Abstract
This disclosure describes user-friendly techniques to connect a smartphone that is utilized as a web camera (webcam) by pairing the smartphone with a host device. Button-press patterns of a power button or another physical button on the side of a smartphone is used to convey user intent to enable/disable a webcam mode for the smartphone that is connected to a host device. This enables users to turn the webcam mode on/off even when the screen is turned off or facing away from the user, as is the case when a rear camera of the smartphone is used in the webcam mode. Alternatively, a companion wearable device can provide a user interface (UI) that can be utilized to perform control functions for a smartphone used as a webcam. The control functions can include turning the webcam mode on or off, providing real-time status of whether the smartphone is streaming video to the host device, and controlling parameters of the video captured by the smartphone, e.g., zoom, flash, active camera, quality, framerate, autoframing, focus, etc.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Chowdhary, Jayant; Rakesh, Avichal; and Patel, Dipen, "Controlling Smartphone Webcam Mode Using Alternatives to Smartphone Touchscreen", Technical Disclosure Commons, (January 30, 2024)
https://www.tdcommons.org/dpubs_series/6647