Patent granted on Tuesday by U.S. Patents and Trademark Office. Camera receiving coded infrared signals beamed from emitters in public places would temporarily disable device camera functionality. Technology could also be used to beam information about an object or place to a lot of people iPhones at the same time when they are in the same location. Technology can be used by police to limit smartphone filming of acts of brutality or protests, or it could even help a government shut off filming in certain locations.
Source: https://thehackernews.com/2016/07/apple-iphone-camera.html