Patent ID: 7240208

Claim:
A digital video camera system comprising: a digital video camera comprising: an image sensor capable of producing a new frame of video data representing an image viewed by the sensor; an image memory for storing a plurality of the frames of video data representing a plurality of images; a read circuit for fetching one of the pluralities of the frames of video data from said image memory; an encryption circuit having an encryption key input connected to receive the one of the plurality of the frames of video data from said read circuit as an encryption key, an un-encrypted data input connected to receive said new frame of video data from said image sensor wherein said new frame of video data is encrypted using the encryption key, and an encrypted data output port; and a write circuit for writing the frame of encrypted video data received from said encrypted data output port of said encryption circuit to said image memory and overwriting said encryption key, wherein said encryption key no longer resides in the image memory.