Application independent system, method, and architecture for privacy protection, enhancement, control, and accountability in imaging service systems

A system for encrypting one or more images in a common image stream, the system comprising:

• an image input device for receiving the images in a video frame in a common image stream, wherein at least one of the images includes a plurality of different objects displayed within the video frame;
• an extractor that extracts one or more objects from the images;
• a processor that processes the images;
• a selector that selects one or more pieces of descriptive image information about the images according to a profile;
• and
• an encryption element configured to selectively encrypt each of the plurality of different objects displayed within the video frame in the common image stream with one or more different, respective encryption keys, wherein each of the plurality of different objects is encrypted with a different set of one or more encryption keys, wherein the one or more different, respective encryption keys are identity-specific based on an identifier of an individual user and generated using a key generation process based on the identifier, wherein an authentication module provides the identifier to the key generation process and a transformation parameter generation process in accordance with system policies in order to generate one or more encryption keys, wherein the plurality of different objects are labeled, and consistently labeled objects are encrypted and decrypted with consistent encryption keys, and
• an authorizer that provides authorization criteria with the one or more images, the descriptive data in an encrypted state capable of being decrypted only if one or more authorization inputs satisfy the authorization criteria, wherein each of the plurality of different objects is decrypted with one or more keys generated by the key generation process using the identifier upon authorization of the user.

A method for selecting descriptive information from one or more images in a common stream, the method comprising the steps of:

• selecting descriptive information about sensitive image information from one or more of the images in a video frame in the common image stream, wherein at least one of the images includes a plurality of different objects displayed within the video frame;
• transforming the descriptive information into a transformed state defined by one or more pieces of the descriptive information using an obscuring method;
• selectively encrypting each of the plurality of different objects displayed within the video frame in the common image stream with one or more different, respective encryption keys, wherein each of the plurality of different objects is encrypted with a different set of one or more encryption keys, wherein the one or more different, respective encryption keys are identity-specific based on an identifier of an individual user and generated using a key generation process based on the identifier, wherein an authentication module provides the identifier to the key generation process and a transformation parameter generation process in accordance with system policies in order to generate one or more encryption keys, wherein the plurality of different objects are labeled, and consistently labeled objects are encrypted and decrypted with consistent encryption keys;
• and
• providing one or more authorization criteria, the authorization criteria determined from one or more second pieces of the descriptive information, wherein each of the plurality of different objects is decrypted with one or more keys generated by the key generation process using the identifier upon authorization of the user.