Creation of image file

• US 20040066533A1
• Filed: 08/07/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 138 East LCD Advancements Limited (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nakajima, Yasumasa
• Granted Patent: US 7,350,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4486 using digital data encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/603 controlled by characteristics of the picture signal generator or the picture reproducer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6086 by scene illuminant, i.e. conditions at the time of picture capture, e.g. flash, optical filter used, evening, cloud, daylight, artificial lighting, white point measurement, colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0089 Image display device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3252 Image capture parameters, e.g. resolution, illumination conditions, orientation of the image capture device H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3281 Encryption; Ciphering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8047 : using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 : involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

The technique of the present invention ensures generation of an image file, in which image data and additional data are included, with the confidentiality of specific data kept.

An image output system outputs the image data, which is generated in a digital still camera DSC 12, with a color printer 20. The DSC 12 encrypts image processing control data, which is preset by the manufacturer, and generates the image file, in which the image data and the encrypted image processing control data are included. The color printer 20 decodes the image processing control data included in the image file, performs image processing based on the image processing control data, and thereby outputs an image.

Claims

1. An image file generation apparatus for generating an image file, in which image data and additional data of the image data are associated one another, comprising:

a data input module that inputs the image data and the additional data;

an encryption module that encrypts part of the image data and the additional data; and

an image file generation module that generates the image file, in which the image data and the additional data are associated one another, part of the image file being encrypted.

2. An image file generation apparatus in accordance with claim 1,

wherein the encryption module encrypts data using a public key that is specified by an image processing device that performs specific image processing on the image data.

3. An image file generation apparatus in accordance with claim 1,

wherein the additional data includes image processing control data used for the image processing on the image data, and

wherein the encryption module encrypts at least the image processing control data.

5. An image file generation apparatus in accordance with either claim 1 or 4,

wherein the additional data is output control data that controls output of the image on an image output device.

4. An image file generation apparatus for generating an image file, in which image data and additional data of the image data are associated one another, comprising:

an image data input module that inputs the image data;

an additional data input module that inputs the additional data, at least part of which is encrypted; and

an image file generation module that generates the image file, in which the image data and the additional data, at least part of which is encrypted.

15. A computer readable recording medium that is applied to the image file generation apparatus in accordance with claim 4, in which at least part of the encrypted additional data is recorded.

6. An image processing device performing specific image processing on an image data, comprising:

an image file input module that inputs an image file, which includes the image data associated with image processing control data used for image processing on the image data, part of the image file being encrypted;

a decoder that decodes encrypted part of the image file; and

an image processing module that performs the specific image processing on the image data, based on the image processing control data.

7. An image processing device in accordance with claim 6, further comprising:

an image processing control data storage module that stores the image processing control data,

wherein the image processing module performs the specific image processing on the image data, based on the image processing control data stored into the image processing control data storage module when the encryption module fails to decode the encrypted part of the image file.

8. An image file generation method for generating an image file, which includes image data and additional data of the image data, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating the image data and the additional data;

(b) encrypting the image data and part of the additional data; and

(c) generating the image file, which includes the image data and the associated additional data, part of the image file being encrypted.

9. An image file generation method for generating an image file, which includes image data and additional data of the image data, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating the image data;

(b) acquiring the additional data, part of which is encrypted; and

(c) generating the image file, which includes the image data and the associated additional data, part of which is encrypted.

10. An image processing method for performing specific image processing on image data, comprising the steps of:

(a) including the image data and the associated image processing control data used for image processing on the image data, and acquiring the image file, part of which is encrypted;

(b) decoding encrypted part of the image file; and

(c) performing the specific image processing on the image data, based on the image processing control data.

11. A computer program that causes a computer to generate an image file, which includes image data and additional data of the image data, the computer program attaining the functions of:

acquiring the image data and the additional data;

encrypting the image data and part of the additional data; and

generating the image file, which includes the image data and the associated additional data, part of the image file being encrypted.

14. A computer readable recording medium in which a computer program in accordance with one of claims 11 through 13 is recorded.

12. A computer program that causes a computer to generate an image file, which includes image data and additional data of the image data, the computer program attaining the functions of:

acquiring the image data;

acquiring the additional data, at least part of which is encrypted; and

generating the image file, which stores the image data and the associated additional data, at least part of which is encrypted.

13. A computer program causing a computer to perform specific image processing on an image data, attaining the functions of

including the image data and the associated image processing control data used for image processing on the image data, and acquiring the image file, part of which is encrypted;

decoding encrypted part of the image file; and

performing the specific image processing on the image data, based on the image processing control data.