FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for extending web-service usage to support
unknown image formats in image editors / viewers. In particular the invention extends
the concept of web-services to get the image automatically converted (by the web-
services). In brief, this idea makes sure that application will always have a way to access
some web-service, which can convert the new format (e.g. .ais) into desired format (e.g.
.jpg, .bmp). Image viewing/editing applications can access web-services to show images,
which are still not recognized. This idea extends the same concept to widen the
availability of these web-services.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For manual image format conversion, many methods are already available. For example,
user can download a converter and get new image format converted into old and
recognized image format. Secondly, user can open a website and upload new format file,
and download converted file.

For online image conversion, several websites are available, like for example
http://www.online-utility.org/image converter.jsp. User can directly use web sites like
this and get his image converted by himself. It is a manual process. User uploads his
current format, and chooses the format he is interested in, and downloads the new image
after conversion is done successfully. It cannot be used from within the application.
User has to upload the image. For ordinary users, it is troublesome to go through the
entire process. Secondly for mobile users it is even more difficult since they will have to
go through the hassle of format conversion on mobile phones.
Document US 2004/00 30 995 discloses a method for web-based document printing and
conversion. Against a request for file conversion indicating the source and destination file
format, the user can receive a converted or "printed" file from the service. According to
this document there is no need to distribute converters to the client computers for
incorporating quickly and easily new converters, filters or transcoders. Converters and
transcoders provided can be accessed remotely from the conversion server over a
computer network.
This document does not deal with web-services, which provide benefit that application is
automatically able to do conversion on the background, rather than user doing it.

There is therefore, a need for extending the concept for web-services to get an image
automatically converted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main object of the present invention therefore is to provide a method for viewing any
new/unsupported image format from any application on PC/internet enabled
mobile/internet television. The invention extends support of unknown image format in
any image viewing / editing application.
Usually the image decoding algorithm is hard-coded in the image editors, and any
unknown format will result in an error to the user. For accommodating this, the
application can access a web-service to convert the format. But if the web-service is not
able to convert that, the application cannot go ahead. For dealing with this, the present
invention provides two solutions - one is to add the web-service URL link in the image file
itself. Second is to have a chain of web-services so that we can go ahead with next if
first is not able to do the conversion. The present invention makes it possible to view any
new / unsupported image format from any application on PC / internet enabled mobile /
internet TV. All new emerging formats will be automatically supported. This invention
makes sure that some web-service will always be there which will convert from unknown
format (e.g. .ais) to a known format (e.g. .jpg, .bmp).

Thus in a preferred embodiment the present invention provides a method for extending
web-service usage to support unknown image formats in image editors / viewers,
comprising the steps of: accessing the web-service hosted on a web server with the help
of the application for converting the image format; if the web service cannot find the
converter, adding uniform resource locator (URL) link of the web server in the image file
itself; application requesting web server for consulting the web-service and supporting
the new image format.
In another preferred embodiment the invention provides a method for extending web-
service usage to support unknown image formats in image editors / viewers, comprising
the steps of: accessing the web-service hosted on a web server with the help of the
application for converting the image format; if the web-service cannot service the request
sending links to other servers in the chain of web-services repeating the step until the
application finds a service which fulfills the request.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The invention can now be described in detail with the help of the figures of the
accompanying drawings in which

Figure 1 shows a sample design for implementation
of one aspect of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows the other aspect of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A typical usage scenario for web-service conversion is:-
User opens an image editor, and provides a file with new extension (.ais). Image viewer
is not able to understand this format. So it connects to a known web-service, which will
be hosted on a known web server. Viewer then passes the raw image data in BYTE* or
similar format to the service. The web-service will iterate through installed converters /
plug-ins to find if some converter supports this format, and returns standard RGB data to
the caller after successful conversion.
But if the web-service cannot find the converter, it returns failure. At this stage,
application has no option but to show "Unknown Image Format" to the user and exit.
Above mentioned problem can be solved by using the present invention where the image
file will have web-service URL link embedded therein. The application usually does not

know which web-service can convert this new format. For dealing with this, the image
file itself will have embedded URL of web-site. The user's PC/mobile reads the web
service URL from image file. The request then goes to that web server, which in turn
consults its web service if it supports the new image format. If found, then it is sent back
to the PC/ mobile.
In another approach, there can be provided a chain of web-services. In case a web-
service is not able to convert this new format, it will provide a link to another web
service, which can then be queried. This chain can continue until application finds a
service, which will fulfill the request. In this case a request can be sent to a known
server, which has links to other servers. If first server is not able to service the request, it
sends links to other servers. Finally the converted image is sent back to the PC/mobile.
In the first approach the image file will have web-service URL link embedded therein. For
this approach to work, the web-service URL is added in the beginning of the image file,
and a delimiter will be there to define boundary between URL and the rest of the
sections. In this case, image header and data sections will come after the URL. This is
required because a standard way to read URLs needs to be there for each new format.
At the web server side, the URL and the delimiter will be deleted before processing the
image.

The second approach is to host the web service on a standard known server, and let it
serve as a starting point. In case the current server doesn't support this new format, it
will expose a method, which will return URLs of other servers, which also provide
conversion functionality. Client receives that list and request is now passed to other
servers.
In image processing, we can apply usual effects like blur, sharpen, raindrop, contrast etc
in this case as well. Web-service will transfer a raw image. All editing operations are
done on raw image format. After editing is finished, the raw image data can be sent
back to the web-service and we can get back original format.
In order to understand the operation of the invention let us consider a situation where
the user gets a new compressed image on his mobile / PC from a friend. He opens the
image editing software to view it. Software doesn't recognize the image. It opens the
file and tries to find the URL of web service, which can decode this format. If found,
then the software connects to that web service. Otherwise, it connects to a known web-
service, which provides image conversion facilities. File's raw data is passed to the
service. If service is unable to convert this format, it returns URL of next available
service, and process is repeated. Finally one service decodes the data and passes back
to the software. Software shows image to the user. The whole process is fully
transparent to the user.

Some of the effects or advantages of the present invention given in the following
situations:
Personal Computers - For applications like Samsung content manager, Adobe Photoshop,
and other commercial image editing applications, this concept will enable seamlessly new
formats for the application. Instead of hard-coding decoder for each format available,
only popular formats in application can be kept, and others can be deferred to the web-
service.
Mobile Phones - Phones which have internet connection enabled, can connect to web-
service and get the decoded format. It saves the user having to get the image converted
by himself connecting to net and searching for the conversion web site.
Internet TVs - For next gen internet TVs, the process of viewing new image formats can
be done in the background and will be fully transparent to the user. It will save us from
updating firmware of the TV with new image formats.

WE CLAIM
1. A method for extending web-service usage to support unknown image formats in
image editors / viewers, comprising the steps of:
- accessing the web-service hosted on a web server with the help of the application
for converting the image format;
- if the web service cannot find the converter, adding uniform resource locator
(URL) link of the web server in the image file itself; and
- application requesting web server for consulting the web-service and supporting
the new image format.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the web-service URL link is added in
the beginning of the image file with a delimiter provided to define the boundary
between the URL and rest of the data sections, image header and data sections
coming after the URL.

3. The method as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein the web server deletes the URL
and the delimiter before processing the image.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein image processing comprises editing
operations done on raw image format.
5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein usual effects like blur, sharpen, rain
drop and contrast can be applied in image processing.
6. A method for extending web-service usage to support unknown image formats in
image editors / viewers, comprising the steps of:

- accessing the web-service hosted on a web server with the help of the application
for converting the image format;
- if the web-service cannot service the request sending links to other servers in the
chain of web-services; and
- repeating the step until the application finds a service which fulfills the request.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the web-service is hosted on a
standard known server.
8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein URLs of other servers providing
conversion functionality are returned when the first server does not support the
new format so that request for conversion can be passed on to other servers.
9. A method for extending web-service usage to support unknown image formats in
image editors / viewers, substantially as herein described and illustrated in the
figures of the accompanying drawings.

The main object of the present invention therefore is to provide a method for viewing any
new/unsupported image format from any application on PC/internet enabled
mobile/internet television. The invention extends support of unknown image format in
any image viewing / editing application.
Usually the image decoding algorithm is hard-coded in the image editors, and any
unknown format will result in an error to the user. For accommodating this, the
application can access a web-service to convert the format. But if the web-service is not
able to convert that, the application cannot go ahead. For dealing with this, the present
invention provides two solutions - one is to add the web-service URL link in the image file
itself. Second is to have a chain of web-services so that we can go ahead with next if
first is not able to do the conversion. The present invention makes it possible to view any
new / unsupported image format from any application on PC / internet enabled mobile /
internet TV. All new emerging formats will be automatically supported. This invention
makes sure that some web-service will always be there which will convert from unknown
format (e.g. .ais) to a known format (e.g. .jpg, .bmp).
Thus in a preferred embodiment the present invention provides a method for extending
web-service usage to support unknown image formats in image editors / viewers,
comprising the steps of: accessing the web-service hosted on a web server with the help
of the application for converting the image format; if the web service cannot find the
converter, adding uniform resource locator (URL) link of the web server in the image file
itself; application requesting web server for consulting the web-service and supporting
the new image format.
In another preferred embodiment the invention provides a method for extending web-
service usage to support unknown image formats in image editors / viewers, comprising
the steps of: accessing the web-service hosted on a web server with the help of the
application for converting the image format; if the web-service cannot service the request
sending links to other servers in the chain of web-services repeating the step until the
application finds a service which fulfills the request.