Virtual camera for sharing a physical camera
AssigneeO2Micro, Inc.
InventorsShaolan Wang, Hongning Zeng
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A virtual camera component allows multiple camera-use applications to share a camera simultaneously. For example, a first application can request access to the camera for a first set of data, and a second application can also request access to the camera for a second set of data. The virtual camera component is coupled between the first and second applications and the camera, and caches and then processes the data according to respective requirements of the first and second applications.
Claims19
A computer system comprising:
- a camera configured to capture multimedia data;
- a memory coupled to said camera, said memory having stored therein computer-executable components comprising:
- a first application that sends a first request for a first access to said camera, wherein said first request comprises a first requirement of said first application;
- a second application that sends a second request for a second access to said camera, wherein said second request comprises a second requirement of said second application, and wherein said first and second accesses overlap in time;
- and
- a virtual camera component coupled between said first and second applications and said camera, said virtual camera component comprising:
- a virtual camera center service, operable for analyzing and processing said first request and said second request and transferring a command comprising a most limiting requirement of said first and said second requirements to said camera;
- a virtual camera setting tool coupled to said virtual camera center service, and operable for setting a parameter for said virtual camera center service;
- and
- a video capture source filter coupled to said virtual camera center service, and operable for processing said multimedia data into a first set of data that satisfies said first requirement and also processing said multimedia data into a second set of data that satisfies said second requirement, transferring said first set of data into said first application, and transferring said second set of data into said second application,
- wherein said camera captures said multimedia data according to said command which comprises said most limiting requirement, and wherein said virtual camera component receives said multimedia data that satisfies said most limiting requirement.
A computer-readable medium comprising a computer-executable virtual camera component for enabling a plurality of applications to concurrently use a physical camera by sending out a plurality of requests comprising a plurality of requirements of said application, said virtual camera component comprising:
- a virtual camera center service operable for analyzing and processing said plurality of requests, transferring a command comprising a most limiting requirement of said requirements to said physical camera, and for receiving video data that satisfies said most limiting requirement from said physical camera;
- a video capture source filter controlled by said virtual camera center service, and operable for processing said video data from said physical camera into a plurality of sets of data which satisfy said plurality of requirements, and transferring said plurality of sets of data into said plurality of applications;
- and
- a virtual camera setting tool coupled to said virtual camera center service, and operable for setting a parameter for said virtual camera center service,
- wherein said physical camera captures said video data according to said command which comprises said most limiting requirement.
A method allowing a plurality of applications to simultaneously use a single physical camera via a virtual camera component, wherein said plurality of applications includes a first application and a second application, said method comprising:
- creating a first video capture source filter instance in response to a first calling command by said first application in response to a first request from said first application, wherein said first request comprises a first requirement of said first application;
- creating a second video capture source filter instance in response to a second calling command by said second application in response to a second request from said second application, wherein said second request comprises a second requirement of said second application, and wherein said first request for said first set of data is concurrent with said request for said second set of data;
- setting a parameter for a virtual camera center service in said virtual camera component;
- analyzing said first request and said second request by said virtual camera center service;
- transferring a command comprising a most limiting requirement of said first and said second requirements to said physical camera by said virtual camera center service, wherein said physical camera captures video data according to said command which comprises said most limiting requirement;
- receiving said video data with said most limiting requirement from said physical camera;
- processing said video data from said physical camera into a first set of data that satisfies said first requirement and also processing said video data into a second set of data that satisfies said second requirement;
- providing said first set of data to said first application;
- and
- providing said second set of data to said second application, wherein said second requirement is different from said first requirement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.