PHOTOGRAPH AUTHORIZATION SYSTEM

• US 20100141778A1
• Filed: 12/05/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines SA (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Basson, Sara H., Kelley, Edward E., Rish, Irina, Kanevsky, Dimitri
• Granted Patent: US 9,571,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet

Abstract

An electronic photographic device that automatically communicates an authorization signal that enables receivers of the authorization signal to authorize use of a likeness captured in a photographic image. The electronic authorization device includes an image capture mechanism for capturing the photographic image, a controller for initiating photographic authorization by generating an authorization signal at the capture of the photographic image by the image capture mechanism and a transmitter for transmitting the authorization signal generated by the controller towards a physical location at which the photographic image is captured. The authorization signal identifies a website URL at which information relating to the captured photographic image can be accessed to allow a person who has received the authorization signal to access the website and provide or deny an authorization for its use.

Claims

1. An electronic photographic device transmits an authorization signal at a time of capture of a photographic image that enables a user in receipt of the signal to authorize use of a likeness in the captured photographic image, the electronic photographic device comprising:

image capture means for capturing the photographic image;

a controller for generating the authorization signal at the capture of the photographic image by the image capture means, the authorization signal identifying a website URL at which information relating to the photographic image can be accessed; and

a transmitter for transmitting the authorization signal generated by the controller towards a physical location at which the photographic image is captured in order that hand-held devices in possession of users proximate the physical location will receive the authorization signal.

2. The electronic photographic device as set forth in claim 1, comprising a digital camera.

3. The electronic photographic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the authorization signal is generated and transmitted in accordance with one a of Bluetooth™

and WiFi standard.

4. The electronic photographic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the authorization signal further comprises an access passcode that must be presented to access the URL website.

5. The electronic photographic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transmitter transmits the authorization signal via a narrowband, low power carrier in a range substantially limited to a physical location at which the photographic image is captured.

6. The electronic photographic device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising broadcast adjusting means to control at least one of a height, width, angle, radius and transmit angle of the authorization signal transmitted.

7. The electronic photographic device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a viewer that tracks a field of view (FOV) of the photographic image and a directional antenna that automatically directs the authorization signal towards the FOV.

8. An electronic method for authorizing use of a captured photographic image, comprising steps of:

capturing a photographic image;

electronically generating an authorization signal comprising an invite to a website at which the captured photographic image and related information can be accessed, the authorization signal including a URL for the website;

directionally transmitting the authorization signal towards a physical location at which the photographic image is captured; and

receiving the authorization signal at a hand-held device configured to receive the authorization signal and in possession of a user proximate the physical location at which the photographic image is captured at a time of capture.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, further including a step of browsing the website and accessing the captured photographic image and related information after receiving the authorization signal.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the step of electronically generating further includes generating a passcode included within the authorization signal that must be provided by a user before the image and related information cab be accessed.

11. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the step of browsing the image and related information includes allowing users to identify a likeness in the photographic image, and authorize or deny authorizing public use the image with their likeness.

12. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising:

a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising the steps as set forth in claim 8.

13. A photograph authorization system that transmits an authorization signal at a time of capture of a photographic image to enable users that receive the signal to authorize use of a likeness within the captured photographic image, the photograph authorization system comprising:

an electronic device, comprising;

image capture means for capturing the photographic image;

a controller for generating the authorization signal at the capture of the photographic image by the image capture means, the authorization signal identifying a website URL at which information relating to the captured photographic image can be accessed; and

a transmitter for automatically transmitting the authorization signal generated by the controller towards a physical location at which the photographic image is captured; and

a server for communicating with the electronic device to receive the captured photographic image and authorization signal and to present the captured photographic image and related information to user browsers accessing the website, enabling accessing users to authorize or deny authorizing a use of a likeness captured in the photographic image.

14. The photograph authorization system as set forth in claim 13, further comprising a hand-held electronic device configured for receiving the authorization signal at the physical location at which the photographic image is captured.

15. The photograph authorization system as set forth in claim 14, wherein the hand-held electronic device is a cellphone.

16. The photograph authorization system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the authorization signal is generated and transmitted in accordance with one a of Bluetooth™

and WiFi standard.

17. The photograph authorization system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the authorization signal is generated to comprise an access passcode that must be first presented to the server in order for the server to provide access to the photographic image and related information at the website.

18. The photograph authorization system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the transmitter is adapted to broadcast the authorization signal via a narrowband, low power carrier in a range substantially limited to the physical location at which the photographic image is captured.

19. The photograph authorization system as set forth in claim 13, further comprising broadcast adjusting means to control at least one of a height, width, angle, radius and transmit angle of the authorization signal transmitted.

20. The photograph authorization system as set forth in claim 13, further comprising a viewer that tracks a field of view (FOV) of the photographic image and a directional antenna that automatically directs the authorization signal towards the FOV.

21. The photograph authorization system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the server is adapted to provide an interactive display image enabling a person to view the captured photographic image, identify their likeness in the image and authorize or deny authorization for use of their likeness in the image.

22. The photographic authorization system as set forth in claim 21, wherein the interactive display is adapted to enable the authorized person to input multimedia data, including text and image data, in association with the captured photographic image.