In the last month alone, the Patent & Trademark Office has published six smartglasses related patents including today's patent (01, 02, 03, 04 and 05). It goes to show the seriousness of this project. Today's IP report is a rather simple and straightforward invention that will provide a unique feature.

A patent application from Apple published last week covers devices, systems, and methods that control a visual light transmission property of a viewing portion (e.g., glass) of a first device during an image capture event in which an image of the first device is captured by a second device.

In one implementation, the portion of the first device is quickly transitioned from a first state to a second state (e.g., being made lighter or darker) for a camera exposure. The dark appearance of the portion of a first device while outdoors may be transitioned to a light appearance while a photo or video is captured.

Apple's patent figures below make it simple to understand. The user's smartglasses used as sunglasses will have the user's eyes exposed as if clear glasses when the flash of an iPhone taking a photo is used.

Apple specifically notes that in one example, a second device triggers the first device to transition the portion to be more transmissive/lighter (e.g., clear) so that the portion remains clear during an image exposure, and then is transitioned back to a darker (e.g., less clear) state. FIG. 3 above illustrates an example of controlling visual light transmission during an image capture event (a camera shot). In this example, during a first time period #310, the user #25 is wearing the first device #10 (smartglasses) in a bright environment and portions #15a-b (e.g., electrochromic material) are in a first state (e.g., dark) that is relatively shaded. For example, the portions #15a-b of the smartglasses may be lenses or other viewing portions that are shaded to reduce the amount of light visible via the user's eyes #45a-b, e.g., acting as sunglasses.

During a second time period #320, an image capture event (a camera shot) is initiated on the second device #20 (a camera) which sends a message to the first device (smartglasses) to trigger the portions (lenses #15a-b)O to remain clear or change to be clear during the image capture event (camera shot).

To review its full details, review patent application 20230370728.