Granted Patent B2

US 12,632,157 · App. 19/193,802 · Granted May 19, 2026

Inventors: Alexis H. Palangie (Palo Alto, CA); Aaron M. Burns (Nottinghamshire, GB); Benjamin Hylak (San Francisco, CA)

Assignee: Apple Inc.

G06F3/04815G06F3/013G06F3/0484G06F3/0488G06T13/20G06T2200/24G06T2210/12

Abstract

Claims (68)

1 . A method comprising:

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

presenting, via the one or more displays, a three-dimensional environment, including a first user interface at a first location in the three-dimensional environment;

while presenting the three-dimensional environment, receiving, via the one or more input devices, a user input corresponding to a request to display a second user interface in the three-dimensional environment; and

in accordance with a determination that the request satisfies one or more first criteria, including a first criterion that is satisfied when a gaze of a user of the electronic device is directed at the first user interface:

ceasing display of the first user interface; and

displaying the second user interface at the first location; and

in accordance with a determination that the request does not satisfy the one or more first criteria:

maintaining display of the first user interface at the first location; and

displaying the second user interface at a second location in the three-dimensional environment.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second location is a location at which the gaze of the user was directed when the user input was received.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein before receiving the user input, the three-dimensional environment includes a first set of user interfaces that includes the first user interface, wherein the first set of user interfaces move together in response to movement inputs, the method further comprising:

in accordance with the determination that the request satisfies the one or more first criteria:

removing the first user interface from the first set of user interfaces; and

adding the second user interface to the first set of user interfaces.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the three-dimensional environment includes a third user interface, and the first set of user interfaces includes the third user interface.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional environment includes a first set of user interfaces that includes the first user interface and a third user interface, adjacent to the first user interface, wherein the first set of user interfaces move together in response to movement inputs, the method further comprising:

in accordance with a determination that the request satisfies one or more second criteria, including a second criterion that is satisfied when a gaze of a user of the electronic device is directed at a location between the first user interface and the third user interface:

displaying the second user interface at the location between the first user interface and the third user interface; and

adding the second user interface to the first set of user interfaces.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

before displaying the second user interface at the location between the first user interface and the third user interface, moving at least one of the first user interface or the third user interface to provide space for the second user interface.

7 . An electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:

presenting, via one or more displays, a three-dimensional environment, including a first user interface at a first location in the three-dimensional environment;

while presenting the three-dimensional environment, receiving, via one or more input devices, a user input corresponding to a request to display a second user interface in the three-dimensional environment; and

in accordance with a determination that the request satisfies one or more first criteria, including a first criterion that is satisfied when a gaze of a user of the electronic device is directed at the first user interface:

ceasing display of the first user interface; and

displaying the second user interface at the first location; and

in accordance with a determination that the request does not satisfy the one or more first criteria:

maintaining display of the first user interface at the first location; and

displaying the second user interface at a second location in the three-dimensional environment.

8 . The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the second location is a location at which the gaze of the user was directed when the user input was received.

9 . The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein before receiving the user input, the three-dimensional environment includes a first set of user interfaces that includes the first user interface, wherein the first set of user interfaces move together in response to movement inputs, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

in accordance with the determination that the request satisfies the one or more first criteria:

removing the first user interface from the first set of user interfaces; and

adding the second user interface to the first set of user interfaces.

10 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the three-dimensional environment includes a third user interface, and the first set of user interfaces includes the third user interface.

11 . The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the three-dimensional environment includes a first set of user interfaces that includes the first user interface and a third user interface, adjacent to the first user interface, wherein the first set of user interfaces move together in response to movement inputs, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

in accordance with a determination that the request satisfies one or more second criteria, including a second criterion that is satisfied when a gaze of a user of the electronic device is directed at a location between the first user interface and the third user interface:

displaying the second user interface at the location between the first user interface and the third user interface; and

adding the second user interface to the first set of user interfaces.

12 . The electronic device of claim 11 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:

before displaying the second user interface at the location between the first user interface and the third user interface, moving at least one of the first user interface or the third user interface to provide space for the second user interface.

13 . 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 an electronic device, cause the electronic device to:

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

presenting, via one or more displays, a three-dimensional environment, including a first user interface at a first location in the three-dimensional environment;

while presenting the three-dimensional environment, receiving, via one or more input devices, a user input corresponding to a request to display a second user interface in the three-dimensional environment; and

in accordance with a determination that the request satisfies one or more first criteria, including a first criterion that is satisfied when a gaze of a user of the electronic device is directed at the first user interface:

ceasing display of the first user interface; and

displaying the second user interface at the first location; and

in accordance with a determination that the request does not satisfy the one or more first criteria:

maintaining display of the first user interface at the first location; and

displaying the second user interface at a second location in the three-dimensional environment.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the second location is a location at which the gaze of the user was directed when the user input was received.

15 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein before receiving the user input, the three-dimensional environment includes a first set of user interfaces that includes the first user interface, wherein the first set of user interfaces move together in response to movement inputs, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors of the electronic device, further cause the electronic device to:

in accordance with the determination that the request satisfies the one or more first criteria:

remove the first user interface from the first set of user interfaces; and

add the second user interface to the first set of user interfaces.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the three-dimensional environment includes a third user interface, and the first set of user interfaces includes the third user interface.

17 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the three-dimensional environment includes a first set of user interfaces that includes the first user interface and a third user interface, adjacent to the first user interface, wherein the first set of user interfaces move together in response to movement inputs, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors of the electronic device, further cause the electronic device to:

in accordance with a determination that the request satisfies one or more second criteria, including a second criterion that is satisfied when a gaze of a user of the electronic device is directed at a location between the first user interface and the third user interface:

display the second user interface at the location between the first user interface and the third user interface; and

add the second user interface to the first set of user interfaces.

18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , the instructions, when executed by one or more processors of the electronic device, further cause the electronic device to:

before displaying the second user interface at the location between the first user interface and the third user interface, move at least one of the first user interface or the third user interface to provide space for the second user interface.

Continuity (4)

References Cited (400)