Patent ID: 8230103

Claim:
A method of access by a client computer to a digital image stored on a server computer via a communication network, said digital image being represented by a plurality of sets of digital data associated respectively with various blocks and various resolution levels of the image or with various blocks and various quality levels of the image, the method performed by the client computer comprising the steps of: obtaining from said server computer a predetermined threshold value indicating a total number of bits of a digital image for which the client computer is authorized to acquire, the authorization being for previewing the image; acquiring from the server computer an initial set of digital data representing a portion of the digital image, the initial set of digital data being associated with at least one initial block and an initial resolution level or at least one initial block and an initial quality level; displaying on the client computer the acquired initial set of digital data for the portion of the digital image; displaying on the client computer a size in bits representative of the total number of acquired data bits for said digital image; receiving an instruction input by a user to navigate in the displayed portion of the digital image; determining whether the instruction to navigate requires an acquisition of another set of data to be acquired from said server computer amongst said sets of digital data representing the digital image; calculating a size in bits of said set of data to be acquired in a case where the determining step determines that acquisition of the another set of data is required; comparing the number of previously acquired data bits incremented by said calculated size with the predetermined threshold value; acquiring said another set of data if said number of acquired data bits incremented by said calculated size is less than said predetermined threshold value; and updating the size in bits representative of the total number of acquired data bits by adding the size of said another set of data acquired in the acquiring step, and updating the displayed size in bits representative of the total number of acquired data bits for said digital image, wherein said determining step determines that the instruction to navigate requires an acquisition of another set of data to be acquired in a case where the instruction is for a greater resolution level, a greater quality level or a translation outside of the previously acquired blocks, and wherein, when said determining step determines that the instruction to navigate does not require an acquisition of another set of data, the instruction to navigate is implemented and the displayed size in bits representative of the total number of acquired data bits for said digital image is not updated.