Acess control apparatus, access control method, and access control program

• US 20050162965A1
• Filed: 01/21/2005
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ohno, Tomoyuki, Fukuda, Tetsu
• Granted Patent: US 7,412,717 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 365/230.30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• 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 1/00291 with receiver circuitry television receiver circuitry per se H04N5/44
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00427 using a menu list H04N1/00421, H04N1/00424, H04N1/00429 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00442 Simultaneous viewing of a plurality of images, e.g. using a mosaic display arrangement of thumbnails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00453 arranged in a two dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00461 marking or otherwise tagging one or more displayed image, e.g. for selective reproduction
• 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 1/4406 Restricting access, e.g. according to user identity mechanisms actuated y cards, PIN or the like in apparatus for dispensing G07F7/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4426 involving separate means, e.g. a server, a magnetic card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/444 to a particular document or image or part thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 : comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 : Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 : of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 : of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 : Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data

Abstract

Additional information indicating photographic conditions for a received image signal is compared with additional information indicating photographic conditions for an access target image signal. If the both conditions satisfy a predetermined relationship, an access to the access target image signal is permitted.

Claims

1. An access control apparatus for controlling an access to an image signal through a network, comprising:

a control circuit that compares additional information indicating photographic conditions for the image signal received through the network with additional information indicating photographic conditions for a stored image signal, and that controls the access to said stored image signal for a sender of said received image signal according to results of the comparison.

2. An access control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an image signal registration circuit that stores an image signal in a storage device while relating the image signal to the additional information indicating the photographic conditions; and

an access restriction setting circuit that sets an access restriction to the image signal stored in said storage device.

3. An access control apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a display section that displays an image based on the image signal stored in said storage device, wherein

said access restriction setting circuit includes a function of selecting an access-restricted image from among a plurality of images displayed in said display section.

4. An access control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the additional information indicating said photographic conditions includes at least one of date information, time information, location information, and apparatus identification information.

5. An access control method for controlling an access to an image signal through a network, the method comprising steps of:

receiving additional information indicating photographic conditions for the image signal through the network;

comparing the additional information indicating the photographic conditions for said received image signal with additional information indicating photographic conditions for an access target image signal, and determining whether the photographic conditions for said received image signal and the photographic conditions for said access target image signal satisfy a predetermined relationship; and

permitting the access to said access target image signal if a comparison result shows that the photographic conditions for said received image signal and the photographic conditions for said access target image signal satisfy the predetermined relationship.

6. An access control method according to claim 5, further comprising steps of:

receiving the access target image signal and the additional information indicating the photographic conditions for the access target image signal;

receiving a selection as to whether to restrict the access to said access target image signal;

storing said access target image signal, said additional information on the access target image signal, and information as to whether the access to the image signal is restricted while relating the access target image signal, the additional information, and the information as to whether the access to the image signal is restricted to one another;

receiving a request of the access to a stored image signal;

determining whether the access to the access-requested image signal is restricted; and

requesting transmission of an image signal including the additional information through said network to an access requester if the access to the access-requested image signal is restricted, and permitting the access to the access-requested image signal if the access is not restricted.

7. An access control method according to claim 5, wherein

the additional information indicating said photographic conditions includes at least one of date information, time information, location information, and apparatus identification information.

8. An access control program for causing a control section included in an access control apparatus that controls an access to an image signal through a network, to execute steps of:

receiving additional information indicating photographic conditions for the image signal through the network;

comparing the additional information indicating the photographic conditions for said received image signal with additional information indicating photographic conditions for an access target image signal, and determining whether the photographic conditions for said received image signal and the photographic conditions for said access target image signal satisfy a predetermined relationship; and

permitting the access to said access target image signal if a comparison result shows that the photographic conditions for said received image signal and the photographic conditions for said access target image signal satisfy the predetermined relationship.