BACKGROUND

Field

The present disclosure relates to point cloud, and more specifically, to secure distribution of point clouds.

Background

A point cloud (PC) is a set of data points in space, which provides a new method to describe a 3-dimensional (3-D) object or landscape. Thus, the PC, as a digital asset, has an intrinsic value, which can be subject to piracy if not adequately protected. However, overprotecting the PC from piracy may make it difficult to sample the PC prior to purchasing it. Therefore, it may be of interest to provide a “lower quality” PC that gives a hint of the visual aspect, density of points, and other geometrical aspects of the PC without sacrificing the security of the PC.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides for protecting the point cloud (PC) without sacrificing the security of the PC by providing the customers with “lower quality” PCs.

In one implementation, a system for scrambling a point cloud (PC) is disclosed. The system includes: a secret key; and a value calculator configured to scramble each point of the PC in polar coordinates by translating each point along a radial axis of the polar coordinates by a value that is deterministically random, wherein each point of the PC includes an index, and wherein the value is generated using the index and the secret key.

In one implementation, the system further includes an interface configured to appropriately format an output of the value calculator as a scrambled PC. In one implementation, the system further includes a transformer configured to receive and transform the PC to polar coordinates prior to translation. In one implementation, the value is generated by a pseudo-random number (PRN) generator. In one implementation, the value calculator is an implementation of an affine mathematical function. In one implementation, the PRN generator is a cryptographically secure random number generator seeded by the secret key.

In another implementation, a method for scrambling a PC is disclosed. The method includes: receiving the PC in polar coordinates, wherein each point of the PC includes an index; scrambling each point of the PC by translating each point along a radial axis of the polar coordinates by adding a pseudo-random number (PRN) to each point, wherein the PRN is generated using the index and a secret key.

In one implementation, the PRN is generated by a PRN generator initiated using the secret key as a seed. In one implementation, the system further includes appropriately formatting all translated points of the PC. In one implementation, the system further includes aggregating the appropriately formatted points of the PC as a scrambled PC. In one implementation, scrambling each point of the PC includes scrambling the PC such that a shape of the scrambled PC to be lower in fidelity and visual aspect than a shape of the PC, but preserves some hints of the shape of the PC. In one implementation, translating each point along the radial axis of the polar coordinates implements an affine mathematical function.

In another implementation, a method for descrambling a scrambled point cloud (PC) is disclosed. The method includes: descrambling each point of the scrambled PC by translating each point along a radial axis of the polar coordinates by subtracting a pseudo-random number (PRN) from each point, wherein the PRN is generated using the index and a secret key used for a scrambling process; and outputting a descrambled PC once all points of the scrambled PC have been descrambled.

In one implementation, said subtracting the PRN from each point is in an opposite direction along the radial axis of the polar coordinates from the scrambling process. In one implementation, the PRN is generated by a PRN generator initialized by the secret key used for the scrambling process. In one implementation, said descrambling also receives a maximum value of the PRN.

In another implementation, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program to descrambling a scrambled point cloud (PC) is disclosed. The computer program includes executable instructions which cause a computer to: descramble each point of the scrambled PC by translating each point along a radial axis of the polar coordinates by subtracting a pseudo-random number (PRN) from each point, wherein the PRN is generated using the index and a secret key used for a scrambling process; and output a descrambled PC once all points of the scrambled PC have been descrambled.

In one implementation, the subtraction of the PRN from each point is in an opposite direction along the radial axis of the polar coordinates from the scrambling process. In one implementation, the PRN is generated by a PRN generator initialized by the secret key used for the scrambling process. In one implementation, the executable instructions which cause the computer to descramble receive a maximum value of the PRN.

Other features and advantages should be apparent from the present description which illustrates, by way of example, aspects of the disclosure.

