JP5327005B2 - Camera system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a camera system, and more particularly to a camera system having a configuration in which a camera body can be connected to a personal computer and a lens unit is detachable from the camera body.

  Conventionally, a camera system has been known in which a digital camera is connected to a personal computer using a USB cable, and image data captured by the digital camera can be transmitted to the personal computer via the USB cable and displayed on a personal computer display screen. ing.

  In such a camera system, the camera control communication protocol is declared to the personal computer from the camera body when the digital camera is in the shooting mode, and the mass storage class communication protocol is declared to the personal computer when in the playback mode. A camera system has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the camera system of Patent Document 1, when a camera is connected to a computer, a communication protocol between the camera and the computer is selected according to the camera mode.

  Conventionally, there has been known a camera system in which a lens unit is detachable from a main unit. In such a camera system, a camera system has been proposed in which an external unit other than the lens unit, such as a printer, a liquid crystal projector, or a data converter, can be connected to the main unit (see, for example, Patent Document 2). In the camera system of Patent Document 2, when a lens unit is attached to the main unit, a shooting mode or a playback mode is selected, and when an external unit other than the lens unit is attached to the main unit, the external unit of the external unit is selected. Various processes can be performed according to the function.

  However, in any of the above prior arts, the idea of connecting a main unit with an external unit other than a lens unit and a personal computer is not disclosed. When the main unit is connected to a personal computer, it is necessary to change the communication protocol between the main unit and the personal computer according to the type of external unit mounted on the main unit. In this case, the user has to manually reset the communication protocol for the main unit according to the type of the external unit mounted on the main unit.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a camera system capable of automatically changing a communication protocol between a main unit and a personal computer according to the function of the external unit in a system in which an external unit other than an interchangeable lens can be connected to the main unit. It is to provide.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 is detachably mounted with a storage means for storing image data output from the image sensor, a display means for displaying the image data, and an external unit. A lens unit having a body unit having a mounting unit and an interface connected to the information processing apparatus, and having an optical lens as the external unit and an image sensor for imaging subject light transmitted through the optical lens and outputting the image as image data A camera system that can be mounted on the mounting unit, wherein the main unit holds the communication protocol of the external unit, and when one of the external units is mounted on the mounting unit of the main unit, the external unit To automatically select a communication protocol that supports the communication between the main unit and the information processing device. It is a symptom.

  According to the above configuration, the communication protocol corresponding to the external unit attached to the main unit is automatically selected, and communication is performed between the main unit and the information processing apparatus using the communication protocol.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the external unit has a capability value for exchanging unit information between the external unit and the main unit, and the main unit is mounted on the mounting unit. When an external unit is attached to the unit, a communication protocol corresponding to the attached external unit is determined based on the capability value transmitted from the external unit.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, a communication protocol used between the main unit and the information processing apparatus is preset for the case where the external unit is attached to the attachment portion and the case where the external unit is not attached. It is characterized by being.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, the external unit is a hard disk unit, a printer unit, a scanner unit, a projector unit, or a wireless waterproof camera unit in addition to the lens unit. It is characterized by that.

  Claims 5 to 7 are inventions related to the main unit of the camera system. That is, the invention according to claim 5 is a main body unit having a mounting portion on which a lens unit of a camera is detachably mounted and an interface connected to the information processing apparatus, the imaging unit provided in the lens unit A storage unit that stores image data output from the element; and a display unit that displays the image data. The mounting unit can be mounted with various external units instead of the lens unit. The communication protocol of the external unit including the unit is stored, and when one of the external units is mounted on the mounting unit, the communication protocol corresponding to the external unit is automatically selected, and the information processing apparatus It is characterized by communicating between.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect, the external unit has an ability value for exchanging unit information with the external unit mounted on the mounting portion. When a unit is mounted, a communication protocol corresponding to the mounted external unit is determined based on the capability value transmitted from the external unit.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, a communication protocol to be used with the information processing apparatus is preset for the case where the external unit is attached to the attachment portion and the case where the external unit is not attached to the attachment portion. It is characterized by that.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a camera system that can automatically change the communication protocol between the main unit and the personal computer in accordance with the function of the external unit including the lens unit.

1 shows a camera system according to the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view of a camera system to which a lens unit of a single focus lens is attached, and (b) is a perspective view of the camera system to which a lens unit equipped with an optical zoom is attached. FIG. It is a whole block diagram of a lens unit and a main-body unit. It is a block diagram of the lens unit by another example. It is a block diagram of the lens unit by another example. It is a perspective view of the camera system with which a hard disk unit is mounted as an external unit. It is a perspective view of a camera system to which a printer unit or a scanner unit is mounted as an external unit. It is a perspective view of the camera system with which a projector unit is mounted as an external unit. It is a perspective view of the camera system with which a wireless waterproof camera unit is mounted as an external unit. It is a block diagram of a hard disk unit, a printer unit, a scanner unit, a projector unit, or a wireless waterproof camera unit. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a camera system according to the present invention. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the camera system according to the present invention. FIG. 4A shows an example of unit information. FIG. 4A is a diagram showing unit information when the external unit is a printer unit, and FIG. 4B is a diagram showing unit information when the external unit is a lens unit. It is a sequence diagram which shows the process of step S11 and step S12 in FIG. It is a figure which shows a communication protocol selection screen.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Example 1
FIG. 1 shows an example of a camera system according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the camera system 3 includes a main body unit 2 that is a camera main body and a lens unit 1 (or 1 ′) that is detachably attached to a mounting portion 2 </ b> A of the main body unit 2. In the camera system 3, the main body unit 2 and the lens unit 1 (or 1 ') are integrated to exhibit a function as an imaging device. The lens unit is appropriately selected from various types by a user and is mounted on the mounting portion 2A of the main unit 2. For example, the lens unit 1 (single focus lens (a)) of a single focus lens, There is a lens unit 1 ′ (FIG. 5B) equipped with an optical zoom.

  Next, the functional configuration of the camera system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing functional blocks of the main body unit 2 and the lens unit 1 of the single focus lens constituting the camera system 3 according to the present invention.

  In FIG. 2, a lens unit section 100 showing functional blocks of the lens unit 1 converts a lens group 101 including a focus lens and a subject image received through the lens group 101 from an optical signal to an electrical signal and outputs the converted signal. An image sensor 102, an AFE (analog front end) 103 that converts a signal (analog image data) output from the image sensor 102 into digital image data and amplifies the signal, and YUV data for the converted digital image data And a CPU 104 that is a so-called image engine that performs predetermined image processing such as conversion processing to JPEG format, JPEG compression processing, and RAW data generation processing.

  The lens unit 100 also has a joint connector 105 that forms an inter-unit interface that is electrically connected to the main unit 2, and a bidirectional bus 106 that transmits image data to the main unit 2 via the joint connector 105. , Control signal 107, serial interface signal 108, and SDIO signal 109 are provided for signal lines.

  In addition, the lens unit section 100 includes a motor driver 111 that controls a motor 110 used for extending and storing the lens barrel of the lens group 101. The motor driver 111 is controlled by a control signal 107 received from the main unit 2. With this mechanism, depending on the type of the interchangeable lens, various operation controls such as storing the lens barrel when the power of the camera system 3 is turned off and performing a zooming operation by pressing a button (not shown) can be performed. .

  The lens unit 100 also detects a DC-DC converter 113 that generates various types of power necessary for the operation of the lens unit 100 from the power 112 supplied from the main unit 2 and the power 112 supplied from the main unit 2. A sub-microcomputer 114 that controls the DC-DC converter 113 and a detection circuit 115 that detects a teleconverter lens and a wide converter lens that can be mounted outside the lens unit 100 are provided.

  The lens unit 100 also includes a gyro sensor 116 that detects the tilt of the camera system 3, an acceleration sensor 117 that detects acceleration applied to the camera system 3, the tilt detected by the gyro sensor 116, and the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 117. Thus, a coil 118 for driving the lens group 101 and a Hall element 119 for detecting the driving amount of the coil 118 are provided. The gyro sensor 116, the acceleration sensor 117, the coil 118, and the hall element 119 can exhibit a camera shake prevention function.

  Further, in the lens unit 100, software for performing image processing and operation control processing is stored in a flash ROM 120, and the CPU 104 uses the RAM 121 as a work area to perform processing by this software. It is configured to control operation and processing.

  In FIG. 2, a main body unit portion 200 showing functional blocks of the main body unit 2 includes a joint connector 201 that constitutes an inter-unit interface that is electrically connected to the lens unit portion 100, and the lens unit portion 100 via the joint connector 201. A bi-directional bus 203 for transferring image data received from the CPU 202 to the CPU 202, image data received via the bi-directional bus 203, conversion processing to YUV data, compression processing in JPEG format, development processing from JPEG format The CPU 202, which is a so-called image engine that appropriately performs RAW data generation processing, the control signal 204 line connected to the control signal 107 line of the lens unit unit 100, and the serial interface signal 108 line of the lens unit unit 100 Connecting It comprises a line of real interface signal 205, and a line of SDIO signal 206 to connect the line of the SDIO signal 109 of the lens unit portion 100.

  In addition, the main unit 200 selects a focus & release switch 207 that is a switch for starting a shooting operation of the camera system 3 by a predetermined pressing operation and the operation mode of the camera system 3 set in the main unit 200. A switch 208 composed of a cross key or the like used for setting, and an input of the switch 208 is detected to perform a predetermined setting process and the power supplied from the lithium ion battery 209 is used by the DC-DC converter 210. And a sub-microcomputer 213 for controlling a power switch 212 that is a switch for supplying power to the lens unit 100.

  The main unit 200 includes a flash ROM 214 in which software for performing image processing and operation control processing is stored, and the CPU 202 uses the RAM 215 as a work area to perform processing by this software. It is configured to control processing.

  The main unit 200 includes an audio codec 216, a microphone 217 that inputs an audio signal to the audio codec 216, a speaker 218 that outputs sound from the audio codec 216, a USB interface connector 219, and an AV output connector 220. An HDMI signal output interface 221, an SD card 222 as a removable storage means for storing captured image files, and a strobe 223 that also serves as a connection circuit when an external strobe is attached to the main unit 200. In addition, an LCD 224 and an EVF 225 are provided as display means for displaying a subject image in a monitoring manner during a focusing operation by operating a focus & release switch 207 and displaying photographed image data when a photographing operation is performed.

  FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing another example of the lens unit 100 (a functional block diagram of a lens unit 1 ′ equipped with an optical zoom). In the lens unit section 100 shown in FIG. 3, the lens group 101 has a zoom function, and a zoom motor 122 for moving the lens group 101 is provided. The focus lens and zoom lens provided in the lens group 101 can be operated in a predetermined manner by operating a zoom switch (not shown) provided in the main unit 200. Other configurations are the same as those of the lens unit 100 shown in FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing still another example of the lens unit unit 100. In the lens unit section 100 shown in FIG. 4, a configuration corresponding to a hall element 119, a coil 118, and a gyro sensor 116 (all of which are shown in FIG. 2) that performs a camera shake prevention operation by making the imaging device 102 large. Is omitted. Other configurations are the same as those of the lens unit 100 shown in FIG.

  In the camera system shown in FIG. 1 described above, the lens unit 100 shown in FIG. 3 or the lens unit 100 shown in FIG. 4 is used instead of the lens unit 100 shown in FIG. The lens unit 100 can be attached. In addition, other external units (for example, a hard disk unit, a printer unit, a scanner unit, a projector unit, etc.) can be mounted on the mounting portion 2A of the main unit 2 instead of the lens unit portion 100.

  FIG. 5 shows how the hard disk unit 4 is mounted on the mounting portion 2A of the main unit 2, and FIG. 6 shows how the printer unit 5 or the scanner unit 6 is mounted on the mounting portion 2A of the main unit 2. FIG. 7 shows a state in which the projector unit 7 is mounted on the mounting portion 2A of the main unit 2.

  Further, FIG. 8 shows a state where the wireless waterproof camera unit 8 is mounted on the mounting portion 2A of the main unit 2. The wireless waterproof camera unit 8 includes a camera unit 8B provided with a camera that can be installed outdoors and having an antenna 8A, and a camera control unit 8D having an antenna 8C that performs transmission and reception with the camera unit 8B. 8D is mounted on the mounting portion 2A of the main unit 2.

  9 shows a hard disk unit 400 showing the functional blocks of the hard disk unit 4, a printer unit 500 showing the functional blocks of the printer unit 5, a scanner unit 600 showing the functional blocks of the scanner unit 6, and functional blocks of the projector unit 7. The internal structure of the wireless waterproof camera unit 800 which shows the functional block of the projector unit part 700 shown or the wireless waterproof camera unit 8 is shown, respectively.

  In the case of the hard disk unit 400, a hard disk main body 401 is provided therein, and the hard disk main body 401 is connected to the CPU 104 via a hard disk interface (not shown). In the case of the printer unit 500, a printer main body 501 is provided therein, and the printer main body 501 is connected to the CPU 104 via a printer interface (not shown). In the case of the scanner unit 600, a scanner main body 601 is provided therein, and the scanner main body 601 is connected to the CPU 104 via a scanner interface (not shown).

  In the case of the projector unit 700, a projector main body 701 is provided therein, and the projector main body 701 is connected to the CPU 104 via a projector interface (not shown).

  Further, in the case of the wireless waterproof camera unit unit 800, a wireless waterproof camera control unit body 801 is provided therein, and the wireless waterproof camera control unit body 801 is connected to the CPU 104 via a wireless waterproof camera interface (not shown). ing.

  The main unit 2 and each of the external units 1 and 4 to 8 have capability values for exchanging unit information with each other, and the main unit 2 is connected to the external portion 2A mounted on the mounting portion 2A based on the capability values. It is configured to determine the type of unit.

  FIG. 10 shows the overall configuration of the camera system according to this embodiment. The main unit 2 is connected to a personal computer 10 as an information processing apparatus via a USB cable 9. The USB cable 9 is connected to the USB interface connector 219 (see FIG. 2) of the main unit 200 on the main unit 2 side and to the USB interface connector (not shown) of the personal computer main unit on the personal computer side. The personal computer 10 is provided with a display screen 10A.

  Further, instead of the lens unit 1, the hard disk unit 4, the printer unit 5, the scanner unit 6, the projector unit 7, or the wireless waterproof camera unit 8 can be mounted on the mounting portion 2 </ b> A of the main unit 2. As for the lens unit 1, a plurality of types of lens units are prepared as shown in FIG.

  The communication protocols of the plural types of lens units and the communication protocols of the hard disk unit 4, the printer unit 5, the scanner unit 6, the projector unit 7 and the wireless waterproof camera unit 8 are SDRAM 215 in the main unit 2 (see FIG. 2) as a control program. ) And is executable.

  Next, the effect | action of a present Example is demonstrated using FIG. 11 thru | or FIG. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the camera system in the present embodiment. When the power of the main unit 2 is turned on by operating the power switch or connecting the USB cable 9, the bidirectional bus 203 (see FIG. 2) is checked, and the external unit is mounted on the mounting portion 2A of the main unit 2. It is confirmed whether there is (step S10). When the external unit is mounted, first, the capability value of the own unit (main unit 2) is transmitted to the external unit in order to exchange unit information between the main unit 2 and the external unit (step S11). FIG. 12 shows an example of unit information about an external unit. (A) shows unit information when the external unit A is a printer unit, and (b) shows unit information when the external unit B is a lens unit. Represents. The unit information of the printer unit and the unit information of the lens unit each have a model number, a unit type, a manufacturer type, a firmware version number, and a USB communication protocol.

  Next, in FIG. 11, since unit information (capability value) similar to the above is transmitted from the external unit side, the main unit 2 receives the unit information, that is, the capability value, and whether or not the reception is completed. (Step S12). Since the communication protocol desired to be used on the external unit side can be determined based on the received capability value, the communication protocol is determined (step S13). After the process of step S13, the process proceeds to step S14.

  FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram showing the processes in steps S11 and S12 described above. When power ON is detected (S20), the unit information on the main unit 2 shown in FIG. 12 is transmitted to the lens unit (S21). The lens unit stores the received unit information of the main unit 2 (S22). Next, unit information on the lens unit side is transmitted to the main unit 2 (S23). The main unit 2 stores the capability value of the lens unit (S24).

  In FIG. 12A, when the external unit A is connected, since the external unit A is a printer, a printer class is selected so that printing can be performed from the personal computer 10 as the USB communication protocol. In FIG. 12B, when the external unit B is connected, since the external unit B is a lens unit, the video class for the remote camera is selected as the USB communication protocol. Since a plurality of communication protocol operation programs are pre-installed (stored) on the main unit 2 side, only the protocol is selected here.

  If an external unit is not connected in step S10, a communication protocol that can operate only with its own unit (main unit 2) is selected (step S17). For example, since the SD card 222 and the RAM 215 are connected to the main unit 2, mass storage or the like is selected. After the process of step S17, the process proceeds to step S14.

  Then, it is determined whether or not the USB connector is connected, and communication with the personal computer 10 is checked (step S14). If it is not USB communication, the mode is changed to a reproduction mode or a shooting mode, and the camera operates as a normal digital camera.

  Thereafter, when it is determined that the personal computer 10 is connected through the USB connector, the process proceeds to step S15. When communication with the personal computer 10 is started by the connection of the USB connector, communication with the personal computer 10 starts via the USB interface connector 219. At that time, communication is performed according to the communication protocol determined in step S13 (step S15). When the end of communication is detected by removing the USB cable or turning off the power switch (step S16), the operation of the camera system is terminated. Note that the operation of the camera system is also terminated when it is determined in step S14 that the USB connector is not connected.

  According to the present embodiment, the communication protocol of various external units is stored on the main unit 2 side, and when one of the external units is attached to the main unit 2, the communication protocol corresponding to the external unit is automatically selected. Thus, communication between the main unit 2 and the personal computer 10 can be easily started.

Example 2
FIG. 14 shows a communication protocol selection screen according to the second embodiment. The communication protocol used when the external unit is connected or not connected is selected in advance on the setting screen of the LCD 224 of the main unit 2.

  In this embodiment, since the communication protocol on the external unit side is selected when the external unit is connected, the communication protocol of the printer is selected from the reception capability value of the external unit in the process of step S13 in FIG. If the mass storage is selected when the external unit is connected on the selection screen of FIG. 14, the communication protocol of the mass storage is selected without referring to the capability value of the external unit in the process of step S13 in FIG. become.

  In this embodiment, mass storage is selected when no external unit is connected. In this case, mass storage is selected in the process of step S17 in FIG.

  According to this embodiment, the communication protocol of the main unit 2 can be easily selected, and the communication protocol can be set regardless of the connection status of the lens unit. Therefore, for example, the main unit 2 can be operated in mass storage regardless of the connection status of the lens unit, so that it is not necessary to remove the lens unit one by one.

  The selected communication protocol controls communication between the main unit 2 and the personal computer 10. The main unit 2 also has a function of relaying the communication information to an external unit via the bidirectional bus 203 (see FIG. 2). For example, when a printer is set as an external unit, the main unit once receives a print request from a personal computer and notifies the printer unit of the actual print processing. If the lens unit is set as an external unit, the lens unit's viewfinder image is once received by the main unit and sent to the computer, so that the lens unit image is displayed on the screen on the computer. Become. As described above, for communication between the main unit and the external unit, a method of relaying information exchanged on the USB as it is may be employed, or communication may be performed using an original interface. The system will be determined by how far the relay function of the main unit is expanded. For example, the viewfinder image when the lens unit is connected can be received as a YUV data image from the lens unit, JPEG compressed by the main unit, and transmitted to a personal computer.

1 Lens unit (external unit)
2 Main unit 2A Mounting part 3 Camera system 4 Hard disk unit (external unit)
5 Printer unit (external unit)
6 Scanner unit (external unit)
7 Projector unit (external unit)
8 Wireless waterproof camera unit (external unit) 9 USB cable 10 Personal computer (information processing device)
10A display screen

JP 2001-202325 A JP 2000-92358 A

Claims (7)

A main unit having storage means for storing image data output from the image sensor, display means for displaying the image data, a mounting portion to which the external unit is detachably mounted, and an interface connected to the information processing apparatus A camera system capable of mounting on the mounting unit a lens unit having an optical lens as the external unit and an image sensor that captures subject light that has passed through the optical lens and outputs the image light as image data,
The main unit holds the communication protocol of the external unit, and when one of the external units is mounted on the mounting unit of the main unit, a communication protocol corresponding to the external unit is automatically selected, A camera system for performing communication between a main unit and the information processing apparatus. The external unit has a capability value for exchanging unit information between the external unit and the main unit.
The main unit determines a communication protocol corresponding to the attached external unit based on the capability value transmitted from the external unit when the external unit is attached to the attachment unit. Item 2. The camera system according to Item 1.   The communication protocol used between the main unit and the information processing apparatus is set in advance when the external unit is attached to the attachment unit and when the external unit is not attached. Camera system.   The camera system according to claim 1, wherein the external unit is a hard disk unit, a printer unit, a scanner unit, a projector unit, or a wireless waterproof camera unit in addition to the lens unit. A main body unit having a mounting portion on which a lens unit of the camera is detachably mounted and an interface connected to the information processing apparatus;
A storage unit that stores image data output from an image sensor provided in the lens unit; and a display unit that displays the image data.
Various external units can be mounted on the mounting portion instead of the lens unit,
A communication protocol of an external unit including the lens unit is stored, and when one of the external units is mounted on the mounting unit, a communication protocol corresponding to the external unit is automatically selected, and the information processing is performed. A main unit that communicates with a device. The external unit has a capability value for exchanging unit information with the external unit mounted on the mounting unit,
The communication protocol corresponding to the attached external unit is determined based on the capability value transmitted from the external unit when the external unit is attached to the attachment unit. Main unit.   6. The main unit according to claim 5, wherein a communication protocol to be used with the information processing apparatus is set in advance when the external unit is attached to the attachment unit and when the external unit is not attached. .

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