IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,587,612
Granted Patent B2
US 12,587,612 · App. 17/989,972 · Granted Mar 24, 2026

Method and device for invoking public or private interactions during a multiuser communication session

Inventors: Jessica J. Peck (San Jose, CA); Niranjan Manjunath (San Jose, CA); Willem Mattelaer (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04N7/152G06F3/013G06F3/017G06F3/14G06F3/16G06T7/70G06T19/006G06V40/20H04L12/1822H04N7/147H04N7/157
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,587,612
App. No.
17/989,972
Granted
Mar 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of invoking public and private interactions during a multiuser communication session includes presenting a multiuser communication session; detecting a user invocation input that corresponds to a trigger to a digital assistant; detecting a user search input that corresponds to a request for information; obtaining the information based on the request; presenting the information; in accordance with a determination that at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input satisfy first input criteria associated with a first request type: transmitting the information to other electronic devices for presentation to other users; and in accordance with a determination that at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input satisfy second input criteria associated with a second request type: forgoing transmitting the information to the other electronic devices for presentation to other users.

Claims (90)

1 . A method comprising:

at a computing system including non-transitory memory and one or more processors, wherein the computing system is communicatively coupled to a display device, one or more input devices, and one or more output devices:

presenting a multiuser communication session, via the display device, that includes a first user associated with the computing system and one or more other users associated with one or more other electronic devices;

while presenting the multiuser communication session, detecting a user invocation input, via the one or more input devices, that corresponds to a trigger to a digital assistant;

detecting a user search input, via the one or more input devices, that corresponds to a request for information;

in response to detecting the user search input, obtaining the information based on the request;

in accordance with a determination that at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input satisfy first input criteria associated with a first request type, wherein the first request type includes a public interaction mode:

presenting the information via the display device, wherein presenting the information includes displaying CGR content overlaid on a physical environment or a physical object therein; and

transmitting the information to the one or more other electronic devices for presentation to the one or more other users; and

in accordance with a determination that at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input satisfy second input criteria associated with a second request type, wherein the second request type includes a private interaction mode:

presenting the information via the display device; and

forgoing transmitting the information to the one or more other electronic devices for presentation to the one or more other users.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input comprises a gaze direction.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the gaze direction is substantially toward a virtual object.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input comprises a movement or a position of a body or a body part of the user.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the second input criteria is satisfied in response to detecting a hand raised forward with palm facing a camera of the computing system.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the second input criteria is satisfied in response to detecting at least one of a predetermined hand gesture or movement or a predetermined head direction or movement.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input comprises modulation of one or more of volume, pitch, timbre, or other audio characteristics.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first input criteria is satisfied in response to detecting a voice input with a first volume, and the second input criteria is satisfied in response to detecting the voice input with a second volume less than the first volume.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in accordance with a determination that at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input satisfy third input criteria associated with a third request type:

presenting the information via the display device; and

transmitting the information to a subset of the one or more other electronic devices for presentation to the one or more other users.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in accordance with the determination that at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input satisfy the second input criteria associated with the second request type,

transmitting an indication of the second request type to the one or more other electronic devices.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the indication comprises transmitting an instruction for at least one of pausing video of a requesting user, muting audio of the requesting user, modifying an avatar of the requesting user, and modifying an indicator associated with the requesting user.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the information comprises a search result or a search query including at least one of video, audio and text content.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the information comprises at least one of an augmented reality object or event, or a virtual reality object or event.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiuser communication session comprises a computer-generated reality (CGR) environment.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical object comprises at least a portion of a hand or palm.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical environment and the physical object therein are captured by the one or more input devices and presented via the display device.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical environment and the physical object therein appear naturally through a transparent display of the display device.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the user search input comprises at least one interrogative or imperative command.

19 . A computing system comprising:

one or more processors;

a non-transitory memory;

a communication interface for communicating with a display device, one or more input devices, and one or more output devices; and

one or more programs stored in the non-transitory memory, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing system to:

present a multiuser communication session, via the display device, that includes a first user associated with the computing system and one or more other users associated with one or more other electronic devices;

while presenting the multiuser communication session, detect a user invocation input, via the one or more input devices, that corresponds to a trigger to a digital assistant;

detect a user search input, via the one or more input devices, that corresponds to a request for information;

in response to detecting the user search input, obtain the information based on the request;

in accordance with a determination that at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input satisfy first input criteria associated with a first request type, wherein the first request type includes a public interaction mode:

present the information via the display device, wherein presenting the information includes displaying CGR content overlaid on a physical environment or a physical object therein; and

transmit the information to the one or more other electronic devices for presentation to the one or more other users; and

in accordance with a determination that at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input satisfy second input criteria associated with a second request type, wherein the second request type includes a private interaction mode:

present the information via the display device; and

forgo transmitting the information to the one or more other electronic devices for presentation to the one or more other users.

20 . The computing system of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input comprises a gaze direction.

21 . The computing system of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input comprises a movement or a position of a body or a body part of the user.

22 . The computing system of claim 21 , wherein the second input criteria is satisfied in response to detecting a hand raised forward with palm facing a camera of the computing system.

23 . The computing system of claim 21 , wherein the second input criteria is satisfied in response to detecting at least one of a predetermined hand gesture or movement or a predetermined head direction or movement.

24 . The computing system of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input comprises modulation of one or more of volume, pitch, timbre, or other audio characteristics.

25 . The computing system of claim 24 , wherein the first input criteria is satisfied in response to detecting a voice input with a first volume, and the second input criteria is satisfied in response to detecting the voice input with a second volume less than the first volume.

26 . The computing system of claim 19 , wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing system to:

in accordance with a determination that at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input satisfy third input criteria associated with a third request type:

present the information via the display device; and

transmit the information to a subset of the one or more other electronic devices for presentation to the one or more other users.

27 . The computing system of claim 19 , wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing system to:

in accordance with the determination that at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input satisfy the second input criteria associated with the second request type, transmit an indication of the second request type to the one or more other electronic devices.

28 . The computing system of claim 27 , wherein the indication comprises transmitting an instruction for at least one of pausing video of a requesting user, muting audio of the requesting user, modifying an avatar of the requesting user, and modifying an indicator associated with the requesting user.

29 . The computing system of claim 19 , wherein the information comprises a search result or a search query including at least one of video, audio, and text content.

30 . The computing system of claim 19 , wherein the information comprises at least one of an augmented reality object or event, or a virtual reality object or event.

31 . A non-transitory memory storing one or more programs, which, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system with a display device, one or more input devices, and one or more output devices, cause the computing system to:

present a multiuser communication session, via the display device, that includes a first user associated with the computing system and one or more other users associated with one or more other electronic devices;

while presenting the multiuser communication session, detect a user invocation input, via the one or more input devices, that corresponds to a trigger to a digital assistant;

detect a user search input, via the one or more input devices, that corresponds to a request for information;

in response to detecting the user search input, obtain the information based on the request;

in accordance with a determination that at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input satisfy first input criteria associated with a first request type, wherein the first request type includes a public interaction mode:

present the information via the display device, wherein presenting the information includes displaying CGR content overlaid on a physical environment or a physical object therein; and

transmit the information to the one or more other electronic devices for presentation to the one or more other users; and

in accordance with a determination that at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input satisfy second input criteria associated with a second request type, wherein the second request type includes a private interaction mode:

present the information via the display device; and

forgo transmitting the information to the one or more other electronic devices for presentation to the one or more other users.

32 . The non-transitory memory of claim 31 , wherein at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input comprises a gaze direction.

33 . The non-transitory memory of claim 31 , wherein at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input comprises a movement or a position of a body or a body part of the user.

34 . The non-transitory memory of claim 33 , wherein the second input criteria is satisfied in response to detecting a hand raised forward with palm facing a camera of the computing system.

35 . The non-transitory memory of claim 33 , wherein the second input criteria is satisfied in response to detecting at least one of a predetermined hand gesture or movement or a predetermined head direction or movement.

36 . The non-transitory memory of claim 31 , wherein at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input comprises modulation of one or more of volume, pitch, timbre, or other audio characteristics.

37 . The non-transitory memory of claim 36 , wherein the first input criteria is satisfied in response to detecting a voice input with a first volume, and the second input criteria is satisfied in response to detecting the voice input with a second volume less than the first volume.

38 . The non-transitory memory of claim 31 , wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing system to:

in accordance with a determination that at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input satisfy third input criteria associated with a third request type:

present the information via the display device; and

transmit the information to a subset of the one or more other electronic devices for presentation to the one or more other users.

39 . The non-transitory memory of claim 31 , wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing system to:

in accordance with the determination that at least one of the user invocation input and the user search input satisfy the second input criteria associated with the second request type, transmit an indication of the second request type to the one or more other electronic devices.

40 . The non-transitory memory of claim 39 , wherein the indication comprises transmitting an instruction for at least one of pausing video of a requesting user, muting audio of the requesting user, modifying an avatar of the requesting user, and modifying an indicator associated with the requesting user.

41 . The non-transitory memory of claim 31 , wherein the information comprises a search result or a search query including at least one of video, audio, and text content.

42 . The non-transitory memory of claim 31 , wherein the information comprises at least one of an augmented reality object or event, or a virtual reality object or event.

Continuity (3)
Continuation 17908061
Provisional Application 62987152 · Mar 9, 2020
Related Publication 20230336689A1 · Oct 19, 2023
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