Method for image capture and detection system

• US 20050134696A1
• Filed: 12/20/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pillsbury Winthrop LLP (Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP)
• Original Assignee: Pillsbury Winthrop LLP (Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP)
• Inventors: Patel, Rajesh, Nath, Sanjeev
• Granted Patent: US 7,564,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.900
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

The invention described is a method and system for preventing image capture and transmission in a restricted or prohibited zone.

Claims

1. A method for detecting an active image capturing device associated with, or not associated with, a handheld wireless communication device, said method comprising of the steps of:

monitoring for an active profile image capturing device in an image-capturing restricted or prohibited zone;

deactivating said image capturing device if the image capturing device is present within said restricted or prohibited zone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the image capturing device is deactivated by changing its active profile to “

silent mode.”

3. The method of claim 1 wherein when the image capturing device is associated with a handheld wireless communication device the handheld wireless communication device is deactivated by changing its active profile to “

silent”

mode.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

reactivating the image capturing device on leaving the restricted or prohibited zone.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

restoring the pre-existing profile of the image capturing device.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of:

restoring the pre-existing profile of the handheld wireless communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the image capturing device is associated with a handheld wireless communication device selected from the group consisting of:

a cellular phone;

a PDA; and

a mobile computing device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the image capturing device is selected from the group consisting of:

a miniature camera phone;

a digital camera; and

a mobile computing device with a camera.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said monitoring is by wireless means selected from the group consisting of:

WLan, Bluetooth, RF, and IrDA.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring for the image capture device is by monitoring the processes continuously being executed by the image capturing device over a certain period of time.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the restricted or prohibited zone is a zone wherein image capturing is prohibited.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the image capturing device encompasses a device employing photography or a continuous mode of image capturing.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the continuous mode of image capturing means any type of video filming.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the continuous mode of image streaming means any type of live or recorded media transmission.