Optical Resolution Reduction for Privacy in Ceiling-Mounted Lighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing smart lighting systems that use high resolution image sensors for occupancy detection face challenges in maintaining privacy and security, as they can capture identifying features of individuals, and are susceptible to hacking or reverse engineering.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus that includes an optical element to reduce the effective optical resolution of an image sensor, ensuring that fine details such as facial features cannot be resolved, thereby maintaining privacy and security while still allowing sufficient light information for occupancy detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If high resolution image sensors are used for occupancy detection, then detection precision is improved, but privacy protection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making different regions of the optical system have different resolution characteristics. The optical resolution reduction element is positioned to reduce resolution only in regions where privacy is concerned (facial features, identifying details) while maintaining sufficient resolution for occupancy detection purposes. This creates a non-uniform resolution distribution across the image sensor output.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical resolution parameter by introducing an optical resolution reduction element that modifies the optical transfer function of the system. This element reduces the effective resolution from the original high resolution to a lower resolution that prevents identification of individuals while still providing sufficient information for occupancy detection, motion detection, and ambient light level determination.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If optical resolution is reduced to protect privacy, then privacy protection is improved, but detection precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by reducing resolution only to the extent necessary for privacy protection rather than completely degrading the image quality. The optical resolution reduction element is designed to maintain sufficient resolution for occupancy detection, motion detection, and ambient light measurement while removing only the identifying features. This partial reduction achieves privacy protection without excessive loss of functional precision.
3Loss of information
If high resolution images are captured, then information completeness is improved, but security vulnerability increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the harmful information components (identifying features, facial details, biometric data) from the captured image while retaining the useful information components (occupancy status, motion patterns, ambient light levels). The optical resolution reduction element effectively filters out the identifying information that creates security vulnerabilities while preserving the functional information needed for smart lighting control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively maintains privacy by rendering identifying features indistinguishable, while still enabling the system to detect occupancy and control lighting accordingly, thus addressing the security and privacy concerns of smart lighting systems.
Implementation Method 1
an optical element to reduce the effective optical resolution of an image sensor such that fine details are indistinguishable
Data Source
AI summary
A controller based apparatus mounted on the ceiling of a room to control the lighting level of a space includes an image sensor/detector for capturing spatial data, ambient light data, and images and an optical element which allows sufficient light to pass through such that the image sensor can collect sufficient data to provide the controller in order to extract motion events, occupancy data, and/or ambient light readings while maintaining the privacy of individuals by reducing the optical resolution of the image sensor such that fine features, such as facial features or other identifiable features of people or objects, cannot be recorded or stored.