Capturing and sharing visual content via an application
View Patent ↗Systems and method for capturing content for sharing are disclosed. In some aspects, a content capturing application is instantiated on a first computing device. A visual output providing application is instantiated for execution within the content capturing application. The visual output providing application does not execute independently of the content capturing application. The visual output providing application is configured to display an image. The image displayed by the visual output providing application is provided for presentation via the first computing device. At least a portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application is captured via operation of the content capturing application. The captured at least the portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application is transmitted via a network to a second computing device.
1. A computer-implemented method for capturing content for sharing, the method comprising:
instantiating a content capturing application on a first computing device;
instantiating a visual output providing application for execution within the content capturing application, wherein the visual output providing application does not execute independently of the content capturing application, and wherein the visual output providing application is configured to display an image;
providing for presentation of the image displayed by the visual output providing application via the first computing device;
capturing, via operation of the content capturing application, at least a portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application; and
facilitating transmission, via a network, of the captured at least the portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application to a second computing device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein an operating system of the first computing device is configured not to allow a first application executing within the operating system to capture a first image generated outside the first application.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the content capturing application comprises an online meeting application, and wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are associated with participants in the online meeting.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visual output providing application comprises one or more of a web browser, an image viewing application, a slide presentation application, a word processing application, a file sharing application, or a sketch pad application.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visual output providing application provides both a visual and an audio output, the method further comprising:
facilitating transmission, via the network, of the audio output provided by the visual output providing application to the second computing device.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the visual output providing application comprises one or more of a video player application or an audio player application.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from a user of the first computing device, an annotation for the image displayed by the visual output providing application, wherein the captured at least the portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application is transmitted to the second computing device in conjunction with at least a portion of the annotation.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image displayed by the visual output providing application is overlaid, on the first computing device, with additional content, the method further comprising:
facilitating presentation of the captured at least the portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application via the second computing device, wherein the at least the portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application presented via the second computing device is not overlaid with the additional content.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the additional content comprises one or more of a control for the content capturing application or a video stream received from the second computing device.
10. The method of 8 , wherein facilitating presentation of the captured portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application via the second computing device includes transmitting the captured portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application to the second computing device without the additional content, whereby the portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application is displayed by the second computing device without the additional content.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first computing device comprises a tablet computer.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein capturing the portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application includes the content capturing application capturing, while the visual output providing application executes within the content capturing application, pixels that the visual output providing application provides to a display unit of the first computing device.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein an operating system of the first computing device is configured not to allow a first application executing within the operating system to screen capture visual content being displayed by any other application executing within the operating system.
14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for capturing content for sharing, the computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform a method, the method comprising:
instantiating a content capturing application on a first computing device;
instantiating a visual output providing application for execution within the content capturing application, wherein the visual output providing application does not execute independently of the content capturing application, and wherein the visual output providing application is configured to display an image;
providing for presentation of the image displayed by the visual output providing application via the first computing device;
capturing, via operation of the content capturing application, at least a portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application; and
facilitating transmission, via a network, of the captured at least the portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application to a second computing device.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein an operating system of the first computing device is configured not to allow a first application executing within the operating system to capture a first image generated outside the first application.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the content capturing application comprises an online meeting application, and wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are associated with participants in the online meeting.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the visual output providing application comprises one or more of a web browser, an image viewing application, a slide presentation application, a word processing application, a file sharing application, or a sketch pad application.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the visual output providing application provides both a visual and an audio output, the method further comprising:
facilitating transmission, via the network, of the audio output provided by the visual output providing application to the second computing device.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the visual output providing application comprises one or more of a video player application or an audio player application.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , further comprising:
receiving, from a user of the first computing device, an annotation for the image displayed by the visual output providing application, wherein the captured at least the portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application is transmitted to the second computing device in conjunction with at least a portion of the annotation.
21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the image displayed by the visual output providing application is overlaid, on the first computing device, with additional content, the method further comprising:
facilitating presentation of the captured at least the portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application via the second computing device, wherein the at least the portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application presented via the second computing device is not overlaid with the additional content.
22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the additional content comprises one or more of a control for the content capturing application or a video stream received from the second computing device.
23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the first computing device comprises a tablet computer.
24. A computing device comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory storing:
an operating system; and
one or more applications, including a screen capturing application, executing within the operating system, the screen capturing application comprising:
one or more embedded applications executing within the screen capturing application; and
a screen capturing module programmed to capture an image generated by the one or more embedded applications.
25. The computing device of claim 24 , the memory further storing operating system settings, wherein the operating system settings specify that a first application from among the one or more applications executing within the operating system cannot screen capture a first image generated outside the first application.
26. The computing device of claim 25 , wherein the first image generated outside the first application is generated via a home display of the operating system.
27. The computing device of claim 25 , wherein the first image generated outside the first application is generated via a second application from among the one or more applications executing within the operating system.
28. The computing device of claim 24 , wherein the computing device is a tablet computer or a mobile phone.
29. The computing device of claim 24 , wherein the screen capturing module is further programmed to capture an image generated by the screen capturing application.