# US 12,192,680 B2 · Display an image during a communication

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- Number: US 12,192,680 B2
- Document ID: US12192680B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/507,991
- Filed: 2023-11-13
- Published: 2024-03-07
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-16
- Assignees: Pelagic Concepts LLC
- Applicants: Pelagic Concepts LLC
- Inventors: Philip Scott Lyren
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12192680B2

## CPC

- H04N 7/157: {defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents (computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827)}
- G02B 27/017: {Head mounted}
- G02B 27/0176: {characterised by mechanical features}
- H04N 7/144: {camera and display on the same optical axis, e.g. optically multiplexing the camera and display for eye to eye contact}
- H04N 7/147: {Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals (selecting H04Q)}
- H04N 13/167: Synchronising or controlling image signals
- H04N 13/189: Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
- H04N 13/194: Transmission of image signals
- H04N 13/332: Displays for viewing with the aid of special glasses or head-mounted displays [HMD]
- H04N 13/344: with head-mounted left-right displays
- H04N 13/383: for tracking with gaze detection, i.e. detecting the lines of sight of the viewer's eyes
- H04N 13/398: Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
- H04R 1/00: Details of transducers, {loudspeakers or microphones}
- G02B 2027/0134: {of stereoscopic type}
- G02B 2027/014: {comprising information/image processing systems}
- G02B 2027/0178: {Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C)}
- G02B 2027/0187: {slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye}
- H04N 2007/145: {Handheld terminals}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)

## Abstract

An electronic device displays an image during a communication between two people. The image represents one of the people to the communication. The electronic device determines a location where to place the image and displays the image such that the image appears to exist at the location.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
at a first electronic device in communication with a display and one or more sensors:
presenting, via the display, an environment including one or more physical locations in a field of view of the first electronic device;
while presenting the environment, detecting, via the one or more sensors, a first input corresponding to a request to enter into electronic communication with a second electronic device; and
in response to detecting the first input:
analyzing at least a subset of the one or more physical locations in the field of view of the first electronic device;
determining a first location in the environment; and
entering into the electronic communication with the second electronic device, including:
in accordance with a determination that a first set of criteria is satisfied based on the analyzing of at least the subset of the one or more physical locations, displaying, via the display, a virtual object representing a user of the second electronic device at the first location in the environment; and
in accordance with a determination that the first set of criteria is not satisfied based on the analyzing of at least the subset of the one or more physical locations, displaying the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device at a second location, different from the first location, in the environment.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device includes displaying a three-dimensional image of the user of the second electronic device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device and the second electronic device each include a head-mounted display.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first location in the environment includes determining a location that in front of a viewpoint of a user of the first electronic device in the field of view of the first electronic device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein:
the first set of criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when the first location does not include an object;
the second location does not include an object; and
the second location is within the field of view of the first electronic device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first location in the environment includes determining a location that is at a predetermined distance from a viewpoint of the first electronic device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein:
the first set of criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when the first location does not include an object;
the second location does not include an object; and
the second location is a respective distance, different from the predetermined distance, from the viewpoint of the first electronic device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
analyzing at least a subset of the one or more physical locations in the field of view of the first electronic device includes identifying one or more physical objects at the one or more physical locations in the field of view of the first electronic device; and
the first set of criteria includes a criterion that is satisfied when the first location does not include a physical object.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
in response to detecting the first input:
identifying one or more virtual objects in the environment;
wherein the first set of criteria includes a criterion that is satisfied when the first location does not include a virtual object.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
in response to detecting the first input:
transmitting a request to the second electronic device to enter into the electronic communication with the first electronic device, wherein:
the second electronic device analyzes at least a subset of one or more physical locations in a field of view of the second electronic device; and
the second electronic device determines a third location in an environment presented at the second electronic device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein:
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 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 environment at the second electronic device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein:
in accordance with the determination that the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device is displayed at the first location and the virtual object representing the user of the first electronic device is displayed at the third location, the first location is a predefined distance from the third location in the environments presented at the first electronic device and the second electronic device; and
in accordance with the determination that the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device is displayed at the second location and the virtual object representing the user of the first electronic device is displayed at the fourth location, the second location is the predefined distance from the fourth location in the environments presented at the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the first set of criteria includes a first criterion that is satisfied when the first location does not include an object and a second criterion that is satisfied when the third location does not contain an object, the method further comprising:
in response to detecting the first input:
before entering into the electronic communication 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, wherein the first location is a predefined distance from a viewpoint of the first electronic device; and
in response to receiving a second indication from the second electronic device that the second criterion is not satisfied because the third location contains an object in the environment at the second electronic device, transmitting, to the second electronic device, a third indication that the first criterion is satisfied because the second location does not contain an object, wherein the second location is a first distance, different from the predefined distance, from the viewpoint of the first electronic device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising:
in response to receiving a fourth indication from the second electronic device that the second criterion is satisfied because the fourth location does not contain an object, wherein the fourth location is the first distance from a viewpoint of the second electronic device:
entering into the electronic communication with the second electronic device, including:
displaying the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device at the second location in the 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 environment at the second electronic device that is the first distance from the viewpoint of the second electronic device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
an environment at the second electronic device includes a first object; and
entering into the electronic communication with the second electronic device further includes displaying the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device with a representation of the first object.

### Claim 16

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, an environment including one or more physical locations in a field of view of the first electronic device;
while presenting the environment, detecting, via one or more sensors, a first input corresponding to a request to enter into electronic communication with a second electronic device; and
in response to detecting the first input:
analyzing at least a subset of the one or more physical locations in the field of view of the first electronic device;
determining a first location in the environment; and
entering into the electronic communication with the second electronic device, including:
in accordance with a determination that a first set of criteria is satisfied based on the analyzing of at least the subset of the one or more physical locations, displaying, via the display, a virtual object representing a user of the second electronic device at the first location in the environment; and
in accordance with a determination that the first set of criteria is not satisfied based on the analyzing of at least the subset of the one or more physical locations, displaying the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device at a second location, different from the first location, in the environment.

### Claim 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, an environment including one or more physical locations in a field of view of the first electronic device;
while presenting the environment, detecting, via one or more sensors, a first input corresponding to a request to enter into electronic communication with a second electronic device; and
in response to detecting the first input:
analyzing at least a subset of the one or more physical locations in the field of view of the first electronic device;
determining a first location in the environment; and
entering into the electronic communication with the second electronic device, including:
in accordance with a determination that a first set of criteria is satisfied based on the analyzing of at least the subset of the one or more physical locations, displaying, via the display, a virtual object representing a user of the second electronic device at the first location in the environment; and
in accordance with a determination that the first set of criteria is not satisfied based on the analyzing of at least the subset of the one or more physical locations, displaying the virtual object representing the user of the second electronic device at a second location, different from the first location, in the environment.