Abstract: A signal processing transformation (wavelet, Fourier, discrete cosine) is applied to a digital image on a mobile device in order to produce a low-level information image and at least one high-level information image. The low-level image is recognizable as the digital image and is kept on the device; all other related images are deleted. The high-level information images are uploaded. The transformation is applied recursively and is dictated by a default setting, calculated from data of the mobile device, or input. To regenerate the original image the device connects to the server and downloads a set of high-level information images or all sets. The low resolution image is combined with the high-level information images using the reverse of the transformation originally applied to produce a higher resolution version of the low resolution image. Successive sets of high-level information images may be recursively applied to generate successively higher resolution images.