Method and apparatus for in-camera image marking and authentication

A method of marking an image in a digital camera comprising the steps of:

• (a) initializing a marking system in the digital camera with indicium data used in marking the image and a user programmable encryption password;
• (b) acquiring original image data with the digital camera;
• (c) converting with the marking system within the digital camera said original image data to marked image data, said converting taking place within said digital camera and including use of said indicium data and a conversion formula to convert said original image data to said marked image data;
• and
• (d) encrypting with the marking system within the digital camera said indicium data to create encrypted indicium data and associating the encrypted indicium data with the marked image data for output from the digital camera, whereby the original image data is inaccessible from the digital camera but may be recovered from the marked image data after decryption of the encrypted indicium data.

A digital camera providing image authentication comprising:

• (a) an authentication system in the camera, the authentication system being user programmable with a user selected encryption password;
• (b) means for acquiring original image data;
• (c) means for creating with the authentication system within the camera first authentication data from original image data, said first authentication data for the purpose of comparing with second authentication data created from second image data in order to determine if said second image data is identical to said original image data;
• and
• (d) means for encrypting with the authentication system within the camera said first authentication data to create encrypted first authentication data and for associating the encrypted first authentication data with the original image data for output from the camera, whereby the first authentication data is inaccessible from the camera in unencrypted form and the original image data is inaccessible from the camera without its associated encrypted first authentication data.

A digital camera for securely marking an image comprising:

• (a) a marking system in the camera, the marking system providing indicium data used to mark the image and being user programmable with a user selected encryption password;
• (b) means for acquiring original image data;
• (c) means for converting with the marking system within the camera said original image data to marked image data, said means for converting including use of said indicium data and a conversion formula to convert said original image data to said marked image data;
• and
• (d) means for encrypting with the marking system within the camera said indicium data to create encrypted indicium data and for associating the encrypted indicium data with the marked image data for output from the camera, whereby the original image data is inaccessible from the camera but may be recovered from the marked image data after decryption of the encrypted indicium data.