KR20050014125A - system and method for inserting photographing image to user information of a camera phone - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A device and a method for inserting user information into a photographed image of a camera phone are provided to insert user information into a photographed image by using a watermarking technology, and to extract a watermark from the image to extract the inserted user information, thereby preventing a camera phone user from illegally photographing or distributing photographed images. CONSTITUTION: When a call is requested from a calling terminal(S31), a gateway confirms telephone numbers of the calling terminal and a called terminal(S32), and connects a speech path between the two terminals(S33). If an image file is transmitted from the calling terminal(S34), the gateway confirms whether a watermark is previously inserted into the transmitted image file(S35). If not, the gateway inserts a watermark including telephone number information on the calling terminal into the image file(S36), and sends the image file inserted with the watermark to the called terminal(S37). If a call termination is requested(S39), the gateway releases the speech path.

Description

Apparatus and method for inserting user information into a captured image of a camera phone {system and method for inserting photographing image to user information of a camera phone}

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for inserting user information into an image taken with a camera phone, and more particularly, to an apparatus for inserting user information of a corresponding camera phone into an image taken with a camera phone using a watermarking technique. It is about a method.

Recently, the size of the mobile communication terminal is gradually miniaturized as the electronic components become more sensitive, smaller, and lighter, and the functions of the mobile communication terminal are diversified according to the needs of consumers. In addition to the call function of the mobile communication terminal, game functions, Internet search functions, e-mail receiving and sending functions, and payment settlement functions are becoming common. Mobile communication terminals (camera phones) have been commercialized with a camera function and a video transmission function for transmitting a shape of an object taken by the camera to a computer or another person's mobile communication terminal.

However, there are social side effects caused by these camera phones, which use the camera phone as a sneak camera to capture the secrets of the company and leak them to the outside, or shoot the so-called bizarre scenes of the photographer in the dressing room or real life of a sports center or public bath. Increasingly, illegal distribution through websites is increasing.

In order to reduce the social side effects caused by the unrestricted use of such a camera phone, it is necessary to emit light or sound when taking a picture with the camera phone so that the subject can recognize the fact of taking a picture using the camera phone. Researched.

However, when taking a picture using a camera phone, the camera emits light or sound so that even if the photographer notices the picture, the picture is already taken. Therefore, unless the photographer deletes the picture, Illegal distribution cannot be prevented.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the user information is inserted into the image taken with the camera phone using watermarking technology, and the watermark is extracted from the image if the later captured image is illegally distributed. It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for inputting user information into a photographed image of a camera phone which prevents a camera phone user from illegally photographing or distributing a photographed image by extracting and extracting user information.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile communication terminal having a general photographing function,

2 is a configuration diagram of a camera phone for inserting user information into a captured image according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of inserting user information into a captured image of a camera phone by a gateway according to another embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of inserting user information into a captured image of a camera phone by a personal computer according to another embodiment of the present invention.

<Brief description of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

11; Control unit 12; Keypad

13; LCD screen 14; Shooting Department

15; A compression unit 16; Image file storage

17; An interface unit 18; Sending / Receiving Processing Unit

20; Watermark insert

Camera phone according to the present invention for achieving the above object, the photographing unit for photographing the subject image; A watermark insertion unit for inserting a watermark including user information into the photographed image; Including a compression unit for compressing and storing the watermark embedded image, characterized in that to insert the user information in the captured image of the camera phone.

In addition, the gateway according to the present invention for inserting the user information in the captured image of the camera phone, the gateway comprising the steps of connecting the call path between the calling camera phone and the receiving camera phone or the server; When the gateway transmits a captured image from the calling camera phone, inserting a watermark including user information of the calling camera into the captured image; And transmitting, by the gateway, the photographed image including the watermark to the receiving camera phone or the server.

In addition, a method of inserting user information into a captured image of a camera phone by a personal computer according to the present invention includes the steps of connecting the personal computer with the camera phone; Reading, by the personal computer, user information of the camera phone; And when the captured image is downloaded from the camera phone by the personal computer, inserting and storing a watermark including user information of the camera phone in the downloaded captured image.

Hereinafter, an apparatus and method for inputting user information into a captured image of a camera phone according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile communication terminal (camera phone) having a general photographing function. The control unit 11, the keypad 12, the LCD screen 13, the photographing unit 14, the compression unit 15, and the image are illustrated in FIG. The file storage unit 16, the interface unit 17, and the transmission and reception processing unit 18.

The control unit 11 controls the transmission and reception of the radio frequency signal through the transmission and reception processing unit 18, and controls the photographing and output of the photographed image file. The keypad 12 receives a user command for photographing and outputting the photographed image file, and transmits the user command to the controller 11. The LCD screen 13 displays a content related to photographing taken from the control unit 11 and informs the user, and displays an image file such as a moving picture and still image data transmitted from the control unit 11. The photographing unit 14 captures an object through a camera lens under the control of the controller 11, converts an image of the photographed object into a digital signal, and captures an image file by capturing a continuous digital signal as a still image. After generating or capturing a continuous image for a predetermined time to generate a video file and outputs the video file to the compression unit (15). Here, the controller 11 controls the photographing function of the photographing unit 14 according to a user's instruction through the keypad 12. The compression unit 15 receives image data such as a predetermined image file or a video file output from the photographing unit 14 under the control of the control unit 11, compresses the image data, and stores the image data in the image file storage unit 16. The interface unit 17 is connected to a computer or the like for developing an image file stored in the image file storage unit 16. That is, the control unit 11 outputs the image file stored in the image file storage unit 16 to a computer or the like connected to the interface unit 17 so that the image file is input to a computer or the like.

2 is a block diagram of a camera phone for inserting user information into a captured image according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The camera phone according to the present invention transmits and receives a control unit 11, a keypad 12, an LCD screen 13, a photographing unit 14, a compression unit 15, an image file storage unit 16, and an interface unit 17. A processing unit 18 and a watermark inserting unit 20 for inserting a watermark into the image photographed by the photographing unit 14 and transferring the watermark to the compression unit 15 are provided.

The functions of the control unit 11, the keypad 12, the LCD screen 13, the photographing unit 14, the compression unit 15, the image file storage unit 16, the interface unit 17, and the transmission / reception processing unit 18 are described. It is the same as the function described with respect to FIG.

The watermark inserting unit 20 receives user information, such as a phone number and a terminal unique number, from the image photographed by the photographing unit 14 and the control unit 11, and includes digital information including the user information input from the control unit 11. The watermark is inserted into the image photographed by the photographing unit 14. Here, the digital watermark refers to a bit pattern inserted into a digital image or an audio and video file so that copyright information on a certain file can be identified. This digital watermark is inserted for the purpose of providing copyright protection for intellectual property in digital form.

The operation and effects of the camera phone according to the present invention configured as described above are as follows.

When the user inputs an image capturing command using the keypad 12, the controller 11 controls the capturing unit 14 to capture an image image input through the camera lens and to display the captured image on the LCD screen 13. Display. When a user inputs a stored image storage command using the keypad 12, the controller 11 controls the watermark inserter 20 to insert the user information as a digital watermark in the captured image, and the compression unit 15. ), The photographed image having the watermark inserted therein is compressed and stored in the image file storage unit 16.

The photographed image having the watermark embedded thereafter is reproduced on the LCD screen 13 according to a user's command, transmitted to the camera phone of another user through the transmission / reception processing unit 18, or downloaded to a computer or the like through the interface unit 17. Loaded.

When the watermark including the user information is inserted into the captured image, the watermark can be extracted from the image into which the corresponding watermark is inserted and the user information can be extracted later. Therefore, when the camera phone user illegally distributes the image taken by the camera phone, the user can be traced back, thereby preventing illegal photographing or illegal distribution of the photographed photo image.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of inserting user information into a captured image according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The user information insertion method according to the present invention is processed at the gateway when the photographed image is wirelessly transmitted between the camera phone and the camera phone or transmitted to the server via the wireless Internet. The video image photographed by any camera phone is transmitted to another camera phone or a wireless Internet server according to a user's command, which is transmitted through a gateway. At this time, the calling camera phone transmits the calling phone number, the calling phone number, and the image file to the receiving camera phone. The gateway inserts a watermark including the calling phone number information into the image file, and then photographs the camera phone. Make it trackable.

Referring to FIG. 3, the gateway inserts user information into the camera phone photographed image. When a call is requested from the calling terminal (S31), the gateway determines the calling party's telephone number and the receiving terminal (or wireless Internet). The phone number of the server) is checked (S32), and a call path is connected between the calling terminal and the receiving terminal (or wireless Internet server) (S33). When the image file is transmitted from the calling terminal (S34), it is checked whether there is a watermark already inserted in the transmitted image file (S35). If there is no watermark inserted in the transmitted image file, a watermark including the phone number information of the calling terminal is inserted into the corresponding image file (S36), and the watermark-inserted image file is transmitted to the receiving telephone number (S37). ). However, if the watermark is inserted into the transmitted image file as a result of the check in step S35, the flow advances to step S37 to transmit the image file to the receiving telephone number. On the other hand, if the image file is not transmitted from the calling terminal in step S34, it is driven in the normal phone mode to transfer the voice data file input from any one terminal to the other terminal (S38).

When the call termination is requested from the calling terminal or the receiving terminal (S39), the call path is released, otherwise the flow returns to step S34.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of inserting user information into a captured image according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The user information insertion method according to the present invention is processed by a personal computer when downloading an image photographed by a camera phone to a personal computer. As a method of distributing an image photographed with a camera phone, there is a method of downloading an image photographed with a camera phone to a personal computer and uploading it again to the Internet. The camera phone and the personal computer are directly connected by separate cables or by infrared communication. When the photographed image is downloaded from the camera phone to the personal computer in this way, a watermark including the terminal phone number information of the camera phone is inserted in the photographed image.

A method of inserting user information into a camera phone photographed image by a personal computer will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

When the user executes the camera phone photographed image download program of the personal computer (S41), the personal computer attempts to connect with the camera phone (S42), and when the connection is completed (S43), reads the terminal phone number of the connected camera phone. (S44). When an image file download request is input from the user (S45), the watermark including the phone number information of the camera phone is inserted into the downloaded image file (S46), and the watermark-inserted image file is stored (S47).

If the image file to be downloaded remains, steps S46 to S47 are repeated, and if there is no image file to download, the process ends.

The technical spirit of the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but this is by way of example only and not by way of limitation to the present invention. In addition, it is obvious that any person skilled in the art may make various modifications and imitations without departing from the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

According to the present invention, the camera phone itself inserts a watermark including terminal phone number information in the captured image, or when the gateway transfers the captured image between the camera phones, the gateway inserts a watermark including terminal phone number information in the captured image, When downloading a shot image to a personal computer, the personal computer may insert a watermark including terminal telephone number information in the shot image.

When the watermark including the terminal phone number information is inserted into the image photographed using the camera phone as described above, the watermark is extracted from the corresponding image and the terminal phone number information is extracted to infer the photographer of the image. . Therefore, if the user recognizes the camera phone, the illegal scene will not be photographed, and even if taken, it will be impossible to distribute to various people, thereby preventing side effects due to the unrestricted use of the camera phone.

Claims (7)

A photographing unit which photographs a subject image; A watermark insertion unit for inserting a watermark including user information into the photographed image; Including a compression unit for compressing and storing the watermark embedded image, Camera phone, characterized in that for inserting the user information in the captured image of the camera phone. The camera phone according to claim 1, wherein the user information is a terminal phone number or a unique number of the camera phone. A gateway connection step of the gateway connecting a communication path between the calling camera phone and the receiving camera phone or the server; A watermark insertion step of inserting a watermark including user information of the originating camera into the captured image when the gateway transmits a captured image from the calling camera phone; And transmitting, by the gateway, the captured image to which the watermark is inserted, to the receiving camera phone or the server. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the user information is a terminal phone number or a unique number of the calling camera phone. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of inserting the watermark comprises: when the image is transmitted from the calling camera phone, the gateway checks whether a watermark has already been inserted into the transmitted image file, and if not, inserts the watermark. A method of inserting user information into a photographed image of a camera phone, characterized by inserting a watermark including user information of a camera. Connecting the personal computer with the camera phone; Reading, by the personal computer, user information of the camera phone; And when the captured image is downloaded from the camera phone by the personal computer, inserting and storing a watermark including the user information of the camera phone in the downloaded captured image. How to insert information. The method of claim 5, wherein the user information is a terminal phone number or a unique number of the calling camera phone.