# US 2015/0145992 A1 · Gradient privacy masks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2015/0145992 A1 - Document ID: US20150145992A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/548,547 - Filed: 2014-11-20 - Published: 2015-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-22 - Assignees: Axis AB - Applicants: Axis AB - Inventors: Gustav Träff - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20150145992A1 ## CPC - G06T 11/60: Creating or editing images; Combining images with text - G06T 5/73: Deblurring; Sharpening - G06V 20/00: Scenes; Scene-specific elements (control of digital cameras H04N23/60) - H04N 7/183: {for receiving images from a single remote source} - G06V 20/625: {License plates} - G06V 40/161: {Detection; Localisation; Normalisation} - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An apparatus and a method implemented in a computer system for obscuring a first region of an image composed by a plurality of pixels. The method comprising obtaining a mask, the mask defining an obscurity level for each pixel in the first region of the image, and obscuring pixels in the first region of the image based on the mask's obscurity level for each pixel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method implemented in a computer system for producing a masked image having an obscured first region, the method comprising: capturing, by a camera, an image composed by a plurality of pixels; analyzing the content of the image; creating a privacy mask by applying one or more rules to the results of the analysis, the rules defining a gradual transition around the edges of a first region of the image to create a smooth transition between masked and unmasked regions of the image and thereby obtaining the privacy mask defining an obscurity level for each pixel in the first region of the image on a pixel-by-pixel basis; and applying the privacy mask to the image, thereby producing the masked image having obscured pixels in the first region of the masked image based on the privacy mask's obscurity level for each pixel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: creating the mask by applying one or more rules to the results of the analysis, the rules defining obscurity levels with respect to image content. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein obscuring pixels includes blurring pixels to a degree that is based on the mask's obscurity level for each pixel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein pixels that represent objects in the image that are located close to the camera capturing the image have a higher obscurity level than pixels that represent objects in the image that are located further away from the camera capturing the image. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mask covers the entire image and wherein the obscurity levels are in the range from 0% to 100%. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first region represents an object that is identified using an object-tracking algorithm applied to successive captured images. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first region represents an object that is identified by determining a temperature differential between the object and the object's surroundings. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first region represents a background of the image and a second region of the image is emphasized as a result of obscuring the background of the image. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for implementing the method according to claim 1 when executed on a computer. ### Claim 10 A system for producing a masked image having an obscured first region, the system comprising: a processor configured to receive at least an image composed by a plurality of pixels from a camera; the processor configured to analyze the content of the image; the processor configured to create a privacy mask by applying one or more rules to the results of the analysis, the rules defining a gradual transition around the edges of a first region of the image to create a smooth transition between masked and unmasked regions of the image and obtaining the privacy mask defining an obscurity level for each pixel in the first region of the image on a pixel-by-pixel basis; and the processor configured to apply the privacy mask to the image, producing the masked image having obscured pixels in the first region of the masked image based on the privacy mask's obscurity level for each pixel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to create the mask by applying one or more rules to the results of the analysis, the rules defining obscurity levels with respect to image content. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein obscuring pixels includes blurring pixels to a degree that is based on the mask's obscurity level for each pixel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein pixels that represent objects in the image that are located close to the camera capturing the image have a higher obscurity level than pixels that represent objects in the image that are located further away from the camera capturing the image. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the mask covers the entire image and wherein the obscurity levels are in the range from 0% to 100%. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the first region represents an object that is identified using an object-tracking algorithm applied to successive captured images. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the first region represents an object that is identified by determining a temperature differential between the object and the object's surroundings. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the first region represents a background of the image and a second region of the image is emphasized as a result of obscuring the background of the image.