Camera shutter

1 . A device comprising:

a housing;

a camera coupled to the housing, the camera including:

a lens,

a shutter coaxial with the lens, and

an image sensor coaxial with the shutter and the lens, the image sensor configured to receive light that passes through the shutter and the lens; and

a controller that:

detects an amount of light received by the image sensor,

controls the shutter by dimming the shutter to a dim state based on the amount of light detected,

captures a plurality of images in a same field of view in the dim state, and combines the plurality of images into a final image, and

adjusts a tinting of the shutter to blend with a color of the housing.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:

the dim state includes a first dim state and a second dim state;

the plurality of images includes a first image and a second image; and

the controller:

controls the shutter by dimming the shutter to the first dim state;

captures the first image in the first dim state;

controls the shutter by dimming the shutter to a second dim state;

captures the second image in the second dim state; and

combines the first image and the second image into the final image.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller:

controls the shutter by dimming the shutter to a plurality of dimming states;

captures the plurality of images in one or more of the plurality of dimming states; and

combines the plurality of images into the final image.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:

the shutter includes a first area and a second area; and

the controller:

controls the shutter by masking the first area of the shutter, and

captures the plurality of images, the plurality of images including a masked area corresponding to the first area of the shutter and a visible area corresponding to the second area of the shutter.

5 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the controller masks the first area of the shutter by pixelating the first area of the shutter.

6 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the first area of the shutter is concentric to the second area of the shutter.

7 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the second area of the shutter is concentric to the first area of the shutter.

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:

the shutter includes a first side and a second side, the second side opposite the first side and facing the lens; and

the controller controls the shutter by tinting the first side of the shutter to make the camera non-visible and non-functional.

9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the shutter to make the shutter non-transparent and non-visible.

10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:

the camera further comprises an ambient light sensor that receives the light; and

the controller detects the amount of light received by the ambient light sensor.

11 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the shutter is an electrochromic shutter.

12 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a display, and wherein the controller captures an image and causes the final image to display on the display.

13 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured to be worn by a user.

14 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the device includes smart glasses.

15 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the device includes a mobile phone.

16 . A method comprising:

receiving, by an image sensor for a camera or by an ambient light sensor, light that passes through a shutter and a lens of the camera;

detecting, by a controller, an amount of light received by the image sensor or by the ambient light sensor;

controlling, by the controller, the shutter by dimming the shutter to a dim state based on the amount of light detected and capturing a plurality of images in a same field of view of the shutter in the dim state;

combining the plurality of images into a final image; and

adjusting a tinting of the shutter to blend with a color of a housing.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the dim state includes a first dim state and a second dim state and the plurality of images includes a first image and a second image, the method further comprising:

controlling, by the controller, the shutter by dimming the shutter to the first dim state;

capturing, by the controller, the first image in the first dim state;

controlling, by the controller, the shutter by dimming the shutter to a second dim state;

capturing, by the controller, the second image in the second dim state; and

combining, by the controller, the first image and the second image into the final image.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

controlling, by the controller, the shutter by dimming the shutter to a plurality of dimming states;

capturing, by the controller, the plurality of images in one or more of the plurality of dimming states; and

combining, by the controller, the plurality of images into the final image.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the shutter includes a first area and a second area, the method further comprising:

controlling, by the controller, the shutter by masking the first area of the shutter; and

capturing, by the controller, the plurality of images, the plurality of images including a masked area corresponding to the first area of the shutter and a visible area corresponding to the second area of the shutter.

20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

controlling, by the controller, the shutter to make the shutter non-transparent and non-functional.

21 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the shutter is an electrochromic shutter.

22 . A computer program product, the computer program product being tangibly embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and including executable code that, when executed, is configured to cause:

an image sensor for a camera to receive light that passes through a shutter and a lens of the camera; and

a controller to:

detect an amount of light received by the image sensor,

control the shutter by dimming the shutter to a dim state based on the amount of light detected,

capture a plurality of images in a same field of view of the shutter in the dim state;

combine the plurality of images into a final image; and

adjust a tinting of the shutter to blend with a color of a housing.

23 . The computer program product of claim 22 , wherein:

the dim state includes a first dim state and a second dim state and the plurality of images includes a first image and a second image, and

the executable code causes the controller to:

control the shutter by dimming the shutter to the first dim state;

capture the first image in the first dim state;

control the shutter by dimming the shutter to the second dim state;

capture the second image in the second dim state; and

combine the first image and the second image into the final image.

24 . The computer program product of claim 22 , wherein the executable code cause the controller to:

control the shutter by dimming the shutter to a plurality of dimming states;

capture the plurality of images in one or more of the plurality of dimming states; and

combine the plurality of images into the final image.

25 . The computer program product of claim 22 , wherein:

the shutter includes a first area and a second area; and

the executable code cause the controller to:

control the shutter by masking the first area of the shutter; and

capture the plurality of images, the plurality of images including a masked area corresponding to the first area of the shutter and a visible area corresponding to the second area of the shutter.

26 . The computer program product of claim 22 , wherein the executable code causes the controller to control the shutter to make the shutter non-transparent and non-functional.

27 . The computer program product of claim 22 , wherein the executable code causes:

an ambient light sensor of the camera to receive the light; and

the controller to detect the amount of light received by the ambient light sensor.

28 . The computer program product of claim 22 , wherein the shutter is an electrochromic shutter.