This document summarizes the interaction between a user application and the V4L2 driver in Linux. It describes that the V4L2 driver system has two layers, with the upper videodev module registering as a character device, and the lower V4L2 drivers module. It then provides details on how user applications can control properties like brightness and contrast, capture images by enqueueing and dequeuing buffers, and read/store the captured images.
This document summarizes the interaction between a user application and the V4L2 driver in Linux. It describes that the V4L2 driver system has two layers, with the upper videodev module registering as a character device, and the lower V4L2 drivers module. It then provides details on how user applications can control properties like brightness and contrast, capture images by enqueueing and dequeuing buffers, and read/store the captured images.
This document summarizes the interaction between a user application and the V4L2 driver in Linux. It describes that the V4L2 driver system has two layers, with the upper videodev module registering as a character device, and the lower V4L2 drivers module. It then provides details on how user applications can control properties like brightness and contrast, capture images by enqueueing and dequeuing buffers, and read/store the captured images.
V4L2 driver It is a dual layered driver system of which the upper layer is videodev module.The videodev module is registered as a character device with major number Fig. Capture Flow Diagram 81. Beneath videodev is the V4L2 drivers module source : VVDN Technologies User Controls ● BRIGHTNESS ● CONTRAST ● HUE ● WHITENESS ● SHARPNESS ● BACKLIGHT COMPENSATION Etc. ● Enumerate controls : int ioctl(int fd, int VIDIOC_QUERYCTRL, struct v4l2_queryctrl *argp) ● Changing controls : int ioctl(int fd, VIDIOC_G_CTRL, struct v4l2_control *argp) int ioctl(int fd, VIDIOC_S_CTRL, struct v4l2_control *argp) struct v4l2_control //videodev2.h { __u32 id; __s32 value; }; High Brightness image Low Brightness image Low Contrast image High Contrast image Normal Hue image Abnormal Hue image Capturing Image ● int ioctl(int fd, VIDIOC_QBUF, struct v4l2_buffer *argp) To enqueue an empty (capturing) buffer in the driver's incoming queue ● int ioctl(int fd, VIDIOC_STREAMON, const int *argp) ● int ioctl(int fd, VIDIOC_STREAMOFF, const int *argp) The VIDIOC_STREAMON and VIDIOC_STREAMOFF ioctl start and stop the capture ● int ioctl(int fd, VIDIOC_DQBUF, struct v4l2_buffer *argp) Applications call the VIDIOC_DQBUF ioctl to dequeue a filled (capturing)buffer from the driver’s outgoing queue. Fig.Data Exchange Between Driver and User Space Application (source: lwn.net) Reading and Storing Captured Image ● int select(int nfds, fd_set *readfds, fd_set *writefds,fd_set *exceptfds, struct timeval *timeout); Allows a program to monitor multiple file descriptors, waiting until one or more of the file descriptors become "ready" for some class of I/O operation without blocking Alternative to ‘select’ is ‘poll’ system call Note : ‘ select ‘ is usually called before VIDIOC_DQBUF ● ssize_t write(int fd, const void *buf, size_t count); buf(memory mapped User space storage)= Storage where captured data is present fd(new dest. file) = File where image data has to be stored Other important IOCTLs ● int ioctl(int fd, VIDIOC_G_INPUT, int *argp) : Query the current video input ● int ioctl(int fd, VIDIOC_S_INPUT, int *argp) : Select the current video input ● int ioctl(int fd, VIDIOC_ENUMINPUT, struct v4l2_input *argp) : Enumerate video inputs ● int ioctl(int fd, VIDIOC_G_AUDIO, struct v4l2_audio *argp) : Query the current audio input and its attributes ● int ioctl(int fd, VIDIOC_S_AUDIO, const struct v4l2_audio *argp) : Select the current audio input and its attributes ● int ioctl(int fd, VIDIOC_G_CTRL, struct v4l2_control *argp) : Used to adjust AUTOFOCUS control(struct v4l2_ext_control variable).id = V4L2_CID_FOCUS_AUTO ● List of important headers: ........./linux/videodev2.h ● List of important V4L2 utilities CLI commands: v4l2-ctl –list-devices : To check available webcams v4l2-ctl –all : Lists all V4L2 details v4l2-ctl –set-fmt-video=width=640,height=480,pixelformat=0 : Used to set height and width of frame v4l2-ctl -d /dev/video0 –list-formats-ext : Lists the available Picture formats fswebcam -d v4l2:/dev/video0 -i 0 –list-controls : To display controls current value and range v4l2-ctl –get-priority : Query the current access priority [VIDIOC_G_PRIORITY] v4l2-compliance -d /dev/video0 : Tool to test v4l2 API compliance of drivers v4l2-ctl –get-ctrl=white_balance_temperature : Example to get current value of user controls ● List of some raw image file formats(contains minimally processed data from the image sensor): .pef .ptx (Pentax) .pxn (Logitech) .R3D (RED Digital Cinema) .raf (Fuji) .raw .rw2 (Panasonic) .raw .rwl .dng (Leica) .rwz (Rawzor) .srw (Samsung) .x3f (Sigma) ● Sources: Linux TV (https://linuxtv.org) NXP Semiconductors LWN.NET(https://lwn.net/) Nvidia VVDN Technologies THANK YOU