NOTIFICATIONS FOR CONTROL SHARING OF CAMERA RESOURCES

• US 20180146127A1
• Filed: 11/18/2016
• Published: 05/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation), JUST, Inc. (Speedemissions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: LEUNG, Jenny Y., BARON, Trevor, LEI, Maria C., JAIN, Vishal, WILSON, Mei L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,212,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/52 Program synchronisation; Mutual exclusion, e.g. by means of semaphores
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0013 Arrangements for the control of the connected apparatus by the still picture apparatus arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus H04N2201/0074; control of image communication with the connected apparatus H04N2201/0015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0031 where the still picture apparatus acts as the master
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0032 where the still picture apparatus acts as the slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0072 Detecting the status of a connected apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus arrangements for the control of the connected apparatus by the still picture apparatus H04N2201/0013; control of image communication with the connected apparatus H04N2201/0015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• 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 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

Methods and devices for providing notifications for camera resource availability may include receiving requests from a plurality of applications for control of a camera resource. The methods and devices may include providing control of the camera resource to a selected application from the plurality of applications when another application does not have control of the camera resource. The methods and devices may include sending a control notification to one or more applications, including at least one of the plurality of applications indicating that the selected application has control of the camera resource. The methods and devices may include sending an availability notification to the one or more applications, including the at least one of the plurality of applications indicating that the selected application has released the 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;

receive requests from a plurality of applications for control of a camera resource;

provide control of the camera resource to a selected application from the plurality of applications when another application does not have control of the camera resource;

send a control notification to one or more applications, including at least one of the plurality of applications indicating that the selected application has control of the camera resource;

receive a request from another application from the plurality of applications to share the camera resource;

provide the another application with a shared access to the camera resource while the selected application has control of the camera resource; and

send an availability notification to the one or more applications, including the at least one of the plurality of applications indicating that the selected application has released the control of the camera resource.

2. The computer device of claim 1, wherein the operating system is further operable to receive at least one request from one or more requesting applications for control of the camera resource based on the availability notification.

3. The computer device of claim 1, wherein the operating system is further operable to provide control of the camera resource to the selected application based on a priority of the selected application.

4. The computer device of claim 1, wherein the operating system is further operable to provide control of the camera resource to the selected application based on a round robin mechanism.

5. The computer device of claim 2, wherein the operating system is further operable to reserve a portion of the camera resources for the one or more requesting applications for a period of time.

6. The computer device of claim 1, wherein when the selected application is in control of the camera resource, the selected application determines characteristics of the camera resource.

8. The computer device of claim 1, wherein the shared access to the camera resource is based on the existing characteristics of the camera resource set by the selected application.

9. 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; and

wherein the operating system is further operable to provide control of one or more of plurality of camera resources to the selected application when no other application has control of the one or more camera resources.

7. (canceled)

10. A method for providing notifications for camera resource availability, comprising:

receiving, at an operating system executing on a computer device, requests from a plurality of applications for control of a camera resource;

providing, by the operating system, control of the camera resource to a selected application from the plurality of applications when another application does not have control of the camera resource;

sending, by the operating system, a control notification to one or more applications, including at least one of the plurality of applications indicating that the selected application has control of the camera resource;

receiving a request from another application from the plurality of applications to share the camera resource;

providing the another application with a shared access to the camera resource while the selected application has control of the camera resource; and

sending, by the operating system, an availability notification to the one or more applications, including the at least one of the plurality of applications indicating that the selected application has released the control of the camera resource.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving at least one request from one or more requesting applications for control of the camera resource based on the availability notification.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing control of the camera resource to the selected application based on a priority of the requesting applications.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing control of the camera resource to the selected application based on a round robin mechanism.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising reserving a portion of the camera resources for the one or more requesting applications for a period of time.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein when the selected application is in control of the camera resource, the selected application determines characteristics of the camera resource.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the shared access to the camera resource is based on the existing characteristics of the camera resource set by the selected application.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of camera resources, wherein each of the plurality of camera resources includes a plurality of sensors, and

providing control of one or more of plurality of camera resources to the selected application when no other application has control of the one or more camera resources.

16. (canceled)

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

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to receive requests from a plurality of applications for control of a camera resource;

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to provide control of the camera resource to a selected application from the plurality of applications when another application does not have control of the camera resource;

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to send a control notification to one or more applications, including at least one of the plurality of applications indicating that the selected application has control of the camera resource;

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to receive a request from another application from the plurality of applications to share the camera resource;

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to provide the another application with a shared access to the camera resource while the selected application has control of the camera resource; and

at least one instruction for causing the computer device to send an availability notification to the one or more applications, including the at least one of the plurality of applications indicating that the selected application has released the control of the camera resource.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the shared access to the camera resource is based on the existing characteristics of the camera resource set by the selected application.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein when the selected application is in control of the camera resource, the selected application determines characteristics of the camera resource.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the shared access to the camera resource is based on the existing characteristics of the camera resource set by the selected application.