# Controlling a Camera on Your Phone with a Separate Gadget

> Apple's 2014 patent describes how a separate device, like a remote control, can talk to a phone to take pictures and videos, and show them on the remote.

- **Patent:** US 8675084
- **Original title:** Systems and methods for remote camera control
- **Owner:** Apple Inc
- **Granted:** 2014
- **Status:** Active
- **Times cited:** 210
- **Field:** consumer_electronics, software, telecommunications

## What it does

This patent explains how a separate gadget, called an 'accessory,' can control the camera built into a 'portable media device' (like a smartphone). The accessory registers with the phone to get updates about the camera's status, such as when it's ready to take a photo or has just finished recording a video. Based on these updates, the accessory changes its own state to show if it's ready for a photo, or if a photo or video is ready to be viewed on the accessory's screen. The accessory can also send commands to the phone to change camera modes or take pictures at set intervals.

## What it does NOT cover

- Controlling the camera directly from the portable media device itself, without an accessory.
- Accessories that cannot receive notifications about the camera's state.
- Accessories that do not automatically change their own state based on camera status.
- Controlling cameras that are not part of a portable media device.
- Methods where the accessory and the portable media device cannot control the camera at the same time.

## The clever bit

The core innovation lies in the accessory proactively registering for camera state notifications and automatically updating its own display and functionality based on those asynchronous updates from the portable media device.

## Real-world examples

1. Apple's own accessories for controlling iPhone cameras.
2. Third-party remote camera controls for smartphones.
3. Smartwatch camera remote apps.

## Why it matters

This patent is significant because it describes the foundational technology for remote camera control accessories, particularly for devices like iPhones. It enabled a richer ecosystem of connected gadgets that could interact with a phone's camera, enhancing user experience for photography and videography.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does Controlling a Camera on Your Phone with a Separate Gadget cover?

Apple's 2014 patent describes how a separate device, like a remote control, can talk to a phone to take pictures and videos, and show them on the remote.

### Who owns patent US 8675084?

Apple Inc owns this patent, granted in 2014.

### When does this patent expire?

This patent is expected to expire on March 18, 2034, when the invention enters the public domain.

### What is patent US 8675084 cited by?

This patent has been cited by 210 later patents that build on its ideas.

### What problem does this patent solve?

This patent is significant because it describes the foundational technology for remote camera control accessories, particularly for devices like iPhones. It enabled a richer ecosystem of connected gadgets that could interact with a phone's camera, enhancing user experience for photography and videography.

### What does this patent NOT cover?

Controlling the camera directly from the portable media device itself, without an accessory.

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8675084/facetime-video-calling

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US8675084

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._