Granted Patent B2

US 12,541,280 · App. 18/174,403 · Granted Feb 3, 2026

Inventors: Connor A. Smith (Sunnyvale, CA); Benjamin H. Boesel (Cornelius, NC); David H. Huang (San Mateo, CA); Jeffrey S. Norris (Saratoga, CA); Jonathan Perron (Felton, CA); Jordan A. Cazamias (Conroe, TX); Miao Ren (Sunnyvale, CA); Shih-Sang Chiu (Menlo Park, CA)

Assignee: Apple Inc.

G06F3/04815G06T19/006G06T19/20G06V20/20H04L65/1093G06T2219/024G06T2219/2004

Abstract

Claims (95)

1 . A method comprising:

at a first electronic device in communication with a display, one or more input devices, and a second electronic device:

presenting, via the display, a three-dimensional environment including portions of a physical environment surrounding the first electronic device;

while presenting the three-dimensional environment, receiving, via the one or more input devices, a first input corresponding to a request to enter a communication session with the second electronic device; and

in response to receiving the first input:

scanning at least a portion of the physical environment surrounding the first electronic device;

determining a first location in the three-dimensional environment that is at a predetermined distance from a viewpoint of the first electronic device; and

entering the communication session with the second electronic device, including:

in accordance with a determination that a first set of criteria is satisfied, including a criterion that is satisfied when the first location does not include an object based on the scanning of at least a portion of the physical environment, displaying, via the display, a virtual object representing a user of the second electronic device at the first location in the three-dimensional environment; and

in accordance with a determination that the first set of criteria is not satisfied, displaying the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device at a second location, different from the first location, that is the predetermined distance from the viewpoint of the first electronic device in the three-dimensional environment.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

scanning at least a portion of the physical environment surrounding the first electronic device includes identifying one or more physical objects in a field of view of the first electronic device; and

the first set of criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when the first location does not include a physical object.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to receiving the first input:

identifying one or more virtual objects in the three-dimensional environment;

wherein the first set of criteria further include a second criterion that is satisfied when the first location does not include a virtual object based on the identifying one or more virtual objects in the three-dimensional environment.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to receiving the first input:

transmitting a request to the second electronic device to enter the communication session with the first electronic device, wherein:

the second electronic device scans at least a portion of a second physical environment surrounding the second electronic device;

the second electronic device determines a third location in a second three-dimensional environment presented at the second electronic device;

in accordance with the determination that the first set of criteria is satisfied, a virtual object representing a user of the first electronic device is displayed at the third location in the second three-dimensional environment at the second electronic device; and

in accordance with the determination that the first set of criteria is not satisfied, the virtual object representing the user of the first electronic device is displayed at a fourth location, different from the third location, in the second three-dimensional environment at the second electronic device.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein:

in accordance with the determination that the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device is displayed at the first location in the three-dimensional environment and the virtual object representing the user of the first electronic device is displayed at the third location in the second three-dimensional environment, the first location is a predefined distance from a viewpoint of the first electronic device in the three-dimensional environment and the third location is the predefined distance from a viewpoint of the second electronic device in the second three-dimensional environment; and

in accordance with the determination that the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device is displayed at the second location in the three-dimensional environment and the virtual object representing the user of the first electronic device is displayed at the fourth location in the second three-dimensional environment, the second location is the predefined distance from the viewpoint of the first electronic device in the three-dimensional environment and the fourth location is the predefined distance from the viewpoint of the second electronic device in the second three-dimensional environment.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the first set of criteria include a second criterion that is satisfied when the third location does not contain an object in the second three-dimensional environment, the method further comprising:

in response to receiving the first input:

before entering the communication session with the second electronic device:

transmitting, to the second electronic device, a first indication that the first criterion is satisfied because the first location does not contain an object in the physical environment, wherein the first location is a predefined distance from the viewpoint of the first electronic device; and

in response to receiving, via the one or more input devices, a second indication from the second electronic device that the second criterion is not satisfied because the third location contains an object second in the three-dimensional environment at the second electronic device, transmitting, to the second electronic device, a third indication that the criterion is satisfied because the second location does not contain an object in the physical environment, wherein the second location is a first distance, different from the predefined distance, from the viewpoint of the first electronic device.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

in response to receiving, via the one or more input devices, a fourth indication from the second electronic device that the second criterion is satisfied because the fourth location does not contain an object in the second three-dimensional environment, wherein the fourth location is the first distance from the viewpoint of the second electronic device:

entering the communication session with the second electronic device, including:

displaying the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device at the second location in the three-dimensional environment that is the first distance from the viewpoint of the first electronic device;

wherein the virtual object representing the user of the first electronic device is displayed at the fourth location in the second three-dimensional environment at the second electronic device that is the first distance from the viewpoint of the second electronic device.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first location in the three-dimensional environment includes determining a location that is toward a center of a field of view of a user of the first electronic device.

9 . A first electronic device comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for performing a method comprising:

presenting, via a display, a three-dimensional environment including portions of a physical environment surrounding the first electronic device;

while presenting the three-dimensional environment, receiving, via one or more input devices, a first input corresponding to a request to enter a communication session with a second electronic device; and

in response to receiving the first input:

scanning at least a portion of the physical environment surrounding the first electronic device;

determining a first location in the three-dimensional environment that is at a predetermined distance from a viewpoint of the first electronic device; and

entering the communication session with the second electronic device, including:

in accordance with a determination that a first set of criteria is satisfied, including a criterion that is satisfied when the first location does not include an object based on the scanning of at least a portion of the physical environment, displaying, via the display, a virtual object representing a user of the second electronic device at the first location in the three-dimensional environment; and

in accordance with a determination that the first set of criteria is not satisfied, displaying the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device at a second location, different from the first location, that is the predetermined distance from the viewpoint of the first electronic device in the three-dimensional environment.

10 . The first electronic device of claim 9 , wherein:

scanning at least a portion of the physical environment surrounding the first electronic device includes identifying one or more physical objects in a field of view of the first electronic device; and

the first set of criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when the first location does not include a physical object.

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

in response to receiving the first input:

identifying one or more virtual objects in the three-dimensional environment;

wherein the first set of criteria further include a second criterion that is satisfied when the first location does not include a virtual object based on the identifying one or more virtual objects in the three-dimensional environment.

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

in response to receiving the first input:

transmitting a request to the second electronic device to enter the communication session with the first electronic device, wherein:

the second electronic device scans at least a portion of a second physical environment surrounding the second electronic device;

the second electronic device determines a third location in a second three-dimensional environment presented at the second electronic device;

in accordance with the determination that the first set of criteria is satisfied, a virtual object representing a user of the first electronic device is displayed at the third location in the second three-dimensional environment at the second electronic device; and

in accordance with the determination that the first set of criteria is not satisfied, the virtual object representing the user of the first electronic device is displayed at a fourth location, different from the third location, in the second three-dimensional environment at the second electronic device.

13 . The first electronic device of claim 12 , wherein:

in accordance with the determination that the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device is displayed at the first location in the three-dimensional environment and the virtual object representing the user of the first electronic device is displayed at the third location in the second three-dimensional environment, the first location is a predefined distance from a viewpoint of the first electronic device in the three-dimensional environment and the third location is the predefined distance from a viewpoint of the second electronic device in the second three-dimensional environment; and

in accordance with the determination that the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device is displayed at the second location in the three-dimensional environment and the virtual object representing the user of the first electronic device is displayed at the fourth location in the second three-dimensional environment, the second location is the predefined distance from the viewpoint of the first electronic device in the three-dimensional environment and the fourth location is the predefined distance from the viewpoint of the second electronic device in the second three-dimensional environment.

14 . The first electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first set of criteria include a second criterion that is satisfied when the third location does not contain an object in the second three-dimensional environment, the method further comprising:

in response to receiving the first input:

before entering the communication session with the second electronic device:

transmitting, to the second electronic device, a first indication that the criterion is satisfied because the first location does not contain an object in the physical environment, wherein the first location is a predefined distance from the viewpoint of the first electronic device; and

in response to receiving, via the one or more input devices, a second indication from the second electronic device that the second criterion is not satisfied because the third location contains an object in the second three-dimensional environment at the second electronic device, transmitting, to the second electronic device, a third indication that the criterion is satisfied because the second location does not contain an object in the physical environment, wherein the second location is a first distance, different from the predefined distance, from the viewpoint of the first electronic device.

15 . The first electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:

in response to receiving, via the one or more input devices, a fourth indication from the second electronic device that the second criterion is satisfied because the fourth location does not contain an object in the second three-dimensional environment, wherein the fourth location is the first distance from the viewpoint of the second electronic device:

entering the communication session with the second electronic device, including:

displaying the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device at the second location in the three-dimensional environment that is the first distance from the viewpoint of the first electronic device;

wherein the virtual object representing the user of the first electronic device is displayed at the fourth location in the second three-dimensional environment at the second electronic device that is the first distance from the viewpoint of the second electronic device.

16 . The first electronic device of claim 9 , wherein determining the first location in the three-dimensional environment includes determining a location that is toward a center of a field of view of a user of the first electronic device.

17 . 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 a first electronic device, cause the first electronic device to perform a method comprising:

presenting, via a display, a three-dimensional environment including portions of a physical environment surrounding the first electronic device;

while presenting the three-dimensional environment, receiving, via one or more input devices, a first input corresponding to a request to enter a communication session with a second electronic device; and

in response to receiving the first input:

scanning at least a portion of the physical environment surrounding the first electronic device;

determining a first location in the three-dimensional environment that is at a predetermined distance from a viewpoint of the first electronic device; and

entering the communication session with the second electronic device, including:

in accordance with a determination that a first set of criteria is satisfied based on the scanning of at least a portion of the physical environment, including a criterion that is satisfied when the first location does not include an object, displaying, via the display, a virtual object representing a user of the second electronic device at the first location in the three-dimensional environment; and

in accordance with a determination that the first set of criteria is not satisfied, displaying the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device at a second location, different from the first location, that is the predetermined distance from the viewpoint of the first electronic device in the three-dimensional environment.

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

scanning at least a portion of the physical environment surrounding the first electronic device includes identifying one or more physical objects in a field of view of the first electronic device; and

the first set of criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when the first location does not include a physical object.

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

in response to receiving the first input:

identifying one or more virtual objects in the three-dimensional environment;

wherein the first set of criteria further include a second criterion that is satisfied when the first location does not include a virtual object based on the identifying one or more virtual objects in the three-dimensional environment.

20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein determining the first location in the three-dimensional environment includes determining a location that is toward a center of a field of view of a user of the first electronic device.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (400)