JP6622619B2 - Transmission apparatus, transmission method, and communication system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a transmission device, a transmission method, and a communication system.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a light emission control device that can be connected to an imaging device and transmits a light emission command to at least one light emitting device, and at least one controlled light emitting device that emits light in response to a light emission command from the light emission control device. A light emitting system that communicates wirelessly is disclosed. In this light-emitting system, the controlled light-emitting device has a first transmission unit that wirelessly transmits charging information related to its charge state to the light-emission control device. Further, in this light emitting system, the light emission control device receives the charging information transmitted from the controlled light emitting device, the notification unit that notifies the imaging device of the completion of charging, and the controlled light emitting device. Second transmission means for transmitting a signal for stopping transmission of the charging information, and third transmission means for transmitting a light emission command to the controlled light emitting device in response to an instruction from the imaging device. Further, in this light emitting system, when the light emitting control device receives charging information indicating that charging has been completed from all the controlled light emitting devices by the receiving means, the light emitting control apparatus performs notification by the notifying means and the second transmitting means. Transmits a signal for stopping the transmission of the charging information.

JP2013-174841A

  By the way, when transmitting instruction information indicating an instruction such as a light emission command from a transmission device such as a light emission control device to a reception device such as a controlled light emission device via wireless communication, It is possible to send. In this case, when any instruction is accepted, the transmitting device generates the instruction information and transmits it to the wireless communication circuit, and the wireless communication circuit analyzes the instruction information and converts it into a signal that can be transmitted by wireless communication. Then, it transmits to the receiving device by wireless communication. For this reason, a time lag may occur between the time when the instruction is received and the time when the instruction information is transmitted.

  However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 does not take into account the early transmission of the instruction information.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and transmits the instruction information earlier than when receiving the execution instruction and generating instruction information for the receiving apparatus and transmitting the instruction information to the receiving apparatus. An object of the present invention is to provide a transmission device, a transmission method, and a communication system.

In order to achieve the above object, a transmitting apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a setting unit in which instruction information indicating an instruction to a receiving apparatus is set, and when the transmission is instructed, the setting unit for the receiving apparatus a transmission unit for transmitting the set indication information by wireless communication, if the execution instruction is accepted, the process of instructing the transmission of the instruction information set in the setting section, row physician to the transmission unit A processing unit that performs a process of setting the instruction information in the setting unit when a prior instruction is received before the execution instruction is received .

On the other hand, in order to achieve the above object, the transmission method of the second invention includes a setting unit in which instruction information indicating an instruction to the receiving device is set when an execution instruction is accepted, and when transmission is instructed A process for instructing the transmission unit to transmit the instruction information set in the setting unit of the transmission unit that transmits the instruction information set in the setting unit to the receiving device by wireless communication. On the other hand, when a prior instruction is received before the execution instruction is received, a process of setting the instruction information in the setting unit is performed .

  In order to achieve the above object, a communication system according to a third aspect of the invention is a transmission device according to the first aspect of the invention, a reception unit that receives the instruction information transmitted by the transmission device, and a reception unit that receives the instruction information. And a receiving device including an execution unit that executes processing according to the instruction indicated by the instruction information.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an effect that the instruction information can be transmitted earlier than in the case where the instruction information for the receiving apparatus is generated after the execution instruction is received and transmitted to the receiving apparatus.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the communication system which concerns on each embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the imaging | photography processing program which concerns on each embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the light emission processing program which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the light emission processing program which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

  DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
First, the configuration of the communication system 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, a communication system 10 according to the present embodiment includes a camera 12 as an example of a transmission device and a strobe 14 as an example of a reception device.

  The camera 12 according to the present embodiment includes an MCU (Micro Control Unit) 20, a wireless communication circuit 32, an imaging unit 38, and a release button 40.

  The MCU 20 according to the present embodiment includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 22 that controls the overall operation of the camera 12, and a ROM (Read Only Memory) 24 in which various programs, various parameters, and the like are stored in advance. The MCU 20 also includes a RAM (Random Access Memory) 26 and an I / F (InterFace) 28 that are used as a work area when the CPU 22 executes various programs. The CPU 22, ROM 24, RAM 26, and I / F 28 are connected to each other via a bus 30 such as an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus.

  The wireless communication circuit 32 according to the present embodiment includes a nonvolatile memory 34 and a wireless antenna 36 and is connected to the I / F 28. The wireless communication circuit 32 transmits the information input from the CPU 22 and the information stored in the memory 34 by wireless communication through the wireless antenna 36 under the control of the CPU 22.

  The wireless communication circuit 32 and the CPU 22 can transmit information by two different systems via the I / F 28. Specifically, the wireless communication circuit 32 and the CPU 22 can transmit information by a method using SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) as the first method via the I / F 28. In addition, the wireless communication circuit 32 and the CPU 22 transmit 1-bit information per transmission as a second method with a smaller communication amount per time than the first method via the I / F 28. It is possible to transmit information by a method using GPIO (General Purpose Input / Output).

  As the first method, other methods using other than SPI such as UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) and SCI (Serial Communication Interface) may be applied. Further, as the second method, other methods that transmit 1-bit information per transmission other than GPIO may be applied.

  The imaging unit 38 according to the present embodiment includes an imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor, and is connected to the I / F 28. Then, the imaging unit 38 images a subject to be imaged under the control of the CPU 22.

  The release button 40 according to the present embodiment is configured to be able to detect a two-stage pressing operation of a shooting preparation state and a shooting execution state, and is connected to the I / F 28. In the present embodiment, the shooting preparation state refers to a state in which the release button 40 is pressed from a standby position to an intermediate position (half-pressed position), for example. In the present embodiment, the shooting execution state refers to a state where the release button 40 is pressed down to the final pressed position (full pressed position) beyond the intermediate position. Hereinafter, a state where the release button 40 is pressed down to the half-pressed position is referred to as a “half-pressed state”, and a state where the release button 40 is pressed down to the fully-pressed position is referred to as a “fully pressed state”.

  The release button 40 outputs a half-press signal indicating that the release button 40 is half-pressed to the CPU 22 via the I / F 28 when it is detected that the release button 40 is half-pressed. Further, when it is detected that the release button 40 has been fully pressed, the release button 40 outputs a full-press signal indicating that the release button 40 has been fully pressed to the CPU 22 via the I / F 28. Then, when a half-press signal is input from the release button 40, the CPU 22 considers that a shooting preparation instruction (pre-shooting instruction) has been received. Further, the CPU 22 considers that a shooting execution instruction has been received when a full-press signal is input from the release button 40. That is, the CPU 22 receives a shooting preparation instruction and a shooting execution instruction by operating the release button 40 by the user.

  On the other hand, the strobe 14 according to the present embodiment includes an MCU 50, a wireless communication circuit 62, and a light emitting unit 66.

  The MCU 50 according to the present embodiment includes a CPU 52 that controls the overall operation of the strobe 14, and a ROM 54 in which various programs and various parameters are stored in advance. The MCU 50 also includes a RAM 56 and an I / F 58 that are used as a work area when the CPU 52 executes various programs. The CPU 52, the ROM 54, the RAM 56, and the I / F 58 are connected to each other via a bus 60 such as an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus.

  The wireless communication circuit 62 according to the present embodiment includes a wireless antenna 64 and is connected to the I / F 58. Then, the wireless communication circuit 62 outputs information received via the wireless antenna 64 to the CPU 52 via the I / F 58.

  The light emitting unit 66 according to the present embodiment includes a light source such as a xenon tube, and is connected to the I / F 58. And the light emission part 66 light-emits intermittently by control by CPU52.

  Next, the operation of the camera 12 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing of the photographing processing program executed by the CPU 22 when the power switch of the camera 12 is turned on. Further, the photographing processing program is preinstalled in the ROM 24.

  In step 100 of FIG. 2, the CPU 22 stands by until an imaging preparation instruction is accepted. That is, when the release button 40 is half-pressed by the operation of the release button 40 by the user, the determination in step 100 is affirmative and the process proceeds to step 102.

  In step 102, the CPU 22 performs processing for establishing communication with the flash 14 by controlling the wireless communication circuit 32 and starting transmission of a carrier wave. In the next step 104, the CPU 22 controls the wireless communication circuit 32 to transmit reception start instruction information indicating an instruction to start reception of light emission instruction information described later to the flash 14.

  In the next step 106, the CPU 22 performs a process of storing the light emission instruction information indicating the light emission instruction for the strobe 14 in the memory 34 of the wireless communication circuit 32 by the first method, whereby the light emission instruction information is stored in the memory 34. Set. In step 108, the CPU 22 waits until an imaging execution instruction is accepted. That is, when the release button 40 is fully pressed by the operation of the release button 40 by the user, the determination in step 108 is affirmative and the process proceeds to step 110.

  In step 110, the CPU 22 instructs the wireless communication circuit 32 to transmit the light emission instruction information by the second method. Specifically, for example, the CPU 22 instructs the wireless communication circuit 32 to transmit the light emission instruction information by changing GPIO from a high level to a low level. When GPIO is set to the high level, the wireless communication circuit 32 transmits the light emission instruction information stored in the memory 34 by the process of step 106 to the flash 14 at a predetermined transmission number at a predetermined transmission interval. The transmission interval and the number of transmissions may be appropriately determined according to the settings relating to the shooting conditions of the camera 12 set by the user. Thus, by instructing the transmission of the light emission instruction information by the second method, the light emission instruction information is transmitted earlier than in the case of instructing the transmission of the light emission instruction information by the first method. Can do.

  In the next step 112, the CPU 22 controls the imaging unit 38 to photograph the subject. In the next step 114, the CPU 22 controls the wireless communication circuit 32 to end the carrier wave transmission started in step 102. Further, the CPU 22 returns GPIO from the low level to the high level. In the next step 116, the CPU 22 determines whether or not a predetermined end timing has come. In the present embodiment, the CPU 22 determines that the end timing has come when the power switch of the camera 12 is turned off. If the determination is negative, the CPU 22 returns to step 100, but if the determination is affirmative, the CPU 22 ends the photographing process.

  Next, the operation of the strobe 14 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing of the light emission processing program executed by the CPU 52 when the reception start instruction information transmitted by the camera 12 is received. The light emission processing program is installed in the ROM 54 in advance.

  In step 150 of FIG. 3, the CPU 52 stands by until the light emission instruction information is received. When the CPU 52 receives the light emission instruction information transmitted by the camera 12 through the process of step 110 via the wireless communication circuit 62, the present step 150 becomes affirmative and the process proceeds to step 152.

  In step 152, the CPU 52 controls the light emitting unit 66 to cause the light emitting unit 66 to emit light. In the next step 154, the CPU 52 stands by until the next light emission instruction information is received. When the CPU 52 receives the next light emission instruction information via the wireless communication circuit 62, the present step 154 is affirmative and the process returns to step 150. On the other hand, when the standby period in this step 154 exceeds a period predetermined as the upper limit value of the interval for receiving the light emission instruction information, the determination in this step 154 is negative and the main light emission process is terminated.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the MCU 20 sets the light emission instruction information in the memory 34 of the wireless communication circuit 62 when an imaging preparation instruction is accepted. Then, when the photographing execution instruction is accepted, the MCU 20 performs processing for instructing the wireless communication circuit 62 to transmit the light emission instruction information set in the memory 34 by using the GPIO method. Accordingly, it is possible to transmit the light emission instruction information earlier than when the light emission instruction information is generated and transmitted to the flash unit 14 after the photographing execution instruction is received.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the MCU 20 performs processing for establishing communication with the strobe 14 by transmitting a carrier wave while not transmitting the light emission instruction information. Therefore, compared with the case where a carrier wave is not transmitted, the possibility that the strobe 14 receives the light emission instruction information transmitted from the camera 12 can be increased.

[Second Embodiment]
Hereinafter, the second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. Note that the configuration of the communication system 10 according to the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment (see FIG. 1), and thus the description thereof is omitted here.

  Next, the operation of the camera 12 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Note that the shooting process according to the present embodiment differs from the shooting process according to the first embodiment only in the process of step 106, and therefore only the process of step 106 will be described here.

  In step 106, the CPU 22 sets the light emission instruction information in the memory 34 by performing a process of storing the light emission instruction information indicating the light emission instruction for the strobe 14 in the memory 34 of the wireless communication circuit 32 by the first method. . In the present embodiment, the CPU 22 includes the number of light emission and the light emission interval of the strobe 14 in the payload of the light emission instruction information, and sets the light emission instruction information in the memory 34.

  Next, the operation of the strobe 14 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing of the light emission processing program executed by the CPU 52 when the reception start instruction information transmitted by the camera 12 is received. The light emission processing program is installed in the ROM 54 in advance. Note that steps in FIG. 4 that execute the same processing as in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same step numbers as in FIG. 3, and description thereof is omitted. Further, in this embodiment, in order to avoid complication, a description will be given assuming that a counter described later is initialized to 0 (zero) at the start of execution of the main light emission process.

  In step 151 of FIG. 4, the CPU 52 acquires the number of times of light emission and the light emission interval from the payload of the light emission instruction information received in step 150. In step 156, the CPU 52 increments a counter for counting the number of times of light emission by 1 (counter ← counter + 1).

  In step 158, the CPU 52 determines whether or not the counter is equal to or greater than the number of times of light emission acquired in step 151. If the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 160. In step 160, the CPU 52 waits for the light emission interval acquired in step 151 and returns to step 152.

  On the other hand, if the determination in step 158 is affirmative, the CPU 52 ends the main light emission process.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the camera 12 transmits the light emission instruction information to the strobe 14 including the light emission count and the light emission interval in the payload of the light emission instruction information. Then, when receiving the light emission instruction information, the strobe 14 causes the light emitting unit 66 to emit light at the light emission interval and the number of times of light emission included in the payload of the light emission instruction information. Therefore, if the strobe 14 can receive the light emission instruction information transmitted from the camera 12 once, light can be emitted at the set number of times of light emission and the light emission interval. That is, even if the strobe 14 cannot receive some of the light emission instruction information transmitted a plurality of times due to interference by a wireless communication apparatus that performs other wireless communication, the same as the first embodiment. Similar effects can be achieved.

  In each of the above embodiments, the camera 12 prohibits the transmission of the carrier wave by prohibiting the transmission of the carrier wave when the release button 40 is in the half-pressed state for a predetermined period or longer (for example, 3 seconds or longer). Transmission may be stopped.

  In each of the above embodiments, the camera 12 attempts to detect a communication device that performs wireless communication within the surrounding communicable range, and if no communication device other than the strobe 14 is detected, the camera 12 You do not have to send it. In this case, for example, the CPU 22 transmits detection instruction information for detecting surrounding communication devices via the wireless communication circuit 32 and detects surrounding communication devices.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the strobe 14 can perform wireless communication according to a plurality of communication standards, the camera 12 can transmit only detection instruction information for communication standards other than the communication standard used for wireless communication with the strobe 14. It may be configured.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the light emission instruction information is set in the memory 34 of the wireless communication circuit 32 when the imaging preparation instruction is accepted has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Regardless of whether or not a shooting preparation instruction is received, the light emission instruction information may be set in advance in the memory 34 of the wireless communication circuit 32. Further, when the memory 34 is a volatile memory, for example, a mode in which the light emission instruction information is set in the memory 34 when the camera 12 is turned on is also exemplified.

  In the second embodiment, the case where the light emission count and the light emission interval are included in the light emission instruction information has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the number of times of light emission and the light emission interval may be preset in the strobe 14.

  Further, although cases have been described with the above embodiments where the present invention is applied to wireless communication between the camera 12 and the strobe 14, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may be applied to wireless communication of other transmitters and receivers such as a controller of a home game machine and a main body of the home game machine.

  In each of the above embodiments, the case where various programs are installed in the ROM 24 and the ROM 54 in advance has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, various programs may be provided by being stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory) or provided via a network.

  In addition, the configuration of the communication system (see FIG. 1) described in each of the above embodiments is merely an example, and unnecessary portions are deleted or new portions are added within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention. Needless to say.

  Further, the flow of various processes described in the above embodiments (see FIGS. 2 to 4) is also an example, and unnecessary steps can be deleted or new steps can be performed without departing from the gist of the present invention. Needless to say, they may be added or the processing order may be changed.

10 Communication system 12 Camera 14 Strobe 20 MCU
22 CPU
24 ROM
32 Wireless communication circuit 34 Memory 50 MCU
52 CPU
54 ROM
62 wireless communication circuit 66 light emitting unit

Claims (10)

A setting unit configured to set instruction information indicating an instruction to the receiving device, and a transmission unit that transmits the instruction information set in the setting unit to the receiving device by wireless communication when transmission is instructed;
If the execution instruction is accepted, if the processing for instructing the transmission of the instruction information set in the setting unit, have rows with respect to the transmitting unit, the execution instruction is received prior instructions before being accepted A processing unit for performing processing for setting the instruction information in the setting unit ;
A transmission device comprising: Wherein the processing unit when said execution instruction the pre instruction before being accepted is accepted, transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein for performing a process for establishing a communication with the receiving device. The transmission device according to claim 2 , further comprising a prohibition unit that prohibits the process of establishing the communication when the prior instruction is continuously received for a predetermined period before the execution instruction is received. A detection unit for detecting surrounding communication devices existing within a communicable range by the transmission unit;
The prohibition unit, when a communication device other than the receiving device by the detection unit is not detected, according to claim 3, wherein the prohibiting processing for establishing the communication regardless of whether the pre instruction is accepted Transmitter device. The setting of the instruction information carried in the first method, any one of claims 1 to 4 for instructing transmission of the instruction information in the first second mode communicating amount per one time less than the scheme The transmitter according to claim 1. The transmitting apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the second scheme is a scheme for transmitting 1-bit information. When an execution instruction is accepted, a setting unit is provided in which instruction information indicating an instruction to the receiving device is set. When transmission is instructed, the instruction information set in the setting unit is wirelessly communicated to the receiving device. If the processing for instructing the transmission of the instruction information set in the setting portion of the transmission unit for transmitting, have rows with respect to the transmission unit, advance instruction is accepted before the execution instruction is accepted by the A transmission method for performing processing for setting instruction information in the setting unit . The transmission device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 ,
A receiving device comprising: a receiving unit that receives the instruction information transmitted by the transmitting device; and an execution unit that executes processing according to an instruction indicated by the instruction information received by the receiving unit;
A communication system including: The communication system according to claim 8 , wherein, when the instruction information is received by the reception unit, the execution unit executes a process corresponding to the instruction indicated by the instruction information a predetermined number of times at predetermined intervals. The instruction information includes the number of executions and an execution interval at which processing according to the instruction is executed by the execution unit,
When the instruction information is received by the receiving unit, the execution unit executes the number of executions included in the instruction information at an execution interval included in the instruction information, according to the instruction indicated by the instruction information. The communication system according to claim 9 .

Images