CAMERA USAGE NOTIFICATION

• US 20190007605A1
• Filed: 10/30/2017
• Published: 01/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: CHOE, Sang K., WILSON, Mei Ling
• Granted Patent: US 10,447,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/503 Resource availability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5011 the resources being hardware resources other than CPUs, Servers and Terminals
• 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 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes

Abstract

Methods and devices for monitoring camera resource activities may include receiving a camera resource request from an application that identifies at least one camera resource being requested for use by the application. The methods and devices may include determining whether the camera resource is available for use by checking a state of the camera resource using a camera resource log that provides the state of the camera resource. The methods and devices may include granting access to the camera resource when the state of the camera resource is available for use and updating the state of the camera resource when access is granted to the camera resource. The methods and devices may include updating the camera resource log when access is granted to the camera resource with an application identification (ID) for the application using the camera resource and the state of the camera resource.

Claims

1. A computer device, comprising:

a memory to store data and instructions;

a processor in communication with the memory;

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

receive a camera resource request from an application that identifies at least one camera resource being requested for use by the application;

determine whether the camera resource is available for use by checking a state of the camera resource using a camera resource log that provides the state of the camera resource;

grant access to the camera resource when the state of the camera resource is available for use;

update the state of the camera resource when access is granted to the camera resource; and

update the camera resource log when access is granted to the camera resource with an application identification (ID) for the application using the camera resource and the state of the camera resource.

2. The computer device of claim 1, wherein the state of the camera resource includes one or more of available for use, active, in use, and off.

3. The computer device of claim 2, wherein the operating system is further operable to deny access to the camera resource when the state of the camera resource is in use.

4. The computer device of claim 1, wherein the operating system is further operable to:

update the state of the of the camera resource when the application is finished using the camera resource from in use to available; and

update the camera resource log with the state.

5. The computer device of claim 1, wherein the operating system is further operable to update the state of the camera resource by using at least one activity monitor to capture camera resource usage information reflected through a kernel space of the operating system.

6. The computer device of claim 1, wherein the operating system is further operable to:

determine a mode of use by the at least one application of the camera resource, and

wherein the camera resource log further includes the mode of use.

7. The computer device of claim 6, wherein the mode of use comprises one or more of a control mode and a shared mode.

8. The computer device of claim 7, wherein the operating system is further operable to:

receive a second camera resource request from a second application to use the camera resource;

determine whether the camera resource is available for sharing based on the mode of sharing stored for the camera resource in the camera resource log; and

grant the second application a shared mode of access to the camera resource when the camera resource is available for sharing.

9. The computer device of claim 8, where in the operating system is further operable to:

update the camera resource log for the camera resource to include a second application ID for the second application and to indicate the shared mode of use by the second application associated with the camera resource ID for the camera resource.

10. A method for monitoring camera resource activities, comprising:

receiving, at an operating system executing on a computer device, a camera resource request from an application that identifies at least one camera resource being requested for use by the application;

determining whether the camera resource is available for use by checking a state of the camera resource using a camera resource log that provides the state of the camera resource;

granting access to the camera resource when the state of the camera resource is available for use;

updating the state of the camera resource when access is granted to the camera resource; and

updating the camera resource log when access is granted to the camera resource with an application identification (ID) for the application using the camera resource and the state of the camera resource.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the state of the camera resource includes one or more of available for use, active, in use, and off.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

denying access to the camera resource when the state of the camera resource is in use.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

updating the state of the of the camera resource when the application is finished using the camera resource from in use to available; and

updating the camera resource log with the state.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein updating the status of the camera resource further comprises using at least one activity monitor to capture camera resource usage information reflected through a kernel space of the operating system.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a mode of use by the at least one application of the camera resource; and

updating the camera resource log to include the mode of use.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the mode of use comprises one or more of a control mode and a shared mode.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a second camera resource request from a second application to use the camera resource;

determining whether the camera resource is available for sharing based on the mode of sharing stored for the camera resource in the camera resource log; and

granting the second application a shared mode of access to the camera resource when the camera resource is available for sharing.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

updating the camera resource log for the camera resource to include a second application ID for the second application and to indicate the shared mode of use by the second application associated with the camera resource ID for the camera resource.

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

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to receive a camera resource request from an application that identifies at least one camera resource being requested for use by the application;

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to determine whether the camera resource is available for use by checking a state of the camera resource using a camera resource log that provides the state of the camera resource;

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to grant access to the camera resource when the state of the camera resource is available for use;

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to update the state of the camera resource when access is granted to the camera resource; and

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to update the camera resource log when access is granted to the camera resource with an application identification (ID) for the application using the camera resource and the state of the camera resource.