JPH0864381A - Electronic flashing device having slave light emitting function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To perform the fine slave light emission by outputting the timing signal from plural input and output terminals when a control means receives the signal from a light receiving unit. CONSTITUTION: A quick rise of the light, which is received by a light receiving unit, is converted to the pulse signal by a light receiving circuit LSV-CKT, and it is received by an interrupting input terminal INT-SLV. S, D terminals of a slave function setting switch 6 are respectively connected to an input and an output ports PS, PD, and OR of the ports PS, PD are connected to an interrupting input terminal INT-PW through diodes D1, D2. The non-shorting type switch 6 is opened when any one of ports PS, PD of the CPU is connected to the base of a transistor Q1 with a built-in resistor or when it is positioned at the off-position. When the signal from the light receiving unit is received, since the timing signal is output from plural input and output terminals, even in the case where the CPU is used for the slave light emitting function and where a high speed response such as the S mode is required, slave light emission is performed with the minimum delay time, and the fine reaction is possible.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic flash device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been an adapter for wirelessly emitting an electronic flash device under the name of a wireless multiple flashlight adapter or a slave unit. This adapter receives a sharp change in light with the light receiving element, and as a result, the switching element turns on and outputs a synchro signal,
The electronic flash device connected to the adapter emits light. Therefore, in so-called multiple flash photography in which the electronic flash device is used for multiple illuminations, the adapter and the electronic flash device can be arranged at arbitrary positions, which is convenient. This adapter was either a single unit or a unit built into the electronic flash device. As an example of built-in electronic flash device,
There was 527.

Also, there is a device in which a delay circuit is provided between a photosensitive element and a switching element as in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 55-153927.

[0004]

In the prior art as described above, if the slave unit is built in the electronic flash device and a slave circuit with a delay circuit is further proposed, the conventional electronic flash device is used. There is a problem when switching between the slave mode without delay and the slave mode with delay as in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 55-153927.

For example, let us consider a case where the above-mentioned mode switching is performed as a slave function with a very ordinary configuration as shown in FIGS. In FIG. 10, the slave function setting switch 6 has an S position and a D mode, which will be described later, and an OFF position where the slave function is not selected. The S mode is a mode in which slave light emission is performed in real time in response to an optical signal, and the D mode is a mode in which slave light emission is performed after a delay time has elapsed. 3 including OFF
Since there are two modes, the input of the microcomputer CPU requires a 2-bit port. CPU POUT
Is an output port for outputting a synchro signal for slave light emission to a transistor in the subsequent stage.

By the way, from the light receiving circuit SLV_CKT to C
When there is an input to the interrupt input terminal INT_SLV terminal of the PU, the interrupt processing of FIG. 11 is executed and slave light emission is performed. The symbol # in FIG. 11 indicates a step. In FIG. 11, during the interrupt process starting from # 60, this electronic flash device has a plurality of slave light emission modes, so the mode must be determined in # 61. And in S mode only
Output from T to realize slave flash. However#
Since 61 exists, the slave light emission is always delayed by the execution time of the determination. In the past, since it was composed of hardware, high-speed response was possible, but high-speed response was sacrificed because the microcomputer was used easily.

If a high-speed response is not possible, only the main lamp emits light particularly when emitting a small amount of light, and the contribution of the electronic flash device on the slave side during automatic light control decreases significantly, and the effect of increasing the number of lights cannot be obtained. There was a problem that there was. The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is not to sacrifice high-speed response even when the interrupt function of a microcomputer is used,
An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic flash device equipped with a control means for realizing a fine slave light emitting function unique to a microcomputer.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to an electronic flash device having a slave light emitting function, a light receiving section for receiving an optical signal, and a control means for controlling a sequence of the slave light emitting function. An input terminal of the control means for receiving a signal from the light receiving part, a plurality of input / output terminals of the control means that are prepared in response to a plurality of timings and are capable of outputting signals at different timings, respectively. Switching means having a signal input terminal for inputting one of timing signals and an output terminal for outputting a signal based on the signal of different timing, and the plurality of input / output terminals are selectively connected to the signal input terminal Switch means for selectively setting a plurality of timings from light reception to light emission, and the control means controls the plurality of input / output terminals. The setting of the switch means is read by setting the force, and when a signal from the light receiving unit is received at the input terminal of the control means, the timing signal is output from a plurality of input / output terminals in the previous period. It is a means. The control means is a microcomputer, and the input terminal of the control means is an interrupt input terminal of the microcomputer.

[0009]

In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3 corresponding to claims 1, 2 and 3, the CPU as the control means inputs and sets a plurality of input / output terminals PS and PD to set the slave function setting switch 6 Is read, and when a signal is received as an interrupt from the light receiving unit SLV_CKT to the input terminal INT_SLV of the control means CPU, a plurality of input / output terminals PS,
Since the timing signal is output from PD, even when using the interrupt function of the microcomputer,
High-speed responsiveness is not sacrificed, and it is possible to realize the fine slave light emission function unique to microcomputers.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external view of an electronic flash device that is an embodiment of the present invention. 1A is a front view, and FIG.
1B is a side view, and FIG. 1C is a rear view. Light emitting part 1
Can be swiveled vertically and horizontally with respect to the main body 8, and bounce shooting is possible. On the front surface of the main body 8, a slave function light receiving unit 5 described later and a slave function setting switch 6 are arranged in the vicinity thereof. A synchro terminal 7 for increasing the number of lights is provided on the side surface of the main body 8, and a power switch 2, other various setting switches 3 and an LCD display unit 4 are provided on the back surface.

This electronic flash device has the following slave light emission function. (1) S Mode The S mode is a mode in which light is emitted in response to a steep rise of the light received by the light receiving unit 5 with as little delay as possible. This is a mode corresponding to the wireless multiple lighting that has been conventionally performed. (2) D mode The D mode is a mode in which the light receiving section 5 emits light after waiting for a predetermined delay from the rising of the steep light.

The steps from setting of the slave mode to operation will be sequentially described. First, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the slave function setting switch 6. The slave function setting switch 6 is a slide switch, and has the above-mentioned S and D and an OFF position where the slave function is not selected. In FIG. 2, OFF is selected. The slave function setting switch 6 is connected to the circuit shown in FIG. Microcomputer (hereinafter CPU) in charge of controlling electronic flash device
Has four ports related to slave function. First, there is a light receiving circuit SLV_CKT that converts a sharp rise of light received by the light receiving unit 5 into a pulse signal, and the output thereof is received by the interrupt input terminal INT_SLV terminal.
The S and D terminals of the slave function setting switch 6 are connected to the input / output ports PS and PD, respectively, and the diode D1,
The OR of the ports PS and PD is connected to the interrupt input terminal INT_PW via 2.

The slave function setting switch 6 is a non-shorting type switch, and therefore the port P of the CPU is used.
Either one of S and PD is connected to the base of the transistor Q1 with a built-in resistor, or the base of the transistor Q1 with a built-in resistor is open in the OFF position.
The capacitor C1 is a noise absorbing capacitor and may be omitted. The capacitance is chosen to be relatively small so as not to delay the signal.

The collector output of the transistor Q1 with a built-in resistor is connected to the base of the transistor Q2 with a built-in resistor, and the collector output thereof can supply a sufficient current for driving the transistor Q3. Since the transistor Q3 directly drives the synchro signal, a high withstand voltage small and medium power transistor is selected with a margin so as to be suitable for an electronic flash device having various terminal voltages. Therefore, the resistors R1 and R2 are externally attached instead of the transistors with built-in resistors.
The synchro terminal 7 is an output terminal for increasing the light of the electronic flash device as shown in FIG. 1 and is connected to a synchro signal input (not shown) of the electronic flash device, so that the CPU outputs signals from the ports PS and PD. Can be output to activate light emission by itself via the slave function setting switch 6 and the transistors Q1 to Q3. In other words, the electronic flash device is capable of emitting light by the normal sync signal from the camera and by the above-mentioned slave function.

Here, the operation of the slave function will be described including the software of the CPU. In the description, the symbol represented by # means a step. First, FIG. 4 is a flow of processing relating to the setting of the slave function. This task is, for example, a task that is executed every predetermined time and starts when the label of # 10 is called. All interrupts are prohibited in # 11, the reason for which will be described later. In # 12, it is determined whether another slave process is being executed. The determination method can be determined by using a flag (not shown) and activating the flag only while the slave process is being executed. #
If it is not being executed in 12, the ports PS and PD which are the slave function setting switches 6 are not accessed by the task of other slave processing, and therefore the state of the port can be read by # 13. At this moment, the light receiving circuit SLV
_CKT receives valid light and interrupt input terminal INT
Even if the _SLV terminal is triggered, the interrupt is prohibited at # 11, so that the reading of the port is not hindered by another task of the slave process.

To read a port, first, the input / output direction register of the port is set to the input. A pull-up is added at this point. Then, the port data is fetched and stored. Then, if the direction register is set to output after setting the data register of the port to L, the port can be read without outputting to the transistor Q1. Therefore, the ports PS and PD are in the input state only during a part of # 13, and the output is L during the other normal times. By the way, in FIG. 3, since this port is grounded via the base terminal of the transistor Q1 with a built-in resistor when selected, it is L-active. The resistance between the base and the emitter of the transistor Q1 is sufficiently small so that the L level can be read at the time of input and the transistor Q1 is not turned on by the current flowing out of the port pull-up (not shown). When the port is not selected by the slave function setting switch 6, the port is in the open state, so the pull-up described above brings it to the H level, and the H can be reliably read. In this way, the input and output can be shared.

If the slave process is being executed at # 12, the ports PS and PD may be accessed by another task of the slave process. In # 14, the interrupt prohibition is released. Therefore, since the interrupts are prohibited from # 11 to # 14, it is impossible to immediately respond to the light reception that occurs during this period, but it is very rare that the timings overlap during this period, which causes a problem. I won't.

At the time of # 15, the state of the slave function setting switch 6 is determined based on the latest read data. As described above, the port selected by the slave function setting switch 6 is at the L level. When OFF is selected, both ports are open, so as shown in Table 1 (P
S, PD) = (H, H) is determined. It should be noted that (L, L) is an impossible combination, but in the unlikely event of this state, the determined value of the mode remains unchanged and the previous determination result is continued.

[0019]

[Table 1]

In # 16, the processing is divided depending on whether the electronic flash device is connected to the camera. This is an important branch, and since the electronic flash device connected to the camera is the main light, it must not emit light in response to the emission of another electronic flash device. On the other hand, the electronic flash device that is not connected to the camera must emit light in slave mode because it is used for additional lighting. #
At 16, for example, it is judged from the state of the electrical contact 9 in FIG. 1 whether or not it is connected to the camera.

Next, the case where the camera is not connected to cameras after # 17 will be described. This is the case where the slave light emission is performed as described above depending on the setting. # 17, 18 S
In the case of the slave emission mode of the mode or the D mode, the process proceeds to # 19 and two processes are performed. First, the power-off timer of the electronic flash device is updated to prevent the power from being automatically turned off by the timer when there is no operation. Specifically, the power switch 2 of FIG. 1 is shown in an enlarged manner in FIG. 7. When the power switch 2 is in the STBY position and no operation is continued for 80 seconds, the power of the electronic flash device is turned off. Cut the current consumption. If it is an electronic flash device connected to a camera, the electrical contact 9 of FIG.
For example, the power of the electronic flash device is restored in synchronization with the power activation of the camera. However, the electronic flash device on the slave additional lighting side is installed as a single unit and cannot be activated. Therefore, even if the power switch 2 is in the STBY position, the power OFF timer that counts up to 80 seconds is constantly updated and kept at 0 so that the power switch 2 does not turn OFF.
Prevents power off. Conversely, the power switch 2 is ST
Even if the slave function setting switch 6 is operated from OFF to S or D mode when the electronic flash device is in the OFF position in the BY position, the power of the electronic flash device must be returned to the ON state. . This is the circuit diagram of FIG. 3, where the INT_PW terminal of the CPU is the diode D.
Since it is connected to S or D via 1 and 2, if the falling edge interrupt of the INT_PW terminal is enabled before entering the restartable power OFF state, the CPU is started by operating the slave function setting switch 6. Then, the problem is solved by returning the electronic flash device to the ON state. When the power switch 2 is manually turned off to be turned off, the falling edge interrupt of the INT_PW terminal is not permitted because it is forcibly turned off. As shown in FIG. 9, the interrupt processing of the INT_PW terminal jumps to the interrupt vector of # 50 to start the interrupt processing, updates the standby timer in # 51, and returns from the interrupt in # 52. #
The timer is updated at 51, so it turns off immediately after startup
Never be. After that, the standby timer is continuously updated in the process of FIG. 4, so that the electronic flash device is not turned off even in the standby mode.

Another process of # 19 is INT_SL.
This is the permission of the V terminal interrupt. Light receiving circuit SLV of FIG.
If _CKT outputs H pulse when receiving light, I
The interrupt of the NT_SLV terminal is set to the rising edge. Therefore, when the light passes through # 19, slave light emission becomes possible. On the other hand, in # 17 and 18, slave mode is OF
If it is determined to be F, proceed to # 20 and INT_SL
Disable the V terminal interrupt and clear the interrupt request. Therefore, since no interrupt occurs, a series of slave functions are never executed.

With the above, the setting of the slave function of the electronic flash device not connected to the camera is completed, and the process returns at # 22. Returning to # 16, the electronic flash device connected to the camera proceeds to # 21. As described above, since the main lamp does not emit the slave light, the interrupt of the INT_SLV terminal is prohibited and the request is cleared as in # 20, and the process returns in # 22.

Thus, the processing relating to the slave function setting is completed. Next, a process until the light receiving circuit SLV_CKT receives light and the electronic flash device emits slave light will be described.
FIG. 5 shows an INT_SLV interrupt process, in which the H level is output to the port PS at # 31 immediately after the interrupt process starts at # 30. Port PS is output L in normal times
Since it is set to, the H level can be immediately output only by setting the data register to H. In addition, since the bit manipulation instruction is actually used, various registers are not destroyed, so that the output to the port may be executed prior to the register saving normally performed in # 30. Therefore, IN
The number of intervening instructions is minimum from the generation of the T_SLV interrupt until the port PS changes, and a quick response that makes the best use of the power of the CPU is possible.

If the slave function setting switch 6 is set to the S mode, depending on the H level of the port PS,
The transistors Q1, Q2, and Q3 are sequentially turned on to output a synchro signal, and the electronic flash device itself and the electronic flash device connected to the synchro terminal 7 can also emit light. When this situation is seen in the timing chart of FIG. 8, a signal is input to the INT_SLV terminal at the rise of the light emission waveform FLASH, and as described above, the H level is output to the port PS with almost no delay.

Returning to FIG. 5, the PS terminal is returned to L at # 31, and the slave timer for making the delay time for the D mode is set at # 32. For example, 1 mS, which is longer than the flash time of the electronic flash device, is set in the timer. This slave timer is designed to generate a timer interrupt after a set time has elapsed. In # 33, the recovery process from the interrupt is performed and the process returns. This is the end of the slave processing in the S mode. When the slave function setting switch 6 is in the D mode, since the PS terminal is not connected to the circuit in the subsequent stage, it has no effect and is completely separated from the S mode.

In the D mode, when the slave timer time has elapsed, a timer interrupt occurs at time Tb in FIG. 8 and the processing of INT_TIM in FIG. 6 starts from # 40. # 4
When H is output to PD at 1, this signal immediately generates a synchronizing signal. In FIG. 8, it is apparent that the D-mode synchro signal is generated after the light emission of the main lamp is stopped by the automatic light control. Therefore, it is understood that the slave light emission in the D mode is performed completely independently without affecting the dimming control of the main lamp such as the TTL automatic light adjustment.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the electronic flash device having the slave light emitting function, the light receiving section for receiving the optical signal, the control means for controlling the sequence of the slave light emitting function, and the light receiving section are provided. An input terminal of the control means for receiving a signal, a plurality of input / output terminals of the control means prepared corresponding to a plurality of timings and capable of outputting signals at different timings, and a signal input terminal for inputting a signal of a different timing To selectively connect and set a plurality of timings from light reception to light emission by connecting a switching means having an output terminal that outputs a signal based on a signal of a timing different from the above, and a plurality of input / output terminals selectively connected to the signal input terminal Switch means, and the control means reads the setting of the switch means by inputting and setting a plurality of input / output terminals, and inputs the control means. Since the timing signal is output from the plurality of input / output terminals when the child receives the signal from the light receiving portion, even if a microcomputer is used for the slave light emitting function, a high speed response like the S mode is required. Even in such a case, the slave light emission can be achieved with the minimum delay time. Further, since the input port and the output port for setting are also used, there is an effect that the number of terminals of the microcomputer can be reduced. Furthermore, because the signal is reliably selected by the slave setting switch, for example, OFF
In the position, even if the microcomputer malfunctions due to noise or the like, the slave does not emit light.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an electronic flash device that is an embodiment of the present invention. 1A is a front view, FIG. 1B is a side view, and FIG.
(C) is a rear view.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a slave function setting switch of the electronic flash device that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing an electric circuit configuration of an electronic flash device that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of software of a microcomputer of the electronic flash device that is an embodiment of the present invention,
It is a flowchart regarding a slave function setting.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of software of a microcomputer of an electronic flash device that is an embodiment of the present invention,
It is a flowchart of a process of INT_SLV interrupt.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of software of the microcomputer of the electronic flash device that is an embodiment of the present invention,
It is a flowchart of a process of INT_TIM.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged external view of a power switch of the electronic flash device that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a timing chart when the slave function of the electronic flash device is executed according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the software of the microcomputer of the electronic flash device that is an embodiment of the present invention,
It is a flowchart of the interrupt process of the INT_PW terminal.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration according to a conventional technology level.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of software that can be considered in the conventional technology level.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Light emitting part 2 Power switch 5 Light receiving part for slave function 6 Slave function setting switch 7 Synchro terminal CPU Microcomputer

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An electronic flash device having a slave light emitting function, a light receiving unit for receiving an optical signal, a control unit for controlling a sequence of the slave light emitting function, and an input of the control unit for receiving a signal from the light receiving unit. A terminal, a plurality of input / output terminals of the control means which are prepared corresponding to a plurality of timings and are capable of outputting signals at different timings, and a signal input terminal for inputting one of the signals at the different timings, To selectively connect and set a plurality of timings from light reception to light emission by switching means having an output terminal for outputting a signal based on signals at different timings and selectively connecting the plurality of input / output terminals to the signal input terminal Switch means for reading the setting of the switch means by inputting and setting the plurality of input / output terminals. When the signal from the light receiving section is received at the input terminal of the control means,
An electronic flash device having a slave light emitting function, which outputs timing signals from a plurality of input / output terminals. 2. The electronic flash device having a slave light emitting function according to claim 1, wherein the control means is a microcomputer. 3. The electronic flash device having a slave light emitting function according to claim 1, wherein the first input terminal of the control means is an interrupt input terminal of a microcomputer.