Method of image processing with dynamic anonymization

• US 8,875,034 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2011
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Fabre, Olivier, Roulliere, Stphane
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US13/069,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20110246895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 715/700, 715/715, 715763-765, 715/851, 715/740, 715/753, 715/739, 715/745, 715/741
• US Class Current: 715/763
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/30 in albums, collections or shared content, e.g. social network photos or video

Abstract

A method is provided for processing at least one image, comprising a representation of a first user for presentation to a second user, comprising steps for: obtaining an indication representative, either of an absence of relationship between the first and the second user, or of a relationship existing between the first and the second user; and modifying said image before presentation to the second user, in such a way that the first user is not identifiable by the second user, said modifying step being intended to be executed if it is determined, in accordance with at least one anonymization rule defined in relation to said cue, that said image need undergo such a modification.

Claims

1. A method of processing at least one image, comprising a representation of a first user for presentation to a second user, comprising steps of:

obtaining an indication representative either of an absence of relationship between the first and the second user or of a relationship existing between the first and the second user;

determining, in accordance with at least one anonymization rule defined in relation to said indication, whether said image need undergo, before presentation to the second user, a modification to render the first user non-identifiable by the second user; and

modifying at least one zone of said image containing said representation by applying an image processing function to modify the image to render the first user non-identifiable by the second user.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a step of obtaining a definition of said image zone.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said relationship is a relationship within a social network of which the first and the second user form part.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an anonymization rule is defined by the first user.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a step of dispatching a notification to the first user to inform him of the presentation of said image to said second user.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a step of obtaining an identification of the first user on the basis of an indication provided by a third user, providing said at least one image.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a step of obtaining an identification of the first user by application of a face recognition scheme to said image.

8. A non-transitory recording medium readable by a data processor on which is recorded a program comprising program code instructions for the execution of the steps of a method as claimed in claim 1.

9. A device for processing at least one image, comprising a representation of a first user and for presentation to a second user, comprising:

a routine for obtaining an indication representative, either of an absence of relationship between the first and the second user, or of a relationship existing between the first and the second user;

a routine for determining, in accordance with at least one anonymization rule defined in relation to said indication, whether said image need undergo, before presentation to the second user, a modification to render the first user non-identifiable by the second user; and

a routine modifying at least one zone of said image containing said representation by applying an image processing function to modify the image to render the first user non-identifiable by the second user.