Methods and apparatus for securely displaying digital images

• US 8,612,854 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The 41st Parameter, Inc. (Experian plc)
• Original Assignee: The 41st Parameter, Inc. (Experian plc)
• Inventors: Eisen, Ori, Yalov, Raz
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stepehn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vaughn, Gregory J
• Application Number:
  US11/612,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20070183000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,556 Days
• Field of Search: 715/200, 715/221, 715/222, 715/223, 715/229, 715/243, 715/246, 715/247, 715/253, 715/255, 715/271, 715/272
• US Class Current: 715/271
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00864 Modifying the reproduction, e.g. outputting a modified copy of a scanned original details of composing or otherwise geometrically modifying originals H04N1/387
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00872 by image quality reduction, e.g. distortion or blacking out
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32203 Spatial or amplitude domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32229 with selective or adaptive application of the additional information, e.g. in selected regions of the image H04N1/32213 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4486 using digital data encryption

Abstract

The invention provides methods and apparatus for securing personalized or sensitive information appearing in digital images. Digital images containing information to be secured is processed and divided into a plurality of image cells. At least one image cell from the plurality of image cells is selected and redacted or altered to render the information to be secured with the selected image cells indecipherable. The invention also provides methods and apparatus for redacting information to be secured in a high throughput automated process.

Claims

1. A method for securing a digital image of a check containing sensitive information, the method comprising:

dividing the digital image of the check into a plurality of image fragments according to a predetermined grid to designate a different location within the digital image for each of the plurality of image fragments of the check;

assigning each of the plurality of image fragments with a fragment identifier;

selecting for redaction from a plurality of fragment identifiers at least one fragment identifier representative of at least one image fragment to be redacted; and

automatically redacting, based on said selected fragment identifier, the digital image of the check by rendering indecipherable the selected identifier-based image fragment of the check to substantially secure the sensitive information contained in the portion of the digital image of the check.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a new digital image based on the redaction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein more than one digital image can be selected and batch redacted in a high throughput automated process.

4. The method of claim 1, the predetermined grid includes at least one of the following:

dividing the selected digital image into image fragments comprising at least one row and at least one column;

dividing the selected digital image into image fragments of rectangular shape;

or dividing the selected digital image into image fragments of even size.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein redacting the selected at least one image fragment is based on one of a plurality of redacting techniques, the redacting techniques including:

removing, blocking out, crossing out, pixelating, blurring, masking, drawing a line through.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected at least one image fragment is partially redacted.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting at least one image fragment is based on its location within the digital image of the check.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising program instructions for selecting and batch redacting more than one digital image in a high throughput automated process.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions for automatically securing a digital image of a check which contains sensitive information, comprising:

program instructions for dividing the digital image of the check into a plurality of image fragments according to a predetermined grid to designate a different location within the digital image for each of the plurality of image fragments of the document type;

program instructions for assigning each of the plurality of image fragments with a fragment identifier;

program instructions for selecting for redaction from a plurality of fragment identifiers at least one fragment identifier representative of at least one image fragment to be redacted; and

program instructions for redacting, based on said selected fragment identifier, the digital image of the check by rendering indecipherable the selected identifier-based image fragment of the check to substantially secure the sensitive information contained in the portion of the digital image of the check.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising:

program instructions for generating a new digital image based on the redaction.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein dividing the digital image of the check into the plurality of image fragments according to the predetermined grid includes at least one of the following:

dividing the digital image into image fragments comprising at least one row and at least one column;

dividing the digital image into image fragments of rectangular shape;

or

dividing the selected digital image into image fragments of even size.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising program instructions for selecting for redaction at least one image fragment based on its location within the digital image of the check.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising program instructions for redacting the-selected at least one image fragment with one of a plurality of redacting techniques, the redacting techniques including:

removing, blocking out, crossing out, pixelating, blurring, masking, and drawing a line through.

14. A method for automatically securing a digital image of a check, comprising:

dividing the first digital image of the check into a plurality of image fragments according to a predetermined grid to designate a different location within the first digital image for each of the plurality of image fragments of selected for the check;

assigning each of the plurality of image fragments with a fragment identifier;

selecting for alteration from a plurality of fragment identifiers at least one fragment identifier representative of at least one image fragment to be altered;

altering at least a portion of at least one image fragment based on its selected fragment identifier; and

generating a second digital image of the check wherein the altered identifier-based portion of the second digital image of the check is indecipherable.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first image is unaltered after the altering step.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein more than one digital image can be altered within a batch in a high throughput automated process.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined grid includes at least one of the following:

dividing the first digital image into image fragments comprising at least one row and at least one column;

dividing the first digital image into image fragments of even size;

or

dividing the first digital image into image fragments of rectangular shape.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein altering at least a portion of at least one image fragment is accomplished with one of a plurality of alternation techniques, including:

removing, blocking out, crossing out, pixelating, blurring, masking, drawing a line through.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the fragment identifier is unique to each image fragment.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein altering at least a portion of at least one image fragment is based on its location within the digital image of the check.