JP2002350972A - Gloval positioning system device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a GPS device which is made small-sized and is made light in weight at the time of using a camera and also is hardly affected by the noise of a camera main body. SOLUTION: The GPS device possesses a main body part to house an antenna and a control circuit, a supporting part connected with the main body part and an output part to provide the camera with position information from the main body part. The supporting part possesses a connector capable of being coupled with the hot shoe of the camera.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a GPS device, and more particularly, to a GPS device suitable for a camera connection GPS device or a camera with a GPS.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Global positioning
System, hereinafter also referred to as GPS). Such a camera provides an image with information indicating the position where the image was taken. For example, there is a camera in which a GPS device is built in a main body. In addition, a device having a structure in which a GPS device and a camera body are connected by using a dedicated connector and an antenna can be operated (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-129216).
In addition, there is a device in which a plurality of sensor devices can be connected by using a dedicated connector (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H8-1848).
No. 92). In some cases, a general-purpose GPS device is used, and the GPS device and the camera body are fixed and connected by a bracket.

[0003]

However, the above prior art has the following problems.

When the camera body has a built-in GPS device, the GPS device is easily affected by noise from the camera body, and the performance (sensitivity, position accuracy, positioning time) of the GPS device can be sufficiently obtained. There were no cases. In addition, depending on the angle (orientation) of the camera, the position of the antenna may be inappropriate for receiving signals from satellites. In addition, in the connection method using a dedicated connector or a bracket, the combined size of the GPS device and the camera body becomes large, so that it is inconvenient to handle and a structure in which the direction and position of the antenna can be changed. There were issues such as becoming complicated.

[0005] The GPS device receives a weak radio wave from the earth positioning measurement satellite of the earth positioning system.
When the noise is large due to the influence of the noise source around the S device, the radio wave from the satellite cannot be received and the positioning may not be performed in some cases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a position measuring device for a camera which is less affected by noise from the camera body and is easy to handle. is there.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A position measuring apparatus according to the present invention provides a main body for housing an antenna and a control circuit, a support connected to the main body, and positional information from the main body to a camera. An output unit. The support has a connector connectable to the hot shoe of the camera. With such a configuration, the position positioning device (GPS device) is supported by the hot shoe of the camera. As a result, the structure of the GPS device is simplified, and reduction in size and weight can be realized.

[0008] The GPS antenna is configured to be able to receive a signal from the upper part of the antenna, and has a characteristic that it is hard to receive a signal from the lower part of the antenna. for that reason,
With the above configuration, even if there is a noise source below the GPS antenna, the influence can be minimized.

In one embodiment, the connection portion has two of the connectors, and the orientations of the two connectors are orthogonal to each other.

With this configuration, the orientation of the GPS device can be kept constant even when the orientation of the camera becomes vertical. Specifically, regardless of whether the camera is in the vertical orientation or the normal orientation, the two connectors can be used properly to achieve G
The PS antenna faces the sky.

In still another embodiment, the support is slidably connected to the main body. With such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the display unit provided above the camera from being blocked by the position positioning device. Further, with such a configuration, even if the noise of the camera body cannot be ignored, the GPS antenna can be arranged so that the influence of the noise is further reduced.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the following embodiments, a device that receives a signal from an artificial satellite and detects the position where the signal is received will be referred to as a position positioning device or a GPS device.

FIG. 1 is an external view of a position positioning device 1. FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating an upper portion of the position positioning device 1, and FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating a lower portion of the position positioning device 1.

The position positioning device 1 has a main body 10 and a support 12. The support section 12 is connected to the main body section 10. The support section 12 has a connector 14 that can be connected to a hot shoe (accessory shoe) of the camera. As shown in FIG. 1B, the shape of the connector 14 is a shape that can be connected to the rail (guide) 55 (FIG. 3) of the hot shoe of the camera.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the inside of the main body 10. The main body 10 includes an upper case 10a and a lower case 10b.
GPS antenna unit 3, GPS positioning calculation unit 4,
It has a power supply unit 5 and a signal connection unit 6. Upper case 10
a and the lower case 10b are exterior cases that cover at least the GPS antenna unit 3, the GPS positioning operation unit 4, and the power supply unit 5. The power supply unit 5 supplies electric power for the position positioning device 1 to function. In this embodiment, a dry battery is used as the power supply unit 5. However, instead of the main body unit 10 having the power supply unit 5, power is supplied from the camera main body.
May be omitted. In the description below, the upper case 10a side of the GPS antenna unit 3 is referred to as the upper antenna of the GPS antenna unit 3, and the lower case 10b side is referred to as the lower antenna.

The signal connection unit 6 is a terminal for transmitting the calculation result of the GPS positioning calculation unit 4 to the camera body and receiving a signal from the camera body if necessary. Note that the signal connection unit 6 may be provided on the support unit 12. In this case, the main unit 10 is connected via the instruction unit 12 and the hot chute.
The transmission and reception of signals between the camera and the camera body 50 are performed.

Referring to FIG. 3, an example in which the position measuring device 1 is connected to the camera body 50 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the position measuring device 1 is fixed to the camera body 50 by connecting the connector 14 of the support portion 12 to the hot shoe rail 55. When the signal transmission unit 6 and the camera-side input / output terminal 56 are electrically connected,
The position positioning device 1 can supply time data and position data (at least one of latitude information, longitude information, and altitude information) to the camera body 50.

The GPS positioning operation section 4 receives a signal from the earth positioning measurement satellite of the earth positioning system via the GPS antenna section 3, calculates a received signal, and obtains time data and position data of the photographing device. . Then, the obtained time data and position data (at least one of latitude information, longitude information, and altitude information) are
Notify the camera body 50. The camera body 50 uses the received time data and position data together with an image at the time of photographing or the like. For example, for a digital camera,
The camera body 50 includes position data, a captured image,
May be stored in a storage unit (not shown) in association with the data. On the other hand, if the camera uses a photosensitive film, the position data may be printed on the film so that the position data is superimposed on the image from the lens.

Here, since the earth positioning measurement satellite is in the sky, when the user takes a shooting attitude, the GPS is used.
It is preferable that the antenna for use is facing the sky.

In many cameras, the hot shoe is located above camera body 50. It is preferable to fix the GPS device using the hot shoe also from the characteristics of the GPS antenna. This is because the GPS antenna is configured to be able to receive a signal from the upper part of the antenna and has a characteristic that it is hard to receive a signal from the lower part of the antenna. Further, by using the hot shoe, the structure for fixing the GPS device is simplified, so that a small and lightweight GPS device can be realized.

(Embodiment 2) In many cases, a device for displaying the number of shots, a shooting mode, and the like is arranged on the upper surface of the camera. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, it is also preferable to adopt a structure in which the main body unit 10 can be moved so that the display unit of the camera is not hidden.
In this case, the main body 10 separates from the camera main body 50 (G
Since the PS antenna unit 3 is separated), the influence of noise from the camera body 50 is reduced.

As shown in FIG. 4, the main body 10 may have a rail 20. The support section 12 is connected to the main body section 10 via a rail 20. The main body 10 and the support 12 can be relatively slid by the rail 20. Thereby, the position of the GPS antenna can be moved.

FIG. 5 shows a structure in which the main body 10 and the support 12 are fixed by screwing the support 12 to the main body 10. A plurality of sets of screw holes 16a are formed in the lower case 10b of the main body 10 as four sets of screw holes.
Is provided. On the other hand, the support portion 12 is provided with four holes 16b for receiving the screws. By changing the set of screw holes 16a used when fixing the support portion 12, the position of the support portion 12 with respect to the main body 10 (lower case 10b) can be changed. In the example illustrated in FIG. 5, ten holes 16 a are provided in the main body 10 (the lower case 10 b), and one of the four positions is selected as the position of the support 12 with respect to the main body 10.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the camera body 50 and the positioning device 1 when the main body 10 is slid by the configuration shown in FIG. 4 or the configuration shown in FIG. With such a configuration, the main body unit 10 can be arranged at a position where the display unit 52 is not hidden. Further, the main body 10 (G
A PS antenna unit 3) can be arranged.

(Embodiment 3) With reference to FIG. 7, a description will be given of a GPS device that can support a camera in both vertical and horizontal angles. As shown in FIG. 7, a positioning device (GPS device) 1
Has two connectors 14A and 14B. Each of the connectors 14A and 14B has a shape that can be coupled to the hot shoe rail 55 of the camera body 50. The direction 14AD of the connector 14A and the direction 14BD of the connector 14B are substantially perpendicular to each other.
With such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 8, the antenna can be arranged so that the GPS antenna unit 3 faces the sky regardless of whether it is a vertical angle or a horizontal angle.

FIG. 9 shows an example in which the extension adapter 30 is located between the connector 14 and the hot shoe rail 55. The extension adapter 30 has a hot shoe at one end, and a connector having a shape connectable to a rail of the hot shoe at the other end, whereby the position positioning device 1 and the camera body 50 can be connected. By positioning the extension adapter 30, the GPS antenna unit 3 can be further separated from the camera body 50. Even if the GPS antenna unit 3 is affected by the noise generated by the camera body 50, the influence of the noise can be reduced by providing such an extension adapter 30. Note that the camera 50 described in the above embodiment is used.
May be a still camera or a video camera. Further, the camera 50 may be a digital camera using a CCD or a camera using a photosensitive film.

[0027]

According to the present invention, the connection to the camera body can be simplified, the structure of the camera GPS device can be simplified, and the device itself can be reduced in size and weight.
Also, place G in a position that is not easily affected by noise of the camera body.
The antenna of the PS can be arranged, and the original performance of the GPS device can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1A and 1B are external views of a position positioning device.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are structural diagrams of a position positioning device.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a position positioning device connected to a camera body.

FIG. 4 is an external view of a main body having a rail.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a main body having a plurality of sets of screw holes.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of attaching a position positioning device to a camera body.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of attaching a position positioning device to a camera body.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of attaching a position positioning device to a camera body.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of attaching a position positioning device to a camera body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 position positioning device (GPS device) 3 GPS antenna unit 4 GPS positioning calculation unit 5 power supply unit 6 signal connection unit 10 main body unit 10a upper case 10b lower case 12 support unit 14 connector 14A connector 14B connector 14AD connector orientation 14BD connector Orientation 20 Rail section 50 Camera body 55 Hot shoe rail (guide) 56 Camera side input / output terminal

Claims (3)

[Claims] A main body for housing an antenna and a control circuit; a support connected to the main body; an input / output unit for providing position information to the camera from the main body;
The positioning device, comprising: a connector having a connector connectable to a hot shoe of the camera. 2. The support section has two connectors, and the orientations of the two connectors are orthogonal to each other.
Positioning device as described. 3. The position positioning device according to claim 1, wherein the support is slidably coupled to the main body.