Apple has secured a new patent: US12306472B1, that outlines an advanced tunable lens system for future smartglasses. This invention lets users adjust the optical focus of their lenses electronically, without physical movement, by controlling layered liquid crystal cells.
How Apple’s Adjustable Lens System Works
At the core of the invention is a stack of liquid crystal cells, each embedded with a passive matrix electrode array. Each of these arrays contains two orthogonal electrodes arranged in a grid. These electrode pairs are rotated in each layer of the stack to form multiple overlapping control planes. This setup allows precise manipulation of how light bends through the lens.
The control circuitry activates specific voltage profiles across these electrode arrays. Apple designed these profiles using numerical optimization techniques during the manufacturing phase. Each voltage pattern correlates to a particular lens setting, either a specific optical power or a correction for optical aberration. A look-up table, stored in the glasses’ memory, matches each desired lens setting with the corresponding voltage profile. When the user selects a mode, such as zooming in to read or shifting focus to distant objects, the device automatically applies the needed voltage across the layers.
This system allows dynamic, real-time adjustment of the lens focus. Instead of relying on mechanical parts or physically swappable lenses, Apple’s design offers a streamlined, responsive optical experience.
Smartglasses with Vision Intelligence
Apple’s approach introduces a few key advantages for wearable technology. The absence of moving parts reduces bulk and improves durability. The use of stacked passive matrix electrodes ensures thin, lightweight lens design. More importantly, the tunable lens allows users to transition seamlessly between different optical tasks, such as reading fine text, focusing on distant signage, or interacting with augmented reality content, by simply tapping a control interface.
As MacObserver spotted the patent also mentions that the smartglasses may work in coordination with other sensors, including eye trackers or gesture sensors. This would allow the system to adjust focus based on where the user is looking or what they are interacting with, without the need for manual input.
The design allows for various configurations, including lenses tailored for different users, prescription needs, or dynamic environmental conditions. For example, Apple could implement adaptive optics that automatically adjust to lighting, distance, or user activity.
The full potential extends beyond consumer eyewear. This technology could support accessibility tools, enhance AR or VR performance, or even integrate into future versions of Apple Vision products.
Apple filed the patent for its tunable lens system for smartglasses on March 24, 2020. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted this patent, numbered US12306472B1, on May 21, 2025. It’s one of the 71 patents awarded to the company on the same day, which also included design patents related to the iPhone and Vision Pro.