Camera cradle apparatus and system therefor

• US 7,853,141 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2006
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kikugawa, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey; W. B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan; Minh Q
• Application Number:
  US11/461,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20070040894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: 396/56, 396/301, 396/429, 348/211.99, 348 2111-2114
• US Class Current: 396/301
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00249 with a photographic apparatus, e.g. a photographic printer or a projector photographic apparatus per se G03B, G03D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0058 Docking-station, cradle or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects

Abstract

A camera cradle apparatus includes an extension connector which connects a camera including a power supply button, a connector which connects an external terminal through a network so as to allow communication, and a control unit which controls a connection state of the connector. At least one of the external terminal and the camera cradle apparatus includes an external power supply button which performs on-off operation of the power supply of the camera. The control unit controls the connection state of the connector in accordance with whether the power supply of the camera is turned on by either the power supply button or the external power supply button.

Claims

1. A camera cradle apparatus comprising:

a first connector which connects a camera including a power supply button;

a second connector which connects an external terminal through a network so as to allow communication; and

a control unit which controls a connection state of said second connector, wherein the camera cradle apparatus includes an external power supply button which performs on-off operation of a power supply of the camera, and

said control unit interrupts data communication through the second connector when the power supply of the camera is turned on by the power supply button, and permits data communication through the second connector when the power supply of the camera is turned on by the external power supply button.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control unit prohibits off operation of the power supply of the camera by the external power supply button when interrupting data communication through the second connector, and permits off operation of the power supply of the camera by the external power supply button when permitting data communication through the second connector.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a receiver which receives a signal from a remote controller so as to allow communication, wherein

the remote controller includes at least one of a first external power supply button and a second external power supply button which performs on-off operation of the power supply of the camera, and

said control unit interrupts data communication through said second connector when the power supply of the camera is turned on by the first external power supply button, and permits data communication through said second connector when the power supply of the camera is turned on by the second external power supply button.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said control unit prohibits off operation of the power supply of the camera by the second external power supply button when interrupting data communication through the second connector, and permits off operation of the power supply of the camera by the second external power supply button when permitting data communication through the second connector.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the external terminal displays an external power supply button thereof on a display unit, and changes a display method for the external power supply button displayed on the display unit or invalidates a function of the external power supply button displayed on the display unit when said control unit permits data communication through the second connector.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control unit interrupts data communication through said second connector when the camera is connected to said first connector while the power supply of the camera is on.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a power supply unit which turns on a power supply of the camera cradle apparatus,

wherein said control unit interrupts data communication through the second connector when the power supply of the camera cradle apparatus is turned on by said power supply unit if the camera is connected to said first connector while the power supply of the camera is on.

8. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the remote controller can communicate with said receiver by using infrared light.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second connector includes a wireless communication means.

10. A cradle system comprising:

a camera cradle apparatus defined in claim 1; and

a camera connected to said first connector.

11. A connection control method for a camera cradle apparatus, comprising steps of:

connecting a camera to a camera cradle apparatus;

connecting an external terminal to the camera cradle apparatus through a network so as to allow communication; and

controlling a connection state between the external terminal and the camera cradle apparatus in accordance with whether the power supply of the camera is turned on by either of a power supply button of the camera, and an external power supply button which performs on-off operation of a power supply of the camera, placed on the camera cradle apparatus

wherein, in the controlling step, data communication between the external terminal and the camera cradle apparatus is interrupted when the power supply of the camera is turned on by the power supply button, and data communication between the external terminal and the camera cradle apparatus is permitted when the power supply of the camera is turned on by the external power supply button.