3D Shared-Area Image Processing for MR Privacy Masking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image processing systems struggle to selectively share mixed reality images while protecting privacy by excluding unwanted areas, such as faces or backgrounds, during remote operation support.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus that generates a first display image and sets a three-dimensional shared area within it, using mask and depth images to determine and exclude unwanted areas, generating a second display image for sharing, while allowing users to check the shared image alongside the first.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If privacy-mask processing is performed on face area and background area to protect privacy, then privacy protection is improved, but the shared image loses important contextual information and reduces usability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different processing qualities to different regions of the image. The shared area maintains full quality and detail, while only the non-shared areas (privacy-sensitive regions) are masked or blurred. This allows privacy protection to be applied locally rather than globally, preserving contextual information in the shared regions while protecting sensitive areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the image into distinct regions: shared areas that can be viewed by the third party and non-shared areas that require privacy protection. By dividing the image content into these functional segments, the system can selectively apply different processing operations to different portions, maintaining useful information while protecting privacy.
2Loss of information
If the entire MR image is shared with the third party, then complete information is provided, but privacy of unwanted areas is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and isolates the privacy-sensitive areas from the rest of the image content. By identifying and separating non-shared areas (such as faces or sensitive objects) from the shared content, the system can remove or mask only those specific elements while retaining the rest of the contextual information for sharing.
3Reliability
If mask and depth image processing is used to generate shared area images, then privacy protection is enhanced, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary processing by generating depth images and identifying shared/non-shared areas before final image rendering. By pre-determining which regions should be shared or masked based on depth information and object recognition, the system simplifies the final compositing operation, as the masking decisions are already made in advance rather than requiring complex real-time processing during display.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing apparatus includes one or more memories storing instructions, and one or more processors executing the instructions to function as, a first generation unit configured to generate a first display image based on image data, and a second generation unit configured to set a shared area having a three-dimensional shape in the first display image and generate a second display image including an image to be shared based on the image data corresponding to the shared area.