# US 12,216,387 B2 · External recording indicators > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,216,387 B2 - Document ID: US12216387B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/307,069 - Filed: 2023-04-26 - Published: 2023-10-26 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-23 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Justin J. Schwab; Nathanael D. Parkhill; Andrew McMahon; Jae Lee; Jerome Tu; DK Kalinowski; Nalaka Vidanagamachchi; Yohan Rajan; Cam Harder; Yoshikazu Shinohara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12216387B2 ## CPC - G03B 17/18: Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light (indicating depth of field G03B13/30) - G02B 5/005: {Diaphragms (for cameras G03B9/02)} - G02B 27/0172: {characterised by optical features} - G02B 27/095: {Refractive optical elements} - G03B 30/00: Camera modules comprising integrated lens units and imaging units, specially adapted for being embedded in other devices, e.g. mobile phones or vehicles - G11B 27/34: Indicating arrangements {(indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D)} - H04N 5/765: Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus - H04N 5/77: between a recording apparatus and a television camera - H04N 5/772: {the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure} - H04N 23/54: Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils - H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means - H04N 23/57: Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices - H04N 23/60: Control of cameras or camera modules - H04N 23/61: based on recognised objects - H04N 23/80: Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof - G02B 13/004: {having four lenses} - G02B 2027/0138: {comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera} - H04N 23/634: {Warning indications} - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Recording indicators for devices with cameras that provide protection from tampering so that the recording indicators cannot be easily disabled or masked. Recording indicators that are external to the camera lens and that emit visible light in an encrypted pattern are described. The device may process captured frames to detect the encrypted pattern; if the encrypted pattern cannot be detected, recording is disabled. In addition, modular accessories are described that the user has to attach to the device to enable recording; the presence of the modular attachment indicates to persons in the environment that they may be being recorded. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A camera, comprising: an image sensor; and a lens barrel comprising one or more refractive lens elements configured to refract light received from an object field to form an image at an image plane at a surface of the image sensor; an optical element positioned in front of the lens barrel; and one or more light sources; wherein the one or more light sources are configured to emit light to the optical element; wherein the optical element is configured to redirect the light emitted by the one or more light sources to illuminate at least a portion of the object field; wherein the optical element is a prism and the light emitted passes through the prism, wherein a first surface of the prism faces the object field, a third surface of the prism faces the lens barrel, wherein the one or more light sources are positioned at a second surface of the prism. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The camera as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources emit visible light when the camera is in recording mode and do not emit visible light when the camera is not in recording mode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The camera as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources are configured to emit the light into the second surface of the prism, and wherein the light is redirected by the third surface of the prism through the first surface of the prism. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The camera as recited in claim 3, wherein the light is redirected by the third surface of the prism through the first surface of the prism via total internal reflection (TIR). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The camera as recited in claim 1, wherein the redirected light covers a field of view of the camera. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The camera as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources are activated to emit light in response to initiation of recording video captured by the camera. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The camera as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources are light-emitting diodes (LEDs). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The camera as recited in claim 1, wherein light from the object field passes through the optical element and into the lens barrel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The camera as recited in claim 1, wherein the camera is a component of a mobile handheld device that includes memory for storing video frames captured by the camera when recording mode is enabled. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The camera as recited in claim 1, wherein the camera is a component of a head-mounted device (HMD) that includes memory for storing video frames captured by the camera when recording mode is enabled. ### Claim 11 A method, comprising: emitting, by one or more light sources, light into an optical element positioned in front of a lens barrel of a camera, wherein the lens barrel includes one or more refractive lens elements that refract light received from an object field to form an image at an image plane at a surface of an image sensor of the camera; and redirecting, by the optical element, the light emitted by the one or more light sources to illuminate at least a portion of the object field, wherein the optical element is a prism and the light emitted passes through the prism, wherein a first surface of the prism faces the object field, a third surface of the prism faces the lens barrel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising detecting when the camera is in record mode, wherein the one or more light sources emit visible light when the camera is in record mode and do not emit visible light when the camera is not in record mode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the one or more light sources emit the light into a second surface of the prism; and wherein redirecting, by the optical element, the light emitted by the one or more light sources comprises redirecting the light via total internal reflection (TIR) off the third surface of the prism and through the first surface of the prism. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the redirected light covers a field of view of the camera. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising activating the one or more light sources to emit light in response to a user of a device initiating recording of video by the camera. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the one or more light sources are light-emitting diodes (LEDs). ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method as recited in claim 11, wherein light from the object field passes through a first surface and a third surface of the optical element and into the lens barrel. ### Claim 18 A device, comprising: a camera configured to capture video, the camera comprising: an image sensor; and a lens barrel comprising one or more refractive lens elements configured to refract light received from an object field to form an image at an image plane at a surface of the image sensor; an optical element positioned in front of the lens barrel; and a recording indicator comprising one or more light sources; memory for recording video captured by the camera when a recording mode is enabled; wherein the recording indicator is configured to emit light into the optical element when the recording mode is enabled; and wherein the optical element is configured to redirect the light emitted by the recording indicator towards the object field, wherein the redirected light is visible within a field of view of the camera when the recording mode is enabled, and wherein the optical element is a prism and the light emitted passes through the prism, wherein a first surface of the prism faces the object field, a third surface of the prism faces the lens barrel of the camera. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The device as recited in claim 18, wherein the recording indicator is configured to emit light into a second surface of the prism when the recording mode is enabled, and wherein, to redirect the light emitted by the recording indicator towards the object field, the third surface redirects the light via total internal reflection (TIR) through the first surface of the prism. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The device as recited in claim 18, wherein the device is one of a mobile handheld device and a head-mounted device (HMD).