Electronic still camera system and auxiliary unit containing control program

Abstract

To provide an electronic still camera system which is improved in efficiency of development, extensibility and maintenance, the electronic still camera system consists of an electronic still camera 2 and an auxiliary unit 4. The electronic still camera 2 includes a microcomputer 10 for controlling the entire system, a main body memory accessed by the microcomputer 10 and a communication circuit for transferring data between the auxiliary unit 4 and the communication circuit. On the other hand, the auxiliary unit 4 includes a memory storing a program required to control the auxiliary unit 4 and another communication circuit for transferring data between the electronic still camera 2 and the communication circuit. Prior to control of the auxiliary unit 4, data is transferred from the program memory to the main body memory. Therefore, it is not required that the auxiliary unit control program has been previously stored in the main body memory.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.