Inhibiting unwanted photography and video recording

• US 8,157,396 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2008
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Keelo Lamance Jackson, Wilbert Leon Jr. Smith
• Original Assignee: Keelo Lamance Jackson, Wilbert Leon Jr. Smith
• Inventors: Jackson, Keelo Lamance, Smith, Wilbert Leon Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRUCE, DAVID VERNON
• Application Number:
  US12/335,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20100149782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 362/3, 362/4, 362/8, 362/11, 362/12
• US Class Current: 362/3
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/02 Illuminating scene

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system are disclosed. The apparatus includes a shaft operable to be held by an entity and a housing extending from one end of the shaft and operable to allow multiple deterrents to be emitted there from. The housing includes a rotation member coupled to a rim portion of the housing and operable to rotate along a track portion within the rim portion. The apparatus further includes a transparent material coupled to the rotation member and operable to allow a deterrent to travel there through. The housing includes a light source coupled to the transparent material and operable to emit a light. Further, the apparatus includes a swivel meshed between the shaft and the housing and operable to allow the housing oscillate in an angular direction. Each deterrent is operable to obscure an image of the entity captured by filming equipment.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

bombarding an area with at least two distinguishable deterrents to obscure an image of an entity captured by filming equipment.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting an individual with access to the filming equipment within the area prior to bombarding the area with deterrents.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the individual is any of a group comprising visually observing the individual, utilizing a viewfinder, utilizing a motion detector, utilizing night vision, utilizing a heat sensor, and utilizing a surveillance camera.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the individual is any of a group comprising a non-famous person, a paparazzo, the paparazzi, and a covert government operative.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising engaging a trigger component to bombard the area with the deterrents after the individual is detected within the area.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising maintaining privacy of the entity by discouraging the individual from producing additional images of the entity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein maintaining privacy is any of a group comprising discouraging items within the area from being photographed, discouraging the items within the area from being videotaped, discouraging the entity from being photographed, and discouraging the entity from being videotaped.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising burning an imprint on a digital card stored within the filming equipment by bombarding the filming equipment with the deterrents.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein bombarding the area with deterrents is any from a group comprising focusing a beam of light in a direction of the filming equipment, focusing a strobe light in the direction of the filming equipment, triggering a photographic flash proximate to the filming equipment, and utilizing reflective materials to harness a light emitted by the filming equipment by causing the light to refract from the reflective material in a direction from whence the light was emitted.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the area is any of a group comprising a restaurant, a nightclub, a parking lot, along a sidewalk, a corridor of a government building, and a battle zone.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the deterrents consist of a focused beam of light, a strobe light, and a photographic flash.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the image purports to be a representation of a likeness of the entity.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity is any of a group comprising a non-famous person, a celebrity, a public official, a prisoner, a patron, and a classified operative under control of a government authority.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the image is captured within any of a group selected from a film within a film camera, a digital card within a digital camera, and a magnetic recording medium within a video recorder.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the filming equipment is any of a group comprising photographic equipment and video equipment.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the deterrents obscure a likeness of the entity within the image.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the deterrents obscure the image of the entity by overexposing a digital card.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the deterrents obscure the image of the entity by under-exposing a digital card.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the deterrents obscure the image of the entity by creating a hotspot on a digital card.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the deterrents obscure the image of the entity by creating a cold-spot on a digital card.

21. A method for inhibiting unwanted photography of a celebrity, comprising:

detecting a paparazzo having access to photographic equipment within a public area by visual observation;

triggering an apparatus to engage a plurality of deterrents, wherein the plurality of deterrents include a focused beam of light, a strobe light, and a photographic flash;

bombarding a segment of the public area with the plurality of deterrents in a direction of photographic equipment to obscure the image of a celebrity captured by the photographic equipment by focusing the beam of light in a direction of the photographic equipment, focusing the strobe light in the direction of the photographic equipment, triggering the photographic flash proximate to the filming equipment, and utilizing reflective materials to harness a light emitted by the filming equipment by causing the light to refract from the reflective material in a direction from whence the light was emitted;

burning an imprint on a digital card stored within the photographic equipment by bombarding the photographic equipment with the plurality of deterrents; and

maintaining privacy of a celebrity by discouraging the paparazzo from photographing the celebrity to produce additional images of the celebrity.

22. A method for inhibiting unwanted photography of a government building, comprising:

detecting a covert government operative having access to photographic equipment outside of a government building by utilizing a surveillance camera;

triggering an apparatus to engage a plurality of deterrents, wherein the plurality of deterrents include a focused beam of light, a strobe light, and a photograph flash;

bombarding an area proximate to the photographic equipment with the plurality of deterrents to obscure an image of the government building captured by photographic equipment by focusing the beam of light in a direction of the photographic equipment, focusing the strobe light in the direction of the photographic equipment, triggering the photographic flash proximate to the photographic equipment, and utilizing reflective materials to harness a light emitted by the filming equipment by causing the light to refract from the reflective materials in a direction from whence the light was emitted;

burning an imprint on a digital card stored within the photographic equipment by bombarding the photographic equipment with the plurality of deterrents; and

maintaining privacy within the government building by discouraging the government operative from photographing inside of the government building to produce images of individuals with the government building.

23. A method, comprising:

protecting an identity of an individual by bombarding an area proximate to the individual with at least two distinguishable deterrents to obscure an image of the individual captured by filming equipment.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the deterrents are selected from a group comprising a focused beam of light, a strobe light, and a photographic flash.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the individual is selected from a group comprising a prisoner, a witness, a defendant, a juror, a judge, a lawyer, and court personnel.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the area is selected from a group comprising inside a government building, a corridor of the government building, and outside of the government building.

27. A system, comprising:

a means for detecting a paparazzo having access to photographic equipment;

a means for bombarding the photographic equipment with a plurality of deterrents to obscure an image of an entity on a recording medium within the photographic equipment;

a means for distorting the image; and

a means for reflecting a light emitted by the photographic equipment in a direction of the photographic equipment.

28. An apparatus, comprising:

a shaft component operable to be held by an entity;

a housing component extending from one end of the shaft component and operable to allow multiple deterrents to be emitted there from, the housing component comprising;

a rotation member coupled to a rim portion of the housing component and operable to rotate along a track portion within the rim portion;

a transparent material coupled to the rotation member and operable to allow a deterrent to travel there through;

a light source coupled to the transparent material and operable to emit a light;

a swivel component meshed between the shaft component and the housing component and operable to allow the housing component oscillate in an angular direction;

a deterrent compartment coupled to an external portion of the housing component and operable to allow an additional deterrent to be emitted there from, wherein each deterrent is operable to obscure an image of the entity captured by filming equipment; and

a trigger component coupled to the housing component and operable to engage each deterrent.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein a second transparent material is coupled to the rotation member and operable to allow a deterrent to travel there through.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein a reflective material is disposed on a portion of the shaft component and a portion of the housing component.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the reflective material includes a mirror.

33. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein all of the deterrent are operable to engage simultaneously.

34. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising a hanging mechanism coupled from another end of the shaft component.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the hanging mechanism is attached to an external structure of a government building.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the hanging mechanism is attached to an external portion of a vehicle.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the hanging mechanism is attached to an internal portion of a vehicle.

38. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the hanging mechanism is attached to an external portion of a residence.

32. The apparatus of 28, wherein each deterrent is operable to engage according to a preset schedule.

39. A helmet, comprising:

a crown member operable to be worn by an entity;

a plurality of deterrent compartments coupled to the crown member and operable to allow multiple deterrents to be emitted there from, the deterrents are operable to obscure an image of an entity captured by filming equipment and the deterrents include a focused beam of light component and a strobe light component; and

a trigger component disposed on the crown member and operable to selectively engage each deterrent;

wherein the trigger component is operable to engage the deterrents according to a preset schedule.

40. The helmet of claim 39, wherein the trigger component is operable to engage one or more of the deterrents simultaneously.

41. The helmet of claim 39, wherein each deterrent compartment is operable to allow multiple deterrents to be emitted there from.

42. The helmet of claim 39, wherein each deterrent compartment is operable to allow a unique deterrent to be emitted there from in relation to other deterrents emitted from the other deterrent compartments coupled to the crown member.

43. An image distortion tower, comprising:

a base;

a deterrent emitter station coupled to the base;

a first light source disposed on the deterrent emitter station, the first light source operable to emit a deterrent from the deterrent emitter station; and

a oscillator mechanism coupled between the base portion and the deterrent emitter station, the oscillator mechanism operable to oscillate the deterrent emitter station.

44. The image distortion tower of claim 43 further comprising a second light source, a third light source, and a fourth light source all disposed upon the deterrent emitter station.

45. The image distortion tower of claim 43, wherein the first light source rotates in a clockwise direction and the third light source rotates in a counter-clockwise direction.

46. A bombardment zone, comprising:

an area of interest, the area on interest having a perimeter;

a first image distortion tower at one side of the perimeter; and

a second image distortion tower at another side of the perimeter and opposing the first image distortion tower;

wherein the first image distortion tower and the second image distortion tower are each operable to emit deterrents, rotate, include deterrent emitter stations operable to oscillate, and include light sources disposed upon the deterrent emitter stations operable to rotate.

47. The bombardment zone of claim 46, wherein the area of interest are any from a group comprising an event, a crash site, a crime investigation zone, and a newsworthy scene.

48. The bombardment zone of claim 46, wherein the deterrent emitter stations of the first image distortion tower and the second image distortion tower oscillate 180°

.

49. An ornamental image distortion apparatus, comprising:

a lanyard;

a shaft component coupled to the lanyard via a coupling component;

a plurality of deterrent compartments disposed throughout the shaft component; and

a trigger component on a bottom surface of the shaft component, the trigger component operable to engage deterrents from each deterrent compartment.

50. The ornamental image distortion apparatus of claim 49, wherein the lanyard is suspended from a person'"'"'s neck.