U.S. patent application number 11/195346 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-04 for restoring modified assets.
This patent application is currently assigned to Searete LLC, a limited liability corporation of the State of Delaware. Invention is credited to Royce A. Levien, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, John D. JR. Rinaldo.
Application Number | 20070005651 11/195346 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37590998 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070005651 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Levien; Royce A. ; et
al. |
January 4, 2007 |
Restoring modified assets
Abstract
An apparatus, device, methods, computer program product, and
system are described that determine that a modified media asset
includes a modified portion that has been modified from a former
portion, and alter the modified media asset to produce a restored
media asset in which at least a part of the former portion is
restored.
Inventors: |
Levien; Royce A.;
(Lexington, MA) ; Lord; Robert W.; (Seattle,
WA) ; Malamud; Mark A.; (Seattle, WA) ;
Rinaldo; John D. JR.; (Bellevue, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SEARETE LLC;CLARENCE T. TEGREENE
1756 - 114TH AVE., S.E.
SUITE 110
BELLEVUE
WA
98004
US
|
Assignee: |
Searete LLC, a limited liability
corporation of the State of Delaware
|
Family ID: |
37590998 |
Appl. No.: |
11/195346 |
Filed: |
August 2, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11173990 |
Jul 1, 2005 |
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11195346 |
Aug 2, 2005 |
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11174432 |
Jul 1, 2005 |
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11173990 |
Jul 1, 2005 |
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11195358 |
Aug 2, 2005 |
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11195346 |
Aug 2, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 ;
707/999.107 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 21/10 20130101;
G11B 27/036 20130101; G11B 27/34 20130101; G06F 21/6254 20130101;
G11B 27/034 20130101; G06F 2221/2135 20130101; G11B 27/28
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
707/104.1 |
International
Class: |
G06F 7/00 20060101
G06F007/00 |
Claims
1. A method comprising: determining that a modified media asset
includes a modified portion that has been modified from a former
portion; and altering the modified media asset to produce a
restored media asset in which at least a part of the former portion
is restored.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a modified media
asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from a
former portion comprises: receiving a request from a user for the
restored media asset.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a modified media
asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from a
former portion comprises: receiving payment from a user for
obtaining the restored media asset.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a modified media
asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from a
former portion comprises: determining metadata associated with the
modified media asset that identifies the modified media asset as
containing the modified portion.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a modified media
asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from a
former portion comprises: associating at least an attribute of the
modified media asset with a capture device used to obtain at least
a part of the modified media asset.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a modified media
asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from a
former portion comprises: associating at least an attribute of the
modified media asset with a user known to have captured at least a
part of the modified media asset.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a modified media
asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from a
former portion comprises: analyzing at least the modified portion
of the media asset to recognize the modified portion.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein analyzing at least the modified
portion of the media asset to recognize the modified portion
comprises: performing image analysis of the modified media
asset.
9. (canceled)
10. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a modified media
asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from a
former portion comprises: determining an attribute of an included
subject within the modified media asset.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a modified media
asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from a
former portion comprises: determining one or more of a symbol or a
word within the modified media asset.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a modified media
asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from a
former portion comprises: associating at least a portion of the
modified media asset with a setting content of the modified media
asset.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a modified media
asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from a
former portion comprises: evaluating an attribute of at least the
modified portion against recognition criteria specifying media
asset attributes associated with identifying modified media
assets.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a modified media
asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from a
former portion comprises: determining a user preference associated
with the modified portion.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a modified media
asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from a
former portion comprises: determining a preference associated with
a subject of the former portion.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a modified media
asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from a
former portion comprises: determining a preference of a user who
captured at least a part of the modified media asset.
17. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a modified media
asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from a
former portion comprises: determining a preference of a producer of
the restored media asset.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a modified media
asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from a
former portion comprises: determining identity information
associated with the modified media asset.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein determining identity information
associated with the modified media asset comprises: matching audio
information within the modified media asset with a person.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein determining identity information
associated with the modified media asset comprises: determining
that the identity information is associated with an obscuring
identity.
21. The method of claim 18 wherein determining identity information
associated with the modified media asset comprises: associating
image information within the modified portion with an image
subject.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein associating image information
within the modified portion with an image subject comprises:
matching the subject with at least one of a plurality of subjects
that have been designated for inclusion in the modified media
asset.
23. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a modified media
asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from a
former portion comprises: determining the modified media asset to
include one or more of a still image, an imaged element within a
video stream, a word within an audio stream, or a sound within an
audio stream.
24. (canceled)
25. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a modified media
asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from a
former portion comprises: receiving the modified media asset at a
central collection facility for collecting media assets.
26. The method of claim 1 wherein altering the modified media asset
to produce a restored media asset in which at least a part of the
former portion is restored comprises: altering the modified media
asset based on access information associated with one or more of a
former media asset, the modified media asset, or the restored media
asset.
27. (canceled)
28. The method of claim 26 wherein altering the media asset based
on access information associated with one or more of a former media
asset, the modified media asset, or the restored media asset
comprises: determining an attribute of the former portion to
include within the restored media asset, based on the access
information.
29. (canceled)
30. (canceled)
31. The method of claim 28 wherein determining an attribute of the
former portion to include within the restored media asset, based on
the access information comprises: evaluating a request of a
requestor of the restored media asset against a permission level
associated with the requestor.
32. The method of claim 28 wherein determining an attribute of the
former portion to include within the restored media asset, based on
the access information comprises: evaluating a recipient of the
restored media asset against a permission level associated with the
recipient.
33. The method of claim 28 wherein determining an attribute of the
former portion to include within the restored media asset, based on
the access information comprises: evaluating a context display of
the restored media asset against a permission level associated with
the context display.
34. The method of claim 1 wherein altering the modified media asset
to produce a restored media asset in which at least a part of the
former portion is restored comprises: replacing a modified image
within the modified portion with at least an attribute of a former
image within the former portion.
35. The method of claim 1 wherein altering the modified media asset
to produce a restored media asset in which at least a part of the
former portion is restored comprises: replacing a modified image
within the modified portion with replacement image that includes a
former image within the former portion as well as enhancements to
the former image.
36. The method of claim 1 wherein altering the modified media asset
to produce a restored media asset in which at least a part of the
former portion is restored comprises: obtaining the part of the
former portion from a substitutions database that is operable to
store an inventory of substituted asset portions.
37. The method of claim 1 wherein altering the modified media asset
to produce a restored media asset in which at least a part of the
former portion is restored comprises: revealing identity
information related to a subject of the former portion by restoring
at least a part of an image of the subject from the former portion
within the restored media asset.
38. (canceled)
39. The method of claim 1 wherein altering the modified media asset
to produce a restored media asset in which at least a part of the
former portion is restored comprises: accessing encryption
information regarding the modified portion.
40. The method of claim 1 wherein altering the modified media asset
to produce a restored media asset in which at least a part of the
former portion is restored comprises: providing the encryption
information to a user to enable the user to obtain the restored
media asset.
41. The method of claim 1 wherein altering the modified media asset
to produce a restored media asset in which at least a part of the
former portion is restored comprises: producing the restored media
asset as a digital restored media asset.
42. A computer program product comprising: a signal-bearing medium
bearing at least one of one or more instructions for determining
that a modified media asset includes a modified portion that has
been modified from a former portion, and one or more instructions
for altering the modified media asset to produce a restored media
asset in which at least a part of the former portion is
restored.
43. (canceled)
44. (canceled)
45. (canceled)
46. A system comprising: a computing device; and instructions that
when executed on the computing device cause the computing device to
determine that a modified media asset includes a modified portion
that has been modified from a former portion, and alter the
modified media asset to produce a restored media asset in which at
least a part of the former portion is restored.
47. (canceled)
48. The system of claim 46 wherein the computing device is operable
to communicate with a user device to receive the modified media
asset from the consumer and to produce the restored media asset to
the user.
49. A device comprising: a processing system, the processing system
comprising recognition logic that is operable to determine that a
modified media asset includes a modified portion that has been
modified from a former portion, and restoration logic that is
operable to alter the modified media asset to produce a restored
media asset in which at least a part of the former portion is
restored.
50. The device of claim 49 wherein the recognition logic is
operable to communicate with a memory storing recognition
criteria.
51. The device of claim 49 wherein the restoration logic is
operable to access a former asset for inclusion in the restored
media asset.
52. (canceled)
53. A method comprising: providing a modified media asset to a
processing system for recognition of a modified portion within the
modified media asset that has been modified from a former portion;
and receiving a restored media asset in which at least a part of
the former portion is restored.
54. The method of claim 53 wherein providing a modified media asset
to a processing system for recognition of a modified portion within
the modified media asset that has been modified from a former
portion comprises: specifying recognition parameters by which the
modified portion may be determined, by way of a user interface.
55. The method of claim 53 wherein providing a modified media asset
to a processing system for recognition of a modified portion within
the modified media asset that has been modified from a former
portion comprises: specifying restoration parameters by which the
former portion may be restored, by way of a user interface.
56. (canceled)
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] 1. For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements,
the present application constitutes a continuation in part of
currently co-pending United States patent application entitled
TECHNIQES FOR IMAGE GENERATION, naming Royce A. Levien; Robert W.
Lord; Mark A. Malamud and John D. Rinaldo, Jr., as inventors, USAN:
Ser. No. 11/173,990, filed Jul. 1, 2005.
[0002] 2. For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements,
the present application constitutes a continuation in part of
currently co-pending United States patent application entitled
PROVIDING PROMOTIONAL CONTENT, naming Royce A. Levien; Robert W.
Lord; Mark A. Malamud and John D. Rinaldo, Jr., as inventors, USAN:
Ser. No. 11/174,432, filed Jul. 1, 2005.
[0003] 3. For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements,
the present application constitutes a continuation in part of
currently co-pending United States patent application entitled
MODIFYING RESTRICTED IMAGES, naming Royce A. Levien; Robert W.
Lord; Mark A. Malamud and John D. Rinaldo, Jr., as inventors, USAN:
To be Assigned, filed Aug. 2, 2005.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0004] The present application is related to, claims the earliest
available effective filing date(s) from (e.g., claims earliest
available priority dates for other than provisional patent
applications; claims benefits under 35 USC .sctn. 119(e) for
provisional patent applications), and incorporates by reference in
its entirety all subject matter of the following listed
application(s) (the "Related Applications") to the extent such
subject matter is not inconsistent herewith; the present
application also claims the earliest available effective filing
date(s) from, and also incorporates by reference in its entirety
all subject matter of any and all parent, grandparent,
great-grandparent, etc. applications of the Related Application(s)
to the extent such subject matter is not inconsistent herewith. The
United States Patent Office (USPTO) has published a notice to the
effect that the USPTO's computer programs require that patent
applicants reference both a serial number and indicate whether an
application is a continuation or continuation in part. Kunin,
Benefit of Prior-Filed Application, USPTO Electronic Official
Gazette, Mar. 18, 2003 at
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/sol/og/2003/week11/patbene.htm.
The present applicant entity has provided below a specific
reference to the application(s)from which priority is being claimed
as recited by statute. Applicant entity understands that the
statute is unambiguous in its specific reference language and does
not require either a serial number or any characterization such as
"continuation" or "continuation-in-part." Notwithstanding the
foregoing, applicant entity understands that the USPTO's computer
programs have certain data entry requirements, and hence applicant
entity is designating the present application as a continuation in
part of its parent applications, but expressly points out that such
designations are not to be construed in any way as any type of
commentary and/or admission as to whether or not the present
application contains any new matter in addition to the matter of
its parent application(s).
SUMMARY
[0005] An embodiment provides a method. In one implementation, the
method includes but is not limited to determining that a modified
media asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from
a former portion, and altering the modified media asset to produce
a restored media asset in which at least a part of the former
portion is restored. In addition to the foregoing, other method
aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a
part of the present disclosure.
[0006] An embodiment provides a computer program product. In one
implementation, the computer program product includes but is not
limited to a signal bearing medium bearing at least one of one or
more instructions for determining that a modified media asset
includes a modified portion that has been modified from a former
portion, and one or more instructions for altering the modified
media asset to produce a restored media asset in which at least a
part of the former portion is restored. In addition to the
foregoing, other computer program product aspects are described in
the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present
disclosure.
[0007] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to a computing device and
instructions. The instructions when executed on the computing
device cause the computing device to determine that a modified
media asset includes a modified portion that has been modified from
a former portion, and alter the modified media asset to produce a
restored media asset in which at least a part of the former portion
is restored. In addition to the foregoing, other system aspects are
described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the
present disclosure.
[0008] An embodiment provides a device. In one implementation, the
device includes but is not limited to a processing system, the
processing system comprising recognition logic that is operable to
determine that a modified media asset includes a modified portion
that has been modified from a former portion, and restoration logic
that is operable to alter the modified media asset to produce a
restored media asset in which at least a part of the former portion
is restored. In addition to the foregoing, other device aspects are
described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the
present disclosure.
[0009] An embodiment provides another method. In one
implementation, the method includes but is not limited to providing
a modified media asset to a processing system for recognition of a
modified portion within the modified media asset that has been
modified from a former portion, and receiving a restored media
asset in which at least a part of the former portion is restored.
In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in
the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present
disclosure.
[0010] In one or more various aspects, related systems include but
are not limited to circuitry and/or programming for effecting the
herein-referenced method aspects; the circuitry and/or programming
can be virtually any combination of hardware, software, and/or
firmware configured to effect the herein-referenced method aspects
depending upon the design choices of the system designer.
[0011] In addition to the foregoing, various other embodiments are
set forth and described in the text (e.g., claims and/or detailed
description) and/or drawings of the present description.
[0012] The foregoing is a summary and thus contains, by necessity,
simplifications, generalizations and omissions of detail;
consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way
limiting. Other aspects, features, and advantages of the devices
and/or processes described herein, as defined by the claims, will
become apparent in the detailed description set forth herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates an example system in which embodiments
may be implemented, perhaps in a device.
[0014] FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate certain alternative embodiments of
the device and/or processing system of FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 3 illustrates an operational flow representing example
operations that produce a restored media asset.
[0016] FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the example
operational flow of FIG. 3.
[0017] FIG. 5 illustrates another alternative embodiment of the
example operational flow of FIG. 3.
[0018] FIG. 6 illustrates another alternative embodiment of the
example operational flow of FIG. 3.
[0019] FIG. 7 illustrates another alternative embodiment of the
example operational flow of FIG. 3.
[0020] FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the example
operational flow of FIG. 3.
[0021] FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the example
operational flow of FIG. 3.
[0022] FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the example
operational flow of FIG. 3.
[0023] FIG. 11 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the example
operational flow of FIG. 3.
[0024] FIG. 12 illustrates a partial view of an example computer
program product that includes a computer program for executing a
computer process on a computing device.
[0025] FIG. 13 illustrates an example device in which embodiments
may be implemented.
[0026] FIG. 14 illustrates an operational flow representing example
operations by which a user receives a restored media asset.
[0027] The use of the same symbols in different drawings typically
indicates similar or identical items.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] FIG. 1 illustrates an example system 100 in which
embodiments may be implemented, perhaps in the context of a device.
In FIG. 1, a former media asset 101 is assumed to have been
modified, converted, manipulated, or otherwise transformed into a
modified media asset 102. Although full discussion and details as
to how or why such modification may take place are not provided
herein, it should be understood that various possibilities and
techniques exist for obtaining the modified media asset 102 from
the former media asset 101. By way of example and not limitation, a
user may modify the former media asset 101 using conventional audio
or image editing tools. As another example, a system may input the
former media asset 101 and perform certain operations thereon to
obtain the modified media asset 102, such as, for example,
obscuring, enhancing, processing, or replacing portions of the
former media asset 101. Further examples of such operations include
rotating, scaling, coloring, or substituting portions of the former
media asset 101, or altering a contrast, brightness, or other
attribute of the former media asset 101. Such operations may be
performed, for example, in order to improve the former media asset
101 or otherwise to match a user preference, to block out certain
portions of the former media asset 101, or to anonymize or
otherwise obscure an identity of a person or other subject of the
former media asset 101.
[0029] At some time after being modified, the modified media asset
102 is received at a processing system 104 and thereafter output by
the processing system 104 as a restored media asset 106. More
specifically, the modified media asset 102 includes a modified
portion 108, and the processing system 104 is operable to determine
that the modified portion 108 is, in fact, modified from some
former state.
[0030] The processing system 104 is further operable to restore the
modified media asset 102, and in particular, to restore at least a
portion of the modified portion 108, and thereafter output the
restored media asset 106 having a restored portion 110. In this
way, for example, the modified media asset 102 may be viewed in its
original form (or in some version of some previous form).
[0031] Of course, the example just mentioned does not imply a
limitation that the restored portion 110 is identical to the former
portion 107. For example, only a part of the former portion 107 may
be included in the restored portion 110, and even this part may be
modified (e.g., clarified or enhanced) with respect to its
counterpart in the actual former portion 107.
[0032] Also, although the example of FIG. 1 illustrates an image of
a human figure as the former portion 107, modified portion 108, and
the restored portion 110, it is apparent that any other subject or
element of a modified media asset may be restored in the manner
described, including images of places and things, and including a
non-image subject (e.g., a spoken word or other sound).
Additionally, the modified portion 108 need not include a single,
or any, discernable element of the modified media asset 102, and
may represent, for example, a background or blank space in the
modified media asset 102 that has obscured the former portion 107,
but that is nonetheless determined by the processing system 104 and
restored within the restored media asset 106. Thus, the terms
subject, element, item, discernable element, or similar terms
should be read accordingly, unless context dictates otherwise.
[0033] The processing system 104 includes recognition logic 112
that is operable to recognize the modified nature of the modified
portion 108. The processing system 104 also includes restoration
logic 114 that is operable to restore the modified media asset 102
(including the modified portion 108) to obtain the restored media
asset 106 and the restored portion 110.
[0034] As described in more detail herein, the recognition logic
112 may determine the modified portion 108 within the modified
media asset 102 using recognition criteria 116. As also described
in more detail herein, the restoration logic 114 may obtain the
restored portion 110 by accessing restoration criteria 118, and/or
by accessing substitute information 119. Specific examples of
operations involving these elements of the processing system 104
are provided below in the context of various operational flows.
[0035] Generally speaking, however, the recognition logic 112 may
operate to analyze various attributes of the modified media asset
102, including, for example, attributes of the modified portion
108, in order to determine a modified nature of the modified
portion 108. One example of attributes of the modified media asset
102 that is illustrated in FIG. 1 includes concurrent image(s) 120,
i.e., the recognition logic 112 may make a determination that the
modified portion 108 is modified based on a presence or absence of
the concurrent image(s) 120, or based on the presence or absence of
certain attributes of the concurrent image(s) 120. Of course,
attributes of the modified media asset 102 are not necessarily
limited to characteristics of the modified media asset 102, and
also may include, for example, metadata associated with the
modified media asset 102, an identity of a person, place, or thing
within or in association with the modified portion 108, or
information related to a person and/or device involved in capturing
the modified media asset 102. Meanwhile, the restoration logic 114
may operate to restore the restored portion 110, by, for example,
selecting the former portion 107 from the substitution information
119, for inclusion in whole or in part in the restored portion
110.
[0036] Further in FIG. 1, a user 122 accesses the processing system
104 by way of a user interface 124. In this way, the user 122 may,
for example, submit the modified media asset 102 to the processing
system 104, or receive the restored media asset 106 from the
processing system 104, or may become involved in operations of the
processing system 104. The user interface 124 also may be used, for
example, to define or modify the recognition criteria 116, or to
select the restoration criteria 118. The user interface 124 also
may be used to control a type and/or extent of the recognition
performed by the recognition logic 112, or to control a type and/or
extent of the restorations performed by the restoration logic
114.
[0037] Also in FIG. 1, a device 126 is shown in which the
processing system 104 may operate. As described in more detail with
respect to FIG. 2 and following figures, the device 126 may include
in some examples, an image capture device, a print device, a
display device, an audio capture device, a general-purpose
computing device, or virtually any other device or combination of
devices that may be used to store, transmit, display, or render a
media asset.
[0038] The processing system 104 also may be operable to perform
other processing of the modified media asset 102, such as, for
example, enhancing, editing, displaying, or otherwise improving the
modified media asset 102, or, in other example embodiments, such
additional processing may be performed by other external systems
(not shown), if needed.
[0039] FIG. 1 also illustrates the possibility that the modified
media asset 102 may be associated with metadata 128. For example, a
video stream may have an associated closed-captioning stream, or a
web page may have metadata associated with content of the page.
Typically, such metadata 128 may not be viewable to the user 122,
or may only be viewable if some specific action is taken by the
user 122. The metadata 128 may be intended by a designer or
producer of the modified media asset 102, or by an intervening user
of the modified media asset 102, to provide additional information
or level of enjoyment to the user 122, and may be used by the
processing system 104 to assist in, for example, determining the
modified portion 108, as described in more detail, below. The
metadata 128 may or may not be included within, or otherwise
associated with, the former media asset 101, or the restored media
asset 106.
[0040] A symbol or text 130, on the other hand, generally
represents information that is included within the modified media
asset 102 for normal viewing, listening, or other reception by the
user 122 or another user. For example, a web page may include a
news article that names a person who is pictured in the article. By
using the name text, the recognition logic 112 may be able to
determine identity or other information regarding the modified
portion 108, or the concurrent image(s) 120, and may therefore take
associated restorative action to obtain the restored media asset
106.
[0041] In FIG. 1, it should be understood that any and/or all of
the illustrated elements, and other elements, not illustrated, may
be in communication with one another according to any known
methods, including but not limited to the various communication
techniques discussed herein. As such, it should be understood that
the various elements need not be located or co-located as
illustrated in the example of FIG. 1. For example, in some
embodiments, the recognition logic 112 and/or the recognition
criteria 116 may be remote from the processing system 104.
Similarly, the user interface 124 may be implemented at a local
computing device of the user 122, remote from the processing system
104, or may be a part of the device 126 that may house the
processing system 104, as well.
[0042] FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate certain alternative embodiments of
the device 126 and/or processing system 104 of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2A,
the device 126 is illustrated as a printer 126a, which includes the
processing system 104 and a display 202. The display 202 may be
used to display a preview of a media asset to be printed with the
printer 126a, such as, for example, the former media asset 101, the
modified media asset 102 and/or the restored media asset 106, and,
of course, the printer 126a may be used to print the modified media
asset 102 and/or the restored media asset 106 on paper 204, as
well.
[0043] The display 202 also should be understood to function, in
some example embodiments, as the user interface 124. For example,
the display 202 may include touch-screen control for operating the
printer 126a and/or the processing system 104, or various buttons,
keys, or other selection/input devices (not shown) may be used. In
additional or alternative embodiments, an external computing device
may be connected to the printer 126a for control thereof, including
control of the processing system 104.
[0044] In FIG. 2B, the device 126 is illustrated as a camera 126b,
which, similarly to the printer 126a, includes some or all of the
processing system 104, as well as a display 206. As with the
printer 126a, the camera 126b (and/or the processing system 104)
may be controlled by the user 122, either using the display 206
(and possibly associated controls), or using an external computing
device.
[0045] In FIG. 2C, the processing system 104 is illustrated as part
of a processing service 208, which may be remote from the user 122
at a display device 210, and in communication therewith by way of a
network 212. In such example embodiments, the user 122 may use the
display device 210 to transmit and receive the modified media asset
102 and/or the restored media asset 106, respectively, in order to
obtain the various advantages described herein. Of course, the
display device 210 may include any computing device that may
include a display, including, for example, a personal digital
assistant (PDA), a laptop computer, a desktop computer, or any
other of the examples provided herein and/or that are generally
known. Also, as shown, the processing system 104 may be included in
the display device 210 (or any other computing device), as well. In
one example, discussed in more detail below, the processing service
208 may operate as a clearinghouse at which media assets of various
types and captured by a number of users may be processed, so that
any modified images therein may be restored appropriately.
[0046] In FIG. 3 and in following figures that include various
examples of operational flows, discussion and explanation may be
provided with respect to the above-described examples of FIGS. 1,
2A, 2B, and 2C, and/or with respect to other examples and contexts.
However, it should be understood that the operational flows may be
executed in a number of other environment and contexts, and/or in
modified versions of FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B, and 2C. Also, although the
various operational flows are presented in the sequence(s)
illustrated, it should be understood that the various operations
may be performed in other orders than those which are illustrated,
or may be performed concurrently.
[0047] FIG. 3 illustrates an operational flow 300 representing
example operations that produce the restored media asset 106. After
a start operation, the operational flow 300 moves to a determining
operation 310 where it is determined that the modified media asset
102 includes the modified portion 108 that has been modified from
the former portion 107. For example, the recognition logic 112 of
the processing system 104 may determine that the modified portion
108 includes a person, place, or thing that is known to be used as
a replacement image or other subject, and that, for example,
therefore may be subject to restoration to a former image or other
subject, within the restored media asset 106. Various other
examples of the determining operation 310 are provided in detail,
below.
[0048] At an altering operation 320, the modified media asset 102
is altered to produce the restored media asset 106 in which at
least a part of the former portion 107 is restored. For example, as
in FIG. 1, the restoration logic 114 may operate to replace a
modified image of a person or a part of a person with a former
image of an originally-imaged person (or part thereof). In this
case, the restored or revealed part or portion may include, for
example, one or more of a body (part) shape, a shared facial
feature or skin tone, a shared gender or race, a shared hair color
or body physique, or numerous other examples, and combinations
thereof. Of course, the modified image need not be of a person, but
also may include virtually any object that may be imaged, including
places, objects, or landmarks, to name just a few. Further, the
modified image need not be of a single one of these possibilities,
but could include multiple people, places, or things, or
combinations thereof. Further, the media asset(s) 101, 102, and 106
need not include images, and may include audio media assets, text
media assets, and other media assets (some examples of which are
given below), as well as combinations thereof. Further examples are
provided below.
[0049] In some embodiments, the user 122 may include a person, an
entity, and/or a government. Although a user may be shown herein as
a single illustrated figure, and/or be described in the singular,
those skilled in the art will appreciate that the term user may be
representative of one or more human user(s), robotic user(s) (e.g.,
computational entity), and/or substantially any combination thereof
(e.g., a user may be assisted by one or more robotic agents).
Further, the user, as set forth herein, even if shown as a single
entity, may in fact be composed of two or more entities. Those
skilled in the art will appreciate that, in general, the same may
be said of "sender" and/or other entity-oriented terms as such
terms may be used herein.
[0050] In some embodiments, the modified media asset 102 may
include a visual image, a picture, a website, an audio recording, a
video stream, and/or an audio stream. In additional or alternative
embodiments, the modified media asset 102 also may include text,
such as may be included in an article or other writing, or in a
website. The modified media asset 102 may be embodied in various
forms, including but not limited to digital files or transmissions,
analog recordings or transmissions, or may be embodied in physical
form, such as, for example, on paper, plastic, canvas, wood, or any
other physical medium in which text, image, or other
representations may be embodied.
[0051] The modified media asset 102 may be received, stored and/or
transmitted using typical elements of a computer environment. The
modified media asset 102 (and the restored media asset 106) may be
transmitted over a network such as the network 212 of FIG. 2, which
may represent, for example, a local area network (LAN), a wide area
network (WAN), or a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, or the modified
media asset 102 may be broadcast over the air.
[0052] The former media asset 101, the modified media asset 102
(and the restored media asset 106) may be captured, received,
displayed and/or transmitted, for example and without limitation,
using one or more of the following: an electronic device; an
appliance; a computing device, such as a personal computer and a
server; a limited resource computing device; a pervasive computing
device; a personal digital assistant (PDA); a cell phone; a
Blackberry appliance; a vehicle, such as a car, boat, and/or
aircraft; an X-Box; a home gateway; a set-top box; a television, a
radio, a camera; a printer; a digital video disc (DVD) recorder or
burner; and a TiVo or other digital video recorder (DVR).
[0053] FIG. 4 illustrates alternative embodiments of the example
operational flow 300 of FIG. 3. FIG. 4 illustrates example
embodiments where the determining operation 310 may include at
least one additional operation. Additional operations may include
operation 402, operation 404, operation 406, operation 408, and/or
operation 410.
[0054] At the operation 402, a request from a user for the restored
media asset is received. For example, the user 122 may request the
restored media asset 106 from the processing system 104.
Specifically, for example, the user 122 may know or suspect that
the modified media asset 102 has, in fact, been modified (and may
or may not know that the modified portion 108 is the specific
portion that has been modified), and may submit or otherwise
identity the modified media asset 102 to the processing system 104
to obtain the restored media asset 106.
[0055] At the operation 404, payment is received from a user for
obtaining the restored media asset. For example, the user 122 may
offer payment to the processing system 104, or an operator thereof,
for the service of providing the restored media asset 106. Here,
the user 122 may be the same user requesting the restored media
asset 106 of the operation 402, or may be a different user.
[0056] Also, payment may refer generally to any type of monetary
compensation, and/or non-monetary compensation, and/or economic
value exchange. Such payment may, for example, occur between any
pair of entities and/or other group of entities. By way of example
and not limitation, a payment may include a non-monetary payment,
such as a credit or coupon that may be exchanged for goods or
services, a reduced or eliminated cost to a user or users for
related or non-related goods or services. In another example, a
payment may include granting a party certain rights or permissions
as payment, such as information-related permissions. This may
involve granting a party rights to certain information the party
ordinarily would not have rights to access, or rights to use
certain information in a particular manner. For example, one type
of payment may include a party allowing another party to keep a
user's personal information in a database for marketing or research
purposes. In another example, as compensation or payment, a user or
users may grant another party the right to monitor computer usage,
or preferences or buying habits of the user in certain contexts, or
the right to monitor a physical location or activity of the user.
The user also may accept cash or cash-equivalents as payment from
the provider for providing such entitlements, rights, or
permissions. Thus, by providing and/or receiving monetary or
non-monetary value, in an amount that may be designated as part of
an agreement between the relevant parties, the parties may gain
advantages and benefits that are mutually acceptable to both.
[0057] At the operation 406, metadata associated with the modified
media asset that identifies the modified media asset as containing
the modified portion is determined. For example, the recognition
logic 112 may access the metadata 128, which may include, for
example, a marker associated with the modified media asset 102 that
was imposed by a camera of the user 122 when (or after) the former
media asset 101 or the modified media asset 102 was obtained, or a
marker that was associated with the former media asset 101 or the
modified media asset 102 sometime after capture or receipt
thereof.
[0058] For example, where the modified media asset 102 includes a
web page, the recognition logic 112 may analyze portions of the web
page, including source code associated with the web page, that may
provide information about, for example, any of the factors
mentioned herein, or other factors (e.g., a capturing user or
device, the concurrently-imaged object(s) 120, or any other
information about the modified media asset 102 that may be useful
to the recognition logic 112 in determining the modified portion
108). For example, where the modified media asset 102 includes a
video stream, a closed-captioning stream that is associated with
the modified media asset 102 may be analyzed. For example, the
modified media asset 102 may represent a television show or movie
that has an associated closed-captioning stream, which may be
analyzed by the recognition logic 112 to assist in making a
determination regarding the modified portion 108.
[0059] At the operation 408, at least an attribute of the modified
media asset is associated with a capture device used to obtain at
least a part of the modified media asset. For example, the
recognition logic 112 may analyze any one of a number of attributes
of the modified media asset 102, for association with such a
capture device (e.g., the camera 126b of FIG. 2). To name a few
such attributes by way of example and not limitation, the
recognition logic 112 may determine an attribute of the concurrent
image(s) 120 within the modified media asset 102, where the
concurrent image(s) 120 may include virtually any item that may be
imaged within the modified media asset 102. The concurrent image(s)
120 also may be used to determine a setting content of the modified
media asset 102, such as, for example, a landmark, location, site,
or venue at which the former media asset 101 or the modified media
asset 102 (or portion thereof) was captured.
[0060] By associating these and possibly other attributes of the
modified media asset 102 (some of which are provided below), the
recognition logic may determine that the associated user capture
device (e.g., the camera 126b of FIG. 2B), may be known to capture
certain content that will be, or is likely to be, modified. For
example, a camera that is known to be in a certain location, or of
a certain make, model, or brand, or belonging to a certain user, or
subject to a particular user agreement, may be known to modify
(e.g., obscure or replace) all images of a certain person, place or
thing, and, further, may be known to perform a certain type of
modification (e.g., use a particular substitution item). Similarly,
cameras in a high-security facility, or cameras at an event with a
public figure(s) (e.g., a movie star, politician, or professional
athlete) may be modified from capturing images of certain people,
places, or things. Thus, by knowing these facts, the recognition
logic 112 may detect the certain type of modification in order to
determine the associated camera, or conversely, may determine the
associated camera and then search for the modification
accordingly.
[0061] Somewhat analogously, at the operation 410, at least an
attribute of the modified media asset 102 may be associated with a
user known to have captured at least a part of the modified media
asset. That is, similarly to the capture device examples above, a
particular user may be associated with certain modifications or
types of modifications. For example, the user 122 may be a
newspaper photographer working for a newspaper that has agreed not
to take any pictures of certain public figures (or spouses or
families thereof), and has further agreed that any such pictures
will be replaced with anonymous images, or otherwise obscured.
[0062] In the cases and examples above, any pictures known to have
been captured by the user 122 (e.g., the modified media asset 102)
and/or with the camera 126b may be examined by the recognition
logic 112 upon submission, for example, to the processing system
104. The modified media asset 102 may then be examined for the
anonymous images, or other obscuring techniques, that are
associated with the particular user or camera. In this way, for
example, someone with appropriate permission who wishes to alter
the modified media asset 102 and obtain the restored media asset
106 may have a starting point for identifying that the modified
portion 108 has been modified, and may know or suspect that the
modified portion 108 may therefore contain desired content when
restored.
[0063] For example, the recognition logic 112 may associate the
modified media asset 102 or a portion thereof with the user 122
and/or the camera 126b by recognizing the metadata 128 associated
with the modified media asset 102. In other examples, the user 122
may be required to identify himself or herself to the processing
system 104 before processing begins, or the processing system 104
may recognize some identifier of the camera 126b, so that the
recognition logic 112 may react accordingly.
[0064] FIG. 5 illustrates alternative embodiments of the example
operational flow 300 of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 illustrates example
embodiments where the determining operation 310 may include at
least one additional operation. Additional operations may include
operation 502, operation 504, operation 506, operation 508,
operation 510, operation 512, and/or operation 514.
[0065] At the operation 502, at least the modified portion of the
media asset is analyzed to recognize the modified portion. For
example, the recognition logic 112 may analyze the modified portion
108, or may examine the concurrent image(s) 120, or some
combination thereof.
[0066] Implementations of the operation 502 may include additional
operations. For example, at the operation 504, image analysis of
the modified media asset may be performed. For example, the
recognition logic 112 may perform image analysis to determine that
the modified portion 108 includes an image of a person, or portion
thereof, or any other object that may be visually imaged. The image
recognition analysis may include, for example, color analysis,
pattern-matching, pattern-recognition, facial recognition, or any
other technique for recognizing a particular image or type of
image.
[0067] Further, at the operation 506, audio analysis of the
modified media asset may be performed. For example, the recognition
logic 112 may perform a speech recognition analysis to determine
certain words or sounds from the substitutions information 119 that
are known to act as replacements for curse words or other spoken or
audible restricted sounds. As should be apparent, the restoration
logic 114 may then restore these words or sounds within the
restored media asset 106.
[0068] At the operation 508, an attribute of an included subject
within the modified media asset is determined. For example, if the
modified media asset 102 includes an imaged subject, the
recognition logic 112 may determine any image attribute mentioned
herein, or other attributes, including size, shape, color,
identity, race, gender, physique, an associated capture device or
capturing user, or any other attribute that may be associated with
the subject. If the modified media asset 108 includes audio, then
the recognition logic 112 may recognize any attribute of a spoken
word or other sound, such as a volume, an inflection or emphasis,
an accent, or a context within other words or sounds. The subject
may include a human subject, a place, a thing, or any other thing
that may be captured in the modified media asset 108.
[0069] At the operation 510, one or more of a symbol or a word
within the modified media asset may be determined. For example, the
recognition logic 112 may determine the symbol or text 130, e.g.,
by way of text-recognition software, and thereby used to recognize,
or otherwise determine information related to, the modified portion
108. For example, a name may appear within the symbol or text 130
that is relevant either to the modified portion 108 and/or the
former portion 107.
[0070] At the operation 512, at least a portion of the modified
media asset is associated with setting content of the modified
media asset. For example, the recognition logic 112 may analyze the
modified media asset 102 to determine that the setting content is
such that many of the included subjects may have been modified. For
example, if the recognition logic 112 recognizes that a setting
content of the modified media asset 108 is associated with a crime
scene photograph, then it may be likely that images of bystanders
may have been anonymized, obscured, replaced, blurred, or otherwise
modified. Thus, certain police officers may be visible, while the
bystanders are not. At some point, the user 122 may suspect that
one of the modified bystanders was, in fact, relevant to an
investigation. Thus, the recognition logic 112 may recognize the
setting content of the modified media asset as a crime scene, and
the restoration logic may then restore the former images of the
bystanders.
[0071] At the operation 514, an attribute of at least the modified
portion is evaluated against recognition criteria specifying media
asset attributes associated with identifying modified media assets.
For example, the recognition logic 112 may evaluate the modified
portion 108 against the recognition criteria 116, where the
recognition criteria 116 may include, for example, virtually any of
the attributes of the modified portion 108 that may include any
attribute mentioned herein, or other attributes, including size,
shape, color, identity, race, gender, physique, an associated
capture device or capturing user, a sound, a word (spoken or
printed), a symbol, and/or any other attribute. The recognition
criteria 116 may involve, for example, any of the various criteria
described herein, such as identity information, setting content,
image or facial recognition analysis, metadata, and so on, as well
as criteria not explicitly mentioned here. Moreover, the
recognition criteria 116 and recognition logic 112 may interoperate
to determine the modified portion 108 based on any combination of
these criteria, as may be determined and configured, for example,
by the user 122 by way of the user interface 124.
[0072] FIG. 6 illustrates alternative embodiments of the example
operational flow 300 of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 illustrates example
embodiments where the determining operation 310 may include at
least one additional operation. Additional operations may include
operation 602, operation 604, operation 606, and/or operation
608.
[0073] At the operation 602, a user preference associated with the
modified portion is determined. For example, the user 122 may
express a preference as to whether the modified portion 108 should
be enabled to be restored, and in what circumstances and to what
extent, and this preference(s) may be coded into the recognition
criteria 116, e.g., again, using the interface 124. The user 122
may represent someone either capturing, transmitting, or reviewing
the modified media asset 102, examples of which are described in
more detail, herein.
[0074] At the operation 604, a preference of a subject of the
modified portion is determined. For example, a public or private
figure whose image in the former portion 107 has been obscured in
the modified portion 108 may express a desire not to allow some or
all users to restore his or her image in the restored media asset
106. As discussed above, the subject may be any other element or
item within the modified portion 108, including, for example, a
place or a thing. Moreover, the modified media asset 102 includes
non-image subjects, such as, for example, spoken words and other
sounds, or symbol/text 130.
[0075] At the operation 606, a preference of a user who captured at
least a part of the modified media asset may be determined. For
example, the user 122 may be a consumer who has captured several
family photographs and wishes to distribute them to friends and
relatives. For whatever reason and by whatever technique(s), the
modified portion 108 may be obscured or otherwise modified. For
example, the user 122 may have modified images of certain persons
from the former media asset 101. Upon distribution, the user 122
may wish to reveal or restore the persons, and may specify such to
the processing system 104. In particular, as discussed in more
detail below, the user 122 may wish to reveal or restore (or allow
to be revealed or restored) only certain portions or attributes of
the former portion, in a manner that is dependent upon a recipient
or potential recipient of the restored media asset 106. Such
preferences may be provided to the recognition logic 112 for use in
determining the modified portion 108.
[0076] At the operation 608, a preference of a producer of the
restored media asset may be determined. For example, the user 122
may represent an editor of a newspaper who is reviewing a number of
photographs taken by staff photographers, among which the modified
media asset 102 may be included. In this case, although the editor
may not have captured former media asset 101, and may not have been
associated with modifying the former media asset 101 to obtain the
modified media asset 102, he or she may be responsible for
producing the restored media asset 106 for consumption by an
audience of the newspaper. In this case, the editor may determine
whether, which, and to what extent modified portion(s) 108 are
allowed to be restored within the restored media asset 106. For
example, the editor may determine that the modified portion 108 was
modified incorrectly or improperly, and may wish to restore the
modified portion to the former portion 107 as the restored portion
110, using the recognition logic 112 and/or the restoration logic
114.
[0077] FIG. 7 illustrates alternative embodiments of the example
operational flow 300 of FIG. 3. FIG. 7 illustrates example
embodiments where the determining operation 310 may include at
least one additional operation. Additional operations may include
operation 702, operation 704, operation 706, operation 708, and/or
operation 710.
[0078] At the operation 702, identity information associated with
the modified media asset is determined. For example, the
recognition logic 112 may determine identity information of a
person within the modified portion 108, which may include, for
example, a name, an occupation, an association (e.g., as a spouse,
relative, friend, or employer/employee), a race, a gender, a body
physique, a height, a hair color or hair style, a style of dress,
or any other distinguishing information that identifies the person,
and, in some examples, that uniquely identifies the person. Again,
such identity information is not limited to persons, and similar
techniques may be applied to animals, items, objects, places,
landmarks, words (spoken or written), sounds, symbols, and any
other type of subject that may appear within the modified portion
108.
[0079] Further, the determination of identity information may be
performed with respect to other attributes of the modified media
asset than the modified portion 108 itself. For example, identity
information may be determined with respect to concurrent content,
e.g., the concurrent image(s) 120 or symbol/text 130 (spoken or
written).
[0080] The operation 702 may optionally include additional
operations. For example, at the operation 704, audio information
within the modified media asset 102 may be associated with a
person. For example, the recognition logic 112 may perform voice
recognition on an audio stream included in the media asset 102.
[0081] At the operation 706, it may be determined that the identity
information is associated with an obscuring identity. For example,
the recognition logic 112 may determine that the determined
identity information is associated with an identity that is known
to be used for obscuring purposes. Examples of how such identity
information may be used by the restoration logic 114 to produce the
restored portion 110 are described in more detail below, although
it may be mentioned here that, by determining identity information
as described above, it follows that the restored portion 110 may
include or be associated with different, e.g., original or former,
identity information. For example, a person associated with the
modified portion 108 may be determined to be someone associated
with the substitution information 119, and the recognition logic
112 may thus determine that the modified portion 108 has, in fact,
been modified.
[0082] At the operation 708, image information within the modified
portion is associated with an image subject. For example, the
recognition logic 112 may perform image analysis on the modified
media asset 102 to determine an image subject, e.g., a person,
place, or thing, within an image.
[0083] The operation 708 may include additional operations, such
as, for example, the operation 710, at which the subject is matched
with at least one of a plurality of subjects that have been
designated for inclusion in the modified media asset. For example,
where the subject includes a person, it may be the case that
persons such as movie stars, politicians, professional athletes, or
other public figures (or persons with associations thereto, such as
spouses or relatives) may have their images and identities modified
within the modified portion 108, perhaps in a predictable or
recognizable way, e.g., by replacement with a particular selected
image from the substitution information 119. Similar comments apply
to persons with government high security or classified status, or
other persons having safety measures associated with promulgation
of their image(s). Then, as described in more detail below, persons
with appropriate permissions may use the processing system 104 to
restore some or all of the images, or at least attributes of the
images, of the former identities/persons.
[0084] Again, similar comments apply not just to persons within the
modified portion 108, but to virtually any object that may be
imaged or otherwise captured and associated with identity
information. For example, the modified media asset 102 may include
a physical place, such as a public or private landmark, a building,
or a sports arena, and the identity information associated
therewith may be determined by the recognition logic 112.
Similarly, any particular object having identity information, such
as, for example, a car or type of car, a work of art, an animal, a
computer or computing device, a piece of jewelry or clothing, or
any other object, may have identity information associated
therewith for determining that the associated image is
modified.
[0085] FIG. 8 illustrates alternative embodiments of the example
operational flow 300 of FIG. 3. FIG. 8 illustrates example
embodiments where the determining operation 310 may include at
least one additional operation. Additional operations may include
operation 802, operation 804, and/or operation 806.
[0086] At the operation 802, the modified media asset is determined
to include one or more of a still image, an imaged element within a
video stream, a word within an audio stream, or a sound within an
audio stream. For example, the recognition logic 112 may determine
the modified portion 108 within the modified media asset 102 that
includes an audio-video stream, such as a television program.
[0087] At the operation 804, the modified media asset is received
at one or more of an image capture device, an image display device,
a print device, an audio capture device, or an audio rendering
device. For example, FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate the examples of the
print device 126a, the image capture device 126b, and the display
device 210. Of course, the display device 210, as referenced above,
may include audio capture and/or playback functionality, such as,
for example, a PDA or MP3 player. In the above examples, the image
capture device 126b may be any type of, for example, camera,
digital camera, web camera (webcam) or video camera, where any of
these and others may be disposed within or in association with one
or more other devices, such as, for example, a cell phone or
personal digital assistant (PDA). In the example of the print
device 126a, the modified media asset 102 may be downloaded thereto
by way of an external computer, and/or by way of a memory card
inserted into (or otherwise connected to) the print device 126a. In
this way, for example, the print device 126a, as with the camera
126b, may be used to produce the restored media asset 106.
[0088] At the operation 806, the modified media asset is received
at a central collection facility for collecting media assets. For
example, the modified media asset 108 may be received at the
processing service 208. As a more specific example, the processing
service 208 may include a facility that receives a number of
modified media assets, in which one or more portions may have been
modified. The processing service 208 may then examine the modified
media assets to determine whether any of the modifications were
made in error or should otherwise be undone. In such cases, and in
other cases, the processing service 208 of FIG. 2C may serve as a
clearinghouse for a number of users, who may be employees of a
single employer. In another example, the processing service 208 may
be a commercial enterprise that received media assets from any
number of disparate consumers.
[0089] FIG. 9 illustrates alternative embodiments of the example
operational flow 300 of FIG. 3. FIG. 9 illustrates example
embodiments where the altering operation 320 may include at least
one additional operation. Additional operations may include
operation 902, operation 904, operation 906, operation 908,
operation 910, operation 912, operation 914, and/or operation
916.
[0090] At the operation 902, the modified media asset may be
altered based on access information associated with one or more of
a former media asset, the modified media asset, or the restored
media asset. For example, the restoration logic 114 may access the
restoration criteria 118 to determine that the former portion 107,
or certain portions or attributes thereof, may only be included
within the restored portion 110 when the restored media asset 106
is to be distributed to a certain user or class of users, or in
response to a received payment, or based on some other
criteria.
[0091] Embodiments of the operation 902 may include additional
operations. For example, at the operation 904, an access preference
is determined in association with one or more of a subject of the
former media asset, a user responsible for capturing at least a
part of the former media asset, or a user associated with
distributing one or more of the modified media asset or the
restored media asset. For example, the restoration logic 114 may
access the restoration criteria 118 to determine that a human
subject of the former portion 107 previously expressed an access
preference such that his or her image would be obscured within the
modified portion 108 for all recipients, but that this restriction
was recently removed, in whole or in part, so that some or all
recipients would be able to receive or obtain the restored media
asset 106 having the restored portion 110 corresponding to one
extent or another to the former portion 107. In another example,
where the user 122 captured the former media asset 107 and
subsequently modified the modified portion 108 to obtain the
modified media asset 102, then the user 122 may define access
information for allowing recipients of the modified media asset 102
to alter the modified portion 108. Similar comments apply when the
user 122 represents a distributor of a plurality of (users') media
assets, who may define access preferences for allowing recipients
to alter the modified portion (or not).
[0092] At the operation 906, an attribute of the former portion to
be included within the restored media asset is determined, based on
the access information. For example, the restoration logic 114 may
determine from the restoration criteria 118 that some attribute of
the former portion 107, that may have been modified within the
modified portion 108, should or should not be included within the
restored portion 110. Further examples of such attributes are
provided in more detail below.
[0093] Specifically, embodiments of the operation 906 may include
additional operations. For example, at the operation 908, the
attribute to include within the restored media asset may be
determined from a group of attributes including one or more of a
gender, a race, a hair color, a facial feature, or a body physique.
For example, the restoration logic 114 may determine from the
restoration criteria 118 that only one or more of the attributes
just mentioned, or others, may be included within the restored
portion 110. For example, a recipient that provides more or less
payment may be entitled to receive more or less restoration
of/access to the former portion 107.
[0094] At the operation 910, the attribute to include within the
restored media asset is determined from a group of attributes
including one or more of a clarity, a color, a contrast, a
brightness, a shape, a sound, a sound quality, a size, a contour,
an outline, a pattern, an anatomy, a figure, a frame, a form, a
glyph, a symbol, or a word. For example, the restoration logic 114
may determine from the restoration criteria 118 that the former
portion 107 includes one or more of the above-mentioned attributes,
and may determine whether or to what extent to include any of these
attributes within the restored portion 110, based on the access
information.
[0095] At the operation 912, a request of a requestor of the
restored media asset is evaluated against a permission level
associated with the requestor. For example, if the user 122
requests the restored media asset 106, then the restoration logic
114 may determine a permission level associated with the user 122,
and may produce the restored media asset 106 appropriately, e.g.,
may determine whether or to what extent to include the above
mentioned attributes, or otherwise how to produce the restored
media asset 106. It should be understood that the requestor may be
any number of persons or types of persons, e.g., someone who
captured the former media asset 101, someone who modified the
former media asset 101 to obtain the modified media asset 102,
someone who has received or otherwise has access to the modified
media asset 102 and wishes to distribute the modified media asset
102 with various levels of restoration.
[0096] At the operation 914, a recipient of the restored media
asset is evaluated against a permission level associated with the
recipient. Here, for example, the recipient may be a user who has
not necessarily requested the restored media asset 106, but who has
nonetheless had the restored media asset 106 forwarded or otherwise
provided to him or her. The restoration logic 114 may then
distribute the restored media asset 106 to the various users, with
various levels of restoration that depend on the receiving
users.
[0097] At the operation 916, a context display of the restored
media asset is evaluated against a permission level associated with
the context display. For example, if the processing system is
deployed and implemented at a public viewing area(s), then the
restoration logic 114 may perform restorations based on
characteristics of the area(s) that are used to determine the
permission levels. For example, movies with adult content (e.g.,
the former media asset 101) that have been modified to remove or
obscure the adult content (e.g., thereby to obtain the modified
media asset 102) may be restored to their original form when the
restored media asset 106 is to be shown to a group of adults, but
may be only partially restored when shown to a group of teenagers,
and may not be restored at all when children may be present.
[0098] FIG. 10 illustrates alternative embodiments of the example
operational flow 300 of FIG. 3. FIG. 10 illustrates example
embodiments where the altering operation 320 may include at least
one additional operation. Additional operations may include
operation 1002, operation 1004, operation 1006, and/or operation
1008.
[0099] At the operation 1002, a modified image within the modified
portion may be replaced with at least an attribute of a former
image within the former portion. For example, the restoration logic
114 may replace a modified image within the modified portion 108
with at least an attribute of a former image within the former
portion 107, where such attribute(s) may include the various
attributes mentioned herein, or other attributes.
[0100] At the operation 1004, the modified image within the
modified portion may be replaced with a replacement image that
includes a former image within the former portion as well as
enhancements to the former image. For example, the restoration
logic 114 may determine that the modified portion 108 includes a
modified image of a human subject, in which, for example, an
identity or other information about the human subject in the former
portion 107 has been obscured (e.g., anonymized). In this case,
perhaps based on access information as discussed above, the
restoration logic 114 may determine that only certain attributes of
the former portion 107 may be restored, and that, as part of the
restoration process, the human subject imaged in the former portion
107 should be enhanced (e.g., modified to improve an appearance of
the human subject by removing wrinkles or other objectionable
aspects, or by replacing the image of the human subject with a
younger image of the same human subject). Of course, anytime at
least a part of the former portion 107 is restored, such
enhancements, modifications, or transformations may be made to the
part and/or the former portion, including, by way of further
example, a desired scaling, rotating, coloring, or
substituting.
[0101] At the operation 1006, the part of the former portion is
obtained from a substitutions database that is operable to store an
inventory of substituted asset portions. For example, the
restoration logic 114 may obtain the former portion 107 (or part
thereof) from the substitutions database 119.
[0102] At the operation 1008, identity information related to a
subject of the former portion is revealed by restoring at least a
part of an image of the subject from the former portion within the
restored media asset. For example, as referenced above, a subject
of the former portion 107 may be anonymized or otherwise obscured
within the modified portion 108. For example, an identity of the
subject may be undeterminable from the modified portion 108. Thus,
the restoration logic 114 may act to restore at least enough
information or attributes of the former portion 107 to reveal the
identity information of the subject, without necessarily revealing
the former portion 107 in its original form.
[0103] FIG. 11 illustrates alternative embodiments of the example
operational flow 300 of FIG. 3. FIG. 11 illustrates example
embodiments where the altering operation 320 may include at least
one additional operation. Additional operations may include
operation 1102, operation 1104, operation 1106, and/or operation
1108.
[0104] At the operation 1102, the modified media asset is altered
at one or more of an image capture device, an image display device,
a print device, an audio capture device, an audio rendering device,
or a remote processing service. For example, the modified media
asset 108 may be altered at one or more of the print device 126a,
the image capture device 126b, the display device 210, or the
processing service 208.
[0105] At the operation 1104, encryption information regarding the
modified portion is accessed. For example, the restoration logic
114 may access encryption information stored with relation to the
modified media asset 108, and make a determination as to whether to
provide the encryption information to a particular user who is to
receive the restored media asset 106 (or whether to otherwise use
the encryption information as part of the restoration
operation(s)). In another example, the encryption information, or a
reference to the encryption information, may be included or
referenced within the metadata 128, for access by the restoration
logic 114.
[0106] At the operation 1106, the encryption information is
provided to a user to enable the user to obtain the restored media
asset. For example, the user 122 may obtain the encryption
information remotely or separately from the operations of the
processing system 104, and may then obtain the benefit of the
operations of the processing system 104 by providing the encryption
information (e.g., by providing a password and/or other
identifier).
[0107] At the operation 1108, the restored media asset is produced
as a digital restored media asset. For example, the restoration
logic 114 may output the restored media asset 106 as a digital
media asset, e.g., for digital use, storage, transmission,
reproduction, or modification by the receiving user 122.
[0108] FIG. 12 illustrates a partial view of an exemplary computer
program product 1200 that includes a computer program 1204 for
executing a computer process on a computing device. An embodiment
of the exemplary computer program product 1200 is provided using a
signal bearing medium 1202, and may include at least one of one or
more instructions for determining that a modified media asset
includes a modified portion that has been modified from a former
portion, and one or more instructions for altering the modified
media asset to produce a restored media asset in which at least a
part of the former portion is restored. The one or more
instructions may be, for example, computer executable and/or
logic-implemented instructions. In one implementation, the
signal-bearing medium 1202 may include a computer-readable medium
1206. In one implementation, the signal bearing medium 1202 may
include a recordable medium 1208. In one implementation, the signal
bearing medium 1202 may include a communications medium 1210.
[0109] FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary system 1300 in which
embodiments may be implemented. The system 1300 includes a
computing system environment. The system 1300 also illustrates the
user 122 using a user device 1304, which is optionally shown as
being in communication with a computing device 1302 by way of an
optional coupling 1306. The optional coupling 1306 may represent a
local, wide-area, or peer-to-peer network, or may represent a bus
that is internal to a computing device (e.g., in example
embodiments in which the computing device 1302 is contained in
whole or in part within the user device 1304). A storage medium
1308 may be any computer storage media.
[0110] The computing device 1302 includes an operability to
transmit and/or receive the modified media asset 102 and/or the
restored media asset 106. The computing device 1302 also includes
computer executable instructions 1310 that when executed on the
computing device 1302 causes the computing device 1302 to determine
that a modified media asset includes a modified portion that has
been modified from a former portion, and alter the modified media
asset to produce a restored media asset in which at least a part of
the former portion is restored.
[0111] As referenced above and as shown in FIG. 13, in some
examples, the computing device 1302 may optionally be contained in
whole or in part within the user device 1304, and may include the
image-capture device (camera) 126b or the printer 126a. For
example, the user device 1304 may include a cell phone, and the
computing device 1302 may be included as part of a digital camera
included within the cell phone. In another example embodiment, the
computing device 1302 is operable to communicate with the user
device 1304 associated with the user 122 to receive the modified
media asset 102 from the user 122 and to provide the restored media
asset 106 to the user 122.
[0112] FIG. 14 illustrates an operational flow 1400 representing
example operations by which the user 122 (or another user) obtains
the restored media asset 106 that includes the restored portion
110. At operation 1410, a user provides a modified media asset to a
processing system for recognition of a modified portion within the
modified media asset that has been modified from a former portion.
For example, the user 122 may provide the modified media asset 102
to the processing system 104 for recognition of the modified
portion 108 by the recognition logic 112. At operation 1420, a
restored media asset is received in which at least a part of the
former portion is restored. For example, the restored media asset
106 may be received in which the modified portion 108 has been
modified to include the restored portion 110.
[0113] The operation 1410 may include one or more additional
operations. For example, the operation 1410 may include an
operation 1402 in which recognition parameters by which the
modified portion may be determined are specified by way of a user
interface. For example, the user 122 may set parameters of the
recognition logic 112 using user interface 124.
[0114] Also, the operation 1410 may include an operation 1404, in
which restoration parameters by which the former portion may be
restored may be specified by way of a user interface. For example,
the user 122 may specify parameters of the restoration logic 114,
by way of the user interface 124 for restoration of at least a part
of the former portion 107.
[0115] The operation 1420 may include one or more operations. For
example, the operation 1420 may include an operation 1406, in which
the modified media asset is received from one or more of an image
capture device, an image display device, an audio capture device,
an audio rendering device, a print device, or a remote processing
service. For example, the user 122 may receive the restored media
asset 106 by way of the print device 126a, the camera 126b, the
remote processing system 208, or the display device 210.
[0116] Of course, the user 122 may receive the restored media asset
106 in other ways. For example, the restored media asset 106 may be
received as stored on a memory device. For example, the user may
capture an audio and/or visual file using an image capture device
or by way of downloading from a website or other location. The user
may store the resulting digital file on a memory card, memory
stick, CD, DVD, or other storage media.
[0117] Those having skill in the art will recognize that the state
of the art has progressed to the point where there is little
distinction left between hardware and software implementations of
aspects of systems; the use of hardware or software is generally
(but not always, in that in certain contexts the choice between
hardware and software can become significant) a design choice
representing cost vs. efficiency tradeoffs. Those having skill in
the art will appreciate that there are various vehicles by which
processes and/or systems and/or other technologies described herein
can be effected (e.g., hardware, software, and/or firmware), and
that the preferred vehicle will vary with the context in which the
processes and/or systems and/or other technologies are deployed.
For example, if an implementer determines that speed and accuracy
are paramount, the implementer may opt for a mainly hardware and/or
firmware vehicle; alternatively, if flexibility is paramount, the
implementer may opt for a mainly software implementation; or, yet
again alternatively, the implementer may opt for some combination
of hardware, software, and/or firmware. Hence, there are several
possible vehicles by which the processes and/or devices and/or
other technologies described herein may be effected, none of which
is inherently superior to the other in that any vehicle to be
utilized is a choice dependent upon the context in which the
vehicle will be deployed and the specific concerns (e.g., speed,
flexibility, or predictability) of the implementer, any of which
may vary. Those skilled in the art will recognize that optical
aspects of implementations will typically employ optically-oriented
hardware, software, and or firmware.
[0118] The foregoing detailed description has set forth various
embodiments of the devices and/or processes via the use of block
diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples. Insofar as such block
diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples contain one or more functions
and/or operations, it will be understood by those within the art
that each function and/or operation within such block diagrams,
flowcharts, or examples can be implemented, individually and/or
collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or
virtually any combination thereof. In one embodiment, several
portions of the subject matter described herein may be implemented
via Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field
Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs),
or other integrated formats. However, those skilled in the art will
recognize that some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, in
whole or in part, can be equivalently implemented in integrated
circuits, as one or more computer programs running on one or more
computers (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more
computer systems), as one or more programs running on one or more
processors (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more
microprocessors), as firmware, or as virtually any combination
thereof, and that designing the circuitry and/or writing the code
for the software and or firmware would be well within the skill of
one of skill in the art in light of this disclosure. In addition,
those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms of the
subject matter described herein are capable of being distributed as
a program product in a variety of forms, and that an illustrative
embodiment of the subject matter described herein applies
regardless of the particular type of signal bearing medium used to
actually carry out the distribution. Examples of a signal bearing
medium include, but are not limited to, the following: a recordable
type medium such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a Compact
Disc (CD), a Digital Video Disk (DVD), a digital tape, a computer
memory, etc.; and a transmission type medium such as a digital
and/or an analog communication medium (e.g., a fiber optic cable, a
waveguide, a wired communications link, a wireless communication
link, etc.).
[0119] While particular aspects of the present subject matter
described herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent
to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein,
changes and modifications may be made without departing from this
subject matter described herein and its broader aspects and,
therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope
all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit
and scope of this subject matter described herein. Furthermore, it
is to be understood that the invention is solely defined by the
appended claims. It will be understood by those within the art
that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended
claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended
as "open" terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted
as "including but not limited to," the term "having" should be
interpreted as "having at least," the term "includes" should be
interpreted as "includes but is not limited to," etc.). It will be
further understood by those within the art that if a specific
number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an
intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence
of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an
aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain
usage of the introductory phrases "at least one" and "one or more"
to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases
should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim
recitation by the indefinite articles "a" or "an" limits any
particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to
inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same
claim includes the introductory phrases "one or more" or "at least
one" and indefinite articles such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and/or
"an" should typically be interpreted to mean "at least one" or "one
or more"); the same holds true for the use of definite articles
used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a
specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly
recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such
recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the
recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of "two recitations,"
without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations,
or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where
a convention analogous to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." is
used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one
having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., "a
system having at least one of A, B, and C" would include but not be
limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B
together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C
together, etc.). In those instances where a convention analogous to
"at least one of A, B, or C, etc." is used, in general such a
construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art
would understand the convention (e.g., "a system having at least
one of A, B, or C" would include but not be limited to systems that
have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together,
B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be
further understood by those within the art that any disjunctive
word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms,
whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be
understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the
terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase
"A or B" will be understood to include the possibilities of "A" or
"B" or "A and B."
[0120] The herein described aspects depict different components
contained within, or connected with, different other components. It
is to be understood that such depicted architectures are merely
exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures can be
implemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual
sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same
functionality is effectively "associated" such that the desired
functionality is achieved. Hence, any two components herein
combined to achieve a particular functionality can be seen as
"associated with" each other such that the desired functionality is
achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermedial components.
Likewise, any two components so associated can also be viewed as
being "operably connected," or "operably coupled," to each other to
achieve the desired functionality. Any two components capable of
being so associated can also be viewed as being "operably
couplable" to each other to achieve the desired functionality.
Specific examples of operably couplable include but are not limited
to physically mateable and/or physically interacting components
and/or wirelessly interactable and/or wirelessly interacting
components and/or logically interactable and/or logically
interacting components.
[0121] While certain features of the described implementations have
been illustrated as disclosed herein, many modifications,
substitutions, changes and equivalents will now occur to those
skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the
appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and
changes as fall within the true spirit of the embodiments of the
invention.
* * * * *
References