Privacy Enhanced Sensor Access via Data Filtering
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Allowing non-trusted applications to access sensor data from user devices raises significant privacy concerns, particularly in augmented reality and virtual reality environments where sensitive information from private locations can be inadvertently shared.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a software component on user devices to filter or transform sensor data, providing only specific, privacy-maintained data to applications rather than raw sensor data, based on user or OS-defined permissions, and with user confirmation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users grant permission to third-party applications to access sensor data, then the application functionality is enabled, but user privacy is compromised due to full access to sensor data
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the specific data elements needed by the application from the complete sensor data stream. Instead of granting full access to sensor data, the operating system identifies and provides only the particular data required for the application's functional purpose, thereby enabling functionality while eliminating unnecessary privacy exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The operating system acts as an intermediary between the sensor and the third-party application. It receives the application's data request, determines the specific data needed, obtains sensor data, processes it to extract only the required particular data, and provides it to the application. This intermediary role prevents direct full access while enabling necessary functionality.
2Measurement precision
If full sensor data is provided to third-party applications, then application performance and accuracy are improved, but exposure of sensitive information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by providing different data access levels to different applications based on their specific needs. Each application receives precisely the particular data required for its function, with no more or less than necessary. This ensures each application gets adequate data accuracy for its purpose while limiting overall information exposure across the system.
3Ease of operation
If permission-based access is implemented, then user control is improved, but privacy protection remains insufficient due to unconstrained access once permitted
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by determining the specific data requirements of applications before granting access. The operating system analyzes what particular data each application needs, prepares only that specific data, and provides it to the application. This preliminary determination of data scope ensures privacy protection is built into the access mechanism itself, making the permission system reliably protective rather than merely permissive.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing an application executing on a user device access to particular data derived from a sensor of the user device in such a manner that privacy is maintained. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises receiving, by a software component on a user device from an application executing on the user device, a request to access a sensor of the user device. The method further comprises determining, by the software component, that the application is permitted to receive particular data derived from the sensor. The method further comprises, responsive to determining that the application is permitted to receive particular data derived from the sensor, obtaining, by the software component, sensor data output by the sensor; determining, by the software component, the particular data based on the sensor data; and providing, by the software component, the particular data to the application.