Camera capture for connected devices
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.
1. A system comprising:
a local communications network;
a display screen;
a media input device connected to the local communications network via a first network endpoint and configured to capture media input data; and
a media application device, separate from the media input device and not locally connected to the media input device, connected to the local communications network via a second network endpoint and including:
a teleconference application, and
a connected device driver, and a teleconference application, for the media input device, the connected device driver configured to:
maintain a list of connected media input devices;
maintain configuration information indicating which of the connected media input devices should be used to capture which type of media input data in which circumstances;
communicate with one of the media input devices that should be used to capture a type of media input data in a particular circumstance;
determine one of the media input devices to be used to capture the type of media input data in the particular circumstance;
receive captured media information from one of the media input devices determined to be used to capture the type of media input data in the particular circumstance; and
format the received media information such that when the captured media information is presented to the teleconference application, the media information appears to be coming directly from the one of the media input devices,
wherein the media application device is configured to communicate with the display screen via a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI),
wherein the media application device is configured to communicate with the media input device via the local communications network,
wherein the connected device driver for the media input device is configured to mediate communications between the teleconference application and the media input device by receiving the media input data from the media input device via the local communications network and providing the media input data to the teleconference application,
wherein the media application device views the media input device connected via the connected driver device driver for the media input device as a local media input device,
wherein the media input device and the media application device are not locally connected to each other,
wherein the media input device is only connected to the media application device, sequentially, via the first network endpoint, the local communications network, and second network endpoint,
wherein the connected device driver processes data such that the media input device appears to the media application device exactly as data from a camera that is directly connected to the media application device via a cable,
wherein the teleconference application is configured to employ the media input data to facilitate a teleconference between the media application device and a remote computing device,
wherein the teleconference application is configured to employ the display screen to present teleconference output data received from the remote computing device,
wherein the media output data includes one or more of audio data or video data, wherein the media input data comprises video input data, and
wherein the media application device includes a security application configured to monitor the video input data for security.
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 media application, and wherein the connected device driver is configured to mediate communications between the media application and the media input device, and wherein the media application is configured to employ the media input data.
5. The system recited in claim 4 , wherein the media application is a messaging application configured to transmit and receive messages in communication with the remote computing device.
6. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the communications network comprises a local area network.
7. A method comprising:
at a media application device, receiving a request for media input data from a teleconference application;
designating a media input device, separate from the media application device and not locally connected to the media application device, configured to capture the media input data, the media input device being accessible via a local communications network via a first network endpoint;
providing the media input data to the teleconference application via a connected device driver for the media input device at the media application, the connected device driver configured to:
maintain a list of connected media input devices;
maintain configuration information indicating which of the connected media input devices should be used to capture which type of media input data in which circumstances;
communicate with one of the media input devices that should be used to capture a type of media input data in a particular circumstance;
determine one of the media input devices to be used to capture the type of media input data in the particular circumstance;
receive captured media information from one of the media input devices determined to be used to capture the type of media input data in the particular circumstance;
format the received media information such that when the captured media information is presented to the teleconference application, the media information appears to be coming directly from the one of the media input devices; and
wherein the connected device driver is configured to mediate communications between the teleconference application and the media input device by receiving the media input data from the media input device via the local communications network at a second network endpoint and providing the media input data to the first media application,
wherein the media application device views the media input device connected via the connected driver device driver for the media input device as a local media input device,
wherein the media input device and the media application device are not locally connected to each other;
wherein the media input device is only connected to the media application device, sequentially, via the first network endpoint, the local communications network, and second network endpoint,
wherein the connected device driver processes data such that the media input device appears to the media application device exactly as data from a camera that is directly connected to the media application device via a cable, and
wherein the teleconference application is configured to facilitate a teleconference between the media application device and a remote computing device; and
presenting teleconference output data via a display screen in communication with the media application device via an HDMI interface, the teleconference output data including one or more of audio data or video data, wherein the media input data comprises video input data, and wherein the media application device includes a security application configured to monitor the video input data for security.
8. The method recited in claim 7 , wherein the media input device includes a camera, and wherein the media input data includes video input data.
9. The method recited in claim 7 , wherein the media input device includes a microphone, and wherein the media input data includes audio input data.
10. The method recited in claim 7 , wherein the media application device includes a media application, and wherein the connected device driver is configured to mediate communications between the media application and the media input device, and wherein the media application is configured to employ the media input data.
11. The method recited in claim 10 , wherein the media application is a messaging application configured to transmit and receive messages in communication with the remote computing device.
12. The method recited in claim 7 , wherein the communications network comprises a local area network.
13. One or more non-transitory 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 teleconference application;
designating a media input device, separate from the media application device and not locally connected to the media application device, configured to capture the media input data, the media input device being accessible via a local communications network via a first network endpoint;
providing the media input data to the teleconference application via a connected device driver for the media input device at the media application, the connected device driver configured to:
maintain a list of connected media input devices;
maintain configuration information indicating which of the connected media input devices should be used to capture which type of media input data in which circumstances;
communicate with one of the media input devices that should be used to capture a type of media input data in a particular circumstance;
determine one of the media input devices to be used to capture the type of media input data in the particular circumstance;
receive captured media information from one of the media input devices determined to be used to capture the type of media input data in the particular circumstance;
format the received media information such that when the captured media information is presented to the teleconference application, the media information appears to be coming directly from the one of the media input devices; and
wherein the connected device driver is configured to mediate communications between the teleconference application and the media input device by receiving the media input data from the media input device via the local communications network at a second network endpoint and providing the media input data to the first media application,
wherein the media application device views the media input device connected via the connected driver device driver for the media input device as a local media input device,
wherein the media input device and the media application device are not locally connected to each other,
wherein the media input device is only connected to the media application device, sequentially, via the first network endpoint, the local communications network, and second network endpoint,
wherein the connected device driver processes data such that the media input device appears to the media application device exactly as data from a camera that is directly connected to the media application device via a cable, and
wherein the teleconference application is configured to facilitate a teleconference between the media application device and a remote computing device; and
presenting teleconference output data via a display screen in communication with the media application device via an HDMI interface, the teleconference output data including one or more of audio data or video data, wherein the media input data comprises video input data, and wherein the media application device includes a security application configured to monitor the video input data for security.
14. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media recited in claim 13 , wherein the media input device includes a camera, and wherein the media input data includes video input data.
15. A method comprising:
joining a media application device to a teleconference using a teleconferencing application, wherein the media application device is connected to a local network, and wherein the media application device comprises a connected device driver for a media input device, the connected device driver configured to:
maintain a list of connected media input devices;
maintain configuration information indicating which of the connected media input devices should be used to capture which type of media input data in which circumstances;
communicate with one of the media input devices that should be used to capture a type of media input data in a particular circumstance;
determine one of the media input devices to be used to capture the type of media input data in the particular circumstance;
receive captured media information from one of the media input devices determined to be used to capture the type of media input data in the particular circumstance; and
format the received media information such that when the captured media information is presented to the teleconference application, the media information appears to be coming directly from the one of the media input devices;
accessing, using the media application device via the local network, video data captured by the media input device, wherein the media application device is separate from the media input device and not locally connected to the media input device, and wherein the media input device is connected to the local network;
providing, using the media application device, the video data captured by the media input device to the teleconferencing application via the connected device driver for the media input device, wherein the media application device views the media input device connected via the connected device driver for the media input device as a local media input device, wherein the media input device and the media application device are not locally connected to each other, wherein the media input device is only connected to the media application device via the local communications network, and wherein the connected device driver processes data such that the media input device appears to the media application device exactly as data from a camera that is directly connected to the media application device via a cable; and
transmitting, using the media application device for display on a display device locally connected to the media application device the video data captured by the media input device.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the media input device comprises a camera, and wherein the camera captures the video data.
17. The method of in claim 15 , wherein the media input device further comprises a microphone, and wherein the media input device captures audio data.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the connected device driver is configured to facilitate communications between the teleconferencing application and the media input device, and wherein the teleconferencing application is configured to employ the video data.
19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
joining the media application device to the teleconference using a messaging application configured to transmit and receive messages in communication with the remote computing device.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the media application device further comprises a security application configured to monitor the video data for security intrusions.
21. The method of claim 15 , wherein the connected device driver is configured to:
receive requests for video data from the teleconferencing application on the media application device;
transmit the received request to the media input device via the local network;
capture video data by the media input device;
receive a response to the request of the video data captured from the media input device.
22. A system comprising:
a processing circuitry of a media application device connected to a local network and configured to:
join a teleconference using a teleconferencing application, wherein the media application device comprises a connected device driver for a media input device, the connected device driver configured to:
maintain a list of connected media input devices;
maintain configuration information indicating which of the connected media input devices should be used to capture which type of media input data in which circumstances;
communicate with one of the media input devices that should be used to capture a type of media input data in a particular circumstance;
determine one of the media input devices to be used to capture the type of media input data in the particular circumstance;
receive captured media information from one of the media input devices determined to be used to capture the type of media input data in the particular circumstance; and
format the received media information such that when the captured media information is presented to the teleconference application, the media information appears to be coming directly from the one of the media input devices;
access video data captured by the media input device, wherein the media application device is separate from the media input device and not locally connected to the media input device, and wherein the media input device is connected to the local network;
provide the video data captured by the media input device to the teleconferencing application via the connected device driver for the media input device, wherein the media application device views the media input device connected via the connected device driver for the media input device as a local media input device, wherein the media input device and the media application device are not locally connected to each other, wherein the media input device is only connected to the media application device via the local communications network, and wherein the connected device driver processes data such that the media input device appears to the media application device exactly as data from a camera that is directly connected to the media application device via a cable; and
the processing circuitry of the media application device configured to:
transmit the video data captured by the media input device for display on a display device locally connected to the media application device.
23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the media input device comprises a camera, and wherein the camera captures the video data.
24. The system of claim 22 , wherein the media input device further comprises a microphone, and wherein the media input device captures audio data.
25. The system of claim 22 , wherein the connected device driver is configured to facilitate communications between the teleconferencing application and the media input device, and wherein the teleconferencing application is configured to employ the video data.
26. The system of claim 22 , wherein the media application device is further configured to:
join the teleconference using a messaging application configured to transmit and receive messages in communication with the remote computing device.
27. The system of claim 22 , wherein the media application device is further configured to:
monitor the video data using a security application for security intrusions.
28. The system of claim 22 , wherein the connected device driver is configured to:
receive requests for video data from the teleconferencing application on the media application device;
transmit the received request to the media input device via the local network;
capture video data by the media input device;
receive a response to the request of the video data captured from the media input device.
29. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having non-transitory computer-readable instructions encoded thereon, when executed by control circuitry, cause the control circuitry to:
join a media application device to a teleconference using a teleconferencing application, wherein the media application device is connected to a local network, and wherein the media application device comprises a connected device driver for a media input device, the connected device driver configured to:
maintain a list of connected media input devices;
maintain configuration information indicating which of the connected media input devices should be used to capture which type of media input data in which circumstances;
communicate with one of the media input devices that should be used to capture a type of media input data in a particular circumstance;
determine one of the media input devices to be used to capture the type of media input data in the particular circumstance;
receive captured media information from one of the media input devices determined to be used to capture the type of media input data in the particular circumstance; and
format the received media information such that when the captured media information is presented to the teleconference application, the media information appears to be coming directly from the one of the media input devices;
access, using the media application device via the local network, video data captured by the media input device, wherein the media application device is separate from the media input device and not locally connected to the media input device, and wherein the media input device is connected to the local network;
provide, using the media application device, the video data captured by the media input device to the teleconferencing application via the connected device driver for the media input device, wherein the media application device views the media input device connected via the connected device driver for the media input device as a local media input device, wherein the media input device and the media application device are not locally connected to each other, wherein the media input device is only connected to the media application device via the local communications network, and wherein the connected device driver processes data such that the media input device appears to the media application device exactly as data from a camera that is directly connected to the media application device via a cable; and
transmit, using the media application device for display on a display device locally connected to the media application device the video data captured by the media input device.
30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the media input device comprises a camera, and wherein execution of the instructions further causes the control circuitry to capture video data with the camera.
31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the media input device further comprises a microphone, and wherein execution of the instructions further causes the control circuitry to capture audio data with the microphone.
32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the connected device driver is configured to facilitate communications between the teleconferencing application and the media input device, and wherein the teleconferencing application is configured to employ the video data.
33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the control circuitry to:
join the media application device to the teleconference using a messaging application configured to transmit and receive messages in communication with the remote computing device.
34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the media application device further comprises a security application configured to monitor the video data for security intrusions.