External flash control system

• US 6,366,737 B1
• Filed: 03/20/2000
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kawasaki, Masahiro, Numako, Norio
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Arthur A
• Application Number:
  US09/531,481
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 396/56, 396/57, 396/155, 396/171, 396/180, 396/182, 396/198, 315/241.P
• US Class Current: 396/180
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0503 Built-in units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0557 Multiple units, e.g. slave-unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/16 in accordance with both the intensity of the flash source and the distance of the flash source from the object, e.g. in accordance with the "guide number" of the flash bulb and the focusing of the camera

Abstract

A flash control system remotely controls an external flash by a camera. In the camera, a stop value is calculated as a photographic exposure factor for the external flash, and a flash-light emission timing of the external flash is calculated. A built-in flash of the camera is controlled to emit two light signals at a time interval representing the stop value. The external flash detects the two light signals. A timing of a flash-light emission of the external flash is controlled in accordance with one of the two light signals. An amount of the flash-light emission of the external flash is controlled in accordance with the time interval.

Claims

1. A flash control system for remotely controlling an external flash device by a camera associated with said external flash device, said system comprising:

a stop value calculator, incorporated in said camera, that calculates a stop value as an exposure factor for said external flash device;

a light signal source, incorporated in said camera, that emits a light signal;

a light signal controller, incorporated in said camera, that controls said light signal source to emit at least two light signals therefrom at a time interval such that said stop value is represented by said time interval between said at least two light signals;

a light signal detector, incorporated in said external flash device, that detects said at least two light signals emitted from said light signal source; and

a flash-light emission controller, incorporated in said external flash device, that controls an amount of flash-light emission of said external flash device in accordance with said time interval between said at least two light signals.

2. A flash control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the calculation of said stop value by said stop value calculator is based on at least a photometry measurement performed by said camera upon photographing.

3. A flash control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said light signal source comprises a flash lamp of a built-in flash device incorporated in said camera.

4. A flash control system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a flash-light emission timing calculator, incorporated in said camera, that calculates a flash-light emission timing at which a flash-light should be emitted from said external flash device,

wherein said light signal controller further controls an emission of one of said at least two light signals such that said flash-light emission timing is represented by the emission of said one of said at least two light signals, and said flash-light emission controller further controls a timing of the flash-light emission of said external flash device in accordance with the emission of said one of said at least two light signals.

5. A flash control system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the control of the timing of the flash-light emission of said external flash device by said flash-light emission controller is based on a last light signal of said at least two light signals.

6. A flash control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said flash-light emission controller includes:

a light detector that detects the flash-light emission of said external flash device as a reflected light;

a first processor that processes the reflected light, detected by said light detector, to produce a first light-quantitative data representing an amount of the reflected light;

a second processor that processes said time interval to produce a second light-quantitative data deriving from said stop value; and

a comparator that compares said first light-quantitative data with said second light-quantitative data, such that the flash-light emission of said external flash device is stopped when it is determined by said comparator that the first-quantitative data coincides with said second light-quantitative data.

7. A flash control system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said light detector comprises said light signal detector for detecting said at least two light signals.

8. An external flash device comprising:

a flash lamp that emits a flash-light;

a light signal detector that detects two light signals emitted at a time interval representing a stop value as a photographic exposure factor; and

a flash-light emission controller that controls an amount of a flash-light emission of said flash lamp in accordance with said time interval between said at least two light signals.

9. An external flash device as set forth in claim 8, further comprising a timing controller that controls a timing of the flash-light emission of said flash lamp on the basis of a detected-timing at which one of said at least two light signals is detected by said light signal detector.

10. An external flash device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the control of the timing of the flash-light emission of said flash lamp by said flash-light emission controller is based on a last light signal of said at least two light signals.

11. An external flash device as set forth in claim 8, wherein said flash-light emission controller includes:

a light detector that detects the flash-light emission of said external flash device as a reflected light;

a first processor that processes the reflected light, detected by said light detector, to produce a first light-quantitative data representing an amount of the reflected light;

a second processor that processes said time interval to produce a second light-quantitative data deriving from said stop value; and

a comparator that compares said first light-quantitative data with said second light-quantitative data, such that the flash-light emission of said flash lamp is stopped when it is determined by said comparator that the first-quantitative data coincides with said second light-quantitative data.

12. An external flash device as set forth in claim 11, wherein said light detector comprises said light signal detector for detecting said at least two light signals.

13. A camera comprising:

a stop value calculator that calculates a stop value as a photographic exposure factor for an external flash device;

a light signal source that emits a light signal to said external flash device; and

a light signal controller that controls said light signal source to emit at least two light signals therefrom at a time interval such that said stop value is represented by said time interval between said at least two light signals.

14. A camera as set forth in claim 13, wherein said light signal source comprises a flash lamp of a built-in flash device incorporated in said camera.

15. A camera as set forth in claim 13, wherein the calculation of said stop value by said stop value calculator is based on at least a photometry measurement performed by said camera upon photographing.

16. A camera as set forth in claim 13, further comprising a flash-light emission timing calculator that calculates a flash-light emission timing at which a flash-light should be emitted from said external flash device,

wherein said light signal controller further controls the emission of said at least two light signals such that said flash-light emission timing is represented by an emission of one of said at least two light signals.

17. A flash control system as set forth in claim 16, wherein the control of the emission of said at least two light signals by said light signal controller is performed such that said flash-light emission timing is represented by an emission of a last light signal of said at least two light signals.

18. A camera as set forth in claim 17, wherein said camera comprises a lens shutter type camera, and a timing of the emission of the last light signal of said at least two light signals coincides with a time at which an aperture of a shutter of said lens shutter type camera reaches a maximum aperture during an opening-action of said shutter.

19. A camera as set forth in claim 17, wherein said camera comprises a single lens reflex type camera, and a timing of an emission of a first light signal of said at least two light signals coincides with a time, at which a leading shutter curtain of a focal-plane shutter of said single lens reflex type camera reaches an end position thereof.