JP2011027826A - Accessory - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an accessory ensuring performance as GPS (global positioning system). <P>SOLUTION: The accessory can be attached to a camera and includes a turning part that turns relative to an accessory body, in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis direction of a photographic lens, when it is attached to the camera, and a positioning part that is provided in the turning part and measures a self position based on a signal transmitted from a satellite. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to accessories.

  An accessory equipped with a GPS (positioning system) that is used by being attached to a hot shoe of a camera is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2006-154278 A

  However, this accessory has a problem that the GPS antenna may tilt in various directions when the camera is used, and the positioning accuracy by GPS is lowered.

  The objective of this invention is providing the accessory which can ensure the performance as GPS.

  The accessory of the present invention is an accessory that can be attached to a camera, and when attached to the camera, the rotating part that rotates relative to the accessory body in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis direction of the photographing lens; It is provided with a positioning part which is provided in a rotation part and measures a self-position based on a signal transmitted from a satellite.

  According to the accessory of the present invention, the performance as GPS can be ensured.

It is a perspective view which shows the state which attached the imaging lens which concerns on embodiment to the camera. It is sectional drawing which shows the attachment position of the sensor in the tripod seat which concerns on embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the state which image | photographs in a vertical position with the camera which concerns on embodiment. It is a block diagram in the state where the photographic lens concerning an embodiment was attached to a camera. It is a flowchart which shows the process in the photographic lens which concerns on embodiment.

  Hereinafter, a photographic lens which is an accessory of a camera according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a photographic lens according to an embodiment is attached to a camera. The camera 2 is a camera that can detach the taking lens 6 from the camera body 4. On the upper surface of the housing of the camera body 4, a power switch 8 and a release button 10 for giving a release instruction are provided. In addition, a tripod seat 12 for attaching a tripod to the photographing lens 6 is attached to the lens barrel of the photographing lens 6. The tripod seat 12 is a member made of a metal such as aluminum or magnesium, and is composed of an annular portion 13 that holds the lens barrel of the photographing lens 6 and a tripod attachment portion 14 that is attached to the tripod. The annular portion 13 of the tripod seat 12 can be rotated along the outer periphery of the lens barrel of the photographing lens 6. A GPS antenna 20 described later is built in a position opposite to the position where the tripod mounting portion 14 of the annular portion 13 is provided. The GPS antenna 20 is covered with a GPS antenna cover 16. Here, the GPS antenna cover 16 is made of a plastic having no electrical conductivity in order to ensure the reception accuracy of the GPS antenna 20 and to protect it from an external impact or the like.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a mounting position of a sensor or the like disposed on the tripod seat 12 attached to the photographing lens 6 according to the embodiment. A flexible printed circuit board 26 is disposed along the inner peripheral wall of the annular portion 13 of the tripod seat 12. Connected to the flexible printed circuit board 26 is a GPS antenna 20 provided at a position opposite to the tripod mounting portion 14 for receiving a signal from a GPS satellite. In addition, the flexible printed circuit board 26 is provided at a position approximately 90 degrees from the position of the GPS antenna 20 around the optical axis of the photographic lens 6, and an azimuth sensor 22 that measures the azimuth in the direction of the tip of the photographic lens 6 An acceleration sensor 24 for measuring the inclination of the GPS antenna 20 with respect to the horizontal plane is connected.

  Therefore, when a tripod is attached to the tripod seat 12, the GPS antenna 20 is directed in the sky direction (the arrow direction in the figure) in order to position the tripod attachment portion 14 on the ground side. A signal from a GPS satellite can be received.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which shooting is performed in the vertical position by the camera according to the embodiment. When shooting with the camera changed from the horizontal position to the vertical position, the GPS antenna 20 is moved in the sky direction by rotating the annular portion 13 of the tripod seat 12 along the outer periphery of the lens barrel of the shooting lens 6. It can be in a state oriented in the direction of the arrow in the figure. Accordingly, the GPS antenna 20 can receive signals from GPS satellites satisfactorily.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram in a state where the photographic lens 6 according to the embodiment is attached to the camera body 4. The camera 2 includes a camera body 4 and a photographing lens 6, and the photographing lens 6 includes a CPU 30. The CPU 30 includes a GPS 28 that measures its own position based on a signal received from a GPS satellite via the GPS antenna 20, an orientation sensor 22, an acceleration sensor 24, position information measured by the GPS 28, and an orientation measured by the orientation sensor 22. A storage unit 32 for storing information is connected.

  Next, the operation of the photographic lens 6 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the photographing lens 6 is attached to the camera body 4 and the CPU 30 recognizes that the camera is powered on (step S100), it instructs the GPS 28 to start positioning. On the other hand, when recognizing that the camera is turned off, the last acquired position information and azimuth information are stored in the storage unit 32 (step S102).

  The GPS 28 measures its own position based on the signal received by the GPS antenna 20 (step S104). Here, when the self-position can be measured (step S104, Yes), the CPU 30 acquires the position information from the GPS 28 and acquires the direction information measured from the direction sensor 22 (step S106). Next, the acquired position information and orientation information are output to the camera body 4 (step S120).

  On the other hand, when the self-position cannot be measured (step S104, No), the CPU 30 detects the inclination of the GPS antenna 20 by the acceleration sensor 24, and determines whether or not the GPS antenna 20 is oriented in the sky direction. (Step S108). Here, when it is determined that the GPS antenna 20 is oriented in the sky direction and a signal can be received from a GPS satellite, positioning is performed again (step S104).

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the GPS antenna 20 is not oriented in the sky direction, the CPU 30 instructs the camera main body 4 such as “Please set the GPS antenna in the correct direction” on the LCD display unit. A control signal for displaying a warning prompting the user to correct the direction is transmitted (step S109). Thereafter, when it is determined that the GPS antenna 20 is oriented in the sky direction due to the correction of the inclination of the GPS antenna 20 (step S110), positioning is performed again (step S104).

  On the other hand, when the inclination of the GPS antenna 20 is not corrected and it is determined that the GPS antenna 20 is not oriented in the sky direction, the output of the control signal for displaying the warning is maintained on the LCD display unit. In this state (step S112), a preset mode is determined (step S114). Here, as a mode, A mode (step S116) in which the previous position information is maintained and the direction information measured by the direction sensor 22 is acquired, or B mode (step S116) in which only the direction information measured by the direction sensor 22 is acquired. S118) is preset. In the A mode, positioning is performed while moving, but it is effective when the positioning is interrupted because the signal cannot be received because the camera has entered the room on the way. In such a case, if the A mode is set, position information that is not significantly different from the position information before entering the room can be used. In addition, the B mode is effective when the positioning is interrupted while the positioning is interrupted because the signal is not received because the positioning is performed while moving, but the subway is taken on the way. In such a case, if the B mode is set, it is possible to ignore the position information before boarding that is significantly different from the current position and to continuously acquire only the direction information.

  Next, the azimuth information acquired by the A mode and the previous position information, or the azimuth information acquired by the B mode are output to the camera body 4 (step S120).

  According to the photographing lens according to this embodiment, since the GPS antenna can always be directed in the sky direction, positioning by GPS can be performed reliably, and the performance as GPS can be ensured.

  In addition, by providing the GPS 28 or the like on the photographing lens 6 side, it is possible to reduce the influence of noise generated in the camera body 4, and thus positioning by GPS can be reliably performed.

  Further, when the self-position cannot be measured, it is possible to record accurate position information by urging the operator to correct the direction of the antenna.

  In the above-described embodiment, the tripod seat 12 may be removed from the photographing lens 6. Accordingly, the tripod seat 12 can be used by being attached to another interchangeable lens.

  In the above-described embodiment, the photographing lens 6 has been described as an accessory for the camera. However, the present invention may be applied to a strobe device. In this case, the strobe device includes a strobe device body and a light emitting unit, and the strobe device body is attached to a hot shoe of a camera. The light emitting unit includes a GPS antenna 20, an orientation sensor 22, an acceleration sensor 24, and the like, and the direction in which the GPS antenna 20 is directed by rotating around the strobe device body in a plane perpendicular to the front direction of the strobe device. Can be changed. Thereby, it is possible to maintain the GPS antenna 20 in the sky direction regardless of whether shooting is performed with the camera in the horizontal position or shooting in the vertical position.

  Moreover, in the above-mentioned embodiment, you may provide the battery chamber which accommodates a battery in the tripod seat inside, or the light emission part of strobe. Thereby, even when the power of the camera is turned off or when the power supply from the camera is cut off due to the removal of the lens or the strobe, the storage of the position information can be maintained in the accessory.

  In the above-described embodiment, the CPU 30 of the photographing lens 6 performs calculation processing of position information and azimuth information. However, the CPU of the camera 2 may perform calculation processing of position information and azimuth information. Good.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 ... Camera, 4 ... Camera body, 6 ... Shooting lens, 8 ... Power switch, 10 ... Release button, 12 ... Tripod seat, 14 ... Tripod mounting part, 16 ... GPS antenna cover.

Claims (7)

An accessory that can be attached to the camera,
A rotation part that rotates relative to the accessory body in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis direction of the photographing lens when mounted on the camera;
An accessory comprising: a positioning unit that is provided in the rotating unit and measures a self-position based on a signal transmitted from a satellite.   The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the rotating unit further includes an antenna that receives the signal. The rotating unit is an azimuth measuring unit that measures the azimuth of the front of the camera;
The accessory according to claim 1, further comprising an inclination measuring unit that measures an inclination of the antenna with respect to a horizontal plane. A mounting portion for mounting on the camera is provided,
The accessory according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the accessory can communicate with the camera via the attachment portion.   The control signal is transmitted through the mounting portion in order to display a warning on the liquid crystal display portion of the camera when the positioning portion cannot measure its own position. The accessory as described in any one.   The said rotation part is provided with the said antenna provided in the position on the opposite side to the position in which the said tripod attachment part and the said tripod attachment part are provided, The Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. Accessories.   The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the rotating unit includes an illumination device that illuminates a subject.

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