Image Sharing for Connected Photo Frames via Static IP VPN
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image sharing systems for connected photo frames and devices incur high data consumption and costs due to frequent data exchanges and require continuous network connections, which are not feasible for Machine to Machine (M2M) communication in private and leisure settings, and lack effective privacy and security measures.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a virtual private network using static IP addresses and M2M SIM cards for secure, low-cost communication between an image sharing server, storage server, and display devices, enabling instantaneous image sharing without continuous network connections and reducing data exchange volume by encrypting tunnels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If connected photo frames query the photo sharing server at regular intervals to check for new photos, then the photo frames can receive updates, but data consumption is high and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a periodic action principle by using event-driven push notifications instead of continuous periodic polling. The server pushes notifications only when new photos are available, eliminating unnecessary periodic data exchanges while ensuring reliable photo update reception. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining update reliability while dramatically reducing data consumption.
2Reliability
If a keepalive connection is maintained for bidirectional communication, then communication reliability is improved, but data consumption and costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the bidirectional communication capability from the continuous keepalive connection. Instead of maintaining a permanent open connection, the system establishes connections only when needed for specific transactions (photo upload, download, deletion). This extraction principle eliminates the continuous data overhead of keepalive while preserving communication reliability through on-demand connection establishment.
3Reliability
If encryption is implemented on connected objects to ensure security, then privacy is protected, but computing power requirements and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the encryption and security management functions into the server infrastructure rather than requiring them on the connected photo frames. The server handles authentication, authorization, and data encryption/decryption, while the photo frames operate with simpler clients that rely on server-side security. This merging principle protects privacy through centralized security management while keeping device complexity and computing power requirements low.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~8
AI summary
The invention relates to an image-sharing server (1) comprising: an interface designed to receive an image display request containing a display address and an image; a data storage module (3) storing static IP addresses associated with a plurality of display devices in a virtual private network (12); and a module (4) for providing images, which is designed to determine that the display address corresponds to a static IP address, to transmit the image to an image storage server (13), to receive a reception message comprising an image storage address, and to transmit an information message containing the storage address of the image to the static IP address associated with the target display device (8). The invention also relates to an image display device and to methods for sharing and displaying images.