Interchangeable lens capable of transmitting diaphragm driving information to shooting apparatus, shooting apparatus, and camera system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11800241-B2
Application number	US-202117327407-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2021
Priority date	Mar 23, 2017
Publication date	Oct 24, 2023
Grant date	Oct 24, 2023

Abstract

The present technology relates to an interchangeable lens and a method for controlling the same capable of starting shooting in consideration of mechanical fluctuations after a diaphragm is driven, a shooting apparatus, and a camera system. An interchangeable lens includes a diaphragm, a diaphragm driving unit that drives the diaphragm, and a lens control unit that transmits diaphragm driving information including stabilization time information of the diaphragm to a shooting apparatus when the diaphragm driving unit drives the diaphragm. The present technology is applicable to lens-interchangeable digital cameras, and the like, for example.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An interchangeable lens, comprising:
a diaphragm;
a focus lens; and
a central processing unit (CPU) configured to:
control a motor to drive the diaphragm;
control transmission of diaphragm driving information of the diaphragm to a shooting apparatus at a time the diaphragm is driven by the motor and prior to a stabilization operation of the diaphragm, wherein
the diaphragm driving information includes stabilization time information of the diaphragm,
the diaphragm driving information indicates a driving end timing of the diaphragm, and
an exposure start timing of the shooting apparatus corresponds to the driving end timing of the diaphragm;

control drive of the focus lens at the time the diaphragm is driven by the motor, wherein
the drive of the focus lens is started after the transmission of the diaphragm driving information to the shooting apparatus; and

control, prior to the driving end timing of the diaphragm, transmission of information that indicates an end of the drive of the focus lens to the shooting apparatus.

2. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1 , wherein the CPU is further configured to transmit, to the shooting apparatus, a diaphragm driving parameter including the stabilization time information of the diaphragm as the diaphragm driving information.

3. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1 , wherein
the diaphragm driving information is transmitted before an end of the drive of the diaphragm, and
the diaphragm driving information is transmitted based on a command to drive the diaphragm from the shooting apparatus.

4. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1 , wherein
the diaphragm driving information is transmitted one of before or after a start of the drive of the diaphragm, and
the diaphragm driving information is transmitted based on a command to drive the diaphragm from the shooting apparatus.

5. The interchangeable lens according to claim 3 , wherein the CPU is further configured to calculate the driving end timing of the diaphragm based on a driving time of the diaphragm and a stabilization time of the diaphragm.

6. The interchangeable lens according to claim 4 , wherein
the CPU is further configured to calculate the driving end timing of the diaphragm based on the transmission of the diaphragm driving information before the start of the drive of the diaphragm, and
the driving end timing of the diaphragm includes a waiting time until the start of the drive of the diaphragm.

7. The interchangeable lens according to claim 4 , wherein
the CPU is further configured to calculate the driving end timing of the diaphragm based on the transmission of the diaphragm driving information after the start of the drive of the diaphragm, and
the driving end timing of the diaphragm excludes a time after the start of the drive of the diaphragm and until the diaphragm driving information is transmitted to the shooting apparatus.

8. The interchangeable lens according to claim 3 , wherein
the command is to change a current aperture value of the diaphragm to a target aperture value of the diaphragm, and
the CPU is further configured to drive the diaphragm to change the current aperture value to the target aperture value.

9. The interchangeable lens according to claim 3 , further comprising a memory configured to store a convergence waveform in which an amount of light passing through the diaphragm converges on a target light amount value over time, wherein
the CPU is further configured to calculate the driving end timing of the diaphragm based on the convergence waveform, and
the driving end timing includes a stabilization time of the diaphragm.

10. The interchangeable lens according to claim 8 , further comprising a memory configured to record table data including a stabilization time of the diaphragm depending on the current aperture value and the target aperture value, wherein
the CPU is further configured to calculate the driving end timing of the diaphragm, and
the driving end timing includes the stabilization time by use of the table data.

11. The interchangeable lens according to claim 10 , wherein
the CPU is further configured to measure the stabilization time, and
the memory is further configured to store the table data including the measured stabilization time.

12. The interchangeable lens according to claim 10 , wherein the memory is further configured to store the table data based on a specific condition.

13. The interchangeable lens according to claim 12 , further comprising a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature, wherein
the memory is further configured to store the table data based on the detected temperature,
the CPU is further configured to calculate the driving end timing of the diaphragm based on the table data and the detected temperature, and
the driving end timing includes the stabilization time.

14. The interchangeable lens according to claim 12 , further comprising a posture detection sensor configured to detect a posture of the interchangeable lens, wherein
the memory is further configured to store the table data based on the posture,
the CPU is further configured to calculate the driving end timing of the diaphragm based on the table data and the detected posture, and
the driving end timing includes the stabilization time.

15. The interchangeable lens according to claim 12 , wherein
the memory is further configured to store the table data based on an aged state of the interchangeable lens,
the CPU is further configured to calculate the driving end timing of the diaphragm based on the table data and the aged state, and
the driving end timing includes the stabilization time.

16. The interchangeable lens according to claim 3 , wherein the CPU is further configured to transmit the diaphragm driving information indicating the driving end timing to the shooting apparatus in asynchronous communication.

17. An interchangeable lens control method, comprising:
in an interchangeable lens comprising a diaphragm and a focus lens:
controlling a motor to drive the diaphragm;
controlling transmission of diaphragm driving information of the diaphragm to a shooting apparatus at a time the diaphragm is driven by the motor and prior to a stabilization operation of the diaphragm, wherein
the diaphragm driving information includes stabilization time information of the diaphragm,
the diaphragm driving information indicates a driving end timing of the diaphragm, and
an exposure start timing of the shooting apparatus corresponds to the driving end timing of the diaphragm;

controlling drive of the focus lens at the time the diaphragm is driven by the motor, wherein
the drive of the focus lens is started after the transmission of the diaphragm driving information to the shooting apparatus; and

controlling, prior to the driving end timing of the diaphragm, transmission of information that indicates an end of the drive of the focus lens to the shooting apparatus.

18. A shooting apparatus, comprising:
a central processing unit (CPU) configured to:
acquire diaphragm driving information of a diaphragm from an interchangeable lens, wherein
the interchangeable lens includes a focus lens,
the diaphragm driving information includes stabilization time information of the diaphragm,
the diaphragm driving information indicates a driving end timing of the diaphragm,
the acquisition of the diaphragm driving information is at a time the diaphragm is driven by a motor and prior to a stabilization operation of the diaphragm,

Assignees

• Sony Group Corp

Inventors

• Doi Nobuhiro
• Aoyama Jun
• Hirasawa Syouei

Classifications

• H04N23/75 Primary

  by influencing optical camera components · CPC title

• G03B9/02 Primary

  Diaphragms · CPC title

• G03B13/36

  Autofocus systems · CPC title

• G03B17/14

  interchangeably · CPC title

• H04N23/55

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