CN110661964A - Image pickup apparatus, accessory apparatus, communication control method therefor, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an image pickup apparatus, an accessory apparatus, a communication control method thereof, and a storage medium. The image pickup apparatus includes a camera communication section and a camera controller. The camera controller receives, from the accessory device, an accessory transmittable size indicating a data size that the accessory device can continuously transmit and an accessory receivable size indicating a data size that the accessory device can continuously receive. The camera controller sets a first continuously receivable data size based on a data size that the camera controller is capable of continuously receiving and the accessory transmittable size. The camera controller sets a first continuously transmittable data size based on a data size that the camera controller can continuously transmit and the accessory receivable size. The camera controller communicates with the accessory device with a data size that has an upper limit determined by the first continuously receivable data size and the first continuously transmittable data size.

Description

Image pickup apparatus, accessory apparatus, communication control method therefor, and storage medium

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an image pickup system including an image pickup apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a camera body) and an accessory apparatus (hereinafter referred to simply as an accessory) such as an interchangeable lens and an adapter, which can communicate with each other.

Background

The lens interchangeable type image pickup system may connect adapters (intermediate accessories) such as a wide angle/telephoto converter, a mount conversion adapter, and an ND filter adapter between the camera body and the interchangeable lens. In this case, in order to realize high-quality image capturing, smooth lens control, and the like, a large amount of data needs to be transmitted and received at high speed. In addition, the combination of the camera body and the accessory requires higher speed and optimization of the communication speed while ensuring mutual compatibility.

Japanese patent 5208169 discloses an image pickup system for correcting optical information of an interchangeable lens based on optical information of an intermediate accessory connected between a camera body communicating with the interchangeable lens and the interchangeable lens. Since the intermediate accessory as the communication master acquires Identification (ID) information of the interchangeable lens as the communication slave, the image pickup system starts correction processing of the optical information.

The I2C communication method, which is a communication method for realizing one-to-many communication between a communication master and a plurality of communication slaves, utilizes two lines, a serial clock line and a serial data line.

However, in the case where an intermediate accessory is used as a communication master as in the image pickup system disclosed in japanese patent 5208169, when a plurality of intermediate accessories are connected between the camera body and the interchangeable lens, appropriate processing cannot be started. Since "one-to-one" communication is performed between the camera body and the accessory and in the case of switching between the accessories, the image pickup system is not suitable for high-speed communication.

On the other hand, the I2C communication method is clock-synchronized open-drain communication in which the receiving side needs to return an Acknowledgement (ACK) to the transmitting side for each single data communication, and has a difficulty in high-speed communication.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides an image pickup apparatus and an accessory apparatus that can provide communication between the both at a higher or optimal communication speed.

An image pickup apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention, which detachably attaches an accessory apparatus, includes: a camera communication section configured to provide a communication path to the accessory device; and a camera controller configured to communicate with the accessory device via the camera communication section, characterized in that the camera controller receives, from the accessory device, an accessory transmittable size indicating a data size that the accessory device can continuously transmit and an accessory receivable size indicating a data size that the accessory device can continuously receive, wherein the camera controller sets a first continuously receivable data size based on the data size that the camera controller can continuously receive and the accessory transmittable size, the camera controller sets a first continuously transmittable data size based on the data size that the camera controller can continuously transmit and the accessory receivable size, and the camera controller determines an upper limit data size by the first continuously receivable data size and the first continuously transmittable data size, to communicate with the accessory device.

An accessory apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention is detachably attached to an image pickup apparatus, the accessory apparatus including: an accessory communication section configured to provide a communication path to the image pickup apparatus; and an accessory controller configured to communicate with the image pickup apparatus via the accessory communication section, characterized in that the accessory controller transmits, to the image pickup apparatus, an accessory transmittable size indicating a data size that the accessory controller can continuously transmit and an accessory receivable size indicating a data size that the accessory controller can continuously receive.

An image pickup apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, which is capable of attaching an accessory apparatus, includes a camera controller configured to communicate with the accessory apparatus, characterized in that the camera controller receives first information on a data size that the accessory apparatus is capable of receiving, makes a setting for a data size to be transmitted to the accessory apparatus based on the first information, and communicates with the accessory apparatus based on the setting.

An accessory apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention is attachable to an image pickup apparatus, the accessory apparatus including an accessory controller configured to communicate with the image pickup apparatus, characterized in that the accessory controller transmits first information on a data size receivable by the accessory apparatus and second information on a data size transmittable by the accessory apparatus.

The communication control method of the above-described image pickup apparatus or accessory apparatus also constitutes another aspect of the present invention. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that causes a computer of the image pickup apparatus to execute the communication control method also constitutes another aspect of the present invention.

A communication control method of an image pickup apparatus according to still another aspect of the present invention, the image pickup apparatus being detachably and communicably attachable with an accessory apparatus, the communication control method comprising the steps of: instructing the image pickup apparatus to receive, from the accessory apparatus, an accessory transmittable size indicating a data size that the accessory apparatus can continuously transmit and an accessory receivable size indicating a data size that the accessory apparatus can continuously receive; instructing the image pickup apparatus to set a first continuously receivable data size based on a data size that the image pickup apparatus can continuously receive and the accessory transmittable size; instructing the image pickup apparatus to set a first continuously transmittable data size based on a data size that the image pickup apparatus can continuously transmit and the accessory receivable size; and instructing the image pickup apparatus to communicate with the accessory apparatus by a data size having an upper limit determined by the first continuously receivable data size and the first continuously transmittable data size.

A communication control method of an accessory apparatus according to still another aspect of the present invention, the accessory apparatus being detachably and communicably attached to an image pickup apparatus, the communication control method comprising the steps of: instructing the accessory apparatus to transmit an accessory transmittable size to the image pickup apparatus, the accessory transmittable size indicating a data size that the accessory apparatus can continuously transmit; and instructing the accessory apparatus to transmit, to the image pickup apparatus, an accessory receivable size representing a data size that the accessory apparatus can continuously receive.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to still another aspect of the present invention stores a computer program that causes a computer of an image pickup apparatus to execute a communication control method of the image pickup apparatus, the image pickup apparatus being detachably and communicably attachable with an accessory apparatus, characterized by comprising: instructing the image pickup apparatus to receive, from the accessory apparatus, an accessory transmittable size indicating a data size that the accessory apparatus can continuously transmit and an accessory receivable size indicating a data size that the accessory apparatus can continuously receive; instructing the image pickup apparatus to set a first continuously receivable data size based on a data size that the image pickup apparatus can continuously receive and the accessory transmittable size; instructing the image pickup apparatus to set a first continuously transmittable data size based on a data size that the image pickup apparatus can continuously transmit and the accessory receivable size; and instructing the image pickup apparatus to communicate with the accessory apparatus by a data size having an upper limit determined by the first continuously receivable data size and the first continuously transmittable data size.

A communication control method of an image pickup apparatus according to still another aspect of the present invention, the image pickup apparatus being capable of communicatively attaching an accessory apparatus, is characterized by comprising: instructing the image pickup apparatus to receive first information about a data size that the accessory apparatus can receive; instructing the image pickup apparatus to make a setting for a data size to be transmitted to the accessory apparatus based on the first information; and instructing the image pickup apparatus to communicate with the accessory apparatus based on the setting.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to still another aspect of the present invention stores a computer program that causes a computer of an image pickup apparatus to execute a communication control method of the image pickup apparatus, the image pickup apparatus being detachably and communicably attachable with an accessory apparatus, characterized by comprising: instructing the image pickup apparatus to receive first information about a data size that the accessory apparatus can receive; instructing the image pickup apparatus to make a setting for a data size to be transmitted to the accessory apparatus based on the first information; and instructing the image pickup apparatus to communicate with the accessory apparatus based on the setting.

A communication control method of an accessory apparatus according to still another aspect of the present invention, the accessory apparatus being communicably attached to an image pickup apparatus, is characterized by comprising: instructing the accessory device to transmit first information relating to a data size that the accessory device is capable of receiving and second information relating to a data size that the accessory device is capable of transmitting.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to still another aspect of the present invention stores a computer program that causes a computer of an accessory apparatus to execute a communication control method of the accessory apparatus detachably and communicably attached to an image capturing apparatus, characterized by comprising: instructing the accessory device to transmit first information relating to a data size that the accessory device is capable of receiving and second information relating to a data size that the accessory device is capable of transmitting.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the structure of a camera system according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining a structure used for the first communication according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of initial communication with the accessory and processing for obtaining corrected optical information according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing an initial communication process between the camera and the lens according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 5A and 5B show a flowchart of an initial communication process between the camera and the accessory according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 6A and 6B show a flowchart of a process flow of determining a first accessory according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing a process flow for searching for a dynamic accessory according to the second embodiment.

Fig. 8A and 8B show a flowchart of the flow of the optical information correction process corresponding to the operation of the dynamic accessory according to the second embodiment.

Fig. 9A-9E show illustrative information communicated in an initial communication.

Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing for acquiring correction identification information and correction processing using the correction identification information according to the third embodiment.

Fig. 11 is a diagram for explaining a structure for the second communication according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 12 is a diagram for explaining a modification of the first communication according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 13 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of a camera system in which a terminal is an interchangeable lens according to the fourth embodiment.

Fig. 14 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of a camera system in which a terminal is an intermediate accessory according to the fourth embodiment.

Fig. 15 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing for detecting a communication error in the second communication according to the fourth embodiment.

Fig. 16 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a camera system including a camera body, an interchangeable lens, and an intermediate adapter according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 17 shows a structure of a first communication circuit in a camera system according to a fifth embodiment.

Fig. 18 is a waveform diagram showing a communication data format according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 19A is a waveform diagram showing a communication waveform in the first communication mode according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 19B is another waveform diagram showing a communication waveform in the first communication mode according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 20 is a waveform diagram showing a communication waveform in the second communication mode according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 21 is a waveform diagram showing a communication waveform at the time of switching the communication mode according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 22A illustrates a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the first communication mode according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 22B illustrates another flowchart showing a processing procedure in the first communication mode according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 23A illustrates a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the second communication mode according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 23B illustrates another flowchart showing a procedure of processing in the second communication mode according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 24 illustrates a flowchart showing a camera startup processing procedure according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 25 is a diagram showing a memory mapping format for each communication command according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 26 is a diagram showing a communication command format according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 27A and 27B illustrate flowcharts showing a communication processing procedure using memory mapping according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 28 is a flowchart showing another communication processing procedure using memory mapping according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 29 illustrates an extended format of memory mapping for each communication command according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT (S) OF INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Hereinafter, the accessory includes an interchangeable lens or an intermediate accessory.

In the following embodiments, the camera body, the interchangeable lens, and the intermediate accessory are each collectively referred to as a unit. In addition, the interchangeable lens and the intermediate accessory are each collectively referred to as an accessory.

Further, in the following embodiments, the accessory relating to correction is an interchangeable lens, or an intermediate accessory for which correction processing necessity information is "required".

In the following embodiments, the intermediate accessory related to correction is an intermediate accessory that needs to correct optical information of the interchangeable lens.

In the following embodiments, the first accessory is an accessory that stores optical information of all other accessories.

In the following embodiments, the first intermediate accessory is an intermediate accessory with optical information of the other intermediate accessories.

In the following embodiments, the first unit is a unit that stores optical information of all accessories.

The following embodiments consider whether each unit has optical information of other units, but this is not necessarily related to the sale date or manufacture date of the unit. For example, the optical information stored in each unit may change regardless of the date of sale or manufacture of the unit due to firmware upgrades or the like.

First embodiment

The first embodiment will be explained below.

< Structure of Camera System (FIG. 1) >

The structure of the camera system of the present embodiment will be explained with reference to fig. 1.

The camera system has a first communication path serving as a communication path for transmitting a control command from the camera body 20 to the interchangeable lens 10 and transmitting operation information and optical information from the interchangeable lens 10 to the camera body 20. The camera system also has a second communication path serving as a communication path for transmitting the operation information and the optical information between the camera body 20 and the plurality of intermediate accessories 30 and 40. Hereinafter, communication performed through the first communication path will be referred to as first communication, and communication performed through the second communication path will also be referred to as second communication.

Here, the first communication path performs communication between the camera-side first communication section 207 and the lens-side first communication section 114 via mounts 202 and 305, 303 and 405, 403 and 102 to be described later. The camera-side first communication section 207 and the lens-side first communication section 114 are exemplary communication controllers.

Thus, in the present embodiment, communication performed between a specific unit and a unit different from the specific unit will be referred to as one-to-one communication.

Here, the second communication path is a path through which the second communication section 208 on the camera side communicates with the communication section of each accessory. At this time, communication is performed from the second communication section 208 on the camera side via the mounts 203 and 306 and at least a part of the mounts 304, 406, 404, and 103. For example, the camera-side communication section 208 communicates with the lens-side second communication section 115 and the intermediate accessory-side second communication sections 308 and 408 through the second communication path. The camera-side communication section 208, the lens-side second communication section 115, the intermediate accessory-side second communication section 308, and the intermediate accessory-side second communication section 408 are exemplary communication controllers.

Thus, in the present embodiment, communication performed between a specific unit and a plurality of units different from the specific unit will be referred to as one-to-many communication.

In fig. 1, an interchangeable lens 10 is an interchangeable lens for controlling a movable optical member relating to image capturing. The camera body 20 is a camera body for taking an image. The intermediate fittings 30 and 40 are intermediate fittings such as expanders or the like mounted between the interchangeable lens 10 and the camera body 20.

In the interchangeable lens 10, the intermediate fitting 40, the intermediate fitting 30, and the camera body 20, mounts 101 and 401, 402 and 301, 302 and 201 are detachably attached, respectively. Here, the mount 101 is provided to the interchangeable lens 10, the mounts 401 and 402 are provided to the intermediate fitting 40, the mounts 301 and 302 are provided to the intermediate fitting 30, and the mount 201 is provided to the camera body 20.

First communication contacts 102, 403, 405, 303, 305, and 202, which are contact terminals having one or more contacts for performing first communication, are provided to the mounts 101, 401, 402, 301, 302, and 201. Here, when the interchangeable lens 10, the intermediate fittings 30 and 40, and the camera body 20 are connected to each other, the first communication contacts 102, 403, 405, 303, 305, and 202 are electrically connected to each other. In the first embodiment, the first communication is also used for the camera body 20 to control the optical members of the interchangeable lens 10.

The mounts 101, 401, 402, 301, 302, and 201 have second communication contacts 103, 404, 406, 304, 306, and 203 as contact terminals each having one or more contacts for performing second communication. Here, the second communication contacts 103, 404, 406, 304, 306, and 203 are configured to be conducted when the interchangeable lens 10, the intermediate fittings 30 and 40, and the camera body 20 are connected to each other. The first embodiment configures the second communication such that the camera body 20 can perform one-to-many communication with the intermediate accessories 30 and 40 and the interchangeable lens 10.

Thus, the first communication path and the second communication path are different from each other, and correspond to a first communication that is one-to-one communication between the camera body 20 and the interchangeable lens 10, and a second communication that performs one-to-many communication between the camera body and a plurality of accessories. Thus, for example, the interchangeable lens control instruction can be sent to the interchangeable lens at a more appropriate timing in the first communication than those communications having a single communication path. Since the interchangeable lens control instruction can be quickly transmitted to the interchangeable lens at a timing desired by the camera body, a plurality of optical members mounted on the interchangeable lens can be quickly and accurately controlled.

The interchangeable lens 10 includes: a focus lens 104, a zoom lens 105, a diaphragm 106, and an image stabilizing lens 107 that constitute an optical system; controllers (108-111) for controlling the optical members; and a lens controller 113 for controlling the entire lens. The interchangeable lens 10 further includes a lens-side first communication portion 114 for performing first communication, a lens-side second communication portion 115 for performing second communication, a blur amount detector 112 for detecting a blur amount, and a lens operating member 116 as an operating member provided to the interchangeable lens. Each structure will be explained.

The focus lens 104 is configured to change a focus state of a captured image. The zoom lens 105 is configured to zoom a captured image. The aperture 106 is configured to adjust the light amount of a captured image. The image stabilizing lens 107 corrects image blur of the subject image.

The focus lens controller 108 performs position detection and drive control of the focus lens 104. The zoom lens controller 109 performs position detection and drive control of the zoom lens 105. The diaphragm controller 110 performs position detection and drive control of the diaphragm 106. An Image Stabilization (IS) controller 111 performs position detection and drive control of the image stabilization lens 107. The focus lens controller 108, the zoom lens controller 109, the aperture controller 110, and the image stabilization controller 111 each include, for example, a position sensor such as an absolute value encoder and a drive motor such as an ultrasonic motor or a stepping motor. The blur amount detector 112 detects the amount of vibration of the interchangeable lens 10, and includes, for example, a gyro sensor.

The lens controller 113 controls the lens, and has a memory not shown. The lens controller 113 is an exemplary communication controller. The lens first communication portion 114 performs first communication with the interchangeable lens 10. The lens second communication portion 115 performs second communication with the interchangeable lens 10.

The lens controller 113 includes a memory including a rewritable nonvolatile memory, and stores control software (firmware) executed by the CPU and inherent information and status information about the interchangeable lens 10. The unique information is, for example, a model name (identification (ID) information), optical characteristics, correction information, and the like. The condition information includes, for example, an operating state (normal mode and safe mode), position information (or magnification) of the zoom lens 105, position information of the focus lens 104, F value of the diaphragm 106, position information of the image stabilizing lens 107, firmware version, update condition, and the like. However, it is not limited to these examples. The memory also stores a program to be executed when the interchangeable lens 10 is caused to operate in the secure mode described later.

The lens controller 113 has a programmable processor such as a CPU, and realizes various operations including the operation of the interchangeable lens 10 described later by reading and executing programs from a memory. For example, the lens controller 113 performs an operation corresponding to a command received from the camera controller 205 in the first communication described later. The operation corresponding to the command includes, for example, control of each of the focus lens controller 108, the zoom lens controller 109, the aperture controller 110, and the image stabilization controller 111, and update of firmware stored in a memory.

The lens controller 113 updates the firmware by, for example, overwriting the old firmware stored in the memory with the new firmware received from the camera body 20 in the first communication. The lens controller 113 manages the update processing by recording data (update status data) indicating the status of the update processing of the firmware in the memory. For example, the lens controller 113 sets the update status data to a value indicating "incomplete" before overwriting the firmware, and sets the update status data to a value indicating "complete" when the firmware overwriting is completed. The value representing "completion" may differ between the value representing "normal completion" and the value representing "abnormal completion". The value indicating "completion of exception" may be a different value depending on the cause of the exception.

For example, in the case where the interchangeable lens 10 is removed while the firmware is being updated, the power supply to the interchangeable lens 10 is cut off, and the update process is interrupted in the case where the update status data indicates that the value "is not completed". For example, when power is supplied again, the lens controller 113 checks the update status data, and if the value indicates an incomplete status, the lens controller 113 transitions to the operation-limited mode (secure mode) due to a firmware update interrupt. The operation state of the interchangeable lens 10 stored in the memory is rewritten into the safe mode. In the secure mode, only limited functions are available, including the processing required to update the firmware. More specifically, the processing required to update the firmware is processing of transmitting the identification information and the operation state information (or firmware update request) of the interchangeable lens 10 to the camera body 20. The process of updating the firmware recorded in the memory with the firmware received from the camera body 20 is a process required to update the firmware.

Other processing such as control of the focus lens controller 108 is not available.

Typically, the memory capacity is not large enough to redundantly store the entire firmware. The available capacity for storing programs in the secure mode is limited. In the secure mode, only limited functions are provided, including minimum functions required such as transmitting the operating state of the interchangeable lens 10 and updating firmware. In a case where the lens controller 113 receives a request for processing that is not possible in the secure mode (such as a request for driving the focus lens 104) through the first communication in the secure mode, the lens controller 113 ignores the request. The lens operating member 116 is an operating member such as a switch or an electronic ring, etc., provided to the interchangeable lens 10. When the lens operating member 116 is operated, an operation signal is output to the lens controller 113.

Next, the structure of the camera body 20 is described below. The camera body 20 includes: an image sensor 204; a camera controller 205 for controlling the camera body; an image display unit 206 for displaying an image captured by the camera body 20; and a camera operating member 209 as an operating member provided to the camera body 20. The camera body 20 includes a camera first communication section 207 for controlling the first communication and the second communication, and a camera second communication section 208. Each structure will be explained.

The image sensor 204 is an image pickup element such as a CMOS image sensor for taking an image.

The camera controller 205 is configured to control the camera body and has a memory not shown. The camera controller 205 is an exemplary communication controller. The camera first communication section 207 performs first communication in the camera body 20. The camera second communication section 208 performs second communication in the camera body 20. The camera controller 205, the camera first communication section 207, and the camera second communication section 208 are configured using, for example, a CPU in the camera body 20.

An image display unit 206 such as a liquid crystal monitor is used to display an image captured by the camera body 20, image data recorded in the recording medium 211, a GUI, and the like. At this time, the image display unit 206 is also used to display a menu for the user to instruct the firmware update of the interchangeable lens 10 or the intermediate accessory 30 or 40. The camera controller 205 may also notify the user of the need to update the firmware by displaying a message or the like upon detecting that the attached interchangeable lens 10 and the intermediate accessories 30 and 40 are in the secure mode.

The camera operation member 209 sets image pickup conditions such as a dial ring and a switch. When the camera operation member 209 is operated, an operation signal is output to the camera controller 205.

A media Interface (IF)210 is an interface configured to perform recording and reading of data with respect to a storage medium 211 such as a removable memory card or the like.

The recording medium 211 serves as a recording destination of image data and audio data obtained by image capturing in the camera body 20. The recording medium 211 also serves as a new firmware supply source when updating the firmware of the camera body 20, the interchangeable lens 10, and the intermediate accessories 30 and 40.

The intermediate accessories 30 and 40 include intermediate accessory optical members 307 and 407, intermediate accessory second communication portions 308 and 408 configured to perform second communication, and intermediate accessory controllers 309 and 409 configured to control the intermediate accessories. The intermediate fittings 30 and 40 include intermediate fitting operating members 310 and 410 as operating members provided on the intermediate fittings. Each structure will be explained.

The intermediate fitting optical members 307 and 407 in the present embodiment are, for example, optical members that change the optical characteristics of a captured image, such as a magnification-varying lens and an ND filter.

The intermediate accessory second communication sections 308 and 408 perform second communication in the intermediate accessories 30 and 40.

The intermediate accessory controllers 309 and 409 are controllers for controlling the intermediate accessories 30 and 40, respectively, and have a memory not shown. Intermediate accessory controllers 309 and 409 are each illustrative communication controllers. The intermediate accessory controllers 309 and 409 and the intermediate accessory second communication sections 308 and 408 include CPUs of the intermediate accessories.

Each memory included in the intermediate accessory controllers 309 and 409 includes a rewritable nonvolatile memory, and stores control software (firmware) executed by the CPU and inherent information and status information about the intermediate accessories 30 and 40. The unique information is, for example, a model name (identification information), optical characteristics, correction information, and the like. The state information is, for example, an operation state (normal mode and safe mode), operation information (position and speed) of the intermediate accessory operating members 310 and 410, a firmware version, and an update state. However, it is not limited to these examples. The memory also stores a program to be executed when the intermediate fittings 30 and 40 are caused to operate in a later-described safe mode.

The intermediate accessory controllers 309 and 409 have a programmable processor such as a CPU, and realize various operations including the operations of the intermediate accessories 30 and 40 described later by reading and executing programs from a memory. For example, the intermediate accessory controllers 309 and 409 perform operations corresponding to instructions received from the camera controller 205 in the second communication described later, such as transmission of operation information of the intermediate accessory operating members 310 and 410 and update of firmware stored in the memory.

The intermediate accessory controllers 309 and 409 update the firmware by overwriting the old firmware stored in the memory with the new firmware received from the camera body 20 through, for example, the first communication. The intermediate accessory controllers 309 and 409 control the update processing by storing data (update status data) indicating the status of the firmware update processing in a memory. For example, before overwriting the firmware, the intermediate accessory controllers 309 and 409 set the update status data to a value indicating "incomplete", and when the firmware overwriting is completed, the intermediate accessory controllers 309 and 409 set the update status data to a value indicating "complete". The value representing "completion" may differ between the value representing "normal completion" and the value representing "abnormal completion". The value indicating "completion of an exception" may be a value that differs depending on the cause of the exception.

For example, in the case where the intermediate accessories 30 and 40 are removed during updating of the firmware, the power supply to the intermediate accessories 30 and 40 is cut off, and the update process is interrupted in the case where the update status data has a value indicating "incomplete". For example, when power is supplied again, the intermediate accessory controllers 309 and 409 check the update status data, and when the value indicates an incomplete status, the intermediate accessory controllers 309 and 409 shift to an operation limited mode (secure mode). The respective operating states of the intermediate accessories 30 and 40 stored in the memory are each rewritten to the safe mode.

In the secure mode, only limited functions, including the processing required to update the firmware, may be performed. More specifically, the processing required to update the firmware includes sending authentication information (such as identification information of the intermediate accessories 30 and 40, and information indicating that it is in the secure mode (or for a firmware update request), etc.) to the camera body 20. The process of updating the firmware stored in the memory with the firmware received from the camera body 20 is also a process required to update the firmware. Other processes such as transmission of operation information of the intermediate accessory operating members 310 and 410 are not available.

Typically, the memory capacity is not large enough to redundantly store the entire firmware. The available capacity for storing programs in the secure mode is limited. In the safe mode, only limited functions are provided, including minimal functions required, such as transmitting the operating status of the intermediate accessories 30 and 40 and updating firmware. The intermediate accessory controllers 309 and 409 ignore requests for processing that cannot be executed in the secure mode, for example, when transmitting and receiving operation information of the intermediate accessory operating members 310 and 410 through the second communication in the secure mode.

The intermediate fitting operating members 310 and 410 are operating members provided on the intermediate fittings 30 and 40, such as switches and electronic rings. When the intermediate accessory operating members 310 and 410 are operated, an operation signal is output to the intermediate accessory controllers 309 and 409.

The second communication connection switches 311 and 411 are switches that are provided on the second communication lines of the intermediate accessories 30 and 40 and are closer to the lens than the intermediate accessory second communication section. The second communication connection switches 311 and 411 can control short and open circuits using the intermediate accessory controllers 309 and 409, respectively. Thereby, the second communication connection switches 311 and 411 can cut off the second communication on the lens side from themselves. In other words, the second communication connection switches 311 and 411 can change the communication state of the second communication by controlling the short circuit and the open circuit of these switches.

In the first embodiment, the flow until light incident on the interchangeable lens 10 is output as an image is as follows.

Light incident on the interchangeable lens 10 passes through the focus lens 104, the zoom lens 105, the diaphragm 106, the image stabilizing lens 107, and the intermediate attachment optical members 407 and 307, forms an image on the image sensor 204, and is converted into an electrical signal. The electric signal output from the image sensor 204 is converted into an image signal by the camera controller 205, and is output to the image display unit 206.

< first communication (FIGS. 2A and 2B) >

The first communication will now be explained with reference to fig. 2A and 2B.

Fig. 2A shows a structure for providing the first communication. The first communication in the present embodiment exemplifies clock synchronous communication, but is applicable to asynchronous communication. Asynchronous communication will be described later as a modification. The first communication contacts 102, 403, 405, 303, 305, and 202 include first communication LCLK terminals 102a, 405a, 305a, and 202a, respectively, which are terminals of a clock line LCLK output from the camera first communication section 207. The present embodiment includes first communication DCL terminals 102b, 403b, 405b, 303b, 305b, and 202b as terminals of the data line DCL also output from the camera first communication section 207 of clock synchronization communication. The first communication DCL terminals 102b, 403b, 405b, 303b, 305b, and 202b are each exemplary first communication terminals. Likewise, the first communication DLC terminals 102c, 403c, 405c, 303c, 305c, and 202c are terminals of the data line DLC output from the lens first communication section 114 of clock synchronization communication. The first communication DLC terminals 102c, 403c, 405c, 303c, 305c and 202c are each exemplary third communication terminals.

As shown in fig. 2A, the clock line LCLK and the data line DCL are pulled up in the interchangeable lens 10. The clock line LCLK and the data line DLC are pulled up in the camera body 20.

The clock line LCLK, the data line DCL and the data line DLC in the intermediate fittings 30 and 40 are short-circuited between the first communication contacts 403 and 405 and between the first communication contacts 303 and 305, respectively.

Fig. 2B illustrates waveforms of the clock line LCLK, the data line DCL, and the data line DLC in the first communication. The camera first communication section 207 outputs the clock to the clock line LCLK, and outputs 8-bit data of B7 to B0 to the data line DCL in accordance with the leading edge signal of the clock line LCLK. Similarly, the lens first communication section 114 outputs 8-bit data of B7 to B0 to the data line DLC in accordance with the leading edge signal of the clock line LCLK. The camera first communication section 207 receives the 8-bit data of B7 to B0 of the data line DLC according to the leading edge signal of the clock line LCLK. Similarly, the lens first communication section 114 receives 8-bit data of B7 to B0 of the data line DCL according to the leading edge signal of the clock line LCLK. The camera first communication section 207 and the lens first communication section 114 can exchange communication data with each other. When the lens first communication part 114 receives the 8-bit data of B7 to B0 of the data line DCL, the lens first communication part 114 transmits a low output to the clock line LCLK for tbuty time and then releases the low output. Here, the tbuty time is a time when the interchangeable lens 10 is processing the reception data, and the camera first communication part 207 does not transmit data until the clock line LCLK changes from low to high after the data transmission. The flow control of the first communication may be performed by the signal control. Repeating the above-described processing can transfer data between the camera first communication section 207 and the lens first communication section 114 through the first communication.

< second communication (FIG. 11) >

Referring now to the block diagram of fig. 11, one of the communication circuits that can provide "one-to-many" communication between the camera body 20, the interchangeable lens 10, and the intermediate accessories 30 and 40 will be described. The communication circuit is not limited to this example as long as "one-to-many" communication is available. In the case where there are a plurality of communication circuits, the other communication circuits may use "one-to-one" communication such as clock-synchronous serial communication and UART communication.

As in the first communication, the camera second communication section 208, the lens second communication section 115, and the intermediate accessory second communication sections 308 and 408 are connected to each other via a contact section. More specifically, the camera second communication section 208, the lens second communication section 115, and the intermediate accessory second communication sections 308 and 408 are connected via the second communication contacts 103, 404, 406, 304, 306, and 203. In the present embodiment, the second communication contacts 103, 404, 406, 304, 306, and 203 include CS signal terminals 103a, 404a, 406a, 304a, 306a, 203a, and DATA signal terminals 103b, 404b, 406b, 304b, 306b, 203b, respectively. The camera second communication section 208, the lens second communication section 115, and the intermediate accessory second communication section 308 communicate with each other through a CS signal line connected via a CS signal terminal and a DATA signal line connected via a DATA signal terminal.

The DATA signal terminals that the second communication contacts 103, 404, 406, 304, 306, and 203 each have are exemplary second communication terminals.

The camera communication circuit includes a ground switch 221 and an input/output selector switch 222. The lens communication circuit includes a ground switch 121 and an input/output selector switch 122. The intermediate accessory communication circuit includes ground switches 321 and 421 and input/ output switches 322 and 422.

The signal lines include a CS signal line (first signal line) for propagating a signal for performing communication flow control and a DATA signal line (second signal line) for propagating DATA to be transmitted and received.

The CS signal line is connected to the camera second communication section 208, the intermediate accessory second communication section 308, and the lens second communication section 115, and can detect the (high and low) state of the signal line. The CS signal line is pulled up to a power supply, not shown, within the camera body. The CS signal line may be connected to GND (open-drain connection) via the ground switch 121 of the interchangeable lens 10, the ground switch 221 of the camera body 20, and the ground switches 321 and 421 of the intermediate adapter. This structure can set the state of the CS signal line to the low state by turning on (connecting) the ground switch to the interchangeable lens 10, the camera body 20, and the intermediate accessories 30 and 40. On the other hand, when all of the interchangeable lens 10, the camera body 20, and the intermediate accessories 30 and 40 are disconnected (cut off) their connection switches, the state of the CS signal line can be made high. The CS signal line is used to distinguish between broadcast communication and P2P communication, or to switch the communication direction in P2P communication.

The DATA signal line is a single-wire bidirectional DATA transmission line that can be used by switching the DATA propagation direction. The DATA signal line may be connected to the lens second communication portion 115 via the input/output switch 122 of the interchangeable lens 10. The DATA signal line may be connected to the camera second communication section 208 via the input/output switch 222 of the camera body 20. The DATA signal line may be connected to the intermediate accessory second communication section 308 or 408 through the input/ output switch 322 or 422 of the intermediate accessory 30 or 40, respectively. Each microcomputer includes a data output unit (CMOS system) for transmitting data and a data input unit (CMOS system) for receiving data. The operation input/output switch may select whether the DATA signal line is connected to the DATA output unit or the DATA input unit. In the case where the interchangeable lens 10, the camera body 20, and the intermediate accessories 30 and 40 each transmit DATA, the structure is such that they can operate the input/output switch to connect the DATA signal line to the DATA output unit. On the other hand, the interchangeable lens 10, the camera body 20, and the intermediate accessories 30 and 40 each receive DATA by operating the respective input/output switches to connect the DATA signal line to the DATA input unit.

Broadcast communication and P2P communication by the CS signal and the data signal will now be explained.

Since the CS signal line becomes low level when any cell is connected to GND, the CS signal line serves as a trigger for broadcast communication.

When the CS signal line is pulled low by the camera body as the body of communication, broadcast communication starts. DATA received by the accessory via the DATA line when the CS signal line is low is determined to be broadcast DATA.

Each accessory can request broadcast communication from the camera body by pulling the CS signal line low.

The unit that detects the low level of the CS signal line can notify the other units that the process of broadcasting communication is continuing by turning on its own ground switch during the broadcasting process. By defining that the second communication starts with the broadcast communication and ends with the broadcast communication, the DATA signal line of the accessory can substantially maintain the reception state. When the camera performs P2P communication with an accessory, the accessory to be communicated is initially specified by broadcast communication. The camera that has completed transmission of the broadcast communication and the designated accessory perform P2P communication.

In P2P communication, the camera initially transmits data, and the accessory that receives the data transmits the data to the camera. Thereafter, this operation is alternately performed. In P2P communication, the CS signal in communication is distinguished from broadcast communication by being maintained high. The CS signal in the P2P communication is used as a busy signal. In other words, one of the camera and the accessory sets the CS signal low to notify the counterpart that data transmission of itself is completed, and sets the CS signal high to notify data reception readiness of itself.

At the end of the P2P communication, the camera broadcasts the end of the P2P communication.

In this way, the camera can communicate data to multiple accessories via two communication lines.

Although fig. 11 shows an illustrative communication circuit in the present invention, the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, the CS signal line is pulled down to GND in the camera body 20, and can be connected with a power supply via the ground switch 121 of the interchangeable lens 10, the ground switch 221 of the camera body 20, and the ground switches 321 and 421 of the intermediate accessories 30 and 40. The DATA signal line may be always connected to each DATA input unit, and connection/disconnection between the DATA signal line and each DATA output unit may be operated by a switch.

The second communication may be realized by the same communication method as the first communication, bidirectional asynchronous communication, master/slave method, token passing method, or the like.

< initial communication with Accessory and acquisition Process of corrected optical information (FIG. 3) >

Referring now to fig. 3, the following process will be described: the camera body 20 acquires authentication information of the accessory through initial communication with the accessory, and further acquires optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 corrected based on the optical information of the intermediate accessories 30 and 40. The optical information of the intermediate attachment including the variable power lens is, for example, a magnification changed by insertion of the intermediate attachment. The optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 includes information such as a focal length, an F value (aperture value), focusing sensitivity, and a focusing correction amount.

Fig. 3 shows the following process flow: after the power is initially supplied after the intermediate accessory and the interchangeable lens are mounted, the camera body 20 acquires the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 corrected based on the optical information of the intermediate accessories 30 and 40.

When the camera body 20 is started in S301, the flow proceeds to S302.

After proceeding to S302, the camera body 20 supplies power to the interchangeable lens 10 and the intermediate fittings 30 and 40 via a mount contact for power supply, not shown, and proceeds to S303 and S304.

After proceeding to S303, the camera controller 205 performs initial communication with the interchangeable lens 10 in the first communication. In the initial communication, authentication information of the interchangeable lens 10 is acquired.

Here, the authentication information of the interchangeable lens 10 includes ID information and operation state information of the interchangeable lens 10. The interchangeable lens ID information may be information such as a model number (ID) for identifying the type (model) of the interchangeable lens, or optical data identification information indicating optical data unique to the interchangeable lens. Information indicating the function of the interchangeable lens or information such as a production number (serial number) capable of identifying an individual in the same model may be included.

The operation state information is information that can identify whether the interchangeable lens 10 is operating in the normal mode or the safe mode. In other words, it is possible to identify whether the firmware update is interrupted (operation in the secure mode) or uninterrupted (normal operation).

The flow of the sub-process S303 for acquiring the authentication information of the interchangeable lens 10 by the first communication will be described later with reference to fig. 4.

After proceeding to S304, the camera controller 205 performs initial communication with the accessory by the second communication, and acquires authentication information of the accessory.

Here, the authentication information of the accessory includes identification information of the accessory, correction processing necessity information, and operation state information.

The intermediate accessory identification information may be information such as a model number (ID) for identifying the type (model) of the intermediate accessory, or optical data identification information representing optical data unique to the intermediate accessory. Information indicating the function of the intermediate accessory or information such as a production number (serial number) that can identify an individual in the same model can be included.

The correction processing necessity information is information indicating whether or not the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 needs to be corrected by attachment of an accessory. If the accessory is an intermediate accessory and does not affect the optical system of the interchangeable lens 10, the correction process is not required. In the case where the camera controller 205 previously knows that the correction process by mounting the intermediate accessory is not required based on the intermediate accessory correction process necessity information, the camera ignores the intermediate accessory in the process of acquiring the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10.

The intermediate fitting that does not require the correction process is, for example, an intermediate fitting that is equipped with an optical member optically designed to cancel the influence of its own width on the optical system and that is installed in order to add an operation element. Another example is a mount converter that can change a flange focal length (zoom length) suitable for a camera body by mounting the mount converter between an interchangeable lens having a mount with a flange (zoom) short and the camera body.

The operation state information is information that can identify whether the intermediate accessories 30 and 40 are operating in the normal mode or the safe mode. In other words, the operation state information is information that can identify whether the update of the firmware is interrupted (operation in the secure mode) or the update of the firmware is normal (normal operation).

The flow of the sub-process S304 for acquiring the authentication information of the intermediate accessory by the second communication will be described later with reference to fig. 5A and 5B. S303 and S304 use different communication paths, and thus perform parallel or sequential processing.

Upon acquiring the authentication information of the interchangeable lens and the authentication information of the attached accessory in S303 and S304, the flow proceeds to S305.

After proceeding to S305, the camera controller 205 determines whether there is an intermediate attachment that requires correction of the optical information of the interchangeable lens based on the correction processing necessity information acquired in S304. If an intermediate accessory (also referred to as an intermediate accessory related to correction) whose correction processing necessity information is "required" is attached, the flow advances to S306.

After proceeding to S306, the camera controller 205 determines whether there is an accessory whose optical information is not stored in the camera controller 205, among the interchangeable lens and the intermediate accessory whose correction processing necessity information is "required" in S305. The interchangeable lens and the intermediate accessory for which the correction processing necessity information is "required" in S305 will be referred to as an accessory related to correction. In the case where there is an accessory whose optical information is not stored in the camera controller 205 among the accessories relating to correction, the camera controller 205 cannot perform correction processing of the optical information of the interchangeable lens. In this case, in order to search for a correction processing requester, the flow proceeds to S307.

After proceeding to S307, the camera controller 205 determines an accessory (also referred to as a first accessory) that stores optical information of all the other accessories, among the accessories related to the correction. The method for determining the first accessory may, for example, make a determination based on identification information acquired from the accessory, or may interrogate the accessory through communication. Details will be described later with reference to fig. 6A and 6B.

In the case where the first component is determined in S307, the flow proceeds to S308.

After proceeding to S308, the camera controller 205 transmits the identification information of the accessory relating to the other correction to the first accessory determined in S307, and requests the correction processing of the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 to the first accessory. As an example, in the case where the first accessory is an interchangeable lens, the present embodiment performs communication by first communication. In a case where the first accessory is an intermediate accessory, the communication is performed through the second communication.

The controller of the first accessory that receives the correction request in S308 performs correction processing of the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 using the optical information of the accessory that has been stored in association with other corrections.

In S309, the camera controller 205 acquires the optical information corrected by the first accessory.

On the other hand, in S306, in a case where the camera controller 205 determines that there is no accessory for which the camera controller 205 does not have optical information, among the interchangeable lens and the intermediate accessory for which the correction processing necessity information is "required" in S305, the flow proceeds to S310. In this case, the camera controller 205 stores optical information of all the accessories.

When the flow advances to S310, the camera controller 205 corrects the optical information of the interchangeable lens using the optical information of the interchangeable lens and the optical information of the intermediate accessory stored by itself.

In the case where the camera controller 205 determines in S305 that there is no intermediate accessory that requires correction of the optical information of the interchangeable lens, no intermediate accessory is attached, or correction processing necessity information is "unnecessary" for all the intermediate accessories that have been attached. As a process when the correction of the optical information of the interchangeable lens is not necessary, the flow proceeds to S311.

Upon the flow proceeding to S311, the camera controller 205 determines whether the camera body 20 stores the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 based on the identification information of the interchangeable lens 10 included in the interchangeable lens authentication information acquired in S303. If the camera controller 205 does not store the optical information of the interchangeable lens, the flow advances to S312.

After proceeding to S312, the camera controller 205 acquires the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 from the lens controller 113 through the first communication.

On the other hand, when it is determined in S311 that the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 is stored, the camera controller 205 acquires the optical information from the data table in the camera in S313.

After acquiring the optical information in S309, S310, S312, or S313, the flow advances to S314, and the optical information acquisition sequence ends.

After acquiring the optical information, the first communication path is used for communication by which the camera body 20 controls the interchangeable lens 10, and the second communication path is used for communication by which the camera body 20 periodically acquires the operation information of the intermediate accessory operating members 310 and 410. For the communication for periodically acquiring the operation information of the operation member 116 in the interchangeable lens, any of the first communication path and the second communication path may be used, based on the occupancy of each communication path and the immediacy required for communication and control.

< initial communication processing of first communication by camera and interchangeable lens (FIG. 4) >

Fig. 4 shows a flow of the sub-process S303 as the initial communication between the camera body 20 and the interchangeable lens 10 in the camera system according to the first embodiment. In the initial communication, the camera controller 205 acquires authentication information of the interchangeable lens 10 from the lens controller 113.

When the sub-process starts in S401, the flow proceeds to S402.

After proceeding to S402, the camera controller 205 transmits an interchangeable-lens authentication information transmission request (corresponding to a first transmission request) to the lens controller 113 through first communication.

An interchangeable lens authentication information request according to the present embodiment will now be described with reference to fig. 9A. The interchangeable-lens authentication information request according to the present embodiment is information for requesting the camera controller 205 to transmit two pieces of information as authentication information. The authentication information request includes an identification information request and an operation state information request for the interchangeable lens.

When receiving the interchangeable lens authentication information transmission request in S403, the lens controller 113 proceeds to S404. Then, the lens controller 113 transmits the interchangeable-lens authentication information (corresponding to the first information) to the camera controller 205 through the first communication.

Authentication information transmitted by the interchangeable lens 10 to the camera controller 205 will now be described with reference to fig. 9B. The authentication information includes identification information and operation state information.

When the camera controller 205 receives the interchangeable lens authentication information in S405, it proceeds to S406, and stores the received interchangeable lens authentication information.

The sub-process S303 ends with S407.

< initial communication processing between camera and intermediate accessory through second communication (fig. 5A and 5B) >

Fig. 5A and 5B illustrate the flow of the sub-process S304 as the initial communication process between the camera body 20 and the accessory in the camera system according to the first embodiment. In the initial communication, the camera controller 205 acquires authentication information of the accessory. The authentication information of the accessory will be described later.

When the sub-process starts in S501, the flow proceeds to S502.

After proceeding to S502, the camera controller 205 transmits an authentication information request (corresponding to a second transmission request) for the accessory to the intermediate accessory controller 309 through the second communication.

An authentication information request of the accessory according to the present embodiment will now be described with reference to fig. 9C. The authentication information request of the accessory is information for requesting the camera controller 205 to transmit accessory authentication information. In the present embodiment, the accessory authentication information includes identification information of the accessory, operation state information, correction processing necessity information, and terminal information.

When receiving the accessory authentication information request in S503, the intermediate accessory controller 309 proceeds to S506.

In S506, the intermediate accessory controller 309 transmits the authentication information of the intermediate accessory 30 to the camera controller 205 through the second communication.

Authentication information transmitted by the intermediate accessory to the camera controller 205 will now be described with reference to fig. 9D. The authentication information includes identification information (as third information as an example), operation state information, correction processing necessity information, and terminal information.

The correction processing necessity information is information indicating "required" if the optical characteristics are changed by the intermediate fitting. The correction processing necessity information is information indicating "unnecessary" if the optical characteristics are not changed.

In the present embodiment, the terminal information is information indicating whether or not the intermediate adapter is a terminal of the second communication viewed from the camera body 20. The terminal information is information indicating "terminal" if the intermediate adapter is the end of the second communication viewed from the camera body 20. The terminal information is information indicating "non-terminal" if the intermediate adapter is not the terminal of the second communication viewed from the camera body 20.

The one-to-many communication such as the second communication can specify the transmission destination by, for example, adding the identification information of the accessory to the header of the communication data. However, since the camera controller 205 does not have accessory information at the stage of S502, the transmission destination cannot be specified by the communication data.

Thus, one exemplary manner in which the camera body 20 sequentially communicates with a plurality of accessories in this sub-process may be the following method using the second communication connection switches 311 and 411. It is assumed that the second communication connection switches 311 and 411 are short-circuited in a steady state.

In S501, the camera controller 205 transmits the sub-process start information through the second communication. Since the second communication connection switches 311 and 411 are short-circuited, each accessory receives the sub-process start information. Each intermediate device that has received the sub-process start information opens its own second communication connection switch. Thus, only the intermediate accessory controller 309 is connected to the camera controller 205, and the camera controller 205 can receive data to be transmitted. When the intermediate accessory controller 309 that has finished processing the received data short-circuits the second communication connection switch 311, the intermediate accessory controller 409 can receive the data transmitted by the camera controller 205. The intermediate accessory 30 that short-circuits the second communication connection switch does not respond to the transmission information of the camera controller 205 until the sub-process end information transmitted by the camera controller 205 is received in S522 at the time of the end of the sub-process.

In the present embodiment, even in the case where the intermediate accessory 30 operates in the secure mode, the camera body 20 and the intermediate accessory 30 do not end the sub-process, and initial communication with the accessory connected via the intermediate accessory 30 is performed. However, in the case where an accessory operating in a safe mode is attached, initial communication with the attached accessory may not be performed via the accessory. For example, when the operation state of the intermediate accessory 30 is the safe mode, the intermediate accessory controller 309 short-circuits the second communication connection switch 311 even if the processing of the received data is completed. Then, by setting the terminal information to "terminal", the sub-process can be immediately ended by sending the authentication information to the camera controller 205.

Since the intermediate accessory 40 functions similarly, the camera controller 205 can communicate with a plurality of accessories in sequence.

In S504 and S505, since the second communication connection switch 311 is open, in S502, the intermediate accessory 40 and the lens controller 113 do not receive the information transmission request transmitted from the camera controller 205.

In S506, the intermediate accessory controller 309 transmits the authentication information of the intermediate accessory 30 to the camera controller 205 through the second communication. Then, the intermediate accessory controller 309 short-circuits the second communication connection switch 311. Thus, the intermediate accessory controller 409 can receive the data transmitted by the camera controller 205.

When the camera controller 205 receives the authentication information of the intermediate accessory 30 in S507, it proceeds to S508, and then stores the received authentication information.

As described above, when the authentication information of the intermediate accessory 30 is acquired in S502 to S508, the flow proceeds to S509. In S509, S511, and S513 to S515, the camera controller 205 acquires authentication information of the intermediate accessory 40 as in S502, S503, and S506 to S508.

In S510, the intermediate accessory controller 309 receives the authentication information request transmitted by the camera controller 205, but does not respond because the sub-process end information has not been received yet.

In S512, as in S504 and S505, since the second communication connection switch 411 is open, the lens controller 113 does not receive the information transmission request transmitted from the camera controller 205 in S509.

Although the first embodiment is an example in which a total of three accessories of one interchangeable lens and two intermediate accessories are connected, only one intermediate accessory may be connected or three or more intermediate accessories may be connected. Since any number of intermediate accessories can be attached, the accessory information acquisition process can be terminated by acquiring the accessory terminal information.

The terminal information of the accessory can be obtained by another method. For example, as in S502 and S509, when the camera controller 205 transmits an authentication information request assuming that an intermediate accessory is attached, the terminal information returned from the lens second communication part 115 may notify the camera controller 205 of the interchangeable lens. Alternatively, the intermediate accessory 40 may detect that it is a terminal based on the connection state of a terminal or the like, not shown, and notify the camera body 20 of this fact in S513. This embodiment describes: the terminal information is notified by the lens controller 113 returning authentication information including the terminal information in response to an authentication information request from the camera controller 205.

In S516, the camera body 20 transmits an authentication information request (corresponding to a second transmission request) in the second communication as in S502 and S509. In S517 and S518, the intermediate accessory 30 and the intermediate accessory 40 do not respond because the sub-process end information is not received, as in S510.

Upon receiving the authentication information request in S519, the lens controller 113 proceeds to S520, and transmits the authentication information to the camera controller 205 through the second communication.

The authentication information that the lens controller 113 transmits to the camera controller 205 will now be described with reference to fig. 9E. The authentication information includes identification information (as exemplary second information), operation state information, correction processing necessity information, and terminal information.

Since the interchangeable lens 10 is not an intermediate accessory, correction of the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 is not required by its attachment. Thus, the correction processing necessity information is information indicating that the correction processing is not necessary.

Since the interchangeable lens 10 according to the present embodiment is a terminal of the second communication viewed from the camera body 20, the terminal information is information indicating that the interchangeable lens 10 is a terminal of the second communication.

When the camera controller 205 acquires the authentication information in S521, the flow proceeds to S522 and the series of initial communication processes ends.

Although the correction processing necessity information may be acquired as in the present embodiment in order to shorten the communication processing, in the case where there is no communication correction information necessity information, it is determined that the correction processing is required for all the intermediate accessories.

The sub-process S304 ends with S522.

This embodiment describes a process using a mode for performing sequential communication with a plurality of accessories using the second communication connection switch. However, other means may be used as long as communication with a plurality of accessories is possible. For example, detecting the voltage level of a not-shown terminal connected to the accessory itself may provide information of the number of attachments from the camera body side. In this case, the number of information transmission requests transmitted from the camera is counted, and only when the information coincides with the mounting order of the accessories, the information is transmitted to the camera body.

< sub-process for determining first fitting S307 (FIGS. 6A and 6B) >

Referring now to fig. 6A and 6B, a flow of a sub-process S307 in which the camera body 20 according to the first embodiment searches for a first accessory among accessories related to correction through communication will be described.

Fig. 6A and 6B show the flow of the sub-process S307 in the camera system according to the first embodiment in which the camera controller 205 determines the first one of the accessories relating to the optical correction. Now, it is assumed that the camera controller 205 does not store optical information of the interchangeable lens 10, the intermediate accessory 30, and the intermediate accessory 40. It is also assumed that both the correction processing necessity information of the intermediate accessory 30 and the correction processing necessity information of the intermediate accessory 40 are "required".

When the sub-process starts in S601, the flow proceeds to S602.

After proceeding to S602, the camera controller 205 transmits the identification information of the intermediate accessory 40 and the request for the presence or absence of response of the optical information to the intermediate accessory controller 309 through the second communication, and inquires of the intermediate accessory controller 309 whether it stores the optical information of the intermediate accessory 40. For example, when the identification information of the intermediate accessory is added to the head of the communication data and the accessory refers to the value of the head of the communication data, the accessory can determine whether or not it is a communication thereto.

When the intermediate component controller 309 receives the identification information of the intermediate component 40 and the request for the presence or absence of the response to the optical information in S603, the flow proceeds to S604.

In S604, the intermediate accessory controller 309 transmits information on whether or not the optical information of the intermediate accessory 40 is stored to the camera controller 205 through the second communication.

When the camera controller 205 receives the presence or absence of the optical information of the intermediate component 40 from the intermediate component 30 in S605, the flow proceeds to S606.

In S606, the camera controller 205 determines an intermediate component (also referred to as a first intermediate component) having optical information of other intermediate components.

If the intermediate accessory controller 309 stores the optical information of the intermediate accessory 40, the flow proceeds to S607, and the camera controller 205 determines that the intermediate accessory 30 is the first intermediate accessory.

If the intermediate accessory controller 309 does not store the optical information of the intermediate accessory 40, the flow proceeds to S608, and the camera controller 205 determines that the intermediate accessory 40 is the first intermediate accessory and stores the optical information of the intermediate accessory 30.

Even if three or more intermediate fittings are attached, the first intermediate fitting can be determined. For example, in the case where three accessories are attached, the same processing as S602 to S605 is performed between two of the accessories. If the first intermediate accessory is found, the flow proceeds to S609.

After proceeding to S609, the camera controller 205 transmits the identification information of the first intermediate accessory determined in S607 or S608 and a request (third instruction information) for the presence or absence of response of the optical information (fourth information) to the lens controller 113 through the first communication. In other words, the camera controller 205 inquires whether the optical information of the first intermediate accessory is stored.

When the lens controller 113 receives the identification information of the first intermediate accessory and the request for the presence or absence of response of optical information in S610, the flow proceeds to S611, and information about whether the optical information of the first intermediate accessory is stored is transmitted to the camera controller 205 through the first communication.

When the camera controller 205 receives the presence or absence of the optical information of the first intermediate accessory from the interchangeable lens 10 in S612, the flow proceeds to S613, and the lens controller 113 determines whether or not the optical information of the first intermediate accessory is stored. Thereby, the first component is determined.

If the camera controller 205 determines that the lens controller 113 stores the optical information of the first intermediate accessory, the flow advances to S614. In S614, it is determined that the interchangeable lens 10 is the first component, and the optical information of the intermediate component 30 and the intermediate component 40 is stored. If the camera controller 205 determines that the lens controller 113 does not store the optical information of the first intermediate accessory, the flow advances to S615.

In S615, the camera controller 205 determines that the first intermediate accessory is the first accessory.

When the first component is determined in S614 or S615, the flow proceeds to S616, and the camera controller 205 stores the identification information of the first component and the component type. When the first component is stored, the flow proceeds to S617, and the sub process S307 ends.

< effects of the first embodiment >

As described above, the first embodiment independently includes the first communication path through which the camera and the interchangeable lens can communicate with each other, and the second communication path through which the camera and the accessory can communicate with each other. Then, a unit for correcting the optical information of the interchangeable lens is determined based on the identification information of each unit and the intermediate accessory correction processing necessity information acquired by communication using each communication path. Thus, the present embodiment can perform communication at a desired timing among the units of the image pickup apparatus, the interchangeable lens, and the intermediate accessory while appropriately correcting the optical information of the interchangeable lens.

Second embodiment

The first embodiment describes a method for correcting optical information of an interchangeable lens based on optical information of an intermediate accessory in a startup sequence immediately after the interchangeable lens is mounted. The second embodiment explains a method for correcting optical information of an interchangeable lens in a case where an optical system in an accessory is dynamically changed by operating an operating member provided in the accessory.

Examples of the optical system of the accessory dynamically changed by operating the operating member provided in the intermediate accessory include a variable magnification lens of variable magnification, an ND filter of variable transmittance, and the like.

The second embodiment performs the processing described in the first embodiment when the interchangeable lens is attached and the current optical system is determined. Thereby, the camera controller 205 grasps the units for storing optical information of all the accessories among the interchangeable lens 10, the camera body 20, and the intermediate accessories 30 and 40.

It is assumed that the camera controller 205 recognizes an accessory whose optical system is dynamically changeable via the identification information of the accessory acquired by the operation as in the first embodiment.

Hereinafter, an accessory in which the correction processing necessity information in which the optical information dynamically changes is "required" will be expressed as a dynamic intermediate accessory. An intermediate fitting in which optical information does not dynamically change and correction processing necessity information is "unnecessary" will be referred to as a static intermediate fitting. An interchangeable lens in which optical information dynamically changes will be referred to as a dynamic lens, and an interchangeable lens in which optical information does not dynamically change will be referred to as a static lens.

The present embodiment describes the intermediate fittings 30 and 40 mounted between the camera body 20 and the interchangeable lens 10, but is applicable even in the case where only one of these intermediate fittings is mounted.

< search processing of dynamic Accessories (FIG. 7) >

Fig. 7 shows the relationship between the first embodiment and the present embodiment. When the camera system is started in S701, the flow proceeds to S702.

In S702, the camera controller 205 executes processing shown in fig. 3, such as initial communication, determination of the first unit, correction of optical information of the interchangeable lens, and the like. The initial communication acquires information corresponding to whether the optical system is dynamically changed (also referred to as dynamic accessory information) from the interchangeable lens 10 and the intermediate accessories 30 and 40. For example, the camera controller 205 transmits a transmission request to the accessory at the timing at which the identification information is acquired in S402 of fig. 4 and S502 and S509 of fig. 5A and 5B for information on whether the optical system dynamically changes, and the accessory transmits dynamic accessory information in response to the transmission request. The authentication information may be included in the dynamic accessory information, and the camera controller 205 may acquire the authentication information including the moving body accessory information in response to a transmission request of the authentication information transmitted to the accessory. The camera controller 205 can determine whether the accessory is a dynamic accessory from the identification information of the accessory acquired in S702 without separately acquiring the dynamic accessory information. In this case, a memory (not shown) of the camera controller 205 may be configured to store information (such as a table) indicating a correspondence relationship between identification information of the accessory and whether the optical system dynamically changes. Thus, the camera controller 205 can determine whether the accessory is a dynamic accessory based on the identification information of the accessory.

Upon completion of the sub-process S702, the flow advances to S703.

In S703, the camera controller 205 determines whether or not a dynamic accessory is attached from the above dynamic accessory information. More specifically, in a case where the camera controller 205 acquires information indicating that the optical system dynamically changes from any accessory as dynamic accessory information, the camera controller 205 determines that a dynamic accessory is attached. In a case where the camera controller 205 has not acquired information indicating that the optical system dynamically changes as dynamic accessory information, the camera controller 205 determines that a dynamic accessory is not attached. If a dynamic accessory is attached, the flow proceeds to S704.

In S704, the camera controller 205 executes sub-processing for correcting the optical information of the interchangeable lens based on the change in the optical information of the dynamic accessory. In the case where no dynamic accessory is attached or in the case where no dynamic accessory is operated, there is no need to correct the optical information of the interchangeable lens, and thus the flow advances to S705 to complete the optical correction process of the interchangeable lens.

< correction processing of optical information corresponding to operation of dynamic Accessory (FIGS. 8A and 8B) >

Referring now to fig. 8A and 8B, a sub-process S704 for correcting optical information of the interchangeable lens based on a change in optical information corresponding to the operation of the dynamic accessory according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the sub-processes shown in fig. 8A and 8B, the intermediate accessory 30 is a dynamic accessory, the interchangeable lens 10 is a first unit and a static lens, and the intermediate accessory 40 is a static accessory. In other words, it is assumed that the camera controller 205 and the lens controller 113 have been thus identified in S702 of fig. 7.

At the start of the sequence in S801, the flow proceeds to S802.

In S802, the camera controller 205 transmits an optical data identification information transmission request to the intermediate accessory controller 309 of the intermediate accessory 30 as a dynamic accessory through the second communication.

Upon receiving the optical data identification information transmission request in S803, the intermediate accessory controller 309 proceeds to S804, and transmits the optical data identification information to the camera controller 205 through the second communication.

The optical data identification information of the dynamic accessory is information relating to correction parameters of the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10, such as the current optical information in the present embodiment. For example, in the case where the intermediate attachment has a variable magnification lens, the optical data identification information is information relating to the current magnification. For example, in the case where the intermediate attachment has an ND filter, the optical data identification information is information for correcting the current optical path length. The optical data identification information may be other information as long as the first unit can identify the optical state of the dynamic accessory. The optical data identification information may be information of a plurality of available states added to information such as a model number (ID) used for type (model) identification, or optical data identification information representing optical data that dynamically changes. The optical data identification information may be information indicating the function of the accessory, or information such as a production number (serial number) that can identify an individual in the same model.

When the camera controller 205 receives the optical data identification information in S805, the flow advances to S806.

In S806, the camera controller 205 determines whether the optical information of the intermediate accessory 30 is changed based on the optical data identification information. For example, the optical information of the intermediate accessory 30 received in the initial communication in S702 is compared with the optical data identification information received in S805. If the optical information has not changed, the flow returns to S802, and the camera controller 205 sends the optical data identification information transmission request after a predetermined time has elapsed.

If the camera controller 205 determines in S806 that the optical information of the intermediate accessory 30 has changed, the flow advances to S807 as processing for correcting the optical information of the optical lens.

As in S802, S803, S804, S805, and S806, the manner in which the camera controller 205 recognizes the change in the optical information of the dynamic accessory can receive the presence or absence of the change in the optical information by communicating with the dynamic accessory for a constant period of time in a polling manner.

An interrupt signal may be received from the dynamic accessory when the optical information of the dynamic accessory changes. For example, it is assumed that the intermediate fitting 30 as a dynamic fitting has an operation member that changes optical information of the intermediate fitting 30. Then, when the operation of the operating member is detected, an interrupt signal may be sent from the later-described intermediate accessory controller 309 to the camera controller 205. After the camera controller 205 receives the interrupt signal from the intermediary accessory controller 309 and determines in S806 that the optical data identification information has changed, the above-described S802, S803, S804, S805 can be executed.

The optical data identification information reflecting the change may be communicated as in S802, S803, S804, and S805. Alternatively, only the change of the optical data identification information may be notified to the camera controller 205, and the camera controller 205 may calculate the current optical data identification information and start communication.

After proceeding to S807, the camera controller 205 transmits, to the lens controller 113 of the interchangeable lens 10 as the first unit, the optical data identification information of the intermediate accessory 30 and a correction request (also referred to as an optical correction request) of the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 through the first communication.

When the lens controller 113 receives the optical data identification information of the intermediate attachment 30 and the optical correction request in S808, the flow proceeds to S809.

In S809, the lens controller 113 acquires the current optical information of the intermediate accessory 30 from the table within the lens controller 113 based on the optical data identification information of the intermediate accessory 30, and proceeds to S809.

In S810, the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 is corrected based on the optical information of the intermediate component 40 as the static intermediate component and the optical information of the intermediate component 30 acquired in the sub-process S702.

Upon completion of the correction, in S811 the lens controller 113 transmits the corrected optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 to the camera controller 205 through the first communication.

Upon receiving the optical information of the interchangeable lens corrected by the camera controller 205 in S812, the flow proceeds to S813, and the optical information is stored in the camera controller 205.

At the end of S813, the flow returns to S802 to monitor the change in the optical information of the dynamic part again.

The present embodiment describes one of the intermediate components as a dynamic component and describes the interchangeable lens 10 as a first unit. Even in the case where there are a plurality of dynamic components or in the case where the first unit is a unit other than the interchangeable lens, the correction processing can be performed similarly.

In the case where the first unit recognizes that only the first unit is a dynamic component, optical correction may be performed when the first unit recognizes that its optical information has changed, and optical data of the interchangeable lens 10 subjected to optical correction may be transmitted to the camera body 20.

The correction processing of the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 is performed based on not only the optical information of the dynamic component acquired in S805 but also the optical information of the static intermediate component such as the optical information of the intermediate component 40 in S810. In the case where the static intermediate attachment is attached, the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 is pre-corrected by the optical information of the static intermediate attachment, and when the optical information dynamically changes, the final correction processing can be performed by the optical information of the dynamic attachment.

< effects of the second embodiment >

As described above, in the second embodiment, the camera controller 205 detects a change in the optical information of the intermediate accessory 30. Then, the camera body 20 transmits information relating to the change of the optical information and a correction request of the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 to the lens controller 113. Then, the lens controller 113 corrects the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10, and sends the optical information to the camera controller 205.

Thereby, even when the optical information of the accessory dynamically changes, the optical information of the interchangeable lens can be appropriately corrected.

Third embodiment

The present embodiment will focus on optical data identification information representing optical data unique to an accessory serving as intermediate accessory identification information.

In the case where a new product accessory has the same optical system as a known accessory, or is an accessory that can be corrected by the same correction method as a known accessory, a new model number is assigned to product specific information such as a model number (ID) or the like as intermediate accessory identification information. Thus, in a case where the necessity of optical information correction of the interchangeable lens is determined based on the model number (ID) or the like and the model number (ID) is unknown, the lens optical information cannot be corrected based on the optical characteristics of the accessory.

Therefore, the present embodiment uses the optical data identification information as the intermediate accessory identification information. The present embodiment associates the intermediate accessory identification information with the correction method. More specifically, a combination of information relating to the correction method and information relating to the correction parameter is set to the optical data identification information. Such optical data identification information will be referred to as correction identification information hereinafter. The information on the correction method according to the present embodiment is information corresponding to the optical member of the intermediate accessory, and the information on the correction parameter is information corresponding to the optical information of the intermediate accessory according to the optical characteristic of the optical member. For example, in the case where the intermediate attachment is a variable magnification adapter having a variable magnification lens, the information on the correction method is information representing the variable magnification lens, and the information on the correction parameter is magnification information on the variable magnification lens.

The lens controller 113 may store the information relating to the correction method and the information relating to the correction parameter while associating these two pieces of information with each other. If other information is required to correct the optical information, the other information may also be stored with being associated with information relating to the correction method and information relating to the correction parameter.

The information on the correction method and the information on the correction parameters are sent to the lens controller 113 via the camera controller 205. Thus, even if correction of an intermediate attachment having different information on the correction parameter is newly required, the existing unit (the interchangeable lens 10 in the present embodiment) can perform correction by resetting magnification information as the correction parameter.

Thus, the optical information of the interchangeable lens can be corrected using the optical data identification information based on the optical characteristics of the accessory. For example, when there is an optical system that is the same as that of an existing product or a component that can be corrected by the same method as that of an existing product and the model number (ID) is unknown, the optical information of the interchangeable lens can be corrected.

When the correction identification information is used, it is not effective to store the correction algorithm in each cell, and therefore the correction cell can be determined in advance. The present embodiment describes that the correction unit is determined in advance as an interchangeable lens. A correction method using an interchangeable lens that corrects identification information will be described. In the case where the first unit performs correction as in the first and second embodiments, the correction identification information may be used similarly.

< acquisition processing of corrected optical information (fig. 10) according to the third embodiment >

Fig. 10 shows a flow of processing at the time of initial power supply after each accessory is mounted, in which the camera body 20 acquires correction information from each accessory, transmits the correction information to the interchangeable lens 10 to request the interchangeable lens 10 to perform correction, and acquires optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 after correction.

When the camera body 20 is started in S1001, the flow proceeds to S1002.

In the flow proceeds to S1002, the camera body 20 supplies power to the interchangeable lens 10 and the intermediate accessories 30 and 40 through a not-shown mount contact for power supply, and the flow proceeds to S1003.

The sub-process S1003, which is an initial communication process with the accessory through the second communication, is substantially the same as the sub-process S304 in the first embodiment. In S1003, the corrected identification information is acquired as the identification information of the intermediate component.

When the corrected identification information of the accessory is acquired in S1003, the flow proceeds to S1004.

After proceeding to S1004, the camera controller 205 transmits the intermediate attachment correction identification information acquired in S1003 to the interchangeable lens 10, and requests the interchangeable lens 10 to correct the optical information. When the interchangeable lens acquires the corrected identification information of the intermediate accessory, the flow proceeds to S1005.

After proceeding to S1005, the replaceable lens controller 113 determines whether it is necessary to correct the optical information of itself based on the intermediate component correction identification information. If an intermediate accessory to correct optical information is attached, the flow advances to S1006.

In S1006, the replaceable lens controller 113 corrects the optical information of itself based on the intermediate accessory correction identification information, and transmits the corrected optical information to the camera.

In S1005, if no intermediate accessory is attached, or if all the attached intermediate accessories are intermediate accessories that do not require correction of the optical information of the interchangeable lens, the correction process is not required, so the flow proceeds to S1007.

In S1007, the replaceable lens controller 113 transmits its own optical information to the camera.

The transmission timing of the optical information in S1006 and S1007 may be immediately after the completion of the correction, or may be a timing requested from the camera.

After acquiring the optical information in S1006 or S1007, the flow advances to S1008 and the optical information acquisition sequence ends.

Thus, the camera system independently having the first communication path in which the camera and the interchangeable lens can communicate with each other and the second communication path in which the camera and the intermediate accessory can communicate with each other can appropriately correct the optical information of the interchangeable lens based on the optical information of the intermediate accessory.

The first embodiment illustrates an example in which identification information of an accessory and correction processing necessity information are both included in authentication information of the accessory. On the other hand, even if only the correction processing necessity information is added to the authentication information of the accessory and the correction processing necessity information indicates correction "needed", the correction processing necessity information can be acquired separately. Thus, regardless of the correction processing necessity information, the communication traffic can be reduced in the case where the correction processing necessity information indicates that correction is "unnecessary" as compared to the case where the correction identification information is acquired. In this case, as in the above-described embodiment, both the intermediate accessory identification information and the correction processing necessity information are acquired. In other words, in the case where the correction processing necessity information is correction "required" and the correction identification information is acquired separately, the intermediate component identification information and the correction identification information are acquired as the information for identifying the component. Thus, the amount of communication in the case where the correction processing necessity information indicates correction "unnecessary" can be reduced, and the intermediate accessory identification information can be used for other applications regardless of whether the correction processing necessity information is correction "necessary" or "unnecessary".

In the case where it is determined that the lens controller 113 does not store information corresponding to the information on the correction method based on the information on the correction method included in the correction identification information, control may be performed so that the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 is not corrected.

< effects of the third embodiment >

As described above, the camera controller 205 acquires the information on the correction method and the information on the correction parameter from the intermediate accessory controller 309, and transmits both of the information to the lens controller 113. Thus, if the correction method is known even for a new accessory, the lens controller 113 can correct the optical information based on the accessory.

Fourth embodiment

The above-described embodiment has explained that the camera body 20 acquires the identification information of the interchangeable lens 10 (also referred to as first lens identification information) as the authentication information of the interchangeable lens 10 in the initial communication with the interchangeable lens 10 by the first communication. The above-described embodiment has explained that the camera body 20 acquires the identification information of the interchangeable lens 10 (also referred to as second lens identification information) as the authentication information of the interchangeable lens 10 in the initial communication with the accessory through the second communication. The present embodiment focuses on the relationship between the first lens identification information and the second lens identification information.

As described above, the identification information of the interchangeable lens 10 and the accessory may be information such as a model number (ID) for identifying the type (model) of the corresponding unit. The identification information may include information indicating the function of the interchangeable lens, or information such as a production number (serial number) that can identify an individual in the same model.

In the camera system according to the present embodiment, the interchangeable lens 10 can communicate with the camera body 20 through both the first communication and the second communication, and as described in the first embodiment, can initially communicate with the camera body 20 through the first communication and the second communication. The interchangeable lens 10 transmits the identification information of the interchangeable lens 10 (the above-described first lens identification information and second lens identification information) to the camera body 20 in the initial communication through any of the first communication and the second communication.

At this time, the lens controller 113 may transmit the same information as the first lens identification information and the second lens identification information, but the present embodiment intentionally transmits information that is second lens identification information different from the first lens identification information to the camera controller 205. Thereby, the lens controller 113 effectively uses the second lens identification information transmitted to the camera controller 205 through the second communication.

The first lens identification information and the second lens identification information of the present embodiment will be described more specifically. The first lens identification information is information capable of identifying the type (model) of the interchangeable lens 10, such as a model number (ID) or the like.

On the other hand, the second lens identification information is information different from the first lens identification information, such as information indicating that the interchangeable lens 10 is a lens, or the like. In this case, the second lens identification information is information indicating that the interchangeable lens 10 is a lens but does not correspond to the type (model) of the interchangeable lens 10. Thus, for example, the second lens identification information may be made to be the inherent information regardless of the type (model) of the interchangeable lens 10.

Thus, in the present embodiment, the lens controller 113 does not perform the following operations: the first identification information to be transmitted in the initial communication by the first communication which is one-to-one communication between the camera body 20 and the interchangeable lens 10 is transmitted by the second communication which is one-to-many communication between the camera body 20 and the accessory. The second communication transmits information representing the lens or information representing the non-intermediate accessory to the camera controller 105 as second identification information.

Selectively using the first lens identification information and the second lens identification information in the present embodiment as described above can achieve, for example, the following effects.

For example, the identification information acquired by the camera controller 205 from the lens controller 113 through the first communication may be set to a system for interchangeable lenses, and the identification information acquired by the camera controller 205 from the controller of each accessory through the second communication may be set to a system for an intermediate accessory. This structure can provide a camera system having expandability to an intermediate accessory appearing in the future.

For example, the structure may also be used to keep track of the number of intermediate fitting connections. This is because the accessory that transmits the identification information other than the second identification information to the camera controller 105 is not the interchangeable lens 10 and thus can be determined as an intermediate accessory.

In case the number of intermediate accessories connected is known, for example in case more than a predetermined number of intermediate accessories are attached, a warning operation may be performed on the user or the functionality of one of these intermediate accessories may be limited. This structure can reduce power consumption and maintain communication quality. In the case where a large amount of data such as firmware upgrade is transmitted to an intermediate accessory, transition to the intermediate accessory firmware upgrade mode is permitted only when it is determined that only one intermediate accessory is connected.

Determining that the interchangeable lens 10 is not an intermediate accessory but a lens can reduce information to be sent from the lens controller 113 to the camera controller 105 in the initial communication through the second communication. For example, the lens controller 113 may not return the correction processing necessity information to the camera controller 105. This is because, by mounting the interchangeable lens 10 which is not an intermediate accessory, correction of optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 is not required.

Alternatively, for example, whether the terminal accessory is an interchangeable lens or an intermediate accessory may be electrically discriminated, and the discrimination result may be used for comparison with the second identification information. A detailed description will be given below. The communication error can be judged by verifying the matching with the hardware processing as described.

This example illustrates the following exemplary method: in the initial communication with the interchangeable lens or the intermediate accessory according to the first to fourth embodiments, whether the terminal accessory is the interchangeable lens or the intermediate accessory is electrically discriminated. Further, the present embodiment explains error processing in which the result of determination is judged by the identification information acquired through the second communication, and there is a mismatch in the terminal accessory through the second communication.

< Structure of the camera system according to the fourth embodiment (FIGS. 13 and 14) >

An exemplary method of electrically determining whether the terminal accessory is an interchangeable lens or an intermediate accessory will now be described. This determination is made in the initial communication through the second communication.

A structure in which the interchangeable lens 10 is attached to the terminal for second communication will now be described. As shown in fig. 13, the mount 201 of the camera body 20 includes an identification terminal 212. The mount 302 of the intermediate fitting 30 includes an identification terminal 313. Mount 402 of intermediate fitting 40 includes identification terminal 413, and mount 401 includes identification terminal 412. The mount 101 of the interchangeable lens 10 includes an identification terminal. The lines (also referred to as identification lines) connected via these identification terminals are connected to a resistor 118 provided in the interchangeable lens 10. The line is pulled up via a resistor 213 provided in the camera body 20. A value obtained by dividing the voltage level of the pull-up power supply by the resistance values of the resistors 118 and 213 is input to the camera controller 205.

Next, the configuration of the intermediate accessory 40 as the terminal of the second communication will be described below. As shown in fig. 14, as in the case where the terminal of the second communication is an interchangeable lens, the identification line via the identification terminals 212, 313, 312, and 413 is connected to the resistor 414 provided to the intermediate accessory 40. The input to the camera controller 205 has a value obtained by dividing the voltage level of the pull-up power supply of the camera body 20 by the resistance values of the resistors 414 and 213.

< second communication error determination method according to fourth embodiment (fig. 15) >

It is now assumed that the resistor used by the interchangeable lens 10 and the resistor used by the intermediate accessory at the terminal have different resistance values in advance. Thereby, it is possible to electrically determine whether or not the terminal fitting is an interchangeable lens based on the level of the input signal via the identification terminal.

If the electrically determined terminal accessory is the interchangeable lens 10, the second identification information should be obtained as the identification information of the terminal accessory acquired by the initial communication via the second communication. On the other hand, in the case where the electrically determined terminal accessory is an intermediate accessory, the identification information of the terminal accessory acquired in the initial communication through the second communication should be different from the second identification information, and more specifically, should be intermediate accessory identification information.

However, if there is any problem in the second communication, the above correspondence may be contradictory. Therefore, if there is an inconsistency between the electrically determined terminal accessory and the identification information acquired through the second communication, it is determined that a communication error has occurred, and a retry is performed from the initial communication to achieve more accurate communication.

Thus, it is possible to determine whether or not communication has been correctly performed by the second communication by comparing the electrical identification information with the identification information acquired by the second communication. It is possible to judge whether the acquired identification information is correct. Thereby, a communication error through the second communication can be detected.

< effects of the fourth embodiment >

As described above, in the present embodiment, the second lens identification information is information different from the first lens identification information corresponding to the type (model) of the interchangeable lens 10 and information indicating that the interchangeable lens 10 is a lens. This structure can improve, for example, the recognition performance of the accessory that communicates through the second communication.

Modification example

The above-described embodiment describes the first accessory as the accessory that stores optical information of all other accessories among the accessories related to correction. However, the first component may be a component whose amount of optical information with respect to each other is largest among components related to correction. Some accessories may not have optical information. In this case, the missing optical information can be acquired from other units.

In the initial communication of the above-described embodiment, the lens controller 113 transmits the identification information of the interchangeable lens 10 in S404 and S520. For example, the identification information transmitted in S520 may be identification information indicating that the accessory is not an intermediate accessory.

In the initial communication in fig. 5A and 5B of the above-described embodiment, each accessory transmits a plurality of pieces of information as authentication information to the camera controller 205, but may transmit only necessary information. In this case, the camera recognizes the required information and sends an information request to each accessory.

Although the above-described embodiment illustrates two intermediate fittings, if three or more intermediate fittings are provided, the first intermediate fitting may be provided as an intermediate fitting that stores all or more optical information of the other intermediate fittings among the plurality of intermediate fittings.

In the second embodiment, the dynamic accessory can correct the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10. In this case, the dynamic accessory may acquire optical information of other accessories in advance. In the case where the dynamic accessory corrects the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10, the corrected optical information is transmitted to the camera body 20.

In the second embodiment, in the case where there are a plurality of first accessories, the dynamic accessory can correct the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10.

The third embodiment explains that the camera body 20 corrects the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10. On the other hand, the optical information may be corrected in the interchangeable lens 10. In this case, the camera controller 205 sends a request to correct the optical information of the interchangeable lens 10 to the lens controller 113. At this time, in the case where the optical information of the intermediate accessory that needs to be corrected is insufficient, the interchangeable lens 10 can acquire the optical information of the intermediate accessory from the camera body 20 or the intermediate accessory as needed.

The fourth embodiment illustrates an example as follows: the camera controller 205 acquires information on the correction method and information on the correction parameters from the intermediate accessory controller 309, and transmits both of the information to the lens controller 113. In the case where the intermediate accessory 30 is a dynamic intermediate accessory as described in the second embodiment, and the information on the correction parameter is variable, the information on the correction parameter may be reacquired when the change is detected. In other words, in the case where the operation of the operation member of the intermediate accessory 30 is detected, the camera controller 205 acquires information on the correction parameter from the intermediate accessory controller 309, and transmits the information to the lens controller 113.

The first embodiment describes clock synchronous communication as the first communication method, but asynchronous communication may be performed. Asynchronous communication will be explained with reference to fig. 12.

Fig. 2A and 2B illustrate three-wire clock synchronous communication. Instead, the same effect can be obtained with three-wire asynchronous communication including three wires of the communication channel 1. Fig. 12 shows signal waveforms in three-wire asynchronous communication. Instead of the clock communication line (LCLK) described above, the three-wire asynchronous communication provides an RTS communication line (RTS). The RTS communication line is a signal line for transmitting a signal for controlling a communication timing through the camera-lens communication line (DCL) and a communication timing through the first lens-camera communication line (DLC) from the camera microcomputer 205 to the lens microcomputer 111. For example, the RTS communication line is used to notify, for example, a request (transmission instruction) for transmission of lens data from the camera microcomputer 205 to the lens microcomputer 111, a request (switching instruction) for switching of communication processing described later, and the like. The notification about the transmission request channel is performed by switching the signal level (voltage level) on the transmission request channel between a high level (first level) and a low level (second level). The following description refers to a signal supplied to the RTS communication line as a transmission request signal RTS. A transmission request signal RTS is transmitted from the camera microcomputer 205 as a communication master to the lens microcomputer 111 as a communication slave. When the lens microcomputer 111 receives the transmission request RTS, the signal level of the lens data signal DLC is set to low within the 1-bit period to notify the camera microcomputer 205 of the start of transmission of 1 frame of the lens data signal DLC. This 1-bit period will be referred to as a start bit ST indicating the start of a 1-frame. In other words, the data frame starts from the start bit ST. The start bit ST is set at the head bit of each frame of the lens data signal DLC. Next, the lens microcomputer 111 transmits 1 byte of lens data in an 8-bit period from the next 2 nd bit to the 9 th bit. The data bit arrangement starts with the most significant data D7 in the MSB-first format, continues in this order to data D6 and data D5, and ends with the least significant data D0. The lens microcomputer 111 adds parity information PA of 1 bit to the 10 th bit, and sets the signal level of the lens data signal DLC high for a period of the end bit SP indicating the end of 1 frame. Thereby, the data frame period from the start bit ST ends.

Fifth embodiment

The fifth embodiment will focus on the second communication in the above-described embodiments. The first communication as the "one-to-many" communication and the second communication as the "one-to-one" communication which will be described in the present embodiment are performed in the second communication described in the above embodiment performed through the second communication path.

Fig. 16 shows a structure according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. The fifth embodiment will explain an image pickup system (hereinafter referred to as a camera system) in which a plurality of accessory apparatuses including an interchangeable lens 5100 and an intermediate adapter 5300 are detachably and communicably mounted on a camera body 5200 as an image pickup apparatus.

The interchangeable lens 5100 may be directly attached to the camera body 5200 (without the intermediate adapter 5300), or two or more intermediate adapters may be attached between the camera body 5200 and the interchangeable lens 5100.

The camera system uses a plurality of communication circuits (communication paths) to communicate control commands and internal information between the camera body 5200, the interchangeable lens 5100, and the intermediate adapter 5300. Further, the camera system can also perform optimum communication at all times in various situations by switching a plurality of communication circuits to the same communication mode in synchronization with each other according to the type of data to be communicated and the purpose of communication.

The interchangeable lens 5100 and the intermediate adapter 5300 are mechanically and electrically connected via the mount 5010 as a coupling mechanism. Also, the intermediate adaptor 5300 and the camera body 5200 are mechanically and electrically connected via a mount 5011 as a link mechanism. The interchangeable lens 5100 and the intermediate adapter 5300 take power from the camera body 5200 through power terminals, not shown, provided on the mounts 5010 and 5011, respectively. Thereby, power necessary for the operation of various actuators described later, a lens microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as a lens microcomputer 5)5111, and an adapter microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as an adapter microcomputer 5)5302 is supplied.

The interchangeable lens 5100, the camera body 5200, and the intermediate adapter 5300 perform first communication as "one-to-many" communication via communication terminal sections 5012 and 5013 provided to the mounts 5010 and 5011. In addition, the interchangeable lens 5100, the camera body 5200 and the intermediate adapter 5300 perform second communication different from the first communication via communication terminal portions 5014 and 5015 provided to the mounts 5010 and 5011. The second communication is not "one-to-many" communication, but "one-to-one" communication such as clock-synchronized serial communication or UART communication. The present embodiment provides two types of communication, the first communication and the second communication, but the number of types of communication may be three or more.

The interchangeable lens 5100 has an imaging optical system. The imaging optical system includes, in order from the object OBJ side, a field lens 5101, a zoom lens (magnification-varying lens) 5102 for performing magnification variation, a diaphragm unit 5114 for adjusting light intensity, an image stabilizing lens 5103, and a focus lens 5104 for performing focus adjustment. The zoom lens 5102 and the focus lens 5104 are held by lens holding frames 5105 and 5106, respectively. The lens holding frames 5105 and 5106 are movably guided in an optical axis direction in which an optical axis (indicated by broken lines in the figure) extends by a guide shaft, not shown, and are driven in the optical axis direction by stepping motors 5107 and 5108. The stepping motors 5107 and 5108 move the zoom lens 5102 and the focus lens 5104, respectively, in synchronization with the driving pulses.

The image stabilization lens 5103 is shifted in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the imaging optical system by an image stabilization actuator 5126 such as a voice coil motor. Thereby, an image stabilizing operation is performed to reduce image blur caused by camera shake such as manual vibration or the like. The diaphragm unit 5114 includes aperture blades 5114a and 5114b, and adjusts the light amount by driving the aperture blades 5114a and 5114b in the opening and closing direction via the diaphragm actuator 5113. The positions of the aperture blades 5114a and 5114b are detected by the hall elements 5115, and are input to the lens microcomputer 5111 via the amplifier circuit 5122 and the a/D converter circuit 5123.

The interchangeable lens 5100 has a lens electronic ring 5130 as an operating member. The lens electronic ring 5130 is rotatable about an optical axis by a user, and the amount and direction of rotation of the lens electronic ring 5130 are detected by a rotation detector 5131 such as a photo interrupter and the like and input to the lens microcomputer 5111. The operation members may be switches, buttons, and dials, or may be a touch panel, and the interchangeable lens 5100 may include a plurality of operation members.

The lens microcomputer 5111 as an accessory controller controls the operation of each component within the interchangeable lens 5100. The lens microcomputer 5111 receives a control command or a transmission request command transmitted from the camera body 5200 via the lens first communication circuit 5141 for performing first communication or the lens second communication circuit 5142 for performing second communication. The lens microcomputer 5111 performs lens control corresponding to the control command, and transmits lens data (accessory data) corresponding to the transmission request command to the camera body 5200 via the lens first communication circuit 5141 and the lens second communication circuit 5142. The lens microcomputer 5111 transmits corresponding lens data to the camera body 5200 in accordance with the operation of each component in the interchangeable lens 5100. The lens first communication circuit 5141 and the lens second communication circuit 5142 constitute an accessory communication section in the interchangeable lens 5100.

The lens microcomputer 5111 outputs driving signals to the zoom driving circuit 5119 and the focus driving circuit 5120 according to commands related to magnification change and focus adjustment among the control commands and the operation of the operation member, thereby driving the stepping motors 5107 and 5108. This structure provides zoom control for controlling magnification by the zoom lens 5102 and focus control for controlling focusing by the focus lens 5104.

The lens microcomputer 5111 drives the image stabilization actuator 5126 via the image stabilization driving circuit 5125 according to an image stabilization-related command in the control command or a camera shake detected by a vibration sensor (not shown) such as a vibration gyro or the like provided in the interchangeable lens 5100. Thereby, image stabilization control to control offset driving of the image stabilization lens 5103 is performed.

The lens microcomputer 5111 outputs a drive signal to the diaphragm drive circuit 5121 to drive the diaphragm actuator 5113 according to a command related to light amount adjustment or an operation of an operation member in the control commands. Thus, light amount adjustment control for controlling the diaphragm unit 5114 is performed.

The intermediate adapter 5300 is, for example, a telephoto or wide-angle converter for changing a focal length, and includes a magnification-varying lens 301 added to the image-pickup optical system and an adapter microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as an adapter microcomputer 5) 5302. Intermediate adapters other than telephoto or wide-angle converters may be used, such as mount converters for varying the flange focal length, and the like.

The intermediate adaptor 5300 has an adaptor electronic ring 5310 as an operation member. The adapter electronic ring 5310 is rotatable about the optical axis by a user, and the amount and direction of rotation of the adapter electronic ring 5310 are detected by a rotation detector 5311 such as a photo interrupter and the like and input to the adapter microcomputer 5302. The operation members may be switches, buttons, and dials, or may be a touch panel, and the intermediate adaptor 5300 may include a plurality of operation members.

The adapter microcomputer 5302 as an accessory controller controls the operation of each component in the intermediate adapter 5300. The adapter microcomputer 5302 receives the control command or the transmission request command transmitted from the camera body 5200 via the adapter first communication circuit 5341 for performing the first communication or the adapter second communication circuit 5342 for performing the second communication. The adapter microcomputer 5302 performs intermediate adapter control corresponding to the control command, or transmits adapter data (accessory data) corresponding to the transmission request command to the camera body 5200 via the adapter first communication circuit 5341 and the adapter second communication circuit 5342. The adapter microcomputer 5302 transmits the corresponding adapter data to the camera body 5200 in accordance with the operation of each component in the intermediate adapter 5300. The adapter first communication circuit 5341 and the adapter second communication circuit 5342 constitute an accessory communication section in the intermediate adapter 5300.

The camera body 5200 includes an image sensor 5201 such as a CCD sensor and a CMOS sensor, an a/D converter circuit 5202, a signal processing circuit 5203, a recorder 5204, a camera microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as a camera microcomputer 5)5205, and a display unit 5206.

The image sensor 5201 photoelectrically converts an object image formed by an imaging optical system and outputs an electrical signal (analog signal). The a/D converter circuit 5202 converts the analog signal from the image sensor 5201 into a digital signal. The signal processing circuit 5203 performs various image processing on the digital signal from the a/D converter circuit 5202 to generate an image signal. The signal processing circuit 5203 also generates focus information indicating a contrast state (focus state of the imaging optical system) of the object image and luminance information indicating an exposure state from the image signal. The signal processing circuit 5203 outputs the image signal to the display unit 5206. The display unit 5206 displays the image signal as a live view image for confirming composition, focus state, and the like.

A camera microcomputer 5205 as a camera controller controls operations of respective components in the camera body 5200 in accordance with inputs from camera operation members such as an imaging instruction switch and various setting switches, not shown. For example, the exposure time of the image sensor 5201 is controlled or the sensitivity of the a/D converter circuit 5202 is controlled to perform exposure control.

The camera microcomputer 5205 transmits the control command and the transmission request command to the interchangeable lens 5100 and the intermediate adapter 5300 via the camera first communication circuit 5241 for performing the first communication or the camera second communication circuit 5242 for performing the second communication. For example, the camera microcomputer 5205 sends a control command relating to zoom control of the zoom lens 5102 to the interchangeable lens 5100 and the intermediate adapter 5300 in response to an operation of a zoom switch, not shown. A control command related to light amount adjustment control according to the luminance information and a control command related to focus control according to the focus information are sent to the interchangeable lens 5100. The camera first communication circuit 5241 and the camera second communication circuit 5242 constitute a camera communication section.

The camera microcomputer 5205 receives lens data from the interchangeable lens 5100 and adapter data from the intermediate adapter 5300. The camera microcomputer 5205 transmits control commands relating to the interchangeable lens 5100 and the intermediate adapter 5300 based on operation information of operation members included in the lens data or the adapter data obtained via the camera first communication circuit 5241 and the camera second communication circuit 5242.

The camera microcomputer 5205 transmits a transmission request command for acquiring the control information and the status information to the interchangeable lens 5100 and the intermediate adapter 5300 as necessary.

Referring now to fig. 17, a communication circuit for performing first communication ("one-to-many" communication) between the camera body 5200 and the interchangeable lens 5100 and the intermediate adapter 5300 will be described. The communication circuit described below is merely illustrative, and a structure other than the following structure may be used as long as the communication circuit is configured to provide "one-to-many" communication.

The first communication is performed by the camera microcomputer 5205 via the camera first communication circuit 5241, by the lens microcomputer 5111 via the lens first communication circuit 5141, and by the adapter microcomputer 5302 via the adapter first communication circuit 5341. The camera first communication circuit 5241, the lens first communication circuit 5141, and the adapter first communication circuit 5341 provide first communication through signal lines (CS and DATA) connected via communication terminal portions 5012 and 5013 provided by the mounts 5010 and 5011. The camera first communication circuit 5241 includes a ground switch 52081 and an input/output switch 52082. The lens first communication circuit 5141 includes a ground switch 51121 and an input/output switch 51122. The adapter first communication circuit 5341 includes a ground switch 53031 and an input/output switch 53032.

The signal lines include two lines of a signal line CS (first signal line) for propagating a signal for controlling communication and a signal line DATA (second signal line) for propagating DATA to be transmitted and received. The signal line CS is connected to the camera microcomputer 5205, the adapter microcomputer 5302, and the lens microcomputer 5111, and its (high or low) state is detectable. The signal line CS is pull-up connected to a power supply, not shown, in the camera body 5200, and is connectable to GND via the ground switch 51121 of the interchangeable lens 5100, the ground switch 52081 of the camera body 5200, and the ground switch 53031 of the intermediate adapter 5300. In other words, an open drain connection is established.

With this structure, the interchangeable lens 5100, the camera body 5200 and the intermediate adapter 5300 can make the state of the signal line CS low by turning on (connecting) their ground switches. On the other hand, when all of the interchangeable lens 5100, the camera body 5200, and the intermediate adapter 5300 are turned off (disconnected) the ground switch, the state of the signal line CS may become high. Details of the content and operation procedure of the control signal propagated using the signal line CS in communication will be described later.

The signal line DATA is a single-wire bidirectional DATA transmission line that can be used while switching the DATA propagation direction. The signal line DATA may be connected to the lens microcomputer 5111 via the input/output switch 51122, the transmission buffer 51123, and the reception buffer 51124 of the interchangeable lens 5100. The signal line DATA may be connected to the camera microcomputer 5205 via an input/output switch 52082, a transmission buffer 52083, and a reception buffer 52084 of the camera body 5200. The signal line DATA may be connected to the adaptor microcomputer 5302 via the input/output switch 53032, the transmission buffer 53033, and the reception buffer 53034 of the intermediate adaptor. The camera microcomputer 5205, the lens microcomputer 5111, and the adapter microcomputer 5302 operate the respective input/output switches 52082, 51152, and 53032 to select whether the signal line DATA is connected to the transmission buffers 51123, 52083, and 53033 or the reception buffers 51024, 52084, and 53034.

With this structure, in the case where the camera microcomputer 5205, the lens microcomputer 5111, and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 transmit DATA, the three operate their own input/output switches 52082, 51122, and 53032 to connect the signal line DATA to the transmission buffers 51123, 52083, and 53033. This enables data transmission. On the other hand, in the case where the camera microcomputer 5205, the lens microcomputer 5111, and the adapter microcomputer 5302 receive DATA, these three operate their own input/output switches 52082, 51122, and 53032, respectively, to connect the signal line DATA to the reception buffers 51024, 52084, and 53034. This enables data reception. The transmission buffers 51123, 52083 and 53033 and the reception buffers 51024, 52084 and 53034 have a structure capable of continuous transmission and reception within a buffer size range. Details of the input/output switching process of the signal line DATA at the time of communication will be described later.

The structure of the communication circuit shown in fig. 17 is merely illustrative, and other structures are possible. For example, the signal line CS is pulled down to GND in the camera body 5200, and is connected to a power supply, not shown, via the ground switch 51121 of the interchangeable lens 5100, the ground switch 52081 of the camera body 5200, and the ground switch 53031 of the intermediate adapter 5300. The signal line DATA may be always connected to each DATA input unit, and connection/disconnection between the signal line DATA and each DATA output unit may be switched by a switch.

Referring now to the signal waveforms shown in fig. 18, the format of communication DATA communicated between the camera body 5200, the interchangeable lens 5100 and the intermediate adapter 5300 via the signal line DATA for the purpose of first communication ("one-to-many" communication) will be described. This format is common to a broadcast communication mode as a first communication mode and a P2P communication mode as a second communication mode to be described below. The format of the communication data is based on so-called asynchronous communication in which transmission and reception are performed at a communication bit rate corresponding to a communication speed defined in advance among the camera body 5200, the interchangeable lens 5100, and the intermediate adaptor 5300.

Initially, the non-transmission state in which data transmission is not performed maintains the signal level high. Next, in order to notify the data reception side of the start of data transmission, the signal level is set to a low level for a 1-bit period. This 1-bit period is referred to as a start bit ST. 1 byte of data is transmitted in an 8-bit period from the next 2 nd bit to the 9 th bit. The data bit arrangement is continued from the most significant data D7 according to the MSB-first format, sequentially as data D6, data D5, data D4, data D3, data D2, and data D1, and ends with the least significant data D0. Next, parity PA information of 1 bit is added to the 10 th bit, and finally, the signal level is made high during an end bit SP indicating the end of transmission data. Thereby, the 1 frame period from the start bit ST ends.

The communication data format shown in fig. 18 is merely illustrative, and other communication data formats may be used. For example, the data bit arrangement may be LSB first or nine bits long, or no parity PA information may be added to the data. The data format may be switched between broadcast communication as a first communication mode to be described later and P2P communication as a second communication mode.

Referring now to signal waveforms shown in fig. 19A and 19B, broadcast communication using the signal line CS and the signal line DATA between the camera body 5200, the interchangeable lens 5100, and the intermediate adapter 5300 will be described. The broadcast communication performs "one-to-many" simultaneous distribution in which data is simultaneously transmitted from one of the camera microcomputer 5205, the lens microcomputer 5111, and the adapter microcomputer 5302 to the other two.

Fig. 19A shows illustrative broadcast communication performed from the adapter microcomputer 5302 to the camera microcomputer 5205 and the lens microcomputer 5111 in response to the broadcast communication from the camera microcomputer 5205 to the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302.

Initially, the camera microcomputer 5205 as the communication master apparatus starts sending a low output to the signal line CS to notify the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 as the communication slave apparatuses of the start of the broadcast communication (5401). Next, the camera microcomputer 5205 stores DATA to be transmitted in the transmission buffer 52083, and outputs the DATA to the signal line DATA according to the above-described communication format at the start of transmission (5402). On the other hand, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 start sending low output to the signal line CS at the timing of detecting the start bit ST input from the signal line DATA (5403, 5404). Since the camera microcomputer 5205 has started sending a low output to the signal line CS at this time, the level of the signal sent to the signal line CS is not changed.

Next, the camera microcomputer 5205 terminates the output of the end bit SP of the final data, and then stops the low output to the signal line CS (5405). On the other hand, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 store DATA in the reception buffers 51124 and 53034 each time they receive DATA input from the signal line DATA up to the end bit SP. Then, when low output to the signal line CS is detected, data is taken out from the reception buffers 51124 and 53034, and internal processing is performed on the data. After preparation for receiving the next data is completed, the low output to the signal line CS is released (5406, 5407). As described above, in the case where the camera microcomputer 5205, the lens microcomputer 5111, and the adapter microcomputer 5302 all cancel the low output to the signal line CS, the signal level of the signal line CS becomes high. Thus, the camera microcomputer 5205, the lens microcomputer 5111, and the adapter microcomputer 5302 each confirm that the signal level of the signal line CS becomes high after the low output to the signal line CS is released. Thereby, the camera microcomputer 5205, the lens microcomputer 5111, and the adapter microcomputer 5302 can each end processing relating to the current communication and determine that they are ready for the next communication.

Next, after confirming that the signal level of the signal line CS has returned to the high level, the adaptor microcomputer 5302 starts low output to the signal line CS to notify the camera microcomputer 5205 and the lens microcomputer 5111 of the start of broadcast communication (5411).

Next, the adapter microcomputer 5302 stores DATA to be transmitted in the transmission buffer 53033, and outputs the DATA to the signal line DATA according to the above-described communication format at the start of transmission (5412). On the other hand, the camera microcomputer 5205 and the lens microcomputer 5111 start low output to the signal line CS at the timing of detecting the start bit ST input from the signal line DATA (5413, 5414). Since the adapter microcomputer 5302 has started low output to the signal line CS at this time, the level of the signal sent to the signal line CS is not changed.

Next, after the output of the end bit SP of the final data is completed, the adapter microcomputer 5302 releases the low output to the signal line CS (5415). On the other hand, each time the camera microcomputer 5205 and the lens microcomputer 5111 receive DATA input from the signal line DATA up to the end bit SP, the DATA is stored in the reception buffers 52084 and 51124, and upon detecting a low output to the signal line CS, the DATA is taken out from the reception buffers 52084 and 51124. Then, the data is internally processed, and after preparation for receiving the next data is completed, low output to the signal line CS is released (5416, 5417).

Fig. 19B shows an example in which the lens microcomputer 5111 notifies the start of broadcast communication. In this example, in response to broadcast communication from the camera microcomputer 5205 to the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302, broadcast communication is performed from the adapter microcomputer 5302 to the camera microcomputer 5205 and the lens microcomputer 5111.

Initially, the lens microcomputer 5111 starts low output to the signal line CS to notify the camera microcomputer 5205 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 of the start of broadcast communication (5421). Next, upon detecting that the signal level of the signal line CS becomes a low level, the camera microcomputer 5205 starts a low output to the signal line CS (5422). Since the lens microcomputer 5111 has started the low output to the signal line CS at this time, the level of the signal sent to the signal line CS is not changed.

Next, the camera microcomputer 5205 stores the DATA to be transmitted in the transmission buffer 52083, and outputs the DATA to the signal line DATA according to the above-described communication format at the start of transmission (5423). On the other hand, the adaptor microcomputer 5302 starts outputting to the low signal line CS at the timing when the start bit ST input from the signal line DATA is detected (5424). Since the camera microcomputer 5205 has started low output to the signal line CS at this time, the level of the signal sent to the signal line CS has not changed.

Next, the camera microcomputer 5205 terminates the output of the end bit SP of the final data, and then releases the low output to the signal line CS (5425). On the other hand, each time the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 receive DATA up to the end bit SP from the signal line DATA, the DATA is stored in the reception buffers 51124 and 53034, and upon detecting a low output to the signal line CS, the DATA is taken out from the reception buffers 51124 and 53034. Then, the data is internally processed, and after preparation for receiving the next data is completed, low output to the signal line CS is released (5426, 5427). As described above, in the case where the camera microcomputer 5205, the lens microcomputer 5111, and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 all release the low output to the signal line CS, the signal level of the signal line CS becomes high. Therefore, the camera microcomputer 5205, the lens microcomputer 5111, and the adapter microcomputer 5302 each confirm that the signal level of the signal line CS becomes high after the low output to the signal line CS is released. Thereby, the camera microcomputer 5205, the lens microcomputer 5111, and the adapter microcomputer 5302 can each end processing relating to the current communication and determine that they are ready for the next communication.

Next, after confirming that the signal level of the signal line CS becomes high again, the adaptor microcomputer 5302 starts low output to the signal line CS to notify the camera microcomputer 5205 and the lens microcomputer 5111 of the start of broadcast communication (5431).

Next, the adapter microcomputer 5302 stores DATA to be transmitted in the transmission buffer 53033, and outputs the DATA to the signal line DATA according to the above-described communication format at the start of transmission (5432). On the other hand, the camera microcomputer 5205 and the lens microcomputer 5111 start low output to the signal line CS at the timing of detecting the start bit ST input from the signal line DATA (5433, 5434). Since the adapter microcomputer 5302 has started low output to the signal line CS at this time, the level of the signal sent to the signal line CS is not changed.

Next, the adapter microcomputer 5302 terminates the output of the end bit SP of the final data, and then releases the low output to the signal line CS (5435). On the other hand, after receiving DATA up to the end bit SP input from the signal line DATA, the camera microcomputer 5205 and the lens microcomputer 5111 store the DATA in the reception buffers 52084 and 51124 every time the DATA is received. Then, upon detection of a low output to the signal line CS, the data is taken out from the reception buffers 52084 and 51124. This data is internally processed, and after preparation for receiving the next data is completed, low output to the signal line CS is released (5436, 5437).

In the example shown in fig. 19B, in the case where broadcast communication is started from the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 as communication slave apparatuses, the camera microcomputer 5205 as a communication master apparatus cannot judge which of the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 causes the signal line CS to become low at the timing of 5421. Thus, the camera microcomputer 5205 needs to communicate with both the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 to acquire information about whether or not both start broadcast communication.

The timing at which the camera microcomputer 5205 transmits a low output to the signal line CS to start broadcast communication may coincide with the timing at which the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 make the signal line CS low to start broadcast communication. In this case, the camera microcomputer 5205 cannot detect that the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 have sent a low output to the signal line CS. Therefore, the camera microcomputer 5205 as the communication master apparatus can transmit a permission notification for permitting the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 as the communication slave apparatuses to start broadcast communication.

As described above with reference to fig. 19A and 19B, a signal propagated using the signal line CS in broadcast communication is used as a signal indicating that broadcast communication has started and that communication processing is in progress.

Fig. 19A and 19B show illustrative communication waveforms of broadcast communication in the first communication that can provide "one-to-many" communication, but the communication waveforms of broadcast communication in the first communication may be other communication waveforms. For example, fig. 19A and 19B set data to be transmitted in one broadcast communication to 1 byte, but may set the data to 2 bytes or 3 bytes. The broadcast communication can be set as one-way restriction communication from the camera microcomputer 5205 as a communication master apparatus to the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 as communication slave apparatuses.

Referring now to signal waveforms shown in fig. 20, P2P communication performed between the camera body 5200, the interchangeable lens 5100, and the intermediate adaptor 5300 using the signal line CS and the signal line DATA will be described. In the P2P communication, the camera body 5200 as a communication master apparatus selects one communication partner from the interchangeable lens 5100 and the intermediate adapter 5300 as communication slave apparatuses. Then, "one-to-one" individual communication of sending and receiving data between the camera body 5200 and the selected communication slave device is performed.

Here, the following example is illustrated: the camera microcomputer 5205 selects the lens microcomputer 5111 as a communication partner, and transmits data of 2 bytes from the lens microcomputer 5111 to the camera microcomputer 5205 in response to transmission of data of 1 byte from the camera microcomputer 5205. The number of transmission bytes may not be 1 byte or 2 bytes as described above, and may be any number of bytes as long as both the transmission side and the reception side can continuously communicate. A method for switching between broadcast communication and P2P communication and a method for selecting a communication partner of P2P communication will be described later.

Initially, the camera microcomputer 5205, which is a communication master, stores DATA of 1 byte to be transmitted in the transmission buffer 52083, and outputs the DATA to the signal line DATA according to the above-described communication format simultaneously with the start of transmission (5501). After the output of the end bit SP of the final data is completed, the camera microcomputer 5205 starts a low output to the signal line CS (5502). After that, the camera microcomputer 5205 releases the low output to the signal line CS after the preparation for receiving the next data is completed (5503).

On the other hand, the lens microcomputer 5111 stores DATA input from the signal line DATA until the end bit SP in the reception buffer 51124 every time it receives the DATA. Then, when a low signal input from the signal line CS is detected, data stored in the reception buffer 51124 is analyzed, and the data is internally processed. After that, when the lens microcomputer 5111 confirms that the signal level of the signal line CS returns to the high level, the lens microcomputer 5111 stores DATA of 2 bytes to be transmitted in the transmission buffer 51123 and continuously outputs the DATA to the signal line DATA according to the above-described communication format while transmission is started (5504). After the lens microcomputer 5111 ends the output of the end bit SP of the 2 nd byte, the lens microcomputer 5111 starts the low output to the signal line CS (5505). After that, the lens microcomputer 5111 releases the low output to the signal line CS after the preparation for receiving the next data is completed (5506).

The adapter microcomputer 5302 that is not selected as a communication partner of P2P communication does not participate in the operations of the signal line CS and the signal line DATA at all.

As described above with reference to fig. 20, the signal propagated using the signal line CS in the P2P communication is used as a notification signal indicating the end of transmission on the transmission side and a standby request for the next data transmission. The communication waveform of P2P communication shown in fig. 20 is merely illustrative, and may be other communication waveforms. For example, the data to be transmitted may be 1 byte or other number of bytes.

Referring now to signal waveforms shown in fig. 21, a method for switching between broadcast communication and P2P communication (communication mode switching) and a method for selecting a communication partner of P2P communication will be explained. The communication partner of P2P communication is selected by broadcast communication. Now assume the following exemplary P2P communication. Initially, the camera microcomputer 5205 selects (specifies) the adapter microcomputer 5302 as a communication partner of the P2P communication. Then, the P2P communication is performed by 1-byte data transmission from the camera microcomputer 5205 to the adapter microcomputer 5302 and 1-byte data transmission from the adapter microcomputer 5302 to the camera microcomputer 5205. Next, the camera microcomputer 5205 designates the lens microcomputer 5111 as a communication partner of the P2P communication. Then, P2P communication is performed by 2-byte data transmission from the camera microcomputer 5205 to the lens microcomputer 5111 and 3-byte data transmission from the lens microcomputer 5111 to the camera microcomputer 5205.

Initially, the camera microcomputer 5205 as the communication master performs broadcast communication according to the procedure described in fig. 19A (5601). The content notified by this broadcast communication is slave designation data that designates a communication partner with the camera microcomputer 5205 in the next P2P communication. The lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302, which are communication slave devices, judge whether or not they are designated as communication partners for P2P communication from slave device designation data received by broadcast communication. With this broadcast communication, the camera microcomputer 5205 and the communication slave device specified by the slave device specifying data switch from the broadcast communication to the P2P communication (5602).

Next, according to the procedure shown in fig. 20, data is transmitted and received by P2P communication between the camera microcomputer 5205 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 designated as a communication partner (5603). Here, 1-byte data is transmitted from the camera microcomputer 5205 to the adapter microcomputer 5302, and then the 1-byte data is transmitted from the adapter microcomputer 5302 to the camera microcomputer 5205.

At the end of the P2P communication between the camera microcomputer 5205 and the adapter microcomputer 5302, the camera microcomputer 5205 can designate again the communication partner of the P2P communication by broadcast communication. Here, the camera microcomputer 5205 sets the lens microcomputer 5111 as a communication partner of the slave device designation data to designate the lens microcomputer 5111 as the next P2P communication, and performs broadcast communication according to the procedure described in fig. 19A (5604). When the adaptor microcomputer 5302 ends the P2P communication by this broadcast communication, the lens microcomputer 5111 switches from the broadcast communication to the P2P communication (5605). If the broadcast communication is not performed, the P2P communication between the camera microcomputer 5205 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 continues.

Next, the camera microcomputer 5205 and the lens microcomputer 5111 transmit and receive data by P2P communication according to the procedure described in fig. 20. Here, the camera microcomputer 5205 transmits 2 bytes of data to the lens microcomputer 5111, and then the lens microcomputer 5111 transmits 3 bytes of data to the camera microcomputer 5205 (5606).

As described above, the first communication capable of the "one-to-many" communication can select the communication partner of the P2P communication by the broadcast communication while switching between the broadcast communication and the P2P communication.

Referring now to the flowcharts of fig. 22A and 22B, a process (communication control method) in the broadcast communication mode as the first communication mode performed between the camera body 5200, the interchangeable lens 5100, and the intermediate adapter 5300 will be described. An exemplary broadcast communication from the camera body 5200 to the interchangeable lens 5100 and the intermediate adapter 5300 will now be described.

Fig. 22A illustrates a broadcast communication transmission process in a broadcast communication mode in which data is transmitted from the camera microcomputer 5205 to the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302. The broadcast communication transmission processing starts when the camera microcomputer 5205 satisfies a requirement to start broadcast communication (such as when the camera microcomputer 5205 transmits a transmission request of lens data or adapter data, or when the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 transmit a low output to the signal line CS to request the start of broadcast communication). The camera microcomputer 5205 executes the processing according to a computer program.

In the following description, S represents a step. In S5700, the camera microcomputer 5205 turns on (connects) the ground switch 52081 to set the signal line CS to a low level, thereby notifying the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 of the start of broadcast communication. The lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 start the broadcast communication reception process described in fig. 22B by receiving the start notification of the broadcast communication.

Next, in S5701, the camera microcomputer 5205 operates the input/output switch 52082 to connect the signal line DATA to the DATA output unit.

Next, in S5702, the camera microcomputer 5205 transmits the DATA using the signal line DATA, and proceeds to S5703 when the transmission of all the DATA is completed. The number of bytes of data to be transmitted here may be any size as long as the number of bytes is recognized equally among the camera microcomputer 5205, the lens microcomputer 5111, and the adapter microcomputer 5302, and has a size in which transmission and reception can be performed once with a transmission buffer and a reception buffer in each microcomputer.

In S5703, the camera microcomputer 5205 determines whether the data transmitted in S5702 is a bidirectional command including transmission from the lens microcomputer 5111 or the adapter microcomputer 5302. If the transmission data is not a bidirectional command, the camera microcomputer 5205 proceeds to S5704, and if the transmission data is a bidirectional command, the camera microcomputer 5205 proceeds to S5705.

In S5704, the camera microcomputer 5205 opens (cuts off) the ground switch 52081 to release the low output to the signal line CS to indicate that the communication process is ended. Then, the flow advances to S5715.

In S5705, the camera microcomputer 5205 operates the input/output switch 52082 to connect the signal line DATA to the DATA input unit.

Next, in S5706, the camera microcomputer 5205 opens (cuts off) the ground switch 52081 to release the low output to the signal line CS to indicate that the communication process has ended.

Next, in S5707, the camera microcomputer 5205 stands by until the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 complete reception of data or until the signal line CS becomes high. When the signal line CS goes high, the flow proceeds to S5708.

In S5708, the camera microcomputer 5205 stands by until the signal line CS goes low to wait for data transmission from the lens microcomputer 5111 or the adapter microcomputer 5302. If the signal line CS becomes low, the flow proceeds to S5709.

In S5709, the camera microcomputer 5205 permits DATA reception from the signal line DATA. Next, in S5710, the camera microcomputer 5205 stands by until a start bit of the signal line DATA is detected. If the start bit is detected, the flow proceeds to S5711.

In S5711, the camera microcomputer 5205 turns on (connects) the ground switch 52081 to indicate that the communication process is in progress, and starts low output to the signal line CS.

Next, in S5712, the camera microcomputer 5205 stands by until all the data is received. When the reception of all data is completed, the flow proceeds to S5713. The number of bytes of data to be received here may be any size as long as the number of bytes is recognized equally among the camera microcomputer 5205, the lens microcomputer 5111, and the adapter microcomputer 5302, and may be a size in which transmission and reception can be performed once with a transmission buffer and a reception buffer in each microcomputer.

Next, in S5713, the camera microcomputer 5205 prohibits DATA reception from the signal line DATA.

Then, in S5714, the camera microcomputer 5205 opens (cuts off) the ground switch 52081 to indicate that the communication process has ended, and releases the low output to the signal line CS. Thus, the flow advances to S5715.

In S5715, the camera microcomputer 5205 stands by until the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 complete data reception or until the signal line CS becomes high. If the signal line CS becomes high, the flow proceeds to S5716.

In S5716, the camera microcomputer 5205 determines whether a communication partner of the P2P communication is designated for the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 based on the data transmitted in S5702. If the camera microcomputer 5205 specifies the communication partner, the flow proceeds to S5717. Otherwise, the camera microcomputer 5205 ends the broadcast communication transmission process while maintaining the broadcast communication mode.

In S5717, the camera microcomputer 5205 shifts from the broadcast communication mode to the P2P communication mode, and ends the broadcast communication transmission process.

The above-described processing can transmit data using broadcast communication from the camera body 5200 to the interchangeable lens 5100 and the intermediate adapter 5300.

Fig. 22B illustrates a broadcast communication reception process in which the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 receive data from the camera microcomputer 5205. In addition to the broadcast communication mode or the P2P communication mode, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 recognize the broadcast communication start notification and start the broadcast communication reception process when the signal line CS becomes low during the communication standby. The lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 execute this processing according to a computer program.

In S5720, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 permit reception of DATA from the signal line DATA.

Next, in S5721, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 judge whether or not the start bit of the signal line DATA is received, and if the start bit has not been received, the flow proceeds to S5722, and if the start bit has been received, the flow proceeds to S5724.

In S5722, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 determine whether the signal line CS is high. If the signal line CS is high, the flow advances to S5723 to end the reception processing of the broadcast communication, and if the signal line CS is not high, the flow returns to S5721 to continuously wait for the start bit reception.

In S5723, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 inhibit DATA reception from the signal line DATA, and end the broadcast communication reception process.

In S5724, in a case where the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 are in the P2P communication mode, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 shift to the broadcast communication mode.

In S5725, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 turn on (connect) the ground switch 51121 and the ground switch 53031 to start low output to the signal line CS to indicate that the communication process is in progress.

In S5726, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 wait until all the data is received. Then, if the reception of all the data is completed, the flow proceeds to S5727. The number of bytes of data to be received here may be any size as long as the number of bytes is recognized equally among the camera microcomputer 5205, the lens microcomputer 5111, and the adapter microcomputer 5302, and may be a size in which transmission and reception can be performed once with a transmission buffer and a reception buffer in each microcomputer.

In S5727, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 inhibit DATA reception from the signal line DATA.

Next, in S5728, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 turn off (cut off) the ground switch 51121 and the ground switch 53031 to release the low output to the signal line CS to indicate that the communication process has ended.

Next, in S5729, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 determine whether or not the data received in S5725 is a bidirectional command indicating transmission originating from itself. If the received data is a bidirectional command, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 proceed to S5730, otherwise to S5735.

In S5730, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 stand by until the other microcomputer 5 completes data reception or until the signal line CS becomes high. When the signal line CS becomes high, the flow proceeds to S5731.

In S5731, in order to notify the start of broadcast communication, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 turn on (connect) the ground switch 51121 and the ground switch 53031 to set the signal line CS to a low level.

Next, in S5732, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 operate the input/output switch 51122 and the input/output switch 53032 to connect the signal line DATA to the DATA output unit.

Next, in S5733, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 transmit DATA using the signal line DATA, and upon completion of all DATA transmission, the flow advances to S5734. The number of bytes of data to be transmitted here may be any size as long as the number of bytes is recognized equally among the camera microcomputer 5205, the lens microcomputer 5111, and the adapter microcomputer 5302, and may have a size in which transmission and reception can be performed once with a transmission buffer and a reception buffer in each microcomputer.

In S5734, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 turn off (disconnect) the ground switch 51121 and the ground switch 53031 to release the low output to the signal line CS to indicate that the data transmission processing of themselves is completed.

Next, in S5735, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 stand by until the other microcomputer 5 completes data reception or until the signal line CS becomes high. When the signal line CS becomes high, the flow proceeds to S5736.

In S5736, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 determine whether the camera microcomputer 5205 designates a communication partner of the P2P communication based on the data received in S5726. If the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 are designated as the communication partner, the flow proceeds to S5737, otherwise, the broadcast communication mode is maintained and the broadcast communication reception process is ended.

In S5737, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adapter microcomputer 5302 permit DATA reception from the signal line DATA.

Next, in S5738, the lens microcomputer 5111 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 shift from the broadcast communication mode to the P2P communication mode, and end the broadcast communication reception process.

The above-described processing enables reception of data using broadcast communication from the camera body 5200 to the interchangeable lens 5100 and the intermediate adapter 5300.

Referring now to the flowcharts of fig. 23A and 23B, a process performed in the P2P communication mode as the second communication mode among the camera body 5200, the interchangeable lens 5100, and the intermediate adapter 5300 will be described. Communication from the camera body 5200 as a communication master apparatus to an exemplary P2P of the intermediate adaptor 5300 as a communication slave apparatus will be described.

Fig. 23A shows a P2P communication transmission process performed by the camera microcomputer 5205 as a communication master in the P2P communication mode. When the camera microcomputer 5205 satisfies the requirement to start the P2P communication, the P2P communication transmission processing starts. The camera microcomputer 5205 executes the processing according to a computer program.

In S5800, the camera microcomputer 5205 operates the input/output switch 52082 to connect the signal line DATA to the DATA output unit.

Next, in S5801, the camera microcomputer 5205 transmits DATA using the signal line DATA. Then, after the transmission of all the data is completed, the camera microcomputer 5205 proceeds to S5802. The number of bytes of data to be transmitted here may have any size as long as the number of bytes is recognized equally between the camera microcomputer 5205 and the adapter microcomputer 5302, and may have a size in which transmission and reception can be performed once with a transmission buffer and a reception buffer in each microcomputer. If the camera microcomputer 5205 can divide and transmit transmission data, the data can have a size that can be received at one time with the reception buffer in the adapter microcomputer 5302.

In S5802, the camera microcomputer 5205 turns on (connects) the ground switch 52081 to start low output to the signal line CS, and notifies the adaptor microcomputer 5302 of completion of data transmission by the P2P. Upon receiving the completion of the data transmission of the P2P communication, the adapter microcomputer 5302 starts the P2P communication reception process described in fig. 23B.

In S5803, the camera microcomputer 5205 determines whether the data transmitted in S5802 is a bidirectional command that also includes data transmission from the adapter microcomputer 5302. If the transmission data is not the bidirectional command, the camera microcomputer 5205 proceeds to S5804. If the transmission data is a bidirectional command, the flow advances to S5805.

In S5804, the camera microcomputer 5205 opens (cuts off) the ground switch 52081 to release the low output to the signal line CS, thereby detecting that the adapter microcomputer 5302 has completed data reception. Then, the flow advances to S5809.

In S5805, the camera microcomputer 5205 operates the input/output switch 52082 to connect the signal line DATA to the DATA input unit.

Next, in S5806, in order to detect that the data transmission from the adaptor microcomputer 5302 is completed, the camera microcomputer 5205 turns off (disconnects) the ground switch 52081 and releases the low output to the signal line CS.

Next, in S5807, the camera microcomputer 5205 stands by until the data transmission from the adaptor microcomputer 5302 is completed or until the signal line CS becomes low. Then, when the signal line CS goes low, the camera microcomputer 5205 determines that the data transmission from the adaptor microcomputer 5302 is completed, and the flow advances to S5808. The number of bytes of data to be received here may have any size as long as the number of bytes is recognized equally between the camera microcomputer 5205 and the adapter microcomputer 5302, and may have a size in which transmission and reception can be performed once with a transmission buffer and a reception buffer of each microcomputer. If the adapter microcomputer 5302 can divide and transmit the transmission data, the transmission data may be in a size receivable at one time by a reception buffer in the camera microcomputer 5205.

In S5808, the camera microcomputer 5205 analyzes the DATA received from the signal line DATA.

Next, in S5809, the camera microcomputer 5205 stands by until the signal line CS becomes high. Then, when the signal line CS becomes high, this means that the camera microcomputer 5205 completes the current P2P communication, and the flow advances to S5810.

In S5810, the camera microcomputer 5205 determines whether to start broadcast communication in the next communication. If the camera microcomputer 5205 starts the broadcast communication, the flow advances to S5811. If the P2P communication is to continue, the P2P communication transmission process ends with the P2P communication mode.

In S5811, the camera microcomputer 5205 shifts from the P2P communication mode to the broadcast communication mode, and ends the P2P communication transmission process.

The above-described processing can transmit and receive data using P2P communication from the camera body 5200 as a communication master device to the intermediate adaptor 5300.

Fig. 23B shows a P2P communication reception process by the adaptor microcomputer 5302 in the P2P communication between the camera microcomputer 5205 and the adaptor microcomputer 5302 as a communication slave device. When the adaptor microcomputer 5302 receives the data of the P2P communication, the P2P communication reception process starts. The adapter microcomputer 5302 executes the process according to the computer program.

In S5820, the adapter microcomputer 5302 analyzes the DATA received from the signal line DATA.

Next, in S5821, the adapter microcomputer 5302 stands by until the signal line CS becomes high or until the process is completed in S5804 or S5806. When the signal line CS goes high, the adapter microcomputer 5302 proceeds to S5822.

In S5822, the adapter microcomputer 5302 determines whether the received data analyzed in S5820 is a bidirectional command including data transmission from the adapter microcomputer 5302. If the received data is not a bidirectional command, the adapter microcomputer 5302 proceeds to S5823, and if the received data is a bidirectional command, the adapter microcomputer 5302 proceeds to S5824.

In S5823, the adapter microcomputer 5302 starts low output to the signal line CS by turning on (connecting) and off (disconnecting) the ground switch 53031 to notify the camera microcomputer 5205 that data reception has been completed. Then, the flow advances to S5828.

In S5824, the adapter microcomputer 5302 operates the input/output switch 53032 to connect the signal line DATA to the DATA output unit.

Next, in S5825, the adaptor microcomputer 5302 transmits DATA using the signal line DATA, and proceeds to S5826 when the transmission of all DATA is completed. The number of bytes of data to be transmitted here may have any size as long as the number of bytes is recognized equally between the camera microcomputer 5205 and the adapter microcomputer 5302, and may have a size in which transmission and reception can be performed once with a transmission buffer and a reception buffer of each microcomputer. If the adapter microcomputer 5302 can divide and transmit the transmission data, the transmission data may have a size receivable at one time with the reception buffer in the camera microcomputer 5205.

Next, in S5826, in order to notify the camera microcomputer 5205 that the P2P communication is completed, the adapter microcomputer 5302 turns on (connects) the ground switch 53031 and starts low output to the signal line CS. Thereby, the adapter microcomputer 5302 notifies the camera microcomputer 5205 of the completion of data transmission by the P2P communication.

Next, in S5827, the adapter microcomputer 5302 operates the input/output switch 53032 to connect the signal line DATA to the DATA input unit.

Next, in S5828, the adapter microcomputer 5302 turns off (cuts off) the ground switch 53031 and cancels the low output to the signal line CS.

Next, in S5829, the adapter microcomputer 5302 stands by until the signal line CS becomes high to detect that the camera microcomputer 5205 completes the P2P communication. When the signal line CS becomes high, the adapter microcomputer 5302 ends the P2P communication reception process.

The above-described process transmits and receives data using P2P communication of the intermediate adaptor 5300 as a communication slave device.

Referring now to the flowchart of fig. 24, a description will be given of communication processing between the camera body 5200, the interchangeable lens 5100, and the intermediate adapter 5300, which are started by the first communication at a higher speed or an optimum communication speed while ensuring compatibility. An exemplary communication process (camera body startup process) performed by the camera body 5200 and the intermediate adapter 5300 in a case where the interchangeable lens 5100 is connected to the camera body 5200 via the intermediate adapter 5300 will be described. However, the communication slave device may be the interchangeable lens 5100. This process is performed for all of a plurality of accessories including an interchangeable lens that can perform the first communication, which are connected to the camera body 5200. The camera microcomputer 5205 performs the following processing in accordance with a computer program.

In S5900, the camera microcomputer 5205 performs authentication communication to identify the type and number of accessories attached via the camera first communication circuit 5241. Then, when the authentication of all the mounted accessories (here, the intermediate adaptor 5300 and the interchangeable lens 5100) is completed, the flow advances to S5901. The authentication communication is performed at a communication bit rate corresponding to a mutually predefined communication speed. However, if an accessory that can recognize a communication bit rate capable of higher-speed communication by authentication is attached, the communication bit rate of the P2P communication mode as the second communication mode may be changed for the accessory. The authentication communication is performed within a range of a continuously transmittable data size (hereinafter referred to as a second continuously transmittable data size) predefined to each other.

In S5901, the camera microcomputer 5205 performs initial setting processing that can be started using the authentication information acquired in S5900. The initial setting is, for example, displaying the attachment state of the accessory on the display unit 206 or setting optical information to the signal processing circuit 5203. As an initial setting, the second communication may be used to notify the interchangeable lens 5100 of information of the intermediate adapter 5300 to acquire optical information used by the intermediate adapter 5300 from the interchangeable lens 5100. Thus, by acquiring information of the attached accessory in advance, processing using the information can be started early, and the camera body 5200 can be started quickly.

Next, in S5902, the camera microcomputer 5205 receives the adapter transmittable size (accessory transmittable size) from the adapter microcomputer 5302 via the camera first communication circuit 5241. The adaptor transmittable size is a data size (the number of data or the data amount) which the adaptor microcomputer 5302 can continuously transmit. The adapter may transmit size is determined, for example, by the buffer size of the transmit buffer 53033. As with authenticated communication, the adapter transmittable size is also transmitted and received within a range of a second continuously transmittable data size.

In S5903, the camera microcomputer 5205 compares the adapter transmittable size with the camera receivable size, which is a data size that can be continuously received by itself. If the camera receivable size is smaller than the adapter transmittable size, the camera microcomputer 5205 sets the camera receivable size to a camera-adapter maximum reception size that is a first continuously receivable data size described later in S5904. On the other hand, if the adapter transmittable size is smaller than the camera receivable size, the adapter transmittable size is set to the camera-adapter maximum reception size in S5905. If the adapter microcomputer 5302 can divide and transmit the transmission data, the flow may proceed from S5903 to S5904.

The camera receivable size is determined, for example, by the buffer size of the receive buffer 52084. The camera-adapter maximum reception size is a maximum data size that the camera microcomputer 5205 can continuously receive from the adapter microcomputer 5302. The subsequent data size received from the adapter microcomputer 5302 of the camera microcomputer 5205 is controlled with the maximum reception size of the camera-adapter as an upper limit.

The camera microcomputer 5205, which proceeds to S5906 from S5904 and S5905, receives information on the memory map for each command from the adaptor microcomputer 5302 via the camera first communication circuit 5241. This processing enables the camera microcomputer 5205 to recognize a command that the adapter microcomputer 5302 can process. Details of the memory mapping will be described later with reference to fig. 25.

Next, in S5907, the camera microcomputer 5205 receives the adapter individual information from the adapter microcomputer 5302 via the camera first communication circuit 5241. The adapter individual information is information indicating an optical member, an installation function, and the like of the intermediate adapter 5300. Since the data amount of the adapter individual information is large, it is possible to improve the communication efficiency by communicating the adapter individual information after determining the camera-adapter maximum reception size. As with the authentication communication, the adapter individual information is also transmitted and received within the range of the second continuously transmittable data size.

Next, in S5908, the camera microcomputer 5205 receives the adapter acceptable size (accessory acceptable size) from the adapter microcomputer 5302 via the camera first communication circuit 5241. The adapter receivable size is a data size that the adapter microcomputer 5302 can continuously receive. The adaptor receivable size is determined by, for example, the buffer size of the reception buffer 53034. As with authenticated communication, the adapter receivable size is also transmitted and received within the range of the second continuously transmittable data size.

Next, in S5909 the camera microcomputer 5205 compares the adapter receivable size with the camera transmittable size, which is a size of the self continuously transmittable data. If the camera transmittable size is smaller than the adapter receivable size, the camera microcomputer 5205 sets the camera transmittable size to a camera-adapter maximum transmission size that is a first continuously transmittable data size described later in S5910. If the adapter receivable size is smaller than the camera transmittable size, the adapter receivable size is set to the camera-adapter maximum transmission size in S5911. If the camera microcomputer 5205 can divide and transmit the transmission data, the flow may proceed from S5909 to S5911.

The camera transmittable size is determined by, for example, the buffer size of the transmission buffer 52083. The camera-adapter maximum transmission size is a maximum data size that can be continuously transmitted from the camera microcomputer 5205 to the adapter microcomputer 5302. Then, the transmission data size of the camera microcomputer 5205 to the adapter microcomputer 5302 is controlled with the size as an upper limit.

In S5912, the camera microcomputer 5205 transmits the camera individual information to the adapter microcomputer 5302 via the camera first communication circuit 5241. The camera individual information is information such as the mounting function of the camera body 5100. Since the data amount of the camera individual information is large, it is possible to improve the communication efficiency by communicating the camera individual information after determining the camera-adapter maximum transmission size. After the S5912, the camera microcomputer 5205 ends the camera body startup process.

The camera microcomputer 5205 sets the above-described first continuously receivable data size and first continuously transmittable data size for each accessory (the interchangeable lens 5100 or the intermediate adapter 5300). Then, the camera microcomputer 5205 communicates with each accessory at a data size with the first continuously receivable data size and the first continuously transmittable data size set for each accessory as upper limits.

The above-described camera body activation processing performed when the camera body 5200 is activated can set an optimum communication data size even in a combination of the camera body 5200 and accessories (the interchangeable lens 5100 and the intermediate adaptor 5300) having different distribution dates. The camera body 5200 can be started at high speed.

Referring now to fig. 25, a format example of a predefined memory map (data configuration information) between the camera body 5200 and the accessory (the interchangeable lens 5100 or the intermediate adaptor 5300) in the second communication mode (P2P communication mode) of the first communication ("one-to-many" communication) will be explained. A memory map is defined for each communication command. The memory map 51000 includes a plurality of data 51002, and an address 51001 is assigned to each data. The value 51003 of each data is updated by a fixed value or at any timing. The memory mapping described here follows a communication protocol, and the data arrangement in the memory of each microcomputer may be different from the format according to the present embodiment.

A memory map is defined for each communication command. In the case where the communication master receives the data of the memory map, P2P communication is performed by specifying a communication command and an address corresponding to the data to be received, and the communication slave fetches the specified data from the memory map and transmits the data to the communication master using P2P communication. Also, in the case where the communication master transmits memory-mapped data, the communication slave stores the specified data in the memory map by specifying a communication command and an address corresponding to the data to be transmitted. At this time, a plurality of continuous data can be transmitted and received by specifying the data size together with the address.

Referring now to fig. 26, an exemplary communication command predefined between the camera body 5200 and the accessory in the second communication mode by the first communication will be explained. An example will be explained in which the camera microcomputer 5205 functions as a communication master apparatus and the adapter microcomputer 5302 functions as a communication slave apparatus. DC in the table of fig. 26 represents transmission data from the communication master to the communication slave, and 1-byte data is sequentially transmitted in succession from 1. The DA indicates transmission data from the communication slave to the communication master, and 1-byte data is sequentially transmitted from 1.

A data reception command 51100 as an exemplary communication command (data transmission request) for a communication master to receive data from a communication slave using a memory map will be described. The data DC transmitted from the camera microcomputer 5205 is data of 5 bytes in total, which includes the number of communication bytes, a command, a memory map address, the number N of received data (bytes), and a checksum in this order. The data DA transmitted from the adaptor microcomputer 5302 is (N +3) bytes of data in total, which includes the number of communication bytes, a command, N data of data 1 to data N, and a checksum in this order. The DA command or checksum is used to detect errors in communications from the communication master to the communication slave. If an error is detected, the communication master performs (retries) the same communication again.

The camera microcomputer 5205 sets the received data number N so that the DA does not exceed the camera-adapter maximum reception size. In other words, the following conditions are set:

the number of received data N is less than or equal to the maximum receiving size of the camera-adapter-3.

In addition, the camera-adapter maximum transmission size predefined between the camera body 5200 and the accessory needs to be 5 bytes or more as the transmission size of DC.

Next, a data transmission command 51101 will be described as an exemplary communication command for causing a communication master to transmit data to a communication slave using a memory map. The data DC transmitted from the camera microcomputer 5205 is (N +4) bytes of data in total, which includes the number of communication bytes, a command, a memory map address, N data of data 1 to data N, and a checksum in this order. The data DA transmitted from the adaptor microcomputer 5302 is data of 4 bytes in total, which includes the number of communication bytes, a command, the number of received data N, and a checksum in this order. The DA command and the checksum are used to detect errors in the communication from the communication slave to the communication master. If an error is detected, the communication slave device performs (retries) the same communication again.

The camera microcomputer 5205 sets the number N of transmission data (bytes) so that DC does not exceed the above-described camera-adapter maximum transmission size. In other words, the following conditions are set:

the number of transmitted data N is less than or equal to the camera-adapter maximum transmission size-4.

The camera-adapter maximum reception size predefined between the camera body 5200 and the accessory needs to be 4 bytes or more as the transmission size of the DA.

Next, a data transmission command 51102 as an exemplary communication command for causing the communication master to sequentially transmit data to the communication slave from the data of the start address using the memory map is described. This command is intended to transmit a large amount of data from the data of the start address, and thus is repeated until the transmission of all data is completed, and is used for upgrading the adaptor microcomputer 5302, for example. The data DC transmitted from the camera microcomputer 5205 is data of (N +3) bytes in total, which includes the number of communication bytes, a command, N data of data 1 to data N, and a checksum in this order. The data DA transmitted from the adaptor microcomputer 5302 is data of 4 bytes in total, which includes the number of communication bytes, a command, the number of received data N, and a checksum in this order. The DA command and the checksum are used to detect errors in the communication from the communication slave to the communication master. If an error is detected, the communication slave device performs (retries) the same communication again.

The camera microcomputer 5205 sets the transmission data number N so that DC does not exceed the above-described camera-adapter maximum transmission size. In other words, the following conditions are set:

the number of transmitted data N is less than or equal to the maximum transmission size of the camera-adapter-3.

The camera-adapter maximum reception size predefined between the camera body 5200 and the accessory needs to be 4 bytes or more as the transmission size of the DA.

Referring now to the flowcharts of fig. 27A and 27B, a communication process performed using memory mapping in the second communication mode of the first communication will be described. An exemplary communication process performed between the camera body 5200 as a communication master apparatus and the intermediate adaptor 5300 as a communication slave apparatus will be described, but the communication slave apparatus may be the interchangeable lens 5100.

Referring now to fig. 27A, a process (memory map reception process) by which the camera body 5200 receives continuous data on the memory map from the intermediate adaptor 5300 will be described. The camera microcomputer 5205 performs data reception using the data reception command 51100 described above.

In S51200, the camera microcomputer 5205 sets a command (data transmission request) corresponding to the data requested to be transmitted, the start address S _ ADR of the memory map, and the total number of received data a _ N.

Next, in S51201, the camera microcomputer 5205 sets the memory map address ADR and the number of received data N to be transmitted in the current communication, in accordance with the set start address S _ ADR and the total number of received data a _ N. For example, the following conditions are set:

memory mapping address ADR ═ start address S _ ADR

The number N of received data is the total number a _ N of received data.

Then, the number N of received data is limited so that the DA does not exceed the above-described camera-adapter maximum reception size. In other words, if the number of received data N > the camera-adapter maximum reception size-3, the following condition is reset:

the number of received data N is equal to the maximum camera-adapter reception size-3.

Further, the following conditions are reset:

start address S _ ADR + number of received data N

The total number of received data a _ N is the total number of received data a _ N — the number of received data N.

Thus, since the remaining data number is reset to the total number of received data a _ N once the data to be transmitted at this time is determined, it is possible to determine whether or not there is data to be transmitted next.

Next, in S51202, the camera microcomputer 5205 stores the commands set in S51200 and S51201, the memory map address ADR, and the number of received data N in the reception buffer 52084 according to the DC format of the data reception command 51100.

Next, in S51203, the camera microcomputer 5205 transmits the DC to the adapter microcomputer 5302 via the camera first communication circuit 5241. The camera microcomputer 5205 receives the DA from the adapter microcomputer 5302 via the camera first communication circuit 5241. The camera microcomputer 5205 may divide the transmission data, store the divided data in the transmission buffer 52083, and repeat the transmission data in S51202 and S51203 to transmit the transmission data a plurality of times.

Next, in S51204, the camera microcomputer 5205 takes out the reception data stored in the reception buffer 52084 and stores the data in a predetermined memory. In the case where the camera microcomputer 5205 detects a communication error such as a checksum error at the time of taking out the received data, the following conditions are reset:

start address S _ ADR-number of received data N

The total number of received data a _ N is the total number of received data a _ N + the number of received data N.

Thereby, the start address S _ ADR and the total number of received data a _ N can be returned to the values before communication, and communication retry control is available.

Next, in S51205 the camera microcomputer 5205 determines whether or not the reception of all the data from the adapter microcomputer 5302 is completed, and if the reception is completed, the flow ends, otherwise the flow returns to S51201. In the present embodiment, since the remaining data number is set as the total number of received data a _ N, if the total number of received data a _ N is 1 or more, the camera microcomputer 5205 returns to S51201.

Referring now to the flowchart of fig. 27B, a process (memory map transmission process) in which the camera body 5200 transmits continuous data on the memory map from the intermediate adaptor 5300 will be described. The camera microcomputer 5205 performs data transmission using the above-described data transmission commands 51101 and 51102.

In S51210, the camera microcomputer 5205 sets a command (data reception request) corresponding to data to be transmitted, a start address S _ ADR of the memory map, and a total number of transmission data a _ N. However, in the case of transmitting data using the data transmission command 51102, the start address S _ ADR need not be set.

Next, in S51211, the camera microcomputer 5205 sets the memory map address ADR and the number of transmission data N to be transmitted in the current communication in accordance with the set start address S _ ADR and the total number of transmission data a _ N. For example, the following conditions are set:

memory mapping address ADR ═ start address S _ ADR

The number N of transmission data is the total number a _ N of transmission data.

After that, the camera microcomputer 5205 limits the number N of transmission data so that the DA does not exceed the above-described camera-adapter maximum reception size. In other words, in the case where the number of transmission data N > the camera-adapter maximum transmission size-4, the following conditions are newly set:

the number N of transmission data is equal to the maximum camera-adapter reception size-4.

Further, the following conditions are reset:

start address S _ ADR + number of transmission data N

The total number of transmission data a _ N is the total number of transmission data a _ N — the number of transmission data N.

Thus, since the remaining data number is reset to the total number of transmission data a _ N once the data to be transmitted at this time is determined, it is possible to determine whether or not there is data to be transmitted next. However, in the case of transmitting data using the data transmission command 51102, the memory map address ADR and the start address S _ ADR need not be set.

Next, in S51212, the camera microcomputer 5205 stores continuous data including the commands set in S51210 and S51211, the memory map address ADR, and the number of transmission data N and the checksum in the transmission buffer 52083 in accordance with the DC format of the data transmission commands 51101 and 51102.

Next, in S51213, the camera microcomputer 5205 transmits the DC to the adapter microcomputer 5302 via the camera first communication circuit 5241. After that, the camera microcomputer 5205 receives the DA from the adapter microcomputer 5302 via the camera first communication circuit 5241. The camera microcomputer 5205 may divide the transmission data, store the divided data in the transmission buffer 52083, and transmit the transmission data a plurality of times by repeating the transmission of the DC in S51212 and S51213.

Next, in S51214, the camera microcomputer 5205 takes out the transmission data stored in the transmission buffer 52083 and stores the data in a predetermined memory. In the case where the camera microcomputer 5205 detects a communication error such as a checksum error at the time of taking out the transmission data, the following conditions are reset.

Start address S _ ADR-number of transmitted data N

The total number of transmission data a _ N is the total number of transmission data a _ N + the number of transmission data N.

Thereby, the start address S _ ADR and the total number of transmission data a _ N can be returned to the values before communication, and communication retry control is available.

Next, in S51215, the camera microcomputer 5205 determines whether or not transmission of all the data to the adapter microcomputer 5302 is completed. If the transmission is completed, the flow ends, otherwise the flow returns to S51211. In the present embodiment, since the remaining data number is set as the total transmission data number a _ N, if the total transmission data number a _ N is 1 or more, the camera microcomputer 5205 returns to S51211.

Referring now to the flowchart of fig. 28, a process (intermediate adaptor communication process) performed when the intermediate adaptor 5300 receives the P2P communication from the camera body 5200 will be described. The adapter microcomputer 5302 executes the process according to the computer program.

In S51220, the adapter microcomputer 5302 fetches the reception data stored in the reception buffer 53034 and stores the reception data in a predetermined memory.

Next, in S51221, the adapter microcomputer 5302 analyzes which command is received, based on the reception data stored in the predetermined memory.

Next, in S51222, the adapter microcomputer 5302 performs processing corresponding to the received command, such as storing the reception data in a predetermined memory, causing the installation function to operate, and storing information of the installation function in a predetermined memory.

Next, in S51223, the adapter microcomputer 5302 determines whether the received command is a data reception command from the camera microcomputer 5205. If the data reception command is received, the flow advances to S51224; otherwise, the flow advances to S51225.

In S51224, the adapter microcomputer 5302 stores the data in the transmission buffer 53033 according to the received data reception command. For example, data as many as the number of received data indicated in the data reception command 51100 is fetched from the memory map address indicated in the data reception command 51100 in the memory map corresponding to the data reception command 51100. Then, the adapter microcomputer 5302 stores the read data in the transmission buffer 53033 according to the DA format.

On the other hand, in S51225, the adapter microcomputer 5302 determines whether the received command is a data transmission command from the camera microcomputer 5205 (51101 or 51102). If the data transmission command is received, the flow advances to S51226; otherwise, the flow advances to S51229.

In S51226, the adapter microcomputer 5302 stores the data in the memory map corresponding to the received data transmission command. In other words, the adapter microcomputer 5302 updates the existing data with the received data. For example, in a case where the adapter microcomputer 5302 receives the data transmission command 51101, the adapter microcomputer 5302 continuously stores the data received from the camera microcomputer 5205 from the address indicated by the data transmission command 51101 in the memory map. In the case where the adapter microcomputer 5302 receives the data transmission command 51102, if this is the first time, the adapter microcomputer 5302 stores the data received from the camera microcomputer 5205 continuously from the start address of the memory map, and otherwise stores the data received from the camera microcomputer 5205 continuously from the address next to the address storing the previous data.

Next, in S51227, the adaptor microcomputer 5302 stores the data to be responsively transmitted in the transmission buffer 53033 in accordance with the DA format in the received data transmission command.

On the other hand, in S51229, the adapter microcomputer 5302 determines whether the received data transmission command is a command that requires a response to the camera microcomputer 5205. If the received data transmission command is a command that requires a response to the camera microcomputer 5205, the flow advances to S51227. If the received data transmission command is not a command that requires a response to the camera microcomputer 5205, the flow ends.

The adaptor microcomputer 5302 proceeds from S51224 or S51227 to S51228, and transmits the DA stored in the transmission buffer 53033 to the camera microcomputer 5205 via the first adaptor communication circuit 5341. Then, the flow ends. The adaptor microcomputer 5302 divides the transmission data, stores the divided data in the transmission buffer 53033, and transmits the transmission data a plurality of times by repeating transmission of the DA in S51224 or S51227 and S51228.

The above-described processing enables the intermediate adapter 5300 to communicate with the intermediate adapter 5300 in a continuously communicable range, and thus can perform communication at an optimum communication speed corresponding to the communication performance of the intermediate adapter 5300.

The present embodiment can provide "one-to-many" communication between the camera body 5200 and a plurality of accessories including the interchangeable lens 5100 and the intermediate adapter 5300 at a higher speed or at an optimum communication speed while ensuring their compatibility even in the case where the dates of sale of the camera body 5200 and the plurality of accessories are different from each other.

Sixth embodiment

A sixth embodiment according to the present invention will be explained. The sixth embodiment has the same configuration as that of the fifth embodiment, but in the case of using a camera and an accessory whose distribution date is different, this embodiment can perform communication in an optimum data amount while ensuring command compatibility, and perform optimum control for the accessory. Receiving the memory map size as memory map information at the time of camera body startup can provide communication and control according to the expansion state of the memory map in the accessory.

Referring now to fig. 29, an exemplary expanded format of a memory map predefined between the camera body 5200 and the accessory in the second communication mode (P2P communication mode) of the first communication (one-to-many communication) will be described. The extended format of the memory map is defined for each communication command.

The memory map 51300 has an expanded format for the memory map 51000 described in the fifth embodiment, and includes a plurality of data 51302. An address 51301 is assigned to each of the plurality of data 51302. The value 51303 of each data is a fixed value or is updated at an arbitrary timing. The addresses in address 51301 up to address N-1 are the same addresses as memory map 51000, and the subsequent addresses up to address N + M-1 are extended address regions.

In S5906 of the flowchart shown in fig. 24, the adapter microcomputer 5302 corresponding to the memory map 51000 transmits the memory map size N as memory map information to the camera microcomputer 5205. On the other hand, the adapter microcomputer 5302 corresponding to the memory map 51300 transmits the memory map size N + M-1 as memory map information to the camera microcomputer 5205.

At this time, as long as the camera microcomputer 5205 corresponds to the memory map 51000, data is communicated for any adapter microcomputer 5302 in the address area up to the address N-1. On the other hand, in the case where the camera microcomputer 5205 corresponds to the memory map 51300, data communication is performed with the adapter microcomputer 5302 that transmits the memory map size N in the address area up to the address N-1. The adapter microcomputer 5302 that transmits the memory map size N + M-1 communicates data in the address area up to the address N + M-1.

This structure can provide control in the corresponding data range for each adapter microcomputer 5, and thus can perform communication and control according to the expansion state of the memory map in the accessory.

Instead of the memory map size itself, the content transmitted as the memory map information to the camera microcomputer 5205 may be information associated with the memory map size such as a memory map version or the like. In other words, the content may be information related to the memory map size.

Even in the case where the dates of sale of the camera body and the plurality of accessories including the interchangeable lens and the intermediate adapter are different from each other, the present embodiment can provide "one-to-many" communication between the camera body and the plurality of accessories using the optimum data amount and the optimum control for the accessories while ensuring compatibility.

OTHER EMBODIMENTS

The embodiments of the present invention can also be realized by a method in which software (programs) that perform the functions of the above-described embodiments are supplied to a system or an apparatus through a network or various storage media, and a computer or a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Micro Processing Unit (MPU) of the system or the apparatus reads out and executes the methods of the programs.

While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

Claims (38)

1. An image pickup apparatus to which an accessory apparatus is detachably attached, the image pickup apparatus comprising:

a camera communication section configured to provide a communication path to the accessory device; and

a camera controller configured to communicate with the accessory device via the camera communication section,

characterized in that the camera controller receives, from the accessory device, an accessory transmittable size indicating a data size which the accessory device can continuously transmit and an accessory receivable size indicating a data size which the accessory device can continuously receive,

wherein the camera controller sets a first continuously receivable data size based on a data size that the camera controller is capable of continuously receiving and the accessory transmittable size,

the camera controller sets a first continuously transmittable data size based on a data size that the camera controller can continuously transmit and the accessory receivable size, an

The camera controller communicates with the accessory device by a data size having an upper limit determined by the first continuously receivable data size and the first continuously transmittable data size.

2. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the camera controller sets a smaller one of a data size that the camera controller can continuously receive and the accessory transmittable size as the first continuously receivable data size,

wherein the camera controller sets a smaller one of a data size that the camera controller can continuously transmit and the accessory receivable size as the first continuously transmittable data size.

3. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in a case where a plurality of accessory apparatuses are attached to the image capturing apparatus, the camera controller sets the first continuously receivable data size and the first continuously transmittable data size for each accessory apparatus.

4. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the accessory apparatus has accessory data that can be transmitted and received with respect to the camera controller,

wherein the camera controller receives data configuration information of the accessory data from the accessory device.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said camera controller continuously receives said accessory data from said accessory apparatus within a continuously receivable data size range in accordance with said data configuration information of said accessory data and said first continuously receivable data size.

6. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the camera controller continuously transmits the accessory data to the accessory apparatus within a continuously transmittable data size range according to the data configuration information of the accessory data and the first continuously transmittable data size.

7. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the camera controller communicates with the accessory apparatus again in a case where an error in communication with the accessory apparatus is detected.

8. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the camera controller receives transmission data from the accessory apparatus according to a second continuously receivable data size set between the camera controller and the accessory apparatus before the first continuously receivable data size is set.

9. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the camera controller transmits data to the accessory apparatus according to a second continuously transmittable data size set between the camera controller and the accessory apparatus before the first continuously transmittable data size is set.

10. An accessory apparatus detachably attached to an image pickup apparatus, the accessory apparatus comprising:

an accessory communication section configured to provide a communication path to the image pickup apparatus; and

an accessory controller configured to communicate with the image pickup apparatus via the accessory communication section,

wherein the accessory controller transmits, to the image pickup apparatus, an accessory transmittable size indicating a data size which the accessory controller can continuously transmit and an accessory receivable size indicating a data size which the accessory controller can continuously receive.

11. The accessory device according to claim 10, wherein the accessory controller has accessory data that can be transmitted and received with respect to the image pickup device, and transmits data configuration information of the accessory data to the image pickup device.

12. The accessory device according to claim 11, wherein the accessory controller continuously transmits the accessory data to the image pickup device in response to a data transmission request from the image pickup device.

13. The accessory device according to claim 11, wherein the accessory controller continuously receives the accessory data in response to a data reception request from the image pickup device, and updates existing accessory data with the received accessory data.

14. The accessory device of claim 10, wherein the accessory controller notifies the imaging device of an error in the communication from the imaging device if the error is detected.

15. A communication control method of an image pickup apparatus that detachably and communicably attaches an accessory apparatus, comprising:

instructing the image pickup apparatus to receive, from the accessory apparatus, an accessory transmittable size indicating a data size that the accessory apparatus can continuously transmit and an accessory receivable size indicating a data size that the accessory apparatus can continuously receive;

instructing the image pickup apparatus to set a first continuously receivable data size based on a data size that the image pickup apparatus can continuously receive and the accessory transmittable size;

instructing the image pickup apparatus to set a first continuously transmittable data size based on a data size that the image pickup apparatus can continuously transmit and the accessory receivable size; and

instructing the image pickup apparatus to communicate with the accessory apparatus by a data size having an upper limit determined by the first continuously receivable data size and the first continuously transmittable data size.

16. A communication control method of an accessory apparatus detachably and communicably attached to an image pickup apparatus, the communication control method comprising:

instructing the accessory apparatus to transmit an accessory transmittable size to the image pickup apparatus, the accessory transmittable size indicating a data size that the accessory apparatus can continuously transmit; and

instructing the accessory apparatus to transmit, to the image pickup apparatus, an accessory receivable size representing a data size that the accessory apparatus can continuously receive.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that causes a computer of an image pickup apparatus to execute a communication control method of the image pickup apparatus, the image pickup apparatus detachably and communicably attaching an accessory apparatus,

characterized in that the communication control method comprises the following steps:

instructing the image pickup apparatus to receive, from the accessory apparatus, an accessory transmittable size indicating a data size that the accessory apparatus can continuously transmit and an accessory receivable size indicating a data size that the accessory apparatus can continuously receive;

instructing the image pickup apparatus to set a first continuously receivable data size based on a data size that the image pickup apparatus can continuously receive and the accessory transmittable size;

instructing the image pickup apparatus to set a first continuously transmittable data size based on a data size that the image pickup apparatus can continuously transmit and the accessory receivable size; and

instructing the image pickup apparatus to communicate with the accessory apparatus by a data size having an upper limit determined by the first continuously receivable data size and the first continuously transmittable data size.

18. An image pickup apparatus to which an accessory apparatus can be attached, the image pickup apparatus including a camera controller configured to communicate with the accessory apparatus,

characterized in that the camera controller receives first information on a data size that the accessory device can receive, makes a setting for the data size to be transmitted to the accessory device based on the first information, and communicates with the accessory device based on the setting.

19. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the camera controller transmits individual information of the image capturing apparatus based on the setting.

20. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the camera controller transmits data having a data size equal to or smaller than a data size based on the first information to the accessory apparatus.

21. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the camera controller receives second information on a data size that the accessory apparatus can transmit from the accessory apparatus,

wherein the camera controller sets a data size to be received from the accessory device based on the second information, and communicates with the accessory device based on the setting.

22. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the camera controller requests the accessory apparatus for data having a data size equal to or smaller than a data size based on the second information.

23. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the camera controller receives individual information of the accessory apparatus after receiving the second information.

24. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said camera controller receives information on a memory map corresponding to a command after receiving said second information.

25. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the camera controller communicates with the accessory apparatus via a camera communication section.

26. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein a lens apparatus is mounted on a side opposite to the image capturing apparatus with respect to the accessory apparatus.

27. An accessory device attachable to an imaging device, the accessory device comprising an accessory controller configured to communicate with the imaging device,

wherein the accessory controller transmits first information on a data size that the accessory device can receive and second information on a data size that the accessory device can transmit.

28. The accessory device of claim 27, wherein the accessory controller receives the individual information of the imaging device after transmitting the first information.

29. The accessory device of claim 27, wherein the accessory controller transmits the individual information of the accessory device after transmitting the second information.

30. The accessory device of claim 27, wherein the accessory controller sends information regarding a memory map corresponding to a command after sending the second information.

31. The accessory device of claim 27, wherein the accessory controller sends data having a data size equal to or less than a data size based on the first information.

32. The accessory device of claim 27, wherein the accessory controller sends data having a data size equal to or less than a data size based on the second information.

33. The accessory device of claim 27, wherein the accessory controller communicates with the accessory device via an accessory communication.

34. The accessory apparatus according to claim 27, wherein a lens apparatus is mounted on a side opposite to the image pickup apparatus with respect to the accessory apparatus.

35. A communication control method of an image pickup apparatus that is capable of communicatively attaching an accessory apparatus,

characterized in that the communication control method comprises the following steps:

instructing the image pickup apparatus to receive first information about a data size that the accessory apparatus can receive;

instructing the image pickup apparatus to make a setting for a data size to be transmitted to the accessory apparatus based on the first information; and

instructing the image capture apparatus to communicate with the accessory apparatus based on the setting.

36. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that causes a computer of an image pickup apparatus to execute a communication control method of the image pickup apparatus, the image pickup apparatus detachably and communicably attaching an accessory apparatus,

characterized in that the communication control method comprises the following steps:

instructing the image pickup apparatus to receive first information about a data size that the accessory apparatus can receive;

instructing the image pickup apparatus to make a setting for a data size to be transmitted to the accessory apparatus based on the first information; and

instructing the image capture apparatus to communicate with the accessory apparatus based on the setting.

37. A communication control method of an accessory device communicably attached to an image pickup device,

characterized in that the communication control method comprises the following steps:

instructing the accessory device to transmit first information relating to a data size that the accessory device is capable of receiving and second information relating to a data size that the accessory device is capable of transmitting.

38. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that causes a computer of an accessory apparatus detachably and communicably attached to an image capturing apparatus to execute a communication control method of the accessory apparatus,

characterized in that the communication control method comprises the following steps:

instructing the accessory device to transmit first information relating to a data size that the accessory device is capable of receiving and second information relating to a data size that the accessory device is capable of transmitting.

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