Method for displaying encoded image data

• US 8,290,287 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2010
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Laurence Hamid
• Original Assignee: Laurence Hamid
• Inventors: Hamid, Laurence
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi, Amir
• Application Number:
  US12/706,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20100226585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/233, 382/321, 380/44, 380/46, 380/47, 380/255, 380/263, 380/268, 380/270, 380/272, 380/273, 380/277, 358/85, 358/86, 358400-407, 708/250, 708/253, 708/255, 708/256, 708/490, 713/186, 347/2, 347/16, 347/19, 347/225
• US Class Current: 382/233
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/00 Geometric image transformations in the plane of the image

Abstract

A method for displaying encoded image data includes providing data in an encoded form, the data when displayed forming a two-dimensional image. Using a decoding cellular automaton rule and a predetermined secret key, the data is processed through a plurality of iterations to obtain the data in a non-encoded form. A series of images resulting from the processing, and ending in the two-dimensional image, is displayed in time-sequence. The series of images contains information that is insufficient for determining the secret key, given knowledge of each one of the decoding cellular automaton rule, the data in the encoded form and the data in the non-encoded form.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing data in an encoded form, the data when displayed forming a two-dimensional image;

using a decoding cellular automaton rule and a predetermined secret key, processing the data through a plurality of iterations to obtain the data in a non-encoded form; and

,

displaying in time-sequence a series of images resulting from the processing, the series of images ending in the two-dimensional image and containing information that is insufficient for determining the secret key, given knowledge of each one of the decoding cellular automaton rule, the data in the encoded form and the data in the non-encoded form.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein each one of the first through the penultimate processing iterations results in data that, when displayed, forms an obfuscated version of the two-dimensional image.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the series of images comprises images that are based on data resulting from some of the processing iterations, each of said images being a different obfuscated version of the two-dimensional image.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein displaying in time-sequence the series of images comprises displaying the obfuscated version of the two-dimensional image resulting from each processing iteration of a discontinuous sub-set of the plurality of processing iterations.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein displaying in time-sequence the series of images comprises:

cropping the obfuscated version of the two-dimensional image resulting from at least one of the processing iterations; and

,

displaying the resulting cropped obfuscated version of the two-dimensional image as one of the images of the series of images.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data is processed through N iterations, and wherein the series of images includes fewer than N images.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data that is provided in the encoded form is encoded using an encoding cellular automaton rule and the predetermined secret key.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the decoding cellular automaton rule is the inverse of the encoding cellular automaton rule.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein displaying in time-sequence the series of images comprises displaying each image of the series of images within a same display portion of an electronic display device, the images being displayed one at a time to a user of the electronic display device such that the two-dimensional image coalesces at the end of displaying the series of images.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein providing data in the encoded form comprises:

receiving from a remote system, via a communications network, an electronic message comprising data that is encoded based on a predetermined secret key and according to an encoding cellular automaton rule; and

,

providing the data to a processor that is in communication with an electronic display device.

11. A method comprising:

providing data in an encoded form, the data when displayed forming a two-dimensional image;

using a decoding cellular automaton rule and a predetermined secret key, processing the data through N iterations, one of the N iterations resulting in data that when displayed forms the two-dimensional image and each of the other N-1 iterations resulting in data that when displayed forms a different obfuscated version of the two-dimensional image; and

,

displaying in time-sequence a series of images including fewer than N-1 different obfuscated versions of the two-dimensional image and ending in the two-dimensional image, the series of images containing information that is insufficient for determining the secret key, given knowledge of each one of the cellular automaton rule, the data in the encoded form and the data in the non-encoded form.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the data that is provided in the encoded form is encoded using an encoding cellular automaton rule and the predetermined secret key.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the decoding cellular automaton rule is the inverse of the encoding cellular automaton rule.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein displaying in time-sequence the series of images comprises displaying each image of the series of images within a same display portion of an electronic display device, the images being displayed one at a time to a user of the electronic display device such that the two-dimensional image coalesces at the end of displaying the series of images.

15. A method according to claim 11, comprising cropping at least some images of the series of images prior to displaying the series of images.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein providing data in the encoded form comprises:

receiving from a remote system, via a communications network, an electronic message comprising data that is encoded based on a predetermined secret key and according to an encoding cellular automaton rule; and

,

providing the data to a processor that is in communication with an electronic display device.

17. A method comprising:

providing data in an encoded form, the data when displayed forming a two-dimensional image;

using a decoding cellular automaton rule and a predetermined secret key, processing the data through N iterations, one of the N iterations resulting in data that when displayed forms the two-dimensional image and each of the other N-1 iterations resulting in data that when displayed forms a different obfuscated version of the two-dimensional image;

cropping the obfuscated version of the two-dimensional image resulting from at least some of the N-1 iterations, so as to produce a series of cropped image; and

,

displaying in time-sequence a series of images including the series of cropped image and ending in the two-dimensional image, the series of images containing information that is insufficient for determining the secret key, given knowledge of each one of the cellular automaton rule, the data in the encoded form and the data in the non-encoded form.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the data that is provided in the encoded form is encoded using an encoding cellular automaton rule and the predetermined secret key.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the decoding cellular automaton rule is the inverse of the encoding cellular automaton rule.

20. A method according to claim 17, wherein displaying in time-sequence the series of images comprises displaying each image of the series of images within a same display portion of an electronic display device, the images being displayed one at a time to a user of the electronic display device such that the two-dimensional image coalesces at the end of displaying the series of images.

21. A method according to claim 17, wherein providing data in the encoded form comprises:

receiving from a remote system, via a communications network, an electronic message comprising data that is encoded based on a predetermined secret key and according to an encoding cellular automaton rule; and

,

providing the data to a processor that is in communication with an electronic display device.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein each one of the first through the penultimate processing iterations results in data that, when displayed via the electronic display device, forms an obfuscated version of the two-dimensional image.

26. A method according to claim 21, wherein each one of the first through the penultimate processing iterations results in data that, when displayed via the electronic display device, forms an obfuscated version of the two-dimensional image.

23. A method comprising:

receiving from a remote system, via a communications network, an electronic message comprising data that is encoded based on a predetermined secret key and according to an encoding cellular automaton rule, the data for use with an electronic display device for forming a two-dimensional image;

using a decoding cellular automaton rule and the predetermined secret key, processing the data through a plurality of iterations to obtain the data in a non-encoded form; and

,

displaying in time-sequence, via the electronic display device, a series of images resulting from the processing, the series of images ending in the two-dimensional image and containing information that is insufficient for determining the secret key, given knowledge of each one of the decoding cellular automaton rule, the data in the encoded form and the data in the non-encoded form.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein displaying in time-sequence the series of images comprises displaying the obfuscated version of the two-dimensional image resulting from each processing iteration of a discontinuous sub-set of the plurality of processing iterations.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein displaying in time-sequence the series of images comprises:

cropping the obfuscated version of the two-dimensional image resulting from at least one of the processing iterations; and

,

displaying the resulting cropped obfuscated version of the two-dimensional image as one of the images of the series of images.

27. A method according to claim 23, wherein the data is processed through N iterations, and wherein the series of images includes fewer than N images.

28. A method according to claim 23, wherein the decoding cellular automaton rule is the inverse of the encoding cellular automaton rule.

29. A method according to claim 23, wherein displaying in time-sequence the series of images comprises displaying each image of the series of images within a same display portion of the electronic display device, the images being displayed one at a time to a user of the electronic display device such that the two-dimensional image coalesces at the end of displaying the series of images.