Method for managing privacy of digital images

Abstract

A captured digital image is stored in memory together with metadata derived from a location signal only if the location metadata is determined not to be within one or more predefined exclusion zones. A GPS receiver module can be implemented to obtain the location signal.

1 . A method of recording a digital image including;
 capturing an image signal from an image sensor;   receiving a location signal associated with the captured image signal;   storing in any of at least one digital memory a digital image file derived from the image signal;   storing in any of the at least one digital memory location metadata derived from the location signal for associating the location metadata with the digital image only if the location metadata is determined not to be within one or more predefined exclusion zones.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the image sensor is contained within a digital camera device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the at least one digital memory is contained within the digital camera and the predefined exclusion zones are stored in the at least one digital memory. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the digital camera device further includes a location receiver module and the location signal is received from the location receiver module. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further including storing in any of the at least one digital memory the one or more predefined exclusion zones. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the digital image file is stored in any of the at least one digital memory. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said any of the at least one digital memory is a removable memory. 
     
     
         8 . A method of controlling access to a digital image, comprising:
 providing to a processor a digital image stored in one of at least one digital memory, the digital image logically associated with capture location data;   providing exclusion location data to the processor, the exclusion location data logically associated with a receiver;   the processor determining a relationship between the capture location data and the exclusion location data; and   transmitting only the digital image to the receiver if the determined relationship between the capture location data and the exclusion location data is of a first type.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of transmitting both the digital image and the capture location data to the receiver if the determined relationship between the capture location data and the exclusion location data is of a second type. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the determined relationship of the first type comprises determining that the capture location data defines a location that is within an area defined by the exclusion location data. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the steps of
 providing second exclusion location data to the processor, the second exclusion location data logically associated with a second receiver;   the processor determining a relationship between the capture location data and the second exclusion location data; and   transmitting both the digital image and the capture location data to the second receiver if the determined relationship between the capture location data and the second exclusion location data is of a second type.   
     
     
         12 . A method for displaying digital images having location metadata associated therewith, including:
 retrieving from one of at least one digital memory a digital image file associated with a first user;   retrieving from any one of the at least one digital memory geographic location metadata for the digital image file;   retrieving from any one of the at least one digital memory one or more geographic exclusion zones associated with the first user;   displaying on a display device digital image data from the digital image file; and   displaying on a display device the geographic location of the digital file only if the geographic location of the location metadata is not within any of the one or more geographic exclusion zones.   
     
     
         13 . A method for transmitting digital images with location metadata between a plurality of users including:
 proving a database having a plurality of users;   receiving a digital image file from a first user;   receiving geographic location metadata for the digital image file;   receiving one or more geographic exclusion zones associated with the first user;   transmitting digital image data of the digital image file to a second user; and   transmitting the geographic location metadata of the digital file to the second user if the geographic location of the location metadata is not within any of the one or more geographic exclusion zones.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further including displaying the digital image and any transmitted geographic location metadata of the digital image file on a digital electronic display device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  further including storing at least a portion of the transmitted digital image data and at least a portion of any transmitted geographic location metadata of the digital image file on a digital memory device. 
     
     
         16 . A method for displaying digital images with location metadata including;
 storing in one of at least one digital memory a digital image file associated with a first user;   storing in any of the at least one digital memory geographic location metadata for the digital image file;   storing one or more geographic exclusion zones associated with the first user;   transmitting digital image data of the digital image files to a computer associated with a second user; and   transmitting the geographic location metadata of the digital file to the computer associated with the second user only if the geographic location of the location metadata is not within any of the one or more geographic exclusion zones.   
     
     
         17 . A method for displaying digital images with location information including;
 storing in one of at least one digital memory a digital image file associated with a first user;   storing in any of the at least one digital memory geographic location metadata for the digital image file;   storing at least one geographic exclusion zone associated with the first user;   storing a list of users with access rights to the at least one geographic exclusion zone;   transmitting digital image data of the digital image files to a computer associated with a second user; and   transmitting the geographic location metadata of the digital file to the computer associated with the second user only if the geographic location of the location metadata is not within any of the one or more geographic exclusion zones or if the second user is among the list of users with access rights to the at least one geographic exclusion zone.   
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 manually defining a region on a digital display of a geographic map;   digitally accessing a digital file for transmitting the digital file to a receiving device, the digital file having stored in association therewith digital location data;   transmitting only the digital file without its associated digital location data to the receiving device if the associated digital location data is determined to be within the manually defined region.