Accessory for a camera body and a camera body with detection and initiation of the status of attached accessories

• US 7,500,796 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2003
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hasselblad A/S (Hasselblad AB)
• Original Assignee: Victor Hasselblad AB (Hasselblad AB)
• Inventors: Haraldsson, Roland, Lundgren, Stefan, Killander, Tommy
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey; W. B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fenwick; Warren K
• Application Number:
  US10/527,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20060034606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,010 Days
• Field of Search: 396/529
• US Class Current: 396/529
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/14 interchangeably
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/26 Power supplies; Circuitry or arrangement to switch on the power source; Circuitry to check the power source voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/663 for controlling interchangeable camera parts based on electronic image sensor signals

Abstract

The invention relates to a camera body (CB) for still photography that comprises attachment facilities for a number of different accessories (ACC), which camera body further comprises a control unit for controlling functions in the camera body and in accessories attached to the camera body. The control unit communicates with the various accessories via a data bus, and, for at least one of the attachment facilities for accessories, in addition to the data bus, the camera body comprises separate means for communication (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) for detecting accessories that are attached or removed, which means for communication can also be used by the control unit in the camera body to initiate a change in the system status of an attached accessory. The invention also relates to an accessory for such a camera body.

Claims

1. A camera body for still photography comprising an attachment site for electronically coupling with an accessory;

a control unit for controlling functions of the camera body and of the accessory, the camera body having at least two different system states;

first communication means being a data bus for communicating between the camera body and the accessory; and

second communication means being a separate connection comprising an interface circuit for automatic detection of the attachment or removal of the accessory, the control unit of the camera body adapted for changing the system state through the second communication means, wherein the system state for the camera body is not altered during the automatic detection of the attachment or removal of the accessory, and

wherein the accessory has a separate output that is changed to a low output state when the accessory has gone through its internal start-up routine and wherein the automatic detection of the attachment or removal of the accessory is done regardless of the system state of the camera body.

2. A camera body for still photography comprising an attachment site for electronically coupling with an accessory;

a control unit for controlling functions of the camera body and of the accessory, the camera body having at least two different system states;

first communication means being a data bus for communicating between the camera body and the accessory; and

second communication means being a separate connection comprising an interface circuit for automatic detection of the attachment or removal of the accessory, the control unit of the camera body adapted for changing the system state through the second communication means, wherein the system state for the camera body is not altered during the automatic detection of the attachment or removal of the accessory, and

wherein the two system states include an off state and an on state, and wherein the automatic detection of the attachment or removal of the accessory is done regardless of the system state of the camera body.