Wireless Camera Flash Synchronizer System and Method

• US 20090034952A1
• Filed: 10/14/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LAB Partners Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: LAB Partners Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Clark, James E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,228 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/57
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/02 Illuminating scene
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04

Abstract

A system and method of wirelessly communicating a camera synchronization from a camera body to a remote device with a wireless camera flash synchronizer that prior to detecting a synchronization signal loads transmit frequency information to a transceiver and automatically switches from a wireless receive mode to a wireless transmit mode after detecting a first signal from a camera that is generated after the activation of a camera trigger.

Claims

1. A method of wirelessly communicating a camera synchronization from a camera body to a remote device with a wireless camera flash synchronizer, the wireless camera flash synchronizer including a transceiver having an oscillator element having a wireless receive mode and a wireless transmit mode, the method comprising:

setting the oscillator element to operate in the wireless receive mode;

prior to detecting a synchronization signal and after setting the oscillator element to operate in the wireless receive mode, loading a transmit frequency coding to the transceiver;

in response to detecting a synchronization signal, automatically setting the oscillator element to operate in the wireless transmit mode; and

wirelessly transmitting a synchronization data from the wireless camera flash synchronizer to the remote device.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said automatically setting step is completed and said transmitting step commences in less than about 1 millisecond.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said automatically setting step is completed and said transmitting step commences in less than about 100 microseconds.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said automatically setting step is completed and said transmitting step commences in less than about 20 microseconds.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the transceiver is within the camera body.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the transceiver is connected to internal synchronization circuitry and/or wiring of the camera body.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless camera flash synchronizer is configured to connect to a PC flash synchronization connector and/or a hotshoe connector of the camera body.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said wirelessly transmitting a synchronization data is completed using a single chosen frequency modulated for each completed transmission.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a receive frequency coding and the transmit frequency coding at about the time of powering on the wireless camera flash synchronizer; and

storing the receive frequency coding and the transmit frequency coding.

10. A method of wirelessly communicating a camera synchronization from a camera body to a remote device with a wireless camera flash synchronizer, the wireless camera flash synchronizer including a transceiver having an oscillator element having a wireless receive mode and a wireless transmit mode, the method comprising:

setting the oscillator element to operate in the wireless receive mode;

prior to detecting a synchronization signal, loading a transmit frequency to the transceiver;

loading a transmit frequency coding into the transceiver, the transmit frequency coding including an instruction to the transceiver to operate in the wireless transmit mode;

in response to receiving a first signal generated by the camera body, automatically setting the oscillator element to be capable of transmission to a remote device at the transmit frequency and based on the transmit frequency coding, the first signal generated after a trigger of the camera body is activated; and

wirelessly transmitting a synchronization data based on a detected synchronization signal to the remote device.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said loading a transmit frequency coding is completed prior to detecting a synchronization signal.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein said automatically setting step is completed and said transmitting step commences in less than about 1 millisecond.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein said automatically setting step is completed and said transmitting step commences in less than about 100 microseconds.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein said automatically setting step is completed and said transmitting step commences in less than about 20 microseconds.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein the first signal is a synchronization signal.

16. A method according to claim 10, wherein the transceiver is within the camera body.

17. A method according to claim 10, wherein the transceiver is connected to internal synchronization circuitry and/or wiring of the camera body.

18. A method according to claim 10, wherein the wireless camera flash synchronizer is configured to connect to a PC flash synchronization connector and/or a hotshoe connector of the camera body.

19. A method according to claim 10, wherein said wirelessly transmitting a synchronization data is completed using a single chosen frequency modulated for each completed transmission.

20. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

determining a receive frequency coding and the transmit frequency coding at about the time of powering on the wireless camera flash synchronizer; and

storing the receive frequency coding and the transmit frequency coding.

21. A wireless camera flash synchronizer comprising:

a transceiver having an oscillator element having a transmit mode and a receive mode; and

an auto mode switcher for loading a transmit frequency to said transceiver prior to detecting the synchronization signal, loading a transmit frequency coding having an instruction to operate in the transmit mode to said transceiver, and automatically setting said oscillator element from the receive mode to the transmit mode in response to detecting a first signal generated by the camera, the first signal generated after a trigger of the camera is activated.

22. A synchronizer according to claim 21, further comprising a first synchronization signal connector for connecting said transceiver to the synchronization signal of a camera.

23. A synchronizer according to claim 22, wherein said first synchronization signal connector is configured to connect to a PC flash synchronization connector and/or a hotshoe connector of the camera body.

24. A synchronizer according to claim 21, wherein said transceiver is internal to the camera.

25. A synchronizer according to claim 21, wherein said transceiver is configured to transmit a synchronization data based upon the synchronization signal completely to a remote device using a single chosen frequency for each complete transmission.

26. A synchronizer according to claim 21, wherein said auto mode switcher is configured to load the transmit frequency coding having an instruction to operate in the transmit mode prior to detecting a synchronization signal.

27. A synchronizer according to claim 21, wherein the first signal is the synchronization signal.

28. A synchronizer according to claim 21, wherein said transceiver comprises a configuration register for receiving a frequency coding from said auto mode switcher.

29. A synchronizer according to claim 28, wherein said auto mode switcher is configured to load a receive frequency coding to said transceiver and latch the receive frequency coding to said configuration register;

load the transmit frequency coding to said transceiver after latching the receive frequency coding and before receiving the synchronization signal; and

to latch the transmit frequency to the configuration register upon receiving the synchronization signal.