ANDROID BOUND SERVICE CAMERA INITIALIZATION

• US 20140104451A1
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Todeschini, Erik, Deloge, Stephen Patrick, Anderson, Donald
• Granted Patent: US 9,313,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/2247 Characters composed of bars, e.g. CMC-7
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/617 Upgrading or updating of programs or applications for camera control

Abstract

A mobile device includes a camera, a user interface system, and a processor communicatively coupled to the camera and the user interface system. The processor is typically configured for running a first application. The first application is typically configured for (i) accessing the camera, (ii) upon the initialization of the first application, initializing the camera, and (iii) maintaining the camera in an initialized state as long as the first application is running. The application may be further configured for focusing the camera and maintaining the camera in a focused state as long as the first application is running.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a camera;

a user interface system; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the camera and the user interface system, the processor being configured for running a first application, the first application being configured for;

accessing the camera;

upon the initialization of the first application, initializing the camera; and

maintaining the camera in an initialized state as long as the first application is running.

2. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the first application is configured for, upon initializing the camera, focusing the camera.

3. The mobile device according to claim 2, wherein the first application is configured for maintaining the camera in a focused state as long as the first application is running.

4. The mobile device according to claim 3, wherein maintaining the camera in a focused state comprises, when the first application is not accessing the camera, maintaining the focal distance of the camera.

5. The mobile device according to claim 3, wherein maintaining the camera in a focused state comprises, when the first application is not accessing the camera, regularly running a camera autofocus cycle.

6. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the first application is configured for, during termination of the first application, releasing the camera.

7. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the user interface system comprises a visual display.

8. The mobile device according to claim 7, wherein the first application is configured for, while accessing the camera, displaying live image data from the camera on the visual display.

9. The mobile device according to claim 7, wherein the first application is configured for, when live image data from the camera is not displayed on the visual display, maintaining the camera in an initialized state.

10. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the first application is configured for decoding barcodes from image data received from accessing the camera.

11. A mobile device, comprising:

a camera;

a user interface system, the user interface system comprising a visual display; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the camera and the user interface system, the processor being configured for running (i) the Android operating system and (ii) a first application within the Android operating system, the first application being configured for;

upon being initialized, (i) initiating a camera singleton class or initiating a local camera service by extending the Android service class and (ii) creating an instance of the camera object with the initiated singleton class or initiated local camera service;

running a first camera sequence for accessing image data from the camera; and

maintaining the instance of the camera object as long as the first application is running.

12. The mobile device according to claim 11, wherein the first application is configured for:

upon being initialized, (i) initiating a local camera service by extending the Android service class and (ii) creating an instance of the camera object with the local camera service;

wherein running the first camera sequence comprises binding to the local camera service.

13. The mobile device according to claim 12, wherein running the first camera sequence comprises, after binding to the local camera service, capturing an image from the camera.

14. The mobile device according to claim 11, wherein running the first camera sequence comprises capturing an image from the camera.

15. The mobile device according to claim 14, wherein the first application is configured for, before capturing an image, focusing the camera.

16. The mobile device according to claim 15, wherein running the first camera sequence comprises displaying a preview of the camera on the visual display before capturing an image from the camera.

17. The mobile device according to claim 16, wherein the first application is configured for maintaining the camera in a focused state when a preview of the camera is not displayed on the visual display.

18. The mobile device according to claim 16, wherein maintaining the instance of the camera object as long as the first application is running comprises maintaining the instance of the camera object when a preview of the camera is not displayed on the visual display.

19. The mobile device according to claim 16, wherein maintaining the instance of the camera object as long as the first application is running comprises releasing the camera during termination of the first application.

20. The mobile device according to claim 16, wherein running the first camera sequence comprises, after capturing an image, decoding a barcode from the image.