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US 10,757,425 B2Granted
Image encryption through dynamic compression code words
AssigneeUnited States Postal Service
InventorRyan J. Simpson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of a system and method for secure processing of image data are described. Image data included in image files may be encrypted and compressed in a single step using dynamically identified compression/encryption information such as code word tables.
Claims20
A computer-implemented method comprising:
- obtaining, by at least one of an optical scanning device, a control server, an image processing server, or a computing device configured to transmit or receive image data, an image file including:
- (i) first image data representing a mail piece, the first image data showing personal information;
- and
- (ii) first image metadata identifying a property of the first image data, the property comprising at least one of:
- a format of the first image data, a source of the first image data, a device used to capture the first image data, a time the first image data was captured, a date the first image data was captured, or a location where the first image data was captured;
- extracting, by the at least one of the optical scanning device, the control server, the image processing server, or the computing device, from the first image metadata, a value for the property;
- transmitting, to an encoding data store, a request for a variable length code table for images associated with the property, the variable length code table including encrypted code words for compressing the images;
- receiving the variable length code table from the encoding data store;
- generating, by the at least one of the optical scanning device, the control server, the image processing server, or the computing device, a compressed and encrypted image file by comprising second image data and second image metadata, wherein the generating comprises:
- (i) copying the first image metadata from the image file to the second image metadata of the compressed and encrypted image file;
- and
- (ii) compressing and encrypting the first image data into the second image data of the compressed and encrypted image file based at least in part on the first image data and the variable length code table, wherein the second image data is represented using less memory than the first image data, and wherein the personal information shown in the first image data is not shown in the second image data;
- and
- storing, in a memory device, the compressed and encrypted image file.
11 more elements
A computer-implemented method comprising:
- receiving, by at least one of an optical scanning device, a control server, an image processing server, or a computing device configured to transmit or receive image data, an image file including a first metadata portion and a first image data portion including first image data showing an item and text affixed thereto;
- identifying, by the at least one of the optical scanning device, the control server, the image processing server, or the computing device, compression information associated with the image file;
- generating, by the at least one of the optical scanning device, the control server, the image processing server, or the computing device, a compressed image file including:
- (i) a second metadata portion having values obtained from the first metadata portion, and (ii) a second image data portion including second image data compressed from the first image data based on the compression information, wherein the text is not shown in the second image data;
- and
- storing the compressed image file in a quantity of memory that is less than a quantity of memory used to store the image file.
3 more elements
An image processing system comprising:
- a computer-readable memory storing executable instructions;
- and
- one or more computer processors in communication with the computer-readable memory, wherein the one or more computer processors are configured to execute the executable instructions to at least:
- receive an image file associated with an item received at a processing facility, the image file including:
- (a) a first metadata portion, and (b) a first image data portion including an encrypted image, wherein address information for a recipient of the item is not shown in the first image data portion;
- identify compression and encryption information associated with the image file;
- generate a decompressed image file including:
- (i) a second metadata portion having values obtained from the first metadata portion, and (ii) a second image data portion including second image data decompressed and decrypted from the first image data portion based on the compression and encryption information, wherein the address information is shown in the second image data;
- receive text information from an optical character recognition system identifying at least a portion of the address information shown in the second image data;
- and
- generate a control signal to adjust an item processing device at the processing facility to thereby direct the item to a destination within the processing facility associated with the identified portion of the address information.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.