TTL photographic wireless communication system and method

• US 8,526,808 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2012
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• 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:
  US13/708,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20130100340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 270 Days
• Field of Search: 396/56, 396/157, 396/189
• US Class Current: 396/157
• 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

A system and method for synchronizing a remote lighting device to a camera using a hot shoe connection and a wireless communication device connected via the hot shoe connector. The wireless communication device receives a request for flash data from the camera via the hot shoe connector. The wireless communication device responds to the request with response data that mocks information that a photographic lighting device would provide if the photographic lighting device were connected to the hot shoe connector, such that the camera continues to provide TTL data via the hot shoe connector to the wireless communication device.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing a remote lighting device to image acquisition of a camera, the camera having a hot shoe connector with a wireless communication device connected thereto, wherein the wireless communication device is not a photographic lighting device and a photographic lighting device is not directly connected to the hot shoe connector of the camera, the method comprising:

receiving a first request for flash data from the camera at the wireless communication device via the hot shoe connector of the camera;

responding to the first request for flash data with response data that mocks information that a photographic lighting device would provide if the photographic lighting device were connected to the hot shoe connector, such that the camera continues to provide TTL data via the hot shoe connector to the wireless communication device;

receiving a synchronization signal at the wireless communication device via the hot shoe connector of the camera;

wirelessly communicating TTL information from the wireless communication device to a remote photographic lighting device, the remote photographic lighting device including an internal wireless communication functionality, the TTL information being based on the TTL data from the camera body;

wirelessly communicating a remote synchronization signal from the wireless communication device to the remote photographic lighting device; and

synchronizing the remote photographic lighting device to an image acquisition by the camera using the remote synchronization signal and the TTL information.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said wirelessly communicating TTL information occurs prior to said receiving a synchronization signal at the wireless communication device.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said wirelessly communicating TTL information includes wirelessly communicating TTL pre-flash information.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said wirelessly communicating TTL information includes wirelessly communicating information related to an amount of light to be emitted by the remote photographic lighting device for a TTL main flash exposure.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a wireless communication of data from the remote photographic lighting device at the wireless communication device prior to said receiving a first request for flash data.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the wireless communication of data from the remote photographic lighting device includes wireless communication of actual flash information about the remote photographic lighting device and wherein the response data includes the actual flash information.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the camera hot shoe connector includes a plurality of data pin connectors and wherein said receiving from the camera a first request and said responding to the first request occur in a full duplex communication across at least two of the plurality of data pin connectors.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is a non-light emitting device.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device includes a radio frequency transceiver.

10. A method of synchronizing a remote lighting device to image acquisition of a camera, the camera having a hot shoe connector with a wireless communication device connected thereto, wherein the wireless communication device is not a photographic lighting device and a photographic lighting device is not directly connected to the hot shoe connector of the camera, the method comprising:

receiving a wireless communication of data from a remote photographic lighting device at the wireless communication device;

receiving a first request for flash data from the camera at the wireless communication device via the hot shoe connector of the camera;

responding to the first request for flash data with response data that mocks information that a photographic lighting device would provide if the photographic lighting device were connected to the hot shoe connector, such that the camera continues to provide TTL data via the hot shoe connector to the wireless communication device;

receiving a synchronization signal at the wireless communication device via the hot shoe connector of the camera;

wirelessly communicating TTL information from the wireless communication device to the remote photographic lighting device, the remote photographic lighting device including an internal wireless communication functionality, the TTL information being based on the TTL data from the camera body;

wirelessly communicating a remote synchronization signal from the wireless communication device to the remote photographic lighting device; and

synchronizing the remote photographic lighting device to an image acquisition by the camera using the remote synchronization signal and the TTL information.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said wirelessly communicating TTL information occurs prior to said receiving a synchronization signal at the wireless communication device.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein said wirelessly communicating TTL information includes wirelessly communicating TTL pre-flash information.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein said wirelessly communicating TTL information includes wirelessly communicating information related to an amount of light to be emitted by the remote photographic lighting device for a TTL main flash exposure.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein the wireless communication of data from the remote photographic lighting device includes wireless communication of actual flash information about the remote photographic lighting device and wherein the response data includes the actual flash information.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein the camera hot shoe connector includes a plurality of data pin connectors and wherein said receiving from the camera a first request and said responding to the first request occur in a full duplex communication across at least two of the plurality of data pin connectors.

16. A method according to claim 10, wherein the wireless communication device is a non-light emitting device.

17. A method according to claim 10, wherein the wireless communication device includes a radio frequency transceiver.

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

a camera having a first hot shoe connector;

a remote lighting device including a first wireless communication functionality internal to said remote lighting device; and

a photographic wireless communication device including;

a second hot shoe connector configured to connect to the first hot shoe connector;

a second wireless communication functionality; and

a processing element, said processing element and photographic wireless communication device configured to receive one or more data requests from said camera via the second hot shoe connector when the second hot shoe connector is connected to the first hot shoe connector, and to respond to the one or more data requests with response information that mocks information that a flash device would provide if the flash device were connected to the first hot shoe connector instead of said photographic wireless communication device, such that in response to the response information said camera continues to provide TTL data via the first hot shoe to said photographic wireless communication device.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the first and second hot shoe connectors each include a plurality of data pin connectors configured for a full duplex communication such that as the photographic wireless communication device receives the one or more data requests via a first set of one or more of the plurality of data pin connectors, the photographic wireless communication device responds with response information via a second set of one or more of the plurality of data pin connectors.

20. A system according to claim 18, wherein the first wireless communication functionality is configured to receive TTL information from the second wireless communication functionality, the TTL information being based on the TTL data from the camera, and wherein the first wireless communication functionality is configured to receive a remote synchronization signal from the second wireless communication functionality.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein the TTL information includes TTL pre-flash information.

22. A system according to claim 20, wherein the TTL information includes information related to an amount of light to be emitted by the remote photographic lighting device for a TTL main flash exposure.

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

a third hot shoe connector positioned on the photographic wireless communication device; and

one or more wired connections between said second hot shoe connector and said third hot shoe connector.

24. A system according to claim 23, further comprising at least one of:

a tapping connection between at least one of the one or more wired connections and said processing element for tapping one or more signals being carried by the at least one of the one or more wired connections without preventing the one or more signals from being delivered to said third hot shoe connector; and

a switching element positioned in line with at least one of the one or more wired connections for selectively disconnecting the at least one of the one or more wired connections between said second hot shoe connector and said third hot shoe connector.

25. A system according to claim 18, wherein the second wireless communication functionality includes a radio frequency transceiver.

26. A system according to claim 18, wherein the photographic wireless communication device is a non-light-emitting device.