Method and apparatus for limiting storage or transmission of visual information

摘要

A method carried out at a transmitter (800), of limiting visual information that can be stored or transmitted captures a visual image (608). Whenever a control signal is detected (612) at the transmitter (800), at least a portion of the visual image is obscured (616) to produce an obscured visual image. This obscured image is then stored and/or transmitted (620). The image can be obscured by any number of techniques including replacement of the image with a substitute (718), blurring, distorting or reducing the resolution of the background (738), substitution of backgrounds (762) or removal of the background (778).