Method and system for supporting multiple capture devices

• US 6,286,054 B2
• Filed: 10/27/1997
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FlashPoint Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: FlashPoint Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Application Number:
  US08/957,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20010013073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 709/300, 709/301, 709/328, 709/321, 709/322, 709/323, 710/64
• US Class Current: 719/321
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00236 using an image reading or reproducing device, e.g. a facsimile reader or printer, as a local input to or local output from a computer image input to or image output from a computer via a network H04N1/00209
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00241 using an image reading device as a local input to a computer input via network, e.g. network scanners H04N1/00225
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32512 of different type, e.g. internal and external devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0034 Details of the connection, e.g. connector, interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0067 Converting to still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0068 Converting from still picture data

Abstract

A system and method for allowing a host to support a plurality of capture devices have been disclosed. The host includes a application program. In one aspect, the method and system include providing a first digital imaging device module, providing an interface layer, and providing a second digital imaging device module. The first digital imaging device module includes information relating to a first digital imaging device and is for controlling and providing connectivity to the first digital imaging device. The interface layer is for communicating between the application and the first digital imaging device module. The second digital imaging device module includes information relating to a second digital imaging device. The second digital imaging device module is for controlling and providing connectivity to the second digital imaging device and is accessible by the application through the interface layer. In another aspect, the method and system include providing a plurality of capture device modules and providing an interface control layer. Each capture device module corresponds to each of the plurality of capture devices. Each capture device module controls, provides a user interface for, and provides connectivity to the corresponding capture device. The interface control layer is for communicating between the application and each of the plurality of control device modules.

Claims

1. A method for allowing a host to support a plurality of digital imaging devices, the host including a application program, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first digital imaging device module including information relating to a first digital imaging device, the first digital imaging device module for controlling and providing a first connectivity to the first digital imaging device, the first connectivity to the first digital imaging device including providing control of a first physical connection to the first digital imaging device and controlling communication with the first digital imaging device;

providing an interface layer, the interface layer supporting a plurality of protocols for communicating between the application and the first digital imaging device module, the interface layer communicating with the first digital imaging device module using a first protocol; and

loading a second digital imaging device module, the second digital imaging device module including information relating to a second digital imaging device, the second digital imaging device module for controlling and providing a second connectivity to the second digital imaging device, the second digital imaging device module communicating with the interface layer using a second protocol, the second digital imaging device being accessible by the application through the interface layer, the second connectivity to the second digital imaging device including providing control of a second physical connection to the second digital imaging device and controlling communication with the second digital imaging device;

wherein the interface layer, the first digital imaging device module and the second digital imaging device module allow communication between the application and the first digital imaging device and between the application and the second without requiring specialized software in the application.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing the first digital imaging device module further includes the step of:

providing a first digital imaging device object corresponding to the first digital imaging device, the first digital imaging device object for controlling and providing connectivity to the first digital imaging device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of providing the second digital imaging device module further includes the step of:

providing a second digital imaging device object corresponding to the second digital imaging device, the second digital imaging device object for controlling and providing connectivity to the second digital imaging device.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

providing a first panel corresponding to the first digital imaging device object, the first panel for providing a user interface for the first digital imaging device object.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of:

providing a second panel corresponding to the second digital imaging device object, the second panel for providing a user interface for the second digital imaging device object.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of providing the first digital imaging device object further includes the step of:

providing a first command set for controlling the first digital imaging device.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of providing the second digital imaging device object further includes the step of:

providing a second command set for controlling the second digital imaging device.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first digital imaging device object further includes a currently selected digital imaging device object, the currently selected digital imaging device object corresponding to the currently selected digital imaging device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the first digital imaging device module includes a first command set for controlling the first digital imaging device and the second digital imaging device module includes a second command set for controlling the second digital imaging device, the method further comprising the step of:

copying a command set of a currently selected digital imaging device module of the first digital imaging device module and the second digital imaging device module to the interface layer.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first digital imaging device module further includes a first object oriented module.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the second digital imaging device module further includes a second object oriented module.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first command set further includes a first plurality of application program interfaces (APIs) for controlling the first digital imaging device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the second command set further includes a second plurality of application program interfaces (APIs) for controlling the second digital imaging device.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the interface layer further provides communication between a first panel for providing a first user interface corresponding to at least one of the first digital imaging device module and the second digital imaging device module and the first digital imaging device module.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first digital imaging device further comprises a first digital camera.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the second digital imaging device further comprises a second digital camera.

35. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

providing a plurality of panels, each panel of the plurality of panels corresponding to at least one digital imaging device module of the first digital imaging digital imaging device module and the second digital imaging device panel, each of the plurality of panels for providing a user interface for the corresponding at least one digital imaging device module;

wherein the host is capable of supporting a plurality of user interfaces corresponding to the plurality of panels.

17. A system for allowing a host to support a plurality of digital imaging devices, the host including a application program, the system comprising:

a plurality of digital imaging device modules corresponding to the plurality of digital imaging devices, each digital imaging device module for controlling, providing a user interface for, and providing connectivity to the corresponding digital imaging device, the connectivity to the corresponding digital imaging device including providing control of a physical connection to the corresponding digital imaging device and controlling communication with the corresponding digital imaging device; and

an interface layer for communicating between the application and each of the plurality of digital imaging device modules, the interface layer supporting a plurality of protocols for communicating with each of the plurality of digital imaging device modules;

wherein the interface layer and the plurality of digital imaging device modules allow communication between the application and the plurality of digital imaging devices without requiring specialized software in the application.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the plurality of digital imaging device modules further includes:

a plurality of digital imaging device objects corresponding to the plurality of digital imaging devices, the plurality of digital imaging device objects for controlling and providing connectivity to the plurality of corresponding digital imaging devices; and

at least one panel, each panel of the at least one panel corresponding to at least one of the plurality of digital imaging device objects, each of the at least one panel for providing a user interface for the corresponding at least one digital imaging device object.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the plurality of digital imaging device objects further includes:

a plurality of command sets for controlling the plurality of corresponding digital imaging devices.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the plurality of digital imaging device objects further includes a currently selected digital imaging device object, the currently selected digital imaging device object corresponding to a currently selected digital imaging device.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the plurality of digital imaging device modules include a plurality of digital imaging devices, each of the plurality of digital imaging device modules includes a command set of the plurality of command sets for controlling the corresponding digital imaging device and wherein the interface layer further includes a copy of the command set corresponding to a currently selected digital imaging device module.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein each of the plurality of digital imaging device modules further comprises at least one object oriented module.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein each of the plurality of command sets further includes a plurality of application program interfaces (APIS) for controlling the corresponding digital imaging device.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the interface layer further provides communication between each of a plurality of panels corresponding to the plurality of digital imaging device modules, each of the plurality of panels for providing a user interface for at least one corresponding digital imaging device module, and the at least one corresponding digital imaging device module.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the plurality of digital imaging devices further includes at least one digital camera.

36. The system of claim 17 further comprising:

a plurality of panels, each panel of the plurality of panels corresponding to at least one of the plurality of digital imaging device modules, each of the plurality of panels for providing a user interface for the corresponding at least one digital imaging device module;

wherein the system is capable of supporting a plurality of user interfaces corresponding to the plurality of panels.

26. A computer-readable medium including a program for allowing a host to support a plurality of digital imaging devices, the host including an application program, the program containing instructions for:

allowing a user to provide a plurality of capture device modules corresponding to the plurality of capture devices, the plurality of capture device modules for controlling, providing a user interface for, and providing connectivity to the corresponding capture device, the connectivity to the corresponding digital imaging device including providing control of a physical connection to the corresponding digital imaging device and controlling communication with the corresponding digital imaging device; and

providing an interface control layer, the interface control layer supporting a plurality of protocols for communicating between the application and each of the plurality of control device modules, the interface layer communicating with each of the plurality of control device modules using a protocol of the plurality of protocols;

wherein the interface layer and the plurality of digital imaging device modules allow communication between the application and the plurality of digital imaging devices without requiring specialized software in the application.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein the instruction for allowing a user to provide a plurality of capture device modules further includes instructions for:

allowing a user to provide a plurality of capture device objects corresponding to the plurality of capture devices, the plurality of capture device objects for controlling and providing connectivity to the plurality of corresponding capture devices;

providing at least one panel, each panel of the at least one panel corresponding to at least one of the plurality of capture device objects, each of the at least one panel for providing a user interface for the corresponding at least one capture device object; and

wherein the interface control layer is for communicating between the application and each of the plurality of capture device objects.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27 wherein the instruction for allowing a user to provide the plurality of capture device objects further includes an instruction for:

allowing a user to provide a plurality of corresponding command sets for controlling the plurality of corresponding capture devices.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 28 wherein the plurality of capture device objects further includes a currently selected capture device object, the currently selected capture device object corresponding to a currently selected capture device.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein the plurality of digital imaging device modules include a plurality of command sets, each of the plurality of digital imaging device modules includes a command set of the plurality of command sets for controlling a corresponding digital imaging device and wherein the program further includes instructions for:

copying the command set of the plurality of command sets corresponding to a currently selected capture device object to the control interface layer.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein each of the plurality of capture device modules further includes at least one object oriented module.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 wherein each of the plurality of command sets further comprises a plurality of application program interfaces (APIs) for controlling the corresponding capture device.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein the control interface layer further provides communication between each of the plurality of panels and the at least one corresponding capture device object.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 33 wherein the plurality of capture devices further comprises at least one digital camera.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein the program further includes instructions for:

providing a plurality of panels, each panel of the plurality of panels corresponding to at least one digital imaging device module of the first digital imaging digital imaging device module and the second digital imaging device panel, each of the plurality of panels for providing a user interface for the corresponding at least one digital imaging device module;

wherein the host is capable of supporting a plurality of user interfaces corresponding to the plurality of panels.