Devices and methods for sharing and displaying images

Description

Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of image sharing via a digital communication network, in particular to image sharing servers, image display devices and image sharing and image display methods. Technological background

[0002] Document WO02 / 09415 teaches a method of displaying photos on photo frames connected in communication networks such as the Internet or a cellular network.

[0003] Connected photo frames perform their updates by querying a photo sharing server at regular intervals to check for new photos. Also, data consumption is high between the connected photo frame and the photo sharing server due to periodic requests. In addition, data consumption could only be reduced at the cost of a long latency period between the reception of a new photo by the photo sharing server and the display of the new photo by the connected photo frame, in particular due to the interval between two update requests.

[0004] Document US20100013918 teaches a method for exchanging images between a static server, cameras, and a telephone. Bidirectional communication is ensured by the central server, which has a static public IP address.

[0005] The cameras are connected via a permanent "keepalive" connection to ensure bidirectional communications. This type of connection requires communications to keep the link open outside of image transmission and is therefore too costly for M2M (Machine to Machine) exchanges in a private and leisure setting. Indeed, the "keepalive" principle is based on the fact that the server regularly checks the status of TCP / IP connections.

[0006] Document JP2012209810 relates to a surveillance system using stationary cameras on a display device, which is a PC, for preventing theft and securing shops and supermarkets. This system is SIM-free.

[0007] US2010013918 provides for cameras that are also stationary and equipped with antennas to communicate over a GRPS network. The operating costs of such a system are very high, even prohibitive.

[0008] Document US8082464 relates to a distributed system that includes software components running on different computers and interacting with each other over a network, often as part of a larger distributed application.

[0009] Document US2009292822 discloses a connected photo frame, but which does not provide a cellular communication module or SIM card. Summary

[0010] The invention makes it possible to satisfy the need to be able to send photos instantly and at low cost to photo frames connected to a digital communications network.

[0011] These sendings of photos made in a private and recreational setting by Machine to Machine protocols must be able to be carried out without significant costs due to data exchanges and must use networks which guarantee confidentiality.

[0012] To meet the privacy requirement, the invention allows the display devices to be addressed by an IP layer virtual private network.

[0013] In the invention, the connected objects are closed systems addressable by the network but not from outside the network, this makes it possible to reduce the data because there is no need to encrypt them and therefore the computing power of the connected object can be lower.

[0014] Using this type of protocol does not require security on the connected object side, therefore there is no need for encryption, and it allows for a reduced volume of data exchanged. This also allows the use of connected objects that do not necessarily have computing power.

[0015] To maintain costs compatible with a leisure activity, the invention uses communication systems which only open at the time of communication, such as SIM cards, from the English "Subscriber Identity Module" (machine to machine type, also called in English "Machine to Machine" (M2M)) whose memory contains an IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) subscriber number associated with a static IP address of the display device.

[0016] eSIMs (embedded SIMs), which are reprogrammable chips embedded in equipment (connected objects) in the same way as other electronic components, are also available. The eSIM makes it easier to commission equipment and update data remotely in just a few clicks.

[0017] The invention enables communications to be established between an image sharing server, an image storage server and a fleet of display devices over a virtual private network.

[0018] According to a first of its objects, the invention relates to a connected photo frame (8) comprising: a cellular communication module (17) which enables communication of said connected photo frame (8) in a virtual private network (12) supported by a cellular network (19) by which the photo frame (8) is connected; and comprising a SIM card (18), a non-volatile memory in the SIM card (18) in the cellular communication module (17) storing an IMSI identifier corresponding to a static IP address configured to belong to said virtual private network (12), to enable addressing of the connected photo frame (8), the static IP address being associated by the cellular radio access network with said IMSI identifier, an image storage module (9) configured to store images, a screen (14) configured to display the images stored in the image storage module, an image loading module (10) configured to: receive from an image sharing server (1), through the virtual private network (12),an information message (103) comprising a storage address of a new image in an image storage server (13) of said virtual private network (12), the cellular communication module (17) being configured to communicate with the image sharing server (1) via said cellular network (19), transmit a loading request (104) to the image storage server (13) through the virtual private network (12), in response to the reception of the information message (103), the loading request (104) comprising the address of the new image, receive the new image, from the image storage server (13) through the virtual private network (12), store the new image in the image storage module (9).

[0019] It can be expected that the SIM card (18) is of the M2M SIM type.

[0020] It can be provided that the image loading module is configured to, in response to receiving the new image, immediately display the new image on the screen (14).

[0021] It is also possible to provide a response interface configured to, in response to an action by a recipient user on the connected photo frame (8), send a response message (108) to the image sharing server (1), the response message (108) comprising an identifier of an image with which the response is associated or an identifier of a subscriber sending an image with which the response is associated.

[0022] According to another of its objects, the invention relates to an image sharing method comprising: receiving, from a smartphone (7), an image display request (100) comprising a display address and an image, determining that the display address is associated with a connected photo frame (8) according to any one of the preceding claims, having a private static IP address, transmitting to an image storage server (13), a storage request (101) comprising the image, receiving from the image storage server a reception message (102), the reception message (102) comprising a storage address of the image in the image storage server, and through a cellular network (19) supporting a virtual private network (12), transmitting, to a static IP address associated with the connected photo frame (8), an information message (103) comprising the storage address of the image, the cellular network (19) comprising at least one cellular radio access network by which the photo frame (8) is connected,receiving at a static IP address configured to belong to a virtual private network (12), from an image sharing server (1), through the virtual private network (12), an information message (103) comprising a storage address of a new image in the image storage server (13), the static IP address being associated by the cellular radio access network with a corresponding IMSI identifier, stored in a non-volatile memory of a SIM card (18) of a cellular communication module (17) of the connected photo frame (8), transmitting a loading request (104) to the image storage server (13) through the virtual private network (12), in response to the reception of the information message (103), the loading request (104) comprising the address of the new image, receiving the new image, from the image storage server (13) through the virtual private network (12),and storing the new image in an image storage module (9) and / or displaying the new image on a screen (14); , the method optionally further comprising a step of selecting several display addresses from an address book.

[0023] The invention finally relates to an image sharing system, capable of implementing the method according to the invention, comprising: A set of at least one connected photo frame (8) according to the invention, connected to a virtual private network (12); An image sharing server (1) comprising: o a receiver interface (2) configured to receive from said set of at least one smartphone (7) an image display request (100) on a set of at least one connected photo frame (8) having a private static IP address (8), the image display request comprising one or more display addresses and an image, o a data storage module (3) storing a directory of connected photo frames (8), said directory comprising static IP addresses in the virtual private network (12), said static IP addresses being respectively associated with a plurality of connected photo frames (8), o an image provision module (4), closed, addressable and configured to,in response to receiving the image display request: determining that the display address corresponds to a static IP address present in the directory of connected photo frames (8) and associated with a set of at least one connected photo frame (8), transmitting to an image storage server (13), a storage request (101) comprising the image, receiving from the image storage server a reception message (102), the reception message (102) comprising a storage address of the image in the image storage server, and through the virtual private network (12), transmitting, to the static IP address associated with the set of at least one connected photo frame (8), an information message (103) comprising the storage address of the image.

[0024] It can be provided that the information message (103) is transmitted in response to the reception of said reception message (102).

[0025] The connected photo frame directory (8) can be expected to have associations between display addresses and static IP addresses.

[0026] It may be provided that the directory of connected photo frames (8) comprises a record for each of the connected photo frames (8), said record comprising a connected photo frame identifier (8) and a static IP address associated with the connected photo frame (8), and in which the connected photo frame identifier (8) is associated by an encoding with a display address, the image sharing server comprising a decoding module configured to decode the display address received in the image display request to find a connected photo frame identifier (8) in the directory of connected photo frames (8).

[0027] Because of such encoding, knowing a display address does not allow one to easily deduce the display addresses of other display devices.

[0028] In one embodiment, the display device identifier is a serial number of the display device, for example an IMEI number of a GSM / UMTS chip.

[0029] In one embodiment, the image storage address is a URL, from the English “uniform resource locator”.

[0030] In one embodiment, the image sharing server further comprises an image processing module configured to process the image received in the image display request so as to generate a reprocessed image, the image sent by the image sharing server to the image storage server being the reprocessed image.

[0031] Such an image processing module may apply various processing. In one embodiment, the display device directory further comprises screen size parameters of the display device, and the image processing module is configured to apply a resizing process to the image based on the screen size parameters.

[0032] The image storage server and the image sharing server can be implemented on the same platform or on different platforms. In the latter case, they communicate with each other via the virtual private network and each has a static IP address.

[0033] In one embodiment, the image sharing server further comprises a subscriber directory stored in the data storage module and a response management module (16) configured to: receiving a response message, the response message comprising an image identifier or a sending subscriber identifier, determining using the subscriber directory that the image identifier or the sending subscriber identifier is associated with contact information of a sending subscriber, performing a response information action based on the contact information of the sending subscriber.

[0034] The contact information may include an address of the source device in a communications network and / or an email address and / or a telephone number and / or another identifier of the sending subscriber. Many different response information actions may be implemented. For example, the response information action is the transmission, by the image sharing server, of a PUSH notification to the source device. For example, the response information action is the sending of an email message to the email address.

[0035] In such a subscriber directory, a sending subscriber's subscriber account may include associations between the sending subscriber's contact information and one or more display addresses to which the sending subscriber wishes to be able to easily send display requests. Optionally, the subscriber account may further include an association between a display address and a custom display device name. For example, the custom display device name is a name or nickname that the sending subscriber assigns to the recipient user who uses the target display device.

[0036] In one embodiment, the display address is a first display address and the static IP address is a first static IP address, the target display device is a first target display device, the image display request further comprising a second display address, the image provisioning module being further configured to, in response to receiving the transmission message, determining that the second display address corresponds to a second static IP address present in the display device directory and associated with a second target display device, through the virtual private network, transmitting, to the address associated with the second target display device, the information message comprising the storage address of the image.

[0037] The source device preferably includes a user interface including functionality for creating the display request. This user interface may be implemented in various ways. According to one embodiment, the image storage server may include an HTTP server for generating a web page providing a form for creating the display request.

[0038] Such a display device may include one or more of the following features.

[0039] The display device can be implemented in a wide variety of ways, including a mobile phone, a computer, a digital tablet, etc. In a preferred embodiment, the display device is a connected digital photo frame, the functionalities of which may be very limited in number in order to ensure great ease of use.

[0040] By using a SIM card, the image display device can receive and display images via the cellular network. Thus, the image display device can receive and display images even if it is not in a permanent open connection with the image sharing server.

[0041] The virtual private network may be implemented in many ways. In one embodiment, the virtual private network is implemented by an IP layer technology, for example, IPsec. Furthermore, the virtual private network may be supported by any physical network, for example, a physical network that may include a wired or wireless implementation. Preferably, the framework includes a cellular network interface and the virtual private network is implemented at least in part over a cellular access network. Any cellular network technology may be employed, including GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, 3G, 4G, or LTE.

[0042] Images can be any type of image in any format. For example, images are digital photographs. For example, the image format is selected from the list consisting of: Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), Portable Network Graphics (PNG), Graphics Interchange Format (GIF), Windows bitmap (BMP), Tag Image File Format (TIFF), Portable Document Format (PDF). Brief description of the figures

[0043] The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, characteristics and advantages thereof will appear more clearly during the following description of several particular embodiments of the invention, given solely for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, with reference to the accompanying drawings. There Figure 1is a block diagram of an image sharing system comprising an image sharing server, an image storage server, and an image display device connected by a virtual private network. There Figure 2 is a call diagram that can be implemented in the image sharing system of the Figure 1 to display a new image on the display device. There Figure 3 is a block diagram of a method that can be implemented by the image sharing server to retrieve an address of the display device. There Figure 4 is a schematic representation of an image that can be shared in the image sharing system of the Figure 1 . There Figure 5 is a schematic representation of the screen of a connected photo frame that can be used in the image sharing system of the Figure 1 . There Figure 6 is a schematic representation of the image of the Figure 4 reprocessed and displayed on the screen of the Figure 5 . There Figure 7 is a call diagram that can be implemented in the image sharing system of the Figure 1 when activating the connected photo frame. There figure 8 is a call diagram that can be implemented in the image sharing system of the Figure 1 when registering the photo frame connected to the image sharing server service. There Figure 9 is an example of a document provided with the connected frame mentioning its display address so that sending subscribers can display photos on the connected frame. There Figure 10 is a symbolic representation of an image sharing system similar to that of the Figure 1 , comprising a plurality of source devices and a plurality of connected display devices. There Figure 11is a call diagram that can be implemented in the image sharing system of the Figure 1 when transmitting a response, by the connected display device, to a source device. Detailed description of embodiments

[0044] Described below are methods and systems for displaying an image that a sending subscriber wishes to display on a display device, which will be referred to below as a "connected photo frame", belonging to a recipient user. These methods and systems are particularly advantageous in that they allow for maximum ergonomics and simplicity of the connected photo frame, which makes it possible to target it at any recipient user, including the elderly, young children or mentally disabled people. These display means thus make it possible to promote social ties, for example intergenerational ties.

[0045] An image sharing system is described with reference to, but not limited to, the example shown in the Figure 1 .

[0046] The image sharing system of the Figure 1 comprises a source device 7 and a connected photo frame 8. The source device 7 allows the sending, by a sending subscriber, of a new image to be displayed on the connected photo frame 8. The image sharing system of the Figure 1 also comprises an image sharing server 1, an image storage server 13 and a digital communication network 19 supporting a virtual private network 12. The digital communication network 19 comprises at least one cellular radio access network. The digital communication network 19 is for example a network of a telecommunications operator.

[0047] On the Figure 1, it has been symbolically represented that the image sharing server 1, the image storage server 13 and the connected photo frame 8 belong to the same virtual private network 12, which means that their communication passes through tunnels 20. The tunnels 20 are encrypted machine-to-machine communication channels in order to ensure the confidentiality and security of communications between the elements of the virtual private network 12. For example, this encryption is carried out by the use of public and private keys.

[0048] Preferably, the virtual private network 12 is implemented by static IP addresses and all communications in the virtual private network 12 are implemented on a TCP / IP or HTTP / TCP / IP protocol stack. A static IP address is a unique IP address that is fixed in time and space. In particular, the image sharing server 1 and the image storage server 13 each have a private static IP address, and the connected photo frame 8 also has a private static IP address. Thus, advantageously the IP address of the connected photo frame 8 remains the same regardless of the location of the connected photo frame 8 in the world at any time, and in particular regardless of the telephone operator managing the cellular radio access network by which the frame is connected. Preferably, the private static IP address is uniquely associated with an M2M SIM card.During the process of connecting the display device to the cellular radio access network, the cellular radio access network is configured to assign the private static IP address based on the IMSI subscriber number contained in the memory of an M2M SIM card.

[0049] The tunnels use cryptographic technology with a system of public and private keys. For example, the technology used is SSL and IPsec. The virtual private network 12, namely the encrypted tunnels 20, allows network elements to be connected as if they belonged to a single dedicated network.

[0050] In order to display a new image, for example a digital photo, on the connected photo frame 8, a source device 7 sends an image display request 100 to the image sharing server 1.

[0051] The image display request 100 is received via a receiver interface 2 of the image sharing server 1.

[0052] The image sharing server 1 comprises several data processing modules in order to enable the display of the new image on the connected photo frame 8.

[0053] The image sharing server 1 notably comprises an image provision module 4 capable of transmitting to a target display device an information message 103 comprising an image storage address.

[0054] The image sharing server 1 also comprises a data storage module 3 in which a directory of display devices is stored. The directory of display devices contains a registration table in which, for example, static IP addresses of connected photo frames and IMEI codes are recorded.

[0055] For sending subscribers, each connected photo frame is known by its display address. Display addresses are communicated to sending subscribers. The display device directory includes means to associate the display address of the connected photo frame with the static IP address of the connected photo frame.

[0056] An example of a display device directory is shown in Table 1 below: Table 1 - Example display device directory Display address IMEI code static IP address ABCD-1234-56 351557010202731 10.255.255.254 EFGH-7891-23 351557010202732 10.255.255.253 ZWYP-5468-87 351557010202733 10.255.255.252

[0057] In one embodiment, the display address is an encoding of the IMEI code by a predefined reversible encoding function. In this case, the "display address" column is not required in the display device directory.

[0058] For example, the connected photo frame with the display address ABCD-1234-56 is the connected photo frame 8 represented in the communication network of the Figure 1 .

[0059] The image sharing server 1 also includes a sender subscriber account management module 15, an image processing module 21 and a response management module 16, the functionalities of which will be described later.

[0060] The image sharing server 1 communicates with the connected photo frame 8 and with the image storage server 13 over the virtual private network 12 via an IP communication interface 5.

[0061] The image storage server 13 comprises an image storage module 6 in which images are stored at defined addresses. For example, these addresses are URLs. A storage processing module 11 of the image storage server 13 communicates via a tunnel 20 with the image sharing server 1 in order to store an image transmitted by the image sharing server 1. This tunnel is not necessary if the two servers 1 and 13 are combined into a single platform. The storage processing module 11 can also transmit an image stored in the image storage module 6 to the connected photo frame 8.

[0062] The connected photo frame 8 is addressable by its static IP address, which is associated by the cellular radio access network with the IMSI subscriber number contained in the non-volatile memory of a SIM card 18 present in a cellular communication module 17.

[0063] The connected photo frame 8 comprises a cellular communication module 17 which enables the communication of the connected photo frame 8 in the virtual private network 12 via a cellular radio access network.

[0064] The connected photo frame 8 is equipped with an image loading module 10 for loading an image, an image storage module 9 for storing the image and a screen 14 for displaying the images stored in the image storage module 9.

[0065] Now, a call diagram that can be implemented in the image sharing system of the Figure 1 to display a new image on the connected photo frame 8 will be described with reference to the Figure 2 .

[0066] The source device 7 sends an image display request 100 to the image sharing server 1.

[0067] The image display request 100 can be sent to the image sharing server 1 using different protocols, for example via an HTTPS or SMTP protocol.

[0068] The image display request 100 comprises the display address of the connected photo frame 8, for example ABCD-1234-56, and a new image to be transmitted and displayed, for example the image shown on the Figure 4 .

[0069] The image sharing server 1 receives the image display request 100 and processes it in its image provisioning module 4 by a display request processing step 110 in which the static IP address associated with the connected photo frame 8 in the image display device directory is retrieved from the display address, for example ABCD-1234-56.

[0070] Optionally, a second display request processing step 111 and a third display request processing step 112 which will be described later can be performed.

[0071] Then, the image sharing server 1 sends to the image storage server 13, a storage request 101 comprising the new image.

[0072] In step 113, the image storage server 13 stores the new image upon receipt of the request 101.

[0073] The image storage server 13 then sends a reception message 102 comprising a storage address of the new image in the image storage server 13 to the image sharing server 1. The storage address of the new image is generated by the image storage server 13.

[0074] The image sharing server 1 then transmits, via a tunnel 20, an information message 103 to the static IP address of the connected photo frame 8 previously found in the display device directory.

[0075] The information message 103 includes the storage address of the new image, preferably a URL. The information message 103 may further include contextual information such as a caption associated with the new image, a date and an identifier of the sending subscriber sending the new image from the source device 7. The sending subscriber may carry out this sending via a subscriber account which will be described below.

[0076] Upon receipt of the information message 103, the connected photo frame 8 downloads the new image, as represented by the reference number 105, by sending a download request 104 addressed to the storage address of the new image.

[0077] As soon as the new image is uploaded, it is stored on the connected photo frame 8.

[0078] Various operations may be provided in the connected photo frame 8 after the new image has been received. Preferably, the new image is immediately displayed on the screen 14. Other operations may be provided. For example, these operations may include displaying a slide show of the images stored in the connected photo frame 8, or displaying a mosaic of at least a portion of the stored images.

[0079] As illustrated previously, the display device directory includes a record comprising a connected photo frame identifier and the static IP address associated with the connected photo frame. In a preferred embodiment of the image sharing server 1, the connected photo frame identifier is an encoding of the display address. For example, the encoding function used may be a bijective mathematical function.

[0080] In this case, the image sharing server 1 can retrieve the static IP address from the received display address by executing the second display request processing step 111 which is shown in substeps in Figure 3 .

[0081] The image sharing server 1 comprises a decoding module configured to implement these substeps. The decoding function corresponding to the encoding function is stored in the decoding module. In the case where the encoding function is a bijective function, then the decoding function is the inverse of the encoding function. In sub-step 114, the decoding module receives the display address carried by the request 100. In sub-step 115, the decoding module applies the decoding function to the display address in order to find the identifier of the connected photo frame. In sub-step 116, the decoding module determines the static IP address from the identifier of the connected photo frame.

[0082] In one example, the display device identifier is an IMEI code, as shown in Table 1.

[0083] IMEI codes can be serial numbers of GSM display device communication chips that follow one another sequentially, for example in the case where GSM display device communication chips are ordered in series for the manufacture of display devices in the factory. Also, a malicious person with an IMEI code of a display device could guess the IMEI codes of other display devices registered on the image sharing server 1.

[0084] When using the encryption function, the user is only given the display address, which can be communicated on any form of media, physical or digital. Thanks to the encryption function, the display addresses corresponding to successive IMEI codes do not follow one another sequentially, as shown in Table 1. This eliminates the risk that a malicious person could guess the display address of another display device.

[0085] In one example, for factory manufacturing of connected picture frames or other display devices, a printer is directly programmed with an encoding function to print the display address on the user manual of a display device. An example of this printing is shown in Figure 9 .The display address represented is the character string ABCD-1234-56. The French term "association code" above the display address allows a reader to identify that the character string ABCD-1234-56 is a display address. Advantageously to improve ergonomics, particularly for the elderly, the display address is a character string with no ambiguous characters: no 0, O, L, 1. The display address can also be contained in a QR code or a barcode.

[0086] In an improved embodiment, the image sharing server 1 also comprises an image processing module 21 and the third display request processing step 112, which is an image processing step, is implemented.

[0087] The image processing module 21 comprises image processing functionalities in order to generate a reprocessed image from an image sent by a source device 7. The image sent to the image storage server 13 following this image processing is the reprocessed image.

[0088] The image processing may include resizing, filtering, compression, etc. functionalities. In particular, the image processing module 21 offers a functionality for automatically resizing the image to the shape of the screen 14. For example, this automatic resizing functionality may be configured so as to add blurred bands on either side of the edges of an image whose dimensions do not correspond to the screen of the connected display device.

[0089] THE figures 4 to 6 represent this last functionality. The Figure 4represents a new image sent by a source device 7 to the connected photo frame 8. For example, the new image is a digital photo taken in portrait format by a camera embedded in the source device 7, the source device 7 possibly being a smartphone. The connected photo frame 8 is intended to be used in landscape format, as shown in the Figure 5 . Also, portions of the new image are duplicated and blurred, then added as side bands on either side of the new image so as to generate a reprocessed image in 14-inch screen format. The result of this processing is shown in the Figure 6 .

[0090] This resizing functionality can be implemented in other ways, for example to add top and / or bottom blur bands to a new panoramic format image to fit the connected photo frame used in landscape format. This functionality is also adaptable for use of a connected photo frame in portrait format to resize a new landscape format image. If the screen 14 of the frame has a square shape, this functionality is adaptable to add side blur bands to a new portrait format image and to add top and / or bottom blur bands to a new landscape format image.

[0091] The connected photo frame 8 is not always in use. In particular, the connected photo frame 8 can be configured to go into standby mode in the evening and turn back on in the morning, for example by using an activation module connected to a clock. The connected photo frame 8 may also have an on / off switch.

[0092] There Figure 7 is a call diagram illustrating the case where the image sharing server 1 sent the information message 103 to the connected photo frame 8 when the connected photo frame 8 was off or in standby.

[0093] Image sharing server 1 then did not receive an acknowledgment of its information message 103 via the TCP / IP stack. The TCP layer of image sharing server 1 sent a configured number of RETRY attempts, each spaced a configured time apart, and then issued a failure message.

[0094] Following this procedure, the image sharing server 1 has stored the information message 103 on hold, as represented by the store on hold step 214.

[0095] When the connected photo frame 8 comes out of standby or is switched on, it sends a wake-up message 106 to signal this to the image sharing server 1, which initiates a new sending of the information message 103 which was pending, then the downloading of the new image as described previously.

[0096] To build the directory of display devices stored in the image sharing server 1, several procedures can be used, in particular when using the connected photo frame for the first time. A first connection of a connected photo frame 8 to the image sharing server 1 is shown in the figure 8 .When the connected photo frame 8 is first used, the connected photo frame 8 is configured to send a recording request 107. The image sharing server 1 processes the content of this recording request 107 during a recording step 213.

[0097] The registration request 107 may include the IMEI code or other identifier of the connected photo frame 8 and the static IP address associated with the IMSI number stored in the SIM card.

[0098] The registration requests 107 of each connected photo frame thus make it possible to constitute the directory of display devices.

[0099] For the sending subscriber using the source device 7, there is a user interface for generating the image display request 100. The user interface may be supported by various means. For example, the user interface may be a web page supported by the image sharing server 1. The user interface may also be supported by a dedicated application installed on the source device 7.

[0100] The browser of the source device 7 is configured to transfer to the image sharing server 1 the image selected in a memory of the source device 7 via the image display request 100.

[0101] For example, the user interface may include a form having an input field configured to receive a display address and an input field configured to receive a path to a file so that the sending subscriber can select a connected photo frame by entering its display address and select a new image to display on the connected photo frame.

[0102] The user interface may also include functionality for editing the new image before sending by the sending subscriber.

[0103] For example, the user interface may include a form with one or more fields configured to receive instructions for editing an image. Such instructions may include instructions for zooming, applying a filter, cropping an image, etc.

[0104] The user interface may also include personal subscriber account management features.

[0105] For example, the user interface may include a form with one or more fields configured to receive subscriber account information and a directory of display addresses.

[0106] Indeed, for ergonomic reasons, a sending subscriber can create an address book of connected photo frames associated with their subscriber account.

[0107] For this, the functionalities of the sender subscriber account management module 15 of the image sharing server 1 include in particular the creation of a subscriber account and the recording of display address(es) in association with the subscriber account in a sender subscriber account directory.

[0108] An example of a sender subscriber account directory is shown in Table 2 below: Table 2 - Example of a directory of sender subscriber accounts Sending subscriber contact information Recipient display address(es) personalized name of the connected photo frame Pierre, pierre@gmail.com, 0666666666 ABCD-1234-56 Dad EFGH-7891-23 Grandma Paul, paul@sfr.fr, 0777777777 EFGH-7891-23 Mom Jacques, 0677777777 ZWYP-5468-87 Gertrude

[0109] Preferably, a sending subscriber can enter choose any character string as the personalized name of the connected photo frame. For example, the following character string: "Bonne-Maman", is associated with the display address EFGH-7891-23 on the subscriber account of Pierre, who is the grandson of the owner of the connected photo frame associated with the display address EFGH-7891-23. The following character string: "Mom" is associated with the same display address EFGH-7891-23, but on the subscriber account of Paul, who is the grandson of the owner of the connected photo frame associated with the display address EFGH-7891-23.

[0110] The sender subscriber account directory can be set up as described below.

[0111] A recipient user who owns a smart photo frame shares access information for their smart photo frame with someone who wants to send photos. For example, this person is the one who gifted the smart photo frame to the recipient user.

[0112] The access information of a connected photo frame includes the display address of the connected photo frame. The access information of a connected photo frame may further include addresses for accessing a web portal for downloading an application and / or a web page allowing access to the user interface described above.

[0113] In reference to the Figure 9 , an example of the access information of the connected photo frame 8 accessible from its user manual is shown.

[0114] The access information includes a QR code and a URL address, for example: www.familink.fr, the QR code and the URL address redirecting to the same web portal so that the person who wishes to send photos can access the user interface. Advantageously, if the source device 7 has an on-board camera, the source device 7 can scan the QR code to access the web portal.

[0115] This person can then create a subscriber account. To do this, they are asked to choose their subscriber ID, for example, "Pierre," to enter one or more display addresses, for example, "ABCD-1234-56" and "EFGH-7891-23," and to choose a personalized name for each connected photo frame, for example, "Papa" and "Bonne-Maman."

[0116] This means that multiple connected photo frames can be associated with the same subscriber account, and multiple sending subscribers can send images to the same connected photo frame.

[0117] In reference to the Figure 10 , the source device 7 belonging to Pierre and the source device 70 belonging to Paul are shown in communication with the connected photo frame 8 whose display address is “ABCD-1234-56” and the connected photo frame 81 whose display address is “EFGH-7891-23”.

[0118] The image display request 100 sent by the source device 7 may include two display addresses for the same image. To do this, the sending subscriber selects several display addresses from the address book of his subscriber account, via the user interface.

[0119] As represented by the solid arrows, the source device 7 sends the same digital photo to the two connected photo frames 8 and 81. As represented by the dotted arrows, the source device 70 sends an image to the connected photo frame 8.

[0120] Although only three connected photo frames 8, 81 and 82 are shown in the virtual private network 12, any number of connected photo frames can be provided.

[0121] Although the communication between the source device 7 and the connected photo frame 8 or other display device is essentially asymmetrical, the connected photo frame 8 or other display device may include a response sending functionality via a response management module 16 of the image sharing server 1.

[0122] The functionalities of the response management module 16 of the image sharing server 1 include in particular the possibility, for the user of the connected photo frame, to send a response to the sending subscriber after receiving a new image. This response can be triggered by an action of the recipient user. For example, this action can be a press on a button, for example by a button via a touch screen. In one example, the button is a button configured to, in response to a press, send a notification to the source device 7 via the application, or an electronic message or email to the contact addresses entered in the subscriber account.

[0123] The content of this notification and / or this electronic message may be pre-recorded for ergonomic reasons, in order to minimize the actions to be taken by the recipient user.

[0124] For example, this content is a thank you, a like, or a request to order a printed version of the new image received.

[0125] The content of this notification and / or this electronic message can also be modified by the recipient user, for example via a keyboard, for example a touch keyboard.

[0126] There Figure 11 illustrates the transmission of a response message 108 via the communications network of the Figure 1 .

[0127] The connected photo frame 8 undergoes one of the user actions described above, which initiates the sending of the response message 108. The response message 108 includes an identifier of the new image received and / or an identifier of the sending subscriber who originated the sending of this new image received.

[0128] The image sharing server 1 retrieves, during a subscriber address search step 215, contact information of the sending subscriber who originally sent this new received image. This contact information is recorded in the sender subscriber account directory as illustrated by Table 2. This contact information can be retrieved from the identifier of the new received image or the identifier of the sending subscriber. For example, this contact information can include an address of the source device, an email address, a telephone number and a sending subscriber identifier.

[0129] The image sharing server 1 then addresses this notification and / or this electronic message 109 to the source device 7 if it has its address in the directory of sender subscriber accounts.

[0130] Although the invention has been described in connection with several particular embodiments, it is obvious that it is in no way limited thereto and that it includes all technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these fall within the scope of the invention.

[0131] Notably, although the invention has been described in connection with still images, the image sharing server, the image storage server and the connected photo frame could also be used to share videos.

[0132] Some of the elements shown, including image sharing and storage servers and various modules, can be implemented in different forms, either individually or in a distributed manner, using hardware and / or software components. Examples of hardware components that can be used are specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic arrays (FPGAs), or microprocessors. Software components can be written in different programming languages, for example, C, C++, Java, or VHDL. This list is not exhaustive.

[0133] The use of the verb "comprise", "comprendre" or "include" and its conjugated forms does not exclude the presence of other elements or other steps than those set out in a claim. The use of the indefinite article "un" or "une" for an element or a step does not exclude, unless otherwise stated, the presence of a plurality of such elements or steps.

[0134] In the claims, any reference sign in parentheses cannot be interpreted as a limitation of the claim.

Claims

1. Connected photo frame (8) comprising: - a cellular communication module (17) which allows the communication of said connected photo frame (8) in a virtual private network (12) supported by a cellular network (19) by which the photo frame (8) is connected; and comprising a SIM card (18), - a non-volatile memory in the SIM card (18) in the cellular communication module (17) storing an IMSI identifier corresponding to a static IP address configured to belong to said virtual private network (12), to allow the addressing of the connected photo frame (8), the static IP address being associated by the cellular radio access network with said IMSI identifier, - an image storage module (9) configured to store images, - a screen (14) configured to display the images stored in the image storage module, - an image loading module (10) configured to: - receive from an image sharing server (1), through the virtual private network (12), an information message (103) comprising a storage address of a new image in an image storage server (13) of said virtual private network (12), the cellular communication module (17) being configured to communicate with the image sharing server (1) via said cellular network (19), - transmitting a loading request (104) to the image storage server (13) via the virtual private network (12), in response to receiving the information message (103), the loading request (104) comprising the address of the new image, - receiving the new image from the image storage server (13) via the virtual private network (12), - storing the new image in the image storage module (9).

2. Connected photo frame (8) according to claim 1, wherein the SIM card (18) is of the M2M SIM type.

3. Connected photo frame (8) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the image loading module is configured to, in response to receiving the new image, immediately display the new image on the screen (14).

4. Connected photo frame (8) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a response interface configured to, in response to an action by a recipient user on the connected photo frame (8), send a response message (108) to the image sharing server (1), the response message (108) comprising an identifier of an image with which the response is associated or an identifier of a subscriber sending an image with which the response is associated.

5. A method for sharing an image comprising - receiving, from a smartphone (7), an image display request (100) comprising a display address and an image, - determining that the display address is associated with a connected photo frame (8) according to any one of the preceding claims, having a private static IP address, - transmitting to an image storage server (13), a storage request (101) comprising the image, - receiving from the image storage server a reception message (102), the reception message (102) comprising a storage address of the image in the image storage server, and - through a cellular network (19) supporting a virtual private network (12), transmitting, to a static IP address associated with the connected photo frame (8), an information message (103) comprising the storage address of the image, the cellular network (19) comprising at least one cellular radio access network by which the photo frame (8) is connected, - receiving at a static IP address configured to belong to a virtual private network (12), from an image sharing server (1), through the virtual private network (12), an information message (103) comprising a storage address of a new image in the image storage server (13), the static IP address being associated by the cellular radio access network with a corresponding IMSI identifier, stored in a non-volatile memory of a SIM card (18) of a cellular communication module (17) of the connected photo frame (8), - transmitting a loading request (104) to the image storage server (13) through the virtual private network (12), in response to the reception of the information message (103), the loading request (104) comprising the address of the new image, - receiving the new image, from the image storage server (13) through the virtual private network (12), and - storing the new image in a storage module image (9) and / or displaying the new image on a screen (14); the method optionally further comprising a step of selecting several display addresses from an address book.

6. Image sharing system, capable of implementing the method according to claim 5, comprising: - A set of at least one connected photo frame (8) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, connected to a private virtual network (12); - An image sharing server (1) comprising: o a receiver interface (2) configured to receive from said set of at least one smartphone (7) an image display request (100) on a set of at least one connected photo frame (8) having a private static IP address (8), the image display request comprising one or more display addresses and an image, o a data storage module (3) storing a directory of connected photo frames (8), said directory comprising static IP addresses in the virtual private network (12), said static IP addresses being respectively associated with a plurality of connected photo frames (8), o an image provision module (4), closed, addressable and configured to, in response to receiving the image display request: - determine that the display address corresponds to a static IP address present in the directory of connected photo frames (8) and associated with a set of at least one connected photo frame (8), - transmit to an image storage server (13), a storage request (101) comprising the image, - receiving from the image storage server a reception message (102), the reception message (102) comprising a storage address of the image in the image storage server, and - through the virtual private network (12), transmitting, to the static IP address associated with the set of at least one connected photo frame (8), an information message (103) comprising the storage address of the image.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the information message (103) is transmitted in response to receipt of said receipt message (102).

8. The system of claim 6 or 7, wherein the directory of connected photo frames (8) includes associations between display addresses and static IP addresses.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the directory of connected photo frames (8) comprises a record for each of the connected photo frames (8), said record comprising a connected photo frame (8) identifier and a static IP address associated with the connected photo frame (8), and wherein the connected photo frame (8) identifier is associated by encoding with a display address, the image sharing server comprising a decoding module configured to decode the display address received in the image display request to retrieve a connected photo frame (8) identifier in the directory of connected photo frames (8).

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the connected photo frame (8) identifier is an IMEI number of the connected photo frame (8).

11. The system of any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein the image storage address is a URL12. The system according to any one of claims 6 to 11, further comprising an image processing module (17) configured to process the image received in the image display request so as to generate a reprocessed image, the image sent to the image storage server (13) being the reprocessed image.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the display device directory further comprises screen size parameters (14) of the connected photo frame (8), and the image processing module (17) is configured to apply a resizing process to the image based on the screen size parameters (14).

14. The system of any one of claims 6 to 13, wherein the image sharing server (1) further comprises a subscriber directory stored in the data storage module and a response management module (16) configured to: - receive a response message (108), the response message comprising an image identifier or a sender subscriber identifier, - determine (215) using the subscriber directory that the image identifier or the sender subscriber identifier is associated with contact information of a sender subscriber, - perform a response information action based on the contact information of the sender subscriber.

15. System according to any one of claims 6 to 14, wherein the display address is a first display address and the static IP address is a first static IP address, the connected photo frame (8) is a first connected photo frame (8), the image display request (100) further comprising a second display address, the image provision module (4) being further configured to, in response to the reception of the transmission message, - determine that the second display address corresponds to a second static IP address present in the directory of display devices and associated with a second connected photo frame (8), - through the virtual private network (12), transmit, to the address associated with the second connected photo frame (8), the information message (103) comprising the storage address of the image.