Patent ID: 7872650

Claim:
A method implemented by a processor, the method comprising: arranging a multi-resolution image dataset into a hierarchy of image tiles; downloading the image tiles for browsing according to a number of votes assigned to each image tile, wherein a larger number of votes are assigned for the image tiles that cover a larger viewing area; assigning a priority to the votes assigned to each image tile, in relation to a size of a browser view of the hierarchy of the image tiles, wherein after assigning the votes for a child of the hierarchy, increasing the votes exponentially for a parent of the hierarchy, and further increasing the votes exponentially for a grandparent of the hierarchy; assigning a multiple of votes with a higher priority for the image tiles that create a full width view of the image tiles; and prioritizing the image tiles in a queue of tiles to be downloaded based on downloading the image tiles first that create the full width view of the image tiles wherein a user starts at the full width view of the image tiles before zooming in on details within the image tiles that create the full width view.