# US 8,542,989 B2 · Camera system, camera body and interchangeable lens > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,542,989 B2 - Document ID: US8542989B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/992,323 - Filed: 2009-05-15 - Published: 2011-03-17 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2008-05-15 - Assignees: Panasonic Corporation - Applicants: Koji Shibuno; Mitsuyoshi Okamoto - Inventors: Koji Shibuno; Mitsuyoshi Okamoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8542989B2 ## CPC - H04N 23/663: for controlling interchangeable camera parts based on electronic image sensor signals - G03B 17/14: interchangeably - H04N 23/75: by influencing optical camera components - H04N 25/7795: {Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals} - G02B 7/102: {controlled by a microcomputer (cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A camera system (1) includes an interchangeable lens (200) and a camera body (100). The camera body (100) includes a body controller (140) configured to generate a command, and a sending unit (150) configured to send the generated command to the interchangeable lens. The interchangeable lens (200) includes a movable member (230, 260), a driving unit (233, 261) configured to drive the movable member, a receiving unit (250) configured to receive a command from the camera body, and a lens controller (240) configured to control the driving unit according to the received command. Further, a prediction unit (140, 240) is provided in either one of the camera body and the interchangeable lens, which predicts whether an operation of the driving unit of the interchangeable lens according to the received command will be completed within a predetermined time. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A camera system comprising an interchangeable lens and a camera body, the camera body comprising: a body controller configured to generate a synchronizing signal and a command; and a sending unit configured to send the generated synchronizing signal and command to the interchangeable lens, the interchangeable lens comprising: a movable member; a driving unit configured to drive the movable member; a receiving unit configured to receive a synchronizing signal and a command from the camera body; and a lens controller configured to control the driving unit according to the received command based on the received synchronizing signal, a prediction unit configured to generate prediction information while the driving unit drives the movable member, the prediction information indicating whether an operation of the driving unit of the interchangeable lens according to the received command will be completed within a predetermined time; a sending unit configured to send the prediction information to the camera body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The camera system according to claim 1, wherein the prediction information is flag information indicating whether the operation of the driving unit of the interchangeable lens that is performed according to the received command will be completed within the predetermined time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The camera system according to claim 1, wherein the prediction information is information indicating a time required to complete the operation, of the driving unit, that is performed according to the received command. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The camera system according to claim 1, wherein the prediction information is information indicating a timing at which the operation, of the drive unit, that is performed according to the received command is completed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The camera system according to claim 1, wherein when it is predicted, based on the prediction information generated by the prediction unit, that the operation of the driving unit that is performed according to the received command in the interchangeable lens will be completed within the predetermined time, the body controller starts, in advance, control of an operation of at least one of the camera body and the interchangeable lens to be performed after completion of the operation of the driving unit which is being currently controlled. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The camera system according to claim 1, wherein the prediction information is information indicating the number of cycles of the synchronizing signal required to complete the operation, of the driving unit, that is performed according to the received command. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The camera system according to claim 1, wherein the prediction unit generates the prediction information based on the synchronizing signal received from the camera body. ### Claim 8 An interchangeable lens mountable to a camera body comprising: a movable member; a driving unit configured to drive the movable member; a receiving unit configured to receive a synchronizing signal and a command from the camera body; a lens controller configured to control the driving unit according to the received command based on the received synchronizing signal; a prediction unit configured to generate prediction information while the driving unit drives the movable member, the prediction information indicating whether an operation of the driving unit, which is performed according to the received command, will be completed within a predetermined time; and a sending unit configured to send the prediction information to the camera body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The camera system according to claim 8, wherein the prediction unit generates the prediction information based on the synchronizing signal received from the camera body. ### Claim 10 A camera system comprising an interchangeable lens and a camera body, the camera body comprising: a body controller configured to generate a synchronizing signal and a command; and a sending unit configured to send the generated synchronizing signal and the command to the interchangeable lens, the interchangeable lens comprising: a movable member; a driving unit configured to drive the movable member; a receiving unit configured to receive the synchronizing signal and the command from the camera body; a lens controller configured to control the driving unit according to the received command based on the received synchronizing signal; and a prediction unit configured to generate prediction information while the driving unit drives the movable member, the prediction information indicating whether an operation of the driving unit, which is performed according to the received command, will be completed within a predetermined time; wherein the lens controller sends the prediction information generated by the prediction unit to the camera body, and the prediction information is information indicating a number of cycles of the synchronizing signal required to complete the operation of the driving unit which is performed according to the received command. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The camera system according to claim 10, wherein the lens controller controls the driving unit according to the command after a predetermined number of cycles elapses from a cycle of the synchronizing signal at which the command is received. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The camera system according to claim 10, wherein the prediction unit generates the prediction information based on the synchronizing signal received from the camera body.