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-   -   Sharing character devices between an Android phone and a Linux PC? (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-software-2/sharing-character-devices-between-an-android-phone-and-a-linux-pc-936015/)

silverair 03-23-2012 05:09 AM

Sharing character devices between an Android phone and a Linux PC?
 
I am an amateur and need some help.
I am working on a project, where character devices on an android phone must show up on the /dev directory of a linux PC. It can be shared via bluetooth /wi-fi or maybe USB.

For example character devices like camera and accelerometer of the phone must me shared seamlessly from a Linux PC so that the PC thinks that these devices are its own.

Here is the framework on how to implement it.

http://s19.postimage.org/dv0ba4rg3/y_Cuxz_L.jpg

Server- Phone, Client- PC

This was taken from an IEEE paper called "Remote Virtual Peripheral Framework: Enabling Dynamically Composed Devices". The paper implemented this on a nokia maemo device. I figure, it can be done on an android device too, once its rooted.(I have a Desire HD and going root it)

I don't know where to start. I have looked all over the net, but nothing of this sort is present.
I have learnt about creating device drivers in linux, compiling them and adding them as modules and making them show up in /dev.
Since “everything is a file” on linux, Can it be shared , using bluetooth library or something.
Please direct me where to go next. Thank you.

business_kid 03-24-2012 04:07 AM

Here's how to start

1. Root the Android - xda-developers.com's forums or cyanogenmod.com's wiki are probably searchable on this. If the searches are blank, it may not be rootable.

2. It sounds like you are putting a rare amount of messing and software upon yourself to make something happen for which I see no huge advantage. My old Android has an Arm6 cpu running up to 528Mhz, "multitasking ability", internet access and a "hard disk" with space, a "sound card" and "graphics". Does one University student smell the project of another?

Running the pc from the Android, that might be more interesting.

silverair 03-24-2012 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by business_kid (Post 4634992)
Does one University student smell the project of another?

yeah
Quote:

Originally Posted by business_kid (Post 4634992)
2. It sounds like you are putting a rare amount of messing and software upon yourself to make something happen for which I see no huge advantage.

I disagree. The possibilities of the proposed frame work is amazing. Imagine a smart environment, where all your devices - Pc, phone, Tv etc can access the sensors and peripheral s of each other as if its its own.
i quote from the paper: Which was actually submitted by Nokia research Labs

Quote:

For example, it should be possible to use the accelerometer in a mobile phone as an input device to control a video game running on a PC, or a high-definition camera attached to a television to act as the input video source for a video chat session running on a mobile phone.
Quote:

Imagine you are playing your favorite 3D game on your mobile phone using the phone’s accelerometer to control your movements and you would like to continue to use the same natural gestures when you want to play the game on your desktop PC. Or imagine that you are using your phone’s navigation software while walking but once you get in your
car, you would like the same software to seamlessly start using the car’s more accurate embedded GPS system without skipping a beat.
I just want to use this framework to make available all the sensors/peripherals like, camera, accelorometer, gyroscope,GPS etc , on the android phone to be available remotely from the linux PC. All these devices on the phone must show up in the /dev of the pc. That would be intresting. eg you can use camera on the android phone as a webcam on the pc.
I know there are applications that can do that. But this would be different- it would apply to all the devices.And there is no need to install a seperate app to do this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by business_kid (Post 4634992)
My old Android has an Arm6 cpu running up to 528Mhz, "multitasking ability", internet access and a "hard disk" with space, a "sound card" and "graphics".

I am not sure how thats relevant

business_kid 03-24-2012 03:30 PM

Ok, I retract.

You are going to have this problem: linux wants to be secure, users, groups, and doing stuff as root is generally a bad idea. So now root is available in the ether. . .

Enjoy the challenge! Next year's project for me is in fibre optics.


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