Camera System Prediction Unit for Seamless Autofocus Aperture Transition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing camera systems with interchangeable lenses face challenges in smoothly transitioning from autofocus control to other control operations, such as aperture control, due to the lack of efficient communication and prediction mechanisms between the camera body and the lens.

Innovation Solution

The camera system incorporates a prediction unit in either the camera body or the interchangeable lens to generate prediction information about the completion time of drive operations, allowing the camera body to initiate subsequent controls before the current operation is finished, ensuring seamless transitions between control modes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the camera body waits for the current drive operation to complete before issuing the next command, then the reliability of drive control is improved, but the productivity of the camera system deteriorates due to delays in transitioning between control operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrive control reliabilityVSAvoidcontrol operation speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The prediction unit performs preliminary assessment of drive operation completion timing before the actual completion occurs. By predicting whether the drive operation will complete within a predetermined time period, the system can prepare subsequent commands in advance, allowing seamless transition between control operations without waiting for actual completion, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable control and high productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the camera body issues the next command before the current drive operation completes, then the productivity is improved, but the reliability of drive control deteriorates due to potential timing conflicts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol operation speedVSAvoiddrive control reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The prediction unit provides feedback information to the camera body about the expected completion timing of drive operations. This feedback mechanism allows the camera body to make informed decisions about when to issue subsequent commands, ensuring that commands are timed appropriately to avoid conflicts while maintaining high operational speed, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2280306B1Camera system
Publication Date: 2013.10.23 PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORP
  • EP2280306B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2280306B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2280306B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A camera system (1) includes an interchangeable lens (200) and a camera body (100). The camera body (100) includes a body controller (140) configured to generate a command, and a sending unit (150) configured to send the generated command to the interchangeable lens. The interchangeable lens (200) includes a movable member (230, 260), a driving unit (233, 261) configured to drive the movable member, a receiving unit (250) configured to receive a command from the camera body, and a lens controller (240) configured to control the driving unit according to the received command. Further, a prediction unit (140, 240) is provided in either one of the camera body and the interchangeable lens, which predicts whether an operation of the driving unit of the interchangeable lens according to the received command will be completed within a predetermined time.