System and method to prevent surveillance and preserve privacy in virtual reality
US11443059B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 31, 2018 |
| Grant date | Sep 13, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 4, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T2219/024
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Preserving user privacy and preventing surveillance on behalf of users of a virtual reality world. One or more plans are available when a privacy or surveillance risk to a user is detected. In one plan, configurable scripts execute on behalf of the user to create a confusing array of clone avatars that obfuscate the real user avatar behavior. A malevolent avatar, attempting to surveil the user, may have difficulty distinguishing the clones from the user and may miss out on private insights he might otherwise have learned from the user's behavior. In another exemplary privacy plan, a copy of part of the virtual world is spawned, occupied exclusively by the user's avatar, and then merged into the main world. Privacy plans may be selected manually or automatically in response to perceived privacy threats to strike a balance between privacy and enjoyment within the virtual world.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.