Techniques for acquiring a parent multimedia asset (digital negative) from any of a plurality of multiply modified child multimedia assets

Abstract

A method apparatus and method for modifying a first multimedia asset to form a second multimedia asset where the first media asset is derivable solely from the second media asset. A multimedia processing command is applied to the first multimedia asset to form the second multimedia asset. The first multimedia asset is then uniquely linked to the second multimedia asset using the multimedia processing command such that the first multimedia asset is derivable solely from the second multimedia asset.

1 - 35 . (canceled)  
   
   
       36 . A method of processing digital images, comprising: 
 receiving an input digital data stream at an input controller;    determining whether the input digital data stream includes a first digital image;    determining whether the input digital data stream includes a edit list;    outputting from the input controller a second digital image in the absence of a processing instruction within said input data stream;    outputting from the input controller a modified second digital image in response to the presence of said digital image processing instruction within said input data stream, said modified second digital image having a link to said first digital image via said digital image processing instruction;    outputting from the input controller the digital image processing instruction when the input digital data stream includes the digital image processing instruction;    receiving the edit list from the input controller at an edit list processor when the input digital data stream includes the edit list;    directing the input controller to output the second digital image to the digital image processor when it is determined that the input digital data stream includes the digital image processing instruction; and    providing the digital image processing instruction to the digital image processor, wherein the digital image processor modifies the second digital image based upon the digital image processing instruction forming an output digital data stream.    
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36  further comprising identifying the first digital image as a reference digital image (digital negative) when the input digital data stream includes the first digital image and does not include the digital image processing instruction.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 36  further comprising identifying the digital image processing instruction as one of a plurality of digital image processing instructions.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38  further comprising providing the plurality of digital image processing instructions in an edit list.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising directing the input controller by the digital image processor to fetch the edit list based upon an edit list pointer when the digital image processing instruction is the edit list pointer that points to the edit list.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 36  further comprising directing the input controller by the digital image processor to fetch the modified second digital image when the digital image processing instruction is a digital image pointer that points to a location of the modified second digital image.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 36  further comprising coupling the input controller to a host computer that is linked to a distributed network of computers.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein coupling the input controller to a host computer further comprises coupling the input controller to a HTTP protocol type distributed network of computers.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 42  further comprising generating the input digital data stream by a digital appliance coupled to the host computer.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein generating the input digital data stream by a digital appliance further comprising generating the input digital data stream having an embedded digital image and an embedded edit list associated with the digital image, wherein the embedded edit list includes digital image processing instructions suitable for modification of the digital image.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45  further comprising retrieving the embedded digital image and the associated edit list from the input digital data stream by the input controller, processing the digital image based upon the retrieved digital image processing instructions, identifying and storing the processed image.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 46  further comprising providing a client computer coupled to the host computer for retrieving the identified processed image.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein generating the input digital data stream further comprises generating the input digital data stream having an embedded digital image and an associated embedded edit list pointer, wherein the embedded edit list pointer identifies an embedded edit list location of the embedded edit list that includes digital image processing instructions suitable for modification of the embedded digital image.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 48  further comprising retrieving the embedded digital image and the associated edit list by the input controller based upon the embedded edit list pointer, processing the digital image based upon the retrieved digital image processing instructions, identifying, and storing the processed image.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 49  further comprising retrieving the identified processed image the host computer.  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 44  further comprises selecting by the digital appliance from a group comprising: a digital camera, a digital camcorder, a digital television, a digital photo scanner, photo-enabled set-top box, a photo enabled game machine, and a photo enabled internet device.