PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-8724846-B2
Application Number: US-201213550014-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Architecture for exporting digital images

Abstract:
A method and apparatus for allowing applications to access edited image data from an image editing application are disclosed herein. When the user desires to export edited images, the user causes the image editing application to display a plug-in user interface (UI). The plug-in UI may allow the user to enter exporting parameters, although this is not required. After the user selects an “export” button in the plug-in UI, the image editing application confirms with the plug-in on an image-by-image basis which of the images should be exported. The image editing application then generates an export version of the image. If necessary, the image editing application applies image adjustments to the master image to generate the export version. The image editing application then makes the export version available to the plug-in.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. One or more non-transitory machine-readable media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause:
 automatically determining, by an image editing application, one or more exporting parameters that are associated with an online service and that are used to make an export version of a digital image compatible with requirements of the online service to which the export version is to be sent; 
 based on the one or more exporting parameters and a first version of the digital image, generating, by the image editing application, an export version of the digital image; and 
 causing, by the image editing application, the export version of the digital image to be sent, from a device upon which the image editing application executes, over a network, to the online service that is remote relative to the device. 
 
     
     
       2. The one or more machine-readable media of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more exporting parameters include at least one of an image format of the export version, an image size of the export version, a location at which the export version is to be stored, or image metadata requirements. 
     
     
       3. The one or more machine-readable media of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more exporting parameters are received from a software plug-in component; 
 causing the export version of the digital image to be exported to the online service comprises making the export version of the digital image available to the software plug-in component; 
 the software plug-in component causes the export version of the digital image to be sent to the online service. 
 
     
     
       4. The one or more machine-readable media of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, further cause:
 causing, by the image editing application, an interface to be displayed, wherein the interface is for selecting a plug-in from among a plurality of plug-ins, wherein the plurality of plug-ins includes the software plug-in; and 
 receiving input that indicates a user selection of the software plug-in. 
 
     
     
       5. The one or more machine-readable media of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:
 sending, to the software plug-in, image metadata of the digital image, wherein the software plug-in determines, based on the image metadata, whether the digital image should be exported. 
 
     
     
       6. The one or more machine-readable media of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:
 prior to generating the export version of the digital image, determining, by the image editing application, to apply one or more image adjustments to the master version of the digital image; 
 wherein the one or more image adjustments include at least one of color adjustments, changing contrast, changing brightness, image re-sizing, image cropping, image rotating, noise removal, removal of elements, and red eye removal; 
 wherein the export version is also based on the one or more image adjustments. 
 
     
     
       7. The one or more machine-readable media of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, further cause:
 prior to generating the export version of the digital image, generating, by the image editing application, a user interface that allows a user to enter one or more parameters that are used to control the export of the export version of the digital image. 
 
     
     
       8. The one or more machine-readable media of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the one or more export parameters are based on input from a user. 
     
     
       9. One or more machine-readable media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause:
 determining, by an image editing application, one or more exporting parameters that are associated with a second application and that are not established by a user of the image editing application; 
 based on the one or more exporting parameters and a first version of the digital image, generating, by the image editing application, an export version of the digital image; and 
 causing, by the image editing application, the export version of the digital image to be exported to the second application that is different than the image editing application. 
 
     
     
       10. One or more non-transitory machine-readable media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause:
 receiving a request to export a plurality of digital images; 
 in response to the request, for each digital image of the plurality of digital images: 
 determining one or more exporting parameters; 
 based on one or more exporting parameters and a first version of said each digital image, generating, by the image editing application, an export version of said each digital image; and 
 causing, by the image editing application, the export version of said each digital image to be exported to the second application that is different than the image editing application. 
 
     
     
       11. The one or more machine-readable media of  claim 10 , wherein determining, generating, and causing for each of the plurality of digital images is performed without receiving input from a user. 
     
     
       12. A method comprising:
 automatically determining, by an image editing application, one or more exporting parameters that are associated with an online service and that are used to make an export version of a digital image compatible with requirements of the online service to which the export version is to be sent; 
 based on the one or more exporting parameters and a first version of the digital image, generating, by the image editing application, an export version of the digital image; and 
 causing, by the image editing application, the export version of the digital image to be sent, from a device upon which the image editing application executes, over a network, to the online service that is remote relative to the device; 
 wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more exporting parameters include at least one of an image format of the export version, an image size of the export version, a location at which the export version is to be stored, or image metadata requirements. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the one or more exporting parameters are received from a software plug-in component; 
 causing the export version of the digital image to be exported to the online service comprises making the export version of the digital image available to the software plug-in component; 
 the software plug-in component causes the export version of the digital image to be sent to the online service. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 causing, by the image editing application, an interface to be displayed, wherein the interface is for selecting a plug-in from among a plurality of plug-ins, wherein the plurality of plug-ins includes the software plug-in; and 
 receiving input that indicates a user selection of the software plug-in. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 sending, to the software plug-in, image metadata of the digital image, wherein the software plug-in determines, based on the image metadata, whether the digital image should be exported. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 prior to generating the export version of the digital image, determining, by the image editing application, to apply one or more image adjustments to the master version of the digital image; 
 wherein the one or more image adjustments include at least one of color adjustments, changing contrast, changing brightness, image re-sizing, image cropping, image rotating, noise removal, removal of elements, and red eye removal; 
 wherein the export version is also based on the one or more image adjustments. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 prior to generating the export version of the digital image, generating, by the image editing application, a user interface that allows a user to enter one or more parameters that are used to control the export of the export version of the digital image. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 12 , wherein one or more of the one or more export parameters are based on input from a user. 
     
     
       20. A method comprising:
 determining, by an image editing application, one or more exporting parameters that are associated with a second application and that are not established by a user of the image editing application; 
 based on the one or more exporting parameters and a first version of the digital image, generating, by the image editing application, an export version of the digital image; and 
 causing, by the image editing application, the export version of the digital image to be exported to the second application that is different than the image editing application; 
 wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices. 
 
     
     
       21. A method comprising:
 receiving a request to export a plurality of digital images; 
 in response to the request, for each digital image of the plurality of digital images:
 determining one or more exporting parameters; 
 based on one or more exporting parameters and a first version of said each digital image, generating, by the image editing application, an export version of said each digital image; and 
 causing, by the image editing application, the export version of said each digital image to be exported to the second application that is different than the image editing application; 
 
 wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices. 
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein determining, generating, and causing for each of the plurality of digital images is performed without receiving input from a user.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit as a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/175,920, filed Jul. 4, 2011, which is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/706,705, filed Feb. 14, 2007, the entire contents of both of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, under 35 U.S.C. §120. The applicant(s) hereby rescind any disclaimer of claim scope in the parent application(s) or the prosecution history thereof and advise the USPTO that the claims in this application may be broader than any claim in the parent application; 
     U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/706,705, filed Feb. 14, 2007 claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/846,830, filed Sep. 22, 2006, entitled “ARCHITECTURE FOR IMAGE MANIPULATION,” by Bhatt et al., the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to digital image editing. In particular, an embodiment of the present invention relates to a plug-in architecture that allows an image editing application to export versions without a user leaving the image editing application. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Digital image editing applications allow users to manage and manipulate digital images that the user chooses to import into the image editing application. For example, a user can import digital photographs from a camera, card reader, or storage medium into the image editing application. Then, the user can edit the photograph in some manner. Some examples of editing are removing red-eye, adjusting color, brightness, contrast, filtering noise etc. Other examples of editing are cropping or rotating a photograph. A user can also edit a photograph by adding annotations, such as rating the photograph or other comments. 
     After a user finishes editing the digital images, the user may wish to transfer a copy of the image to another application. For example, the user may wish to store a copy of an edited photograph to a website. However, transferring the copy of the photograph presents problems. One such problem is that the other application may have specific formatting and settings that must be complied with. For example, a stock photography service or photograph print lab may require that photographs be transferred to them at a specific pixel size, a specific file format, or with particular types of metadata. 
     One technique of allowing a user to export versions from an image editing application requires the user to switch between the image editing application and the application to which the image is to be exported. For example, first the user may need to export the image to a storage medium, such as a disk drive. Then, the user opens the other application, which accesses the image from the disk drive. Finally, the other application, works with the export version. For example, the other application might upload the image to a web site. However, this technique may require the user to perform tedious operations such as “dragging and dropping” one or more icons representing the file(s) that stores the image(s). 
     The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows an example system that includes an image editing application and plug-in, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a process of exporting edited images from an image editing application, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B  are example plug-in user interfaces. 
         FIG. 4  shows a process of exporting edited images from an image editing application, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram that illustrates a computer system upon which embodiments of the invention may be implemented. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention. 
     Overview 
     Techniques that allow other applications to access edited image data from an image editing application without a user exiting the image editing application are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the image editing application has an interface that allows plug-ins from the other applications to access edited image data without the user exiting the image editing application. Examples of other applications are a stock photography service or photograph print lab. 
     The image editing application allows the user to make image adjustments to a master version of an image, in one embodiment. In one embodiment, the master image itself is not altered. Rather, the image editing application generates an adjusted version of the master image, based on user input. Examples of image adjustments include changes in contrast, hue, color, etc. Other image adjustments include cropping or rotating. The image adjustments the user made to the master image are saved as a set of image adjustment instructions. Therefore, these image adjustment instructions can be applied at any time to the master image to re-generate the adjusted version in accordance with the user&#39;s adjustments. 
     When the user desires to export one or more edited images to a different application, such as a stock photography service or photograph print lab, the user causes the image editing application to display a plug-in user interface (UI). The plug-in UI corresponds to the application to which the image is to be exported, in one embodiment. For example, the plug-in UI is specifically configured for a photograph print lab application. The plug-in UI may allow the user to enter exporting parameters, although this is not required. Examples of exporting parameters are the image format (e.g., JPEG, TIFF), desired location to store the export version(s) and image size (e.g., x by y pixels). Alternatively, the plug-in itself can determine suitable exporting parameters. 
     After the user selects an “export” button in the plug-in UI, the image editing application confirms with the plug-in on an image-by-image basis which of the images should be exported. Note that the image that is exported can be the master image or an adjusted version. That is, the image adjustments may or may not be applied to the master image to generate the export version of the master image. However, whatever exporting parameters are required by the plug-in are applied. For example, the export version could be formatted by the image editing application as a JPEG format image of a specified image size. 
     The image editing application then generates an export version of the image. If necessary, the image editing application applies image adjustments to the master image to generate the export version. The image editing application then makes the export version available to the plug-in. The plug-in then processes the export version as desired, such as uploading the export version to a website that provides a stock photograph service. 
     Example System 
       FIG. 1  shows an example system  100  that includes an image editing application  102  and plug-in  104 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The image editing application  102  is an application that is able to manipulate and manage digital image data. Image editing applications  102  are able to perform a variety of features including, but not limited to, color adjustments, changing contrast and brightness, image re-sizing, image cropping, rotating images, noise removal, removal of elements, removing red eye, selective color changes, and merging images. Herein the term “adjustments” is used to refer to edits to a digital image. The term adjustments includes the aforementioned features, but is not limited to these features. 
     An example of digital image data is photographs; however, the image data is not limited to photographs. An example of an image editing application  102  is Aperture, which is commercially available from Apple Computer, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. In general, export versions of digital images are exported from the image editing application  102  by making the export versions available to the plug-in  104 . A user does not need to leave the image editing application  102  to export the edited images. 
     The storage medium  111  has stored thereon a master image  110 . The master image  110  is any digital image. The master image  110  may be a photograph, although that is not required. The master image  110  may have been received directly from an electronic device such as a digital camera. However, an intermediate device, such as a card reader, may be used to transfer the master image  110  from a digital camera. However, it is not required that the master image  110  originate from an electronic device, such as a digital camera. For example, it is possible that the master image  110  was created by a software application and stored to the storage medium  111 . 
     The user may apply adjustments to the master image  110 . In one embodiment, the image editing application  102  is non-destructive. By non-destructive it is meant that the master image  110  is not destroyed by the editing process. Rather, the image editing application  102  stores image adjustment instructions  125 , which are instructions that describe the adjustments made to the master image  110 . Thus, at any time the image adjustment instructions  125  may be applied to the master image  110  to generate an adjusted version. It is not required that the adjusted version be stored on the storage medium  111 . For example, the adjusted version might exist temporarily in main memory. 
     The plug-in  104  is a component to which export versions of images are exported. The image editing application  102  may have access to many such plug-ins  104 , with each plug-in corresponding to a specific use. For example, one plug-in  104  might be for a stock photograph service, while another plug-in for a photo lab. As an example, a plug-in  104  might be provided by the entity that provides the stock photograph service; however, any entity may provide the plug-in  104 . Each plug-in  104  is able to perform appropriate processing of the export versions, such as uploading the export versions to a stock photograph website. The plug-in UI  114  allows a user to enter parameters that are used to control exporting the export version to the plug-in  104 . 
     The image editing application  102  provides image metadata to the plug-in  104 . Examples of image metadata include, but are not limited to, keywords, date a photograph was taken, where a photograph was taken, image format (e.g., JPEG, TIFF, etc.). The image metadata may be used by the plug-in  104  to determine whether an image that is a candidate for export should be exported. The image metadata can be edited by the user via the plug-in UI  114 , in one embodiment. 
     The plug-in  104  provides the image editing application  102  with exporting parameters. The exporting parameters include any information to make the export version  130  compatible with requirements of an application for which the image is to be used. Examples of exporting parameters include, but are not limited to, image format (e.g., JPEG, TIFF), image size (e.g., x pixels by y pixels), image metadata requirements. For example, if a stock photography service requires that images be in a JPEG format, the plug-in  104  for the stock photography service instructs the image editing application  102  to export the images in a JPEG format. 
     The export version  130  is based on whatever exporting parameters the plug-in  104  desires. However, the export version  130  may or may not include image adjustments. That is, the image adjustment instructions  125  do not have to be applied to the master image  110 . The image editing application  102  generates the export version  130  of the master image based on input from the plug-in UI  114  and/or the image editing UI  112 . Storing the export version  130  to the storage medium  111  is optional (export version  130  is illustrated with a dashed box to indicate that its storage is optional). 
     Overview of Process Flow 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a process  200  of exporting images from an image editing application  102 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Process  200  will be discussed in connection with the system  100  of  FIG. 1 ; however, process  200  is not so limited. In step  202 , the image editing application  102  receives, from the plug-in  104 , exporting parameters for rendering a digital image. As an example, the plug-in  104  informs the image editing application  102  that the export version  130  should be in a JPEG format having 640×640 pixels. 
     In step  204 , the image editing application  102  determines whether to apply image adjustments to a master version  110  of the digital image. For example, the image editing application  102  determines whether there are any image adjustment instructions  125  associated with the master image  110 . Further, the image editing application  102  may determine whether or not the image adjustment instructions  125  should be applied even if such instructions  125  exist. 
     Based on the exporting parameters and image adjustment instructions  125 , if any, the image editing application  102  generates an export version  130  of the digital image, in step  206 . In one embodiment, the image editing application  102  applies the image adjustment instructions  125  to the master image  110  after a request to export the image has been received. In another embodiment, the image adjustment instructions  125  are applied to the master image  110  prior to the request to export the image. 
     In step  208 , the export version  130  of the digital image is made available to the plug-in  104 . The export version  130  can be stored to the storage medium  111  to make it available to the plug-in  104 . Alternatively, the export version  130  can be made accessible to the plug-in  104  without storing the export version  130  to the storage medium  111 . 
     Example Plug-In User Interfaces 
       FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B  are example plug-in user interfaces. Referring to  FIG. 3A , plug-in UI  114 A has a plug-in provided region  302 , buttons for selecting a version of the image to be exported  304 , user provided rendering parameter region  306 , export button  308 , and cancel button  308 . The plug-in provided region  302  is generated by the image editing application  102  based on information provided by the plug-in  104 . This region  302  allows the user to enter information that is specific to the plug-in  104 . For example, region  302  might allow the user to enter information for storing photographs on a web site. In example plug-in UI  114 A, various fields are provided in region  302  for the user to enter information to store images on a server. The configuration of region  302  may vary significantly from one plug-in  104  to the next.  FIG. 3B  shows an example in which region  302  has a substantially different configuration. Information that the user enters in region  302  does not need to be provided from the plug-in  104  to the image editing application  102 . 
     The plug-in  104  might only allow the user to export the master image  110 , or might allow a user to have the choice of exporting either the master image  110  or an adjusted version. By adjusted version, it is meant image adjustments have been applied to the master image  110 , by for example, image adjustment instructions  125 . In the example plug-in UI  114 A of  FIG. 3A , the plug-in  104  has informed the image rendering application  102  that the user is allowed to select versions. Therefore, the plug-in UI  114 A has buttons  304  that allows the user to select, for export, either the master image  110  or a version of the master image  110  to which image adjustments have been applied. 
     The user provided rendering parameter region  306  contains means for the user to enter exporting parameters. Recall that exporting parameters are provided from the plug-in  104  to the image editing application  102 . The plug-in  104  informs the image editing application  102  as to which exporting parameters the user is allowed to enter. For example, the plug-in might allow the user to specify a file location for the exported image. Therefore, the image editing application  102  generates suitable means for the user to enter these exporting parameters. The example plug-in UI  114 A has scroll down windows for entering an image format and size (version preset) and a name format for the export version  130  (export name format). The user can enter a custom name for a file in which the exported image is to be stored in the “custom name” field. The exporting parameters are illustrative. Moreover, the means for entering the exporting parameters are illustrative. 
     The example plug-in UI  114 A has an export button  308 , which the user selects to initiate an export of one or more images. The user may cancel the overall process by selecting the cancel button  310 . 
       FIG. 3B  depicts another example plug-in UI  114 B. In general, plug-in UI  114 B has a plug-in provided region  302 , user provided rendering parameter region  306 , export button  308 , and cancel button  308 . The plug-in provided region  302  is generated by the image editing application  102  based on information provided by the plug-in  104 . Plug-in UI  114 B does not have a region for the user to select between versions of the image (see region  304  of  FIG. 3A ). Note that the plug-in provided region  302  of example plug-in UI  114 B is substantially different from the plug-in provided region  302  of example plug-in UI  114 A. Moreover, note that plug-in UI  114 B does not allow the user to select as many exporting parameters as plug-in UI  114 A. It is not a requirement that a plug-in UI  114  allow the user to select any exporting parameters. For example, the plug-in  104  itself might provide all of the exporting parameters to the image editing application  102 . 
     Example Process Flow 
     As previously discussed, a user edits digital images, such as photographs, with the image editing application  102 . At some point, the user decides to perform some other functions such as store the photographs to a website. When the user decides to export one or more digital images, the user selects an appropriate plug-in  104 . The image editing application  102  has an interface for selecting among different plug-ins  104 , in one embodiment. The image editing application  102  invokes the user-selected plug-in  104 . The image editing application  102  may have access to many different plug-ins  104 . Plug-ins  104  typically have been installed at some time prior to process  114 A. Optionally, the image editing application  102  may determine whether the selected plug-in  104  complies with certain conditions as a pre-condition to installing the plug-in  104 . 
     The image editing application  102  then generates a plug-in UI  114 . Example plug-in UIs  114 A,  114 B are depicted in  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B . The user may enter various exporting parameters in the user provided rendering parameter region  306 . After the user selects the export button  308  in a plug-in UI  114 , a series of events happen. Process  400  of  FIG. 4  describes what happens in response to the user selecting the export button  308 , in accordance with one embodiment. 
     In step  402 , the image editing application  102  receives a request to export one or more images. In one embodiment, the request is caused by a user selecting the export button  308  in a plug-in UI (e.g.,  114 A,  114 B). The image editing application  102  then provides the plug-in  104  with the opportunity to decide which candidate images should be exported. The image editing application  102  performs steps  404  through  414  for each image that is a candidate for export. 
     In step  404 , the image editing application  102  confirms with the plug-in  104  whether the plug-in  104  wishes this candidate image to be exported. Either at this time, or at some prior time, the image editing application  102  provides the plug-in  104  with image metadata regarding each candidate image. This image metadata may include such information as file type for the image, image size (e.g., number of pixels), and any other information. The plug-in  104  uses the image metadata to determine whether the image meets criteria such as file format or number of pixels. If the plug-in  104  confirms that this image should be exported, then control passes to step  406 . Otherwise control passes to step  414 , where the image editing application  102  determines whether there are any more candidate images for export. If there are more candidate images, then control passes to step  404 . 
     In step  406 , the image editing application  102  generates an export version  130  for this candidate image. The export version  130  may be based on the master image  110 , as modified by various exporting parameters and image adjustment instructions. Among the possible modifications to the master image  110  include the following. If the plug-in  104  allowed the user to select adjusted versions of the master image  110 , and if the user selected adjusted versions, then the image editing application  102  applies image adjustment instructions  125  to the master image  110 . However, if the user selected that the master image  110  should be exported, then image adjustment instructions  125  are not applied to the master image  110 . Further note that the plug-in  104  may not have provided the user the option of selecting between the master image  110  and adjusted images, in which case a default is used. In one embodiment, the default is to use the master image  110 . In another embodiment, the default is to use an adjusted version. 
     Also in step  406 , the image editing application  102  applies any exporting parameters that the user may have provided in the plug-in UI  114 , as well as any exporting parameters provided by the plug-in  104  itself. For example, the image editing application  102  generates a JPEG image of x by y pixels, in accordance with exporting parameters that the plug-in  104  controls. In other words, the user may not be allowed to select the image format. 
     In step  408 , the image editing application  102  determines whether the export version  130  should be stored to a storage medium  111 . This determination is based on the exporting parameters. For example, the plug-in  104  could request that the image editing application  102  store the export version  130  to the storage medium  111 . Alternatively, the plug-in  104  could request that the image editing application  102  provide the export version  130  directly to the plug-in  104 . 
     If the plug-in  104  requested storage of the export version  130 , the image editing application  102  stores the export version  130  to the storage medium  111 , in step  410 . This determination may be based on the exporting parameters. The plug-in  104  may instruct the image editing application  102  where on the storage medium  111  to store the export version  130 . The location may be specified in any convenient way. For example, the plug-in  104  might provide a path name, which may be a file system path where the image should be written. Note that the location may have been provided by the user through the plug-in UI  114 . For example, the plug-in  104  may or may not allow the user the option to specify the location through the plug-in UI  114 . Alternatively, the image editing application  102  may write to a default location, or a location of choice and inform the plug-in  104  as to the file location. 
     If the plug-in  104  requested direct access of the export version  130 , then the image editing application  102  provides such access, in step  412 . As an example, the export version  130  may be an object that is provided to the plug-in  104 . 
     In step  414 , the image editing application  102  determines whether there are any more candidate images for export. If so, then control passes to step  404 . When there are no more candidate images to export, control passes to step  416 . In step  416 , the image editing application  102  informs the plug-in  104  that the plug-in  104  has received all of the images. The plug-in  104  is then allowed to process the export versions  130 . For example, the plug-in  104  uploads the export versions  130  to a web site. After the plug-in  104  is finished, and so informs the image editing application  104 , the image editing application  102  puts the plug-in  104  away. 
     Hardware Overview 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram that illustrates a computer system  500  upon which an embodiment of the invention may be implemented. Computer system  500  includes a bus  502  or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a processor  504  coupled with bus  502  for processing information. Computer system  500  also includes a main memory  506 , such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device, coupled to bus  502  for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor  504 . Main memory  506  also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions to be executed by processor  504 . Computer system  500  further includes a read only memory (ROM)  508  or other static storage device coupled to bus  502  for storing static information and instructions for processor  504 . A storage device  510 , such as a magnetic disk or optical disk, is provided and coupled to bus  502  for storing information and instructions. 
     Computer system  500  may be coupled via bus  502  to a display  512 , such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), for displaying information to a computer user. An input device  514 , including alphanumeric and other keys, is coupled to bus  502  for communicating information and command selections to processor  504 . Another type of user input device is cursor control  516 , such as a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys for communicating direction information and command selections to processor  504  and for controlling cursor movement on display  512 . This input device typically has two degrees of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allows the device to specify positions in a plane. 
     The invention is related to the use of computer system  500  for implementing the techniques described herein. According to one embodiment of the invention, those techniques are performed by computer system  500  in response to processor  504  executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in main memory  506 . Such instructions may be read into main memory  506  from another machine-readable medium, such as storage device  510 . Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in main memory  506  causes processor  504  to perform the process steps described herein. In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement the invention. Thus, embodiments of the invention are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software. 
     The term “machine-readable medium” as used herein refers to any medium that participates in providing data that causes a machine to operation in a specific fashion. In an embodiment implemented using computer system  500 , various machine-readable media are involved, for example, in providing instructions to processor  504  for execution. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as storage device  510 . Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as main memory  506 . Transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise bus  502 . Transmission media can also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio-wave and infra-red data communications. All such media must be tangible to enable the instructions carried by the media to be detected by a physical mechanism that reads the instructions into a machine. 
     Common forms of machine-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punchcards, papertape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computer can read. 
     Various forms of machine-readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to processor  504  for execution. For example, the instructions may initially be carried on a magnetic disk of a remote computer. The remote computer can load the instructions into its dynamic memory and send the instructions over a telephone line using a modem. A modem local to computer system  500  can receive the data on the telephone line and use an infra-red transmitter to convert the data to an infra-red signal. An infra-red detector can receive the data carried in the infra-red signal and appropriate circuitry can place the data on bus  502 . Bus  502  carries the data to main memory  506 , from which processor  504  retrieves and executes the instructions. The instructions received by main memory  506  may optionally be stored on storage device  510  either before or after execution by processor  504 . 
     Computer system  500  also includes a communication interface  518  coupled to bus  502 . Communication interface  518  provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network link  520  that is connected to a local network  522 . For example, communication interface  518  may be an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card or a modem to provide a data communication connection to a corresponding type of telephone line. As another example, communication interface  518  may be a local area network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN. Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such implementation, communication interface  518  sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing various types of information. 
     Network link  520  typically provides data communication through one or more networks to other data devices. For example, network link  520  may provide a connection through local network  522  to a host computer  524  or to data equipment operated by an Internet Service Provider (ISP)  526 . ISP  526  in turn provides data communication services through the world wide packet data communication network now commonly referred to as the “Internet”  528 . Local network  522  and Internet  528  both use electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams. The signals through the various networks and the signals on network link  520  and through communication interface  518 , which carry the digital data to and from computer system  500 , are exemplary forms of carrier waves transporting the information. 
     Computer system  500  can send messages and receive data, including program code, through the network(s), network link  520  and communication interface  518 . In the Internet example, a server  530  might transmit a requested code for an application program through Internet  528 , ISP  526 , local network  522  and communication interface  518 . 
     The received code may be executed by processor  504  as it is received, and/or stored in storage device  510 , or other non-volatile storage for later execution. In this manner, computer system  500  may obtain application code in the form of a carrier wave. 
     In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to numerous specific details that may vary from implementation to implementation. Thus, the sole and exclusive indicator of what is the invention, and is intended by the applicants to be the invention, is the set of claims that issue from this application, in the specific form in which such claims issue, including any subsequent correction. Any definitions expressly set forth herein for terms contained in such claims shall govern the meaning of such terms as used in the claims. Hence, no limitation, element, property, feature, advantage or attribute that is not expressly recited in a claim should limit the scope of such claim in any way. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20120716
Publication Date: 20140513
Grant Date: 20140513
Priority Date: 20060922
Inventors: SEELY BLAKE R.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G06F16/583", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G11B27/034", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F16/583", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G11B27/034", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G11B27/031", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/04842", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/04845", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/1253", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F16/182", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F16/182", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 39226511