Methods and apparatus for securely displaying digital images

• US 10,726,151 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2017
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• 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): Roy, Sanchita
• Application Number:
  US15/619,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20180089459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• 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 1/4486 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 transmitting or streaming unredacted image cells alone or in combination with redacted image cells for secured viewing on a user browser or computer.

Claims

1. An image security system for editing a digital image, the image security system comprising:

a non-transitory data store configured to store a plurality of digital images and division patterns associated with a plurality of predetermined document types;

a computer processor programmed to;

access a digital image of a scanned document from the plurality of digital images, the scanned document associated with a predetermined document type of the plurality of predetermined document types;

divide the digital image of the scanned document into a plurality of image cells according to a division pattern associated with the predetermined document type;

assign each of the plurality of image cells with a cell identifier;

select from the plurality of image cells at least one image cell, a first image cell of the at least one image cell selected based on a location of the first image cell within the digital image;

identify a first cell identifier associated with the first image cell;

perform a first redacting operation on a first portion of the first image cell based at least in part on the first cell identifier, wherein the first portion of the first image cell displays sensitive information, and wherein the first redacting operation is of a first redaction type comprising at least one of;

encrypting, blurring, masking, or inserting a line over all or just a portion of the first image cell;

select a second image cell from the at least one image cell, the second image cell selected based on a location of the second image cell within the digital image; and

perform a second redacting operation on a first portion of the second image cell, wherein the first portion of the second image cell displays sensitive information, wherein the second redacting operation is of a second redaction type comprising at least one of;

encrypting, blurring, masking, or inserting a line over all or just a portion of the second image cell, and wherein the second redaction type is different from the first redaction type; and

generate a digital image based at least in part on an output of the first redacting operation and the second redacting operation.

2. The image security system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the first image cell comprises non-sensitive information.

3. The image security system of claim 1, first image cell and the second image cell are of different sizes.

4. The image security system of claim 1, the computer processor is further programmed to perform a third redacting operation on a second portion of the first image cell, wherein the third redacting operation is of a third redaction type comprising at least one of pixelating, encrypting or obfuscating of the second portion, and wherein the first redaction type is different from the third redaction type.

5. The image security system of claim 1, wherein a number of plurality of image cells associated with the division pattern is based at least on the predetermined document type and a desired level of security associated with the predetermined document type.

6. A method for automatically editing a digital image, the method comprising:

accessing, from a non-transitory data store, a digital image of a scanned document, the non-transitory data store storing a plurality of digital images and division patterns associated with a plurality of predetermined document types;

accessing, from the non-transitory data store, a division pattern associated with a document type of the scanned document;

dividing the digital image of the scanned document into a plurality of image fragments according to the division pattern;

assigning each of the plurality of image cells with a cell identifier;

selecting from the plurality of image cells at least one image cell, a first image cell of the at least one image cell selected based on a location of the first image cell within the digital image;

identifying a first cell identifier associated with the first image cell;

performing a first redacting operation on a first portion of the first image cell based at least in part on the first cell identifier, wherein the first portion of the first image cell displays sensitive information, and wherein the first redacting operation is of a first redaction type comprising at least one of;

encrypting, blurring, masking, or inserting a line over all or just a portion of the first image cell;

selecting a second image cell from the at least one image cell, the second image cell selected based on a location of the second image cell within the digital image; and

performing a second redacting operation on a first portion of the second image cell, wherein the first portion of the second image cell displays sensitive information, wherein the second redacting operation is of a second redaction type comprising at least one of;

encrypting, blurring, masking, or inserting a line over all or just a portion of the second image cell, and wherein the second redaction type is different from the first redaction type; and

generating a digital image based at least in part on an output of the first redacting operation and the second redacting operation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a reminder of the first image cell comprises non-sensitive information.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first image cell and the second image cell are of different sizes.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising performing a third redacting operation on a second portion of the first image cell, wherein the third redacting operation is of a third redaction type comprising at least one of pixelating, encrypting or obfuscating of the second portion, and wherein the first redaction type is different from the third redaction type.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein a number of plurality of image cells associated with the division pattern is based at least on the predetermined document type and a desired level of security associated with the predetermined document type.

11. A non-transitory computer storage having stored thereon a computer program, the computer program including executable instructions that instruct a computer system to at least:

access, from a non-transitory data store, a digital image of a scanned document, the non-transitory data store storing a plurality of digital images and division patterns associated with a plurality of predetermined document types;

access, from the non-transitory data store, a division pattern associated with a document type of the scanned document;

divide the digital image of the scanned document into a plurality of image fragments according to the division pattern;

assign each of the plurality of image cells with a cell identifier;

]

select from the plurality of image cells at least one image cell, the first image cell of the at least one image cells selected based on a location of the first image cell within the digital image;

identify a first cell identifier associated with the first image cell;

perform a first redacting operation on a first portion of the first image cell based at least in part on the first cell identifier, wherein the first portion of the first image cell displays sensitive information, and wherein the first redacting operation is of a first redaction type comprising at least one of;

encrypting, blurring, masking, or inserting a line over all or just a portion of the first image cell;

select a second image cell from the at least one image cell, the second image cell selected based on a location of the second image cell within the digital image; and

perform a second redacting operation on a first portion of the second image cell, wherein the first portion of the second image cell displays sensitive information, wherein the second redacting operation is of a second redaction type comprising at least one of;

encrypting, blurring, masking, or inserting a line over all or just a portion of the second image cell, and wherein the second redaction type is different from the first redaction type; and

generate a digital image based at least in part on an output of the first redacting operation and the second redacting operation.

12. The non-transitory computer storage of claim 11, the executable instructions further instruct the computer system to perform a third redacting operation on a second portion of the first image cell, wherein the third redacting operation is of a third redaction type comprising at least one of:

pixelating, encrypting or obfuscating of the second portion, and wherein the first redaction type is different from the third redaction type.

13. The non-transitory computer storage of claim 11, wherein the first image cell and the second image cell are of different sizes.

14. The non-transitory computer storage of claim 11, wherein a number of plurality of image cells associated with the division pattern is based at least on the predetermined document type and a desired level of security associated with the predetermined document type.