IP Library Granted Patent US 8,744,143
Granted Patent B2
US 8,744,143 · App. 13/077,998 · Granted Jun 3, 2014

Adding privacy protection to photo uploading/ tagging in social networks

Inventor: Pei-Hsi Chen (Taichung, TW)
Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,744,143
App. No.
13/077,998
Granted
Jun 3, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

An individual is identified in a photograph. A portion of the photograph is temporarily blurred to prevent the individual from being recognized. Once consent is received for the tag, the blur is removed. However, if consent is not received, the blur remains.

Claims (36)

1. A computer-implemented method for consent-based sharing online photographs, comprising:

identifying the identity of an individual who is shown in the online photograph such that the individual's identity is ascertainable from viewing the photograph;

blurring a portion of the online photograph so as to obscure the identity of the individual;

responsive to receiving permission from the individual in response to a permission query message sent from another party wishing to view the unblurred online photograph to the individual based on the individual's identified identity, unblurring the portion of the online photograph to the other party wishing to view the unblurred online photograph.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an upload of the online photograph.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the individual comprises:

receiving a tag on the online photograph corresponding to the individual.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the individual comprises:

using facial recognition to identify the individual.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a training photograph of the individual prior to identifying the individual.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein blurring the photograph occurs prior to publishing the photograph online.

7. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium that when executed by a processor, performs a method for consent-based sharing online photographs, comprising:

identifying the identity of an individual who is shown in the online photograph such that the individual's identity is ascertainable from viewing the photograph;

blurring a portion of the online photograph so as to obscure the identity of the individual;

responsive to receiving permission from the individual in response to a permission query message sent from another party wishing to view the unblurred online photograph to the individual based on the individual's identified identity, unblurring the portion of the online photograph to the other party wishing to view the unblurred online photograph.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving an upload of the online photograph.

9. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein identifying the individual comprises:

receiving a tag on the online photograph corresponding to the individual.

10. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein identifying the individual comprises:

using facial recognition to identify the individual.

11. The computer program product of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving a training photograph of the individual prior to identifying the individual.

12. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein blurring the photograph occurs prior to publishing the photograph online.

13. A computer system for consent-based sharing online photographs implemented at least partly in hardware, comprising:

an identification module to identify the identity of an individual who is shown in the online photograph such that the individual's identity is ascertainable from viewing the photograph;

an image processing module, coupled in communication to the identification module, the image processing module to blur a portion of the online photograph so as to obscure the identity of the individual; and

a permission module, coupled to the image processing module, the permission module, responsive to receiving permission from the individual in response to a permission query message sent from another party wishing to view the unblurred online photograph to the individual based on the individual's identified identity, to unblur the portion of the online photograph to the other party wishing to view the unblurred online photograph.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:

an importing module, coupled to the identification module, the importing module to an upload of the online photograph.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the identifying module receives a tag on the online photograph corresponding to the individual.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the identifying module uses facial recognition to identify the individual.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the identification module receives a training photograph of the individual prior to identifying the individual.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the image processing module blurs the photograph prior to publishing the photograph online.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 19, 2021
From: VERIZON MEDIA INC.
To: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
Reel/Frame 057453/0431 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2020
From: OATH INC.
To: VERIZON MEDIA INC.
Reel/Frame 054258/0635 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 2, 2018
From: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
To: OATH INC.
Reel/Frame 045240/0310 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 23, 2017
From: YAHOO! INC.
To: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 042963/0211 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2011
From: CHEN, PEI-HSI
To: YAHOO! INC.
Reel/Frame 026059/0025 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120250951A1 · Oct 4, 2012