The most exciting patent application - Ever.

Canon this year has made perhaps the single most important patent application in the last few years.

Just in case you were wondering what has gotten us so excited, we bring you this patent application.

Japan Patent Application 2017-037206 - Lens Cap and Camera system.

Yes folks, we have a patent application for a lens cap (actually looking back through history, it's amazing how many lens caps canon has patented in the last 1-2 years!)

Read it and weep Sony!

All kidding aside it's actually kind of clever, not sure how well I'd like it in the real world, but it saves shoving the cap in your pocket all the time.

It's a good demonstration to just exactly how much of your camera ecosystem is patented.

How to view Japan Patent applications.

Unfortunately, there's no direct way of linking to the patent application (sad!) however, this is the easiest process to view a japan patent or application.

1. Go to the Japan Patent Office search page.
2. If it's a patent application (they are usually in the format of YEAR+Number ie: 2017-011300) then type the patent application number into the second field down from the top where it says publication of patent application. 
3. Click on search.
4. Then click on the patent application number link, and there's the patent application!