Technique for handling a universal image format on the internet

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether the client computer can access the retrieved data in its retrieved form further comprises comparing the file format specified by the URL command to a file extension of the retrieved file.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of automatically converting the retrieved data into converted data that the client computer can access further comprises converting the retrieved file to the file format specified by the URL command.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: storing the converted data at the server computer; and generating a path name to locate the stored converted data.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 , wherein the locator comprises the path name.

Claim 7

The method of claim 4 , wherein the client computer has a Web browser, and further comprising the step of, under control of the Web browser, retrieving the stored converted data from the server computer using the generated path name.

Claim 8

The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of deleting the stored converted data after a predetermined period of time.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 , wherein the client computer has a Web browser, and further comprising the step of, under control of the Web browser, retrieving the converted data from the server computer using the locator.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the program for determining whether the client computer can access the retrieved data in its retrieved form further comprises means for comparing the file format specified by the URL command to a file extension of the retrieved file.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the program for automatically converting the retrieved data into converted data that the client computer can access further comprises means for converting the retrieved file to the file format specified by the URL command.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising: means for storing the converted data at the server computer; and means for generating a path name to locate the stored converted data.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the locator comprises the path name.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the client computer has a Web browser, and further comprising means for, under control of the Web browser, retrieving the stored converted data from the server computer using the locator.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising means for deleting the stored converted data after a predetermined period of time.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the client computer has a Web browser, and further comprising the step of, under control of the Web browser, retrieving the converted data from the server computer using the generated path name.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein at least one of said one or more computer programs are performed by the server computer for controlling access to the data stored on the data storage device.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein at least one of said one or more programs are performed by the server computer for authenticating the data stored on the data storage device.

Claim 21

An article of manufacture comprising a computer program carrier readable by a client computer and tangibly embodying one or more instructions executable by the client computer to perform method steps for accessing data at a server computer from a client computer connected to the server computer via a network, the data being stored in a data storage device connected to the server computer, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, at the server computer, a request for data from the client computer in the form of a universal resource locator (URL) command, the URL command including a file identifier for identifying a file containing the requested data and a file format for the file, wherein the client computer can access the file having the file format; determining, at the server computer, whether the file identifier is valid; if the file identifier is determined to be valid, retrieving, at the server computer, the requested data from the data storage device in response to the request for data from the client computer; after retrieving the requested data from the data storage device, determining, at the server computer, whether the client computer can access the retrieved data in its retrieved form; if it is determined that the client computer cannot access the retrieved data in its retrieved form, automatically converting, at the server, the retrieved data into converted data that the client computer can access; and returning a locator to the client computer for locating the converted data.

Claim 22

An article of manufacture comprising a computer program carrier readable by a client computer and tangibly embodying one or more instructions executable by the client computer to perform method steps for accessing data at a server computer from a client computer connected to the server computer via a network, the data being stored in a data storage device connected to the server computer, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, at the server computer, a request for data from the client computer in the form of a universal resource locator (URL) command, the URL command including a file identifier for identifying a file containing the requested data and a file format for the file, wherein the client computer can access the file having the file format; determining, at the server computer, whether the file identifier is valid; if the file identifier is determined to be valid, retrieving, at the server computer, the requested data from the data storage device in response to the request for data from the client computer; after retrieving the requested data from the data storage device, determining, at the server computer, whether the client computer can access the retrieved data in its retrieved form; if it is determined that the client computer cannot access the retrieved data in its retrieved form, automatically converting, at the server, the retrieved data into converted data that the client computer can access; and returning a locator to the client computer for locating the converted data.

Claim 23

The article of manufacture claim 19 , wherein the step of determining whether the client computer can access the retrieved data in its retrieved form further comprises comparing the file format specified by the URL command to a file extension of the retrieved file.

Claim 24

The article of manufacture of claim 20 , wherein the step of converting the retrieved data into converted data that the client computer can access further comprises converting the retrieved file to the file format specified by the URL command.

Claim 25

The article of manufacture of claim 19 , further comprising the steps of: storing the converted data at the server computer; and generating a path name to locate the stored converted data.

Claim 26

The article of manufacture of claim 22 , wherein the locator comprises the path name.

Claim 27

The article of manufacture of claim 23 , wherein the client computer has a Web browser, and further comprising the step of, under control of the Web browser, retrieving the stored converted data from the server computer using the locator.

Claim 28

The article of manufacture of claim 22 , further comprising the step of deleting the stored converted data after a predetermined period of time.

Claim 29

The article of manufacture of claim 19 , wherein the client computer has a Web browser, and further comprising the step of, under control of the Web browser, retrieving the converted data from the server computer using the generated path name.