Accessory and motor drive device for camera, and camera system

• US 6,118,949 A
• Filed: 09/08/1998
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ohtani, Tadasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David M.
• Application Number:
  US09/149,742
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 396/301, 396/303, 396/388, 396/277, 396/278, 396/539, 396/544
• US Class Current: 396/277
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/425 motor drive cameras

Abstract

A motor drive device capable of being connected with a camera body includes a communication line for communicating information on an operation mode of the motor drive device from the camera body to the motor drive device, a switch connected in series with the communication line and arranged to be closed when a battery connected to the motor drive device is a specific type of battery, and a control circuit which controls the motor drive device to operate in an operation mode based on the information on the operation mode communicated from the camera body when the switch is closed and to operate in a predetermined operation mode when the switch is opened.

Claims

1. An accessory capable of being connected with a camera body, said accessory comprising:

a) a communication line for communicating information on an operation mode of said accessory from said camera body to said accessory; and

b) a determination switch for determining type of a battery connected to said accessory, wherein said determination switch is connected in series with said communication line and is arranged to be closed when a specific type of battery is connected to said accessory.

2. An accessory according to claim 1, wherein said accessory operates in an operation mode based on the information on the operation mode communicated from said camera body when said determination switch is closed, and operates in a predetermined operation mode when said determination switch is opened.

3. An accessory capable of being connected with a camera body, said accessory comprising:

a) a communication line for communicating information on an operation mode of said accessory from said camera body to said accessory;

b) a determination switch for determining type of a battery connected to said accessory, wherein said determination switch is connected in series with said communication line and is arranged to be closed when a specific type of battery is connected to said accessory; and

c) a circuit which causes a signal to be outputted to said camera body through said communication line to vary according to whether said determination switch is closed or opened.

4. An accessory according to claim 3, wherein said communication line is pulled up and is arranged to output to said camera body a high-level signal when said determination switch is closed and a low-level signal when said determination switch is opened.

5. A motor drive device capable of being connected with a camera body, said motor drive device comprising:

a) a communication line for communicating information on an operation mode of said motor drive device from said camera body to said motor drive device;

b) a switch connected in series with said communication line and arranged to be closed when a battery connected to said motor drive device is a specific type of battery; and

c) a control circuit which controls said motor drive device to operate in an operation mode based on the information on the operation mode communicated from said camera body when said switch is closed and to operate in a predetermined operation mode when said switch is opened.

6. A motor drive device capable of being connected with a camera body, said motor drive device comprising:

a) a communication line for communicating information on a driving speed of said motor drive device from said camera body to said motor drive device;

b) a switch connected in series with said communication line and arranged to be closed when a battery connected to said motor drive device is a specific type of battery; and

c) a control circuit which controls said motor drive device to operate at a driving speed based on the information on the driving speed communicated from said camera body when said switch is closed and to operate at a predetermined driving speed when said switch is opened.

7. A motor drive device according to claim 6, further comprising a mechanism which varies a driving speed of said motor drive device according to a rotating direction of a motor, and wherein the information on the driving speed communicated from said camera body is information on the rotating direction of said motor.

8. A camera system composed of a camera body and an accessory connectable with said camera body, said camera system comprising:

a) a communication line for communicating information on an operation mode of said accessory from said camera body to said accessory; and

b) a determination switch for determining type of a battery connected to said accessory, wherein said determination switch is connected in series with said communication line and is arranged to be closed when a specific type of battery is connected to said accessory.

9. A camera system according to claim 8, wherein said accessory operates in an operation mode based on the information on the operation mode communicated from said camera body when said determination switch is closed, and operates in a predetermined operation mode when said determination switch is opened.

10. A camera system according to claim 9, wherein said camera body detects a state of the battery connected to said accessory and selects the operation mode of said accessory on the basis of a result of the detection.

11. A camera system according to claim 9, wherein said camera body detects a voltage of the battery connected to said accessory and selects the operation mode of said accessory on the basis of a result of the detection.

12. A camera system composed of a camera body and an accessory connectable with said camera body, said camera system comprising:

a) a communication line for communicating information on an operation mode of said accessory from said camera body to said accessory;

b) a determination switch for determining type of a battery connected to said accessory, wherein said determination switch is connected in series with said communication line and is arranged to be closed when a specific type of battery is connected to said accessory; and

c) a circuit which causes a signal to be outputted to said camera body through said communication line to vary according to whether said determination switch is closed or opened.

13. A camera system according to claim 12, wherein said communication line is pulled up and is arranged to output to said camera body a high-level signal when said determination switch is closed and a low-level signal when said determination switch is opened.

14. A camera system according to claim 12, wherein said camera body recognizes the type of the battery connected to said accessory on the basis of the signal outputted to said camera body through said communication line.

15. A camera system according to claim 12, wherein, when recognizing that the type of the battery connected to said accessory is not the specific type of battery, said camera body does not communicate the information on the operation mode of said accessory through said communication line.

16. A camera system composed of a camera body and a motor drive device connectable with said camera body, said camera system comprising:

a) a communication line for communicating information on an operation mode of said motor drive device from said camera body to said motor drive device;

b) a switch connected in series with said communication line and arranged to be closed when a battery connected to said motor drive device is a specific type of battery; and

c) a control circuit which controls said motor drive device to operate in an operation mode based on the information on the operation mode communicated from said camera body when said switch is closed and to operate in a predetermined operation mode when said switch is opened.

17. A camera system composed of a camera body and a motor drive device connectable with said camera body, said camera system comprising:

a) a communication line for communicating information on a driving speed of said motor drive device from said camera body to said motor drive device;

b) a switch connected in series with said communication line and arranged to be closed when a battery connected to said motor drive device is a specific type of battery; and

c) a control circuit which controls said motor drive device to operate at a driving speed based on the information on the driving speed communicated from said camera body when said switch is closed and to operate at a predetermined driving speed when said switch is opened.

18. A camera system according to claim 17, further comprising a mechanism which varies a driving speed of said motor drive device according to a rotating direction of a motor, and wherein the information on the driving speed communicated from said camera body is information on the rotating direction of said motor.