DYNAMICALLY SWITCHING CONTROL SHARING OF CAMERA RESOURCES

• US 20180146139A1
• Filed: 11/18/2016
• Published: 05/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: LEUNG, Jenny Y., BARON, Trevor, WILSON, Mei L., LEI, Maria C., JAIN, Vishal
• Application Number:
  US15/356,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20180146139A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/617 Upgrading or updating of programs or applications for camera control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes

Abstract

Methods and devices for dynamically switching control of a camera resource may include setting a mode of an application to a control mode of a camera resource. The methods and devices may also include receiving a request for control of the camera resource from a requesting application. The methods and devices may include changing the mode of the application from the control mode to a shared mode of the camera resource and providing control of the camera resource to the requesting application. The methods and devices may also include changing the mode of the application from the shared mode to the control mode of the camera resource when the requesting application releases control of the camera resource.

Claims

1. A computer device, comprising:

a memory to store data and instructions;

a processor in communication with the memory; and

an operating system in communication with the memory and the processor, wherein the operating system is operable to;

set a mode of an application to a control mode of a camera resource, wherein the control mode allows the application to determine characteristics of the camera resource;

receive a request for control of the camera resource from a requesting application;

change the mode of the application from the control mode to a shared mode of the camera resource;

provide control of the camera resource to the requesting application, wherein the requesting application determines the characteristics of the camera resource and the application in the shared mode accepts the characteristics of the camera resource as determined by the requesting application; and

change the mode of the application from the shared mode to the control mode of the camera resource when the requesting application releases control of the camera resource.

2. The computer device of claim 1, wherein the operating system is further operable to change the mode of the application to the shared mode when the requesting application has a higher control priority relative to a control priority of the application.

3. The computer device of claim 1, wherein the operating system is further operable to change the mode of the application to the shared mode upon receiving the request for control from the requesting application.

4. The computer device of claim 1, wherein the camera resource has a plurality of sensors.

5. The computer device of claim 4, wherein the plurality of sensors include one or more of an infrared sensor, a color sensor, a monochrome sensor, a thermal sensor, or a depth sensor.

6. The computer device of claim 4, wherein the control mode of the camera resource controls one of the plurality of sensors while sharing at least one other sensor of the plurality of sensors with other applications.

7. The computer device of claim 4, wherein the control mode of the camera resources controls the plurality of sensors while sharing the plurality of sensors with other applications.

8. The computer device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of camera resources, wherein each of the plurality of camera resources includes a plurality of sensors.

9. The computer device of claim 8, wherein the control mode controls one or more of the plurality of camera resources and one or more of the plurality of sensors while sharing the plurality of camera resources and the plurality of sensors with other applications.

10. The computer device of claim 8, wherein the control mode controls one of the plurality of camera resources while sharing at least one other camera resource of the plurality of camera resources with other applications.

11. A method for dynamically switching control of a camera resource, comprising:

setting, at an operating system executing on the computer device, a mode of an application to a control mode of a camera resource, wherein the control mode allows the application to determine characteristics of the camera resource;

receiving a request for control of the camera resource from a requesting application;

changing the mode of the application from the control mode to a shared mode of the camera resource;

providing control of the camera resource to the requesting application, wherein the requesting application determines the characteristics of the camera resource and the application in the shared mode accepts the characteristics of the camera resource as determined by the requesting application; and

changing the mode of the application from the shared mode to the control mode of the camera resource when the requesting application releases control of the camera resource.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein changing the mode of the application to the shared mode occurs when the requesting application has a higher control priority relative to a control priority of the application.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein changing the mode of the application to the shared mode occurs upon receiving the request for control from the requesting application.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the camera resource has a plurality of sensors.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of sensors include one or more of an infrared sensor, a color sensor, a monochrome sensor, a thermal sensor, or a depth sensor.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the control mode of the camera resource controls one of the plurality of sensors while sharing at least one other sensor of the plurality of sensors with other applications.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the control mode of the camera resources controls the plurality of sensors while sharing the plurality of sensors with other applications.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of camera resources, wherein each of the plurality of camera resources includes a plurality of sensors.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the control mode controls one or more of the plurality of camera resources and one or more of the plurality of sensors while sharing the plurality of camera resources and the plurality of sensors with other applications.

20. A computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a computer device, comprising:

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to set a mode of an application to a control mode of a camera resource, wherein the control mode allows the application to determine characteristics of the camera resource;

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to receive a request for control of the camera resource from a requesting application;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to change the mode of the application from the control mode to a shared mode of the camera resource;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to provide control of the camera resource to the requesting application, wherein the requesting application determines the characteristics of the camera resource and the application in the shared mode accepts the characteristics of the camera resource as determined by the requesting application; and

at least one instruction for causing the computer to change the mode of the application from the shared mode to the control mode of the camera resource when the requesting application releases control of the camera resource.