External photographic wireless communication device

• US 9,602,707 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2016
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• 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:
  US14/987,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20160119524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 396/182
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 and related systems including 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. The device includes a processor. The processor is connected to one or more of the contacts of the camera side hot shoe connector and to one or more of the contacts of the accessory side hot shoe connectors without the same contacts being directly connected to each other. The processor controls communication over the connections between the contacts.

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 the camera body, the first hot shoe connector including a first set of contacts, the first set of contacts including a first synchronization contact and at least one additional first hot shoe contact;

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

a processor;

one or more first connections, each of the one or more first connections connecting a contact of the first set of contacts to the processor without an additional connection between the contact of the first set of contacts and a corresponding contact of the second hot shoe connector;

one or more second connections, each of the one or more second connections connecting a contact of the second set of contacts to the processor without an additional connection between the contact of the second set of contacts and a corresponding contact of the first hot shoe connector, the processor controlling communication over the one or more first connections and the one or more second connections; and

a wireless communication circuitry in electrical communication with the processor, the wireless communication circuitry for wirelessly communicating one or more signals to one or more remote devices, the one or more signals including a signal determined from information received via at least one of the one or more first connections.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein at least one contact of the first hot shoe connector is connected via a direct connection to a corresponding contact of the second hot shoe connector.

3. A device according to claim 2, further comprising a tapping connection between the direct connection and the processor.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more first connections includes a connection of one of the at least one additional first hot shoe contact to the processor, the processor being configured to control data communication between the one of the at least one additional first hot shoe contact and an accessory device connected to the second hot shoe connector.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more first connections includes a connection of the first synchronization contact to the processor, the processor being configured to control synchronization of an accessory device connected to the second hot shoe connector.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the processor controls intelligence related to determining which data elements to update in communications to an accessory device connected to the second hot shoe connector and/or to a remote device.

7. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a memory element including one or more instructions for monitoring electrical communications from said first hot shoe connector to determine an operating condition of the camera.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the processor controls the communication of data related to a TTL photographic acquisition by the camera body, the communication of the data related to a TTL photographic acquisition being via the one or more second connections to an accessory device connected to the second hot shoe connector.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the processor controls the communication of data related to a TTL photographic acquisition by the camera body, the communication of the data related to a TTL photographic acquisition being via the one or more second connections to an accessory device connected to the second hot shoe connector and wherein the processor controls wireless communication of information corresponding to the TTL photographic acquisition to a remote device.

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

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

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

a processor connected in line with at least one connection between one contact of the first set of contacts and a corresponding contact of the second set of contacts without a direct connection of the one contact of the first set of contacts and the corresponding contact of the second set of contacts; and

a wireless communication circuitry for wirelessly communicating one or more signals determined from information received from the one contact of the first set of contacts, the one or more signals wirelessly communicated to one or more remote devices, the processor controlling communication of data related to a TTL photographic acquisition by the camera body to an accessory device connected to the second hot shoe connector and the processor controlling wireless communication of information corresponding to the TTL photographic acquisition to at least one of the one or more remote devices.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein at least one contact of the first hot shoe connector is connected via a direct connection to a corresponding contact of the second hot shoe connector, the device further comprising a tapping connection between the direct connection and the processor.

12. A device according to claim 10, wherein the one or more first connections includes a connection of one of the at least one additional first hot shoe contact to the processor, the processor being configured to control data communication between the one of the at least one additional first hot shoe contact and an accessory device connected to the second hot shoe connector.

13. A device according to claim 10, wherein the one or more first connections includes a connection of the first synchronization contact to the processor, the processor being configured to control synchronization of an accessory device connected to the second hot shoe connector.

14. A device according to claim 10, wherein the processor controls intelligence related to determining which data elements to update in communications to an accessory device connected to the second hot shoe connector and/or to a remote device.

15. A device according to claim 10, further comprising a memory element including one or more instructions for monitoring electrical communications from said first hot shoe connector to determine an operating condition of the camera.

16. 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 the camera body, the first hot shoe connector including a first set of contacts, the first set of contacts including a first synchronization contact and at least one additional first hot shoe contact;

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

a first processing element;

one or more first connections, each of the one or more first connections connecting a contact of the first set of contacts to the first processing element without an additional connection between the contact of the first set of contacts and a corresponding contact of the second hot shoe connector;

one or more second connections, each of the one or more second connections connecting a contact of the second set of contacts to the first processing element without an additional connection between the contact of the second set of contacts and a corresponding contact of the first hot shoe connector, the first processing element controlling communication over the one or more first connections and the one or more second connections; and

a first wireless communication circuitry in electrical communication with the first processing element, the first wireless communication circuitry for wirelessly communicating one or more signals to one or more remote devices, the one or more signals including a signal determined from information received via at least one of the one or more first connections; and

a photographic wireless receiver device including;

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

a connection to one or more lighting devices; and

a second processing element in electrical communication with the second wireless communication circuitry and the connection to one or more remote lighting devices for controlling the one or more lighting devices based on the one or more signals.

17. A device according to claim 16, wherein at least one contact of the first hot shoe connector is connected via a direct connection to a corresponding contact of the second hot shoe connector, the device further comprising a tapping connection between the direct connection and the processor.

18. A device according to claim 16, wherein the one or more first connections includes a connection of one of the at least one additional first hot shoe contact to the processor, the processor being configured to control data communication between the one of the at least one additional first hot shoe contact and an accessory device connected to the second hot shoe connector.

19. A device according to claim 16, wherein the one or more first connections includes a connection of the first synchronization contact to the processor, the processor being configured to control synchronization of an accessory device connected to the second hot shoe connector.