System level virtual reality privacy settings

• US 10,642,991 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Clement, Manuel Christian, Welker, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Cong-Lac
• Application Number:
  US15/717,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20180107835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 715757
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/75 Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00

Abstract

Computer-implemented systems and methods are described for configuring a plurality of privacy properties for a plurality of virtual objects associated with a first user and a virtual environment being accessed using a device associated with the first user, triggering for display, in the virtual environment, the plurality of virtual objects to the first user accessing the virtual environment, determining whether at least one virtual object is associated with a privacy setting corresponding to the first user. In response to determining that a second user is attempting to access the one virtual object, a visual modification may be applied to the object based on a privacy setting. The method may also include triggering for display, the visual modification of the at least one virtual object, to the second user while continuing to trigger display of the at least one virtual object without the visual modification to the first user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

configuring, with a processor, a plurality of privacy properties for a plurality of virtual objects associated with a first user accessing a virtual reality environment using a device associated with the first user;

triggering for display, in the virtual reality environment, at least one of the plurality of virtual objects to the first user accessing the virtual reality environment;

in response to determining that at least one of a plurality of additional users accessing the virtual reality environment is attempting to access the at least one virtual object;

applying a visual modification to the at least one virtual object based at least in part on a privacy setting associated with the at least one virtual object, and

triggering for display, in the virtual reality environment, the visual modification of the at least one virtual object to the at least one of the plurality of additional users while continuing to trigger display, to the first user, the at least one virtual object without the visual modification.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual modification applies to a portion of the at least one virtual object, the modification including modifying display of the at least one virtual object for the at least one of the plurality of additional users by randomizing pixels depicting motions associated with the portion.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

triggering for display, on the at least one virtual object, an icon in which to select a privacy mode;

receiving, from the first user, a selection on the icon;

triggering hiding of the at least one virtual object from display to users other than the first user, if the selection represents a private privacy mode; and

triggering revealing of the at least one virtual object in the virtual reality environment if the selection represents a public privacy mode.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, for the first user, a context of use for at least one of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual reality environment, wherein the visual modification is triggered for display to the at least one of the plurality of additional users based at least in part on the determined context of use until detecting that the context of use is a public use associated with the at least one virtual object.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an input associated with the at least one virtual object;

determining that the input is associated with data corresponding to the at least one virtual object and a privacy setting associated with the user; and

changing the privacy setting associated with the at least one virtual object from private to public in response to determining that the input is unrelated to personal data corresponding to the privacy setting associated with the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein changing the privacy setting associated with the at least one virtual object from private to public includes modifying for the at least one of the plurality of additional users accessing the virtual reality environment, view of the at least one virtual object including triggering display of the input.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the privacy setting associated with the at least one virtual object is changed from public to private upon detecting other input associated with the personal data corresponding to the first user, and the other input is hidden from the at least one of the plurality of additional users accessing the virtual reality environment while the other input is revealed to the first user.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining that the input includes a first gesture, performed by the first user, the first gesture including holding a computing device with a display screen facing the first user;

detecting a second gesture, performed by the first user, the second gesture including holding the computing device facing away from the first user so as to indicate screen content is available for viewing by the at least one of the plurality of additional users accessing the virtual reality environment; and

in response to detecting the second gesture, changing a privacy setting associated with the computing device from private to public and displaying the screen content, in the virtual reality environment, to the at least one of the plurality of additional users accessing the virtual reality environment.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to:

configure, with the processor, a plurality of privacy properties for a plurality of virtual objects associated with a first user accessing a virtual reality environment using a device associated with the first user;

trigger for display, in the virtual reality environment, at least one of the plurality of virtual objects to the first user accessing the virtual reality environment;

in response to determining that at least one of a plurality of additional users accessing the virtual reality environment is attempting to access the at least one virtual object;

applying a visual modification to the at least one virtual object based at least in part on a privacy setting associated with the at least one virtual object, and

triggering for display, in the virtual reality environment, the visual modification of the at least one virtual object to the at least one of the plurality of additional users while continuing to trigger display, to the first user, the at least one virtual object without the visual modification.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the visual modification applies to a portion of the at least one virtual object, the modification including modifying display of the at least one virtual object for the at least one of the plurality of additional users by randomizing pixels depicting motions associated with the portion.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the computer system to:

trigger for display, on the at least one virtual object, an icon in which to select a privacy mode;

receive, from the first user, a selection on the icon;

trigger hiding of the at least one virtual object from display to users other than the first user, if the selection represents a private privacy mode; and

trigger revealing of the at least one virtual object in the virtual reality environment if the selection represents a public privacy mode.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the computer system to:

determine, for the first user, a context of use for at least one of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual reality environment, wherein the visual modification is triggered for display to the at least one of the plurality of additional users based at least in part on the determined context of use until detecting that the context of use is a public use associated with the at least one virtual object.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the computer system to:

detect an input associated with the at least one virtual object;

determine that the input is associated with data corresponding to the at least one virtual object and a privacy setting associated with the user; and

change the privacy setting associated with the at least one virtual object from private to public in response to determining that the input is unrelated to personal data corresponding to the privacy setting associated with the user.

14. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

configure, with the at least one processor, a plurality of privacy properties for a plurality of virtual objects associated with a first user accessing a virtual reality environment using a device associated with the first user;

trigger for display, in the virtual reality environment, at least one of the plurality of virtual objects to the first user accessing the virtual reality environment;

in response to determining that at least one of a plurality of additional users accessing the virtual reality environment is attempting to access the at least one virtual object;

applying a visual modification to the at least one virtual object based at least in part on a privacy setting associated with the at least one virtual object, and

triggering for display, in the virtual reality environment, the visual modification of the at least one virtual object to the at least one of the plurality of additional users while continuing to trigger display, to the first user, the at least one virtual object without the visual modification.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the visual modification applies to a portion of the at least one virtual object, the modification including modifying display of the at least one virtual object for the at least one of the plurality of additional users by randomizing pixels depicting motions associated with the portion.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

trigger for display, on the at least one virtual object, an icon in which to select a privacy mode;

receive, from the first user, a selection on the icon;

trigger hiding of the at least one virtual object from display to users other than the first user, if the selection represents a private privacy mode; and

trigger revealing of the at least one virtual object in the virtual reality environment if the selection represents a public privacy mode.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

determine, for the first user, a context of use for at least one of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual reality environment, wherein the visual modification is triggered for display to the at least one of the plurality of additional users based at least in part on the determined context of use until detecting that the context of use is a public use associated with the at least one virtual object.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

detect an input associated with the at least one virtual object;

determine that the input is associated with data corresponding to the at least one virtual object and a privacy setting associated with the user; and

change the privacy setting associated with the at least one virtual object from private to public in response to determining that the input is unrelated to personal data corresponding to the privacy setting associated with the user.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein changing the privacy setting associated with the at least one virtual object from private to public includes modifying a view of the at least one virtual object including triggering display of the input.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

determine that the input includes a first gesture, performed by the first user, the first gesture including holding a computing device with a display screen facing the first user;

detecting a second gesture, performed by the first user, the second gesture including holding the computing device facing away from the first user so as to indicate screen content is available for viewing by the at least one of the plurality of additional users accessing the virtual reality environment; and

in response to detecting the second gesture, changing a privacy setting associated with the computing device from private to public and displaying the screen content, in the virtual reality environment, to the at least one of the plurality of additional users accessing the virtual reality environment.