Imaging apparatus and accessory, and method and system of the same, and medium

An accessory that is detachably attached to an imaging apparatus, said imaging apparatus including an imaging unit configured to accumulate charges in synchronization with a vertical synchronizing signal and output an imaging signal, and wherein a control unit of the imaging apparatus communicates with the accessory via a second accessory terminal, predetermined bytes of data in synchronization with charge accumulation by the imaging unit and notifies timing at which the vertical synchronizing signal is output using a clock signal, the accessory comprising:

• an optical member;
• a first accessory terminal for receiving a clock signal from the imaging apparatus;
• the second accessory terminal for communicating data with the imaging apparatus;
• and
• an accessory control unit configured to control data communication with the imaging apparatus based on the clock signal and control driving of the optical member based on the data received from the imaging apparatus,
• wherein the accessory control unit detects a signal level of the first accessory terminal, and
• wherein the accessory control unit controls the driving of the optical member based on data received from the imaging apparatus via the second accessory terminal in synchronization with timing of a change, after the accessory control unit communicates predetermined bytes of data and subsequently a predetermined time lapses, in the signal level of the first accessory terminal;
• the accessory control unit notifies a busy state, in which the data communication is impossible, by changing a signal level of the first accessory terminal and in which the imaging apparatus does not send the clock signal.

A control method of an imaging apparatus, to which an accessory is detachably attached, said imaging apparatus including a first terminal and a second terminal for communicating with the accessory, said accessory including an optical member, the control method comprising:

• a signal generating step of generating a vertical synchronizing signal and outputting the generated vertical synchronizing signal;
• an imaging step of accumulating charges in synchronization with the vertical synchronizing signal and outputting an image signal;
• a controlling step of generating a clock signal and controlling data communication with the accessory based on the clock signal;
• a sending step of sending the clock signal to the accessory via the first terminal;
• and
• a data communication step of communicating data with the accessory via the second terminal,
• wherein in the controlling step communicates with the accessory via the second terminal, predetermined bytes of data in synchronization with charge accumulation by the imaging unit, and notifying timing at which the vertical synchronizing signal is output using the clock signal via the first terminal by changing a signal level of the first terminal after the predetermined bytes of data is communicated and subsequently a predetermined time lapses while the signal level is kept at a predetermined level, and controlling the accessory to drive the optical member based on the timing;
• the accessory notifies a busy state, in which the data communication is impossible, by changing a signal level of the first terminal and in which the sending step does not send the clock signal.

A control method of an accessory, that is detachably attached to an imaging apparatus, said accessory including an optical member, a first accessory terminal and a second accessory terminal for communicating with the imaging apparatus, said imaging apparatus including an imaging unit configured to accumulate charges in synchronization with a vertical synchronizing signal and output an imaging signal, and wherein a control unit of the imaging apparatus communicates with the accessory via the second accessory terminal, predetermined bytes of data in synchronization with charge accumulation by the imaging unit and notifies timing at which the vertical synchronizing signal is output using a clock signal, the control method comprising:

• a receiving step of receiving a clock signal from the imaging apparatus via the first accessory terminal;
• a data communication step of communicating data with the imaging apparatus via the second accessory terminal;
• a controlling step of controlling data communication with the imaging apparatus based on the clock signal;
• and
• a drive controlling step of controlling driving the optical member based on the data received from the imaging apparatus,
• wherein in the controlling step, detecting a signal level of the first accessory terminal, and
• wherein in the drive controlling step, controlling the driving of the optical member based on data received from the imaging apparatus via the second accessory terminal in synchronization with timing of a change, after predetermined bytes of data is communicated and subsequently a predetermined time lapses, in the signal level of the first accessory terminal;
• the controlling step notifies a busy state, in which the data communication is impossible, by changing a signal level of the first terminal and in which the control unit does not send the clock signal.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for a control method of an imaging apparatus, to which an accessory is detachably attached, said imaging apparatus including a first terminal and a second terminal for communicating with the accessory, said accessory including an optical member,

• wherein the program executes, through a computer, steps of:
• a signal generating step of generating a vertical synchronizing signal and outputting the generated vertical synchronizing signal;
• an imaging step of accumulating charges in synchronization with the vertical synchronizing signal and output an image signal;
• a controlling step of generating a clock signal and controlling data communication with the accessory based on the clock signal;
• a sending step of sending the clock signal to the accessory via the first terminal;
• and a data communication step of communicating data with the accessory via the second terminal,
• wherein in the controlling step communicating with the accessory via the second terminal, predetermined bytes of data in synchronization with charge accumulation by the imaging unit, and notifying timing at which the vertical synchronizing signal is output using the clock signal via the first terminal by changing a signal level of the first terminal after the predetermined bytes of data is communicated and subsequently a predetermined time lapses while the signal level is kept at a predetermined level, and controlling the accessory to drive the optical member based on the timing;
• the accessory notifies a busy state, in which the data communication is impossible, by changing a signal level of the first terminal and in which the sending step does not send the clock signal.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for a control method of an accessory, that is detachably attached to an imaging apparatus, said accessory including an optical member, a first accessory terminal and a second accessory terminal for communicating with the imaging apparatus, said imaging apparatus including an imaging unit configured to accumulate charges in synchronization with a vertical synchronizing signal and output an imaging signal, and wherein a control unit of the imaging apparatus communicates with the accessory via the second accessory terminal, predetermined bytes of data in synchronization with charge accumulation by the imaging unit and notifies timing at which the vertical synchronizing signal is output using a clock signal,

• wherein the program executes, through a computer, steps of:
• a receiving step of receiving a clock signal from the imaging apparatus via the first accessory terminal;
• a data communication step of communicating data with the imaging apparatus via the second accessory terminal;
• a controlling step of controlling data communication with the imaging apparatus based on the clock signal;
• and a drive controlling step of controlling driving the optical member based on the data received from the imaging apparatus,
• wherein in the controlling step, detecting a signal level of the first accessory terminal, and
• wherein in the drive controlling step, controlling the driving of the optical member based on data received from the imaging apparatus via the second accessory terminal in synchronization with timing of a change, after predetermined bytes of data is communicated and subsequently a predetermined time lapses, in the signal level of the first accessory terminal;
• the controlling step notifies a busy state, in which the data communication is impossible, by changing a signal level of the first terminal and in which the control unit does not send the clock signal.

A system comprising an imaging apparatus and an accessory which is detachably attached to the imaging apparatus, the imaging apparatus comprising:

• a signal generation unit configured to generate a vertical synchronizing signal and output the generated vertical synchronizing signal;
• an imaging unit configured to accumulate charges in synchronization with the vertical synchronizing signal and output an imaging signal;
• a control unit configured to generate a clock signal and control data communication with the accessory based on the clock signal;
• a first terminal for sending the clock signal to the accessory;
• and a second terminal for communicating data with the accessory,
• the accessory comprising an optical member;
• a first accessory terminal for receiving the clock signal from the control unit via the first terminal;
• a second accessory terminal for communicating data with the control unit via the second terminal;
• and
• an accessory control unit configured to control data communication with the control unit based on the clock signal and control driving of the optical member based on the data received from the control unit,
• wherein the control unit communicates with the accessory via the second terminal, predetermined bytes of data in synchronization with charge accumulation by the imaging unit, and notifies timing at which the vertical synchronizing signal is output using the clock signal via the first terminal by changing a signal level of the first terminal after the control unit communicates the predetermined bytes of data and subsequently a predetermined time lapses while the signal level is kept at a predetermined level, and controls the accessory control unit to drive the optical member based on the timing;
• and
• wherein the accessory control unit controls the driving of the optical member based on data received from the control unit via the second accessory terminal in synchronization with timing of a change, after the accessory control unit communicates the predetermined bytes of data and subsequently the predetermined time lapses, in the signal level of the first accessory terminal;
• the accessory control unit notifies a busy state, in which the data communication is impossible, by changing a signal level of the first terminal and in which the control unit of the imaging apparatus does not send the clock signal.

An accessory that is detachably attached to an imaging apparatus, comprising:

• an optical member;
• a first accessory terminal for receiving a clock signal from the imaging apparatus;
• a second accessory terminal for communicating data with the imaging apparatus and configured to receive, predetermined bytes of data in synchronization with charge accumulation by the imaging apparatus;
• and
• an accessory control unit configured to control data communication with the imaging apparatus based on the clock signal and control driving of the optical member based on the data received from the imaging apparatus,
• wherein the accessory control unit detects a signal level of the first accessory terminal,
• wherein the accessory control unit controls the driving of the optical member based on data received from the imaging apparatus via the second accessory terminal in synchronization with timing of a change, after the accessory control unit communicates predetermined bytes of data and subsequently a predetermined time lapses, in the signal level of the first accessory terminal, and
• wherein the accessory control unit restricts, when the signal level of the first accessory terminal is changed before a lapse of the predetermined time after communicating the predetermined bytes of data, the driving of the optical member based on the timing of the change;
• the accessory control unit notifies a busy state, in which the data communication is impossible, by changing a signal level of the first terminal and in which the imaging apparatus does not send the clock signal.