A media spooler system is described that provides a methodology for
efficient transmission of media content from client devices, such
transmission of digital images from wireless digital cameras. The media
spooler or gateway addresses wireless transmission problems by acting as
a protocol gateway between a thin-client device and a target host or
server (supported by a server infrastructure). More particularly, the
media spooler of the present invention acts as a protocol gateway between
thin-client devices (e.g., "mobile visual communicator" in the form of a
wireless digital camera) and server infrastructure (e.g., server-based
computer systems or "Web servers" of a photographic service provider).
This task entails accepting multiple, simultaneous connections from
various client devices (e.g., wireless digital cameras), extracting
information from those devices (e.g., digital photographs or other media
content), and then uploading that information to the target server
infrastructure. In basic operation, the media spooler queries each client
device for the information (e.g., media, such as pictures) the client
device thinks should uploaded, and then the media spooler queries the
server infrastructure for the subset of pictures that have not been
already uploaded. This improved coordination or synchronization of
information between a device and target host allows for efficient
recovery of dropped cellular data calls by essentially allowing the media
spooler to "pick up where it left off."