External photographic wireless communication device and method

• US 8,326,140 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2011
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LAB Partners Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: LAB Partners Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Clark, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laballe, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rhodes, Jr., Leon W
• Application Number:
  US13/253,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20120027395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 396/182, 396/205, 396/198
• US Class Current: 396/182
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/566 Accessory clips, holders, shoes to attach accessories to camera if integral part of camera body G03B17/02
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/056 Connection with camera, e.g. adapter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

An external photographic wireless communication device for connection to a camera body having a hot shoe connector for connecting to the camera body and a hot shoe connector for connecting to one or more accessory devices. Each of the hot shoe connectors includes a plurality of contacts. The device includes a tapping connection from a synchronization connector between the two hot shoe connectors and a processing element.

Claims

1. An external photographic wireless communication device for connection to a camera body, the device comprising:

a first hot shoe connector configured to connect to a camera hot shoe connector of the camera body, the first hot shoe connector including a first synchronization contact and a first set of one or more additional contacts;

a second hot shoe connector configured to connect to one or more accessory devices, the second hot shoe connector including a second synchronization contact and a second set of one or more additional contacts;

a first wired connection between said first synchronization contact and said second synchronization contact;

an additional wired connection between each contact of said first set and said second set;

a processing element;

a tapping connection between said first wired connection and said processing element for tapping one or more synchronization signals being carried by said first wired connection without preventing the one or more synchronization signals from being delivered to the second synchronization contact and delivering the tapped synchronization signal to said processing element; and

a wireless communication circuitry in electrical communication with said processing element for wirelessly communicating one or more signals based on said one or more synchronization signals to one or more remote devices.

2. An external photographic wireless communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a data connection between at least one said additional wired connection and said processing element.

3. An external photographic wireless communication device according to claim 1, further comprising an antenna internal to the wireless communication device.

4. An external photographic wireless communication device according to claim 1, further comprising an antenna external to the wireless communication device.

5. An external photographic wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein said first set, said second set, and said additional wired connection between each contact of said first set and said second set are configured to provide serial data communication between the camera body and an accessory device connected to said second hot shoe connector.

6. An external photographic wireless communication device according to claim 5, wherein said serial data communication includes a data communication that is part of a TTL lighting control.

7. An external photographic wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein said first set, said second set, and said additional wired connection between each contact of said first set and said second set are configured to provide serial data communication from a flash lighting device connected to said second hot shoe connector and the camera body to allow the camera body to continue serial data communication via said additional wired connection in response to one or more requests from the camera for information from a flash lighting device.

8. An external photographic wireless communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a switching element in line with one or more switched electrical connections selected from the group consisting of one or more of said additional wired connections, said first wired connection, and any combinations thereof, said switching element configured to selectively disconnect said one or more switched electrical connections between said first hot shoe connector and said second hot shoe connector.

9. A system for photographic wireless communication from a camera body to one or more remote devices, the system comprising:

an external photographic wireless transmitter device including;

a first hot shoe connector configured to connect to a camera hot shoe connector of the camera body, the first hot shoe connector including a first synchronization contact and a first set of one or more additional contacts;

a second hot shoe connector configured to connect to one or more accessory devices, the second hot shoe connector including a second synchronization contact and a second set of one or more additional contacts;

a first wired connection between said first synchronization contact and said second synchronization contact;

an additional wired connection between each contact of said first set and said second set;

a first processing element;

a tapping connection between said first wired connection and said first processing element for tapping one or more synchronization signals being carried by said first wired connection without preventing the one or more synchronization signals from being delivered to the second synchronization contact and delivering the tapped synchronization signal to said processing element; and

a first wireless communication circuitry in electrical communication with said first processing element for wirelessly communicating one or more wireless signals based on said one or more synchronization signals to one or more remote devices; and

an external photographic wireless receiver device including;

a second wireless communication circuitry configured to receive said one or more wireless signals;

a third hot shoe connector configured to connect to one or more lighting devices, the third hot shoe connector including a third synchronization contact; and

a second processing element in electrical communication with said second wireless communication circuitry and said third hot shoe connector for delivering a lighting synchronization signal to said third synchronization contact based on said one or more wireless signals.

10. A system according to claim 9, further comprising a data connection between at least one said additional wired connection and said first processing element.

11. A system according to claim 9, further comprising an antenna internal to the external photographic wireless transmitter device.

12. A system according to claim 9, further comprising an antenna external to the external photographic wireless transmitter device.

13. A system according to claim 9, wherein said first set, said second set, and said additional wired connection between each contact of said first set and said second set are configured to provide serial data communication between the camera body and an accessory device connected to said second hot shoe connector.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein said serial data communication includes a data communication that is part of a TTL lighting control.

15. A system according to claim 9, wherein said first set, said second set, and said additional wired connection between each contact of said first set and said second set are configured to provide serial data communication from a flash lighting device connected to said second hot shoe connector and the camera body to allow the camera body to continue serial data communication via said additional wired connection in response to one or more requests from the camera for information from a flash lighting device.

16. A system according to claim 9, further comprising a switching element in line with one or more switched electrical connections selected from the group consisting of one or more of said additional wired connections, said first wired connection, and any combinations thereof, said switching element configured to selectively disconnect said one or more switched electrical connections between said first hot shoe connector and said second hot shoe connector.

17. A method of synchronizing a remote device to image acquisition of a camera, the method comprising:

receiving via a camera synchronization contact of a camera hot shoe connector of a camera body a first synchronization signal using a first synchronization contact of a first hot shoe connector of an external photographic wireless device connected to the camera hot shoe connector via the first hot shoe connector, the first hot shoe connector including a first set of one or more additional contacts;

allowing the first synchronization signal to pass to a second synchronization contact of a second hot shoe connector of the external photographic wireless device via a first wired connection between the first synchronization contact and the second synchronization contact, the second hot shoe connector including a second set of one or more additional contacts, each contact of the first set being connected to a corresponding one contact of the second set via an additional wired connection;

tapping the first synchronization signal from the first wired connection to a processing element of the external photographic wireless device without preventing the first synchronization signal from passing to the second synchronization contact; and

wirelessly communicating one or more signals to the remote device based on the first synchronization signal using the processing element and a wireless communication circuitry of the external photographic wireless device.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

receiving from the camera at the processing element one or more data communications via one or more of the first set of one or more additional contacts, the one or more data communications including information related to TTL lighting control; and

wirelessly communicating one or more signals to the remote device based on the one or more data communications using the processing element and the wireless communication circuitry.

19. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

providing serial data communication from one or more of the second set of one or more additional contacts to the camera via one or more of the first set of one or more additional contacts; and

continuing to receive additional serial data communication from the camera via one or more of the first set of one or more additional contacts in response to said providing serial data communications.

20. A method according to claim 17, further comprising selectively disconnecting communication from said first hot shoe connector to said second hot shoe connector via one or more switched electrical connections selected from the group consisting of one or more of said additional wired connections, said first wired connection, and any combinations thereof.