IP Library Granted Patent US 11,960,641
Granted Patent B2
US 11,960,641 · App. 17/845,863 · Granted Apr 16, 2024

Application placement based on head position

Inventor: Aaron M. Burns (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
G06F3/012G06T3/20G06T2200/24
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,960,641
App. No.
17/845,863
Granted
Apr 16, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to determining when the head position of a user viewing user interfaces in a computer-generated reality environment is not in a comfortable and/or ergonomic position and repositioning the displayed user interface so that the user will reposition her/his head to view the user interface at a more comfortable and/or ergonomic head position.

Claims (68)

1. An electronic device, 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:

displaying a virtual object at a first position in a computer-generated reality environment;

while displaying the virtual object in the computer-generated reality environment:

detecting a change in a gaze position from a first gaze position to a second gaze position, wherein the change in the gaze position is detected using one or more sensors; and

in response to detecting the change in the gaze position from the first gaze position to the second gaze position:

in accordance with a determination that the second gaze position is located outside a range of gaze positions, repositioning the virtual object to a second position in the computer-generated reality environment; and

in accordance with a determination that the second gaze position is located within the range of gaze positions, continuing displaying the virtual object at the first position in the computer-generated reality environment.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the displayed virtual object at the second position is viewable from the second gaze position, and wherein the displayed virtual object at the first position is only partially viewable from the second gaze position.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein repositioning the virtual object to the second position permits a line of sight to the virtual object within a predetermined number of degrees from a forward vector.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:

in accordance with a determination that the second gaze position is located outside the range of gaze positions, receiving an indication through an application programming interface that the virtual object should be repositioned to the second position.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are located on an external device that is different from the electronic device that is displaying the virtual object.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the displayed virtual object at the first position in the computer-generated reality environment corresponds to a first application, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

while displaying the virtual object of the first application in the first position, receiving a notification from a second application different from the first application;

displaying the notification at a third position in the computer-generated reality environment;

in response to receiving the notification, detecting a third gaze position, wherein the third gaze position is detected using one or more sensors and the third gaze position is different from the first gaze position and the second gaze position; and

in accordance with a determination that the third gaze position is located outside the range of gaze positions:

displaying the notification at a fourth position in the computer-generated reality environment.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:

displaying a row of icons at a third position in the computer-generated reality environment while the virtual object is at the first position;

detecting a fourth gaze position, wherein the fourth gaze position is detected using one or more sensors and the fourth gaze position is different from the first gaze position and the second gaze position; and

in accordance with a determination that the fourth gaze position is located outside the range of gaze positions, displaying the row of icons at a fourth position in the computer-generated reality environment, wherein the fourth position is different from the third position.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, the one or more programs including instructions for:

displaying a virtual object at a first position in a computer-generated reality environment;

while displaying the virtual object in the computer-generated reality environment:

detecting a change in a gaze position from a first gaze position to a second gaze position, wherein the change in the gaze position is detected using one or more sensors; and

in response to detecting the change in the gaze position from the first gaze position to the second gaze position:

in accordance with a determination that the second gaze position is located outside a range of gaze positions, repositioning the virtual object to a second position in the computer-generated reality environment; and

in accordance with a determination that the second gaze position is located within the range of gaze positions, continuing displaying the virtual object at the first position in the computer-generated reality environment.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the displayed virtual object at the second position is viewable from the second gaze position, and wherein the displayed virtual object at the first position is not viewable or is only partially viewable from the second gaze position.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein repositioning the virtual object to the second position permits a line of sight to the virtual object within a predetermined number of degrees from a forward vector.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:

in accordance with a determination that the second gaze position is located outside the range of gaze positions, receiving an indication through an application programming interface that the virtual object should be repositioned to the second position.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the one or more sensors are located on an external device that is different from the electronic device that is displaying the virtual object.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the displayed virtual object at the first position in the computer-generated reality environment corresponds to a first application, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

while displaying the virtual object of the first application in the first position, receiving a notification from a second application different from the first application;

displaying the notification at a third position in the computer-generated reality environment;

in response to receiving the notification, detecting a third gaze position, wherein the third gaze position is detected using one or more sensors and the third gaze position is different from the first gaze position and the second gaze position; and

in accordance with a determination that the third gaze position is located outside the range of gaze positions:

displaying the notification at a fourth position in the computer-generated reality environment.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:

displaying a row of icons at a third position in the computer-generated reality environment while the virtual object is at the first position;

detecting a fourth gaze position, wherein the fourth gaze position is detected using one or more sensors and the fourth gaze position is different from the first gaze position and the second gaze position; and

in accordance with a determination that the fourth gaze position is located outside the range of gaze positions, displaying the row of icons at a fourth position in the computer-generated reality environment, wherein the fourth position is different from the third position.

15. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device:

displaying a virtual object at a first position in a computer-generated reality environment;

while displaying the virtual object in the computer-generated reality environment:

detecting a change in a gaze position from a first gaze position to a second gaze position, wherein the change in the gaze position is detected using one or more sensors; and

in response to detecting the change in the gaze position from the first gaze position to the second gaze position:

in accordance with a determination that the second gaze position is located outside a range of gaze positions, repositioning the virtual object to a second position in the computer-generated reality environment; and

in accordance with a determination that the second gaze position is located within the range of gaze positions, continuing displaying the virtual object at the first position in the computer-generated reality environment.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the displayed virtual object at the second position is viewable from the second gaze position, and wherein the displayed virtual object at the first position is not viewable or is only partially viewable from the second gaze position.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein repositioning the virtual object to the second position permits a line of sight to the virtual object within a predetermined number of degrees from a forward vector.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

in accordance with a determination that the second gaze position is located outside the range of gaze positions, receiving an indication through an application programming interface that the virtual object should be repositioned to the second position.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more sensors are located on an external device that is different from the electronic device that is displaying the virtual object.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the displayed virtual object at the first position in the computer-generated reality environment corresponds to a first application, the method further comprising:

while displaying the virtual object of the first application in the first position, receiving a notification from a second application different from the first application;

displaying the notification at a third position in the computer-generated reality environment;

in response to receiving the notification, detecting a third gaze position, wherein the third gaze position is detected using one or more sensors and the third gaze position is different from the first gaze position and the second gaze position; and

in accordance with a determination that the third gaze position is located outside the range of gaze positions:

displaying the notification at a fourth position in the computer-generated reality environment.

21. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

displaying a row of icons at a third position in the computer-generated reality environment while the virtual object is at the first position;

detecting a fourth gaze position, wherein the fourth gaze position is detected using one or more sensors and the fourth gaze position is different from the first gaze position and the second gaze position; and

in accordance with a determination that the fourth gaze position is located outside the range of gaze positions, displaying the row of icons at a fourth position in the computer-generated reality environment, wherein the fourth position is different from the third position.

Continuity (3)
Continuation 16552549 · Aug 27, 2019
Provisional Application 62738927 · Sep 28, 2018
Related Publication 20230008291A1 · Jan 12, 2023