# US 10,503,924 B1 · Apparatus and method for automated privacy protection in distributed images

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- Number: US 10,503,924 B1
- Document ID: US10503924B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/729,582
- Filed: 2017-10-10
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2014-05-28
- Assignees: Snap Inc.
- Applicants: Snap Inc.
- Inventors: Robert Murphy; Evan Spiegel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10503924B1

## CPC

- G06F 21/6245: {Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes}
- G06F 21/10: Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material (protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16) {; Digital rights management [DRM]}
- G06F 21/32: using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
- G06F 21/6254: {by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification}
- G06K 9/00268
- G06K 9/00288
- G06Q 50/01
- H04L 51/10: Multimedia information
- H04L 51/18: Commands or executable codes
- G06F 2221/0724
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A method executed by a computer includes receiving an image from a client device. A facial recognition technique is executed against an individual face within the image to obtain a recognized face. Privacy rules are applied to the image, where the privacy rules are associated with privacy settings for a user associated with the recognized face. A privacy protected version of the image is distributed, where the privacy protected version of the image has an altered image feature.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method executed by a computer, comprising:
receiving a digital image from a client device;
executing a facial recognition technique against an individual face within the digital image to obtain a recognized face;
adding textual content to the digital image in response to the recognized face to form an enhanced digital image;
applying privacy rules to the enhanced digital image, wherein the privacy rules are associated with privacy settings for a user associated with the recognized face; and
distributing a privacy protected version of the enhanced digital image, wherein the privacy protected version of the enhanced digital image has an altered image feature, and wherein the distribution of the privacy protected version of the enhanced digital image is limited by selectively blocking distribution of the enhanced digital image in accordance with the privacy rules.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the textual content is an advertisement.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein executing includes making network calls to a machine supplying facial recognition services.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the enhanced digital image is displayed for an ephemeral period of time.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the enhanced digital image is displayable for an ephemeral period of time.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the enhanced digital image is distributed to an ephemeral gallery.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein the ephemeral gallery includes a collection of ephemeral images available for an ephemeral period of time.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the altered image feature is a blurred image of the recognized face.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the altered image feature is a block over the recognized face.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein the block is selected from an emoticon, an icon and a brand.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein limiting distribution of the enhanced digital image includes limiting distribution of the enhanced digital image to members of the social network associated with the recognized face.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein limiting distribution of the enhanced digital image includes soliciting permission from the user associated with the recognized face prior to distribution of the enhanced digital image.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the altered image feature is a block over the recognized face and the body associated with the recognized face.