Abstract:
A method for transmitting an image file uses an image application program which can cooperate with a web-phone application program. The web-phone application program is responsible for transmitting the image file. After the web-phone application program on a receiver side receives the image file, the image file is displayed on the operating interface of the image application program on the receiver side.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a method of transmitting an image file, which permits both users to view the picture sent by one without complicated procedures. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Some well known web-phone application programs, such as Skype, usually have three communications functions. The first provides audio communications, the second provides for the real time display of images, and the third provides file transmissions. 
         [0005]    For Skype, the file transmission is performed by transmitting the file from the sender to the receiver, and the receiver then needs to first download the file onto the hard disk before opening the file. 
         [0006]    This procedure, however, is very inconvenient, and it would be more convenient if both users could view the sent image files immediately while discussing the image files. 
         [0007]    Therefore, it is desirable to provide a method of transmitting an image file through a simple procedure to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    A main objective of the present invention is to provide an image transmission method, which allows both users to view the picture sent by one of them without requiring complicated procedures. 
         [0009]    In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the proximal image application program of the present invention can be used with a proximal web-phone application program (such as Skype) so a proximal image file can be sent from a proximal computer to a distal computer via a network. Furthermore, the distal computer is installed with a distal web-phone application program, and the distal web-phone application program can communicate with the proximal web-phone application program. The image transmission method of the present invention includes:
       obtaining an image file path of the proximal image file;   obtaining a distal web-phone code, wherein the distal web-phone code corresponds to the distal web-phone program;   calling the proximal web-phone code application program; and   sending the image file path and the distal web-phone code to the proximal web-phone code application program;   wherein subsequently, the proximal web-phone code application program communicates with the distal web-phone code application program and sends the proximal image file to the distal computer.       
 
         [0015]    In an embodiment, the proximal computer is connected to a web-camera, and a captured picture from the web-camera is used as the proximal image file. Furthermore, a menu shown by the proximal web-phone application program displays the proximal image file and a dynamic picture obtained by the web-camera. 
         [0016]    According to the above-mentioned steps, the users of the proximal and the distal can the user at the proximal end and the user at the distal end can have a conversation via the Skype program and discuss image files that they can send to each other. 
         [0017]    Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  illustrates the transmission of a proximal image file according to the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  shows an embodiment of an operating interface according to the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  shows an embodiment of an operating interface which displays an image of a distal image file. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0023]    Please refer to  FIG. 1   FIG. 1  is a drawing of the present invention. In the present invention, a proximal computer  10  (often be called as a close end or near end computer) can send a proximal image file  19  from a proximal web-phone application program  15  to a distal computer  20  (often be called as a far end or remote computer) via a network  90  (such as the Internet), so the distal computer  20  can display the proximal image file  19 . 
         [0024]    The proximal computer  10  may be a standard computer (or a PDA, or a palm computer), which comprises a processor  11 , a storage device  12  (such as a hard disk or a memory), and a screen  13 . In a preferred embodiment, a web-camera  14  (webcam) is connected to the proximal computer  10 . Additionally, the storage device  12  may store the proximal web-phone application program  15  (such as Skype or Windows live messenger), a proximal image application program  17  and at least one proximal image file  19 . 
         [0025]    The distal computer  20  is similar to the proximal computer  10 ; the distal computer  20  comprises a processor  21 , a storage device  22  and a screen  23 , and the distal computer  20  is connected to a web-camera  24 . The storage device also stores a distal web-phone application program  25  (such as Skype or Windows live messenger), a distal image application program  27  and at least one distal image file  29 . 
         [0026]    Please refer to  FIG. 2  regarding the flowchart of the present invention. Please also refer to  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 5  in conjunction with  FIG. 2 . 
         [0027]    Step S 1 : 
         [0028]    A first window  31  displays a dynamic picture obtained by the web-camera  14 . 
         [0029]    An operating interface  30  of the proximal image application program  17 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , comprises the first window  31  and a second window  32 . The first window  31  displays a dynamic picture  51  obtained from the web-camera  14 . 
         [0030]    Step S 2 : 
         [0031]    A user of the proximal computer  10  may press a capturing button  35  to capture a picture  52  from the dynamic picture  51  and cause the second window  32  to display the captured picture  52 . 
         [0032]    Alternatively, the web-camera  14  may have a shutter release (not shown), so that the user may click the shutter release to capture the picture  52 . 
         [0033]    The second window  32  displays the image that will be sent to or has already been sent to the distal computer  20 ; the user may not only obtain pictures via the web-camera  14  but may also select an image that is to be sent by way of a proximal image file menu  34 . 
         [0034]    Step S 3 : 
         [0035]    An image file path of the proximal image file  19  is obtained. Whether the image to be sent is the captured picture  52  or an image selected by the proximal image file menu  34 , the image to be sent is stored in the storage device  12 , and may be defined as a proximal image file  19 . The storage device  12  may be a hard disk, an optical disk or memory. Either way, the proximal image application program  17  is capable of finding the image file path of the proximal image file  19 . 
         [0036]    Step S 4 : 
         [0037]    A distal web-phone code  331  is obtained. 
         [0038]    The user selects a receiver for the proximal image file  19  by way of a web-phone code menu  33 . The web-phone code menu  33  may list a plurality of distal web-phone codes  331  for various users. For example, when a distal web-phone code  331  “Kevin” is selected, the proximal web-phone application program  15  is able to communicate with the corresponding distal web-phone application program  25  (e.g. Kevin). 
         [0039]    The distal web-phone code  331  may be directly obtained from the proximal web-phone application program  15 . For example, if the proximal web-phone application program  15  is the Skype application software, the Skype software can store a plurality of contacts selected by the user, and the proximal image application program  17  can copy these plurality of contacts so that the web-phone code menu  33  displays the plurality of distal web-phone code  331  for the user. 
         [0040]    Step S 5 : 
         [0041]    When the proximal image application program  17  obtains the image file path of the proximal image file  19  and the distal web-phone code  331 , the proximal image application program  17  calls the proximal web-phone application program  15 . Taking Skype as an example, the proximal image application program  17  registers an application object with Skype. 
         [0042]    Step S 6 : 
         [0043]    The proximal image application program  17  sends the image file path of the proximal image file  19  and the distal web-phone code  331  to the proximal web-phone application program  15 . 
         [0044]    Step S 7 : 
         [0045]    The proximal image file  19  is sent to the distal computer  20  through the proximal web-phone application program  15 . Taking Skype as an example, a channel between the transmitting end and the receiving end is established prior to the transmission so as to send the proximal image file  19  to the distal computer  20 . 
         [0046]    Step S 8 : 
         [0047]    The distal web-phone application program  25  receives the proximal image file  19 . The proximal web-phone application program  15  and the distal web-phone application program  25  should be able to communicate with each other; for example, the two web-phone application programs may both be the Skype software program. 
         [0048]    Step S 9 : 
         [0049]    The distal image application program  27  displays an image of the proximal image file  19 . The distal image application program  27  may also have a menu (not shown) similar to the menu of the proximal image application program  17 . 
         [0050]    The above-mentioned steps are shown in  FIG. 3 . The proximal image application program  17  assigns the proximal image file  19  that is to be sent and a receiving end to enable the proximal web-phone application program  15  to cause the proximal web-phone application program  15  and the distal web-phone application program  25  to communicate with each other. Subsequently, the distal web-phone application program  25  receives the proximal image file  19 , and the distal web-phone application program  25  calls the distal image application program  27  to cause the distal image application program  27  to display the proximal image file  19 . 
         [0051]    Step S 10 : 
         [0052]    By way of example, when the distal computer  20  sends an image to the proximal computer  10 : In a similar manner, the distal web-phone application program  25  can send a distal image file  29  to the proximal web-phone application program  15 . 
         [0053]    Step S 11 : 
         [0054]    Please refer again to  FIG. 5 . The second window  32  of the menu  30  displays an image  291  of the distal image file  29 . 
         [0055]    After the proximal web-phone application program  15  receives the distal image file  29 , the proximal web-phone application program  15  calls the proximal image application program  17  to cause the proximal image application program  17  to display the image  291  of the distal image file  29 . 
         [0056]    According to the above-mentioned steps, the user at the proximal end and the user at the distal end can have a conversation via the Skype program and discuss image files that they can send to each other. 
         [0057]    Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.