# US 2026/0095643 A1 · Selective activation of a camera based on sensor data > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0095643 A1 - Document ID: US20260095643A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 19/337,702 - Filed: 2025-09-23 - Published: 2026-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2024-09-27 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Joshua J. Frost; Alexandria G. Heston; Amrutha Hakkare Arunachala; In Young Yang; Magnus H. Johnson; Yutaka Yokokawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260095643A1 ## CPC - H04N 23/611: where the recognised objects include parts of the human body - H04N 23/651: {for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera} - G06T 7/70: Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80) - H04N 23/61: based on recognised objects - H04N 23/62: Control of parameters via user interfaces - G06T 2207/30201: Face - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract A method includes obtaining, via a sensor, sensor data indicative of a location of the device. The method includes obtaining, via a pose sensor, pose data indicating a pose of the device or a body part of a user of the device. The method includes activating a camera in response to the location satisfying a location criterion and the pose satisfying a pose criterion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: at a device including a camera, a sensor, one or more processors and a non-transitory memory: obtaining, via the sensor, sensor data indicative of a location of the device; obtaining, via a pose sensor, pose data indicating a pose of the device or a body part of a user of the device; and activating the camera in response to the location satisfying a location criterion and the pose satisfying a pose criterion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining the camera in a deactivated state when the location does not satisfy the location criterion and the pose does not satisfy the pose criterion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the location criterion is satisfied when the location is within a threshold distance of a physical object that is controllable between a plurality of states. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pose criterion is satisfied when the pose indicates that the user is looking towards a physical object that is manipulable between a plurality of states. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pose criterion is satisfied when a difference between the pose and a previous pose exceeds a threshold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pose criterion is not satisfied when a difference between the pose and a previous pose is less than a threshold and the camera captured image data at a time corresponding to the previous pose. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: obtaining state data indicating a current state of a controllable physical object within a proximity threshold of the location of the device; and activating the camera in response to the current state matching a threshold state. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: activating the camera in response to a gaze input satisfying a gaze criterion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising obtaining the gaze input via an eye tracker that is different from the camera. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: playing a sound effect when the camera is activated and the camera is directed to a person that is not looking towards the camera; and forgo playing the sound effect when the person is looking towards the camera. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a location sensor and the sensor data includes location data captured by the location sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a receiver that receives location data from another device including a location sensor that captured the location data. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes an ambient light sensor (ALS), the sensor data includes an ambient lighting level captured by the ALS, and the device determines the location based on the ambient lighting level. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a microphone, the sensor data includes audio data captured by the microphone, and the device determines the location based on the audio data captured by the microphone. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU), the sensor data includes IMU data, and the device determines the location by determining a change in a previous location based on IMU data captured after a time associated with the previous location. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a magnetometer, the sensor data includes magnetic field data and the device determines the location based on the magnetic field data. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pose indicates a head pose of the user. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pose sensor is integrated in an electronic watch that the user is wearing around a wrist of the user and the pose includes an orientation of the wrist or an arm of the user. ### Claim 19 A device comprising: a camera; a sensor; a non-transitory memory; and one or more processors to: obtain, via the sensor, sensor data indicative of a location of the device; obtain, via a pose sensor, pose data indicating a pose of the device or a body part of a user of the device; and activate the camera in response to the location satisfying a location criterion and the pose satisfying a pose criterion. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory memory storing one or more programs, which, when executed by one or more processors of a device including a camera and a sensor, cause the device to: obtain, via the sensor, sensor data indicative of a location of the device; obtain, via a pose sensor, pose data indicating a pose of the device or a body part of a user of the device; and activate the camera in response to the location satisfying a location criterion and the pose satisfying a pose criterion.