Devices, methods, for interacting with graphical user interfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12481357-B2
Application number	US-202318370847-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2023
Priority date	Sep 24, 2022
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes techniques and user interfaces for interacting with graphical user interfaces using gaze. In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes techniques and user interfaces for repositioning virtual objects. In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes techniques and user interfaces for transitioning modes of a camera capture user interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer system configured to communicate with one or more gaze-tracking sensors and a display generation component, 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, via the display generation component, a respective user interface, wherein displaying the respective user interface includes displaying:
a plurality of edges of the respective user interface that includes a first edge and a second edge, different from the first edge;
a first user interface object positioned along the first edge that corresponds to a first operation; and
a second user interface object positioned along the second edge that corresponds to a second operation, different from the first operation;

while displaying the first user interface object and the second user interface object, detecting, via the one or more gaze-tracking sensors, that a gaze of a user of the computer system is directed to a respective portion of the respective user interface; and
in response to detecting that the gaze of the user of the computer system is directed to the respective portion of the respective user interface:
in accordance with a determination that the respective portion of the respective user interface corresponds to the first user interface object:
performing the first operation; and
continuing to display the first user interface object while ceasing to display the second user interface object;

in accordance with a determination that the respective portion of the respective user interface corresponds to the second user interface object:
performing the second operation; and

continuing to display the second user interface object while ceasing to display the first user interface object.

2 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein:
the respective user interface is an extended reality user interface; and displaying the respective user interface includes displaying: a representation of a physical environment; and a third user interface object, wherein the third user interface object is an environment-locked virtual object.

3 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein:
continuing to display the first user interface object while ceasing to display the second user interface object includes visually emphasizing the first user interface object; and continuing to display the second user interface object while ceasing to display the first user interface object includes visually emphasizing the second user interface object.

4 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein performing the first operation includes:
expanding the first user interface object from an unexpanded state to a first expanded state by expanding at least a first portion of the first user interface object, wherein the first expanded state of the first user interface object includes a first control object and first information that were not included in the unexpanded state of the first user interface object.

5 . The computer system of claim 4 , wherein:
the first control object, when selected, causes the computer system to perform an operation related to display brightness; and the first information corresponds to brightness information.

6 . The computer system of claim 4 , wherein:
the first control object, when selected, causes the computer system to perform an operation related to audio output volume; and the first information corresponds to volume information.

7 . The computer system of claim 4 , wherein:
the first control object, when selected, causes the computer system to perform an operation related to an energy storage component of the computer system; and the first information corresponds to energy storage information.

8 . The computer system of claim 4 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:
detecting, via the one or more gaze-tracking sensors, that the gaze of the user of the computer system is directed to the first control object; in response to detecting that the gaze of the user of the computer system is directed to the first control object, expanding the first control object from a first control object unexpanded state to a first control object expanded state.

9 . The computer system of claim 8 , wherein:
while the first user interface object is displayed with the first control object in the first control object unexpanded state, the first user interface object includes a second control object that is in a second control object expanded state, and expanding the first control object from the first control object unexpanded state to the first control object expanded state includes contracting the second control object from the second control object expanded state to a second control object unexpanded state.

10 . The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the first control object, while in the first control object expanded state, includes a third control object that was not included in the first control object, while the first control object was in the first control object unexpanded state.

11 . The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the first control object, while in the first control object expanded state, includes second information that was not included in the first control object, while in the first control object unexpanded state.

12 . The computer system of claim 4 , wherein the first control object, when selected, causes the display generation component to transition from a first mode to a second mode.

13 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface object, when selected, causes the computer system to disable a set of one or more functions that are activated by detecting the gaze of the user of the computer system.

14 . The computer system of claim 13 , wherein causing the computer system to disable the set of one or more functions that are activated by detecting the gaze of the user of the computer system includes:
disabling a first function that is activated when the computer system detects that the gaze of the user of the computer system is directed to a first position of the respective user interface; and maintaining, as available for activation, a second function that is activated when the computer system detects that the gaze of the user of the computer system is directed to a second position of the respective user interface.

15 . The computer system of claim 13 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:
in accordance with a determination that the set of one or more functions that are activated by detecting the gaze of the user of the computer system are available for activation, displaying an indication that the set of one or more functions that are activated by detecting the gaze of the user of the computer system are available for activation; and in accordance with a determination that the set of one or more functions that are activated by detecting the gaze of the user of the computer system are disabled, displaying an indication that the set of one or more functions that are activated by detecting the gaze of the user of the computer system are disabled.

16 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the respective user interface further includes a current time indicator.

17 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein:
the respective user interface includes a plurality of application user interface objects that are displayed in a first spatial arrangement; and the first user interface object, when se

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Yerkes Giancarlo
• Dryer Allison W
• Lutter Gregory
• Temple Brian W
• Chalmers Devin W
• Deliz Centeno Luis R
• Chimalamarri Anshu K
• Kim Nahckjoon
• Trinh Jessica
• Lemay Stephen O

Classifications

• G06F3/04815

  Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional [3D], e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object · CPC title

• G06F3/165

  Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path · CPC title

• G06F1/1671

  Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop (G06F1/1666 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1626

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title

• G06F1/163

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title