Thread: Apple investing in Camera Phone "Kill Switch"

Apple is developing software that can detect when iPhone owners are using their cameras and disable the function, a report last week discovered.

The technology would trigger an infrared sensor, like the kind that is often installed at concert venues, which would instruct the iPhone to shut off its camera. Apple filed the patent application 18 months ago in California, but only became public knowledge after the Daily Mail uncovered the documents.

Woman Arrested for Taping Police Cleared; Apple Wants "Kill Switch" for Camera Phones | Truthout

If cops are already prosecuting people for recording them as well as collecting and destroying bystander phones and then lying about it... I'm led to believe these will become standard issue for law-enforcement.

Well, the woman was cleared. You can't be pessimistic about that.

Also, there really isn't anything the police can do. Everybody has a camera on them nowadays, they can't practically confiscate all of them. Plus you can even send the footage to remote locations in real time, so it can't be destroyed.

I think it's pretty funny how basically the exact opposite of 1984 is coming to fruition. The advance of technology led to a proliferation of private rather than state scrutiny, and rather than oppressing freedom has vastly increased the freedom of speech and knowledge, which is fanning the flame of rationality and even toppling dictators.

I don't get what the Apple technology is though, from that blurb. "Software that can detect when iPhone owners are using their cameras and disable the function"... that really doesn't make any sense. Who is doing the disabling?

And in any case; if they do implement some kind of oppressive technology, just buy a different phone.

Originally Posted by Xei

I don't get what the Apple technology is though, from that blurb. "Software that can detect when iPhone owners are using their cameras and disable the function"... that really doesn't make any sense. Who is doing the disabling?

The person using the phone will be the one disabling it's camera functions. It will be deactivated via data encoded [299] infrared signal sensors or offset [590] trigger transmitters placed at concert venues and other locations. The transmitter will be located where imaging, capturing videos and pictures are prohibited, triggering the encoded data which will represent a command initiating the camera infrared sensors to disable it's recording functionality temporarily.

Afaik there will be triggers installed at concert venues so whenever a user hold up their phone to record a live concert the sensors will command the phone to shut down recording.



anyway here's the diddy on it.

United States Patent Application 20110128384
Kind Code A1
Tiscareno; Victor ; et al. June 2, 2011
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RECEIVING INFRARED DATA WITH A CAMERA DESIGNED TO DETECT IMAGES BASED ON VISIBLE LIGHT
United States Patent & Trademark Office
Abstract

Systems and methods for receiving infrared data with a camera designed to detect images based on visible light are provided. A system can include a camera and image processing circuitry electrically coupled to the camera. The image processing circuitry can determine whether each image detected by the camera includes an infrared signal with encoded data. If the image processing circuitry determines that an image includes an infrared signal with encoded data, the circuitry may route at least a portion of the image (e.g., the infrared signal) to circuitry operative to decode the encoded data. If the image processing circuitry determines that an image does not include an infrared signal with encoded data, the circuitry may route the image to a display or storage. Images routed to the display or storage can then be used as individual pictures or frames in a video because those images do not include any effects of infrared light communications.
Inventors: Tiscareno; Victor; (Issaquah, WA) ; Jonhson; Kevin; (Mundelein, IL) ; Lawrence; Cindy; (University Place, WA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
Cupertino
CA

Serial No.: 629678
Series Code: 12
Filed: December 2, 2009

Current U.S. Class: 348/164; 348/E5.09
Class at Publication: 348/164; 348/E05.09
International Class: H04N 5/33 20060101 H04N005/33
Claims

Funny this was filed back in 2009.

One thing is for certain, certain people are going to have a field day trying to crack this one.

Wow, that seems like a truly retarded idea.

Well, like I say. No threat to humanity. Just ditch Apple.

You're right, the only real threat is if they develop unilateral technology that disables all camera phones.

But anyway Xei, you should read Brave New World.

I already have.

It's mainly about genetic modification and child conditioning to be honest; not the themes that are popularly ascribed to it like information saturation and apathy.

Why do you mention it?

Originally Posted by Xei

I already have.

It's mainly about genetic modification and child conditioning to be honest; not the themes that are popularly ascribed to it like information saturation and apathy.

Why do you mention it?

In that case I suggest you read into it a little more.

It's not about oppressing society but raising them not to even question oppression.

It was done for altruistic reasons and nobody was oppressed (there was no exploitation or abuse by power figures at all). Also, if you disagreed, they just transported you out of the state into a free community of dissenters.

Originally Posted by Xei

It was done for altruistic reasons and nobody was oppressed (there was no exploitation or abuse by power figures at all). Also, if you disagreed, they just transported you out of the state into a free community of dissenters.

You could maybe do with checking out Brave New World Revisisted and the Island as well then, to understand what Huxley was really saying about where society is going. I mean so far it sounds like you're a perfect candidate for this type of society. Why do you suppose [spoiler]John the Savage commits suicide at the end of the novel?[/spoiler]

For fuck's sakes... Spoiler tags, people, spoiler tags.

Originally Posted by GavinGill

For fuck's sakes... Spoiler tags, people, spoiler tags.

FFS I know right? I was literally just reading that you wanker.

I'm also too annoyed to respond to this now.... but

Someone will develop a patch for this. No question.

Or just don't buy iPhones. Done.

My hubby has been talking about something similar for years now. I guess there are similar things out there that let you "kill" cellphones period.
Whenever we go to a restaurant with annoying cellphone talkers, he laughs and says he should buy one of those devices

Originally Posted by Xei

And in any case; if they do implement some kind of oppressive technology, just buy a different phone.

If? When.

Originally Posted by Omnis Dei

You're right, the only real threat is if they develop unilateral technology that disables all camera phones.

That could only happen if it was enforced by law (all phones must have a kill switch), and I very much doubt that will happen.

Originally Posted by Zhaylin

My hubby has been talking about something similar for years now. I guess there are similar things out there that let you "kill" cellphones period.
Whenever we go to a restaurant with annoying cellphone talkers, he laughs and says he should buy one of those devices

That's something different, a cellphone jammer. They just interfere with the communication between the cellphone and the towers. Though you could theoretically kill all cellphones (and all other electronic equipment) in a place with an EMP, but that would be very illegal. And very expensive.

Originally Posted by khh

If? When.


That could only happen if it was enforced by law (all phones must have a kill switch), and I very much doubt that will happen.


That's something different, a cellphone jammer. They just interfere with the communication between the cellphone and the towers. Though you could theoretically kill all cellphones (and all other electronic equipment) in a place with an EMP, but that would be very illegal. And very expensive.

How many companies make camera phones? I mean I know no is barred from making camera phones but there's only 3 major companies people go through. If they act in solidarity, it becomes legislation through the act of barring the population from alternatives.

So you don't need to pass a law, the government can just harass each company within the triopoly into doing it themselves. That's how they went after wikileaks.

Besides there's no law that says you can't film a police officer but they enforce one anyways.

Originally Posted by Omnis Dei

How many companies make camera phones? I mean I know no is barred from making camera phones but there's only 3 major companies people go through. If they act in solidarity, it becomes legislation through the act of barring the population from alternatives.

Quite a few. Apple, HTC, Samsung, Motorola, Nokia and Sony Ericsson at least. (Not ordered by size). Do you really think they'd all jump at Apples idea? There would always be a demand for phones without this kill-switch, and and there would be someone wanting to profit of that demand.

Originally Posted by Omnis Dei

So you don't need to pass a law, the government can just harass each company within the triopoly into doing it themselves. That's how they went after wikileaks.

Besides there's no law that says you can't film a police officer but they enforce one anyways.

If the government wanted it, they could just pass a law. As long as they didn't, someone would fight back.

Originally Posted by khh

Quite a few. Apple, HTC, Samsung, Motorola, Nokia and Sony Ericsson at least. (Not ordered by size). Do you really think they'd all jump at Apples idea? There would always be a demand for phones without this kill-switch, and and there would be someone wanting to profit of that demand.


If the government wanted it, they could just pass a law. As long as they didn't, someone would fight back.

Your first point is a valid assumption, people probably would pay more money for a phone without a kill switch and the market will continue to exist as long as people know about it.

But with the ensuing PR mess, you might see a lot more of these and a lot less without. As farr as "they could just pass a law" goes, that's rather naive. If they did, they would sneak it into some other legislation instead of passing it outright.

It's not exactly a twist so much as a political remark. Besides studies show you enjoy the book more if you know the ending.

Originally Posted by Omnis Dei

It's not exactly a twist so much as a political remark. Besides studies show you enjoy the book more if you know the ending.

Can you show me these studies?

I enjoy things a lot less that I know the ending to.

Originally Posted by Omnis Dei

It's not exactly a twist so much as a political remark. Besides studies show you enjoy the book more if you know the ending.

Originally Posted by tommo

Can you show me these studies?

I enjoy things a lot less that I know the ending to.

I remember hearing about this, too.

Spoilers Don’t Spoil Anything | Wired Science*| Wired.com

Spoiler Alert: Stories Not Ruined if Ending Revealed | ABC News

Ahhhh.........change is coming and its coming faster than most people can grasp.

On one hand having camera phones is revolutionizing the way - we revolutionize! Modern revolutions these days aren't just angry people with picket signs. They use camera phones and other similar devices to capture the moment and share it world wide. And its important that they do so!

Sure they say its for concerts and stuff. That doesn't mean it ends there though! Creating technology to deactivate someones camera phone against their will can be used as an attack on freedom.

On the other hand, the music industry has a huge incentive to get hold of this camera phone nonsense. You can youtube just about any concert these days. And thanks to real player, you can easily download the youtube video onto your computer. And thanks to another easy to use click-here program, you can upload those downloads onto your MP3 player!

Oh sure, you can say you're honest and you wouldn't steal concert music. But the free music is practically being handed to you on a plate! The music industry has to get real creative if it still wants to make a profit.

Most of the profit which goes to the actual musician is from concerts. Industry gets fuck all from them I believe.
Plus it's not like people are going to watch a musician on youtube instead of a concert. Unless they wouldn't pay for a concert anyway.

Also, just saw on the new iPhone, it can track where you are all the time, so that this Siri program can give you reminders etc. Like when you get home or to work,
it can give you a set reminder. Definitely not going to be good if someone steals your phone, or hacks in to it.

So yes you're right. Change is coming, faster than most people can grasp.

Hm....
Thanks for that O.

Still, it does say "Almost without fail, and by sizeable margins, the readers rated them more highly if the researchers inserted copy near the beginning, giving away how the tales would come out. "
So it probably doesn't work for everyone.
Maybe the people who can't follow the story without help?
Not sure really.

>.>

It's because you can manage your expectations properly and can enjoy the way the story evolves rather than get stuck on wondering how it ends. It has nothing to with whether or not you're capable of following a story.

Originally Posted by Omnis Dei

>.>

It's because you can manage your expectations properly and can enjoy the way the story evolves rather than get stuck on wondering how it ends. It has nothing to with whether or not you're capable of following a story.

A probably equally likely explanation. The difference is I stated my hypothesis as a hypothesis and you stated yours as fact. Therefore I win.