External Camera Command Conversion for App Compatibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing smartphone applications are often incompatible with external camera devices, leading to a failure in providing the desired functions when using external cameras like webcams, requiring separate applications or code conversions.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with a communication circuit, memory, and processor that establishes a connection with an external camera, converts capture commands, and acquires images, allowing seamless integration and control of external cameras through existing applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a separate application or code conversion process is used to control external camera devices, then compatibility with external cameras is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a conversion module as an intermediary component that receives capture commands from the existing application and converts them into appropriate commands for the external camera device. This mediator handles the protocol translation and interface adaptation, allowing the application to interact with external cameras through a standardized interface without requiring separate applications or complex code conversions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a separate application is installed to control external camera devices, then compatibility with external cameras is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing application universally compatible with both internal and external camera devices through the conversion module. The application maintains its original functionality while gaining the ability to control external cameras via USB connections. The conversion module handles all the complexity of external device communication, allowing users to operate external cameras through the familiar application interface without needing to learn new controls or install separate applications.
3Ease of operation
If existing application control interface is used with external camera devices, then ease of operation is maintained, but compatibility with external cameras deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The conversion module serves as an intermediary that sits between the existing application's control interface and the external camera device. It transparently translates the application's standard capture commands into the specific protocol required by the external camera, enabling compatibility while maintaining the simplicity of the original application interface. Users experience no change in ease of operation while gaining external camera functionality.
Data Source
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AI summary
An electronic device according to an embodiment may include a camera, a communication circuit which communicates with an external electronic device equipped with an external camera, a memory which stores an application providing a function using the camera, and at least one processor electrically coupled with the camera, the communication circuit, and the memory. The at least one processor may be configured to, while the application is running, establish a connection between the electronic device and the external electronic device through the communication circuit, upon detecting a first capture command to be provided to the camera, convert the first capture command into a second capture command to be provided to the external electronic device, and cause the application to acquire an image acquired by the external camera, based on the second capture command. Various other embodiments are possible.