Apple patents virtual stickers that stick to objects in photos
Apple describes a system that places virtual objects on top of photos or videos of real-world items. The software calculates the depth of the real object so the virtual item appears to sit on its surface rather than floating in front of it.
In the filing’s own words
A computer system displays virtual objects overlaid on a view of a physical environment as a virtual effect. The computer system displays respective animated movements of the virtual objects over the view of the physical environment, wherein the respective animated movements are constrained in accordance with a direction of simulated gravity associated with the view of the physical environment. If current positions of virtual objects during the respective animated movement of the virtual objects corresponds to different surfaces at different heights detected in the view of the physical environment, the computer constrains the respective animated movements of the virtual objects in accordance with the different surfaces detected in the view of the physical environment.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method, comprising: at a computer system that is in communication with a display generation component and one or more input devices for detecting user inputs: receiving, via the one or more input devices, a request to display a first user interface that includes a first virtual object overlaying a first media object, wherein the first media object includes at least a first image that captures at least a first physical object in a physical environment; and in response to receiving the request to display the first user interface that includes the first virtual object overlaying the first media object, displaying the first virtual object at a respective position relative to a respective portion of the first image that corresponds to the first physical object, wherein: while the first virtual object has a first spatial position relative to the respective portion of the first image that corresponds to first physical object, the first virtual object has a first depth relative to the respective portion of the first image that corresponds to the first physical object in the first user interface.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- Devices, methods, and graphical user interfaces for depth-based annotation
- Patent number
- US12741197B2
- Application number
- 18929122
- Filed
- Oct 28, 2024
- Granted
- Sep 22, 2026
- Inventors
- 8
- Claims
- 34
Classified under
H04N 23/631 Electricity & electronicsG06F 3/04815 Physics & computingG06F 3/0484 Physics & computingG06T 11/00 Physics & computingG06T 13/60 Physics & computingG06T 19/006 Physics & computingMore from Apple in AR, VR & displays
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.