIGS. 11A-11C  display database organizations (schemas) for an image server device  50 , three computing devices  30 , and five display devices  80  according to option 3 of Table 1 above. 
         [0091]    Referring now to  FIG. 11A , note in this database that some images (5, 6, and 7) were used in multiple sessions (session identifier T and session identifier Z) on different display devices (Display Device B and Display Device E). The Encrypted Image Column would actually be a link to where the encrypted file could be retrieved on the file system of the image server and not the encrypted image itself. By using links, the image server can optimize storage. For example, in some embodiments, the image server would compute a file check sum on any new images uploaded and compare to the file checksums of existing files in the database. If there is a match, the image server can use the existing image and update the links accordingly in the database. The database table  1100  is comprised of a display device ID  908 , a session identifier  1114 , an encrypted image  1116 , and an image server salt  1118 . Note that the column containing the access code  1110  is not part of the database table and is not stored at the image server device  50 . It is shown here to show that a corresponding session identifier was generated and delivered to computing devices  30  in response to them sending the display device  80  the access code  1110 . While, according to some embodiments, the access code  1110  is only four digits to make it easy for the user to observe and re-enter, the session identifier  1114  is chosen to have superior security properties. 
         [0092]    Referring now to  FIG. 11B , the computing device  30  database schema  1120  is comprised of session identifiers  1114  and storage keys  910 . Because of the lightweight, frictionless architecture presented herein, computing devices  30  need only retain a running history of the sharing sessions in which they have participated (i.e. session identifiers  1114 ) and the different storage keys  910  they have retained (for decrypting images). In this manner, it is easy for them to retrieve and decrypt images from the image server device. They can also easily share these “credentials” with other services (such as online social networking sites like Facebook and Instagram) in order to easily share the images on those sharing services. The database table at each computing device is comprised of session identifiers  1114  and storage keys  910 . 
         [0093]    Referring now to  FIG. 11C , the display device schema  1130  is comprised of a unique device identifier  908 , a storage key  910 , and zero to many session identifiers  1114 . 
         [0094]      FIG. 12  is a block diagram of a computing device  30  (e.g., one or more computing devices  30  of  FIG. 1 ) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the computing device  30  includes a controller  1204  connected to memory  1206 , one or more communications interfaces  1208 , one or more user interface components  1210 , one or more storage devices  1212 , a location component  1214 , and an image capture component  1216  by a bus  1202  or similar mechanism. The controller  1204  is a microprocessor, digital ASIC, FPGA, or the like. In general, the computing device  30  includes a control system  32  having associated memory  1206 . In this embodiment, the controller  1204  is a microprocessor, and the browsing module  36 , notification engine  38 , upload module  42 , and UI module  34  are implemented in software and stored in the memory  1206  for execution by the controller  1204 . However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The aforementioned modules and engine may be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination thereof. The computing device  30  also includes a communication interface  1208  enabling the computing device  30  to connect to the network  20  ( FIG. 1 ). The one or more user interface components  1210  include, for example, a touchscreen, a display, one or more user input components (e.g., a keypad), a speaker, or the like, or any combination thereof. The storage device(s)  1212  is a non-volatile memory used to store user account repository  70 , the image repository  100 , and the like. In this embodiment, the location component  1214  is a hardware component, such as a GPS receiver. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The location module  44  may be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination thereof. In this embodiment, the image capture component  1216  is comprised of a lens arrangement, color filter array (CFA), CCD or CMOS image sensor, and an analog to digital convertor (ADC). 
         [0095]      FIG. 13  is a block diagram of an image server device  50  of  FIG. 1  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, image server device  50  includes a controller  1304  connected to a memory  1306 , one or more secondary storage devices  1312 , and one or more communications interfaces  1308  by a bus  1302  or similar mechanism. The controller  1304  is a microprocessor, digital Application Specific Integrated Circuit ASIC, Field Programmable Gate Array FPGA, or the like. In general, the image server device  50  includes a control system  82  having associated memory  1306 . In this embodiment, the controller  1304  is a microprocessor, and the imaging engine  60  is implemented in software and stored in the memory  1306  for execution by the controller  1304 . However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The aforementioned modules and engine may be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination thereof. Further, the user account repository  70  and the image repository  100  may be stored in the one or more secondary storage devices  1312 . The secondary storage devices  1312  are digital data storage devices such as, for example, one or more hard disk drives. The image server device  50  also includes a communication interface  1308  enabling the image server device  50  to connect to the network  20  ( FIG. 1 ). 
         [0096]      FIG. 14  is a block diagram of a display device  80  according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the display device  80  includes a controller  1404  connected to memory  1406 , one or more communications interfaces  1408 , one or more user interface components  1410 , one or more storage devices  1412  by a bus  1402  or similar mechanism. The controller  1404  is a microprocessor, digital ASIC, FPGA, or the like. In general, the display device  80  includes a control system  82  having associated memory  1306 . In this embodiment, the controller  1404  is a microprocessor, and the presentation rendering module  88  is implemented in software and stored in the memory  1406  for execution by the controller  1404 . However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The presentation rendering module  88  may be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination thereof. The display device  80  also includes a communication interface  1408  enabling the reference display device  80  to connect to the network  20  ( FIG. 1A ). The one or more user interface components  1410  include, for example, a touchscreen, a display, one or more user input components (e.g., a keypad), a speaker, or the like, or any combination thereof. The storage device(s)  1412  is a non-volatile memory. Some display devices  80  will have no or limited memory for storing content. For example, OTT devices such as the Google Chromecast. In this situation, the storage provided by the image server device  50  will be the only permanent storage for content. Other display devices  80 , such as DVR&#39;s, may have significant content storage. In this case, the image server device  50  will provide additional storage for content. 
         [0097]    Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the embodiments of the present disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein and the claims that follow.