Location-referenced photograph repository

Abstract

A photograph repository system includes data storage for storing photographs in the form of digital data files and a search feature that provides for searching for photographs by location and optionally by other search criteria. In one embodiment, a photograph repository service is accessible to users over a common data network, such as the Internet. In the photograph repository service, each stored photograph is associated with a location, i.e., where the photograph was taken and/or the location of an object in the photograph. Users can search for and obtain copies of their own photographs that they had stored previously with the photograph repository service. In addition, users can search for and obtain copies of photographs that had been taken by other users and stored with the photograph repository service. The photograph repository system can also be implemented as a standalone system, a hybrid system, or a peer-to-peer system.

1 . A method of storing photographs comprising: 
 providing a data repository on a network accessible to a plurality of users who have digital photographs, wherein the digital photographs are comprised of data files in a suitable format;    receiving digital photographs from the users over the network;    storing the digital photographs in the data repository;    when storing each digital photograph in the data repository, associating each digital photograph with data that indicate a physical location;    providing a search function available to the users over the network that enables users to search by physical location for digital photographs stored by other users;    allowing users to select digital photographs stored by other users; and    transmitting copies of the selected digital photographs to the users who selected them over the network.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 for some of the digital photographs stored in the data repository, associating additional data with the digital photograph and storing the additional data in the data repository, wherein the additional data indicates an orientation.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 for some of the digital photographs stored in the data repository, associating additional data with the digital photograph and storing the additional data in the data repository, wherein the additional data restrict which other users may obtain a copy of the digital photograph.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 for some of the digital photographs stored in the data repository, associating additional data with the digital photograph and storing the additional data in the data repository, wherein the additional data indicate an owner of the digital photograph.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 for some of the digital photographs stored in the data repository, associating additional data with the digital photograph and storing the additional data in the data repository, wherein the additional data indicate a date on which the digital photograph was taken.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 for some of the digital photographs stored in the data repository, associating additional data with the digital photograph and storing the additional data in the data repository, wherein the additional data indicate a date on which the digital photograph was deposited in the data repository.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 for some of the digital photographs stored in the data repository, associating additional data with the digital photograph and storing the additional data in the data repository, wherein the additional data provide a description of the digital photograph.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 for some of the digital photographs stored in the data repository, associating additional data with the digital photograph and storing the additional data in the data repository, wherein the additional data include a focal length used for the digital photograph.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 for some of the selected digital photographs transmitted to users, charging the users a fee for the selected digital photographs.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 storing links to web cams in the data repository;    when storing each link to a web cam in the data repository, associating each link to a web cam with data that indicate a physical location, wherein the physical location indicates where the web cam associated with the link is located;    providing a search function available to the users over the network that enables users to search by physical location for web cam links stored by other users;    allowing users to select links to web cams of other users; and    transmitting the respective selected web cam links to the users who selected them over the network.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the physical location associated with the digital photograph indicates a vantage point of the digital photograph.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the physical location associated with the digital photograph indicates the location of an object in the digital photograph.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the data that indicate a physical location is obtained, for at least some of the digital photographs, from positioning equipment associated with the camera that took the photograph.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the data that indicate a physical location is obtained from the user from whom the associated digital photograph was received.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 when receiving digital photographs from users, requesting each user to indicate the physical location to be associated with the digital photograph.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 making the data repository accessible to a map developer; and    allowing the map developer to update maps using the digital photographs stored in the data repository.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 for some of the copies of selected digital photographs transmitted to users over the network, providing the users with route guidance for traveling to the respective locations shown in the digital photographs.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 for some of the digital photographs received from users, allowing the users to associate a plurality of digital photographs as a related group.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the search function allows a user to specify a physical location by distance from a reference point.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the search function allows a user to specify a physical location by a bounding area.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 establishing groups of users, wherein each group comprises a subset of all users; and    restricting exchange of digital photographs stored in the data repository by members of a group to only members of the group.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the search function supports free text searches.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the data repository automatically recognizes potential placenames when users enter text to be associated with digital photographs being stored.  
     
     
         24 . A method of exchanging photographs comprising: 
 providing an indexing program on a network accessible to a plurality of users, wherein each of the users has digital photographs stored as data files on a respective separate one of a plurality of data storage devices connected to the network, wherein the indexing program associates each digital photograph with a physical location, and wherein the indexing program refers to each digital photograph by referencing the user's data storage device on which the digital photograph is stored;    providing a search function available to the users over the network that enables users to search by physical location for digital photographs of other users;    allowing users to select digital photographs stored by other users on said other users' data storage devices; and    providing for the transmission of copies of the selected digital photographs to those users who selected them over the network.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the indexing program includes a client component that forms an individual index of digital photographs stored on an individual user's data storage device, and wherein the individual index is transmitted over the network and integrated with other users' individual indexes to form a master index.  
     
     
         26 . A method of storing photographs in a standalone computing system comprising: 
 providing a data repository on the standalone computing system;    storing digital photographs in the data repository;    when storing each digital photograph in the data repository, associating each digital photograph with data that indicate a physical location;    providing a search function available to the user of the standalone computing system that enables the user to search by physical location for digital photographs stored in the data repository;    allowing the user to select digital photographs stored in the data repository; and    providing copies of the selected digital photographs to the user from the standalone computing system.    
     
     
         27 . A method of storing photographs in computing systems connected to a data network, the method comprising: 
 providing a first data repository on first computing system connected to the data network;    storing a first plurality of digital photographs in the first data repository;    when storing each digital photograph in the first data repository, associating each digital photograph with location reference data that indicate a physical location, wherein the location reference data is in a selected format;    providing a second data repository on a second computing system accessible to a plurality of users who have digital photographs, wherein the second computing system is accessible over the data network to the first computing system;    storing a second plurality of digital photographs in the second data repository;    when storing each digital photograph in the second data repository, associating each digital photograph with location reference data that indicate a physical location, wherein the location reference data associated with the digital photographs stored in the second data repository is in the selected format;    providing a search function available to a user of the first computing system that enables the user to search by physical location for digital photographs stored in the first data repository and the second data repository;    allowing the user to select digital photographs stored in the first data repository and the second data repository; and    providing copies of the selected digital photographs to the user from the first data repository and the second data repository.    
     
     
         28 . A method of enabling a user to take photographs of a place of interest comprising: 
 storing data in a computing system to indicate a user-selected subject matter category;    determining locations of the user as the user travels through a geographic region;    using a geographic database to compare locations of the user to locations of places that match the user-selected subject matter category; and    informing the user when the user is in proximity to one place that matches the user-selected subject matter category.