Secure Media Capture System with Embedded Sensor Data

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Courts require proof of the authenticity and integrity of media data, such as images and videos, captured as evidence, which is challenging due to concerns about alteration and provenance, especially in cases like war crimes where anonymous recordings are used.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising specialized devices and servers that capture, register, and securely store media data with embedded sensor information, using public and private web servers to establish encryption keys and ensure data integrity through hashing and secure storage protocols, facilitating the creation of verifiable evidence.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If media data is captured and stored without specialized security protocols, then the capture process is simple and fast, but the data cannot meet legal standards for evidence due to concerns about alteration and provenance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata integrityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by embedding sensor information and cryptographic hashes into media data at the moment of capture, before any potential alteration can occur. This proactive approach ensures provenance is established upfront, resolving the contradiction by making reliability built-in rather than added later through complex verification systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediary elements such as cryptographic hash functions and sensor data embeddings that act as mediators between the media capture process and legal verification requirements. These intermediaries provide a trusted bridge that ensures data integrity without requiring complex direct verification mechanisms, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If encryption keys are established through public web servers, then data security is enhanced, but the transfer process becomes more complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidtransfer time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Encryption keys are established through public web servers as a preliminary action before actual media transfer occurs. This advance key establishment enables secure encrypted communication channels to be ready beforehand, resolving the contradiction by ensuring security is in place before time-sensitive transfer operations begin.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If sensor information is embedded in media data, then provenance and authenticity are verified, but the data file size increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprovenance verificationVSAvoiddata size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the essential provenance information needed for verification (such as cryptographic hashes and key sensor data) rather than embedding complete redundant copies of all sensor information. This selective extraction approach maintains provenance verification capability while minimizing the increase in data file size, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and quantity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS10044690B2Secure media capture, transfer, and storage
Publication Date: 2018.08.07 EYEWITNESS TO ATROCITIES
  • US10044690B2 patent drawing
  • US10044690B2 patent drawing
  • US10044690B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A secure media capture device may comprise a secure memory, a first sensor, a second sensor, a processor, and a communication module. The first sensor may be configured to capture media. The second sensor may be configured to capture data indicating a time, a place, or a combination thereof at which the media is captured. The processor may be configured to obtain device metadata; associate the data, the media, and the device metadata to form a submission; encrypt the submission; and store the submission in the secure memory The communication module may be configured send to the submission to a public web server via a public network.