Accessory apparatus, image-capturing apparatus, image-capturing system, control method and storage medium storing control program

An image-capturing apparatus to which an accessory apparatus is detachably attachable, the image-capturing apparatus comprising:

• a camera communicator configured to provide, with the accessory apparatus, three channels that are a notification channel used for providing a notice from the image-capturing apparatus to the accessory apparatus, a first data communication channel used for transmitting accessory data from the accessory apparatus to the image-capturing apparatus, and a second data communication channel used for transmitting camera data from the image-capturing apparatus to the accessory apparatus;
• and
• a camera controller configured (a) to provide a transmission request as the notice to the accessory apparatus through the notification channel to cause the accessory apparatus to transmit the accessory data through the first data communication channel and (b) to transmit the camera data to the accessory apparatus through the second data communication channel,
• wherein:
• the camera communicator includes a camera data buffer configured to store the camera data to be transmitted to the accessory apparatus;
• the camera controller has a function of detecting an accessory communication error in the accessory data received from the accessory apparatus and is configured to, when detecting the accessory communication error, transmit camera error information to the accessory apparatus and erase the camera data stored in the camera data buffer.

An image-capturing system including an image-capturing apparatus and an accessory apparatus detachably attachable to the image-capturing apparatus, wherein:

• the image-capturing apparatus and the accessory apparatus respectively comprise:
• a camera communicator and an accessory communicator configured to provide three channels that are a notification channel used for providing a notice from the image-capturing apparatus to the accessory apparatus, a first data communication channel used for transmitting accessory data from the accessory apparatus to the image-capturing apparatus, and a second data communication channel used for transmitting camera data from the image-capturing apparatus to the accessory apparatus;
• and
• a camera controller and an accessory controller, the camera controller being configured to provide a transmission request as the notice to the accessory controller through the notification channel, the accessory controller being configured to, in response to receiving the transmission request, transmit the accessory data to the camera controller through the first data communication channel, the camera controller being configured to transmit the camera data to the accessory apparatus through the second data communication channel,
• wherein:
• the camera communicator includes a camera data buffer configured to store the camera data to be transmitted to the accessory apparatus;
• the accessory communicator includes an accessory data buffer configured to store the accessory data to be transmitted to the image-capturing apparatus;
• the camera controller has a function of detecting an accessory communication error in the accessory data received from the accessory apparatus and is configured to, when detecting the accessory communication error in the accessory data, transmit camera error information to the accessory apparatus and erase the camera data stored in the camera data buffer;
• and
• the accessory controller has a function of detecting a camera communication error in the camera data received from the image-capturing apparatus and is configured to, when detecting the camera communication error, transmit accessory error information to the image-capturing apparatus and erase the accessory data stored in the accessory data buffer.

A control method for controlling an accessory apparatus detachably attachable to an image-capturing apparatus, the accessory apparatus configured to provide, with the image-capturing apparatus, three channels that are a notification channel used for providing a notice from the image-capturing apparatus to the accessory apparatus, a first data communication channel used for transmitting accessory data from the accessory apparatus to the image-capturing apparatus, and a second data communication channel used for transmitting camera data from the image-capturing apparatus to the accessory apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

• causing the accessory apparatus receiving a transmission request as the notice from the image-capturing apparatus through the notification channel to transmit the accessory data to the image-capturing apparatus through the first data communication channel;
• causing the accessory apparatus to receive the camera data transmitted from the image-capturing apparatus through the second data communication channel;
• and
• causing the accessory apparatus detecting a camera communication error in the camera data received from the image-capturing apparatus (a) to transmit accessory error information to the image-capturing apparatus and (b) to erase the accessory data stored in an accessory data buffer to which the accessory data to be transmitted to the image-capturing apparatus is stored.

A control method for controlling an image-capturing apparatus to which an accessory apparatus is detachably attachable, the image-capturing apparatus configured to provide, with the accessory apparatus, three channels that are a notification channel used for providing a notice from the image-capturing apparatus to the accessory apparatus, a first data communication channel used for transmitting accessory data from the accessory apparatus to the image-capturing apparatus, and a second data communication channel used for transmitting camera data from the image-capturing apparatus to the accessory apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

• causing the image-capturing apparatus to provide a transmission request as the notice to the accessory apparatus through the notification channel to cause the accessory apparatus to transmit the accessory data to the image-capturing apparatus through the first data communication channel;
• causing the image-capturing apparatus to transmit the camera data to the accessory apparatus through the second data communication channel;
• and
• causing the image-capturing apparatus detecting an accessory communication error in the accessory data received from the accessory apparatus (a) to transmit camera error information to the accessory apparatus and (b) to erase the camera data stored in a camera data buffer to which the camera data to be transmitted to the accessory apparatus is stored.

A non-transitory storage medium storing a control program as a computer program for causing a computer to execute a control method of controlling an accessory apparatus detachably attachable to an image-capturing apparatus and configured to provide, with the image-capturing apparatus, three channels that are a notification channel used for providing a notice from the image-capturing apparatus to the accessory apparatus, a first data communication channel used for data transmission from the accessory apparatus to the image-capturing apparatus, and a second data communication channel used for data transmission from the image-capturing apparatus to the accessory apparatus, the control method comprising the steps of:

• causing the accessory apparatus receiving a transmission request as the notice from the image-capturing apparatus through the notification channel to transmit the accessory data to the image-capturing apparatus through the first data communication channel;
• causing the accessory apparatus to receive the camera data transmitted from the image-capturing apparatus through the second data communication channel;
• and
• causing the accessory apparatus detecting a camera communication error in the camera data received from the image-capturing apparatus (a) to transmit accessory error information to the image-capturing apparatus and (b) to erase the accessory data stored in an accessory data buffer to which the accessory data to be transmitted to the image-capturing apparatus is stored.

A non-transitory storage medium storing a control program as a computer program for causing a computer to execute a control method of controlling an image-capturing apparatus to which an accessory apparatus is detachably attachable and that is configured to provide, with the accessory apparatus, three channels that are a notification channel used for providing a notice from the image-capturing apparatus to the accessory apparatus, a first data communication channel used for data transmission from the accessory apparatus to the image-capturing apparatus and a second data communication channel used for data transmission from the image-capturing apparatus to the accessory apparatus, the control method comprising the steps of:

• causing the image-capturing apparatus to provide a transmission request as the notice to the accessory apparatus through the notification channel to cause the accessory apparatus to transmit the accessory data to the image-capturing apparatus through the first data communication channel;
• causing the image-capturing apparatus to transmit the camera data to the accessory apparatus through the second data communication channel;
• and
• causing the image-capturing apparatus detecting an accessory communication error in the accessory data received from the accessory apparatus (a) to transmit camera error information to the accessory apparatus and (b) to erase the camera data stored in a camera data buffer to which the camera data to be transmitted to the accessory apparatus is stored.