diff --git a/camera/Camera.cpp b/camera/Camera.cpp
index 2fbddd5..0037399 100644
--- a/camera/Camera.cpp
+++ b/camera/Camera.cpp
@@ -107,6 +107,13 @@
     return cs->getNumberOfCameras();
 }
 
+status_t Camera::getCameraInfo(int cameraId,
+                               struct CameraInfo* cameraInfo) {
+    const sp<ICameraService>& cs = getCameraService();
+    if (cs == 0) return UNKNOWN_ERROR;
+    return cs->getCameraInfo(cameraId, cameraInfo);
+}
+
 sp<Camera> Camera::connect(int cameraId)
 {
     LOGV("connect");
diff --git a/camera/ICameraService.cpp b/camera/ICameraService.cpp
index db1dca6..85f1a29 100644
--- a/camera/ICameraService.cpp
+++ b/camera/ICameraService.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,18 @@
         return reply.readInt32();
     }
 
+    // get information about a camera
+    virtual status_t getCameraInfo(int cameraId,
+                                   struct CameraInfo* cameraInfo) {
+        Parcel data, reply;
+        data.writeInterfaceToken(ICameraService::getInterfaceDescriptor());
+        data.writeInt32(cameraId);
+        remote()->transact(BnCameraService::GET_CAMERA_INFO, data, &reply);
+        cameraInfo->facing = reply.readInt32();
+        cameraInfo->orientation = reply.readInt32();
+        return reply.readInt32();
+    }
+
     // connect to camera service
     virtual sp<ICamera> connect(const sp<ICameraClient>& cameraClient, int cameraId)
     {
@@ -68,6 +80,16 @@
             reply->writeInt32(getNumberOfCameras());
             return NO_ERROR;
         } break;
+        case GET_CAMERA_INFO: {
+            CHECK_INTERFACE(ICameraService, data, reply);
+            CameraInfo cameraInfo;
+            memset(&cameraInfo, 0, sizeof(cameraInfo));
+            status_t result = getCameraInfo(data.readInt32(), &cameraInfo);
+            reply->writeInt32(cameraInfo.facing);
+            reply->writeInt32(cameraInfo.orientation);
+            reply->writeInt32(result);
+            return NO_ERROR;
+        } break;
         case CONNECT: {
             CHECK_INTERFACE(ICameraService, data, reply);
             sp<ICameraClient> cameraClient = interface_cast<ICameraClient>(data.readStrongBinder());
diff --git a/include/camera/Camera.h b/include/camera/Camera.h
index 1beac27..9974f2f 100644
--- a/include/camera/Camera.h
+++ b/include/camera/Camera.h
@@ -93,6 +93,32 @@
     CAMERA_ERROR_SERVER_DIED = 100
 };
 
+enum {
+    CAMERA_FACING_BACK = 0,
+    CAMERA_FACING_FRONT = 1 /* The camera faces to the user */
+};
+
+struct CameraInfo {
+
+    /**
+     * The direction that the camera faces to. It should be
+     * CAMERA_FACING_BACK or CAMERA_FACING_FRONT.
+     */
+    int facing;
+
+    /**
+     * The orientation of the camera image. The value is the angle that the
+     * camera image needs to be rotated clockwise so it shows correctly on
+     * the display in its natural orientation. It should be 0, 90, 180, or 270.
+     *
+     * For example, suppose a device has a naturally tall screen, but the camera
+     * sensor is mounted in landscape. If the top side of the camera sensor is
+     * aligned with the right edge of the display in natural orientation, the
+     * value should be 90.
+     */
+    int orientation;
+};
+
 class ICameraService;
 class ICamera;
 class Surface;
@@ -114,6 +140,8 @@
             // construct a camera client from an existing remote
     static  sp<Camera>  create(const sp<ICamera>& camera);
     static  int32_t     getNumberOfCameras();
+    static  status_t    getCameraInfo(int cameraId,
+                                      struct CameraInfo* cameraInfo);
     static  sp<Camera>  connect(int cameraId);
                         ~Camera();
             void        init();
diff --git a/include/camera/CameraHardwareInterface.h b/include/camera/CameraHardwareInterface.h
index d877c74..1529db7 100644
--- a/include/camera/CameraHardwareInterface.h
+++ b/include/camera/CameraHardwareInterface.h
@@ -213,8 +213,15 @@
     virtual status_t dump(int fd, const Vector<String16>& args) const = 0;
 };
 
-/** factory function to instantiate a camera hardware object */
-extern "C" sp<CameraHardwareInterface> openCameraHardware();
+/**
+ * The functions need to be provided by the camera HAL.
+ *
+ * If getNumberOfCameras() returns N, the valid cameraId for getCameraInfo()
+ * and openCameraHardware() is 0 to N-1.
+ */
+extern "C" int HAL_getNumberOfCameras();
+extern "C" void HAL_getCameraInfo(int cameraId, struct CameraInfo* cameraInfo);
+extern "C" sp<CameraHardwareInterface> HAL_openCameraHardware(int cameraId);
 
 };  // namespace android
 
diff --git a/include/camera/ICameraService.h b/include/camera/ICameraService.h
index dcd434f..7d70c1e 100644
--- a/include/camera/ICameraService.h
+++ b/include/camera/ICameraService.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 public:
     enum {
         GET_NUMBER_OF_CAMERAS = IBinder::FIRST_CALL_TRANSACTION,
+        GET_CAMERA_INFO,
         CONNECT
     };
 
@@ -38,6 +39,8 @@
     DECLARE_META_INTERFACE(CameraService);
 
     virtual int32_t         getNumberOfCameras() = 0;
+    virtual status_t        getCameraInfo(int cameraId,
+                                          struct CameraInfo* cameraInfo) = 0;
     virtual sp<ICamera>     connect(const sp<ICameraClient>& cameraClient,
                                     int cameraId) = 0;
 };