Converting adapter for interchangeable lens assembly

• US 5,731,920 A
• Filed: 12/14/1995
• Issued: 03/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Katsuragawa, Mitsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben, Loha
• Application Number:
  US08/613,727
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 359/823, 359/827, 359/694, 348/39, 348/383, 396/161, 396/170, 396/297, 396/71, 396/300, 396/529
• US Class Current: 359/827
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/14 interchangeably

Abstract

A lens 2 is mechanically connected to an image processor 3 having a different mount from that of the lens 2 via a converting adapter 1. A computer 4 is electrically connected to the converting adapter 1 and the lens 2 via electrical terminals 6 and 7. A command transmitted from the computer 4 is converted by an internal converter 8 of the converting adapter 1. The computer 4 controls an internal actuator 2c of the lens 2 by transmitting a command through communication.

Claims

1. A converting adapter for adapting an interchangeable lens assembly to an optical device for sensing an object by means of said interchangeable lens assembly via said adapter, comprising:

control signal receiving means to communicate with an external control device which outputs a control signal to said adapter for controlling said interchangeable lens assembly; and

signal converting means for converting the input control signal received via said control signal receiving means into a predetermined control signal which is suitable for said interchangeable lens assembly in accordance with the input control signal, and outputting the predetermined control signal to said interchangeable lens assembly.

2. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the output predetermined control signal to said interchangeable lens assembly is serial data.

3. The adapter according to claim 2, wherein the input control signal from said external control device is serial data.

4. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein said signal converting means controls driving of a lens of said interchangeable lens assembly.

5. The adapter according to claim 4, wherein in order to control said lens at a speed within a predetermined speed range, said signal converting means outputs the predetermined control signal, as a control amount corresponding to the speed, to said interchangeable lens assembly at each predetermined control period.

6. A converting adapter for adapting an interchangeable lens assembly to an optical device for sensing an object by means of said interchangeable lens assembly via said adapter, comprising:

a control signal interface to communicate with an external control device which outputs a control signal which is inputted to said adapter for controlling said interchangeable lens assembly;

signal convening means for convening the input control signal received via said control signal interface into a predetermined control signal which is suitable for said interchangeable lens assembly in accordance with the input control signal, and outputting the predetermined control signal to said interchangeable lens assembly; and

driving control means having a low-speed mode in which a lens of said interchangeable lens assembly is driven at a low speed and a high-speed mode in which said lens is driven at a high speed.

7. The adapter according to claim 6, wherein the output predetermined control signal to said interchangeable lens assembly is serial data.

8. The adapter according to claim 7, wherein the input control signal from said external control device is serial data.

9. The adapter according to claim 6, wherein in order to control said lens at a speed within a predetermined speed range, said driving control means outputs the predetermined control signal, as a control mount corresponding to the speed, to said interchangeable lens assembly at each predetermined control period.

10. A converting adapter for adapting an interchangeable lens assembly to an optical device for sensing an object by means of said interchangeable lens assembly via said adapter, comprising:

a control signal interface to communicate with an external control device which outputs a control signal to said adapter for controlling said interchangeable lens assembly; and

lens characteristic detecting means for detecting a characteristic of said interchangeable lens assembly by causing said interchangeable lens assembly to perform a predetermined operation.

11. A converting adapter for adapting an interchangeable lens assembly to an optical device for sensing an object by means of said interchangeable lens assembly via said adapter, comprising:

a control signal interface to communicate with an external control device which outputs a control signal which is inputted to said adapter for controlling said interchangeable lens assembly; and

a signal converting circuit for converting the input control signal received via said control signal interface into a predetermined control signal which is suitable for said interchangeable lens assembly in accordance with the input control signal, and outputting the predetermined control signal to said interchangeable lens assembly.

12. A converting adapter for adapting an interchangeable lens assembly to an optical device for sensing an object by means of said interchangeable lens assembly via said adapter, comprising:

control signal communication means to communicate with an external control device which outputs a control signal which is inputted to said adapter for controlling said interchangeable lens assembly; and

signal converting means for converting the input control signal received via said control signal communication means into a predetermined control signal which is suitable for said interchangeable lens assembly in accordance with the input control signal, and outputting the predetermined control signal to said interchangeable lens assembly.

13. The adapter according to claim 12, further comprising signal selecting means, where the adapter includes a plurality of signal converting means to communicate with each of multiple external control devices, for selecting one or more of the signal converting means.

14. The adapter according to claim 13, wherein said signal selecting means is controlled by a switch.

15. The adapter according to claim 13, wherein said signal selecting means is controlled by data stored in a readable/writable nonvolatile memory.

16. The adapter according to claim 13, wherein after a power switch is turned on, said signal selecting means selects one of said signal converting means until an electrical signal is input from one of said external control device, and selects another of said signal converting means when the electrical signal is input.

17. The adapter according to claim 13, wherein said signal selecting means switches from one of said signal converting means to another of said signal converting means on the basis of an input electrical signal from one of said external control device.

18. A converting adapter for adapting a lens assembly to an optical device for sensing an object by means of said lens assembly via said adapter, comprising:

control signal input means to communicate with an external control device which outputs a control signal which is inputted to said adapter for controlling said lens assembly; and

signal converting means for converting the input control signal received via said control signal input means into a predetermined lens control signal which is suitable for said lens assembly in accordance with the input control signal, and outputting the predetermined lens control signal to said lens assembly.

19. The adapter according to claim 18, wherein said lens assembly is interchangeable.

20. The adapter according to claim 18, wherein said control signal input means includes signal terminals.

21. A converting adapter for adapting a lens unit to an optical device for receiving an image of an object by means of said lens unit via said adapter, comprising:

control signal interface means to communicate with an external control device different from said optical device, which outputs a control signal which is inputted to said adapter for controlling said lens unit; and

signal converting means for converting the input control signal received via said control signal interface means into a predetermined lens control signal which is suitable for said lens unit in accordance with the input control signal, and outputting the predetermined lens control signal to said lens unit.

22. The adapter according to claim 21, wherein said signal converting means converts input serial data as the control signal from said external control device into parallel data as the predetermined lens control signal and outputs the parallel data to said external device.

23. A converting adapter for adapting an interchangeable lens assembly to an optical device for sensing an object by means of said interchangeable lens assembly via said adapter, comprising:

a first control signal terminal to communicate with an external control device which outputs a first control signal to said adapter for controlling said interchangeable lens assembly and a second control signal to control an external device;

a second control signal terminal to communicate with said external device which is controlled by said external control device via said adapter;

signal converting means for converting said first control signal received via said first control signal terminal into a predetermined lens control signal which is suitable for said interchangeable lens assembly in accordance with said first control signal, and outputting the predetermined lens control signal to said interchangeable lens assembly;

signal relay means for outputting said second control signal from said external control device received via said first control signal terminal to said second control signal terminal; and

signal selecting means for selecting one or both of said signal converting means and said signal relay means.