Electronically controlling optical transmission of a lens of a camera in variable lighting

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, for controlling optical transmission of a lens of a camera. A method includes obtaining a first image from a camera, determining that the first image does not satisfy an image requirement, in response to determining that the first image does not satisfy an image requirement, increasing an optical transmission of a lens of the camera, and, obtaining a second image with the camera while the optical transmission of the lens of the camera is increased.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 obtaining, by a computing system, an image requirement for an image to be captured;   determining, by the computing system, that an optical transmission of a lens of a camera has an initial optical transmission level before capturing the image;   determining, by the computing system based on both the image requirement for the image and the initial optical transmission level of the lens, to increase the optical transmission of the lens of the camera before obtaining the image;   increasing, by the computing system, the optical transmission of the lens of the camera from the initial optical transmission level to an increased optical transmission level that is greater than the initial optical transmission level; and   capturing the image while the lens of the camera has the increased optical transmission level.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein obtaining an image requirement for an image to be captured comprises:
 receiving a request that specifies a high quality image is required; and   determining from the request, that the image requirement is high quality.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein obtaining an image requirement for an image to be captured comprises:
 receiving, from a particular application, a request for an image; and   determining, from the particular application that requested the image, that the image requirement is high quality.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein determining, from the particular application that requested the image, that the image requirement is high quality comprises:
 identifying the particular application; and   selecting a stored image requirement that is associated with the particular application as the image requirement from among stored image requirements for multiple different applications.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising:
 determining that a user is interacting with a particular application before a request to capture the image is received; and   in response to determining that the user is interacting with the particular application, obtaining the image requirement.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein increasing the optical transmission of the lens comprises:
 decreasing a tint of the lens.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein decreasing a tint of the lens comprises:
 applying a voltage to a coating on the lens, wherein the voltage causes the coating on the lens to lighten the tint.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising:
 after capturing the image, decreasing the optical transmission of the lens of the camera.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising:
 obtaining an indication of an amount of ambient light from an ambient light sensor,   wherein determining to increase the optical transmission of the lens of the camera before is based on the amount of ambient light indicated by the ambient light sensor.   
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more processors, to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:   obtaining, by a computing system, an image requirement for an image to be captured;   determining, by the computing system, that an optical transmission of a lens of a camera has an initial optical transmission level before capturing the image;   determining, by the computing system based on both the image requirement for the image and the initial optical transmission level of the lens, to increase the optical transmission of the lens of the camera before obtaining the image;   increasing, by the computing system, the optical transmission of the lens of the camera from the initial optical transmission level to an increased optical transmission level that is greater than the initial optical transmission level; and   capturing the image while the lens of the camera has the increased optical transmission level.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein obtaining an image requirement for an image to be captured comprises:
 receiving a request that specifies a high quality image is required; and   determining from the request, that the image requirement is high quality.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein obtaining an image requirement for an image to be captured comprises:
 receiving, from a particular application, a request for an image; and   determining, from the particular application that requested the image, that the image requirement is high quality.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein determining, from the particular application that requested the image, that the image requirement is high quality comprises:
 identifying the particular application; and   selecting a stored image requirement that is associated with the particular application as the image requirement from among stored image requirements for multiple different applications.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , comprising:
 determining that a user is interacting with a particular application before a request to capture the image is received; and   in response to determining that the user is interacting with the particular application, obtaining the image requirement.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein increasing the optical transmission of the lens comprises:
 decreasing a tint of the lens.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein decreasing a tint of the lens comprises:
 applying a voltage to a coating on the lens, wherein the voltage causes the coating on the lens to lighten the tint.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , the operations comprising:
 after capturing the image, decreasing the optical transmission of the lens of the camera.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , the operations comprising:
 obtaining an indication of an amount of ambient light from an ambient light sensor,   wherein determining to increase the optical transmission of the lens of the camera.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by one or more processors which, upon such execution, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 obtaining, by a computing system, an image requirement for an image to be captured;   determining, by the computing system, that an optical transmission of a lens of a camera has an initial optical transmission level before capturing the image;   determining, by the computing system based on both the image requirement for the image and the initial optical transmission level of the lens, to increase the optical transmission of the lens of the camera before obtaining the image;   increasing, by the computing system, the optical transmission of the lens of the camera from the initial optical transmission level to an increased optical transmission level that is greater than the initial optical transmission level; and   capturing the image while the lens of the camera has the increased optical transmission level.   
     
     
         21 . The medium of  claim 20 , wherein obtaining an image requirement for an image to be captured comprises:
 receiving a request that specifies a high quality image is required; and   determining from the request, that the image requirement is high quality.