IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,861,056
Granted Patent B2
US 11,861,056 · App. 17/396,441 · Granted Jan 2, 2024

Controlling representations of virtual objects in a computer-generated reality environment

Inventors: Aaron M. Burns (Sunnyvale, CA); Nathan Gitter (Cupertino, CA); Alexis H. Palangie (Palo Alto, CA); Pol Pla I Conesa (Portland, OR); David M. Schattel (Santa Clara, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
G06F3/011G06F3/04842G06T7/70G06T19/006
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,861,056
App. No.
17/396,441
Filed
Aug 6, 2021
Granted
Jan 2, 2024
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2624
USPC
345/156
Abstract

In accordance with some embodiments, an exemplary process for controlling representations of virtual objects based on respective user contexts that each correspond to different respective locations in a computer-generated reality (CGR) environment is described.

Claims (81)

1. A system, comprising:

a display;

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:

displaying, via the display, a first representation of a virtual object at a first location within a computer-generated reality (CGR) environment, wherein the first location corresponds to a first use context of a plurality of use contexts;

receiving a request to move the first representation, within the CGR environment, to a second location that is different from the first location, wherein the second location corresponds to a location on a planar surface; and

in response to receiving the request:

in accordance with a determination that the second location corresponds to a second use context of the plurality of use contexts, displaying, via the display, at the second location, a second representation of the virtual object based on the second use context, wherein the second representation is different from the first representation, and wherein the second representation is a two-dimensional representation; and

in accordance with a determination that the second location corresponds to a third use context of the plurality of use contexts, displaying, via the display, at the second location, a third representation of the virtual object based on the third use context, wherein the third representation is different from the first representation and the second representation, and wherein the third representation is a three-dimensional representation.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the second use context of the plurality of use contexts includes a use context that is satisfied when a determination is made that the second location corresponds to a location on a representation of an electronic device; and

in accordance with the determination that the second location corresponds to the second use context of the plurality of use contexts, displaying the second representation of the virtual object based on the second use context includes displaying, within the CGR environment, the two-dimensional representation on the representation of the electronic device.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the second use context of the plurality of use contexts includes a use context that is satisfied when a determination is made that the second location corresponds to a location on a vertical plane; and

in accordance with the determination that the second location corresponds to the second use context of the plurality of use contexts, displaying the second representation of the virtual object based on the second use context includes displaying the two-dimensional representation on the vertical plane within the CGR environment.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein a size of the second representation is based on a distance between the display and the vertical plane within the CGR environment.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the third use context of the plurality of use contexts includes a use context that is satisfied when a determination is made that the second location corresponds to a location on a horizontal plane within the CGR environment; and

in accordance with the determination that the second location corresponds to the third use context of the plurality of use contexts, displaying the third representation of the virtual object based on the third use context includes displaying the three-dimensional representation on the horizontal plane within the CGR environment.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein:

in accordance with a determination that the horizontal plane is a horizontal plane of a first type, the three-dimensional representation is a representation of a first size; and

in accordance with a determination that the horizontal plane is a horizontal plane of a second type, the three-dimensional representation is a representation of a second size that is different from the first size.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the second use context of the plurality of use contexts includes a use context that is satisfied when maximized view criteria are satisfied, displaying the second representation of the virtual object based on the second use context includes displaying a plurality of representations of virtual objects on a plurality of planes within the CGR environment.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein a selectable virtual object that corresponds to a maximized view affordance is displayed, and wherein maximized view criteria includes a criterion that is satisfied when the selectable virtual object that corresponds to the maximized view affordance is selected.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the determination is made that the second location corresponds to the second use context of the plurality of use contexts;

the first representation includes first visual content; and

the second representation does not include the first visual content.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the determination is made that the second location corresponds to the second use context of the plurality of use contexts;

the first representation includes third visual content that is displayed at a third size; and

the second representation includes the third visual content that is displayed at a fourth size that is different from the third size.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the determination is made that the second location corresponds to the second use context of the plurality of use contexts;

the first representation includes a first selectable object; and

the second representation does not include the first selectable object.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the determination is made that the second location corresponds to the second use context of the plurality of use contexts;

the first representation is a fourth size; and

the second representation is a fifth size that is different from the fourth size.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein displaying the second representation of the virtual object based on the second use context includes transitioning display of the first representation to display of the second representation when the first representation is within a predetermined distance from the second location.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

in accordance with a determination that the second location corresponds to a fourth use context of the plurality of use contexts, wherein the fourth use context is satisfied when the second location corresponds to a prohibited location, forgoing display, within the CGR environment, of a representation of the virtual object based on the fourth use context.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

in accordance with the determination that the second location corresponds to the fourth use context of the plurality of use contexts, displaying, within the CGR environment, an indication that the second location is a prohibited location.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of a system having a display, the one or more programs including instructions for:

displaying, via the display, a first representation of a virtual object at a first location within a computer-generated reality (CGR) environment, wherein the first location corresponds to a first use context of a plurality of use contexts;

receiving a request to move the first representation, within the CGR environment, to a second location that is different from the first location, wherein the second location corresponds to a location on a planar surface; and

in response to receiving the request:

in accordance with a determination that the second location corresponds to a second use context of the plurality of use contexts, displaying, via the display, at the second location, a second representation of the virtual object based on the second use context, wherein the second representation is different from the first representation, and wherein the second representation is a two-dimensional representation; and

in accordance with a determination that the second location corresponds to a third use context of the plurality of use contexts, displaying, via the display, at the second location, a third representation of the virtual object based on the third use context, wherein the third representation is different from the first representation and the second representation, and wherein the third representation is a three-dimensional representation.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein:

the second use context of the plurality of use contexts includes a use context that is satisfied when a determination is made that the second location corresponds to a location on a representation of an electronic device; and

in accordance with the determination that the second location corresponds to the second use context of the plurality of use contexts, displaying the second representation of the virtual object based on the second use context includes displaying, within the CGR environment, the two-dimensional representation on the representation of the electronic device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein:

the second use context of the plurality of use contexts includes a use context that is satisfied when a determination is made that the second location corresponds to a location on a vertical plane; and

in accordance with the determination that the second location corresponds to the second use context of the plurality of use contexts, displaying the second representation of the virtual object based on the second use context includes displaying the two-dimensional representation on the vertical plane within the CGR environment.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein:

the third use context of the plurality of use contexts includes a use context that is satisfied when a determination is made that the second location corresponds to a location on a horizontal plane within the CGR environment; and

in accordance with the determination that the second location corresponds to the third use context of the plurality of use contexts, displaying the second representation of the virtual object based on the third use context includes displaying the three-dimensional representation on the horizontal plane within the CGR environment.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein:

in accordance with a determination that the horizontal plane is a horizontal plane of a first type, the three-dimensional representation is a representation of a first size; and

in accordance with a determination that the horizontal plane is a horizontal plane of a second type, the three-dimensional representation is a representation of a second size that is different from the first size.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

in accordance with a determination that the second location corresponds to a fourth use context of the plurality of use contexts, wherein the fourth use context is satisfied when the second location corresponds to a prohibited location, forgoing display, within the CGR environment, of a representation of the virtual object based on the fourth use context.

22. A method, comprising:

displaying, via a display of a wearable electronic device, a first representation of a virtual object at a first location within a computer-generated reality (CGR) environment, wherein the first location corresponds to a first use context of a plurality of use contexts;

receiving a request to move the first representation, within the CGR environment, to a second location that is different from the first location, wherein the second location corresponds to a location on a planar surface; and

in response to receiving the request:

in accordance with a determination that the second location corresponds to a second use context of the plurality of use contexts, displaying, via the display of the wearable electronic device, at the second location, a second representation of the virtual object based on the second use context, wherein the second representation is different from the first representation, and wherein the second representation is a two-dimensional representation; and

in accordance with a determination that the second location corresponds to a third use context of the plurality of use contexts, displaying, via the display of the wearable electronic device, at the second location, a third representation of the virtual object based on the third use context, wherein the third representation is different from the first representation and the second representation, and wherein the third representation is a three-dimensional representation.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein:

the second use context of the plurality of use contexts includes a use context that is satisfied when a determination is made that the second location corresponds to a location on a representation of an electronic device; and

in accordance with the determination that the second location corresponds to the second use context of the plurality of use contexts, displaying the second representation of the virtual object based on the second use context includes displaying, within the CGR environment, the two-dimensional representation on the representation of the electronic device.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein:

the second use context of the plurality of use contexts includes a use context that is satisfied when a determination is made that the second location corresponds to a location on a vertical plane; and

in accordance with the determination that the second location corresponds to the second use context of the plurality of use contexts, displaying the second representation of the virtual object based on the second use context includes displaying the two-dimensional representation on the vertical plane within the CGR environment.

25. The method of claim 22 , wherein:

the third use context of the plurality of use contexts includes a use context that is satisfied when a determination is made that the second location corresponds to a location on a horizontal plane within the CGR environment; and

in accordance with the determination that the second location corresponds to the third use context of the plurality of use contexts, displaying the second representation of the virtual object based on the third use context includes displaying the three-dimensional representation on the horizontal plane within the CGR environment.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2023
From: BURNS, AARON M.; PALANGIE, ALEXIS H.; SCHATTEL, DAVID M.; PLA I. CONESA, POL; GITTER, NATHAN
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 065561/0851 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation PCTUS2020048833 · Aug 31, 2020
Provisional Application 63058217 · Jul 29, 2020
Provisional Application 62907216 · Sep 27, 2019
Related Publication 20210365108A1 · Nov 25, 2021
Cited By (14)
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