Camera sensor identifier via etched flaw

Abstract

Existing digital cameras provide for the attachment of data such as messages, captions, or dates to images. However, the data is generally user controlled and may be fraudulently modified. Users may be interested in the tracking of images taken with a particular sensor, especially in security applications or manufacturing. Currently, no such identifier is currently available. The present invention introduces a method and apparatus for camera sensor identifier via an etched flaw. The method of the present invention first fabricates a solid-state image sensor. The image sensor comprises of a plurality of transistors. Then a subset of said transistors are modified to create an identifier. Modification may entail the use of a laser or electron beam to alter a subset of said transistors. The completed image sensor would be used in a image capturing device, such as a digital camera or video camera.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of creating an image sensor identifier, said method comprising: 
 fabricating a solid-state image sensor, said sensor comprising a plurality of transistors; and    modifying a subset of said transistors to create an identifier.    
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said solid-state image sensor is a charged couple image sensor.  
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said solid-state image sensor is a metal-oxide semiconductor image sensor.  
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said step of modifying a subset of said transistors comprises using a laser to alter said transistors.  
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said step of modifying a subset of said transistors comprises using a laser to alter said transistors.  
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said subset of said transistors are located at an edge of said sensor.  
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said subset of said transistors are distributed throughout said sensor.  
     
     
         8 . A method of tracking images, said method comprising: 
 placing an image sensor in a image capturing device, said image sensor having a plurality of modified transistors, said plurality modified to form an identifier;    capturing an image with said image capturing device;    processing said image such that said identifier is extracted from said image; and    storing said identifier with said image.    
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said image capturing device is a digital camera.  
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said image capturing device is a video camera.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for capturing images, said apparatus comprising: 
 a lens, said lens for controlling amount of light entering said apparatus;    an image sensor having a plurality of transistors, said transistor for creating electrical currents in proportion to an intensity of light received, and said    sensor having an identifier embedded within a subset of said transistors;    an analog-to-digital converter coupled to said image sensor, said converter for converting analog electrical signals to digital signals; and    a digital signal processor coupled to said analog-to digital converter, said processor for manipulating said digital signals.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11  further comprising of data storage.  
     
     
         13 . A computer readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program, the computer program being executable by a machine to perform: 
 processing data from an image capturing device;    extracting an identifier from said data;    assembling an image from said data; and    storing said identifier and said image.    
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program as claimed in  claim 13  wherein extracting an identifier further comprises: 
 reading values of a known subset of pixels from said data; and  
 assembling said values into an identifier.  
 
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program as claimed in  claim 13  wherein extracting an identifier further comprises: 
 interpolating a new pixel value for each pixel storing a piece of said identifier; and  
 replacing original pixel value for each of said pixels with a new pixel value.  
 
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program as claimed in  claim 13  wherein storing said identifier and said image comprises placing said identifier and said image into a image frame and saving said image frame.  
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said image capturing device is a digital camera.  
     
     
         18 . A digital processing system having a processor operable to perform the steps of: 
 processing data from an image capturing device;    extracting an identifier from said data;    assembling an image from said data; and    storing said identifier and said image.    
     
     
         19 . The digital processing system claimed in  claim 18  wherein said step of extracting an identifier further comprises: 
 reading values of a known subset of pixels from said data; and  
 assembling said values into an identifier.  
 
     
     
         20 . The digital processing system claimed in  claim 18  wherein said step of extracting an identifier further comprises: 
 interpolating a new pixel value for each pixel storing a piece of said identifier; and  
 replacing original pixel value for each of said pixels with a new pixel value.  
 
     
     
         21 . The digital processing system as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said step of storing said identifier and said image comprises placing said identifier and said image into a image frame and saving said image frame.  
     
     
         22 . The digital processing system as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said image capturing device is a digital camera.