Method for enabling a client to specify the characteristics of an image to be downloaded from a server

Abstract

A method for serving an image from a server to a client, e.g., a computer having a browser or other graphics viewing engine. The user of the client first specifies a set of one or more bitmap characteristics for an image transfer, with at least one of the bitmap characteristics including a number of bits per pixel. Preferably, this specification is accomplished using an applet or other piece of code that is downloaded to the client from the server. Later, when the server receives a client request that includes data identifying a specified bitmap characteristic, a server processing routine (e.g., a servlet) generates a version of the image that conforms to the specified bitmap characteristic. This version is then delivered back to the client in response to the original request. In this way, the user of the client machine can control the particular characteristics of the image files that are delivered to his or her machine.

1 . A method for serving an image from a server to a client, comprising the steps of: 
 specifying a set of one or more bitmap characteristics for an image transfer, at least one of the bitmap characteristics including a number of bits per pixel;    responsive to a client request, generating a version of the image that conforms to the specified bitmap characteristic; and    serving the version of the image back to the client.    
     
     
         2 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein the set of bitmap characteristics includes a bitmap compression format.  
     
     
         3 . The method as described in  claim 3  wherein the step of generating the version of the image includes processing the image according to the specified bitmap compression format.  
     
     
         4 . The method as described in  claim 2  wherein the bitmap compression format is lossy.  
     
     
         5 . The method as described in  claim 2  wherein the bitmap compression format is non-lossy.  
     
     
         6 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein the step of specifying the set of bitmap characteristics include setting a graphic control.  
     
     
         7 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein the graphic control is a: slider having first and second positions and a plurality of intermediate positions.  
     
     
         8 . The method as described in  claim 7  wherein the first position selects a subset of bitmap characteristics for a fastest download and lowest quality version of the image.  
     
     
         9 . The method as described in  claim 7  wherein the second position selects a subset of bitmap characteristics for a slowest download and highest quality version of the image.  
     
     
         10 . A method for serving an image from a server to a client, comprising the steps of: 
 storing an image at the server;    at the client, specifying a set of one or more bitmap characteristics for an image transfer, at least one of the bitmap characteristics including a number of bits per pixel;    at the server, responsive to a client request that includes data identifying a specified bitmap characteristic, generating a version of the image that conforms to the specified bitmap characteristic; and    serving the version of the image back to the client.    
     
     
         11 . The method as described in  claim 10  wherein the client is a computer having a browser for issuing the client request.  
     
     
         12 . The method as described in  claim 10  wherein the bitmap characteristics include a bitmap compression format.  
     
     
         13 . The method as described in  claim 10  wherein the bitmap characteristics include a number of dots per inch on a printer associated with the client.  
     
     
         14 . The method as described in  claim 10  wherein the image is stored at the server in a high resolution format.  
     
     
         15 . A method for serving a web page having an image, comprising the steps of: 
 at a web server, receiving a request for the web page; and    parsing the request to identify given data identifying a requested bitmap characteristic; if the request includes the given data, generating a version of the image that conforms with the requested bitmap characteristic; and    serving the web page with the version of the image.    
     
     
         16 . The method as described in  claim 15  wherein the requested bitmap characteristic is a number of bits per pixel.  
     
     
         17 . The method as described in  claim 15  wherein the requested bitmap characteristic is a number of bits per pixel and a given bitmap compression technique.  
     
     
         18 . A computer program product in a computer-readable medium for serving bitmap-adjusted images to a plurality of web clients, comprising: 
 code executable at a given web client for enabling a user to specify a bitmap characteristic;    means operative upon receipt of a given request from a web client for parsing the given request to determine whether the user has specified a bitmap characteristic;    means responsive to a positive determination for generating a bitmap-adjusted version of the image; and    means for serving the bitmap-adjusted version of the image in response to the given request.    
     
     
         19 . The computer program product as described in  claim 18  wherein the bitmap characteristic is a number of bits per pixel.  
     
     
         20 . The computer program product as described in  claim 18  wherein the code executable on the given web client is an applet.  
     
     
         21 . The computer program product as described in  claim 18  wherein the means for parsing includes a manager routine and a set of client response routines, wherein a given client response routine is launched by the manager upon receipt by the manager of a given client request.  
     
     
         22 . The computer program product as described in  claim 18  wherein the means for generating includes an image processor.  
     
     
         23 . The computer program product as described in  claim 22  wherein the image processor includes means for processing the image according to a given bitmap compression technique.  
     
     
         24 . A server operative in a computer network, comprising: 
 at least one image stored in a high resolution format;    an applet deliverable to a given web client for execution on the web client by a user to generate given data, the given data identifying a number of bits per pixel;    code responsive to receipt of a given request for the image for parsing the given request to identify the given data; and    code responsive to the identification for generating a version of the image having a reduced number of bits per pixel.    
     
     
         25 . The server as described in  claim 24  further including code for serving the version of the image having the reduced number of bits per pixel.  
     
     
         26 . A computer program product electronically deliverable to a web client for execution in a browser virtual machine, comprising: 
 code for generating a user dialog including a master graphic control, the master graphic control having at least first and second positions and a plurality of intermediate positions; and    code responsive to placement of the control at the first position for generating a set of bitmap characteristics for a fastest download and lowest quality version of an image; and    code responsive to placement of the control at the second position for generating a set of bitmap characteristics for a slowest download and highest quality version of the image.