IMAGING DEVICE AN ASSOCIATED METHODOLOGY FOR ESTABLISHING A WI-FI CONNECTION WITH ANOTHER DEVICE

• US 20150049206A1
• Filed: 02/18/2014
• Published: 02/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: ESHITA, Shiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,723,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• 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 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/663 for controlling interchangeable camera parts based on electronic image sensor signals

Abstract

An imaging device includes a non-contact communication unit and a control unit. The non-contact communication unit performs non-contact communication with an external device. The control unit controls turning ON/OFF power and an imaging preparation operation of the imaging device. The control unit performs control of turning ON power of the imaging device when detecting a polling command which is transmitted from the external device by the non-contact communication, of transmitting connection information regarding wireless communication connection with the external device to the external device after the power is turned ON, and of performing the imaging preparation operation when transmission of the connection information is completed.

Claims

1. An imaging device comprising:

a non-contact communication circuit that performs non-contact communication with an external device; and

a control circuit that controls turning ON/OFF power and an imaging preparation operation of the imaging device,

wherein the control circuit performs control of turning ON the power of the imaging device in response to detecting a polling command which is transmitted from the external device by the non-contact communication, of transmitting connection information regarding wireless communication connection with the external device to the external device after the power is turned ON, and of performing the imaging preparation operation after transmission of the connection information is completed.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein when the transmission of the connection information is not completed within a predetermined time after the power of the imaging device is turned ON, the control circuit performs control of turning OFF the power of the imaging device.

3. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit performs control of transmitting information for designating an application to be started in the external device together with the connection information.

4. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein when an operation of a power button by a user is detected, the control circuit performs control of turning ON the power of the imaging device and of performing the imaging preparation operation after turning ON the power.

5. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging preparation operation is an operation to change an appearance of the imaging device or an indication to a user of a start-up of the imaging device.

6. The imaging device according to claim 5, wherein the imaging preparation to change in the appearance of the imaging device is a driving operation of a collapsible lens.

7. The imaging device according to claim 5, wherein the imaging preparation operation that indicates the start-up of the imaging device includes a reproduction operation of start-up sound.

8. The imaging device according to claim 5, wherein the imaging preparation operation that indicates the start-up of the imaging device includes a light emission operation of a power lamp.

9. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the non-contact communication is NFC communication.

10. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication is Wi-Fi communication.

13. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein when the control circuit turns ON the power of the imaging device, but does not detect the polling command, the control circuit does not perform the imaging preparation operation.

11. A control method comprising:

detecting a polling command which is transmitted from an external device by non-contact communication;

performing control of turning ON power of an imaging device in response to detection of the polling command;

transmitting connection information regarding wireless communication connection with the external device to the external device after the power of the imaging device is turned ON; and

controlling a processor so as to perform an imaging preparation operation after transmission of the connection information is completed.

14. The control method according to claim 11, wherein in the turning ON the power step, the imaging preparation operation is not performed when the polling command is not detected.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer-readable instructions thereon, the computer-readable instruction when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

performing non-contact communication with an external device; and

controlling turning ON/OFF power and an imaging preparation operation of an imaging device;

turning ON power of the imaging device in response to when detecting a polling command which is transmitted from the external device by the non-contact communication;

transmitting connection information regarding wireless communication connection with the external device to the external device after the power is turned ON; and

performing the imaging preparation operation after transmission of the connection information is completed.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 12, wherein in the turning ON the power step, the imaging preparation operation is not performed when the polling command is not detected.