Abstract:
A secure storage device with the external dimensions of a PCMCIA card, for securing digital camera data at the acquisition stage. Original digital camera data is saved in the memory of the secure storage device which has the capability of performing one or more security functions, including encryption, creation of an authentication file, adding data to the image data such as fingerprinting, and adding secure annotations such as separate data included in an image-header. The device prepares original authentication data from original digital camera data, and encrypts and stores both the original authentication data and the original image data. The use of the device includes downloading the original image data to a first computer, and encrypted original authentication data to a second computer. The second computer can be programmed with software whereby the encrypted original authentication data can be decrypted by a user having a key. The software then allows the user to prepare corresponding second authentication data from second image data of questionable authenticity. If the second authentication data is the same as the original authentication data, the questionable second image data is deemed to be an accurate copy of the original image data.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates generally to digital still and video cameras and the transfer of data from a digital camera to a computer, and more particularly to an apparatus for transparently providing embedded security of data within a storage device and of securing data while being transferred from a digital camera to a computer.  
           [0003]    2. Brief Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    In many applications, photographic data needs to be guarded or i.e. secured against unauthorized viewing, modification or distribution. Negatives, positives and prints can be manipulated with some effort, and need protection when used to accurately document images. In such a case, the original negatives and prints are typically kept in locked facilities, with signed, sealed and witnessed chains of custody. The advent of digital cameras presents even greater security challenges. The concept of an original digital image is questionable, because digital data can be perfectly replicated. In addition, digital image data can be quickly and easily modified in a computer, rendering the data useless for evidentiary purposes. Currently, digital camera image data is downloaded either directly to a computer from a camera via some communication mechanism, or through a removable storage device, such as a PCMCIA card, etc. Upon downloading the data to a computer, the image data can be encrypted, or authentication data can be created to prevent an unauthorized person from modifying the data. From this point on, a witnessed chain of custody of those persons with access to the decryption key can be maintained, greatly easing the security problem.  
           [0005]    From the above description of the prior art, it is apparent that there is a need for a method and apparatus for securing camera data automatically prior to, or as part of downloading image data from a camera. Such a method and apparatus would greatly improve the security of digital camera data.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for securing data from digital still and video cameras during the process of transferring the data from a camera to a computer.  
           [0007]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a secure storage device for digitally saving data from a digital camera.  
           [0008]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for securing data from still and video cameras during the process of transferring data from a camera to a computer, wherein the securing process is undetected by or i.e. transparent to the camera, and therefore providing a method and apparatus that can be used with any digital camera.  
           [0009]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a secure storage and/or communication device that automatically encrypts loaded digital camera data.  
           [0010]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus with dimensions and connectors in the form of a PCMCIA card that is accepted by a digital camera and a destination computer as a standard PCMCIA card, while performing the function of automatically securing loaded digital camera data.  
           [0011]    It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a secure storage and/or communication device that can be programmed with a security key, that automatically stores loaded original digital camera data, and prepares encrypted authentication data.  
           [0012]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a secure storage and/or communication device that inserts information into loaded digital camera image data, i.e. performs fingerprinting.  
           [0013]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a secure storage and/or communication device that includes additional information along with the image data, i.e., provides annotations, such as the absolute time of acquisition, a unique and continuous image counter, and a unique image and device identification number.  
           [0014]    Briefly, a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a secure storage device with the external dimensions of a PCMCIA card, for securing digital camera data at the acquisition stage. Original digital camera data is saved in the memory of the secure storage device which has the capability of performing one or more security functions, including encryption, creation of an authentication file, adding data to the image data such as fingerprinting, and adding secure annotations such as separate data included in an image header. The device prepares original authentication data from original digital camera data, and encrypts and stores both the original authentication data and the original image data. The use of the device includes downloading the original image data to a first computer, and encrypted original authentication data to a second computer. The second computer can be programmed with software whereby the encrypted original authentication data can be decrypted by a user having a key. The software then allows the user to prepare corresponding second authentication data from second image data of questionable authenticity. If the second authentication data is the same as the original authentication data, the questionable second image data is deemed to be an accurate copy of the original image data.  
           [0015]    An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a method and apparatus for securing data while storing and transferring otherwise unsecured image data received from a digital camera for transfer to a computer.  
           [0016]    A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides a method and apparatus for securing the chain of custody of digital data from cameras that would otherwise provide only unsecured image data.  
           [0017]    Another advantage of the present invention is that by putting the security function in a removable storage device, the storage can be customized for a particular user with no need for special hardware on the camera or the PC, enabling the retrofitting of otherwise unacceptable cameras with appropriate security functionality.  
           [0018]    A still further advantage of the method and apparatus of the present invention is that the processing provided is undetected i.e. transparent to the camera and to the computer, and as a result the method and apparatus can be applied to any digital camera, and also to a variety of other devices that utilize peer to host and peer to peer communication and/or removable storage. 
       
    
    
     IN THE DRAWING  
       [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the use of the present invention to transfer data;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the method steps of secure data transfer;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a secure storage device;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a secure data transfer device;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 5 illustrates the transfer of secure data by way of data encryption;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 6 illustrates the storage device for secure data transfer through creation of authentication data;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 7 illustrates the process of a host computer for verifying image data authenticity through use of authentication data;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 8 shows a method of secure data transfer by way of fingerprinting and/or annotation; and  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 9 illustrates the sending of secured data from a secure storage device to a first location, and public data to a second location. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0028]    Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the method and apparatus of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The preferred embodiment includes an electronic digital signal processing apparatus, referred to as a secure storage device  10 , and configured to physically engage with a PCMCIA card slot  12  of a prior art digital camera  14 . Although the camera  14  shown is typical in appearance to a still camera, the method and apparatus also applies to motion picture/video cameras.  
         [0029]    According to the method of the present invention, the device  10  is initially programmed to receive data from a digital camera, without the need of a password/key from the camera, and to perform the required processes to secure the data from the camera  14 . The initial programming of device  10  can be either fixed, one time programming of a ROM, and/or it can be a program downloaded by a user from a PC such as PC  16 . This programming data, as well as additional data, can be loaded into device  10  through the PCMCIA terminal  18  from a corresponding PCMCIA slot  20  in the PC  16 . Alternatively, the device  10  can receive data through an input port  22  connected for example with a cable assembly  24  to a compatible port  26  of PC  16 . The device  10  can be programmed to perform any of a variety of processes to secure the data, including encryption of image data, and/or creation of encrypted image authentication data, or watermarking, etc.  
         [0030]    In operation, the programmed device  10  is inserted in slot  12  of the still/video camera  14 . When the device  10  receives data from the camera  14 , it performs the programmed operations and stores the data. The device  10  is then removed from the camera  14  and inserted into the PCMCIA slot  20  of the computer  16 . The device  10  is configured so that the PC  16  recognizes the device  10  as a regular storage device with readable files on the file system level without the need for presenting a password. The secure data is then transferred from the device  10  to the computer  16 . In order for a user to view encrypted data, the computer  16  must be programmed to decrypt the data, generally in response to entry of a password.  
         [0031]    Referring again to FIG. 1, according to the prior art, a digital camera  14  is connected to a computer  16  by way of a direct cable connection indicated by line  28  making a direct cable connection from the camera connector  29  to the PC connector  26 . In this manner, unsecure camera data is directly transferred to a PC  16 . An unauthorized user could then easily modify the data with the PC  16 . The method and apparatus of the present invention solves this problem by first transferring the camera data to the secure storage device  10 , which automatically secures the data. Two alternate embodiments of the present invention are also shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0032]    A first alternate embodiment includes a secure data transfer device  30  having an input cable assembly  32  for making a connection from the camera  14  connector  29  to a security device  34 . The security device  34  performs the same or similar operations as those discussed in reference to device  10  for securing the image data, and outputs the data to the PC  16  through an output cable  36 , which in operation is connected to connector  26  of PC  16 . The device  34  is programmable, and can receive additional data in the same manner as device  10 , by connection to a computer through either cable assembly  32  or  36 , or alternatively through a connector  38 , or by way of a PCMCIA card through a PCMCIA card slot  40 .  
         [0033]    The second alternative embodiment, also shown in FIG. 1, includes a wireless secure data transfer device  42 , including a security device  44  that can be connected to a camera  14  by way of a cable assembly  46 . The device  42  is programmable and receives additional data either from a PC through cable assembly  46  or connector  48 , or by way of a PCMCIA card through slot  50 . The device  44  includes a transceiver having a modulated infrared transmitter portion for generation of an infrared signal  52  for transmission of data to an infrared transceiver  54  which receives and demodulates the signal, and outputs the data to the computer  16  through a cable assembly  56 . The transceiver properties of device  44  and transceiver  54  in addition allow for programming and other data to flow from PC  16  to device  44  through the wireless infrared connection.  
         [0034]    In all of the above embodiments, the devices  10 ,  30  and  42  present a standard interface to the camera  14  and PC  16 . From the camera&#39;s point of view, the communication appears as if a direct connection is made to the PC. Similarly, the PC observes a connection that appears to be directly to the camera. This feature of transparency of the devices  10 ,  30 ,  42  allows the apparatus and method of the present invention to apply to any digital camera and any PC that is programmed to receive digital camera data. The security is performed inside the device  10 ,  30 ,  42  and has no effect on the camera or PC.  
         [0035]    The computer  16  of FIG. 1 represents a destination to which the camera data is being transferred. Although a PC is illustrated, this destination can be any computerized network, system, etc. capable of receiving the data. FIG. 1 also shows a second destination  57  with a data input connection  59 . The second destination  57  is shown to illustrate an important alternate embodiment of the method of the present invention, wherein a user can hook the output of device  10 ,  30 , or  42  to a first destination  16  to download a first set of data, for example encrypted authentication data, and then to the second destination  57  to download a second set of data, which for example could be authenticated image data.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 2 shows the basic process in block form. Block  58  includes the operation of a digital camera writing original digital camera data to a secure storage device without the need for presenting a password. This data is received by the storage device and secured (block  60 ), a process requiring a pre programmed key. The storage device then writes the secured data (block  62 ), again without requiring the receipt of a password, which is read by the computer (block  64 ). In this operation it is assumed that the user has loaded the required operating software into the computer. The user must then present a password/key to the computer in order to decrypt the secure data or perform an authentication operation (block  65 ).  
         [0037]    It is important to point out here that the storage device described herein presents an external behavior/interface to the camera that appears to the camera to be the same as the prior art devices into which the camera is designed to download data. A major distinction between the prior art storage devices designed and used for digital cameras and the secure device of the present invention is that the disclosed device upon receiving data/information, performs operations to secure the data. This is done without requiring a password or key from the camera, which is an important feature of the present invention. Similarly, a computer can receive the secure data from the storage device without presenting a password/key. Once the secure data is loaded in the computer, a key must be presented in order to decrypt the secure data.  
         [0038]    The advantage of this method is that no special programming or apparatus, other than the secure storage device, is required in order to securely transfer data from a conventional prior art digital camera to a computer.  
         [0039]    The preferred external physical configuration of the secure storage device is that of a standard PCMCIA card, for example device  10  of FIG. 1 without the connection  22 . In this configuration, neither a user nor the camera nor a computer can distinguish the secure storage device from a standard PCMCIA card. The device accepts data from a camera, and sends data to a computer using standard protocol as if the device is a regular PCMCIA card. The only difference is that the data is secured through any of various means which will be described in the following specification, such as encryption, authentication, etc. A user&#39;s only clue concerning the unique nature of this device is that encrypted data loaded into a computer from the device will not be intelligible until decrypted, a process requiring special software in the computer, including a password and/or key. A point of novelty illustrated in FIG. 2 is that no password or key is required either to download data from the camera to the device, or from the device to a computer, as indicated in blocks  58 ,  62  and  64 . This method allows maximum security of data, while allowing use of a standard digital camera and computer for all phases except the find step (block  65 ), wherein the user must load appropriate software with a key into the computer for decryption of the encrypted data.  
         [0040]    Other physical embodiments of the secure storage device are as illustrated and discussed in reference to FIG. 1. In addition, the device  10  can alternatively be a SSFDC (Smart Media) card, or flash card, etc.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 3 illustrates typical circuit blocks required within the device  10 . The connector/connection  18  passes data from the camera  14  to a card interface  66  providing the necessary protocol for communication with the camera. Bus line  68  interconnects the various circuit blocks as required. This is a memory  70 ,which can include a EEPROM and/or a ROM and RAM as required in a particular design. The card storage block  72  indicates the use of a floppy disk, or mini disk, etc for retaining the data for storage and transfer to a computer. Card controller  74  performs the standard/usual card operations, with additional processes accomplished by processor  76 , which preferably includes a clock  78 , counter  80 , and facility for receiving additional data (block  82 ) from a PC through either of connectors  18  or optionally through PC interface controller  84  from connector  22 . The processor also performs image processing activity  86  including security process  88 . The power supply  90  is included as optional in design, including a clock, for example, or where power cannot be obtained from the camera and computer.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 4 illustrates typical circuit block functions for devices  30  and  42 . Device  30  includes cable connector assemblies  32  to a camera and  36  to a computer, and security device  34 . Device  42  includes the cable connector assemblies  46  and  56 , and security device  44  which includes the circuitry in security device  34  with transceiver circuitry  54  added, and the separate transceiver  54 .  
         [0043]    The device  34  circuitry includes a camera connection controller  92 , power supply  94 , memory  96 , a removable storage controller  98  providing interface to card connection  50 , a PC interface controller  100  providing interface to cable connector assemblies  48  and  36 , a processor  102  with a clock  104 , counter  106 , additional data  108 , image processing  110  and a security engine  112 . The storage  114  is optional for the data transfer devices  30  and  42 , and is for storing the data to be transferred from a camera to a computer, and can be a floppy disk, mini disk, etc. Since the use of the devices  30  and  42  preferably involves connecting to both the camera and destination at the same time, data can normally be transferred quickly enough so that memory  96  can provide adequate storage/buffering. If applications require longer storage, the optional storage  114  can be included in the design.  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 5 illustrates the processes of the secure storage devices  10 ,  30 ,  42  for encryption of original digital camera data. According to the process, the storage device is initially programmed with a security key (block  126 ). This operation is done as an initial set-up of the device, prior to it&#39;s normal usage. This key programming can be a permanent setting, or it can be programmable. With the devices  10 ,  30 ,  42  ready for normal use, it is then connected to a camera and receives original digital camera data (block  128 ). The device then encrypts the original digital camera data (block  130 ). Following this, the device is removed from the camera and connected to a computer loaded with compatible software. The device  10 ,  30 ,  42  then writes the data to a computer (block  132 ). A user knowing the security key can then operate the computer to decrypt the encrypted data (block  134 ). As explained in reference to the method indicated in FIG. 2, the device  10 ,  30 ,  42  does not require receipt of a password/key to receive data from a camera, or to download data to a computer. The key is used in the encryption process and is only a factor when a user desires to view the original data through use of the computer.  
         [0045]    A secure storage device can also be programmed to create authentication data. This is illustrated in FIG. 6. As in the case of FIG. 5, the storage device is initially programmed with a security key (block  136 ) prior to use of the device. The device is then connected to a camera to receive original camera data (block  138 ). Authentication data is then created within the storage device from the original camera data and then encrypted (block  140 ).  
         [0046]    Any person can then download the camera data, i.e. cause the storage device to write the camera data (block  142 ), and authentication data/file (block  144 ) to a computer. This completes the function of the storage device. The user can then proceed to use the computer as indicated in FIG. 7 to verify the authenticity of a set of questionable data. The user first uses appropriate software and the key to create verification authentication data from the questionable image data file (block  146 ), and decrypts the encrypted original authentication data (block  148 ). The two sets of data are then compared (block  150 ). If they are the same, the questionable image data is considered valid, i.e. an accurate replica of the original image data. If the two sets are different, the questionable data is confirmed to be different from the original.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 8 illustrates two similar processes called “fingerprinting” and “annotating”. Fingerprinting is a process wherein additional information is visibly or invisibly inserted into the image data itself. Examples of additional information that can be added include the camera serial number, date and time, unique counter, image storage ID, and any textual information that is downloaded to the storage device prior to receiving the camera image data. The process of annotation is similar to fingerprinting, except that the information is placed in a non-image area such as the header, rather than in the image data. Referring to FIG. 8, the storage device is connected to a computer and the required data is inputted, i.e. downloaded (block  152 ). This can be done through connection  18  for a PCMCIA card configured device  10 , or through connector  22  of the alternative device  10 . Device  42  is configured as indicated in FIG. 4 to receive data through port  48  or through cable assembly  46  or through cable assembly  50  from a PC, or through port  56  from a PC, or through port  50  from a PCMCIA card. Similarly, device  30  is configured to receive data alternatively through cable assembly  32  or  36 , or connector  38  from a PC, or through port  40  from a PCMCIA card. The storage device is then connected to a camera and receives camera data, i.e. camera data is downloaded (block  154 ). The device then performs programmed processes of either fingerprinting the data or annotating the data file (block  156 ) depending on the specific programming of the storage device. The storage device is then removed from the camera, connected to a computer, and the data is written, i.e. downloaded to the computer (block  158 ). As explained above, this is all done without the presentation of a password or key from the camera or computer. Once the data is in a computer, however, the original data or authentication requires submission of a password/key.  
         [0048]    In some cases, it is preferred to keep a signature file or authentication file in a secure, private location, and allow public access only to an authenticated image. These processes are illustrated in FIG. 9, wherein image data is downloaded from a camera  160  to a secure storage device  162 , which performs the required security functions. The device  162  then downloads the image security data to secure location  164 , and an authenticated image to public access  166 .  
         [0049]    Although the present invention has been described above in terms of a specific embodiment, it is anticipated that alterations and modifications thereof will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is therefore intended that the following claims be interpreted as covering all such alterations and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.