Imaging system

• US 8,745,609 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2010
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Oka, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAVIS, JOHN Q
• Application Number:
  US12/960,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20110145804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 717/168
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/14 interchangeably
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/617 Upgrading or updating of programs or applications for camera control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/663 for controlling interchangeable camera parts based on electronic image sensor signals

Abstract

An imaging system has a lens unit including an imaging device which converts an optical image representing an object into image data by an imaging unit, a main body unit which holds the lens unit in such a manner that the lens unit is attachable to and detachable from the main body unit and a controller configured, by use of an integrated firmware in which one or a plurality of firmwares of the lens unit and one or a plurality of firmwares of the main body unit are integrated, to exchange the integrated firmware between the lens unit and the main body unit via a communication device, and to upgrade one of the firmwares with a corresponding firmware in the integrated firmware.

Claims

1. An imaging system, comprising:

a lens unit including an imaging device which converts an optical image representing an object into image data by an imaging unit;

a main body unit which holds the lens unit in such a manner that the lens unit is attachable to and detachable from the main body unit; and

a controller configured

to exchange an integrated firmware between the lens unit and the main body unit via a communication device, the integrated firmware integrating at least one firmware of the lens unit and at least one firmware of the main body unit,

compare, via a compatibility table included in the integrated firmware, a version number held in unit information exchanged between the lens unit and the main body unit to an upper and lower limit of a version number of a unit corresponding to the unit information, and

to upgrade, in response to at least one of the version number being lower than the lower limit and the version number being higher than the upper limit, at least one of the firmwares of the lens unit or main body unit with a corresponding firmware in the integrated firmware to obtain a compatible combination of firmware of the main body unit and lens unit.

2. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to upgrade the firmware according to firmware-upgrade possibility information added to unit information exchanged between the lens unit and the main body unit.

3. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein, the controller is configured to display an execution result on a display device according to information on a result of execution in which the firmware is upgraded, the information being exchanged between the lens unit and the main body unit.

4. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to upgrade the firmware of both of the lens unit and the main body unit, and to upgrade simultaneously respectively a corresponding firmware in the integrated firmware.

5. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to compare version information of an integrated firmware stored in a storage of the lens unit with version information on an integrated firmware stored in a storage of the main body unit, and to upgrade the integrated firmware according to the result of comparing the version information.

6. The imaging system according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to compare the version information on the integrated firmware stored in the storage of the main body unit with version information on an integrated firmware stored in an external storage instead of the lens unit.

7. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to display a determined result on whether or not to perform the upgrade on a display device.

8. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to display, according to the determined result, a screen on a display device so that a user is able to select whether or not to perform the upgrade.

9. The imaging system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a device configured to register information which enables specification of each unit in the unit information exchanged between the lens unit and the main body unit, wherein

the registered information is displayed on a display device at the time of upgrading a firmware.

10. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where the integrated firmware includes firmwares corresponding to a plurality of lens units, a message to prompt changing of the lens unit is displayed on a display device after the upgrade so that the firmwares of the plurality of lens units are upgraded in turn.

11. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where the integrated firmware includes firmwares corresponding to a plurality of main body units, a message to prompt changing of the main body unit is displayed on a display device after the upgrade so that the firmwares of the plurality of main body units are upgraded in turn.

12. An imaging method for an imaging system having a lens unit and main body unit, the method comprising:

converting via the lens unit an optical image representing an object into image data;

holding, at the main body unit, the lens unit in such a manner that the lens unit is attachable to and detachable from the main body unit;

exchanging an integrated firmware between the lens unit and the main body unit via a communication device, the integrated firmware integrating at least one firmware of the lens unit and at least one firmware of the main body unit;

comparing, via a compatibility table included in the integrated firmware, a version number held in unit information exchanged between the lens unit and the main body unit to an upper and lower limit of a version number of a unit corresponding to the unit information, and

upgrading, in response to at least one of the version number being lower than the lower limit and the version number being higher than the upper limit, at least one of the firmwares of the lens unit or main body unit with a corresponding firmware in the integrated firmware to obtain a compatible combination of firmware of the main body unit and lens unit.