Camera capture for connected devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016112482-A1
Application number	US-201414515476-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 15, 2014
Priority date	Oct 15, 2014
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Techniques and mechanisms described herein facilitate the capture and coordination of audio and/or video data across connected devices in a communications system. The communications system may include at least two media devices in communication via a network. One of the media devices may be a media application device configured to provide one or more media applications. Another of the media devices may be a media input device configured to capture video and/or audio data. Coordination between a media application and a media input device may be facilitated by a driver layer configured to communicate with the applications.

First claim

1 . A system comprising:
a communications network; a media input device configured to capture media input data; and a media application device including a device driver and a first media application, wherein the media application device is configured to communicate with the media input device via the network, wherein the connected device driver is configured to mediate communications between the first media application and the media input device, and wherein the first media application is configured to employ the media input data.

2 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the media input device includes a camera, and wherein the media input data includes video input data.

3 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the media input device includes a microphone, and wherein the media input data includes audio input data.

4 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the media application device includes a second media application, and wherein the connected device driver is configured to mediate communications between the second media application and the media input device, and wherein the second media application is configured to employ the media input data.

5 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the connected device driver is configured to receive the media input data from the media input device and provide the media input data to the first media application.

6 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the first media application is a teleconference application configured to facilitate a teleconference between the media application device and a remote computing device.

7 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the first media application is a security application, and wherein the media input data comprises video input data, and wherein the security application is configured to monitor the video input data for security.

8 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the first media application is a messaging application configured to transmit and receive messages in communication with a remote computing device.

9 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the communications network comprises a local area network.

10 . A method comprising:
at a media application device, receiving a request for media input data from a first media application; designating a media input device configured to capture the media input data, the media input device being accessible via a communications network; and providing the media input data to the first media application via a device driver at the media application, wherein the connected device driver is configured to mediate communications between the first media application and the media input device.

11 . The method recited in claim 10 , wherein the media input device includes a camera, and wherein the media input data includes video input data.

12 . The method recited in claim 10 , wherein the media input device includes a microphone, and wherein the media input data includes audio input data.

13 . The method recited in claim 10 , wherein the media application device includes a second media application, and wherein the connected device driver is configured to mediate communications between the second media application and the media input device, and wherein the second media application is configured to employ the media input data.

14 . The method recited in claim 10 , the method further comprising:
at the connected device driver, receiving the media input data from the media input device via the network.

15 . The method recited in claim 10 , wherein the first media application is a teleconference application configured to facilitate a teleconference between the media application device and a remote computing device.

16 . The method recited in claim 10 , wherein the first media application is a security application, and wherein the media input data comprises video input data, and wherein the security application is configured to monitor the video input data for security.

17 . The method recited in claim 10 , wherein the first media application is a messaging application configured to transmit and receive messages in communication with a remote computing device.

18 . The method recited in claim 10 , wherein the communications network comprises a local area network.

19 . One or more computer readable media having instructions stored thereon for performing a method, the method comprising:
at a media application device, receiving a request for media input data from a first media application; designating a media input device configured to capture the media input data, the media input device being accessible via a network; and providing the media input data to the first media application via a device driver at the media application, wherein the connected device driver is configured to mediate communications between the first media application and the media input device.

20 . The one or more computer readable media recited in claim 19 , wherein the media input device includes a camera, and wherein the media input data includes video input data.

Assignees

• Mobitv Inc

Inventors

• Iyengar Rahul

Classifications

• H04N23/661 Primary

  Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet · CPC title

• H04L65/1089 Primary

  by adding media; by removing media · CPC title

• H04L65/403

  Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences (data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15) · CPC title

• H04L65/4084 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/23206

  Electricity · mapped topic