System and method for associating device information with digital images

• US 7,774,023 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2007
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Shasa, Shaheen
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah; Olisa
• Application Number:
  US11/691,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20080239096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/410, 455/411, 455/412.1, 348/231.99, 348/231.2, 348/231.3, 348/231.6, 713/165, 713/175, 713/176
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• 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 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00912 Arrangements for controlling a still picture apparatus or components thereof not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• 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 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3209 of a telephone number
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/323 for tracing or tracking, e.g. forensic tracing of unauthorized copies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3236 Details of authentication information generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3281 Encryption; Ciphering

Abstract

A source electronic device, system and method that is configured to associate a digital image with the source electronic device that generated the digital image is described. The source electronic device comprises a camera, a source identification module, a processor and a memory module. The camera captures at least one unprocessed image. The source identification module identifies the source electronic device with one or more source identification information. The processor processes the captured unprocessed image, and generates a processed digital image. The processed digital image comprises an image header having the source identification information. The memory module stores the processed digital images having the source identification information in the image header. The system comprises a network server and the source electronic device, which further comprises an encryption module configured to encrypt the source identification information. The network server communicates with the source electronic device and assists in decrypting the image header having the encrypted source identification information.

Claims

1. A source electronic device configured to capture a digital image, the source electronic device comprising:

a camera configured to capture at least one unprocessed image;

a processor;

a source identification module configured to identify the source electronic device with a source identification information;

a processor configured to process the captured unprocessed image, the processor further configured to generate a processed digital image that comprises an image header including the source identification information;

an encryption module of the processor capable of performing a checksum operation to detect corruption of the processed digital image;

a memory module configured to store the at least one processed digital image having the source identification information in the image header;

wherein if the processed digital image is determined to have an incorrect checksum, the processor scrambles the data in the processed digital image to prevent display of the processed digital image; and

wherein if the processed digital image is determined to be an intrusive image, the image header is analyzed to determine the source identification information.

2. The source electronic device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to embed an encrypted source identification information in the processed digital image.

3. The source electronic device of claim 2 wherein the processed digital image is configured to be communicated using a Wide Area Network (WAN), and viewed by another electronic device communicatively coupled to the WAN.

4. The source electronic device of claim 3 wherein the source electronic device is a wireless handset.

5. The source electronic device of claim 3 further comprising a display configured to show the processed digital image.

6. The source electronic device of claim 5 wherein the processed digital image is not viewable on the display if the source identification information in the image header has been compromised.

7. The source electronic device of claim 3 wherein the source identification information comprises a phone number associated with the source electronic device.

8. A system that associates a digital image with a source electronic device, the system comprising:

a source electronic device having a camera configured to a capture at least one unprocessed image, the source electronic device comprising,

a source identification module configured to identify the source electronic device with a source identification information;

an encryption module configured to encrypt the source identification information, the encryption module capable of performing a checksum operation to detect corruption of the processed digital image; and

a processor configured to generate a processed image that comprises;

a checksum; and

an image header having the source identification information;

a network server that is configured to communicate with the source electronic device, the network sever configured to assist in decrypting the image header having the encrypted source identification information;

wherein if the processed digital image is determined to have an incorrect checksum, the processor scrambles the data in the processed digital image to prevent display of the processed digital image; and

wherein if the processed digital image is determined to be an intrusive image, the image header is analyzed to determine the source identification information.

9. The system of claim 8 further wherein the source identification information comprises a phone number associated with the source electronic device.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the source electronic device is a wireless handset.

11. The system of claim 8 further comprising a Wide Area Network (WAN) that is configured to communicate the processed digital image generated by the source electronic device to a plurality of electronic devices that can view the process image.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the processed digital image is not viewable on the plurality of electronic devices if the encrypted source identification information in the image header has been compromised.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the network server provides access to at least one authorized user.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the authorized user can decrypt the encrypted source identification information to determine the source electronic device that captured the processed image.

15. A method for associating a digital image with a source electronic device, the method comprising:

capturing at least one unprocessed image via a camera component of the source electronic device;

identifying the source electronic device with a source identification information;

performing a checksum operation;

generating a processed image that comprises

an image header having the source identification information; and

a checksum;

posting the at least one processed digital image having the source identification information in the image header;

determining whether the image header has been corrupted using a checksum operation;

scrambling the data in the processed digital image to prevent viewing the at least one image if the source identification information are compromised;

determining that the processed digital image is an intrusive image; and

determining that the intrusive image has encrypted source identification information in the image header.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising communicating the at least one image to another electronic device using a wide area network.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising storing at least one decryption key that is configured to decrypt an encrypted source identification instruction in the image header.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising permitting at least one authorized user access to the at least one decryption key.