Interchangeable lens, imaging apparatus, and camera system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11675253-B2
Application number	US-202016892102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2020
Priority date	Mar 3, 2017
Publication date	Jun 13, 2023
Grant date	Jun 13, 2023

Abstract

Provided is a technology enabling an imaging apparatus and an interchangeable lens to appropriately perform initialization processes. An interchangeable lens includes one or more lens-side processors configured to perform initialization of a plurality of lens-side elements. The one or more lens-side processors is further configured to transmit lens-side initialization element information indicating the plurality of lens-side elements to an imaging apparatus. The technology can be applied to, for example, a camera system including a detachable interchangeable lens and an imaging apparatus serving as a camera body side.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An interchangeable lens, comprising:
one or more lens-side processors configured to
transmit first lens-side initialization element information indicating each common initialization element between a plurality of lens-side initialization elements and a plurality of body-side initialization elements on which an imaging apparatus confirms completion of initialization, and
perform the initialization of the plurality of lens-side initialization elements, wherein

the one or more lens-side processors is further configured to generate the first lens-side initialization element information based on an AND operation executed at the one or more lens-side processors, between (i) second lens-side initialization element information indicating the plurality of lens-side initialization elements and (ii) body-side initialization element information indicating the plurality of body-side initialization elements on which the imaging apparatus confirms completion of the initialization.

2. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1 , wherein
the one or more lens-side processors is further configured to transmit the first lens-side initialization element information in response to reception of body-side initialization element information, the body-side initialization element information indicating which initialization completion signals of the plurality of lens-side initialization elements the imaging apparatus is configured to recognize, and
each of the initialization completion signals corresponds to a different one of the lens-side initialization elements.

3. The interchangeable lens according to claim 2 , wherein the one or more lens-side processors is configured to
transmit the initialization completion signal for each of the plurality of lens-side initialization elements that the imaging apparatus is configured to recognize based on the body-side initialization element information.

4. The interchangeable lens according to claim 2 , wherein the one or more lens-side processors is configured to
receive the body-side initialization element information and an initialization start command from the imaging apparatus, and
start the initialization of the plurality of lens-side initialization elements in response to the initialization start command.

5. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more lens-side processors is configured to
transmit the first lens-side initialization element information to the imaging apparatus before starting the initialization of the plurality of lens-side initialization elements.

6. The interchangeable lens according to claim 5 , wherein the one or more lens-side processors is configured to
receive an initialization start command from the imaging apparatus, and
start the initialization of the plurality of lens-side initialization elements in response to the initialization start command.

7. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more lens-side processors is configured to
transmit a separate initialization completion signal for each of the plurality of lens-side initialization elements.

8. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a lens mount configured to attach to the imaging apparatus.

9. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lens-side initialization elements includes at least two of a zoom lens, a camera shake correction lens, a lock of the camera shake correction lens, a diaphragm, or a focus lens.

10. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1 , wherein when the plurality of lens-side initialization elements includes (i) a diaphragm and (ii) an exposure influencing element that influences an exposure adjustment process of the imaging apparatus and is not recognized by the imaging apparatus, the one or more lens-side processors is configured to transmit an initialization completion signal of the diaphragm after the initialization of the diaphragm and the exposure influencing element are completed.

11. An interchangeable lens comprising:
one or more lens-side processors configured to
transmit lens-side initialization element information indicating a plurality of lens-side initialization elements on which the one or more lens-side processors performs initialization to an imaging apparatus;
perform initialization of the plurality of lens-side initialization elements; and
transmit an initialization completion signal for each common initialization element between the plurality of lens-side initialization elements and a plurality of body-side initialization elements on which the imaging apparatus confirms completion of the initialization, wherein

when the plurality of lens-side initialization elements includes (i) a diaphragm and (ii) an exposure influencing element that influences an exposure adjustment process of the imaging apparatus and is not recognized by the imaging apparatus, the one or more lens-side processors is configured to transmit an initialization completion signal of the diaphragm after the initialization of the diaphragm and the exposure influencing element are completed.

12. The interchangeable lens according to claim 11 , wherein
the one or more lens-side processors is further configured to transmit the lens-side initialization element information in response to reception of body-side initialization element information, the body-side initialization element information indicating which initialization completion signals of the plurality of lens-side initialization elements the imaging apparatus is configured to recognize, and
each of the initialization completion signals corresponds to a different one of the lens-side initialization elements.

13. The interchangeable lens according to claim 12 , wherein the one or more lens-side processors is configured to
transmit the initialization completion signal for each of the plurality of lens-side initialization elements that the imaging apparatus is configured to recognize based on the body-side initialization element information.

14. The interchangeable lens according to claim 12 , wherein the one or more lens-side processors is configured to
receive the body-side initialization element information and an initialization start command from the imaging apparatus, and
start the initialization of the plurality of lens-side initialization elements in response to the initialization start command.

15. The interchangeable lens according to claim 11 , wherein the one or more lens-side processors is configured to
transmit the lens-side initialization element information to the imaging apparatus before starting the initialization of the plurality of lens-side initialization elements.

16. The interchangeable lens according to claim 15 , wherein the one or more lens-side processors is configured to
receive an initialization start command from the imaging apparatus, and
start the initialization of the plurality of lens-side initialization elements in response to the initialization start command.

17. The interchangeable lens according to claim 11 , wherein the one or more lens-side processors is configured to
transmit a separate initialization completion signal for each of the plurality of lens-side initialization elements.

18. The interchangeable lens according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a lens mount configured to attach to the imaging apparatus.

19. The interchangeable lens according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of lens-side initialization elements includes at least two of a zo

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Okada Aguri

Classifications

• H04N23/663

  for controlling interchangeable camera parts based on electronic image sensor signals · CPC title

• G03B7/003

  setting of both shutter and diaphragm (G03B7/02 - G03B7/22 take precedence) · CPC title

• G03B17/14 Primary

  interchangeably · CPC title

• H04N23/69

  Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming · CPC title

• H04N23/73 Primary

  by influencing the exposure time · CPC title