METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MULTIPLE ACCESS TO A SINGLE HARDWARE DATA STREAM

• US 20160004575A1
• Filed: 07/01/2015
• Published: 01/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: West Texas Technology Partners LLC
• Original Assignee: Atheer, Inc.
• Inventors: Fink, Ryan, Phelps, Ryan, Peck, Gary, Ransil, Bryan
• Granted Patent: US 10,318,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/544 Buffers; Shared memory; Pipes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/545 where tasks reside in different layers, e.g. user- and kernel-space

Abstract

Methods for providing simultaneous access to a hardware data stream to multiple applications are disclosed. The first application to access a hardware device is responsible for providing and publishing an application programming interface (API) that provides access to the hardware device'"'"'s data stream, which other applications can then call to gain access to the data stream. In some examples, the first application may be a server process or daemon dedicated to managing the hardware device data stream and publishing the API. In some further examples, the first application may instead may carry out user functionality unrelated to managing the hardware device.

Claims

1. A method for providing multiple access to a single hardware data stream, comprising:

initializing a hardware device that provides a data stream by a providing application;

receiving by a providing application the data stream from the hardware device; and

providing by the providing application an application programming interface that allows a plurality of applications to access the data stream.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing application is a server daemon.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing application is a user application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the hardware device is a camera.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the hardware device is a microphone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the hardware device is a motion sensor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the hardware device is a radio capable of wireless data communication.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein initializing the hardware device includes querying the device for its capabilities and characteristics, and initiating the data stream.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising starting the providing application upon a first request to access the data stream of the hardware device, and stopping the providing application once there are no further applications accessing the data stream.

10. A system that provides multiple access to a single hardware data stream, comprising:

a computer system comprised of a central processor that can execute instructions, a data storage device that can store the instructions, and a hardware device that can supply a data stream, wherein the data storage device has instructions comprising steps to;

initialize the hardware device;

receive the data stream from the hardware device; and

make the data stream available to applications running on the computer system via an application programming interface.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the hardware device is one of a camera, microphone, location sensing device, motion sensing device, or wireless data communication device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for executing an application program to carry out the steps of initializing the hardware device, receiving the data stream from the hardware device, and making the data stream available via an application programming interface.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for executing the application program upon an initial request to access the hardware device.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for executing the application program as a server daemon that is started upon initialization of the computer system.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions to receive the data stream from the hardware further comprise instructions to write the data stream into a buffer.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions to write the data stream into a buffer further comprise instructions to write the data stream into a circular buffer.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions to write the data stream into a buffer further comprise instructions to write the data stream into a plurality of buffers each corresponding to one of a plurality of application programs requiring access to the data stream.

18. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising instructions capable of being executed by a computer system that has a hardware device that can provide a data stream, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

initialize the hardware device;

begin receiving the data stream from the hardware device; and

make the data stream available to applications running on the computer system via an application programming interface.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions for receiving the data stream from the hardware device and making the data stream available to applications running on the computer system via an application programming interface further comprise instructions for placing the data stream into a buffer that is accessible by the applications.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions for placing the data stream into a buffer that is accessible by the applications further comprises instructions for creating a plurality of copies of the buffer, each of the plurality of copies of the buffer corresponding to and accessible by one of the applications.