IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,520,456
Granted Patent B2
US 11,520,456 · App. 17/448,876 · Granted Dec 6, 2022

Methods for adjusting and/or controlling immersion associated with user interfaces

Inventors: Ieyuki Kawashima (San Jose, CA); Stephen O. Lemay (Palo Alto, CA); William A. Sorrentino, III (San Francisco, CA); Alan C. Dye (San Francisco, CA); M. Evans Hankey (San Francisco, CA); Julian Jaede (San Francisco, CA); Jonathan P. Ive (San Francisco, CA); Kristi E. Bauerly (Sunnyvale, CA); Benjamin Hunter Boesel (Cornelius, NC); Shih-Sang Chiu (San Francisco, CA); David H. Huang (San Mateo, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
G06F3/0481G06F3/017G06F3/0487
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,520,456
App. No.
17/448,876
Filed
Sep 25, 2021
Granted
Dec 6, 2022
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2174
USPC
715/767
Abstract

In some embodiments, an electronic device emphasizes and/or deemphasizes user interfaces based on the gaze of a user. In some embodiments, an electronic device defines levels of immersion for different user interfaces independently of one another. In some embodiments, an electronic device resumes display of a user interface at a previously-displayed level of immersion after (e.g., temporarily) reducing the level of immersion associated with the user interface. In some embodiments, an electronic device allows objects, people, and/or portions of an environment to be visible through a user interface displayed by the electronic device. In some embodiments, an electronic device reduces the level of immersion associated with a user interface based on characteristics of the electronic device and/or physical environment of the electronic device.

Claims (79)

1. A method comprising:

at an electronic device in communication with a display generation component and one or more input devices:

while displaying a first user interface at a first level of immersion, detecting, via the one or more input devices, a first input corresponding to a request to increase a level of immersion associated with the electronic device;

in response to detecting the first input, displaying, via the display generation component, the first user interface at a respective level of immersion, greater than the first level of immersion;

while displaying the first user interface at the respective level of immersion, detecting, via the one or more input devices, occurrence of a first event;

in response to detecting the occurrence of the first event, reducing a level of immersion of a user interface displayed via the display generation component to a second level of immersion that is lower than the respective level of immersion;

while displaying the user interface at the second level of immersion, detecting, via the one or more input devices, occurrence of a second event that corresponds to a request to resume displaying the first user interface; and

in response to detecting the occurrence of the second event, resuming display of the first user interface via the display generation component, wherein:

in accordance with a determination that the respective level of immersion is a third level of immersion, the first user interface is displayed at the third level of immersion; and

in accordance with a determination that the respective level of immersion is a fourth level of immersion, different from the first level of immersion, the first user interface is displayed at the fourth level of immersion.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second level of immersion is no immersion.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more input devices include a rotatable input element, the method further comprising:

while displaying the first user interface at the first level of immersion, detecting a respective rotation of the rotatable input element; and

in response to detecting the respective rotation of the rotatable input element:

in accordance with a determination that the respective rotation is in a first direction, displaying, via the display generation component, the first user interface at a fifth level of immersion greater than the first level of immersion; and

in accordance with a determination that the respective rotation is in a second direction, different from the first direction, displaying, via the display generation component, the first user interface at a sixth level of immersion less than the first level of immersion.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the first event includes detecting depression of the rotatable input element.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the second event includes detecting rotation of the rotatable input element.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

while displaying the user interface at the second level of immersion, detecting a second respective rotation of the rotatable input element, including a first portion followed by a second portion of the second respective rotation;

in response to detecting the first portion of the second respective rotation, displaying, via the display generation component, the first user interface at a seventh level of immersion greater than the second level of immersion but less than the respective level of immersion; and

in response to detecting the second portion of the second respective rotation, increasing the level of immersion of the first user interface from the seventh level of immersion to the respective level of immersion.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the second event includes detecting, via a hand tracking device in communication with the display generation component, a respective gesture performed by a hand of a user of the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the first event includes detecting depression of a mechanical input element in communication with the electronic device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the first event includes detecting depression of a mechanical input element in communication with the electronic device for longer than a time threshold.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the second event includes detecting release of a depression of a mechanical input element in communication with the electronic device.

11. An electronic device, 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:

while displaying a first user interface at a first level of immersion, detecting, via one or more input devices, a first input corresponding to a request to increase a level of immersion associated with the electronic device;

in response to detecting the first input, displaying, via a display generation component, the first user interface at a respective level of immersion, greater than the first level of immersion;

while displaying the first user interface at the respective level of immersion, detecting, via the one or more input devices, occurrence of a first event;

in response to detecting the occurrence of the first event, reducing a level of immersion of a user interface displayed via the display generation component to a second level of immersion that is lower than the respective level of immersion;

while displaying the user interface at the second level of immersion, detecting, via the one or more input devices, occurrence of a second event that corresponds to a request to resume displaying the first user interface; and

in response to detecting the occurrence of the second event, resuming display of the first user interface via the display generation component, wherein:

in accordance with a determination that the respective level of immersion is a third level of immersion, the first user interface is displayed at the third level of immersion; and

in accordance with a determination that the respective level of immersion is a fourth level of immersion, different from the first level of immersion, the first user interface is displayed at the fourth level of immersion.

12. 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 an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform a method comprising:

while displaying a first user interface at a first level of immersion, detecting, via one or more input devices, a first input corresponding to a request to increase a level of immersion associated with the electronic device;

in response to detecting the first input, displaying, via a display generation component, the first user interface at a respective level of immersion, greater than the first level of immersion;

while displaying the first user interface at the respective level of immersion, detecting, via the one or more input devices, occurrence of a first event;

in response to detecting the occurrence of the first event, reducing a level of immersion of a user interface displayed via the display generation component to a second level of immersion that is lower than the respective level of immersion;

while displaying the user interface at the second level of immersion, detecting, via the one or more input devices, occurrence of a second event that corresponds to a request to resume displaying the first user interface; and

in response to detecting the occurrence of the second event, resuming display of the first user interface via the display generation component, wherein:

in accordance with a determination that the respective level of immersion is a third level of immersion, the first user interface is displayed at the third level of immersion; and

in accordance with a determination that the respective level of immersion is a fourth level of immersion, different from the first level of immersion, the first user interface is displayed at the fourth level of immersion.

13. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the second level of immersion is no immersion.

14. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the one or more input devices include a rotatable input element, and the one or more programs further include instructions for:

while displaying the first user interface at the first level of immersion, detecting a respective rotation of the rotatable input element; and

in response to detecting the respective rotation of the rotatable input element:

in accordance with a determination that the respective rotation is in a first direction, displaying, via the display generation component, the first user interface at a fifth level of immersion greater than the first level of immersion; and

in accordance with a determination that the respective rotation is in a second direction, different from the first direction, displaying, via the display generation component, the first user interface at a sixth level of immersion less than the first level of immersion.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the first event includes detecting depression of the rotatable input element.

16. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the second event includes detecting rotation of the rotatable input element.

17. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

while displaying the user interface at the second level of immersion, detecting a second respective rotation of the rotatable input element, including a first portion followed by a second portion of the second respective rotation;

in response to detecting the first portion of the second respective rotation, displaying, via the display generation component, the first user interface at a seventh level of immersion greater than the second level of immersion but less than the respective level of immersion; and

in response to detecting the second portion of the second respective rotation, increasing the level of immersion of the first user interface from the seventh level of immersion to the respective level of immersion.

18. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the second event includes detecting, via a hand tracking device in communication with the display generation component, a respective gesture performed by a hand of a user of the electronic device.

19. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the first event includes detecting depression of a mechanical input element in communication with the electronic device.

20. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the first event includes detecting depression of a mechanical input element in communication with the electronic device for longer than a time threshold.

21. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the second event includes detecting release of a depression of a mechanical input element in communication with the electronic device.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the second level of immersion is no immersion.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22 , wherein the one or more input devices include a rotatable input element, and the method further comprises:

while displaying the first user interface at the first level of immersion, detecting a respective rotation of the rotatable input element; and

in response to detecting the respective rotation of the rotatable input element:

in accordance with a determination that the respective rotation is in a first direction, displaying, via the display generation component, the first user interface at a fifth level of immersion greater than the first level of immersion; and

in accordance with a determination that the respective rotation is in a second direction, different from the first direction, displaying, via the display generation component, the first user interface at a sixth level of immersion less than the first level of immersion.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the first event includes detecting depression of the rotatable input element.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the second event includes detecting rotation of the rotatable input element.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the method further comprises:

while displaying the user interface at the second level of immersion, detecting a second respective rotation of the rotatable input element, including a first portion followed by a second portion of the second respective rotation;

in response to detecting the first portion of the second respective rotation, displaying, via the display generation component, the first user interface at a seventh level of immersion greater than the second level of immersion but less than the respective level of immersion; and

in response to detecting the second portion of the second respective rotation, increasing the level of immersion of the first user interface from the seventh level of immersion to the respective level of immersion.

27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the second event includes detecting, via a hand tracking device in communication with the display generation component, a respective gesture performed by a hand of a user of the electronic device.

28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the first event includes detecting depression of a mechanical input element in communication with the electronic device.

29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the first event includes detecting depression of a mechanical input element in communication with the electronic device for longer than a time threshold.

30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the second event includes detecting release of a depression of a mechanical input element in communication with the electronic device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 4, 2022
From: HENDERSON, NICHOLAS W.; KAWASHIMA, IEYUKI; LEMAY, STEPHEN O.; PASTRANA VICENTE, ISRAEL; HOLDER, WESLEY M.; FAULKNER, JEFFREY M.; SORRENTINO, WILLIAM A., III; DYE, ALAN C.; HANKEY, M. EVANS; JAEDE, JULIAN; IVE, JONATHAN P.; BUTCHER, GARY IAN; DESSERO, JAMES M.; BAUERLY, KRISTI E.; BOESEL, BENJAMIN HUNTER; CHIU, SHIH-SANG; HUANG, DAVID H.
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 058955/0585 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63083792 · Sep 25, 2020
Related Publication 20220155909A1 · May 19, 2022
Cited By (6)
US 12,307,066 US 12,608,115 US 12,633,044 US 12,657,815 US 12,687,921 US 12,711,724