I originally developed the soc-camera V4L2 API in 2007-2008 as a part of a customer project, in 2008 I became the maintainer of the API in the Linux kernel. This API supports video interfaces on various Systems on Chip (SoC) and multiple video sources like CMOS sensors, TV-decoders. This API is in the mainline Linux kernel since version 2.6.25 (released in July 2008), it currently supports PXA270, SH7722, and i.MX31 SoCs, various video source devices from Aptina (formerly Micron), OmniVision, Techwell, out-of-tree patches for i.MX27 and PXA310 SoCs exist. The typical use of this API is on embedded video-enabled devices running Linux.
After the completion of the original customer project, development and maintenance of the API continued on an unpaid voluntary basis. As the API evolves and support for more hardware platforms and software standards is added work on supporting the API grows and it is becoming increasingly difficult to continue the work in my free time.
One of the bigger pending tasks in this area is integrating the soc-camera API with the new v4l2-device framework. This integration would allow seamless reuse of drivers for video data source components between embedded systems and drivers for USB and PCI video cards. For example, a USB camera using an MT9M111 sensor from Aptina would be able to use the same driver as an embedded PXA270 system with this sensor directly connected to the SoC.
Other planned tasks include support for the AVR32 (AP700x) and AT9 SoCs from Atmel, other PXA SoCs from Marvell, support for more features in existing sensor drivers. Maintenance of the API, which includes review and integration of patches submitted by single authors, keeping in sync with constantly developing kernel and video APIs is also taking a considerable amount of time. For example, soc-camera contribution to the 2.6.28 Linux kernel consisted of about 40 patches.
This increasing amount of work motivated me to look for sponsors. Sponsorship can be performed on a task or time basis. A sponsor can volunteer to finance the whole soc-camera work based on my reports and bills, describing work performed and hours spent. Sponsorship offers for specific parts of the work or with limited budgets would also be gratefully considered. Specific Linux kernel and user-space system development orders in video or other areas are also possible. Offers can be directed to
web@liakhovetski.de.
