IP Library Granted Patent US 12,136,264
Granted Patent B2
US 12,136,264 · App. 17/462,867 · Granted Nov 5, 2024

Obfuscating location data associated with a physical environment

Inventor: Ian M. Richter (Los Angeles, CA)
Assignee: APPLE INC.
G06V20/13G06F21/6245G06T5/50G06T7/11G06T7/50G06V20/52G06T2207/10016G06T2207/10024G06T2207/30232
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,136,264
App. No.
17/462,867
Granted
Nov 5, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods for obfuscating location data associated with a physical environment. In some implementations, a method includes obtaining, via an environmental sensor, environmental data corresponding to a physical environment. A first portion of the environmental data that corresponds to a first location is identified. In response to the first location being of a first location type, location data indicative of the first location is obfuscated from the environmental data by modifying the first portion of the environmental data.

Claims (49)

1. A method comprising:

at a device including an environmental sensor, a non-transitory memory, and one or more processors coupled with the environmental sensor and the non-transitory memory:

obtaining, via the environmental sensor, environmental data corresponding to a physical environment;

identifying a first portion of the environmental data that indicates a location of the physical environment;

in response to the location being a first location type, performing a first type of modification to the first portion of the environmental data; and

in response to the location being a second location type that is different from the first location type, performing a second type of modification to the first portion of the environmental data.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the environmental data comprises at least one of an image or a mesh map comprising depth sensor information.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a pixel characterization vector that includes a location label indicative of the first location type or the second location type.

4. A device comprising:

one or more processors;

a non-transitory memory;

an environmental sensor; and

one or more programs stored in the non-transitory memory, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to:

obtain, via the environmental sensor, environmental data corresponding to a physical environment;

identify a first portion of the environmental data that indicates a location of the physical environment;

in response to the location being a first location type, perform a first type of modification to the first portion of the environmental data; and

in response to the location being a second location type that is different from the first location type, perform a second type of modification to the first portion of the environmental data.

5. A non-transitory memory storing one or more programs, which, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the device to:

obtain, via an environmental sensor, environmental data corresponding to a physical environment;

identify a first portion of the environmental data that indicates a location of the physical environment;

in response to the location being a first location type, perform a first type of modification to the first portion of the environmental data; and

in response to the location being a second location type that is different from the first location type, perform a second type of modification to the first portion of the environmental data.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the first type of modification comprises performing a blurring operation on the first portion of the environmental data; and

wherein performing the second type of modification comprises setting the first portion of the environmental data to a particular color.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the first type of modification comprises performing a blurring operation on the first portion of the environmental data; and

wherein performing the second type of modification comprises replacing the first portion of the environmental data with replacement data indicative of a third location type.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the first type of modification comprises overlaying a masking element on top of the first portion of the environmental data; and

wherein performing the second type of modification comprises removing the first portion of the environmental data.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the first type of modification comprises obfuscating the first portion of the environmental data to a first degree of obfuscation; and

wherein performing the second type of modification comprises obfuscating the first portion of the environment to a second degree of obfuscation that is greater than the first degree of obfuscation.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first location type corresponds to a public location and the second location type corresponds to a private location.

11. The device of claim 4 , wherein performing the first type of modification comprises performing a blurring operation on the first portion of the environmental data; and

wherein performing the second type of modification comprises setting the first portion of the environmental data to a particular color.

12. The device of claim 4 , wherein performing the first type of modification comprises performing a blurring operation on the first portion of the environmental data; and

wherein performing the second type of modification comprises replacing the first portion of the environmental data with replacement data indicative of a third location type.

13. The device of claim 4 , wherein performing the first type of modification comprises overlaying a masking element on top of the first portion of the environmental data; and

wherein performing the second type of modification comprises removing the first portion of the environmental data.

14. The device of claim 4 , wherein performing the first type of modification comprises obfuscating the first portion of the environmental data to a first degree of obfuscation; and

wherein performing the second type of modification comprises obfuscating the first portion of the environment to a second degree of obfuscation that is greater than the first degree of obfuscation.

15. The device of claim 4 , wherein the first location type corresponds to a public location and the second location type corresponds to a private location.

16. The non-transitory memory of claim 5 , wherein performing the first type of modification comprises performing a blurring operation on the first portion of the environmental data; and

wherein performing the second type of modification comprises setting the first portion of the environmental data to a particular color.

17. The non-transitory memory of claim 5 , wherein performing the first type of modification comprises performing a blurring operation on the first portion of the environmental data; and

wherein performing the second type of modification comprises replacing the first portion of the environmental data with replacement data indicative of a third location type.

18. The non-transitory memory of claim 5 , wherein performing the first type of modification comprises overlaying a masking element on top of the first portion of the environmental data; and

wherein performing the second type of modification comprises removing the first portion of the environmental data.

19. The non-transitory memory of claim 5 , wherein performing the first type of modification comprises obfuscating the first portion of the environmental data to a first degree of obfuscation; and

wherein performing the second type of modification comprises obfuscating the first portion of the environment to a second degree of obfuscation that is greater than the first degree of obfuscation.

20. The non-transitory memory of claim 5 , wherein the first location type corresponds to a public location and the second location type corresponds to a private location.

Continuity (3)
Continuation PCTUS2020034481 · May 26, 2020
Provisional Application 62853860 · May 29, 2019
Related Publication 20210397811A1 · Dec 23, 2021