XR Headset Privacy Indicators for Bystander Awareness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing immersive computing environments, such as VR and AR, lack effective methods to inform users and bystanders about privacy-related activities, with current indicators like LEDs being insufficient for awareness and privacy concerns arising from headset cameras and microphones.
Innovation Solution
A system that displays internal and external indicators in a headset and external displays to inform users and bystanders about the presence and location of bystanders, with adjustable detail levels based on user privacy settings, using illumination hardware and external monitors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a headset camera is used to capture video of the real-world environment, then the user can see bystanders in the virtual environment, but the bystanders become aware of being observed only through small LED indicators that are not clearly visible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional LED indicators on the headset to three-dimensional virtual reality indicators displayed within the immersive environment. These VR-based indicators appear as virtual objects or overlays that bystanders can see through the passthrough camera, providing much larger and more noticeable privacy notifications than small physical LEDs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates virtual copies of privacy indicators within the VR environment that mirror the function of physical LEDs but are rendered at much larger sizes. These virtual indicator copies can be displayed as overlays on the passthrough video feed, making them clearly visible to bystanders while maintaining the same privacy notification function.
2Reliability
If the headset camera and microphone are always active to capture real-world environment, then complete monitoring is achieved, but bystanders are unaware when recording is actually occurring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements real-time feedback by continuously monitoring camera and microphone activity states and dynamically updating virtual privacy indicators in the VR environment. When recording is active, corresponding virtual indicators are displayed to bystanders; when inactive, the indicators are hidden or dimmed, providing accurate real-time feedback about monitoring status.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-configures multiple types of virtual privacy indicators that can be selectively displayed based on recording state. Before recording begins, the system can show preparatory indicators, and when recording starts, the appropriate indicators are immediately activated, ensuring bystanders are notified in advance or at the moment recording begins.
3Loss of information
If passthrough video is enabled to show real-world environment to user, then user awareness of bystanders is improved, but the field of view is limited compared to natural vision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the visual field into multiple segments or zones, with different levels of bystander information displayed in different areas. Virtual privacy indicators can be positioned in peripheral zones or overlaid on specific regions of interest, allowing users to maintain awareness of bystanders without blocking the entire field of view. The system can selectively display indicators based on their spatial relationship to the user.
4Loss of information
If LED indicators are placed on the headset to show camera activity, then privacy notification is provided, but bystanders not in close proximity cannot see the indicators clearly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the privacy notification from the physical dimension (small LEDs on the headset surface) to the virtual dimension (large rendered objects in the VR environment). These virtual indicators can be displayed at any apparent distance from the headset, effectively projecting privacy notifications into the shared space where bystanders can see them from much greater distances.
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
Users are made aware of bystander presence and privacy levels, while bystanders are informed of their monitored status, enhancing privacy awareness and control through adjustable indicator details.
Implementation Method 1
displaying the privacy level indicator in the real-world environment using a light emitting diode (LED), wherein the privacy level indicator has a color that corresponds to the privacy level
Data Source
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AI summary
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for providing awareness of privacy-related activities. The technique includes determining a privacy level associated with a user of an extended reality environment. The technique also includes presenting, using an internal display of a headset, one or more internal indicators identifying a location of a bystander located in a real-world environment, wherein a level of detail of each internal indicator is based on the privacy level associated with the user. The technique further includes presenting, using an external display, one or more external indicators that include a monitoring indicator representing being captured by the headset and presented to the user via the headset, and further include a user activity indicator representing one or more activities of the user, wherein a level of detail of the user activity indicator is based on the privacy level associated with the user.