CAMERA CRADLE APPARATUS AND SYSTEM THEREFOR

• US 20070040894A1
• Filed: 08/02/2006
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: KIKUGAWA, Noriyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,853,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00249 with a photographic apparatus, e.g. a photographic printer or a projector photographic apparatus per se G03B, G03D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0058 Docking-station, cradle or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects

Abstract

A camera cradle apparatus includes an extension connector which connects a camera including a power supply button, a connector which connects an external terminal through a network so as to allow communication, and a control unit which controls a connection state of the connector. At least one of the external terminal and the camera cradle apparatus includes an external power supply button which performs on-off operation of the power supply of the camera. The control unit controls the connection state of the connector in accordance with whether the power supply of the camera is turned on by either the power supply button or the external power supply button.

Claims

1. A camera cradle apparatus comprising:

a first connector which connects a camera including a power supply button;

a second connector which connects an external terminal through a network so as to allow communication; and

a control unit which controls a connection state of said second connector, wherein

at least one of the external terminal and the camera cradle apparatus includes an external power supply button which performs on-off operation of a power supply of the camera, and

said control unit controls a connection state of said second connector in accordance with whether the power supply of the camera is turned on by either the power supply button or the external power supply button.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control unit operates in a local mode of interrupting data communication through said second connector when the power supply of the camera is turned on by the power supply button, and operates in a network mode of permitting data communication through the second communication unit when the power supply of the camera is turned on by the external power supply button.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control unit prohibits off operation of the power supply of the camera by the external power supply button when said control unit operates in the local mode, and permits off operation of the power supply of the camera by the external power supply button when said control unit operates in the network mode.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a receiver which receives a signal from a remote controller so as to allow communication, wherein

the remote controller includes at least one of a local mode external power supply button and a network mode external power supply button which performs on-off operation of the power supply of the camera, and

said control unit operates in a local mode of prohibiting data communication through said second communication unit when the power supply of the camera is turned on by the local mode external power supply button, and operates in a network mode of permitting data communication through said second connector when the power supply of the camera is turned on by the network mode external power supply button.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said control unit prohibits off operation of the power supply of the camera by the network external power supply button when said control unit operates in the local mode, and permits off operation of the power supply of the camera by the network external power supply button when said control unit operates in the network mode.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the external terminal displays an external power supply button thereof on a display unit, and changes a display method for the external power supply button displayed on the display unit or invalidates a function of the external power supply button displayed on the display unit when said control unit operates in the network mode.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control unit operates in a local mode of interrupting data communication through said second connector when the camera is connected to said first connector while the power supply of the camera is on.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a power supply unit which turns on a power supply of the camera cradle apparatus, wherein

said control unit operates in the local mode when the power supply of the camera cradle apparatus is turned on by said power supply unit if the camera is connected to said first connector while the power supply of the camera is on.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the remote controller can communicate with said receiver by using infrared light.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second connector includes wireless connection means.

11. A camera cradle system comprising:

a camera cradle apparatus defined in claim 1;

and

a camera connected to said first connector.

12. A connection control method for a camera cradle apparatus, comprising steps of:

connecting a camera to a camera cradle apparatus;

connecting an external terminal to the camera cradle apparatus through a network so as to allow communication; and

controlling a connection state between the external terminal and the camera cradle apparatus in accordance with whether the power supply of the camera is turned on by either of power supply buttons of the camera, the camera cradle apparatus, and the external terminal.