Patent ID: 8284267

Claim:
A computer system comprising: a camera configured to capture multimedia data; a memory coupled to said camera, said memory having stored therein computer-executable components comprising: a first application that sends a first request for a first access to said camera, wherein said first request comprises a first requirement of said first application; a second application that sends a second request for a second access to said camera, wherein said second request comprises a second requirement of said second application, and wherein said first and second accesses overlap in time; and a virtual camera component coupled between said first and second applications and said camera, said virtual camera component comprising: a virtual camera center service, operable for analyzing and processing said first request and said second request and transferring a command comprising a most limiting requirement of said first and said second requirements to said camera; a virtual camera setting tool coupled to said virtual camera center service, and operable for setting a parameter for said virtual camera center service; and a video capture source filter coupled to said virtual camera center service, and operable for processing said multimedia data into a first set of data that satisfies said first requirement and also processing said multimedia data into a second set of data that satisfies said second requirement, transferring said first set of data into said first application, and transferring said second set of data into said second application, wherein said camera captures said multimedia data according to said command which comprises said most limiting requirement, and wherein said virtual camera component receives said multimedia data that satisfies said most limiting requirement.