Systems and Methods for Bulk Redaction of Recorded Data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016246996-A1
Application number	US-201615052557-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2016
Priority date	Feb 24, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for redacting information from data records are provided. Data records are recorded by recording devices, including, but not limited to, camera recording devices such as those associated with law-enforcement officers. The data records are stored in an evidence management system. In response to requests for records, including but not limited to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, the evidence management system creates redacted versions of the data records. Public access may then be provided to the redacted data records. In some embodiments, automated bulk redaction may be applied to video data records by applying a video filter to the entire visual field of the video information. In some embodiments, access to the redacted data records may be provided via a cloud storage system or via a removable computer-readable storage medium.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for processing digital video data, the system comprising:
at least one digital video camera; and at least one computing device configured to provide an evidence management system; wherein the evidence management system is configured to:
receive one or more digital video files from the at least one digital video camera;
store the digital video files in a storage location protected from public access;
redact information from the digital video files to create redacted digital video files; and
store the redacted digital video files in a storage location available to public access; and
wherein redacting information from the digital video files includes applying a blur filter to an entirety of visual content of the digital video files.

2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the evidence management system is further configured to:
combine redacted digital video files in a compressed format to create a package file; and
store the package file in the storage location available to public access.

3 . The system of claim 2 wherein the evidence management system is further configured to:
transmit a link referencing the storage location available to public access to allow retrieval of the package file.

4 . The system of claim 1 wherein the storage location available to public access is a cloud storage system.

5 . The system of claim 1 wherein storing the redacted digital video files in a storage location available to public access includes storing the redacted digital video files on a removable computer-readable medium.

6 . The system of claim 1 wherein redacting information from the digital video files includes removing audio information from the digital video files.

7 . A computer-implemented method for automatically redacting records captured by recording devices, the method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device, a command to redact a data record, wherein the data record includes a digital video file; applying, by the computing device, a blur filter to an entire visual field of the digital video file to create a redacted data record; storing, by the computing device, the redacted data record in a staging location; and providing access to redacted data records.

8 . The method of claim 7 further comprising removing, by the computing device, audio information from the digital video file.

9 . The method of claim 7 wherein providing access to redacted data records includes:
transforming the redacted data records into a format for production; and
copying the transformed redacted data records to a production location.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein copying the transformed redacted data records to a production location includes copying the transformed redacted data records to a removable computer-readable medium.

11 . The method of claim 9 wherein transforming the redacted data records includes creating a compressed file that includes one or more of the redacted data records, and wherein copying the transformed redacted data records includes copying the compressed file to a cloud storage location.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein providing access to redacted data records includes transmitting a link to the cloud storage location.

13 . The method of claim 7 further comprising presenting a web interface to a user that includes:
a list of data records; and
interface elements for submitting commands to redact data records in the list of data records.

14 . A computing device configured to automatically redact records captured by recording devices, by:
receiving a command to redact a data record captured by a recording device; applying a blur filter to the data record to create a redacted data record; storing the redacted data record in a staging location; and providing access to redacted data records.

15 . The computing device of claim 14 further configured to remove audio information from the data record.

16 . The computing device of claim 14 wherein providing access to redacted data records includes:
transforming the redacted data records into a format for production; and
copying the transformed redacted data records to a production location.

17 . The computing device of claim 16 wherein copying the transformed redacted data records to a production location includes copying the transformed redacted data records to a removable computer-readable medium.

18 . The computing device of claim 16 wherein transforming the redacted data records includes creating a compressed file that includes one or more of the redacted data records, and wherein copying the transformed redacted data records includes copying the compressed file to a cloud storage location.

19 . The computing device of claim 18 wherein providing access to redacted data records includes transmitting a link to the cloud storage location.

20 . The computing device of claim 14 further configured to present a web interface to a user that includes:
a list of data records; and
interface elements for submitting commands to redact data records in the list of data records.

Assignees

• Taser Int Inc

Inventors

• Khoo Aaron
• Zayas Abraham Alvarez
• Womack Marcus W L
• Reitz James N

Classifications

• G11B27/031

  Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals · CPC title

• G06F16/00

  Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor · CPC title

• G06F21/6245 Primary

  Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes · CPC title

• G06F3/048 Primary

  Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] · CPC title

• H04N5/225

  Electricity · mapped topic