IP Library › Granted Patent US 12663853

Granted Patent B2

US 12663853 · App. 18/818,435 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

System and method of spatial groups in multi-user communication sessions

Inventors: Miao Ren (Sunnyvale, CA); Shih-Sang Chiu (San Francisco, CA); Connor A. Smith (Sunnyvale, CA); Joseph P. Cerra (San Francisco, CA); Willem Mattelaer (San Jose, CA)

Assignee: Apple Inc.

G06T11/60 G06T15/20

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12663853
App. No.: 18/818,435
Granted: Jun 23, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

Some examples of the disclosure are directed to systems and methods for presenting content in a three-dimensional environment by one or more electronic devices in a multi-user communication session. In some examples, a first electronic device and a second electronic device are communicatively linked in a multi-user communication session, wherein the first electronic device and the second electronic device are configured to display a three-dimensional environment, respectively. In some examples, the first electronic device and the second electronic device are grouped in a first spatial group within the multi-user communication session. In some examples, if the second electronic device determines that the first electronic device changes states (and/or vice versa), the user of the first electronic device and the user of the second electronic device are no longer grouped into the same spatial group within the multi-user communication session.

Claims (82)

1 . A method comprising:

at a first electronic device in communication with a display, one or more input devices, and a second electronic device:

while in a communication session with the second electronic device, displaying, via the display, a three-dimensional environment including an avatar corresponding to a user of the second electronic device;

while displaying the three-dimensional environment including the avatar corresponding to the user of the second electronic device, receiving an indication corresponding to a change in a state of the second electronic device; and

in response to receiving the indication:

in accordance with a determination that the state of the second electronic device is a first state, replacing display, via the display, of the avatar corresponding to the user of the second electronic device with a two-dimensional representation of the user of the second electronic device in the three-dimensional environment; and

in accordance with a determination that the state of the second electronic device is a second state, different from the first state, maintaining display, via the display, of the avatar corresponding to the user of the second electronic device in the three-dimensional environment.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional environment further includes a first shared object before the indication is received, the method further comprising:

in response to receiving the indication:

in accordance with the determination that the state of the second electronic device is a third state, different from the first state and the second state:

maintaining display, via the display, of the first shared object in the three-dimensional environment; and

replacing display of the avatar corresponding to the user of the second electronic device with the two-dimensional representation of the user of the second electronic device in the three-dimensional environment, wherein the two-dimensional representation of the user is displayed adjacent to the first shared object in the three-dimensional environment.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the indication corresponding to the change in the state of the second electronic device includes:

receiving data corresponding to a change in display of content that is private to the user of the second electronic device in a three-dimensional environment displayed at the second electronic device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the indication corresponding to the change in the state of the second electronic device includes:

receiving data corresponding to a request to display content that is shared by the user of the second electronic device in the three-dimensional environment.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional environment further includes a first shared object before the indication is received, and receiving the indication corresponding to the change in the state of the second electronic device includes:

receiving data corresponding to a change in display of the first shared object in a three-dimensional environment displayed at the second electronic device.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the determination that the state of the second electronic device is the first state is in accordance with a determination that a user of the first electronic device and the user of the second electronic device are in different spatial groups within the communication session; and

the determination that the state of the second electronic device is the second state is in accordance with a determination that the user of the first electronic device and the user of the second electronic device are in a same spatial group within the communication session.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein:

the determination that the user of the first electronic device and the user of the second electronic device are in different spatial groups within the communication session is in accordance with a determination that the first electronic device and the second electronic device have different communication session tokens; and

the determination that the user of the first electronic device and the user of the second electronic device are in the same spatial group within the communication session is in accordance with a determination that the first electronic device and the second electronic device share a same communication session token.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein:

9 . A first electronic device comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for performing a method comprising:

while in a communication session with a second electronic device, displaying, via a display, a three-dimensional environment including an avatar corresponding to a user of the second electronic device;

in response to receiving the indication:

10 . The first electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the three-dimensional environment further includes a first shared object before the indication is received, the method further comprising:

in response to receiving the indication:

in accordance with the determination that the state of the second electronic device is a third state, different from the first state and the second state:

maintaining display, via the display, of the first shared object in the three-dimensional environment; and

11 . The first electronic device of claim 9 , wherein receiving the indication corresponding to the change in the state of the second electronic device includes:

12 . The first electronic device of claim 9 , wherein receiving the indication corresponding to the change in the state of the second electronic device includes:

receiving data corresponding to a request to display content that is shared by the user of the second electronic device in the three-dimensional environment.

13 . The first electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the three-dimensional environment further includes a first shared object before the indication is received, and receiving the indication corresponding to the change in the state of the second electronic device includes:

receiving data corresponding to a change in display of the first shared object in a three-dimensional environment displayed at the second electronic device.

14 . The first electronic device of claim 9 , wherein:

15 . The first electronic device of claim 14 , wherein:

16 . The first electronic device of claim 14 , wherein:

17 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a first electronic device, cause the first electronic device to perform a method comprising:

in response to receiving the indication:

18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the three-dimensional environment further includes a first shared object before the indication is received, the method further comprising:

in response to receiving the indication:

in accordance with the determination that the state of the second electronic device is a third state, different from the first state and the second state:

maintaining display, via the display, of the first shared object in the three-dimensional environment; and

19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein receiving the indication corresponding to the change in the state of the second electronic device includes:

20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein receiving the indication corresponding to the change in the state of the second electronic device includes:

receiving data corresponding to a request to display content that is shared by the user of the second electronic device in the three-dimensional environment.

21 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the three-dimensional environment further includes a first shared object before the indication is received, and receiving the indication corresponding to the change in the state of the second electronic device includes:

receiving data corresponding to a change in display of the first shared object in a three-dimensional environment displayed at the second electronic device.

22 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein:

23 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22 , wherein:

24 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22 , wherein: