Granted Patent B2

US 12,620,184 · App. 18/369,502 · Granted May 5, 2026

Inventors: Stephen O. Lemay (Palo Alto, CA); Amy E. DeDonato (San Francisco, CA); Israel Pastrana Vicente (Spring, TX); Nathan Gitter (Cupertino, CA); Zoey C. Taylor (San Francisco, CA)

Assignee: APPLE INC.

G06T19/006G06F3/02G06F3/0346G06F3/04815G06F9/451G06T17/00H04N21/4396H04N21/47217

Abstract

Claims (81)

1 . A method, comprising:

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

while displaying via the display generation component an application user interface of a first application, detecting a first input to an input device of the one or more input devices; and

in response to detecting the first input to the input device:

in accordance with a determination that the application user interface is in a first mode of display, wherein the first mode of display comprises an immersive mode in which the application user interface is displayed in a three-dimensional environment, displaying via the display generation component the application user interface in a second mode of display, wherein the second mode of display comprises a non-immersive mode in which the application user interface is displayed at a different size that reveals at least a portion of the three-dimensional environment that was previously occluded by the application user interface displayed in the immersive mode; and

in accordance with a determination that the application user interface is in the second mode of display, displaying a home menu user interface in at least a portion of the three-dimensional environment via the display generation component.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

while displaying the home menu user interface via the display generation component, detecting a second input to the input device; and

in response to detecting the second input to the input device, dismissing the home menu user interface.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the application user interface in the non-immersive mode includes concurrently displaying a virtual environment and the application user interface, and in response to detecting the first input to the input device while the application user interface is displayed in the non-immersive mode, at least a portion of the virtual environment continues to be displayed.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising: continuing to display at least the portion of the virtual environment while the home menu user interface is displayed.

5 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

displaying, in the home menu user interface, representations of two or more virtual environments; and

in response to detecting a selection of a first virtual environment of the two or more virtual environments: replacing at least a respective portion of the virtual environment with the first virtual environment.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further including:

displaying, in the home menu user interface, representations of software applications executable on the computer system;

detecting a second input directed to a respective representation of a software application in the representations of software applications executable on the computer system displayed in the home menu user interface; and

in response to detecting the second input directed to the respective representation of the software application: displaying an application user interface of the software application.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further including:

displaying, in the home menu user interface, a first representation of a first person, and a second representation of a second person, the first representation and the second representation for initiating communication with the first person and the second person, respectively;

detecting a second input directed to the first representation of the first person; and

in response to detecting the second input directed to the first representation of the first person: displaying a communication user interface for initiating a communication session with the first person.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further including:

displaying, in the home menu user interface, representations of one or more virtual three-dimensional environments, and/or one or more extended reality environments;

detecting a second input directed to a respective representation of the representations of one or more virtual three-dimensional environments, and/or one or more extended reality environments; and

in response to detecting the second input directed to the respective representation of the representations of one or more three-dimensional environments, and/or one or more extended reality environments:

replacing a currently displayed three-dimensional environment with a virtual three-dimensional environment, or an extended reality environment associated with the respective representation.

9 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be 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, the one or more programs including instructions for:

while displaying via the display generation component an application user interface of a first application, detecting a first input to an input device of the one or more input devices; and

in response to detecting the first input to the input device:

in accordance with a determination that the application user interface is in a first mode of display, wherein the first mode of display comprises an immersive mode in which the application user interface is displayed in a three-dimensional environment, displaying via the display generation component the application user interface in a second mode of display, wherein the second mode of display comprises a non-immersive mode in which the application user interface is displayed at a different size that reveals at least a portion of the three-dimensional environment that was previously occluded by the application user interface displayed in the immersive mode; and

in accordance with a determination that the application user interface is in the second mode of display, displaying a home menu user interface in at least a portion of the three-dimensional environment via the display generation component.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions that, when executed by the computer system, cause the computer system to:

while displaying the home menu user interface via the display generation component, detect a second input to the input device; and

in response to detecting the second input to the input device, dismiss the home menu user interface.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein displaying the application user interface in the non-immersive mode includes concurrently displaying a virtual environment and the application user interface, and in response to detecting the first input to the input device while the application user interface is displayed in the non-immersive mode, at least a portion of the virtual environment continues to be displayed.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions that, when executed by the computer system, cause the computer system to: continue to display at least the portion of the virtual environment while the home menu user interface is displayed.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions that, when executed by the computer system, cause the computer system to:

display, in the home menu user interface, representations of two or more virtual environments; and

in response to detecting a selection of a first virtual environment of the two or more virtual environments: replace at least a respective portion of the virtual environment with the first virtual environment.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions that, when executed by the computer system, cause the computer system to:

display, in the home menu user interface, representations of software applications executable on the computer system;

detect a second input directed to a respective representation of a software application in the representations of software applications executable on the computer system displayed in the home menu user interface; and

in response to detecting the second input directed to the respective representation of the software application: display an application user interface of the software application.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions that, when executed by the computer system, cause the computer system to:

display, in the home menu user interface, a first representation of a first person, and a second representation of a second person, the first representation and the second representation for initiating communication with the first person and the second person, respectively;

detect a second input directed to the first representation of the first person; and

in response to detecting the second input directed to the first representation of the first person: display a communication user interface for initiating a communication session with the first person.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions that, when executed by the computer system, cause the computer system to:

display, in the home menu user interface, representations of one or more virtual three- dimensional environments, and/or one or more extended reality environments;

detect a second input directed to a respective representation of the representations of one or more virtual three-dimensional environments, and/or one or more extended reality environments; and

in response to detecting the second input directed to the respective representation of the representations of one or more virtual three-dimensional environments, and/or one or more extended reality environments:

replace a currently displayed three-dimensional environment with a virtual three- dimensional environment, or an extended reality environment associated with the respective representation.

17 . 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; and

memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:

while displaying via the display generation component an application user interface of a first application, detecting a first input to an input device of the one or more input devices; and

in response to detecting the first input to the input device:

in accordance with a determination that the application user interface is in a first mode of display, wherein the first mode of display comprises an immersive mode in which the application user interface is displayed in a three-dimensional environment, displaying via the display generation component the application user interface in a second mode of display, wherein the second mode of display comprises a non-immersive mode in which the application user interface is displayed at a different size that reveals at least a portion of the three-dimensional environment that was previously occluded by the application user interface displayed in the immersive mode; and

in accordance with a determination that the application user interface is in the second mode of display, displaying a home menu user interface in at least a portion of the three-dimensional environment via the display generation component.

18 . The computer system of claim 17 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:

while displaying the home menu user interface via the display generation component, detecting a second input to the input device; and

in response to detecting the second input to the input device, dismissing the home menu user interface.

19 . The computer system of claim 17 , wherein displaying the application user interface in the non-immersive mode includes concurrently displaying a virtual environment and the application user interface, and in response to detecting the first input to the input device while the application user interface is displayed in the non-immersive mode, at least a portion of the virtual environment continues to be displayed.

20 . The computer system of claim 19 , further comprising: continuing to display at least the portion of the virtual environment while the home menu user interface is displayed.

21 . The computer system of claim 19 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:

displaying, in the home menu user interface, representations of two or more virtual environments; and

in response to detecting a selection of a first virtual environment of the two or more virtual environments: replacing at least a respective portion of the virtual environment with the first virtual environment.

22 . The computer system of claim 17 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:

displaying, in the home menu user interface, representations of software applications executable on the computer system;

detecting a second input directed to a respective representation of a software application in the representations of software applications executable on the computer system displayed in the home menu user interface; and

in response to detecting the second input directed to the respective representation of the software application: displaying an application user interface of the software application.

23 . The computer system of claim 17 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:

displaying, in the home menu user interface, a first representation of a first person, and a second representation of a second person, the first representation and the second representation for initiating communication with the first person and the second person, respectively;

detecting a second input directed to the first representation of the first person; and

in response to detecting the second input directed to the first representation of the first person: displaying a communication user interface for initiating a communication session with the first person.

24 . The computer system of claim 17 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:

displaying, in the home menu user interface, representations of one or more virtual three-dimensional environments, and/or one or more extended reality environments;

detecting a second input directed to a respective representation of the representations of one or more virtual three-dimensional environments, and/or one or more extended reality environments; and

in response to detecting the second input directed to the respective representation of the representations of one or more virtual three-dimensional environments, and/or one or more extended reality environments:

replacing a currently displayed virtual environment with a virtual three-dimensional environment, or an extended reality environment associated with the respective representation.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (24)