JP2016021020A - Control unit, control method therefor, and system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a control unit capable of minimizing a variation in operation among pieces of equipment when plural pieces of interconnected equipment that can communicate with each other by switching plural modes are remotely controlled.SOLUTION: A control unit of the present invention is a control unit capable of remotely controlling plural pieces of external equipment. The control unit includes communication means capable of switching a first communication mode in which sole transmission is performed at predetermined communication intervals, and a second communication mode in which broadcast transmission is performed, detection means that detects an operation instruction maneuver performed for the control unit, and control means that controls communication of the communication means with the plural pieces of external equipment. Before the detection means detects the maneuver, the control means controls the communication means so as to establish a connection in the first communication mode with the pieces of external equipment for communication at the predetermined communication intervals. When the detection means detects the maneuver, the control means transmits a notification, which brings the pieces of external equipment to the second communication mode so that they can communication in the second communication mode, to the pieces of external equipment. After transmitting the notification, the control means switches from the first communication mode to the second communication mode, and transmits information on an operation instruction to the pieces of external equipment.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to a control device, a control method thereof, and a system, and more particularly to a technique for remotely controlling a device.

  In a system in which wireless communication is performed while synchronizing with a plurality of devices, communication time lag and communication timing variations are problematic. For this reason, attempts have been made to solve these problems by contriving ways of transmitting and receiving data.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses a technique for performing strobe light emission with a reduced time lag with respect to a camera shooting operation by switching the communication interval with the strobe short when a camera shooting operation is performed. Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for improving the response speed of a strobe by broadcasting data necessary for strobe emission to a plurality of strobes when a shooting operation is performed with a camera.

JP 2011-061715 A JP 2011-050017 A

  However, there are limited communication standards to which the prior art disclosed in the above-mentioned patent documents can be applied. For example, in Bluetooth Low Energy (Bluetooth is a registered trademark), two types of packet communication modes are provided. One is a communication mode in which the slave device transmits to notify the master device of the existence of its own device in one direction before connection is established, and can be broadcast to a plurality of devices. The other is a communication mode used for bidirectional data communication while the master device is connected to the slave device, and is used when the master device and the slave device perform unicast communication. In the latter communication mode used for data communication, a time interval that should be at least as a communication interval is defined, and there is a restriction that transmission timing from the master device is restricted and broadcast communication is not possible. For this reason, the technique disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document cannot be applied. As shown in the above example, reducing the communication interval between devices and using broadcast communication cannot be performed at the timing and communication situation intended in all communication standards.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and an object thereof is to remotely control an external device by an appropriate communication method.

  In order to solve this problem, for example, the control device of the present invention has the following configuration. In other words, the control device can remotely control a plurality of external devices, and switches between a first communication mode in which single transmission is performed at a predetermined communication interval and a second communication mode in which broadcast transmission is performed. Possible communication means, detection means for detecting operation instruction operation to the control device, and control means for controlling communication with a plurality of external devices by the communication means, the control means is operated by the detection means Before being detected, the communication means is controlled to establish communication with each of the external devices in the first communication mode and perform communication at a predetermined communication interval, and in response to the operation detected by the detection means. Then, a notification for making each of the external devices communicable in the second communication mode is transmitted to the external device, and after the notification is transmitted, the first communication mode is switched to the second communication mode to operate. Instructions And it transmits to each of the external device information about, characterized in that.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to remotely control an external device by an appropriate communication method.

1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration example of a digital camera as an example of a control device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a strobe as an example of an external device (b). The block diagram of the radio | wireless imaging system which concerns on this embodiment The figure which shows the example of the packet structure of the ADV packet which concerns on this embodiment The figure which shows the issue timing of ADV and a CONN packet which concern on this embodiment A flowchart showing a series of operations for establishing communication between the digital camera and the flash according to the present embodiment. The flowchart which shows a series of operation | movement of the process in the digital camera until the flash based on this embodiment light-emits. A flowchart showing a series of processing operations in the flash until the flash according to the present embodiment emits light. The figure which shows the packet structure of the packet which the digital camera which concerns on this embodiment transmits (a), and the figure which shows the timing which the digital camera transmits an ADV packet (b) Diagram explaining how to dynamically measure communication delay between digital camera and strobe The figure which shows the packet structure of the packet which a digital camera transmits when performing continuous imaging | photography concerning this embodiment. The figure which shows the modification of the control system from which strobe becomes a master device The figure which shows the modification of the control system from which a remote control becomes a master apparatus The figure which shows a series of operation | movement of a remote control when a remote control becomes a master apparatus The figure which shows a series of operation | movement of a digital camera when a remote control becomes a master device 8 is a flowchart showing a series of operations of the digital camera up to strobe light emission according to the second embodiment. Flowchart showing a series of operations of the flash until the flash emission according to the second embodiment. The figure which shows the transition of the receiving state of the packet in the strobe which concerns on Embodiment 2. Flowchart showing a series of operations of the remote controller when the above modification is applied to the second embodiment. The flowchart which shows a series of operation | movement of a digital camera at the time of applying the above-mentioned modification to Embodiment 2. FIG.

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following, an example in which the present invention is applied to an arbitrary digital camera or remote controller capable of remote control will be described as an example of a control device in a system including a control device and an external device. However, the present invention is not limited to a digital camera and can be applied to any electronic device that can be remotely controlled. These devices may include, for example, a mobile phone, a game machine, a tablet terminal, a personal computer, a clock-type or glasses-type information terminal. An example in which the present invention is applied to an optional strobe capable of remote control will be described as an example of an external device. However, the present invention is not limited to the strobe but can be applied to any electronic device that can be remotely controlled. These devices may include digital cameras, mobile phones, game machines, tablet terminals, personal computers, clock-type or glasses-type information terminals, and the like.

(1 System overview)
FIG. 2 shows a digital camera 100 and strobes 250 to 252 as an example of a system in the present embodiment. The digital camera 100 and the strobes 250 to 252 can perform wireless communication via a communication unit included therein, and can remotely control each of the strobes 250 to 252 from the digital camera 100. The arrows in the figure indicate the direction of data flow in wireless communication, and the digital camera 100 transmits and receives data to and from the flashes 250 to 252 to remotely control each flash emission.

(2 Configuration of digital camera 100)
FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration example of a digital camera 100 as an example of a control device according to the present embodiment. One or more of the functional blocks shown in FIG. 1A may be realized by hardware such as an ASIC or a programmable logic array (PLA), or a programmable processor such as a CPU or MPU executes software. It may be realized by. Further, it may be realized by a combination of software and hardware. Therefore, in the following description, even when different functional blocks are described as the operation subject, the same hardware can be realized as the subject.

  The camera control unit 101 is, for example, a CPU or MPU, and controls the entire digital camera 100 by developing and executing a program stored in the nonvolatile storage device 105 in the work area of the volatile storage device 104. The camera control unit 101 is connected to each functional block in the digital camera 100 and performs a calculation based on a signal input from each functional block. In addition, the camera control unit 101 controls processing related to wireless communication, which will be described later, and performs operation control such as light emission of a connected device such as a strobe. At this time, the camera control unit 101 can switch the first communication unit 120 and the second communication unit 121 by controlling the changeover switch 110 provided in the wireless communication unit 130.

  The lens unit 102 is electrically connected to the digital camera 100, and appropriately forms an optical image from the subject on the imaging sensor 103 under the control of the camera control unit 101.

  The imaging sensor 103 has a plurality of pixels arranged two-dimensionally, and photoelectrically converts the subject optical image formed by the lens unit 102 at each pixel. The photoelectrically converted signal is further subjected to analog / digital conversion by the A / D converter 112 in accordance with the operation timing generated by the timing generator 111 and input to the camera control unit 101 as a digital signal (image data) in units of pixels.

  The volatile storage device 104 is a device that temporarily stores data that need not be retained after the camera is turned off, such as temporary data used by the camera control unit 101.

  The non-volatile storage device 105 is a device that stores information that should be retained even when the digital camera 100 is turned off, such as setting values set in the digital camera 100 and captured image data. It consists of a porcelain disk. The set value includes, for example, a Tv value (aperture value), an Av value (shutter speed), and the like. Information stored in the nonvolatile storage device 105 is read and written under the control of the camera control unit 101.

  The accessory shoe 106 is an assembly of metal contacts that are disposed on the top of the camera and can be connected to, for example, a clip-on type strobe. The metal contacts of the accessory shoe 106 include those for serial communication and those dedicated for the X signal that conveys that a photographing operation has been performed by the digital camera 100. The X signal is a signal used when it is desired to emit a strobe in synchronization with the operation of the digital camera 100.

  The shooting preparation switch (SW1) 107 is a mechanical switch that can be operated by the user, and is a switch that gives a shooting preparation instruction to the digital camera 100 as an operation instruction from the user. When the SW1 107 is pressed by the user, the voltage level of the electrode connected to the SW1 107 is changed, and the camera control unit 101 detects the voltage level changed by the SW1 107. When the camera control unit 101 detects that the SW1 107 is pressed, the camera control unit 101 performs predetermined control such as autofocus on the lens unit 102. When a clip-on type strobe is connected to the accessory shoe 106, when the SW1 107 is pressed, the camera control unit 101 instructs the strobe to perform a light emission preparation operation via the accessory shoe 106. In addition, the camera control unit 101 transmits a packet notifying that the SW1 107 has been pressed to an external device via the wireless communication unit 130.

  The shooting instruction switch (SW2) 108 is a mechanical switch that can be operated by the user, and is a switch that gives a shooting operation instruction to the digital camera 100 as an operation instruction from the user. Similar to SW 1 107, the voltage level of SW 2 108 is detected by the camera control unit 101. When the camera control unit 101 detects that the SW2 108 is pressed, the camera control unit 101 performs predetermined control such as control of the aperture of the lens unit 102 and imaging of the imaging sensor 103. The camera control unit 101 transmits a command for instructing light emission to the strobe 250 or the like via the accessory shoe 106 at the timing when the SW2 108 is pressed, and also emits light to an external device via the wireless communication unit 130. Send the indicated packet.

  The camera setting button 109 is a button for the user to set the Av value and Tv value of the digital camera 100. When a user operation is detected, the camera setting button 109 notifies the camera control unit 101 of the operation content or setting value. The camera control unit 101 controls each functional block based on a set value that has been set during imaging.

  The wireless communication unit 130 performs wireless communication described later by controlling the wireless antenna 140. The wireless communication unit 130 includes a changeover switch 110 and can switch between the first communication unit 120 and the second communication unit 121 in accordance with an instruction from the camera control unit 101.

  The wireless antenna 140 is an antenna that transmits or receives data for communication in a format compliant with a predetermined wireless communication method.

  The power supply unit 114 supplies power to the digital camera 100. The power supply destination is not limited to the camera control unit 101 as shown in the figure, and power is supplied to any or all of the blocks constituting the digital camera 100.

  The power switch 115 is a mechanical switch that switches whether the power of the digital camera 100 is turned on or off. Whether the power is supplied from the power supply unit 114 to the digital camera 100 by switching between on and off is determined. Switch.

(3-1. Overview of Communication System by BLE-Configuration of Communication System)
Next, an outline of the communication method used in the present embodiment will be described first. In the present embodiment, for example, Bluetooth Low Energy (hereinafter, BLE) is used as a communication method for wireless communication performed between the digital camera 100 and the flash units 250 to 252. BLE is a communication mode in which data is transmitted / received at the time of connection while performing power transmission by an intermittent operation that periodically wakes up and wakes up, and a communication in which broadcast transmission is performed for the presence notification of the own device at the start of connection. Communication with mode is possible. In this embodiment, a packet used in the former communication mode is referred to as a CONNECTION (CONN) packet, and a packet used in the latter communication mode is referred to as an ADVERTISE (ADV) packet. The communication mode using the CONN packet is executed by the first communication unit 120, and the communication mode using the ADV packet is executed by the second communication unit 121. Note that broadcast transmission (also referred to as broadcast transmission) in the present embodiment may be multicast transmission that is transmitted to a plurality of specific partners.

(3-2. Outline of Communication System by BLE-Packet Structure)
The packet structure of the ADV packet will be described with reference to FIG. Normally, the ADV packet is a packet that is transmitted to the master device before the connection is established in order for the slave device to confirm the existence. FIG. 3 shows an ADV packet format 400 used in BLE. The preamble 401 is a bit string added to the head of the packet, and is for preventing erroneous reception of the packet by the communication partner. The packet type 402 is a bit string for identifying that the transmitted packet is an ADV packet. The header 403 is a bit string that identifies the type of the transmitted packet. Length 404 indicates the byte length of the transmitted packet. The data header 405 is a bit string indicating a header for ID and data. The ID 406 is a unique ID that identifies the device that transmitted the packet. The data 407 can include any 31-byte data. Normally, the data 407 is set with information necessary to notify the communication partner of the presence of the own device. The CRC 408 is a code for performing packet error correction.

(3-3. Outline of Communication Method by BLE-Flow and Restrictions of Communication by BLE)
Next, the communication flow and restrictions by BLE are demonstrated with reference to FIG. FIG. 4A shows a timing chart showing a state of communication using a CONN packet. It shows how the wireless communication units of the master device (digital camera 100) and the plurality of slave devices (strobes 250 to 252) operate along the time taken on the horizontal axis. Communication 410 and 411 indicate the direction of communication using a CONN packet, communication 410 indicates the flow of a CONN packet transmitted from the master device to the slave device, and communication 411 indicates a CONN packet transmitted from the slave device to the master device. Shows the flow.

  FIG. 4B shows a timing chart showing the state of communication using the ADV packet. The operation of each wireless communication unit of the master device and the slave device and the operation of the strobe control unit 201 of the slave device are shown. Show. Communication 412 to 414 indicates communication using an ADV packet transmitted from the slave device.

  First, the slave device notifies the presence of the own device using the ADV packet. In the slave device, the start / stop of communication of the ADV packet is controlled by the strobe control unit 201, and once started, the transmission of the ADV packet is repeated at an interval of time T2. The master device is in an ADV packet standby state and can receive a presence notification from the slave device. Since the ADV packet is transmitted by broadcast, any device that can receive the ADV packet can receive the ADV packet.

  When the master device detects the presence notification sent from the slave device, the master device sends back a connection request packet to the slave device. When the slave device receives the connection request packet, as shown in FIG. 4A, data communication using the CONN packet can be performed with the clocks synchronized with each other at the period of T1. As described above, the digital camera 100 performs two-way data communication at a constant interval T1 (for example, 20 ms) using the CONN packet after connection with an external device that performs communication by BLE is established.

  At this time, in the communication system using BLE, it is defined that T1 must be 7.5 ms or more at a minimum. That is, the master device cannot communicate with the same slave device at an interval within T1. In communication using a CONN packet, bidirectional communication is possible, but broadcast communication is not possible. For this reason, when there are a plurality of slave devices, the master device performs communication by shifting the transmission / reception timing of each slave device. On the other hand, when data communication is performed using a CONN packet, the master device and the slave device can suppress power consumption by performing an intermittent operation. The above is a normal flow until connection establishment in BLE.

  The digital camera 100 according to this embodiment includes a communication unit that can use a CONN packet and an ADV packet as described above. The digital camera 100 operates as a master device, and rewrites the data of the ADV packet and switches the start / stop of communication by the ADV packet by the camera control unit 101, similarly to the slave device shown in FIG. 4B. Take a configuration that can. The digital camera 100 can repeat the transmission of the ADV packet via the wireless communication unit 130 at a constant interval T2 (for example, 30 ms) after the camera control unit 101 starts communication using the ADV packet. Note that the digital camera 100 can set a value of 20 ms or more as T2. In addition, there is a feature that there is little variation in the time from when the digital camera 100 starts communication using an ADV packet until the first ADV packet is sent.

(4. Structure of strobe 250)
FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration example of the strobe 250 (251, 252) as an example of the external device according to the present embodiment. Similar to FIG. 1A, even when different functional blocks are described as the operation subject, the same hardware can be realized as the subject.

  The strobe control unit 201 is, for example, a CPU or MPU, and controls the entire digital camera 100 by developing and executing a program stored in the nonvolatile storage device 205 in the work area of the volatile storage device 204. The strobe control unit 201 is connected to each functional block in the strobe 250 and performs a calculation based on a signal input from each functional block. When the strobe control unit 201 receives an X signal from the accessory shoe 206 or receives a signal for instructing strobe light emission via the wireless antenna 240 and the wireless communication unit 230, the strobe control unit 201 issues a light emission instruction to the light emission control unit 202 to emit the strobe light. The operation control is performed. At this time, the strobe control unit 201 controls the changeover switch 210 according to the state of communication with the digital camera 100 to switch between the first communication unit 220 and the second communication unit 221.

  The light emission control unit 202 is a circuit that controls the light emission of the Xe tube 203 and performs strobe light emission in accordance with an instruction from the strobe control unit 201.

  The volatile storage device 204 is a storage device whose information is reset every time the strobe is turned on, for example, a device for temporarily storing received packet data and data necessary for processing by the strobe control unit 201. It is.

  The nonvolatile storage device 205 is a storage device that retains information even when the power of the strobe is turned off. For example, the non-volatile storage device 205 is a device for storing a strobe setting value, a communication partner ID, and the like.

  The accessory shoe 206 is a collection of a plurality of metal contacts that can be connected to the accessory shoe 106 of the digital camera 100. The strobe 250 can be connected to the digital camera 100 via the accessory shoe 106 to enable serial communication. The accessory shoe 206 has a dedicated contact for receiving the X signal of the digital camera 100 in addition to serial communication.

  The power supply unit 207 supplies power to the strobe 250. The power supply destination is not limited to the strobe control unit 201 as shown in the figure, and power is supplied to any or all of the blocks such as the Xe tube 203.

  The wireless communication unit 230 performs wireless communication with the digital camera 100 by controlling the wireless antenna 240. The wireless communication unit 230 includes a changeover switch 210 and can switch between the first communication unit 220 and the second communication unit 221 in accordance with an instruction from the strobe control unit 201. Similar to the digital camera 100, the first communication unit 220 corresponds to a communication mode using a CONN packet, and the second communication unit 221 corresponds to a communication mode using an ADV packet. The strobe 250 drives the wireless antenna 240 via the wireless communication unit 230 and performs wireless communication by BLE.

  The wireless antenna 240 is an antenna that transmits or receives data for communication in a format compliant with a predetermined wireless communication method.

  As with the digital camera 100, the strobe 250 has a configuration capable of rewriting ADV packet data and switching communication start / stop using the ADV packet. As shown in FIG. 4, the strobes 250 to 252 repeat transmission of packets via the wireless communication unit 230 at a constant interval T2 (for example, 30 ms) after starting communication using ADV packets. Note that the strobes 250 to 252 can set a value of 20 ms or more as T2 which is an ADV packet transmission interval. After the connection with the digital camera 100 is established, transmission of the CONN packet is repeated via the wireless communication unit 230 at a constant interval T1 (for example, 20 ms).

(5-1. A series of operations of the system-flow until connection establishment)
Next, a series of operations of the system in this embodiment will be described. First, of a series of operations of the system, a series of operations until the digital camera 100 and the flash units 250 to 252 establish a connection will be described with reference to FIG. 5A shows a series of operations in the digital camera 100, and FIG. 5B shows a series of operations in the strobe 250. The processing shown in FIG. 5A is started when the digital camera 100 is turned on while the pairing by BLE is completed and the digital camera 100 can operate as a master device. This process is realized by the camera control unit 101 expanding and executing a program stored in the nonvolatile storage device 105 in the work area of the volatile storage device 104. Also, the processing shown in FIG. 5B is started when the power supply switch (not shown) is turned on in a state where the strobe 250 has completed pairing by BLE and can operate as a slave device. Further, this processing is realized by the strobe control unit 201 expanding and executing a program stored in the nonvolatile storage device 205 in the work area of the volatile storage device 204. The strobes 250 to 252 operate separately and establish a connection with the digital camera 100. However, since the processing contents are the same, only the strobe 250 will be described below.

  First, in step S511 illustrated in FIG. 5B, the strobe control unit 201 starts transmission of an ADV packet. The strobe control unit 201 controls the changeover switch 210 and the first communication unit 220 to periodically transmit an ADV packet, for example, every 30 ms in order to confirm the existence. The ADV packet is broadcasted via the wireless antenna 240.

  In step S <b> 512, the flash control unit 201 determines whether a connection request packet has been received from the digital camera 100 via the wireless communication unit 230. When it is determined that the connection request packet has been received, the flash control unit 201 advances the process to S513, and when it is determined that the packet has not been received, the process returns to S512 and waits for reception of the packet.

  In step S <b> 513, the flash control unit 201 connects to the digital camera 100 in response to a connection request from the digital camera 100. When the two-way communication using the CONN packet with the digital camera 100 is established by this connection, the strobe control unit 201 completes a series of operations of this processing.

  Next, in S501 shown in FIG. 5A, the camera control unit 101 puts the wireless communication unit 130 into an ADV packet reception waiting state.

  In step S <b> 502, the camera control unit 101 determines whether an ADV packet has been received from the strobe 250 based on the notification from the wireless communication unit 130. If the camera control unit 101 determines that the ADV packet has been received, the camera control unit 101 advances the process to step S503 in order to establish a connection with the strobe 250. On the other hand, if it is determined that the ADV packet has not been received, the process returns to S502 and waits for reception of the packet.

  In step S <b> 503, the camera control unit 101 transmits a connection request packet to the flash 250 via the wireless communication unit 130. As described above in S513, when the strobe 250 receives the connection request packet, a connection is established in S504.

  In step S505, the camera control unit 101 determines whether the connection with all other strobes that can be connected is completed. If the connection request packet has been transmitted to all the strobes, the camera control unit 101 determines that all the strobes have been connected, and advances the process to S507. At this time, the digital camera 100 may store the identification ID of the connection partner in the nonvolatile storage device 105 and reduce the time required to find the connection partner when connecting to the strobe again. If the identification ID is stored in the nonvolatile storage device 105, the ID of the connection partner can be used even after the digital camera 100 is turned off. On the other hand, if it is determined that the connection with all the strobes has not been completed, in step S506, control is performed so that the ADV packet is received during a period during which no transmission / reception with the CONN packet is performed, and connection with the remaining strobes is performed. Establish.

  In step S507, the camera control unit 101 cancels the reception state of the ADV packet when connection with all the strobes is completed, and completes a series of operations of this processing.

(5-2. System Operation-Flow to Strobe Flash)
Next, with respect to a series of operations of the system in the present embodiment, a series of operations until strobe light emission is performed will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. 6 shows a series of operations in the digital camera 100, and FIG. 7 shows a series of operations in the strobe 250. Note that the processing of the digital camera 100 shown in FIG. 6 is started when the digital camera 100 completes connection with the strobes 250 to 252.

  In step S <b> 601, the camera control unit 101 receives data with a period of an interval T <b> 1 by a CONN packet via the wireless communication unit 130, and receives information such as completion of charging of the strobes 250 to 252 by the CONN packet. At this time, the camera control unit 101 may notify the strobe 250 that information such as charging completion has been received from the strobe. By doing so, the strobe 250 has an advantage that it is not necessary to retransmit information such as completion of charging. This is because communication using a CONN packet is compatible with bidirectional communication. The camera control unit 101 saves power by controlling the interval of T1 to be long, but the amount of communication per hour is reduced accordingly. It is assumed that the camera control unit 101 performs control so that a packet for controlling the flash emission is transmitted at the stage when the information on the completion of charging is received from all the flashes.

  In step S602, the camera control unit 101 determines whether the SW1 107 is turned on. If it is determined that SW1 107 is on, the process proceeds to S603, and if it is determined that SW1 107 is not on, the process returns to S601 again.

  In step S <b> 603, when the SW <b> 1 107 is turned on, the camera control unit 101 transmits a CONN packet to the flash units 250 to 252, and notifies that the interval T <b> 1 for transmitting the CONN packet is shortened to, for example, 7.5 ms. To do. In this way, when the SW2 108 of the digital camera 100 is pressed, it is possible to quickly notify the strobe that the SW2 108 has been pressed. The transmission of the CONN packet is a notification that the SW 1 107 has been pressed to the strobe 250.

  In step S604, the camera control unit 101 determines whether the SW2 108 has been pressed. If it is determined that the SW2 108 has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S605. If it is determined that the SW2 108 has not been pressed, the process is performed again. Return to S604 and wait.

  In step S <b> 605, the camera control unit 101 transmits a packet for disconnecting the connection between the digital camera 100 and the flash units 250 to 252. The reason for performing the cutting process in this way will be described below. When the camera control unit 101 determines that the SW2 108 has been pressed, it needs to transmit light emission data to the flash units 250 to 252. However, in communication using a CONN packet as described above, there is a variation of 7.5 ms in packet transmission timing. This means that the light emission timing of the strobe deviates from the shutter timing of the digital camera 100 by a maximum of 7.5 ms. In addition, since the CONN packet does not support broadcast transmission, the camera control unit 101 needs to transmit light emission data to each strobe in order. This restriction is inconvenient for finishing the strobe control in a short time. On the other hand, the ADV packet is sent at an interval T2 immediately after the camera control unit 101 instructs transmission start. The timing from when the camera control unit 101 instructs transmission start until the first ADV packet is transmitted is Almost no variation. The ADV packet can be broadcast. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the ADV packet that is originally used for checking the existence of the connection partner is used for controlling the light emission amount and the light emission timing of the strobe. For this reason, the camera control unit 101 transmits a CONN packet to disconnect the communication established with the strobe 250.

  Originally, after connection, the digital camera 100 that is the master device of the network is in a state of receiving an ADV packet. However, in this embodiment, the digital camera 100 transmits an ADV packet and the strobe receives the ADV packet in order to transmit the flash emission data at a predetermined timing. In this way, in normal communication that does not require synchronization other than flash emission, etc., the timing of operation can be adjusted when synchronization such as flash emission is required while taking advantage of the communication method with low power consumption by intermittent operation. Variations can be suppressed.

  In step S606, the camera control unit 101 sets a destination ID (to be described later) in the ADV packet immediately after transmitting the connection disconnection packet. The camera control unit 101 can transmit an ADV packet without disconnecting the connection with the strobe 250, but the power consumption of the strobe 250 increases and the timing of communication between the CONN packet and the ADV packet overlaps. It is assumed that interference will occur. For this reason, in this embodiment, the connection between the digital camera 100 and the strobe 250 is once disconnected and then the communication is switched to ADV packet communication.

  In step S <b> 607, the camera control unit 101 further sets a later-described flash emission amount in the ADV packet. An example of the ADV packet set by the camera control unit 101 will be described with reference to FIG. ADV packets 800 and 801 shown in FIG. 8A represent the format of an ADV packet that the camera control unit 101 transmits to the strobes 250 to 252 in order to cause the strobe to emit light. The ADV packet 800 is a command for notifying the strobe 250 or the like of the light emission timing, and the ADV packet 801 is a command for notifying the strobe 250 or the like of the light emission amount. The command 802 is information for distinguishing between the ADV packet 800 and the ADV packet 801. Information for appropriately controlling the strobe from the digital camera 100 is set in the light emission timing 804 and the light emission amount 805. A transmission destination ID 806 is an ID for identifying each strobe as a transmission destination. By having this ID for identification, it is possible to designate a strobe to transmit a packet and perform separate control for each strobe. At this time, on the strobe side, for example, if the command 802 of the ADV packet transmitted by broadcast is an unexpected command or the transmission destination ID 806 does not match the ID of its own device, it can be ignored. By doing so, the strobe can distinguish between the ADV packet sent by another device not present in the system for the survival confirmation and the light emission data from the digital camera 100. The camera control unit 101 sets the light emission amount 805 for each strobe and sets the corresponding transmission destination ID, since the subject can be exposed appropriately if the light emission amount of the strobe is different for each strobe.

  In step S608, the ADV packet is transmitted. In this way, the digital camera 100 can transmit data relating to the light emission amount to the strobe at a predetermined timing after the SW2 108 is pressed.

  In S609, the camera control unit 101 stops the transmission of the ADV packet in order to repeat the transmission of the ADV packet in a short time, as will be described later with reference to FIG. 8B.

  In step S610, the camera control unit 101 determines whether the ADV packet has been transmitted to all the strobes. If the ADV packet has not been transmitted to all the strobes, the process proceeds to S611 to update the transmission destination ID of the new strobe, and the process returns to S607 again. That is, the process of separately transmitting the light emission amount for each strobe is repeated. On the other hand, when the ADV packet is transmitted to all the strobes, the process proceeds to S612 in order to execute the process of transmitting the light emission timing to each strobe.

  Note that the process of setting a different light emission amount for each strobe in S605, S610, and S611 is not essential, and the same light emission amount may be simultaneously transmitted to all the strobes. In order to transmit data simultaneously, the transmission destination ID 806 may be set to a value that can be received by any strobe. For example, if the transmission destination ID 806 is set to 0xFF, and the strobe side is set to receive and process the packet of the transmission destination ID, each strobe receives the packet distributed simultaneously by broadcast, and the light emission amount is set. Can be set. Further, an ID assigned to a predetermined group may be set as the transmission destination ID 806. In this way, transmission to a specific plurality of strobes is possible.

  Next, in steps S612 to S614, the camera control unit 101 performs processing for transmitting the light emission timing used for the pre-light emission or the main light emission using an ADV packet. In order to cause all the strobes to emit light in synchronization with the shutter operation of the digital camera 100, an ADV packet in which the light emission timing is set is broadcast to all the strobes. In the present embodiment, ADV packets in which the light emission timing is set are simultaneously transmitted even when pre-light emission is performed, but the pre-light emission timing may be changed for each strobe. In this case, an ADV packet may be transmitted to each strobe as in the process of transmitting the light emission amount described above. By doing so, the variation in the light emission timing of the strobe is reduced as compared with the case where communication is performed using a unicast (also referred to as single transmission) CONN packet. In addition, since the digital camera 100 broadcasts the flash emission timing using ADV packets, it is possible to collectively control the flash emission.

  In S612, the camera control unit 101 sets the light emission timing in the data part of the ADV packet. For the light emission timing, the timing at which the strobe light is emitted is specified by a specified time (us) after receiving the ADV packet, for example.

  In step S613, the camera control unit 101 broadcasts an ADV packet in which the light emission timing is set. In step S614, the camera control unit 101 stops transmission of the ADV packet.

  In step S615, the camera control unit 101 repeats transmission of the light emission amount and the light emission timing for each strobe for the pre-light emission and the main light emission, respectively.

  When the main flash is finished, the digital camera and the strobe perform communication using a normal CONN packet. Therefore, the following processes from S616 to S619 are performed again to establish a connection with the strobe.

  In step S616, the camera control unit 101 makes a transition to a state in which an ADV packet can be received. In step S617, the camera control unit 101 determines whether an ADV packet from the strobe is received. If the packet is received, the camera control unit 101 transmits a connection request packet in step S618. In step S619, when the camera control unit 101 establishes a connection with the strobe again, the camera control unit 101 ends the series of operations related to this processing.

  When a series of operations related to this processing is completed, the digital camera 100 and the strobe return to the original sequence again. By returning to the connected state, the digital camera 100 and the strobe can exchange information such as charging completion information in both directions again using the CONN packet. In the reconnection process after S616, the camera control unit 101 stores the identification ID of the strobe connected before the SW2 108 is pressed and the identification of the ADV packet received in the reconnection process. You may make it compare ID. In this way, the camera control unit 101 can distinguish whether the received ADV packet is received from a strobe to be reconnected or received from another device.

  Next, a series of operations in the strobe 250 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  In step S <b> 701, the strobe control unit 201 transmits data through the wireless communication unit 230 at a T <b> 1 cycle that is a communication interval of a CONN packet defined in the standard, and transmits information such as charging completion of the strobe 250. At this time, the flash control unit 201 may further receive information notifying that the digital camera 100 has received information such as completion of charging from the flash 250.

  In step S <b> 702, the flash control unit 201 determines whether a packet notifying that the SW <b> 1 107 of the digital camera 100 has been turned on has been received. The packet is a packet for notifying that the CONN packet interval T1 is to be changed by, for example, 7.5 ms. When it is determined that the packet has been received, the flash control unit 201 advances the process to S703, and when it is determined that the packet has not been received, the process returns to S701.

  In step S <b> 703, the strobe control unit 201 changes the CONN packet interval T <b> 1 to be shorter. At this time, the strobe control unit 201 may transmit an ACK to the digital camera 100 regarding the reception of a packet notifying that the SW1 107 is turned on.

  In step S704, the strobe control unit 201 determines whether a packet for disconnecting the connection between the digital camera 100 and the strobe 250 (that is, a packet notifying that the SW2 108 has been pressed) has been received. Disconnect the connection.

  In step S <b> 706, the strobe control unit 201 switches the reception state of the CONN packet to a state in which an ADV packet can be received immediately after disconnection. In step S707, the flash control unit 201 determines whether an ADV packet for setting the light emission timing has been received. If the packet has been received, the process proceeds to step S708. On the other hand, if the ADV packet has not been received, the process returns to S707 again to wait for the reception of the ADV packet.

  In step S <b> 708, the strobe control unit 201 acquires information on the designated light emission amount from the light emission amount 805 of the received ADV packet and sets it as an internal setting value for performing light emission. The strobe control unit 201 stores information on the light emission amount in the nonvolatile storage device 205.

  In step S709, the flash controller 201 determines whether an ADV packet for setting the next light emission timing has been received. If the ADV packet has been received, the process proceeds to step S710. On the other hand, if the ADV packet has not been received, the process returns to S709 again to wait for the reception of the ADV packet.

  In step S <b> 710, the strobe control unit 201 acquires information on the designated light emission timing from the light emission timing 804 of the received ADV packet and sets it as an internal setting value for performing light emission. The strobe control unit 201 monitors the passage of the time specified by the light emission timing from the time when the ADV packet is received.

  In step S <b> 711, the flash control unit 201 performs light emission based on the set light emission amount at the timing when the set light emission timing is reached. In step S712, it is determined whether the main light emission has been performed. The determination of whether or not the main light emission has been performed is based on the premise that the pre-light emission and the main light emission are performed in advance in the present embodiment, for example. Therefore, it is determined by determining whether or not the light emission has been performed twice within a predetermined time. . When it is determined that the main flash has been performed, the flash control unit 201 proceeds to S713. When it is determined that the main flash has not been completed, the process returns to S707 to receive the ADV packet for the flash again. Do.

  In step S <b> 713, the flash control unit 201 transmits an ADV packet to perform presence notification in order to perform communication with the digital camera 100 using a CONN packet, and then determines whether a connection request is received from the digital camera 100 in step S <b> 714. If it is determined that a connection request has not been received from the digital camera 100, the process returns to S713. If it is determined that the connection request has been received, communication using a CONN packet is established, and a series of operations related to this process are performed. Complete.

(5-3. System Operation-ADV Packet Transmission Control Process)
Next, the ADV packet transmission control processing executed by the digital camera 100 in a series of operations of the system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The ADV packet transmission control process according to the present embodiment reduces the variation in communication timing when there is a communication interval restriction as in the above-described BLE.

  As described above, the digital camera 100 has a restriction that an interval T2 for transmitting ADV packets must be set to 20 ms or more. For this reason, a large time lag occurs when transmitting data necessary for flashing the strobe after the SW2 108 is pressed.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8B, the camera control unit 101 repeats the start / stop of communication by the ADV packet at a short interval (for example, 1 ms interval), so that a plurality of light emission data can be obtained at a short time interval. It becomes possible to send. The digital camera 100 can reduce the variation in communication timing by transmitting data several times in a short time using ADV packets, and can increase the probability that data will reach the strobe, improving the reliability of communication. Can be made. Therefore, the light emission timing may be transmitted a plurality of times in the series of operations of the digital camera 100 described in FIG. Specifically, when the transmission of the ADV packet is stopped in S614, the camera control unit 101 determines whether to repeat the transmission of the ADV packet. If the number of transmitted ADV packets has not reached the predetermined number of transmitted ADV packets, the process may be returned to S613 to start transmitting ADV packets. When the number of transmitted ADV packets reaches the predetermined number of transmitted ADV packets, the process proceeds to S615 to determine whether the main light emission is completed. When the ADV packet is transmitted a plurality of times, a value obtained by subtracting the value of the time until light emission is set for the light emission timing 804 set in the ADV packet each time. In this way, even if the timing for transmitting the ADV packet in which the light emission timing is set is different, the strobe light can be emitted at a predetermined timing.

(5-4. Delay measurement and light emission timing adjustment processing in packet communication)
In the packet transmission / reception process described above, a process that can further improve the accuracy of the flash emission timing will be described. Even if data is transmitted to each strobe using an ADV packet with small variations in communication timing, a delay time (for example, 600 us) due to wireless transmission of the ADV packet is assumed to occur. Therefore, the digital camera 100 or the strobe causes the delay time obtained experimentally in advance to be stored in the nonvolatile storage device 105 or the like as a fixed value, and the light emission timing cancels the delay time in consideration of the delay time. May be calculated.

  However, the delay time described above may vary depending on the firmware of the digital camera 100 or the strobe 250, the type of wireless chip, the temperature, and other environments, so it is assumed that the delay time may not match the set fixed value. For this reason, in this embodiment, when considering the delay time, the delay time obtained by dynamically measuring the delay time may be used.

  With respect to the measurement of the dynamic delay time, the processing flow of the digital camera 100 and the strobe 250 will be described with reference to FIG.

  This process is performed before the connection process shown in FIG. 5 is started, that is, before the processes of S501 and S511, the digital camera 100 and the flash units 250 to 252 communicate ADV packets, and delay time related to transmission / reception of ADV packets. Is a process of measuring

  In this process, when the camera control unit 101 transmits an ADV packet to the strobe 250, the strobe 250 returns immediately after receiving the ADV packet. The camera control unit 101 measures the time Tc from when the ADV packet is transmitted until it is received, and the strobe control unit 201 measures the time Ts from when the ADV packet is received until it is returned. When the strobe control unit 201 returns an ADV packet to the digital camera 100, the strobe control unit 201 notifies the digital camera 100 of the time Ts by recording Ts in the data part of the ADV packet. When the ADV packet transmitted from the strobe 250 is received, the camera control unit 101 can calculate a value of (Tc−Ts) / 2 as a delay time from Ts recorded in the data part and the measured Tc.

  When the camera control unit 101 stores the calculated delay time in the nonvolatile storage device 205 and transmits the light emission timing 804 to the strobe, the camera control unit 101 transmits the time obtained by subtracting the delay time as the light emission timing. By doing so, it is possible to transmit the light emission timing that offsets the delay time, and it is possible to cause the strobe to emit light by adjusting to a more accurate timing. When an ADV packet is transmitted from the digital camera 100 to each strobe, if an ID for identifying each strobe is set as the above-mentioned transmission destination ID, it is possible to prevent the ADV packets from being returned simultaneously from a plurality of strobes. Can do.

(5-5. Processing when performing continuous shooting)
Further, processing that can be additionally performed when continuous shooting is performed will be described with reference to FIG. When the SW2 108 of the digital camera 100 is kept pressed, continuous shooting is performed, and thus it is necessary to repeat the light emission by the flash in a short time. In the series of operations related to the strobe light emission described above, when the main light emission ends, the communication transitions to the communication using the CONN packet. Therefore, it becomes difficult to set the light emission timing using the continuous ADV packet. For this reason, in this embodiment, when continuous shooting is performed, each strobe is notified that continuous shooting is performed, and reconnection is not performed after the main flash.

  For example, the ADV packet has a format 1000 shown in FIG. If the camera control unit 101 determines that the SW2 108 is kept pressed, the camera control unit 101 adds a flag indicating continuous shooting to the flag 1003 and transmits an ADV packet. Therefore, the digital camera 100 can notify the strobes 250 to 252 that continuous shooting is performed. If the flag 1003 of the received ADV packet indicates continuous shooting, each strobe does not reconnect after the main light emission ends, and transmits the ADV packet to the digital camera 100 when charging is completed. In the command 1001, a value indicating any command indicating the light emission timing or the light emission amount may be set, or a command specific to the ADV packet may be set. Further, a light emission timing 804 and a light emission amount 805 may be set in the data 1002.

  In order to receive the ADV packet, the camera control unit 101 makes a transition to a state in which the ADV packet can be received, and receives the ADV packet transmitted from the strobe. Upon receiving the ADV packet, the camera control unit 101 can determine that the transmission source strobe is in a fully charged state.

  In this way, when performing continuous shooting, the next light emission timing can be set without reconnecting the digital camera 100 and each strobe. At this time, the camera control unit 101 does not have to wait for the information on the completion of transmission and charging transmitted by the CONN packet from all the strobes, so it is possible to secure the frame speed during continuous shooting.

  The ADV packet transmitted by the strobe may also have the configuration shown in the format 1000. For example, the strobe 250 transmits an ADV packet for notifying the digital camera 100 of presence after the main flash. At this time, the strobe control unit 201 sets a flag indicating whether or not charging is completed when the strobe transmits the ADV packet in the flag 1003. In this way, the strobe control unit 201 can notify the digital camera 100 whether or not the strobe is fully charged. Further, the flash control unit 201 can notify the digital camera 100 of the presence of a flash even when charging is not completed.

(5-6. Processing for remotely controlling the digital camera 100)
The system configuration in the present embodiment is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 2, and can be applied to modifications as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. That is, in the system shown in FIG. 11, the strobe 1100 is connected via the accessory shoe 106 of the digital camera 100, and the strobe 1100 operates as the master device described above. In the system shown in FIG. 12, the remote controller 1200 operates as the master device described above, and the digital cameras 1201 to 1203 operate as slave devices. The digital cameras 1201 to 1203 perform shutter control in addition to the strobe light emission from the strobes 250 to 252.

  In the system illustrated in FIG. 11, when SW1 107 or SW2 108 of the digital camera 100 is pressed, the camera control unit 101 notifies the strobe control unit of the strobe 1100 that the switch has been pressed via the accessory shoe 106. To do. The strobe 1100 performs a series of communications with the strobes 250 to 252 via the wireless communication unit of the strobe 1100 using the notification from the digital camera 100 as a trigger.

  In the system shown in FIG. 12, the remote control 1200 includes blocks corresponding to SW1 107, SW2 108, and wireless communication unit 130 of the digital camera 100, and further includes a control unit that controls these blocks. The remote controller 1200 performs a series of operations shown in FIG. 13 as a master device, and the digital cameras 1201 to 1203 perform a series of operations shown in FIG. 14 as slave devices. The flow until the remote controller 1200 and the digital camera 1201 are connected is the same as that in the system configuration shown in FIGS.

  In the series of operations of the remote control 1200 shown in FIG. 13, the remote control 1200 transmits information necessary for shooting to the digital camera 1201 and the like, and the shutter timing is set without performing the process of setting the flash emission amount. Is different from the series of operations shown in FIG. In FIG. 13, operations that are the same as those in FIG. 6 are given the same reference numerals.

  When the remote controller 1200 and the digital cameras 1201 to 1203 complete connection, in S1301, the remote controller 1200 transmits information necessary for shooting such as the Av value and Tv value of the camera to the digital camera 1201 and the like using the CONN packet. After that, in S1302, the remote controller 1200 sets the shutter timing to the ADV packet data and broadcasts the ADV packet.

  In the series of operations of the digital camera 1201 shown in FIG. 14, the points where the digital camera 1201 receives information necessary for shooting and the point where the shutter timing is set without performing the process of setting the flash emission amount are shown in FIG. 7. This is different from the series of operations.

  The digital camera 1201 may notify the remote controller of a CONN packet that information has been received from the remote controller in S1401. Thereafter, the digital camera 100 sets the shutter timing in S1402, and releases the shutter at the shutter timing set in S1403.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, normal data transmission / reception such as completion of charging is performed using unicast communication with a communication interval, while the predetermined operation that needs to reduce the time lag of the photographing operation is connected. Was started and a new transmission was started. In addition, for newly started communication, broadcast communication can be used for simultaneous transmission to communication partners. By doing so, it becomes possible to remotely control the external device by an appropriate communication method. In particular, when remotely controlling a plurality of connected devices that can communicate with each other by switching a plurality of modes, it is possible to reduce variations in operation of each device. Also, in normal communications that do not require lime lag reduction other than strobe lighting, etc., while taking advantage of the low power consumption communication method by intermittent operation, it suppresses variation in operation timing when lime lag reduction such as strobe lighting is necessary be able to.

(6. Embodiment 2)
Next, Embodiment 2 will be described. In the second embodiment, the configuration relating to the switching of the communication mode after the SW1 107 of the digital camera 100 is pressed is different from the first embodiment, and other configurations are the same as the first embodiment. For this reason, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same components, and redundant descriptions are omitted, and differences will be mainly described.

  In the first embodiment, after the digital camera 100 detects that the SW2 108 is turned on, the delay of the interval T1 is the maximum until the strobe 250 or the like is notified of disconnection by the CONN packet. Time can occur. For this reason, the release time lag may be delayed by the delay time. This is because the timing for transmitting and receiving the CONN packet and the timing for turning on the SW2 108 are asynchronous. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, when the digital camera 100 detects that the SW2 108 is pressed, the digital camera 100 starts transmission of light emission data using an ADV packet in synchronization with the detection without transmitting a disconnect packet based on the CONN packet. . In addition, the strobe 250 transitions to an ADV packet reception state after disconnection, whereas it has an ADV packet standby state during a communication period using a CONN packet. By doing in this way, although the power consumption of a radio | wireless communication part rises a little, the delay time which arises in Embodiment 1 can be shortened.

  FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a series of operations of the digital camera 100 up to strobe light emission in the present embodiment, except for the operation related to switching of the communication mode after the SW1 107 of the digital camera 100 is pressed. This is common with FIG. FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a series of operations up to the strobe emission of the strobes 250 to 252 in this embodiment, and the operation related to the switching of the communication mode after the SW1 107 of the digital camera 100 is pressed. Other than that is the same as FIG. FIG. 17 is a timing chart showing the operation of the wireless communication unit of the digital camera 100 and the flash units 250 to 252 when the SW1 107 of the digital camera 100 is pressed.

  If the camera control unit 101 determines in step S602 shown in FIG. 15 that the SW1 107 has been pressed, in step S1501, the camera control unit 101 notifies the strobe 250 or the like that the SW1 107 has been pressed without transmitting a communication interval change notification.

  If the camera control unit 101 determines in step S604 that the SW2 108 has been pressed, if the light emission data is set using the ADV packet in step S1502, the camera control unit 101 transmits the ADV packet in step S608.

  On the other hand, if the strobe control unit 201 in the strobe 250 determines that the SW1 notification has been received in S702, the strobe control unit 201 transitions to a state in which the ADV packet can be received while performing communication using the CONN packet in S1601. The strobe control unit 201 performs transmission / reception using a CONN packet at a period of T1, and changes the state to a standby state for an ADV packet when transmission of the CONN packet is completed and transmission / reception of the CONN packet is not performed (FIG. 17).

  When the strobe control unit 201 determines that the ADV packet transmitted from the digital camera 100 has been received in S1602, the strobe control unit 201 disconnects the connection established for communication using the CONN packet in S1603. Thereafter, the strobe control unit 201 sets the data of the ADV packet received by the processing from S708 onward as in the first embodiment, and performs an operation according to the value of the command added to the data.

  As in the first embodiment, the system configuration may be applied to the configurations shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 in this embodiment. A series of operations of the remote controller 1200 and the digital cameras 1201 to 1203 when the system configuration shown in FIG. 12 is adopted are shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, respectively. Also in this case, after the SW1 107 notification transmitted from the remote controller 1200 in S1501 is received by the digital camera 1201 in S702, the digital camera 1201 is connected to the ADV packet reception state in S1601 while being connected. In the system shown in FIG. 16 according to the first embodiment, a release time lag is generated at a maximum interval T1 from when the remote controller 1200 performs a shooting operation to when the shutter of the digital camera is released. According to the present embodiment, in addition to reducing the variation in the operation of the connected device, the time lag from when the shooting operation is performed with the remote controller to when the camera shutter is released can be reduced.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the receiving side (strobe 250) periodically has an ADV packet standby state, and the ADV packet is used without transmitting a disconnect packet (that is, switching of the notification method) by the CONN packet. Started to send. By doing so, it becomes possible to remotely control the external device by an appropriate communication method. In addition, when remotely controlling a plurality of connected devices that can communicate with each other by switching a plurality of modes, it is possible to reduce the time lag with the shooting operation in addition to reducing the variation in operation of each device.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, or the like) of the system or apparatus reads the program. It is a process to be executed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 ... Camera control part 110 ... Switch 130 ... Wireless communication part 107 ... Shooting preparation switch 108 ... Shooting instruction switch 201 ... Strobe control part 210 ... Switch 230 ... Wireless communication part 203 ... Xe tube

Claims (13)

A control device capable of remotely controlling a plurality of external devices,
A communication means capable of switching between a first communication mode for performing single transmission at a predetermined communication interval and a second communication mode for performing broadcast transmission;
Detecting means for detecting an operation instruction for the control device;
Control means for controlling communication with the plurality of external devices by the communication means,
The control means includes
Before the operation is detected by the detection unit, the communication unit is controlled to establish a connection in the first communication mode with each of the external devices and perform communication at the predetermined communication interval,
In response to the detection of the operation by the detection means, a notification for making each of the external devices communicable in the second communication mode is transmitted to the external device,
After transmitting the notification, the control device switches from the first communication mode to the second communication mode, and transmits information on the operation instruction to each of the external devices. A control device capable of remotely controlling a plurality of external devices,
A communication means capable of switching between a first communication mode for performing single transmission at a predetermined communication interval and a second communication mode for performing broadcast transmission;
Detecting means for detecting operation of an operation instruction for controlling the external device;
Control means for controlling communication with the plurality of external devices by the communication means,
The control means includes
Before the operation is detected by the detection unit, the communication unit is controlled to establish a connection in the first communication mode with each of the external devices and perform communication at the predetermined communication interval,
In response to the detection of the operation by the detection means, a notification for making each of the external devices communicable in the second communication mode is transmitted to the external device,
After transmitting the notification, the control device switches from the first communication mode to the second communication mode, and transmits information on the operation instruction to each of the external devices. The notification is a notification for disconnecting the connection in the first communication mode established with each of the external devices,
The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit transmits the notification to each of the external devices in response to the operation being detected by the detection unit. The operation instruction includes a first operation instruction and a second operation instruction following the first operation instruction.
The control means includes
In response to the detection of the first operation instruction by the detection means, the notification is transmitted to each of the external devices,
After transmitting the notification, in response to detection of the second operation instruction, the first communication mode is switched to the second communication mode, and information regarding the operation instruction is transmitted to the external device. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control device transmits the data to each of the control devices.   The control means further transmits a change notification for shortening the predetermined communication interval in the first communication mode before transmitting the notification to each of the external devices. 4. The control device according to any one of items 3 to 3.   The control means, after switching to the second communication mode and transmitting information related to the operation instruction, stops and starts communication in the second communication mode, and performs the operation in the second communication mode. The control device according to claim 1, further transmitting information related to the instruction. The control device is an imaging device;
The plurality of external devices are strobe devices,
The operation instruction is a shooting preparation instruction or a shooting instruction,
The notification is a notification for disconnecting the connection in the first communication mode established with each of the external devices,
The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit transmits the notification to each of the external devices in response to an operation of a shooting instruction detected by the detection unit. The control device is a remote controller;
The plurality of external devices are at least one of an imaging device and a strobe device,
The operation instruction is a shooting preparation instruction or a shooting instruction,
The notification is a notification for disconnecting the connection in the first communication mode established with each of the external devices,
The control device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit transmits the notification to each of the external devices in response to an operation of a photographing instruction being detected by the detection unit. The operation instruction is a shooting preparation instruction or a shooting instruction,
9. The information related to the operation instruction is information including any or all of a light emission amount of the strobe device, a light emission timing, a shutter timing of the imaging device, an aperture value, and a shutter speed. The control device described in 1. A system in which the control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 communicates with a plurality of external devices,
Each of the external devices is
Receiving means capable of switching between the first communication mode and the second communication mode;
Switching means for switching the receiving means to a state in which communication can be performed in the second communication mode in response to receiving the notification from the control device using the receiving means;
And a control unit configured to perform operation control based on information related to the operation instruction received from the control device after switching to the second communication mode.   11. The switch according to claim 10, wherein the switching unit transitions to a state in which a packet in the second communication mode can be received when it is not time to receive communication from the control device in the first communication mode. The system described. A control method for a control device capable of remotely controlling a plurality of external devices,
A communication step in which the communication means can switch between a first communication mode in which single transmission is performed at a predetermined communication interval and a second communication mode in which broadcast transmission is performed;
A detecting step in which a detecting means detects an operation of an operation instruction for the control device;
And a control unit that controls communication with the plurality of external devices by the communication unit,
In the control step,
Before the operation is detected in the detection step, the communication means is controlled to establish a connection in the first communication mode with each of the external devices and perform communication at the predetermined communication interval,
In response to the detection of the operation in the detection step, a notification is sent to the external device to make each of the external devices communicable in the second communication mode,
After the notification is transmitted, the control method of the control device is characterized by switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode and transmitting information on the operation instruction to each of the external devices.   The program for functioning a computer as each means of the control apparatus of any one of Claims 1 thru | or 9.

Images