IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,688,660

Granted Patent B2

US 12,688,660 · App. 18/467,523 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Methods for depth conflict mitigation in a three-dimensional environment

Inventors: Benjamin Hylak (San Francisco, CA); William A. Sorrentino, III (Mill Valley, CA); Christopher D. McKenzie (Burlingame, CA); James J. Owen (San Francisco, CA); Zoey C. Taylor (San Francisco, CA); Miquel Estany Rodriguez (San Francisco, CA)

Assignee: Apple Inc.

G06T19/006 G06T19/20 G06V10/60 G06T2219/2004

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12,688,660
App. No.: 18/467,523
Granted: Jul 21, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

In some embodiments, a computer system facilitates depth conflict mitigation for a virtual object that is in contact with one or more physical objects in a three-dimensional environment by changing visual properties of one or more portions of the virtual object. In some embodiments, a computer system facilitates depth conflict mitigation for a virtual object that is in contact with one or more physical objects in a three-dimensional environment by displaying the virtual object in a virtual environment within the three-dimensional environment. In some embodiments, a computer system facilitates depth conflict mitigation for a virtual object that is in contact with one or more physical objects in a three-dimensional environment by variably changing visual properties of one or more portions of the virtual object and/or by variably displaying the virtual object in a virtual environment based on one or more characteristics of the depth conflict.

Claims (226)

1 . A method comprising:

at a computer system in communication with a display generation component and one or more input devices:

displaying, via the display generation component, a first virtual object at a first location in a three-dimensional environment, wherein a first portion and a second portion of the first virtual object include content that is displayed with first visual properties;

while displaying the first virtual object in the three-dimensional environment, detecting, via the one or more input devices, a first input corresponding to movement of the first virtual object from the first location to a second location, different from the first location, in the three-dimensional environment;

in response to detecting the first input, moving the first virtual object from the first location to the second location in the three-dimensional environment in accordance with the first input; and

in accordance with a determination that the first portion of the first virtual object occupies a same portion of the three-dimensional environment as a first portion of a second object in the three-dimensional environment, and the second portion of the first virtual object does not occupy a same portion of the three-dimensional environment as a respective object in the three-dimensional environment:

displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with second visual properties, different from the first visual properties; and

displaying the content in the second portion of the first virtual object with the first visual properties.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second object is a physical object in a physical environment of the display generation component.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

after moving the first virtual object from the first location to the second location in the three-dimensional environment in accordance with the first input and while the first virtual object is at the second location in the three-dimensional environment:

in accordance with a determination that the first portion of the first virtual object does not occupy a same portion of the three-dimensional environment as a respective object in the three-dimensional environment, and the second portion of the first virtual object does not occupy the same portion of the three-dimensional environment as a respective object in the three-dimensional environment:

displaying the content in the first portion and the second portion of the first virtual object with the first visual properties.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first input includes input provided by a predefined portion of a user of the computer system that is directed to the first virtual object.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first input includes movement of a viewpoint of a user of the computer system.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first virtual object is world-locked within the three-dimensional environment.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

changing the content in the first portion of the first virtual object from having the first visual properties to the second visual properties includes changing a visual parameter of the first virtual object in a first direction; and

the method further comprises:

in response to detecting the end of the first input:

in accordance with a determination that one or more criteria are satisfied, displaying at least a portion of the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with third visual properties, wherein changing the content in the first portion of the first virtual object from having the second visual properties to the third visual properties includes changing the visual parameter of the first virtual object in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when a first threshold amount of time has elapsed since detecting the end of the first input.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the first visual properties includes displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with a first amount of opacity; and

displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the second visual properties includes displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with a second amount of opacity, different from the first amount of opacity.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the second visual properties includes displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with a second amount of brightness, different from the first amount of brightness.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the content in the second portion of the first virtual object with the first visual properties includes displaying the content in the second portion of the first virtual object with a first amount of opacity, the method further comprising:

while displaying the first virtual object at the second location in the three-dimensional environment, detecting, via the one or more input devices, a second input corresponding to movement of the first virtual object relative to a viewpoint of a user of the computer system; and

while detecting the second input and while moving the first virtual object relative to the viewpoint of the user in accordance with the second input, reducing an opacity of the content in the second portion of the first virtual object relative to an opacity of the content in the first portion of the first virtual object.

12 . The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

while displaying the first virtual object at the second location in the three-dimensional environment and while the first portion of the first virtual object occupies a same portion of the three-dimensional environment as the first portion of the second object in the three-dimensional environment, detecting, via the one or more input devices, a second input corresponding to movement of the first virtual object relative to a viewpoint of a user of the computer system; and

while detecting the second input and while moving the first virtual object relative to the viewpoint of the user in accordance with the second input:

in accordance with a determination that the movement of the first virtual object relative to the viewpoint of the user corresponds to movement of the first virtual object from the second location to a third location in the three-dimensional environment:

displaying content in a third portion of the first virtual object with third visual properties, different from the first visual properties; and

in accordance with a determination that the movement of the first virtual object relative to the viewpoint of the user corresponds to movement of the viewpoint of the user of the computer system:

displaying the content in the third portion of the first virtual object with fourth visual properties, different from the first visual properties and the third visual properties.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein:

displaying the content in the third portion of the first virtual object with the third visual properties includes displaying a boundary between the third portion of the first virtual object and a fourth portion of the first virtual object with a first visual transition, wherein the fourth portion of the first virtual object does not occupy a same portion of the three-dimensional environment as a respective object in the three-dimensional environment; and

displaying the content in the third portion of the first virtual object with the fourth visual properties includes displaying the boundary between the third portion of the first virtual object and the fourth portion of the first virtual object with a second visual transition, different from the first visual transition.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein:

displaying the content in the third portion of the first virtual object with the third visual properties includes displaying the third portion of the first virtual object with a first amount of a visual effect; and

displaying the content in the third portion of the first virtual object with the fourth visual properties includes displaying the third portion of the first virtual object with a second amount, different from the first amount, of the visual effect.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional environment includes a third object, the method further comprising:

in accordance with a determination that the first portion of the first virtual object occupies a same portion of the three-dimensional environment as the first portion of the second object in the three-dimensional environment, and a third portion of the first virtual object occupies a same portion of the three-dimensional environment as the third object in the three-dimensional environment:

displaying content in the third portion of the first virtual object with third visual properties, different from the first visual properties, in the three-dimensional environment.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

while displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the second visual properties because the first portion of the first virtual object occupies the same portion of the three-dimensional environment as the first portion of the second object, and displaying the content in the third portion of the first virtual object with the third visual properties because the third portion of the first virtual object occupies the same portion of the three-dimensional environment as the third object, detecting, via the one or more input devices, a second input corresponding to movement of the first virtual object from the second location to a third location, different from the second location, in the three-dimensional environment; and

in response to detecting the second input:

moving the first virtual object from the second location to the third location in the three-dimensional environment in accordance with the second input; and

in accordance with a determination that the movement of the first virtual object to the third location in the three-dimensional environment changes a co-occupancy between the first virtual object and the second object, updating display of the second visual properties of the content in the first portion of the first virtual object in the three-dimensional environment; and

in accordance with a determination that the movement of the first virtual object to the third location in the three-dimensional environment changes the co-occupancy between the first virtual object and the third object, updating display of the third visual properties of the content in the third portion of the first virtual object in the three-dimensional environment.

17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to detecting the second input:

displaying, via the display generation component, the virtual environment within the three-dimensional environment, including:

in accordance with a determination that the second location of the first virtual object in the three-dimensional environment is within the virtual environment:

displaying the first virtual object in the virtual environment, and

displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the first visual properties.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein while displaying the first virtual object at the second location in the three-dimensional environment, the three-dimensional environment is displayed with a first visual emphasis relative to the first virtual object, the method further comprising:

while displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the second visual properties because the first portion of the first virtual object occupies the same portion of the three-dimensional environment as the first portion of the second object in the three-dimensional environment, detecting, via the one or more input devices, a respective event corresponding to a request to display the three-dimensional environment with a second visual emphasis, different from the first visual emphasis, relative to the first virtual object; and

in response to detecting the respective event:

displaying, via the display generation component, the three-dimensional environment with the second visual emphasis relative to the first virtual object; and

displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the first visual properties.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the respective event includes input selecting a respective option.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the respective event does not include input selecting a respective option.

21 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

while displaying the three-dimensional environment with the second visual emphasis relative to the first virtual object after detecting the respective event, detecting, via the one or more input devices, a second respective event that does not include input selecting a respective option; and

in response to detecting the second respective event:

displaying the three-dimensional environment with the first visual emphasis relative to the first virtual object; and

displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the second visual properties.

22 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first visual properties include a first degree of visual prominence of the content and the second visual properties includes a second degree of visual prominence of the content that is lower than the first degree of visual prominence of the content.

23 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first visual properties include a first opacity of the content and the second visual properties includes a second opacity of the content, less than the first opacity of the content.

24 . A computer system that is in communication with a display generation component and one or more input devices, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:

in response to detecting the first input, moving the first virtual object from the first location to the second location in the three-dimensional environment in accordance with the first input; and

displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with second visual properties, different from the first visual properties; and

displaying the content in the second portion of the first virtual object with the first visual properties.

25 . 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 computer system that is in communication with a display generation component and one or more input devices, cause the computer system to perform a method comprising:

in response to detecting the first input, moving the first virtual object from the first location to the second location in the three-dimensional environment in accordance with the first input; and

displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with second visual properties, different from the first visual properties; and

displaying the content in the second portion of the first virtual object with the first visual properties.

26 . The computer system of claim 22 , wherein the second object is a physical object in a physical environment of the display generation component.

27 . The computer system of claim 22 , wherein the one or more programs include further instructions for:

displaying the content in the first portion and the second portion of the first virtual object with the first visual properties.

28 . The computer system of claim 22 , wherein the first input includes input provided by a predefined portion of a user of the computer system that is directed to the first virtual object.

29 . The computer system of claim 22 , wherein the first input includes movement of a viewpoint of a user of the computer system.

30 . The computer system of claim 22 , wherein the first virtual object is world-locked within the three-dimensional environment.

31 . The computer system of claim 22 , wherein:

the one or more programs include further instructions for:

in response to detecting the end of the first input:

32 . The computer system of claim 31 , wherein the one or more criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when a first threshold amount of time has elapsed since detecting the end of the first input.

33 . The computer system of claim 22 , wherein:

34 . The computer system of claim 22 , wherein:

displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the second visual properties includes displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with a second amount of brightness, different from the first amount of brightness.

35 . The computer system of claim 22 , wherein displaying the content in the second portion of the first virtual object with the first visual properties includes displaying the content in the second portion of the first virtual object with a first amount of opacity, the one or more programs include further instructions for:

36 . The computer system of claim 22 , wherein the one or more programs include further instructions for:

while detecting the second input and while moving the first virtual object relative to the viewpoint of the user in accordance with the second input:

displaying content in a third portion of the first virtual object with third visual properties, different from the first visual properties; and

in accordance with a determination that the movement of the first virtual object relative to the viewpoint of the user corresponds to movement of the viewpoint of the user of the computer system:

displaying the content in the third portion of the first virtual object with fourth visual properties, different from the first visual properties and the third visual properties.

37 . The computer system of claim 36 , wherein:

38 . The computer system of claim 36 , wherein:

39 . The computer system of claim 22 , wherein the three-dimensional environment includes a third object, the one or more programs include further instructions for:

displaying content in the third portion of the first virtual object with third visual properties, different from the first visual properties, in the three-dimensional environment.

40 . The computer system of claim 39 , wherein the one or more programs include further instructions for:

in response to detecting the second input:

moving the first virtual object from the second location to the third location in the three-dimensional environment in accordance with the second input; and

41 . The computer system of claim 22 , wherein the one or more programs include further instructions for:

in response to detecting the second input:

displaying, via the display generation component, the virtual environment within the three-dimensional environment, including:

in accordance with a determination that the second location of the first virtual object in the three-dimensional environment is within the virtual environment:

displaying the first virtual object in the virtual environment, and

displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the first visual properties.

42 . The computer system of claim 22 , wherein while displaying the first virtual object at the second location in the three-dimensional environment, the three-dimensional environment is displayed with a first visual emphasis relative to the first virtual object, the one or more programs include further instructions for:

while displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the second visual properties because the first portion of the first virtual object occupies the same portion of the three-dimensional environment as the first portion of the second object in the three-dimensional environment, detecting, via the one or more input devices, a respective event corresponding to a request to display the three-dimensional environment with a second visual emphasis, different from the first visual emphasis, relative to the first virtual object; and

in response to detecting the respective event:

displaying, via the display generation component, the three-dimensional environment with the second visual emphasis relative to the first virtual object; and

displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the first visual properties.

43 . The computer system of claim 42 , wherein the respective event includes input selecting a respective option.

44 . The computer system of claim 42 , wherein the respective event does not include input selecting a respective option.

45 . The computer system of claim 42 , wherein the one or more programs include further instructions for:

in response to detecting the second respective event:

displaying the three-dimensional environment with the first visual emphasis relative to the first virtual object; and

displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the second visual properties.

46 . The computer system of claim 22 , wherein the first visual properties include a first degree of visual prominence of the content and the second visual properties includes a second degree of visual prominence of the content that is lower than the first degree of visual prominence of the content.

47 . The computer system of claim 22 , wherein the first visual properties include a first opacity of the content and the second visual properties includes a second opacity of the content, less than the first opacity of the content.

48 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the second object is a physical object in a physical environment of the display generation component.

49 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the one or more programs include further instructions for:

displaying the content in the first portion and the second portion of the first virtual object with the first visual properties.

50 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the first input includes input provided by a predefined portion of a user of the computer system that is directed to the first virtual object.

51 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the first input includes movement of a viewpoint of a user of the computer system.

52 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the first virtual object is world-locked within the three-dimensional environment.

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

the one or more programs include further instructions for:

in response to detecting the end of the first input:

54 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 53 , wherein the one or more criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when a first threshold amount of time has elapsed since detecting the end of the first input.

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

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

displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the second visual properties includes displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with a second amount of brightness, different from the first amount of brightness.

57 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein displaying the content in the second portion of the first virtual object with the first visual properties includes displaying the content in the second portion of the first virtual object with a first amount of opacity, the one or more programs include further instructions for:

58 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the one or more programs include further instructions for:

while detecting the second input and while moving the first virtual object relative to the viewpoint of the user in accordance with the second input:

displaying content in a third portion of the first virtual object with third visual properties, different from the first visual properties; and

in accordance with a determination that the movement of the first virtual object relative to the viewpoint of the user corresponds to movement of the viewpoint of the user of the computer system:

displaying the content in the third portion of the first virtual object with fourth visual properties, different from the first visual properties and the third visual properties.

59 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 58 , wherein:

60 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 58 , wherein:

61 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the three-dimensional environment includes a third object, the one or more programs include further instructions for:

displaying content in the third portion of the first virtual object with third visual properties, different from the first visual properties, in the three-dimensional environment.

62 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 61 , wherein the one or more programs include further instructions for:

in response to detecting the second input:

moving the first virtual object from the second location to the third location in the three-dimensional environment in accordance with the second input; and

63 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the one or more programs include further instructions for:

in response to detecting the second input:

displaying, via the display generation component, the virtual environment within the three-dimensional environment, including:

in accordance with a determination that the second location of the first virtual object in the three-dimensional environment is within the virtual environment:

displaying the first virtual object in the virtual environment, and

displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the first visual properties.

64 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein while displaying the first virtual object at the second location in the three-dimensional environment, the three-dimensional environment is displayed with a first visual emphasis relative to the first virtual object, the one or more programs include further instructions for:

while displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the second visual properties because the first portion of the first virtual object occupies the same portion of the three-dimensional environment as the first portion of the second object in the three-dimensional environment, detecting, via the one or more input devices, a respective event corresponding to a request to display the three-dimensional environment with a second visual emphasis, different from the first visual emphasis, relative to the first virtual object; and

in response to detecting the respective event:

displaying, via the display generation component, the three-dimensional environment with the second visual emphasis relative to the first virtual object; and

displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the first visual properties.

65 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 64 , wherein the respective event includes input selecting a respective option.

66 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 64 , wherein the respective event does not include input selecting a respective option.

67 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 64 , wherein the one or more programs include further instructions for:

in response to detecting the second respective event:

displaying the three-dimensional environment with the first visual emphasis relative to the first virtual object; and

displaying the content in the first portion of the first virtual object with the second visual properties.

68 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the first visual properties include a first degree of visual prominence of the content and the second visual properties includes a second degree of visual prominence of the content that is lower than the first degree of visual prominence of the content.

69 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the first visual properties include a first opacity of the content and the second visual properties includes a second opacity of the content, less than the first opacity of the content.