US 2003/0118183 A1 · Image altering apparatus and method for providing confidential viewing of a fundamental display image

Abstract

An image altering apparatus which provides confidential viewing of a video display by means of time multiplexing the fundamental display image with a color-inverted image thereof on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Electronic circuitry and/or software are utilized to modify the fundamental image signal by time multiplexing its color data components with corresponding inverse color data components to generate a compound image signal which is representative of a substantially featureless image. Different multiplexing sequences of color data components and inverse color data components may be utilized at varying duty cycles to generate a compound image which is highly confidential and secure from unauthorized viewing. The fundamental image may be decoded and viewed only by those viewing the encoded image through specially designed eyeglasses incorporating time synchronized LCD shutters, variable polarizers, or color filters, which can selectively block inverted color components and/or demodulate the fundamental image to allow only the true fundamental color components to pass, thereby providing confidential and highly secure viewing of the fundamental image by the viewer.

Claims40

Dependent claims

An image altering apparatus for providing confidential viewing of a fundamental display image by a viewer, comprising:

a. a display comprised of a plurality of pixels;
b. means for generating a fundamental image on said display, said fundamental image having at least one color component corresponding to each of said pixels;
c. means for modifying said fundamental image to generate a compound image which is substantially featureless, said compound image including at least one compound color component corresponding to each of said pixels;
d. each said compound color component being comprised of at least one said color component of a predetermined intensity and wavelength, time multiplexed with at least one corresponding inverse color component of the same said wavelength, wherein each said inverse color component has an intensity which is determined as a function of said corresponding color component, such that the time-weighted average of said intensities of all said color components and said corresponding inverse color components thereof is substantially the same for each said compound color component of said compound image;
e. means for extracting said fundamental image from said compound image for viewing only by the viewer.

2 more elements

An image altering apparatus for providing confidential viewing of a fundamental display image by a viewer, comprising:

a. a display comprised of a plurality of pixels;
b. means for generating a fundamental image signal having at least one color data component corresponding to each of said pixels, each said color data component being representative of a color component of a fundamental image;
c. means for modifying said fundamental image signal to generate a compound image signal having at least one compound color data component corresponding to each of said pixels;
d. each said compound color data component being comprised of at least one said color data component of a predetermined amplitude, time multiplexed with at least one corresponding inverse color data component thereof, wherein each said inverse color data component has an amplitude which is determined as a function of said amplitude of said corresponding color data component, such that transmission of said compound image signal to said pixels will produce a substantially featureless image on said display;
e. means for transmitting said compound image signal to said pixels, thereby displaying said substantially featureless image to the viewer on said display;
f. means for extracting said fundamental image from said substantially featureless image for viewing only by the viewer.

3 more elements

An image altering apparatus for providing confidential viewing of a fundamental display image by a viewer, comprising:

a. a display comprised of a plurality of pixels;
b. means for generating a fundamental image signal having at least one color data component corresponding to each of said pixels, each said color data component being representative of a fundamental color component of a fundamental image;
c. means for modifying said fundamental image signal to generate a compound image signal having at least one compound color data component corresponding to each of said pixels;
d. each said compound color data component being comprised of at least one said color data component of a predetermined amplitude, time multiplexed with at least one corresponding inverse color data component thereof, wherein each said inverse color data component is representative of an inverse color component and has an amplitude which is determined as a function of said amplitude of said corresponding color data component, such that the time-weighted average of the intensities of all said fundamental color components and corresponding said inverse color components is substantially equal for each said color component of said compound image signal;
e. means for transmitting said compound image signal to said pixels, thereby displaying a substantially featureless image to the viewer on said display;
f. means for extracting said fundamental image from said substantially featureless image for viewing only by the viewer.

3 more elements

A method for providing confidential viewing of a fundamental display image by a viewer, comprising the steps of:

a. providing a display comprised of a plurality of pixels and means for generating a fundamental image on said display, whereby said fundamental image has at least one color component of a predetermined intensity and wavelength corresponding to each of said pixels;
b. modifying said fundamental image by time multiplexing each said color component at each said pixel with at least one corresponding inverse color component of the same said wavelength, wherein each said inverse color component has an intensity which is determined as a function of the intensity of said corresponding color component, such that the composition of all color components and inverse color components forms a substantially featureless compound image;
and
c. extracting said fundamental image from said compound image for viewing only by the intended viewer through time-synchronized means of blocking said inverse color components of said compound image from the view of the viewer.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Image altering apparatus and method for providing confidential viewing of a fundamental display image

Life of this patent

Image altering apparatus and method for providing confidential viewing of a fundamental display image

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims40