IP Library Granted Patent US 12669912
Granted Patent B2
US 12669912 · App. 18/444,234 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Electronic device for displaying icon in three-dimensional (3D) virtual space, its operation method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media

Inventors: Jinkyo Chung (Suwon-si, KR); Dongkyun Kang (Suwon-si, KR); Eunhae Park (Suwon-si, KR); Eunsun Chae (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
G06F3/04815G06F3/013G06F3/017G06F3/04817G06F3/04842G06F3/04845G06F2203/04804
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12669912
App. No.
18/444,234
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wearable electronic device and a method performed thereby are provided. The wearable electronic device includes a display, a memory, a camera, and one or more processors. The memory store one or more computer programs including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wearable electronic device to display a user-selectable icon for an execution of an application in a three-dimensional (3D) virtual space, wherein the user-selectable icon includes a first graphical object representing a virtual window and a second graphical object representing the application, and the second graphical object is selectable through the first graphical, while the user-selectable icon is displayed in the 3D virtual space, detect a movement of a user's finger, and based on detecting the movement of the user's finger to select the second graphical object in a depth direction of the virtual window of the first graphical object, display an execution screen of the application.

Claims (74)

1 . A wearable electronic device comprising:

a display;

memory;

a camera; and

one or more processors communicatively connected to the display, the memory, and the camera,

wherein the memory stores one or more computer programs including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable electronic device to:

display a user-selectable icon for an execution of an application in a three-dimensional (3D) virtual space, wherein the user-selectable icon includes a first graphical object representing a virtual window and a second graphical object representing the application, and the second graphical object is selectable through the first graphical object,

while the user-selectable icon is displayed in the 3D virtual space, detect a movement of a user's finger, and

based on detecting the movement of the user's finger to select the second graphical object in a depth direction of the virtual window of the first graphical object, display an execution screen of the application.

2 . The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable electronic device to:

display the second graphical object adjacent to the execution screen of the application.

3 . The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable electronic device to:

based on the detected movement of the user's finger, display a representation of the movement of the user's finger with respect to the user-selectable icon.

4 . The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable electronic device to:

when the execution screen of the application is displayed, not display the virtual window of the first graphical object while displaying the second graphical object.

5 . The wearable electronic device of claim 1 ,

wherein the movement of the user's finger to select the second graphical object is a first user input,

wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable electronic device to:

based on a user input being received with respect to the second graphical object while the user-selectable icon is displayed in the 3D virtual space, change an arrangement order between the first graphical object and the second graphical object along the depth direction, and

wherein the user input is different from the first user input and is at least one of a gesture input or a gaze input.

6 . The wearable electronic device of claim 1 ,

wherein the movement of the user's finger to select the second graphical object is a first user input,

wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable electronic device to:

based on receiving a second user input with respect to the first graphical object, change at least one of a size or a transparency of the first graphical object, and

based on receiving the second user input with respect to the second graphical object while the user-selectable icon is displayed in the 3D virtual space, change at least one of a size, a position, a shape, or a color of the second graphical object, and

wherein the second user input is different from the first user input and is at least one of a gesture input or a gaze input.

7 . The wearable electronic device of claim 6 ,

wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable electronic device to:

based on receiving a third user input with respect to the second graphical object, execute at least one function of the application, and

wherein the third user input is at least one of a gesture input or a gaze input different from the first user input and the second user input.

8 . The wearable electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable electronic device to:

based on receiving a gaze of the user gazing at a specified location in the 3D virtual space and the movement of the user's finger for a third graphical object representing a background of the user-selectable icon, selectively switch the 3D virtual space from one of a first space created using the camera or a second space stored in the wearable electronic device to the other.

9 . The wearable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable electronic device to:

based on the second user input, move the execution screen of the application behind the third graphical object based on the depth direction so that the execution screen of the application is not visible by the first graphical object, and

based on a specified event, move at least a portion of the execution screen in front of the third graphical object along the depth direction.

10 . The wearable electronic device of claim 6 , further comprising:

a facial recognition camera disposed on a side of the wearable electronic device facing the first graphical object,

wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable electronic device to:

determine at least one of eye movement or eyelid movement using image information obtained by the facial recognition camera,

obtain gaze information based on at least one of the eye movement or the eyelid movement, and

determine the second user input at least partially based on the gaze information, and

wherein the display emits light to both eyes of the user to display a plurality of graphical objects on the 3D virtual space while the user is wearing the wearable electronic device.

11 . The wearable electronic device of claim 1 ,

wherein the movement of the user's finger to select the second graphical object is a first user input,

wherein the second graphical object includes objects representing each of a plurality of applications, and

wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable electronic device to:

based on receiving the first user input for the second graphical object, display execution screens for each of the plurality of applications,

based on receiving a fourth user input with respect to the second graphical object, individually display the objects representing each of the plurality of applications, and

based on receiving a fifth user input with respect to the second graphical object, display objects representing each of a plurality of sub-functions of the application.

12 . A method performed by a wearable electronic device, the method comprising:

displaying a user-selectable icon for an execution of an application in a three-dimensional (3D) virtual space, wherein the user-selectable icon includes a first graphical object representing a virtual window and a second graphical object representing the application, and the second graphical object is selectable through the first graphical object;

while the user-selectable icon is displayed in the 3D virtual space, detecting a movement of a user's finger; and

based on detecting the movement of the user's finger to select the second graphical object in a depth direction of the virtual window of the first graphical object, displaying an execution screen of the application.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

based on receiving a second user input with respect to a third graphical object, changing at least one of a size or a transparency of the third graphical object; and

based on receiving the second user input with respect to the second graphical object while the user-selectable icon is displayed in the 3D virtual space, changing at least one of a size, a position, a shape, or a color of the second graphical object,

wherein the movement of the user's finger to select the second graphical object is a first user input, and

wherein the second user input is different from the first user input and is at least one of a gesture input or a gaze input.

14 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing one or more computer programs including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a wearable electronic device individually or collectively, cause the wearable electronic device to perform operations, the operations comprising:

displaying a user-selectable icon for an execution of an application in a three-dimensional (3D) virtual space, wherein the user-selectable icon includes a first graphical object representing a virtual window and a second graphical object representing the application, and the second graphical object is selectable through the first graphical object;

while the user-selectable icon is displayed in the 3D virtual space, detecting a movement of a user's finger; and

based on detecting the movement of the user's finger to select the second graphical object in a depth direction of the virtual window of the first graphical object, displaying an execution screen of the application.

15 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise:

displaying the second graphical object adjacent to the execution screen of the application.

16 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise:

when the execution screen of the application is displayed, not displaying the virtual window of the first graphical object while displaying the second graphical object.

17 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise:

based on the detected movement of the user's finger, displaying a representation of the movement of the user's finger with respect to the user-selectable icon.

18 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 14 ,

wherein the operations further comprise:

based on receiving a second user input with respect to a third graphical object, changing at least one of a size or a transparency of the third graphical object; and

based on receiving the second user input with respect to the second graphical object while the user-selectable icon is displayed in the 3D virtual space, changing at least one of a size, a position, a shape, or a color of the second graphical object,

wherein the movement of the user's finger to select the second graphical object is a first user input, and

wherein the second user input is different from the first user input and is at least one of a gesture input or a gaze input.