Systems and methods for changing power states of a remote device using one or more camera body controls and a preset delay

• US 8,571,401 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2009
• 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:
  US13/692,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20130089313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 396/4, 396 56- 58, 396/280, 396/299, 396301-303, 348/370
• US Class Current: 396/56
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/03 Combinations of cameras with lighting apparatus; Flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0557 Multiple units, e.g. slave-unit
• 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 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means

Abstract

A control system for controlling power states of a controlled device, such as a lighting device, a special effects device and an in-scene device, in a photographic image-acquisition setting. The control system is configured to detect one or more camera body signals generated as a function of actuation of one or more camera body controls by a user. The control system generates a first power state change signal in response to the detected camera body signal(s) and transmits the power state change signal to the remote device so as to cause the remote device to operate at a first power state. The control system also implements a preset delay and causes the remote device to change from the first power state to a second power state in response to expiration of the preset delay.

Claims

1. A method of changing power states of a remote lighting device using a camera body, comprising:

detecting at least one first camera body signal that is generated as a function of a user actuation of at least one camera body control;

generating a first power level signal in response to said detecting of the at least one first camera body signal, the first power level signal including data representing a first power output level for the remote lighting device;

wirelessly transmitting the first power level signal so as to cause the remote lighting device to operate at the first power output level;

implementing a preset delay; and

causing the remote lighting device to change from the first power output level to a second non-zero power output level different from the first power output level in response to expiration of the preset delay.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said detecting of the at least one first camera body signal includes detecting a camera body wake signal and said generating of the first power level signal includes generating the first power level signal in response to said detecting of the camera body wake signal.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the camera body has a hotshoe and said detecting of the camera body wake signal includes detecting the camera body wake signal via the hotshoe.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said detecting of the at least one first camera body signal includes detecting a camera body autofocus assist signal and said generating of the first power level signal includes generating the first power level signal in response to said detecting of the camera body autofocus assist signal.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the camera body has a hotshoe and said detecting of the camera body autofocus assist signal includes detecting the camera body autofocus assist signal via the hotshoe.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said detecting of the at least one first camera body signal includes detecting at least one camera body signal that is generated by the camera body in response to a partial pressing of a shutter release control.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said detecting of the at least one first camera body signal includes detecting a camera body wake signal.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein said detecting of the at least one first camera body signal includes detecting a camera body autofocus assist signal.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said detecting of the at least one first camera body signal includes detecting a camera body depth-of-field preview signal and said generating of the first power level signal includes generating the first power level signal in response to said detecting of the camera body depth-of-field preview signal.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the camera body has a hotshoe and said detecting of the camera depth-of-field preview signal includes detecting the camera body depth-of-field preview signal via the hotshoe.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein said detecting of the at least one camera body signal includes detecting at least one camera body signal that is generated by the camera body in response to a user actuation of a depth-of-field preview button.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said implementing the preset delay includes starting a delay timer in response to said detecting of the at least one first camera body signal.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising detecting at least one second camera body signal, wherein said implementing of the preset delay includes setting a delay timer in response to said detecting of the at least one second camera body signal.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said detecting of the at least one second camera body signal includes detecting a camera body sleep signal and said implementing of the preset delay includes setting the delay timer in response to said detecting of the camera body sleep signal.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising transmitting a second power level change setting in response to said detecting of the at least one second camera body signal.

16. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

generating a second power level signal in response to said detecting of the at least one second camera body signal; and

transmitting the second power level signal along with the preset delay in response to said detecting of the at least one second camera body signal.

17. A system for changing power states of a remote lighting device using a camera body, comprising:

a means for detecting at least one first camera body signal that is generated as a function of a user actuation of at least one camera body control;

a means for generating a first power level signal in response to said detecting of the at least one first camera body signal, the first power level signal including data representing a first power output level for the remote lighting device;

a means for wirelessly transmitting the first power level signal so as to cause the remote lighting device to operate at the first power output level;

a means for implementing a preset delay; and

a means for causing the remote lighting device to change from the first power output level to a second non-zero power output level different from the first power output level in response to expiration of the preset delay.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein said means for detecting of the at least one first camera body signal includes a means for detecting a camera body wake signal and said means for generating of the first power level signal includes a means for generating the first power level signal in response to said detecting of the camera body wake signal.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the camera body has a hotshoe and said means for detecting of the camera body wake signal includes a means for detecting the camera body wake signal via the hotshoe.

20. A system according to claim 17, wherein said means for detecting of the at least one first camera body signal includes a means for detecting a camera body autofocus assist signal and said means for generating of the first power level signal includes a means for generating the first power level signal in response to said detecting of the camera body autofocus assist signal.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein the camera body has a hotshoe and said means for detecting of the camera body autofocus assist signal includes a means for detecting the camera body autofocus assist signal via the hotshoe.

22. A system according to claim 17, wherein said means for detecting of the at least one first camera body signal includes a means for detecting at least one camera body signal that is generated by the camera body in response to a partial pressing of a shutter release control.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein said means for detecting of the at least one first camera body signal includes a means for detecting a camera body wake signal.

24. A system according to claim 22, wherein said means for detecting of the at least one first camera body signal includes a means for detecting a camera body autofocus assist signal.

25. A system according to claim 17, wherein said a means for detecting of the at least one first camera body signal includes a means for detecting a camera body depth-of-field preview signal and said means for generating of the first power level signal includes a means for generating the first power level signal in response to said detecting of the camera body depth-of-field preview signal.

26. A system according to claim 25, wherein the camera body has a hotshoe and said means for detecting of the camera depth-of-field preview signal includes a means for detecting the camera body depth-of-field preview signal via the hotshoe.

27. A system according to claim 25, wherein said means for detecting of the at least one camera body signal includes a means for detecting at least one camera body signal that is generated by the camera body in response to a user actuation of a depth-of-field preview button.

28. A system according to claim 17, wherein said means for implementing the preset delay includes a means for starting a delay timer in response to said detecting of the at least one first camera body signal.

29. A system according to claim 17, further comprising a means for detecting at least one second camera body signal, wherein said means for implementing of the preset delay includes a means for setting a delay timer in response to said detecting of the at least one second camera body signal.

30. A system according to claim 29, wherein said means for detecting of the at least one second camera body signal includes a means for detecting a camera body sleep signal and said means for implementing of the preset delay includes a means for setting the delay timer in response to said detecting of the camera body sleep signal.

31. A system according to claim 30, further comprising a means for transmitting a second power level change setting in response to said detecting of the at least one second camera body signal.

32. A system according to claim 29, further comprising:

a means for generating a second power level signal in response to said detecting of the at least one second camera body signal; and

a means for transmitting the second power level signal along with the preset delay in response to said detecting of the at least one second camera body signal.

33. A machine-readable hardware storage medium containing machine-executable instructions for performing a method of changing power states of a remote lighting device using a camera body, the machine-executable instructions comprising:

a set of machine-executable instructions for implementing detection of at least one first camera body signal that is generated as a function of a user actuation of at least one camera body control;

a set of machine-executable instructions for generating a first power level signal in response to the detection of the at least one first camera body signal;

a set of machine-executable instructions for initiating transmitting of the first power level signal so as to cause the remote lighting device to operate at a first power state;

a set of machine-executable instructions for implementing a preset delay; and

a set of machine-executable instructions for causing the remote lighting device to change from the first power state to a second non-zero power state different from the first power state in response to expiration of the preset delay.