Fuzzy protection of visual content

Abstract

A method and system for scrambling visual information are, described. An image, preferably in an incompressed format, is divided into a number of patterns having a different aspect ratio. Each pattern is mapped on a matrix i.e positioned on X and Y-axis. The patterns are then arranged in a different and new shape for e.g. a rectangle, preferably, fitting the size of manoblocks in a MPEG video, to that of the original shape of the image but having the same number of patterns or same area. The patterns of pixels are then relocated in the new shape and a matrix is again mapped for the new arrangement of patterns. A key is then generated comprising the information of the encrypted and earlier image. The player decrypts the encrypted visual content or image by means of the information provided by the key.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for encoding visual information comprising the steps of:
 dividing the visual information into a predetermined number of patterns over a matrix having an original aspect ratio;   determining the position of each pattern on the matrix;   rearranging the patterns into new positions within the pattern of the original aspect ratio   rearranging the patterns rearranged into new positions within the original aspect ratio into a new pattern having a predetermined aspect ratio that is different from the original aspect ratio to generate encoded visual information,   generating an encryption key for use in decoding the encoded visual information,   
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the visual information is extracted frame by frame from multimedia data comprising audio information by filtering and transmitting the audio without encoding. 
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each frame is progressive to prevent compression anomaly. 
     
     
         4 . A computer program product for encoding and decoding visual information comprising one or more computer readable media configured to:
 divide the visual information into a predetermined number of patterns over a matrix;   determine the position of each pattern on the matrix;   rearrange the patterns on the matrix in a predetermined shape over the matrix using a fuzzy algorithm; and   generate an encryption key using the original visual information to arrange the patterns information in order to determine the position in the new shape;   wherein the area of the predetermined shape is equal to the area of the original visual information.