Automated verification of copyrighted digital images

• US 20080144883A1
• Filed: 02/27/2008
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shutterfly, LLC
• Original Assignee: Shutterfly Incorporated (Shutterfly, LLC)
• Inventors: Kacker, Dhiraj, Muzzolini, Russell Ennio
• Granted Patent: US 7,492,922 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00838 Preventing unauthorised reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00843 based on recognising a copy prohibited original, e.g. a banknote pattern authentication and markers therefor, forgery detection G06V20/95; character recognition G06V30/10; document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/40; testing paper currency or similar valuable papers for genuineness G07D7/00

Abstract

A computer-assisted method for detecting copyright protection in digital images receives a digital image, searches for capture device information associated with the digital image, calculates one or more image characteristics of the digital image, and verifies copyright ownership and usage authorization of the digital image in response to the capture device information and the calculated image characteristics.

Claims

1-40. -40. (canceled)

41. A method for verifying copyright of a digital image, comprising:

calculating a first aspect ratio of a digital image;

determining a second aspect ratio and a third aspect ratio, wherein the second aspect ratio and the third aspect ratio are respectively associated with dimensions of image sensors in digital cameras;

determining whether the first aspect ratio of the digital image is within a first pre-specified range of the second aspect ratio or within a second pre-specified range of the third aspect ratio; and

verifying copyright ownership or usage authorization of the digital image only if the first aspect ratio is outside the first pre-specified range of the second aspect ratio and outside the second pre-specified range of the third aspect ratio.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the second predetermined value is 1.33, and wherein the third predetermined value is 1.5.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the first pre-specified range is within 0.03 or 0.05 of the second aspect ratio.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the second pre-specified range is within 0.03 or 0.05 of the third aspect ratio.

45. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

searching for capture device information in a header of the digital image; and

verifying copyright ownership or usage authorization of the digital image only when the capture device information is not found in the header.

46. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

calculating image characteristics of the digital image before the step of verifying to determine whether the digital image is produced by a digital camera; and

verifying copyright ownership or usage authorization of the digital image only if it is determined that the digital image not produced by a digital camera based on the calculated image characteristics of the digital image.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the image characteristics is selected from a group consisting of image size, tone curve, color distribution and color balance, exposure conditions, pixel values, noise distribution, pixel value histogram distributions, and copyright information embedded in the digital images;

and

48. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

receiving an order of an image-based product or an image service using the digital image; and

providing the image-based product or image service using the digital image when the copyright ownership or the usage authorization of the digital image is verified.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the image-based product or image service includes photographic prints, electronic image sharing, photo greeting cards, photo holiday cards, photo calendars, photo album, and photo books.

50. The method of claim 41, further comprising uploading the digital image over a computer network to a server.

51. The method of claim 41, wherein the step of verifying includes visually verifying copyright ownership, usage authorization, or the image content of the digital image.

52. A method for verifying copyright of a digital image, comprising:

receiving a digital image;

receiving an order of an image-based product or an image service using the digital image;

calculating a first aspect ratio of the digital image;

determining a second aspect ratio and a third aspect ratio, wherein the second aspect ratio and the third aspect ratio are respectively associated with dimensions of image sensors in digital cameras;

determining whether the first aspect ratio of the digital image is within a first pre-specified range of the second aspect ratio or within a second pre-specified range of the third aspect ratio;

providing the image-based product or the image service using the digital image if the first aspect ratio is inside the first pre-specified range of the second aspect ratio or inside the second pre-specified range of the third aspect ratio; and

verifying copyright ownership or usage authorization of the digital image only if the first aspect ratio is outside of the first pre-specified range of the second aspect ratio and outside of the second pre-specified range of the third aspect ratio.

53. The method of claim 52, further comprising providing an image-based product or an image service using the digital image when copyright ownership is verified or usage authorization is received for the digital image, wherein the image-based product or the image service using the digital image are not provided when copyright ownership is not verified or usage authorization is not received for the digital image.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein the second predetermined value is 1.33, and wherein the third predetermined value is 1.5.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein the first pre-specified range is within 0.03 or 0.05 of the second aspect ratio.

56. The method of claim 52, further comprising:

searching for capture device information in a header of the digital image; and

providing an image-based product or an image service using the digital image when the capture device information is found in the header or when copyright ownership is verified or usage authorization is received for the digital image.

57. A system for verifying copyright of a digital image, comprising:

a computer configured to receive a digital image;

a computer processor configured to determine a second aspect ratio and a third aspect ratio and to determine whether the first aspect, ratio of the digital image is within a first pre-specified range of the second aspect ratio or a second pre-specified range of the third aspect ratio, wherein the second aspect ratio and the third aspect ratio are respectively associated with dimensions of image sensors in digital cameras; and

a copyright-verification system configured to verify copyright ownership or usage authorization of the digital image only if the first aspect ratio is outside the first pre-specified range of the second aspect ratio and outside the second pre-specified range of the third aspect ratio.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the second predetermined value is 1.33, and wherein the third predetermined value is 1.5.

59. The system of claim 57, wherein the first pre-specified range is within 0.03 or 0.05 of the second aspect ratio, and wherein the second pre-specified range is within 0.03 or 0.05 of the third aspect ratio.

60. The system of claim 57, further comprising a fulfillment system configured to provide an image-based product or an image service using the digital image if the first aspect ratio is inside the first pre-specified range of the second aspect ratio or inside the second pre-specified range of the third aspect ratio or when copyright ownership is verified or usage authorization is received for the digital image.