Sequential inverse encoding apparatus and method for providing confidential viewing of a fundamental display image

• US 20030128218A1
• Filed: 07/24/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Struyk
• Original Assignee: Waterstrike Incorporated
• Inventors: Struyk, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,980,177 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/581
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/02 characterised by the way in which colour is displayed details of colour display specific for CRTs G09G1/28; specific for flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/06 using colour palettes, e.g. look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network

Abstract

An image altering apparatus which provides confidential viewing of a video display by means of time multiplexing the fundamental display image with a color-inverted image thereof on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Electronic circuitry and/or software are utilized to modify the fundamental image signal by time multiplexing its color data components with corresponding inverse color data components to generate a compound image signal which is representative of a substantially featureless image. Different multiplexing sequences of color data components and inverse color data components may be utilized at varying duty cycles to generate a compound image which is highly confidential and secure from unauthorized viewing. The fundamental image may be decoded and viewed only by those viewing the encoded image through specially designed eyeglasses incorporating time synchronized LCD shutters, variable polarizers, or color filters, which can selectively block inverted color components and/or demodulate the fundamental image to allow only the true fundamental color components to pass, thereby providing confidential and highly secure viewing of the fundamental image by the viewer.

Claims

1. An image altering apparatus for providing confidential viewing of a fundamental display image by a viewer, comprising:

a. a display comprised of a plurality of pixels;

b. means for generating a fundamental image on said display, said fundamental image having a plurality of color components corresponding to each of said pixels;

c. means for modifying said fundamental image to generate a compound image which is substantially featureless, said compound image including a plurality of compound color components corresponding to each of said pixels;

d. each of said compound color components being comprised of at least one said color component of a predetermined intensity and wavelength, time multiplexed with at least one corresponding related color component;

e. said plurality of compound color components corresponding to each of said pixels having a display sequence characterized in that at least one of said color components is always displayed out of phase with the remainder of said color components corresponding to the same said pixel; and

f. means for extracting said fundamental image from said compound image for viewing only by the viewer.

2. The image altering apparatus of claim 1, wherein each said related color component is of the same wavelength as said color component to which it corresponds.

3. The image altering apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of said related color components constitutes an inverse color component having an intensity which is determined as a function of said corresponding color component, such that the time-weighted average of said intensities of all said color components and said corresponding inverse color components thereof is substantially the same for each of said compound color components of said compound image;

4. The image altering apparatus of claim 3, wherein each said compound color component is comprised of at least one said color component, time multiplexed alternately with at least one corresponding said inverse color component thereof.

5. The image altering apparatus of claim 3, wherein each said compound color component is comprised of at least one said color component, time multiplexed randomly with at least one said corresponding inverse color component thereof.

6. The image altering apparatus of claim 4, wherein said plurality of compound color components corresponding to each of said pixels have a cyclical display sequence characterized in that at least one said color component of one of said compound color components is out of phase with said color components of other said compound color components corresponding to the same said pixel.

7. The image altering apparatus of claim 3, wherein each said compound color component is comprised of at least one said color component, time multiplexed sequentially with at least one said inverse color component thereof.

8. The image altering apparatus of claim 7, wherein each said color component of each of said compound color components for each said pixel is time multiplexed with a corresponding said inverse color component in succession relative to each said color component of other said compound color components corresponding to the same said pixel.

9. The image altering apparatus of claim 7, wherein said plurality of compound color components at each of said pixels have a cyclical display sequence characterized in that at least one said color component of one of said compound color components is out of phase with said color components of other said compound color components corresponding to the same said pixel.

10. The image altering apparatus of claim 7, wherein said plurality of compound color components at each of said pixels have a cyclical display sequence characterized in that at least one said inverse color component of one of said compound color components is out of phase with said inverse color components of other said compound color components corresponding to the same said pixel.

11. The image altering apparatus of claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10, wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image includes at least one color filter, time-synchronized to block each said inverse color component of said compound image from the view of the viewer.

12. The image altering apparatus of claim 3, wherein said means for modifying said fundamental image includes electronic circuitry capable of generating a compound image signal representative of said compound image, said compound image signal having a plurality of compound color data components which are composed of at least one color data component, time multiplexed with at least one corresponding inverse color data component thereof, wherein each said color data component and said corresponding said inverse color data component are representative of one said color component and corresponding said inverse color component, respectively, of said compound image.

13. The image altering apparatus of claim 3, including means for generating an overlay image on said display, said overlay image having at least one overlay color component time multiplexed with a corresponding said compound color component to produce an image visible to the naked eye which appears to be overlayed on said substantially featureless compound image.

14. The image altering apparatus of claim 13, wherein said overlay image includes a plurality of overlay color components corresponding to each of said pixels, at least one of said overlay color components of said overlay image being displayed out of phase with the remainder of said overlay color components corresponding to the same said pixel.

15. An image altering apparatus for providing confidential viewing of a fundamental display image by a viewer, comprising:

a. a display comprised of a plurality of pixels;

b. means for generating a fundamental image signal having a plurality of color data components corresponding to each of said pixels, each said color data component being representative of a color component of a fundamental image;

c. means for modifying said fundamental image signal to generate a compound image signal having a plurality of compound color data components corresponding to each of said pixels;

d. each of said compound color data components being comprised of at least one said color data component of a predetermined amplitude, time multiplexed with at least one corresponding inverse color data component thereof, wherein each said inverse color data component has an amplitude which is determined as a function of said amplitude of said corresponding color data component, such that transmission of said compound image signal to said pixels will produce a substantially featureless image on said display;

e. means for transmitting said compound image signal to said pixels, thereby displaying said substantially featureless image to the viewer on said display;

f. said plurality of compound color data components corresponding to each of said pixels having a display sequence characterized in that at least one said color data component of one of said compound color data components is out of phase with said color data components of other said compound color data components corresponding to the same said pixel; and

g. means for extracting said fundamental image from said substantially featureless image for viewing only by the viewer.

16. The image altering apparatus of claim 15, wherein each said inverse color data component of a corresponding said color data component is representative of a corresponding inverse color component, and said amplitude of each said inverse color data component is determined such that the time-weighted average of the intensities of all said color components and said corresponding inverse color components thereof is substantially the same for each of said pixels.

17. The image altering apparatus of claim 15, wherein said plurality of pixels cover only a portion of said display.

18. The image altering apparatus of claim 15, wherein each said inverse color data component is representative of an inverse color component of said substantially featureless image, and said means for extracting said fundamental image includes means for blocking each said inverse color component of said substantially featureless image from the view of the viewer.

19. The image altering apparatus of claim 18, wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image includes at least one color filter, time synchronized to block each said inverse color component of said substantially featureless image from the view of the viewer.

20. The image altering apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of said compound color data components is comprised of at least one said color data component, time multiplexed alternately with at least one corresponding said inverse color data component thereof.

21. The image altering apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of said compound color data components is comprised of at least one said color data component, time multiplexed sequentially with at least one said inverse color data component thereof.

22. The image altering apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of said compound color data components is comprised of at least one said color data component, time multiplexed sequentially with a plurality of said inverse color data components thereof.

23. The image altering apparatus of claim 21, wherein said means for modifying said fundamental image signal individually alternates at least one said color and corresponding inverse color data component in a sequential manner relative to at least one other said color and corresponding inverse color data components of the same said pixel.

24. The image altering apparatus of claim 22, wherein each said color data component of each of said compound color data components for each of said pixels is time multiplexed with a corresponding said inverse color data component in cascading order relative to each said color data component of other said compound color data components corresponding to the same said pixel.

25. The image altering apparatus of claim 23 or 24, wherein each said inverse color data component is representative of an inverse color component of said substantially featureless image, and said means for extracting said fundamental image includes at least one color filter, time synchronized to block each said inverse color component of said featureless image from the view of the viewer.

26. The image altering apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of said compound color data components is comprised of a plurality of color data components representative of one said color component of said fundamental image.

27. The image altering apparatus of claim 26, wherein said plurality of color data components of each of said compound color data components are time multiplexed sequentially with at least one inverse color data component thereof.

28. The image altering apparatus of claim 27, wherein said plurality of compound color data components at each of said pixels have a cyclical display sequence characterized in that at least one said inverse color data component of one of said compound color data components is out of phase with said inverse color data components of other said compound color data components corresponding to the same said pixel.

29. The image altering apparatus of claim 28, wherein each said inverse color data component is representative of an inverse color component of said substantially featureless image, and said means for extracting said fundamental image includes at least one color filter, time synchronized to block each said inverse color component of said substantially featureless image from the view of the viewer.

30. The image altering apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of said compound color data components is comprised of at least one said color data component, time multiplexed randomly with at least one corresponding said inverse color data component.

31. The image altering apparatus of claim 15, including means for generating an overlay image signal, said overlay image signal having at least one overlay color data component time multiplexed with a corresponding said compound color data component to produce an image on said display which is visible to the naked eye, and which appears to be overlaid on said substantially featureless image.

32. The image altering apparatus of claim 31, wherein each said compound color data component corresponding to each said pixel has a corresponding overlay color data component which is sequentially transmitted to said pixel relative to other said overlay color data components corresponding to the same said pixel.

33. The image altering apparatus of claim 31, wherein said overlay image signal includes a plurality of overlay color data components corresponding to each of said pixels, and at least one of said overlay color data components is always transmitted to each of said pixels out of phase with the remainder of said overlay color data components corresponding to the same said pixel.

34. An image altering apparatus for providing confidential viewing of a fundamental display image by a viewer, comprising:

a. a display comprised of a plurality of pixels;

b. means for generating a fundamental image signal having a plurality of color data components corresponding to each of said pixels, each said color data component being representative of a fundamental color component of a fundamental image;

c. means for modifying said fundamental image signal to generate a compound image signal having a plurality of compound color data components corresponding to each of said pixels;

d. each of said compound color data components being comprised of at least one said color data component of a predetermined amplitude, time multiplexed with at least one corresponding inverse color data component thereof, said color data component and corresponding said inverse color data component of at least one of said compound color data components for each of said pixels having a display sequence that is out of phase with that of other said compound color data components corresponding to the same said pixel;

e. each said inverse color data component being representative of an inverse color component and having an amplitude that is determined as a function of said amplitude of said corresponding color data component, such that the time-weighted average of the intensities of all said fundamental color components and corresponding said inverse color components is substantially equal for each of said pixels of said display;

f. means for transmitting said compound image signal to said pixels, thereby displaying a substantially featureless image composed of said fundamental and inverse color components to the viewer on said display; and

g. means for extracting said fundamental image from said substantially featureless image for viewing only by the viewer.

35. The image altering apparatus of claim 34, wherein said plurality of compound color data components corresponding to each of said pixels have a cyclical display sequence determined in accordance with the following table:

36. The image altering apparatus of claim 35, wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image from said substantially featureless image includes red, green, and blue colored filters, time synchronized with said display sequence of said compound color data components to block each said inverse color component of said substantially featureless image from the view of the viewer.

37. The image altering apparatus of claim 34, wherein said plurality of compound color data components corresponding to each of said pixels have a cyclical display sequence determined in accordance with the following table:

38. The image altering apparatus of claim 37, wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image from said substantially featureless image includes yellow, magenta, and cyan colored filters, time synchronized with said display sequence of said compound color data components to block each said inverse color component of said substantially featureless image from the view of the viewer.

39. The image altering apparatus of claim 34, wherein said plurality of compound color data components corresponding to each of said pixels have a cyclical display sequence determined in accordance with the following table:

40. The image altering apparatus of claim 39, wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image from said substantially featureless image includes at least one color filter, time synchronized with said display sequence of said compound color data components to block said inverse color components of said substantially featureless image from the view of the viewer.

41. The image altering apparatus of claim 40, wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image includes a magenta colored filter and a green colored filter which alternate in sync with said display sequence of said compound color data components to block said inverse color components of said substantially featureless image from the view of the viewer.

42. The image altering apparatus of claim 34, wherein said plurality of compound color data components corresponding to each of said pixels have a cyclical display sequence determined in accordance with the following table:

43. The image altering apparatus of claim 42, wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image from said substantially featureless image includes at least one color filter, time synchronized with said display sequence of said compound color components to block said inverse color components of said substantially featureless image from the view of the viewer.

44. The image altering apparatus of claim 43, wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image includes a yellow colored filter and a blue filter which alternate in sync with said display sequence of said compound color data components to block said inverse color components of said substantially featureless image from the view of the viewer.

45. The image altering apparatus of claim 34, wherein said plurality of compound color data components corresponding to each of said pixels have a cyclical display sequence determined in accordance with the following table:

46. The image altering apparatus of claim 45, wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image from said substantially featureless image includes at least one color filter, time synchronized with said display sequence of said compound color data components to block said inverse color components of said substantially featureless image from the view of the viewer.

47. The image altering apparatus of claim 46, wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image includes a cyan colored filter and a red colored filter which alternate in sync with said display sequence of said compound color data components to block said inverse color components of said substantially featureless image from the view of the viewer.

48. The image altering apparatus of claim 34, including means for generating an overlay image signal to produce an image on said display which is visible to the naked eye, and which appears to be overlaid on said substantially featureless image, said overlay image signal having a corresponding overlay color data component time multiplexed with each of said compound color data components corresponding to each of said pixels, wherein said plurality of compound color data components and corresponding overlay color data components corresponding to each of said pixels have a cyclical display sequence determined in accordance with the following table:

49. A method for providing confidential viewing of a fundamental display image by a viewer, comprising the steps of:

a. providing a display comprised of a plurality of pixels and means for generating a fundamental image on said display, whereby said fundamental image has a plurality of color components of a predetermined intensity and wavelength corresponding to each of said pixels;

b. modifying said fundamental image by time multiplexing each of said color components at each of said pixels with at least one corresponding inverse color component of the same said wavelength, wherein at least one of said color components of said fundamental image is always displayed out of phase with the remainder of said color components, and each said inverse color component has an intensity which is determined as a function of the intensity of said corresponding color component, such that the composition of all color components and inverse color components forms a substantially featureless compound image; and

c. extracting said fundamental image from said compound image for viewing only by the intended viewer through time-synchronized means of blocking said inverse color components of said compound image from the view of the viewer.

50. The method set forth in claim 49, wherein said step of modifying said fundamental image includes time multiplexing each of said color components at each said pixel with at least one corresponding inverse color component thereof, such that the time-weighted average of the intensity of each said color component and all said corresponding inverse color components thereof is substantially the same as for all other said color components and corresponding inverse color components corresponding to the same said pixel.

51. The method set forth in claim 49, wherein said step of extracting said fundamental image includes the use of at least one color filter, time synchronized to block said inverse color components of said compound image from the view of the viewer.

52. The method set forth in claim 49, including the step of providing means for generating an overlay image on said display which, to the naked eye, appears overlayed on said substantially featureless compound image, said overlay image being blocked from the view of the intended viewer through the use of said time-synchronized blocking means.