People may desire to utilize one or more metaidentities and “exist” in the Metaverse for various reasons. Many people may seek to decouple their metaidentities from reality to anonymously (with respect to true identity) and independently operate within the Metaverse.
Although many individuals utilize the Metaverse for social, intellectual, and/or entertainment interactions, the Metaverse will likely experience ever-expanding commercialization that incorporates transactions internal to or within the constructs of a particular Metaverse, across Metaverses, and/or in a manner that bridges the Metaverse with actual reality. Thus, individuals' metaidentities may eventually coexist with their true identity as independent and valid participants in commercial markets both within meta-environments and in actual reality.
Effectively obscuring the link between a person's true identity and their metaidentity/metaidentities is associated with many challenges.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.
In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features can be obtained, a more particular description of the subject matter briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting in scope, embodiments will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings.
As noted above, effectively obscuring the link between a person's true identity and their metaidentity/metaidentities is associated with many challenges. The practice of “doxing,” (e.g., uncovering and exposing/publishing the true identity of a real person behind an anonymous metaidentity for the purpose of harassment) has ever become more en vogue and has a chilling effect on those seeking anonymous expression and/or unrestricted speech in the Metaverse.
In many cases, data to linkages between a virtual and true identity result from participating in commerce or engaging in other services that require an individual while in a virtual role (e.g., within a Metaverse) to provide verifiable information about their true identity (telephone number, physical address, credit card number, etc.). One fundamental and persistent link that connects true identity and metaidentity is payment for goods/services. Though there may be a future where a robust decentralized and anonymous cryptocurrency economy is established, legacy payment and credit systems rooted in fiat currency will likely remain the status quo for many years to come.
Accordingly, unless great care is taken by individuals with a high degree of technical skill and/or through the commission of illegal activity, it is very difficult to engage in any type of anonymous virtual commerce, especially on any type of scale or frequency.
As used herein, the “Metaverse” refers to any of the multitude of digital, virtual, and/or artificial environments that incorporate or mimic various aspects of reality. The Metaverse encompasses all manner of indirect digital interaction from the simple use of online monikers to any of the existing or possible future immersive artificial environments, communities, or “worlds.” The Metaverse may be regarded as an analog to the real world instituted for commercial interaction, social interaction, and/or for other purposes (e.g., for gaming, skill development, training, instruction, and/or others). As used herein, the term “environment” includes all possible permutations of the Metaverse as well as reality itself.
As used herein, “identity” refers to the various metrics and information that are used to define one's uniqueness from a social and/or commerce perspective (e.g., Name, date of birth, social security number, biometric data, etc.). Each unique individual or person has a singular actual or “true identity” and may potentially be associated with one or more “virtual” or “meta” identities. As used herein, the term “metaidentity” represents alter-identities that may be controlled, actioned, operated on by or on behalf of an actual person.
At least some disclosed embodiments involve a systemized and secure process to multi-directionally pass information between reality and various Metaverse environments while maintaining identity connectivity anonymously. Disclosed embodiments implement an arbiter module (which may be regarded as a “blind arbiter”) that manages or facilitates the anonymous transition of information between or among environments.
In some implementations, the arbiter module binds identities from different environments together and allows the mutual sharing of information related to those identities without revealing the relationship between those identities to any third party (e.g., real-world third parties and/or metaverse third parties). The information transferred can be of any type including static information or dynamically updated information (e.g., real-time streamed information).
In some instances, the arbiter module enforces a one-to-many relationship, such that a singular true identity may be bound to an infinite number of metaidentities. Reciprocally, in some instances, a metaidentity may only be linked to a single true identity and no other. By way of example, an individual may have multiple metaidentities that may appear uncorrelated to any observer, however the arbiter module (via common association with the true identity) may indirectly comprehend the linkage between the metaidentities.
Implementation of an arbiter module as described herein may enable cross-environmental association between real-world and metaverse identities that is only know to the arbiter module (and presumably to the owner of the true identity). Such functionality may advantageously enable real-world individuals to control one or more metaverse identities to participate in meaningful metaverse activities in an anonymous manner. Such functionality may additionally promote the meaningful growth and/or establishment of metaverse identities (e.g., in view of their externally anonymous association with a real-world individual). Although implementation of an arbiter module may secure anonymity from a process perspective, it should be noted that anonymity is not guaranteed in view of actions that may be performed by the owner of the true identity that could compromise anonymity.
Having just described some of the various high-level features and benefits of the disclosed embodiments, attention will now be directed to
The processor(s) 102 may comprise one or more sets of electronic circuitries that include any number of logic units, registers, and/or control units to facilitate the execution of computer-readable instructions (e.g., instructions that form a computer program). Such computer-readable instructions may be stored within storage 104. The storage 104 may comprise physical system memory and may be volatile, non-volatile, or some combination thereof. Furthermore, storage 104 may comprise local storage, remote storage (e.g., accessible via communication system(s) 116 or otherwise), or some combination thereof. Additional details related to processors (e.g., processor(s) 102) and computer storage media (e.g., storage 104) will be provided hereinafter.
In some implementations, the processor(s) 102 may comprise or be configurable to execute any combination of software and/or hardware components that are operable to facilitate processing using machine learning models or other artificial intelligence-based structures/architectures. For example, processor(s) 102 may comprise and/or utilize hardware components or computer-executable instructions operable to carry out function blocks and/or processing layers configured in the form of, by way of non-limiting example, single-layer neural networks, feedforward neural networks, radial basis function networks, deep feed-forward networks, recurrent neural networks, long-short term memory (LSTM) networks, gated recurrent units, autoencoder neural networks, variational autoencoders, denoising autoencoders, sparse autoencoders, Markov chains, Hopfield neural networks, Boltzmann machine networks, restricted Boltzmann machine networks, deep belief networks, deep convolutional networks (or convolutional neural networks), deconvolutional neural networks, deep convolutional inverse graphics networks, generative adversarial networks, liquid state machines, extreme learning machines, echo state networks, deep residual networks, Kohonen networks, support vector machines, neural Turing machines, and/or others.
As will be described in more detail, the processor(s) 102 may be configured to execute instructions 106 stored within storage 104 to perform certain actions. The actions may rely at least in part on data 108 stored on storage 104 in a volatile or non-volatile manner.
In some instances, the actions may rely at least in part on communication system(s) 116 for receiving data from remote system(s) 118, which may include, for example, separate systems or computing devices, sensors, and/or others. The communications system(s) 116 may comprise any combination of software or hardware components that are operable to facilitate communication between on-system components/devices and/or with off-system components/devices. For example, the communications system(s) 116 may comprise ports, buses, or other physical connection apparatuses for communicating with other devices/components. Additionally, or alternatively, the communications system(s) 116 may comprise systems/components operable to communicate wirelessly with external systems and/or devices through any suitable communication channel(s), such as, by way of non-limiting example, Bluetooth, ultra-wideband, WLAN, infrared communication, and/or others.
Furthermore,
In some implementations, an arbiter module may incorporate asymmetric encryption and/or hierarchical deterministic (HD) wallet techniques to positively link identities and attributes. The following discussion provides one or more examples of implementing/leveraging such technologies, and variations thereon are within the scope of the present disclosure.
The following discussion now refers to a number of methods and method acts that may be performed. Although the method acts may be discussed in a certain order or illustrated in a flow chart as occurring in a particular order, no particular ordering is required unless specifically stated, or required because an act is dependent on another act being completed prior to the act being performed.
Act 304 of flow diagram 300 of
Act 306 of flow diagram 300 of
As shown in
In some implementations, the data package 504 decrypted via the first private key 408 includes additional information. For instance,
As furthermore shown in
Accordingly, real-world third-party information pertinent to a particular real-world individual may be associated with a true identity for the particular real-world individual via an arbiter module. Such real-world third-party information may be updated via communication of additional/updated data packages including additional/updated third party information to the arbiter module. As will be described an arbiter module may establish, maintain, and/or update inter-environment information for the true identity associated with the arbiter module (e.g., to track assets and/or trustworthiness of an individual based on actions in multiple environments, such as within the real-world environment and in one or more metaverses). Such inter-environment information may be at least partially based on real-world third-party information.
Act 308 of flow diagram 300 of
Binding the one or more metaidentities to the arbiter module may include the performance of various acts, which are conceptually represented in
In the example, of
Although the present disclosure focuses, in at least some respects, on examples in which a real-world human individual has their true identity bound to an arbiter module (to enable anonymous metaverse activity via one or more metaverse identities also bound to the arbiter module), the principles disclosed herein may extend to implementations in which true identities of other types of real-world individual entities (e.g., individual business/charitable/government organizations) become bound to arbiter modules to facilitate anonymous metaverse activity by the other types of real-world individual entities (e.g., via metaverse identities bound to the same arbiter modules).
Furthermore, although at least some examples discussed herein focus, in at least some respects, on third-party information indicative of values/metrics associated with a particular real-world individual that can readily change over time (e.g., trust metrics, assets), third party information may comprise other types of third-party information for/about the particular real-world individual (e.g., classifications, attributes, criminal conviction status, income status, employment status, marital/familial status, licenses, degrees, qualifications, etc.) that can be stored (and/or verified) by real-world third-party entities and provided to arbiter modules (via binding of the real-world third-party entities to the arbiter modules in accordance with act 304). In some instances, the third-party information may rely at least in part on information provided or made available by the particular real-world individual to the one or more real-world entities
Arbiter modules that are bound to true identities (associated with particular real-world individuals) and metaidentities as described herein may be implemented in various ways and/or for various purposes. The following discussion refers to a few example, non-limiting use cases in which an arbiter module bound to a true identity and one or more metaidentites may be utilized.
An arbiter module may operate to transfer correlated data anonymously between environments. As noted above, an arbiter module may maintain or transfer inter-environment information (which may be at least partially based upon the third party information). For instance, an arbiter module may operate in a manner that is agnostic toward the type or purpose of information it maintains or passes and therefore may serve to transmit proof of value or credit. In this way, an arbiter module may be utilized to support and/or enable a metaidentity to autonomously engage in commerce in one or more metaverses in a manner that is supported by an undiscoverable relationship with a true identity.
Because of the arbiter module 702, the value transfer shown in
An arbiter module may similarly facilitate transfers of value between metaverse accounts for metaidentities that are bound to the arbiter module (whether intra-metaverse or inter-metaverse).
The functionality of an arbiter module may comprise intermediary functionalities as described hereinabove, which may be distinct from account storage functions that may be performed by third parties (e.g., value storage and transactions is often encumbered by significant regulations). In some instances, a reference to actions of an arbiter module may be sufficient to satisfy know your customer (KYC) mandates, allowing an arbiter module to serve as a storage of value to facilitate account services.
For example,
Accordingly, an arbiter module may have the functionality to operate as a financial repository; exchange/transfer funds across environments (or within common environments); and/or exchange/transfer funds within metaverse environments (and/or as an exchange to convert value types).
As noted above, third party information pertinent to a true identity bound to an arbiter module may take on various forms, such as one or more trust metrics or other indications of trust for the true identity. In this regard, an arbiter module may be configured to communicate third party information to one or more metaverse entities seeking interaction with a metaidentity bound to the arbiter module (and therefore bound to the true identity associated with the third-party information).
By way of illustrative example, a credit issuer with legacy systems may require specific identity information to support system requirements and regulation for issuing credit. In providing the requested data, a metaidentity could provide the following information:
Because the virtual data is fictitious (e.g., being irrelevant to the real-world environment), it would be highly unlikely that this information alone would be sufficient to enable the credit issuer to extend credit. However, with the addition of a credit worthiness metric positively tied to a true person (e.g., a credit score for a particular real-world individual in the form of third party information provided by a real-world third party bound to an arbiter module that is also bound to (i) the particular real-world individual whom the credit score is for and to (ii) the metaidentity requesting credit in a metaverse), meaningful assessment of credit worthiness of the metaidentity becomes possible.
As shown in
The provision of the real-world third-party information to the metaverse entity 1110 can indicate to the metaverse entity 1110 that the true backer of the metaidentity 1106 (“C. Midnight”) is trustworthy enough to risk extending credit to metaidentity 1106. With such functionality, a metaidentity could then engage in virtual commerce within the metaverse and develop a credit history apart from, yet grounded to, the corresponding credit history of the true persona. Credit history and/or other aspects of actions performed by a metaidentity may be tracked by an arbiter module, as noted above. In some implementations, an arbiter module may convey such information about a metaidentity's performance (e.g., payment or default) back to one or more real-world third parties that track information associated with the true identity (e.g., a credit bureau), allowing actions or omissions within the metaverse to have real-world consequences or benefits.
Relevant actions, omissions, and/or other events in different environments (e.g., in the real-world environment and/or in metaverse environments) may be tracked by an arbiter module for the various identities bound thereto in the form of inter-environment information. Such inter-environment information may be communicated to real-world and/or metaverse third parties for various purposes (e.g., for entities to determine creditworthiness, asset verification, etc.).
Assets and/or activities may additionally or alternatively be communicated between environments utilizing an arbiter module. =6.5” stored within a wallet 1210 of the metaidentity 1206 as shown in the example of
As noted above, the inter-environment information 1208 maintained by the arbiter module 1202 may be communicated to real-world entities (and/or metaverse entities). In the example of =6.5”) to a real-world entity 1212 seeking to verify assets of or attributable to the true identity 1204 (as indicated in
The true identity 1204 (“John Doe”) may similarly communicate information about real-world assets ($200k) to the real-world entity 1212 (and/or one or more metaverse entities), thereby allowing the real-world entity 1212 to verify total assets and/or liabilities (both real-world and metaverse assets and/or liabilities) of or attributable to the true identity 1204. In some instances, information about real-world assets is additionally reflected in the inter-environment information 1208 and may be communicated by the arbiter module 1202 to the real-world entity 1212 (and/or one or more metaverse entities).
In many commercial interactions, it is advantageous for at least one party to confirm another's identity (e.g., for purposes of legal attribution). In some implementations, an arbiter module as described herein can be leveraged by entities in any environment to validate identity and attribute actions.
In particular
Act (1) of
Various types of data may be stored utilizing an arbiter module as discussed herein, such as transactional data (for legal and/or regulatory purposes, as discussed with reference to
Data stored by an arbiter module may additionally or alternatively include metaidentity data, such as recent, cumulative, or average values of data associated with a metaidentity (e.g., inter-environment information). Such data may enable development of informative insights or ratings on conduct of metaidentities.
In some implementations, an arbiter module may manage or potentially issue unique virtual data for integration with legacy systems, which often require data such as mailing addresses, government identification numbers, and/or dates of birth to function. For example, in the United States, the Social Security Number (SSN) is often required to register for various services. An arbiter module may be configured to issue unique analogs for SSNs that are cryptographically verifiable and uniquely associated with particular metaidentities (as shown in examples discussed hereinabove). In the example of a hard address, an arbiter module may issue exclusive virtual PO box or street addresses that can be verifiably attributed to specific metaidentities.
In some implementations, an arbiter module may anonymously relay internet traffic, phone calls, SMS texts, emails, and/or other real-time or synchronous or asynchronous communications. In some instances, the arbiter module could issue meta-phone numbers that, when called, would relay the caller to an individual's real-world personal number without revealing the ultimate destination to the caller.
In some implementations, an arbiter module may facilitate data passage concerning physical addressing for a re-shipper. For instance, a product sent to a metaverse address provided by an arbiter module may in reality be an intermediate physical location designed for the repackaging and follow-on reshipment to an end-user's desired location.
In some implementations, an arbiter module may serve as a bridging mechanism between environments to correlate meta and real-world activities to comply with legislation related to social credit systems.
As noted above, although an arbiter module may serve data transfer/translation functions, an arbiter module may serve one or more intermediary functions, such as hosting a monetary account with a financial institution for the purposes of receiving deposits for eventual transition for credit to metaidentities. An arbiter module may additionally or alternatively be used by third parties seeking true identity confirmation. For instance, in place of conducting a traditional identity verification process on an individual for a true-name purpose, a third party could leverage the true entity binding process (e.g., discussed hereinabove with reference to
Binding between a metaidentity and an arbiter module may comprise a perpetual binding (e.g., maintained unless explicit disassociation or unbinding occurs) or temporary binding (e.g., for one-time transactions or “snap” transactions, without performance of formal identity verification processes). Temporary binding for “snap” transactions may enable metaverse entities to receive verifying information about a metaidentity on an ad hoc basis.
The acts discussed herein may be practiced by a computer system including one or more processors and computer-readable media such as computer memory (e.g., physical hardware storage devices). In particular, the computer memory may store computer-executable instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause various functions to be performed, such as the acts recited in the embodiments.
Computing system functionality can be enhanced by a computing systems' ability to be interconnected to other computing systems via network connections. Network connections may include, but are not limited to, connections via wired or wireless Ethernet, cellular connections, or even computer to computer connections through serial, parallel, USB, or other connections. The connections allow a computing system to access services at other computing systems and to quickly and efficiently receive application data from other computing systems.
Interconnection of computing systems has facilitated distributed computing systems, such as so-called “cloud” computing systems. In this description, “cloud computing” may be systems or resources for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, services, etc.) that can be provisioned and released with reduced management effort or service provider interaction. A cloud model can be composed of various characteristics (e.g., on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, measured service, etc.), service models (e.g., Software as a Service (“SaaS”), Platform as a Service (“PaaS”), Infrastructure as a Service (“IaaS”), and deployment models (e.g., private cloud, community cloud, public cloud, hybrid cloud, etc.).
Cloud- and remote-based service applications are prevalent. Such applications are hosted on public and private remote systems such as clouds and usually offer a set of web-based services for communicating back and forth with clients.
Many computers are intended to be used by direct user interaction with the computer. As such, computers have input hardware and software user interfaces to facilitate user interaction. For example, a modern general-purpose computer may include a keyboard, mouse, touchpad, camera, etc. for allowing a user to input data into the computer. In addition, various software user interfaces may be available.
Examples of software user interfaces include graphical user interfaces, text command line-based user interface, function key or hot key user interfaces, and the like.
Disclosed embodiments may comprise or utilize a special purpose or general-purpose computer including computer hardware, as discussed in greater detail below. Disclosed embodiments also include physical and other computer-readable media for carrying or storing computer-executable instructions and/or data structures. Such computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer system. Computer-readable media that store computer-executable instructions are physical storage media. Computer-readable media that carry computer-executable instructions are transmission media. Thus, by way of example, and not limitation, embodiments of the invention can comprise at least two distinctly different kinds of computer-readable media: physical computer-readable storage media and transmission computer-readable media.
Physical computer-readable storage media includes RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage (such as CDs, DVDs, etc.), magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer.
A “network” is defined as one or more data links that enable the transport of electronic data between computer systems and/or modules and/or other electronic devices. When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or wireless) to a computer, the computer properly views the connection as a transmission medium. Transmissions media can include a network and/or data links which can be used to carry program code in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures, and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of computer-readable media.
Further, upon reaching various computer system components, program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures can be transferred automatically from transmission computer-readable media to physical computer-readable storage media (or vice versa). For example, computer-executable instructions or data structures received over a network or data link can be buffered in RAM within a network interface module (e.g., a “NIC”), and then eventually transferred to computer system RAM and/or to less volatile computer-readable physical storage media at a computer system. Thus, computer-readable physical storage media can be included in computer system components that also (or even primarily) utilize transmission media.
Computer-executable instructions comprise, for example, instructions and data which cause a general-purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing device to perform a certain function or group of functions. The computer-executable instructions may be, for example, binaries, intermediate format instructions such as assembly language, or even source code. Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the described features or acts described above. Rather, the described features and acts are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be practiced in network computing environments with many types of computer system configurations, including, personal computers, desktop computers, laptop computers, message processors, hand-held devices, multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, mobile telephones, PDAs, pagers, routers, switches, and the like. The invention may also be practiced in distributed system environments where local and remote computer systems, which are linked (either by hardwired data links, wireless data links, or by a combination of hardwired and wireless data links) through a network, both perform tasks. In a distributed system environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.
Alternatively, or in addition, the functionality described herein can be performed, at least in part, by one or more hardware logic components. For example, and without limitation, illustrative types of hardware logic components that can be used include Field-programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Program-specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Program-specific Standard Products (ASSPs), System-on-a-chip systems (SOCs), Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLDs), etc.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/407,540 filed on Sep. 16, 2023 and entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FACILITATING ANONYMOUS METAVERSE ACTIONS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS,” which application is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
63407540 | Sep 2022 | US |