IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,547,362
Granted Patent B2
US 12,547,362 · App. 18/892,082 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Enhanced simulated vision

Inventors: Thomas G. Salter (San Francisco, CA); Christopher I. Word (San Francisco, CA); Jeffrey S. Norris (Saratoga, CA); In Young Yang (Kirkland, WA); Michael R. Alger (Mountain View, CA); Michael J. Rockwell (Palo Alto, CA); Anshu K. Chimalamarri (Sunnyvale, CA); Evan M. Bovie (San Francisco, CA); Thomas J. Moore (Northglenn, CO); Yifeng Gui (Monte Sereno, CA); Devin W. Chalmers (Oakland, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
G06F3/14G06F1/163G06F3/013
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,547,362
App. No.
18/892,082
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Some examples of the disclosure are directed to systems and methods for selectively displaying an image of a portion of a physical environment of an electronic device with enhanced visibility. In some examples, the image is displayed overlaid on a portion of a view of the physical environment. In some examples, the electronic device displays the image in accordance with one or more first criteria being satisfied. In some examples, the electronic device forgoes displaying the image in accordance with the one or more criteria not being satisfied.

Claims (60)

1 . A method comprising:

at an electronic device in communication with one or more displays:

presenting, using the one or more displays, a view of a physical environment of the electronic device;

while presenting the view of the physical environment:

in accordance with a determination that one or more first criteria are satisfied, wherein the one or more first criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when a level of ambient light of the physical environment is below a threshold amount of ambient light, displaying, using the one or more displays, one or more images of a portion of the physical environment; and

in accordance with a determination that the one or more first criteria are not satisfied, forgoing displaying the one or more images of the portion of the physical environment.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first criteria include a criterion that is satisfied in response to sensing, using one or more sensors, data indicative of a first context of the physical environment, wherein the criterion is not satisfied in response to sensing, using the one or more sensors, data indicative of a second context of the physical environment different from the first context.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the one or more images of the portion of the physical environment comprises:

in accordance with a determination that one or more second criteria are satisfied different from the one or more first criteria, displaying the one or more images with a first amount of fidelity and a first frame rate; and

in accordance with a determination that one or more third criteria are satisfied different from the one or more first criteria and different from the one or more second criteria, displaying the one or more images with a second amount of fidelity less than the first amount of fidelity and with a second frame rate greater than the first frame rate.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

while presenting the physical environment,

displaying, using the one or more displays, a user interface of a camera application that includes a second image of the portion of the physical environment different from the one or more images of the portion of the environment, wherein:

the one or more images of the portion of the environment have a greater visibility than the second image.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

while presenting the view of the physical environment:

in accordance with a determination that one or more fourth criteria are satisfied, displaying, using the one or more displays, visual indications of edges of one or more physical objects in the physical environment overlaid on the view of the physical environment at respective locations of the edges of the one or more physical objects.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein presenting the view of the physical environment includes presenting an extended reality environment based on the physical environment.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the one or more images of the portion of the physical environment comprises displaying the one or more images overlaid on the view of the physical environment at a respective location of the portion of the physical environment.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the one or more images of the portion of the physical environment comprises displaying the one or more images with a color filter that enhances one or more first colors in the one or more images relative to one or more second colors in the one or more images.

9 . An electronic device comprising:

memory; and

one or more processors coupled to memory and configured to perform a method comprising:

presenting, using one or more displays, a view of a physical environment of the electronic device;

while presenting the view of the physical environment:

in accordance with a determination that one or more first criteria are satisfied, wherein the one or more first criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when a level of ambient light of the physical environment is below a threshold amount of ambient light, displaying, using the one or more displays, one or more images of a portion of the physical environment; and

in accordance with a determination that the one or more first criteria are not satisfied, forgoing displaying the one or more images of the portion of the physical environment.

10 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more first criteria include a criterion that is satisfied in response to sensing, using one or more sensors, data indicative of a first context of the physical environment, wherein the criterion is not satisfied in response to sensing, using the one or more sensors, data indicative of a second context of the physical environment different from the first context.

11 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein displaying the one or more images of the portion of the physical environment comprises:

in accordance with a determination that one or more second criteria are satisfied different from the one or more first criteria, displaying the one or more images with a first amount of fidelity and a first frame rate; and

in accordance with a determination that one or more third criteria are satisfied different from the one or more first criteria and different from the one or more second criteria, displaying the one or more images with a second amount of fidelity less than the first amount of fidelity and with a second frame rate greater than the first frame rate.

12 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:

while presenting the physical environment,

displaying, using the one or more displays, a user interface of a camera application that includes a second image of the portion of the physical environment different from the one or more images of the portion of the environment, wherein:

the one or more images of the portion of the environment have a greater visibility than the second image.

13 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:

while presenting the view of the physical environment:

in accordance with a determination that one or more fourth criteria are satisfied, displaying, using the one or more displays, visual indications of edges of one or more physical objects in the physical environment overlaid on the view of the physical environment at respective locations of the edges of the one or more physical objects.

14 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein presenting the view of the physical environment includes presenting an extended reality environment based on the physical environment.

15 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein displaying the one or more images of the portion of the physical environment comprises displaying the one or more images overlaid on the view of the physical environment at a respective location of the portion of the physical environment.

16 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein displaying the one or more images of the portion of the physical environment comprises displaying the one or more images with a color filter that enhances one or more first colors in the one or more images relative to one or more second colors in the one or more images.

17 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform a method comprising:

presenting, using one or more displays, a view of a physical environment of the electronic device;

while presenting the view of the physical environment:

in accordance with a determination that one or more first criteria are satisfied, wherein the one or more first criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when a level of ambient light of the physical environment is below a threshold amount of ambient light, displaying, using the one or more displays, one or more images of a portion of the physical environment; and

in accordance with a determination that the one or more first criteria are not satisfied, forgoing displaying the one or more images of the portion of the physical environment.

18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions of claim 17 , wherein the one or more first criteria include a criterion that is satisfied in response to sensing, using one or more sensors, data indicative of a first context of the physical environment, wherein the criterion is not satisfied in response to sensing, using the one or more sensors, data indicative of a second context of the physical environment different from the first context.

19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions of claim 17 , wherein displaying the one or more images of the portion of the physical environment comprises:

in accordance with a determination that one or more second criteria are satisfied different from the one or more first criteria, displaying the one or more images with a first amount of fidelity and a first frame rate; and

in accordance with a determination that one or more third criteria are satisfied different from the one or more first criteria and different from the one or more second criteria, displaying the one or more images with a second amount of fidelity less than the first amount of fidelity and with a second frame rate greater than the first frame rate.

20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises:

while presenting the physical environment,

displaying, using the one or more displays, a user interface of a camera application that includes a second image of the portion of the physical environment different from the one or more images of the portion of the environment, wherein:

the one or more images of the portion of the environment have a greater visibility than the second image.

21 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises:

while presenting the view of the physical environment:

in accordance with a determination that one or more fourth criteria are satisfied, displaying, using the one or more displays, visual indications of edges of one or more physical objects in the physical environment overlaid on the view of the physical environment at respective locations of the edges of the one or more physical objects.

22 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions of claim 17 , wherein presenting the view of the physical environment includes presenting an extended reality environment based on the physical environment.

23 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions of claim 17 , wherein displaying the one or more images of the portion of the physical environment comprises displaying the one or more images overlaid on the view of the physical environment at a respective location of the portion of the physical environment.

24 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions of claim 17 , wherein displaying the one or more images of the portion of the physical environment comprises displaying the one or more images with a color filter that enhances one or more first colors in the one or more images relative to one or more second colors in the one or more images.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE 5 INVENTORS ADDED PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 69570 FRAME: 260. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 11, 2025
From: SALTER, THOMAS G.; WORD, CHRISTOPHER I.; NORRIS, JEFFREY S.; YANG, IN YOUNG; ALGER, MICHAEL R.; ROCKWELL, MICHAEL J.; CHIMALAMARRI, ANSHU K.; CHALMERS, DEVIN W.; BOVIE, EVAN M.; MOORE, THOMAS J.; GUI, YIFENG
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 072886/0538 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 12, 2024
From: SALTER, THOMAS G.; WORD, CHRISTOPHER I.; NORRIS, JEFFREY S.; YANG, IN YOUNG; ALGER, MICHAEL R.; ROCKWELL, MICHAEL J.
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 069570/0260 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 63585921 · Sep 27, 2023
Provisional Application 63691976 · Sep 6, 2024
Related Publication 20250103264A1 · Mar 27, 2025
References Cited (4)
US 11592674B2 · Price et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20220201239A1 · Price · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230215304A1 · Nicholson · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230260228A1 · Jia · 2023 [cited by examiner]