US 11,812,194 B1
Private conversations in a virtual setting
James W. Vandyke, Menlo Park, CA (US); Nikolas T. Vitt, Redwood City, CA (US); Sean A. Ramprashad, Los Altos, CA (US); Neal D. Evans, Sunnyvale, CA (US); and Jonathan D. Sheaffer, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 17, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/904,342.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/865,099, filed on Jun. 21, 2019.
Int. Cl. H04N 7/15 (2006.01); H04L 9/40 (2022.01); G02B 27/01 (2006.01); H04L 65/4038 (2022.01); G06F 3/01 (2006.01); H04L 12/18 (2006.01)
CPC H04N 7/157 (2013.01) [G02B 27/017 (2013.01); G06F 3/013 (2013.01); H04L 12/1822 (2013.01); H04L 63/0428 (2013.01); H04L 65/4038 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method performed by a processor of an electronic device that includes a microphone, the method comprising:
presenting a computer-generated reality (CGR) setting representing a communication session between a first user and a plurality of users;
obtaining, from a sensor, sensor data that represents a physical characteristic of the first user;
determining, based on the sensor data, that a private conversation is to be initiated between the first user and a second user of the plurality of users;
obtaining position data that indicates a physical position of the second user;
determining whether the physical position of the second user is within a threshold distance of a physical position of the first user;
in response to the physical position of the second user being within the threshold distance, initiating the private conversation by muting the microphone; and
in response to the physical position of the second user being outside the threshold distance, initiating the private conversation by
obtaining, from the microphone, an audio signal that contains speech of the first user, and
providing the audio signal to the second user.