Patent Publication Number: US-2007101275-A1

Title: Network appliance device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      The present invention claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/732,315, filed Nov. 1, 2005, and entitled “Network Appliance Device.” 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
      The present invention relates generally to an electronic storage device and more specifically to an always-connected network appliance device designed to be the primary storage device for many types of digital assets.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Many years ago, personal computers brought information storage and processing to the individual. As the technology sophistication level has increased, in the form of hardware and software, many different kinds of digital or electronic assets are now capable of being uploaded, run, stored or otherwise manipulated by a user from his home personal computer or remotely through electronically connected devices such as cell phones, digital cameras, laptop computers and the like. These assets include digital assets such as pictures, video streams, slide presentations, generic documents and the like.  
      The Internet allowed individuals to be connected with each other and to share this stored information. In addition, there are websites that allow the storage of your information. However, the user does not own these websites, and thus the user has no assurances as to the security of these files once uploaded. Moreover, the user may be unsure as to whether others may alter or delete their files after uploading. Also, the user is at the whim of the website owner, in that the website owner may shut down the website at any time or may restrict access to the website such that the user may not be able to retrieve the downloaded files.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is an always-connected network appliance device designed to be the personal processing and storage device for digital assets such as pictures and video streams. The device is also capable of storing other electronic assets such as slide presentations, documents and the like. The network appliance device includes a locked operating system, defined wherein the user cannot administer or install new programs, consisting of a software system that runs on a hardware platform.  
      The user interacts with the network appliance device by using standard Internet protocols in order to receive a user interface and exchange data. Alternatively, the user can interact with the network appliance device directly through a hard line connection between a personal computer and the network appliance device or by inserting memory devices like flash memory cards into the provided readers .  
      The user than uploads desired digital and electronic assets, otherwise known as media, to the network appliance device for storage. As the media is uploaded, the user is prompted to fill in one or more data fields with searchable terms on a data form that is associated with the media. The user may then subsequently search the network appliance device utilizing the searchable terms to display any media including those searchable terms. The user within a search results window for easier viewing may manipulate the displayed terms.  
      The user may also then place any or all of the media within a currently available tray, or create a new tray and include media, and designate a user preference for that tray. Thus, other users may enter the network appliance device and view any trays or media in which they have been granted accessibility.  
      The present invention thus addresses some of the deficiencies present in the prior art with regards to the storage and viewing of media. The present invention is a personal processing and storage device, yet does not encumber the use of the user&#39;s own personal electronic devices such as the personal computer or other communication devices such as laptop computers, cell phones and the like.  
      Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent when viewed in light of the detailed description and preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings and claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electronic network including the network appliance device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a logic flow diagram for utilizing the network appliance device within the electronic network of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  illustrates a computer screen shot displaying aspects of the visual display of the network appliance device of  FIG. 1  in conjunction with the logic flow diagram of  FIG. 2 ; and  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a computer screen shot of a data form of the network appliance device of  FIG. 1  in conjunction with the logic flow diagram of  FIG. 2 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an electronic network  10  is shown in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
      The electronic network  10  includes a network appliance device  12  that may be electronically coupled to a personal computer (“PC”)  14  through a private LAN line  16 . The network appliance device  12  and personal computer  14  are also preferably electronically coupled to an external interface device  18  through the same or additional private LAN lines  16 . The external interface device  18  may be selected from any conventional interface device, including but not limited to cable lines, digital subscriber lines (“DSL”), modems or routers.  
      The network appliance device  12  is also preferably electronically coupled through the external interface device  18  to the internet  20  and further, through the internet  20 , may be coupled to various other communication devices  21  including, but not limited to, laptop computers  22 , cell phones  24 , hand held computers  26  and servers  28 . Thus, information can be readily shared between the PC  14 , network appliance device  12 , and one or more of the communication devices  21 .  
      The network appliance device  12  is designed to be the personal processing and storage device for various digital assets such as pictures and video streams. The device  12  is also capable of processing and storing other types of electronic assets such as slide presentations, documents and the like. The network appliance device  12  includes a locked operating system  30  consisting of a software system  32  that runs on a hardware platform  34 . An operating system  30  is considered locked when a user cannot administer or install programs, much like the modern cell phone.  
      The software system  32  consists of one or more coordinated computer programs  38  that allow a user to upload, store and/or otherwise manipulate media  36  from any communication device  21  or personal computer  14  compatible with the computer programs  38  and hardware platform  34 . For the purposes of the present invention, media  36  is defined as a discrete chunk of binary and textual data that can be viewed and/or decoded to represent text and/or images and specifically includes the digital and electronic assets described above. In a personal computer  14 , for example, media  36  is commonly known as a file.  
      The software system  32  also is designed to allow the user to create a data form  40  for categorizing individual media  36 . The data forms  40  provide data fields  42  that each provide specific information regarding the media  36 , including but not limited to the name, creation date, and other relevant textual data that may be searched for later retrieval. Additional data fields  42  may be added that allow the user to designate preferences whereby additional users are able to view, alter, modify or manipulate the coupled media  36 . The data form  40  associated with each individual media  36  may be altered, duplicated, or otherwise manipulated post-creation to allow an individual media  36  to be additionally categorized in any number of different fashions.  
      The software program  38  also includes a sorting program  39  that allows a user to search one or more keywords and sort the associated media  36 , to which he has been given access, accordingly. The sorted media  36  collectively may be separately stored into a tray  44 . The trays  44  may also include an additional data form  46  allowing for a description of the included and sorted media  36  and may include additional limitations as to additional user accessibility and preferences. The trays  44  may also be displayed during a search, if the user conducting the search has previously been granted accessibility to the tray  44  and its associated media  36 . For the purposes of the present invention, a tray  44 , by definition, is a collection of pointers to media.  
      The network appliance device  12 , unlike servers and other electronic storage devices, gives individual users the freedom of owning a secured repository and the convenience of online access and service. The network appliance device  12  to search and retrieve a specific group of media  36  and place them into a tray  44  for subsequent use. The network appliance device  12  also allows the user to modify or otherwise manipulate stored media  36  and resave in a new or altered form.  
       FIG. 2  shows a logic flow diagram for connecting and utilizing the network appliance device  12 .  FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate different computer screen shots illustrating various aspects of the visible portion of the displayed page that follows the logic flow diagram of  FIG. 2 .  
      Referring first to Step  100 , the network appliance device  12  including the locked operating system  30  having the pre-installed software system  32  and hardware platform  34  is connected within the electronic network  10 .  
      Next, as shown in Step  110  of  FIG. 2 , the user powers up the network appliance device  12 . After the device is powered up, the user can connects to it from an Internet browser. A setup screen allows a fixed or dynamic IP address and a fixed or dynamic domain name system (“DNS”), as well as setting a password for accessing the system. The setup screen provides an administrator with a username and password for subsequently entering the operating system  30 . After saving the information, and the operating system  30  is ready for use.  
      Next, in Step  120  of  FIG. 2 , a user connects to the operating system  30  by typing in the IP address or DNS name, at which point the user is connected to a login screen. The login screen is conventional in design, and may take on many known forms, and typically includes a space to enter a user ID and a password. The user logs in with a username and a proper password, and is connected to the main screen  50  of the network appliance device  12 , as shown in  FIG. 3 .  
      Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the main screen  50 , in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention, includes a toolbar  52  having a series of menus  53  that provides the user with many choices as to how to proceed. These menus  53  may be pull-down menus and preferably include a help menu  54 , an administration menu  56 , an upload menu  58 , a tag new media menu  60  and a tag version menu  62 . Other menus  53  not displayed, but consistent with potential uses for the present application, are specifically contemplated.  
      Located below the menus  53  are a series of buttons  63  that aid the user in displaying the searched information. For example, a show on button  64  allows search results shown in the search results area  88  to be displayed in any number of columns (shown herein as 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 columns). Further, a thumbnails button  66  allows the user to select the pixel width of any displayed thumbnails in the search results area (shown here as 100, 150 or 200 pixels in width).  
      The main screen  50  also includes a search box  70  for entering a search of all available media  36  and trays  44  located on the operating system  30 . A secondary search box  72  allows the search to be narrowed to particular libraries of available media  36  and trays  44 , and further includes a thesaurus check box  74  and word variation checkbox  76  that aids in narrowing the search feature.  
      A second toolbar  80  extends down the left side of the main screen  50  that includes additional menus available for the user to utilize. This includes a create a new tray button  82 , a selected media actions button  84 , and a tray button  86 .  
      The main screen  50  also includes a search results area  88  that displays a search results subset  90  of said media  36  as thumbnails  91 , or icons  91 , requested by the user. These search results subset  90  can be in many electronic forms, including text files in pdf (“portable document format”)  92 , word files  94 , excel files  96 , tiff file images  100  and the like. In addition, the search results may be in the form of digital photographs thumbnails  102  in many different forms, including, for example, nef files  104  (a file format produced by the Nikon D 1  digital camera).  
      In Step  130  of  FIG. 2 , the user uploads a particular media  36  by clicking on the upload menu  58 . The user is prompted to select the media  36  to be uploaded from either the communication device  21  or personal computer  14  to the operating system  30 . The software program  38  includes various additional uploading programs  41  designed to recognize and upload any of the potential kinds of media  36  contained on the communication device  21  or personal computer  
      Once the desired media  36  is selected and uploaded, as further shown in  FIG. 4  and in Step  140  of  FIG. 2 , the user encounters a data form  40  that is to be associated with the uploaded media  36 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . The user then fills in one or more data fields  42  on the data form  40  that is desired and clicks the save button  106 . Examples of data fields  42  that may be utilized include but are not limited to library choice, date, image data accuracy, subject, event, project, location, shot type, company, file name, and photographer. Steps  130  and  140  may be repeated one or more times to create additional media  36 .  
      Next, in Step  150 , a user may perform a search for particular media  36  by entering one or more keywords  71 , or searchable terms  71 , into a search box  70  and additional limitations into the secondary search box  72 , thesaurus check box  74  and/or word variation checkbox  76 . The software program  38  will then search the available media  36  and display the media  36  containing one or more of the keywords  71  searched as an icon  91 . The user may change what how the search result icons or thumbnails  91  are displayed by changing the number of columns on the show on button  64  and/or may change the thumbnail display pixel width by clicking on the thumbnail button  66 .  
      Next, in Step  160 , the user may create a tray  44  by clicking on the create a new tray button  82  and naming the newly created tray  105 . The newly created tray  105 , and other trays  44  associated with a particular user, will appear under the tray button  86 .  
      Next, in Step  170 , the user may manipulate the displayed thumbnails or icons  91  as desired. For example, the user may move one or more of the thumbnails or icons  91  into the newly created tray  44  by clicking on the thumbnail or icon  91  and then clicking on the add to button  110 , one of the selected media actions buttons  84 .  
      Alternatively, the user may transfer one or more of the thumbnails or icons  91  from one previously created tray  44  to another newly created tray  105  by clicking the transfer to button  112 .  
      Further, the user may delete one or more of the icons or thumbnails  91  by simply right clicking the icon or thumbnail  91  and hitting the delete prompt or may click the permanently delete button  114 . The user may also ignore a particular icon or thumbnail  91  by clicking the ignore and go to button  116 , which will then remove the icon or icon  91  from the particular search results area  88 .  
      Additionally, the user can open any of the icons or thumbnails  91 , therein displaying them in the search results area  88 . Next, the user may rotate the displayed media  36  clockwise or counterclockwise by clicking the clockwise or counterclockwise buttons  118 , 120 . This allows the media  36  associated with an icon or thumbnail  91  to be displayed in any number of configurations.  
      Next, in Step  180 , the user may publish the tray  44  or otherwise allow additional users to access the media  36  contained within one or more trays  44  by designating such on the tray  44 .  
      Next, in Step  190 , the user may open any media  36  associated with or not associated with a tray  44  and view or manipulate the information and/or data form  40  as desired.  
      Finally, in Step  200 , the user may backup data and media  36  associated with one or more trays  44 , onto a storage media device  115  such as a DVD or CD coupled to the personal computer  14  or communication device  21  by simply saving any of the displayed trays  44  or saved media through the prompts contained on the personal computer  14  or communication device  21  that are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.  
      The present invention thus provides a user with an always-connected network appliance device designed to be the personal processing and storage device for digital assets such as pictures and video streams. The device is also capable of storing other electronic assets such as slide presentations, documents and the like. The device creates a personal, secure storage device on the Internet that breaks the hierarchical folder paradigm currently utilized for storage. Instead, a user simply creates a data retrieval system, in the form of data forms associated with the various media  36 , that allows the media  36  to be easily searched and retrieved.  
      One preferred application for the present invention is to create a photo album of digital pictures and other documents uploaded from various communication devices such as digital cameras that can subsequently be sorted by category, date, or any other criteria envisioned by the user. The device  12  therein frees up a user&#39;s hard drive space on his personal computer  14  or communication device  21  for use in other areas, including creating more pictures or storage and use of other things.  
      In addition, it is contemplated that the network device  12  can be further expanded to include a user&#39;s website, email, calendar and/or blog. In this way, user can control which documents and things are contained on one&#39;s personal computer  14  and which are contained on the network device  12 , thus allowing the user additional storage on one&#39;s personal computer for other documents and things without having the need to upgrade or increase storage capabilities.  
      While the invention has been described in connection with one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that the specific mechanisms and techniques which have been described are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention, numerous modifications may be made to the methods and apparatus described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.