External photographic wireless TTL communication device and method

• US 8,331,776 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2011
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• 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:
  US13/021,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20110123185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 396/56, 396/180, 396/189
• US Class Current: 396/189
• 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 switching element for selectively disconnecting one or more of the plurality of contacts in one hot shoe connector from a corresponding respective one of the other hot shoe connector.

Claims

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

wirelessly receiving a flash data from a remote lighting device at a wireless communication device connected to a hotshoe connector of a camera;

communicating the flash data from the wireless communication device to the camera via the hot shoe connector;

receiving a command from the camera via the hot shoe connector after said communicating the flash data to the camera, the command including information for synchronizing the remote lighting device to an image acquisition by the camera; and

wirelessly communicating one or more signals to the remote lighting device based on the command for synchronizing the remote lighting device to the image acquisition by the camera.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a request from the camera body for information about a lighting device, wherein said communicating the flash data from the wireless communication device to the camera occurs in response to the request.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said wirelessly receiving a flash data from a remote lighting device occurs at a time prior to receiving a corresponding request from the camera body for information corresponding to the flash data.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing the flash data in a memory of the wireless communication device prior to said communicating the flash data from the wireless communication device to the camera; and

receiving a request from the camera body for information about a lighting device, wherein said communicating the flash data from the wireless communication device to the camera occurs in response to the request and includes the stored flash data.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the camera body for information about a lighting device prior to said wirelessly receiving a flash data from a remote lighting device; and

communicating a signal from the wireless communication device via the hot shoe connector to the camera body instructing the camera to hold off the request.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the camera body for information about a lighting device prior to said wirelessly receiving a flash data from a remote lighting device; and

communicating a stored value flash data from the wireless communication device via the hot shoe connector to the camera body in response to the request.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the stored value flash data includes a value previously retrieved from one or more remote lighting devices.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein the stored value flash data includes a default value sufficient to have the camera continue to communicate data via the hot shoe connector.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an initial data exchange between the camera and the wireless communication device that includes a request for information about a lighting device, the initial data exchange occurring before said wirelessly receiving a flash data from a remote lighting device; and

providing information to the camera body that mimics the presence of a lighting device being directly connected to the hot shoe connector.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the flash data includes a flash data selected from the group consisting of a flash readiness data, a flash tilt indicator data, a flash zone setting data, a model compatibility data, a mode setting, a flash zoom value, and any combinations thereof.

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

receiving an initial data exchange between the camera and a wireless communication device connected to a hotshoe connector of the camera, the initial data exchange including a request for information about a lighting device;

providing information to the camera body that mimics the presence of a lighting device being directly connected to the hot shoe connector;

wirelessly receiving a flash data from a remote lighting device at the wireless communication device;

communicating the flash data from the wireless communication device to the camera via the hot shoe connector;

receiving a command from the camera via the hot shoe connector after said communicating the flash data to the camera, the command including information for synchronizing the remote lighting device to an image acquisition by the camera; and

wirelessly communicating one or more signals to the remote lighting device based on the command for synchronizing the remote lighting device to the image acquisition by the camera.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the said providing information to the camera body that mimics the presence of a lighting device includes providing a default flash data value.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the said providing information to the camera body that mimics the presence of a lighting device includes providing information about one or more remote lighting devices previously retrieved from the one or more remote lighting devices.

14. A system for synchronizing a remote lighting device to image acquisition of a camera, the system comprising:

a means for wirelessly receiving a flash data from a remote lighting device at a wireless communication device connected to a hotshoe connector of a camera;

a means for communicating the flash data from the wireless communication device to the camera via the hot shoe connector;

a means for receiving a command from the camera via the hot shoe connector after said communicating the flash data to the camera, the command including information for synchronizing the remote lighting device to an image acquisition by the camera; and

a means for wirelessly communicating one or more signals to the remote lighting device based on the command for synchronizing the remote lighting device to the image acquisition by the camera.

15. A system according to claim 14, further comprising a means for receiving a request from the camera body for information about a lighting device, wherein said communicating the flash data from the wireless communication device to the camera occurs in response to the request.

16. A system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a means for storing the flash data prior to said communicating the flash data from the wireless communication device to the camera; and

a means for receiving a request from the camera body for information about a lighting device, wherein said communicating the flash data from the wireless communication device to the camera occurs in response to the request and includes the stored flash data.

17. A system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a means for receiving a request from the camera body for information about a lighting device prior to said wirelessly receiving a flash data from a remote lighting device; and

a means for communicating a signal from the wireless communication device via the hot shoe connector to the camera body instructing the camera to hold off the request.

18. A system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a means for receiving a request from the camera body for information about a lighting device prior to said wirelessly receiving a flash data from a remote lighting device; and

a means for communicating a stored value flash data from the wireless communication device via the hot shoe connector to the camera body in response to the request.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the stored value flash data includes a value previously retrieved from one or more remote lighting devices.

20. A system according to claim 18, wherein the stored value flash data includes a default value sufficient to have the camera continue to communicate data via the hot shoe connector.

21. A system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a means for receiving an initial data exchange between the camera and the wireless communication device that includes a request for information about a lighting device, the initial data exchange occurring before said wirelessly receiving a flash data from a remote lighting device; and

a means for providing information to the camera body that mimics the presence of a lighting device being directly connected to the hot shoe connector.