App-Specific 3D Representation Obfuscation for XR Privacy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to adequately protect user privacy by allowing apps to uniquely identify users or their environments based on 3D representations generated from sensor data, which can lead to unauthorized tracking and profiling.
Innovation Solution
Devices generate a global/system version of a 3D representation and provide altered, obfuscated app-specific versions to apps, using techniques such as changing identifiers, altering vertex/faces/chunks, applying small changes, and providing indirect access to prevent identification, while still enabling useful app functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If apps are provided with direct access to the global 3D representation, then apps can function effectively in the extended reality environment, but user privacy is compromised as apps can uniquely identify users or their environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the 3D representation data by creating separate copies for different apps. Each app receives its own isolated copy of the 3D representation with obfuscated identifiers, preventing apps from comparing data across users while maintaining full functionality within each app's context.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (the operating system) that sits between the global 3D representation and individual apps. This intermediary creates and manages obfuscated copies, allowing apps to access 3D data without direct exposure to the original identifiable representation.
2Reliability
If the same 3D representation is provided to multiple apps, then apps can access consistent environment data, but apps can compare representations to uniquely identify users or environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making each app's copy of the 3D representation locally unique through obfuscation. While the overall structure and geometry remain consistent for functional purposes, identifiers and specific data points are locally modified for each app, preventing cross-app identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes parameters of the 3D representation data by modifying identifiers, adding noise, or altering non-essential attributes in each app-specific copy. These parameter changes maintain the functional integrity of the 3D data while eliminating unique identifying characteristics.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If obfuscation techniques are applied to 3D representation data, then user privacy is protected, but app access to accurate environment data is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial obfuscation by selectively modifying only certain aspects of the 3D representation data (such as identifiers and non-essential attributes) while leaving the core geometric and spatial information intact. This partial action provides sufficient privacy protection without degrading the accuracy needed for app functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
Various implementations disclosed herein include devices and methods that obtain and/or maintain a version of a 3D representation of a user's environment and provide limited access to the 3D representation to apps executing on the devices. This may involve providing changed versions of a 3D representation that obfuscate details of the 3D representation from which the apps would otherwise be able to determine or infer private information about the user and/or their physical environment. Versions of the 3D representation provided to one or more apps may be changed in various ways to make it difficult or impossible for an app to uniquely identify a user or their physical environment and/or make it difficult or impossible to determine private information about the user and/or the physical environment.