Image transmission system, image pickup apparatus, image pickup apparatus unit, key generating apparatus, and program

• US 20040196370A1
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yaegashi, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 7,542,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/159
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91364 the video signal being scrambled
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

An image transmission system comprises: one or a plurality of image pickup apparatus each having a unique identifying number and having an encrypting function for encrypting a picked-up image for transmission to a network; a key generating apparatus for generating, for each image pickup apparatus, an encryption key for encrypting the image and a decryption key for decrypting the encrypted image; a memory card for recording the decryption key and the identifying number of the image pickup apparatus in association with each other; a viewing apparatus connected with the memory card and having a decrypting function for decrypting the encrypted image using the decryption key, for viewing the image transmitted via the network by the image pickup apparatus; and an authenticating server for authenticating the image pickup apparatus accessible from the viewing apparatus.

Claims

1. An image transmission system for transmitting an image via a network, said image transmission system comprising:

one or a plurality of image pickup apparatus each having a unique identifying number and having an encrypting function for encrypting a picked-up image for transmission to said network;

a key generating apparatus for generating, for each said image pickup apparatus, an encryption key for encrypting said image and a decryption key for decrypting said encrypted image;

a removable recording medium for recording said decryption key and the identifying number of said image pickup apparatus in association with each other;

a viewing apparatus connected with said removable recording medium and having a decrypting function for decrypting said encrypted image using said decryption key, for viewing the image transmitted via said network by said image pickup apparatus; and

an authenticating server for authenticating said image pickup apparatus accessible from said viewing apparatus.

2. An image transmission system for transmitting an image via a network, said image transmission system comprising:

one or a plurality of image pickup apparatus each having a unique identifying number;

a key generating apparatus for encrypting an image picked up by said image pickup apparatus and transmitting the image to said network, and generating a decryption key for decrypting said encrypted image;

a removable recording medium for recording said decryption key and the identifying number of said image pickup apparatus in association with each other;

a viewing apparatus connected with said removable recording medium and having a decrypting function for decrypting said encrypted image using said decryption key, for viewing the image transmitted via said network by said image pickup apparatus; and

an authenticating server for authenticating said image pickup apparatus accessible from said viewing apparatus.

3. An image transmission system for transmitting an image via a network, said image transmission system comprising:

one or a plurality of image pickup apparatus each having a unique identifying number;

a transmitting apparatus for encrypting an image picked up by said image pickup apparatus and transmitting the image to said network;

a key generating apparatus for generating, for each said image pickup apparatus, an encryption key for encrypting said image and a decryption key for decrypting said encrypted image;

a removable recording medium for recording said decryption key and the identifying number of said image pickup apparatus in association with each other;

a viewing apparatus connected with said removable recording medium and having a decrypting function for decrypting said encrypted image using said decryption key, for viewing the image transmitted via said network by said image pickup apparatus; and

an authenticating server for authenticating said image pickup apparatus accessible from said viewing apparatus.

4. An image transmission system for transmitting an image via a network, said image transmission system comprising:

one or a plurality of image pickup apparatus each having a unique identifying number and having an encrypting function for encrypting a picked-up image for transmission to said network;

a key generating apparatus for generating, for each said image pickup apparatus, an encryption key for said image pickup apparatus to encrypt the image and a decryption key;

a removable recording medium for recording said decryption key and the identifying number of said image pickup apparatus in association with each other; and

a viewing apparatus connected with said removable recording medium and having a decrypting function for decrypting said encrypted image using said decryption key, for viewing the image transmitted via said network by said image pickup apparatus.

5. An image pickup apparatus used in an image transmission system for transmitting an image via a network, said image pickup apparatus comprising:

a recording unit for recording a unique identifying number;

an encrypting unit for encrypting a picked-up image; and

a communicating unit for transmitting said encrypted image to said network.

6. An image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 5,

wherein said communicating unit includes a receiving unit for receiving an encryption key for encrypting said image from a key generating apparatus.

7. An image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 5,

wherein said communicating unit includes a USB port.

8. An image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 5,

wherein said recording unit records an IP address.

9. An image pickup apparatus unit comprising:

an image pickup apparatus having a unique identifying number and having an encrypting function for encrypting a picked-up image for transmission to a network; and

a removable recording medium for recording a decryption key for decrypting the image encrypted by said image pickup apparatus and the identifying number of said image pickup apparatus in association with each other.

10. An image pickup apparatus unit as claimed in claim 9,

wherein said image pickup apparatus receives an encryption key for encrypting said image from a key generating apparatus.

11. An image pickup apparatus unit as claimed in claim 9,

wherein said removable recording medium receives the decryption key for decrypting said image from a key generating apparatus.

12. An image pickup apparatus unit as claimed in claim 9,

wherein said image pickup apparatus is a USB camera.

13. An image pickup apparatus unit as claimed in claim 9,

wherein said image pickup apparatus is an IP camera.

14. A key generating apparatus for generating an encryption key used for encryption processing in transmitting an image via a network, and a decryption key,

wherein said key generating apparatus generates the encryption key for encrypting said image and transmits the encryption key to an image pickup apparatus having a unique identifying number and having an encrypting function for encrypting a picked-up image for transmission to the network;

and

said key generating apparatus generates the decryption key for decrypting said encrypted image and transmits the decryption key to a removable recording medium for recording said decryption key and the identifying number of said image pickup-apparatus in association with each other.

15. A key generating apparatus as claimed in claim 14,

wherein said key generating apparatus has a linking function for linking said image pickup apparatus to said network.

16. A key generating apparatus as claimed in claim 14,

wherein said key generating apparatus has a compressing function for compressing the image picked up by said image pickup apparatus.

17. A program for making a computer function as the key generating apparatus of claim 14.