Interchangeable lens for synchronizing with camera body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11212430-B2
Application number	US-201916505778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2019
Priority date	Aug 21, 2018
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

An interchangeable lens that is removably attachable to a camera body, includes: a first clock receiving unit that receives a first clock from the camera body; a second clock transmitting unit that transmits a second clock to the camera body; a lens that drives by receiving a driving force from a first driving member; a diaphragm member that drives by receiving a driving force from a second driving member; a receiving unit that receives an instruction from the camera body synchronized with the first clock; a first transmitting unit that periodically transmits positional information on the lens in synchronization with the second clock, to the camera body; and a second transmitting unit that transmits a state of the diaphragm member based on the instruction in synchronization with the first clock, to the camera body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An interchangeable lens that is removably attachable to a camera body, comprising:
a lens that drives by receiving a driving force from a first driving member; and
circuitry configured to:
receive a first clock signal from the camera body;
transmit a second clock signal to the camera body;
receive a first data signal including an instruction from the camera body in synchronization with the first clock signal; and
periodically transmit a second data signal including positional information on the lens in synchronization with the second clock signal, to the camera body.

2. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a diaphragm member that drives by receiving a driving force from a second driving member; and
the circuitry is further configured to transmit a state of the diaphragm member based on the instruction in synchronization with the first clock signal, to the camera body.

3. The interchangeable lens according to claim 2 , wherein:
the circuitry transmits information indicating completion of initialization of the lens to the camera body in synchronization with the first clock signal, if the circuitry receives an instruction of requesting an initialization status from the camera body.

4. The interchangeable lens according to claim 3 , wherein:
periodical transmission of the positional information on the lens by the circuitry in synchronization with the second clock signal is started, based on an instruction received by the circuitry from the camera body different from the instruction of requesting the initialization status.

5. The interchangeable lens according to claim 4 , wherein:
the circuitry periodically transmits the positional information on the lens in synchronization with the second clock signal, if the circuitry transmits information indicating completion of initialization of the lens and the circuitry receives an instruction indicating a start of transmission of the positional information on the lens.

6. The interchangeable lens according to claim 2 , wherein:
the instruction from the camera body is at least one of an instruction of driving the lens by the first driving member or an instruction of driving the diaphragm member by the second driving member.

7. The interchangeable lens according to claim 2 , comprising:
an aperture detection member that detects a position of the diaphragm member.

8. The interchangeable lens according to claim 2 , wherein:
the diaphragm member is driven in a plane intersecting an optical axis of the interchangeable lens.

9. The interchangeable lens according to claim 2 , wherein:
the circuitry is configured to receive a first instruction of requesting an initialization status of the lens and the diaphragm member from the camera body, a second instruction of requesting information indicating a position of the diaphragm member from the camera body, and a third instruction indicating the start of transmission of information indicating a position of the lens from the camera body;
the circuitry starts transmission of the positional information if the third instruction is received by the circuitry;
the circuitry transmits information indicating completion of initialization for each of the lens and the diaphragm member if the first instruction is received by the circuitry; and
the circuitry transmits information indicating a position of the diaphragm member if the second instruction is received by the circuitry.

10. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1 , comprising:
a lens detection member that detects a position of the lens, wherein:
the positional information detected by the lens detection member is transmitted from the circuitry at the second clock signal.

11. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1 , wherein:
the lens is driven in an optical axis direction of the interchangeable lens.

12. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1 , wherein:
the lens is driven in a direction intersecting an optical axis of the interchangeable lens.

13. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1 , wherein:
the circuitry transmits positional information on the lens and validity of the positional information on the lens, to the camera body.

14. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1 , wherein:
the circuitry transmits information indicating validity of the positional information on the lens, at a same interval as that of the positional information on the lens.

Assignees

• Nikon Corp

Inventors

• Kawai Akihiko

Classifications

• H04N23/68

  for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations · CPC title

• H04N23/687

  by shifting the lens or sensor position · CPC title

• H04N23/55

  Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• H04N23/6812

  based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors · CPC title

• H04N23/66 Primary

  Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices · CPC title