Photographic control system, devices and methods

Abstract

A control system for use with preconfigured photographic equipment that includes a controllable photographic device controlled by a controlling photographic device is disclosed. The controllable photographic device has a housing, and a device circuit having an upstream portion and a downstream portion coupled by control lines within the housing. An internal module may be located within the housing and includes a signal detecting arrangement configured to be coupled with the control lines between the upstream and downstream portions. The system may also include an external module configured to be located outside of the housing, and coupled with the internal module. The external module may include a signal receiving device capable of receiving a wireless control signal from the controlling photographic device, and to cause a module generated signal to be sent by the internal module to the downstream portion upon receipt of the wireless control signal.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method of wirelessly controlling a controllable photographic device with a controlling photographic device, wherein the controllable photographic device includes a preconfigured circuitry adapted to effect a predetermined function of the controllable photographic device, and wherein the predetermined function is associated with a license key; the method comprising:
 providing a first module adapted for wireless communication with the controlling photographic device;   establishing communication between the preconfigured circuitry and the first module; identifying, by the first module, the controllable photographic device;   querying, by the first module, a database for data representative of the license key associated with the predetermined function of the controllable photographic device; and   allowing the predetermined function to occur, in response to an operational command from the controlling photographic device for the predetermined function, only upon a determination by the first module that the database includes data representative of the license key associated with the predetermined function.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the controllable photographic device is associated with an identifier that identifies the predetermined function of the controllable photographic device; and   wherein the identifying includes one or more of:
 querying, by the first module, the preconfigured circuitry for data representative of the identifier; and 
 receiving, by the first module, data representative of the identifier. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the identifying further includes initiating an encrypted communication between the first module and the preconfigured circuitry; and   wherein the one or more of the querying and the receiving are performed by means of encrypted communication.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the establishing includes communicating with a second module adapted to control the preconfigured circuitry. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the method further includes:
 providing the second module.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the providing the second module includes installing the second module internal to the controllable photographic device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the providing a second module is performed as a retrofit of the controllable photographic device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the controllable photographic device is associated with an EQID that identifies the predetermined function of the controllable photographic device; and   wherein the identifying includes one or more of:
 querying, by the first module, the second module for data representative of the EQID; and 
 receiving, by the first module, data representative of the EQID. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein one or more communications between the first and second modules are encrypted. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the establishing includes exchanging, by the first module, public encryption keys with the second module. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first module includes memory; and   wherein the database queried by the first module is stored in the memory of the first module.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the database includes data representative of one or more license keys; and   wherein the method further includes synchronizing the data representative of one or more license keys with data stored at a remote database.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the first module is associated with a unique HID; and   wherein the synchronizing is performed by means of the unique HID of the first module.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the database queried by the first module is external to the first module. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the querying includes wirelessly accessing the database by the first module. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the allowing includes relaying, by the first module, an operational command from the controlling device for the predetermined function, to the preconfigured circuitry. 
     
     
         18 . A method of wirelessly controlling a controllable photographic device with a controlling photographic device, wherein the controllable photographic device includes a preconfigured circuitry adapted to effect a predetermined function of the device, and wherein the predetermined function is associated with a license key; the method comprising:
 establishing communication between a processor adapted to control the preconfigured circuitry and an external module configured to wirelessly communicate with the controllable photographic device;   receiving, by the processor, data representative of a license key from the external module;   determining, by the processor, whether the received data is representative of the license key associated with the predetermined function; and   controlling the preconfigured circuitry to effect the predetermined function, in response to an operational command from the controlling photographic device for the predetermined function, only upon a determination by the processor that the data communicated by the external module is representative of the license key associated with the predetermined function.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further including:
 providing the processor.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the processor is provided as part of an internal module installed within the controllable photographic device. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the processor is provided as part of a retrofit installation to the controllable photographic device. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the controlling includes receiving, by the processor, the operational command. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the establishing includes exchanging, by the processor, public encryption keys with the external module. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the receiving includes receiving encrypted data. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the controllable photographic device is associated with an EQID that identifies the predetermined function of the controllable photographic device; and   wherein the method further includes providing, by the processor, the EQID to the external module.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18 , further including:
 periodically polling, by the processor, the external module to determine if the module is still in communication with the processor.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further including:
 suspending performance of the predetermined function upon determining that the module is no longer in communication with the processor.   
     
     
         28 . A method of controlling a controllable photographic device associated with an EQID, wherein the device includes a preconfigured circuitry that is adapted to effect a predetermined function of the device identified by the EQID, and wherein the predetermined function is associated with a license key; the method comprising:
 establishing communication between a processor adapted to control the preconfigured circuitry and an external module adapted for wireless communication with a controlling photographic device;   communicating, by the processor, data representative of the EQID to the external module; retrieving, by the first module, data representative of the license key associated with the predetermined function identified by the EQID; and   communicating, by the external module, data representative of the license key to the processor;   determining, by the processor, whether the data communicated by the module is representative of the license key associated with the predetermined function; and   effecting the predetermined function in response to an operational command communicated from the module for the predetermined function only upon a determination by the processor that the data communicated by the module is representative of the license key associated with the predetermined function.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the establishing includes exchanging encryption keys for encrypted communication.