Image authentication apparatus, image authentication method, and image authentication program

• US 7,320,138 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Wakao, Satoru, Eguchi, Takami
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Kim
• Assistant Examiner(s): To; Baotran N.
• Application Number:
  US10/667,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20040059936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2, 726/4, 726/17, 726/27, 713/176, 713/155, 713/161, 713168-170, 380/229, 380/232, 380/247, 382/100
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00472 using a pop-up window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3235 Checking or certification of the authentication information, e.g. by comparison with data stored independently

Abstract

A system classifies an image file into a first group if authentication data included in the image file has been generated using a private key cryptosystem, and classifies the image file into a second group if the authentication data included in the image file has been generated using a public key cryptosystem. The system authenticates whether or not image data included in the image file has been altered using the authentication data. The system displays an indication of whether or not the image data included in the image file has been altered in a display area corresponding to the first group, if the image file is classified in the first group. The system displays an indication of whether or not the image data included in the image file has been altered in a display area corresponding to the second group, if the image file is classified in the second group.

Claims

1. A system that authenticates whether or not image data included in an image file has been altered, said system comprising:

a control unit that classifies the image file into a first group if authentication data included in the image file has been generated using a private key cryptosystem, and classifies the image file into a second group if the authentication data included in the image file has been generated using a public key cryptosystem,

wherein said control unit authenticates whether or not the image data included in the image file has been altered using the authentication data included in the image file,

said control unit displays an indication of whether or not the image data included in the image file has been altered in a display area corresponding to the first group, if the image file is classified in the first group, and

said control unit displays an indication of whether or not the image data included in the image file has been altered in a display area corresponding to the second group, if the image file is classified in the second group.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said control unit displays information related to the image file in a display area corresponding to the first group, if the image file is classified in the first group, and

said control unit displays information related to the image file in a display area corresponding to the second group, if the image file is classified in the second group, and

wherein the information related to the image file includes at least one of a thumbnail image, a file name, and a camera ID, the camera ID indicating a unique identifier of a digital camera that generated the image file.

3. A method of authenticating whether or not image data included in an image file has been altered, said method comprising the steps of:

classifying the image file into a first group if authentication data included in the image file has been generated using a private key cryptosystem;

classifying the image file into a second group if the authentication data included in the image file has been generated using a public key cryptosystem;

authenticating whether or not the image data included in the image file has been altered using the authentication data included in the image file;

displaying an indication of whether or not the image data included in the image file has been altered in a display area corresponding to the first group, if the image file is classified in the first group; and

displaying an indication of whether or not the image data included in the image file has been altered in a display area corresponding to the second group, if the image file is classified in the second group.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

displaying information related to the image file in a display area corresponding to the first group, if the image file is classified in the first group, and

displaying information related to the image file in a display area corresponding to the second group, if the image file is classified in the second group,

wherein the information related to the image file includes at least one of a thumbnail image, a file name, and a camera ID, the camera ID indicating a unique identifier of a digital camera that generated the image file.

5. A computer-readable medium that stores a program for causing a computer to perform a method of authenticating whether or not image data included in an image file has been altered, the method comprising the steps of:

classifying the image file into a first group if authentication data included in the image file has been generated using a private key cryptosystem;

classifying the image file into a second group if the authentication data included in the image file has been generated using a public key cryptosystem;

authenticating whether or not the image data included in the image file has been altered using the authentication data included in the image file;

displaying an indication of whether or not the image data included in the image file has been altered in a display area corresponding to the first group, if the image file is classified in the first group; and

displaying an indication of whether or not the image data included in the image file has been altered in a display area corresponding to the second group, if the image file is classified in the second group.

6. The computer-readable medium according to claim 5, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

displaying information related to the image file in a display area corresponding to the first group, if the image file is classified in the first group, and

displaying information related to the image file in a display area corresponding to the second group, if the image file is classified in the second group,

wherein the information related to the image file includes at least one of a thumbnail image, a file name, and a camera ID, the camera ID indicating a unique identifier of a digital camera that generated the image file.