Accessory device, camera, storage medium, and camera system
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorYutaka Watanabe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A camera 200 and accessory devices 100 and 300 perform communication via channels including a data communication channel used for data communication and a notification channel for notifying timing of communication performed via the data communication channel. Each of the accessory devices 100 and 300 performs switching from a first communication mode to a second communication mode upon receiving communication-partner designation data via the data communication channel with communication in the first communication mode, the communication-partner designation data indicating that the relevant accessory device has been selected as a communication partner with the camera 200.
Claims21
An accessory device mountable to a camera,
- the accessory device comprising an accessory control unit controlling communication that is performed between the camera and the accessory device via channels, the channels including a data communication channel used for data communication and a notification channel for notifying timing of communication performed via the data communication channel,
- wherein the accessory control unit
- is able to switch a first communication mode used for communication between the camera and a plurality of accessory devices, which are mounted to the camera and include the aforesaid accessory device, and a second communication mode that is used to individually communicate with the camera and that is different from the first communication mode in voltage level of the notification channel during a period in which data is received from the camera, and
- performs switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode upon receiving communication-partner designation data via the data communication channel in the first communication mode, the communication-partner designation data indicating that the aforesaid accessory device has been selected as a communication partner with the camera in the second communication mode.
A camera to which a first accessory device and a second accessory device are mountable,
- the camera comprising a camera control unit controlling communication that is performed via channels including a data communication channel used for data communication with the first accessory device and the second accessory device, and a notification channel for notifying timing of communication performed via the data communication channel,
- wherein the camera control unit
- is able to switch a first communication mode used for communication with the first accessory device and the second accessory device and a second communication mode that is used to individually communicate with one of the first accessory device and the second accessory device and that is different from the first communication mode in voltage level of the notification channel during a period in which data is transmitted from the camera, and
- performs switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode upon transmitting communication-partner designation data to the first accessory device and the second accessory device via the data communication channel in the first communication mode, the communication-partner designation data indicating a communication partner with the camera in the second communication mode.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a communication control program for a computer in an accessory device mountable to a camera and performing communication with the camera via channels including a data communication channel used for data communication and a notification channel for notifying timing of communication performed via the data communication channel, the accessory device being able to switch a first communication mode used for communication between the camera and a plurality of accessory devices, which are mounted to the camera and include the aforesaid accessory device, and a second communication mode that is used to individually communicate with the camera and that is different from the first communication mode in voltage level of the notification channel during a period in which data is received from the camera, the communication control program causing the computer to execute steps of:
- receiving communication-partner designation data from the camera in the first communication mode, the communication-partner designation data indicating that the aforesaid accessory device has been selected as a communication partner with the camera in the second communication mode;
- and
- performing switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode upon receiving the communication-partner designation data.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a communication control program for a computer in a camera to which a first accessory device and a second accessory device are mountable, the camera performing communication that is performed via channels including a data communication channel used for data communication with the first accessory device and the second accessory device, and a notification channel for notifying timing of communication performed via the data communication channel, the camera being able to switch a first communication mode used for communication with the first accessory device and the second accessory device and a second communication mode that is used to individually communicate with one of the first accessory device and the second accessory device and that is different from the first communication mode in voltage level of the notification channel during a period in which data is transmitted from the camera, the communication control program causing the computer to execute steps of:
- transmitting communication-partner designation data to the plurality of accessory devices in the first communication mode, the communication-partner designation data indicating the accessory device that has been selected as a communication partner in the second communication mode;
- and
- performing switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode upon transmitting the communication-partner designation data.
A camera system including a camera, a first accessory device, and a second accessory device, the latter two being mountable to the camera,
- wherein the camera comprises a camera control unit controlling communication that is performed via channels including a data communication channel used for data communication with the first accessory device and the second accessory device, and a notification channel for notifying timing of communication performed via the data communication channel,
- each of the first accessory device and the second accessory device comprises an accessory control unit controlling communication that is performed via the channels including the data communication channel and the notification channel,
- each of the camera control unit and the accessory control units in the first accessory device and the second accessory device is able to switch a first communication mode used for the camera to communicate with the plurality of accessory devices and a second communication mode that is used for the camera to individually communicate with one of the plurality of accessory devices and that is different from the first communication mode in voltage level of the notification channel during a period in which data is transmitted from the camera,
- the camera control unit performs switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode upon transmitting communication-partner designation data in the first communication mode, the communication-partner designation data indicating a communication partner with the camera in the second communication, and
- the accessory control unit in one of the first accessory device and the second accessory device, the one being designated by the communication-partner designation data, performs switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode upon receiving the communication-partner designation data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.