TTL Photographic Wireless System, Method, And Device For Synchronization Of Remote Devices Via Hot Shoe Communications

Abstract

A system and method for synchronizing a remote lighting device to a camera using a hot shoe connection and an external device connected via the hot shoe connector. The external device receives TTL data and a synchronization signal from the camera via the hot shoe connector. The external device wirelessly communicates using a radio frequency transmitter a synchronization signal from the external device to a remote lighting device. The external device also wirelessly communicates a TTL information to the remote lighting device for use in synchronizing the remote lighting device to image acquisition by the camera.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of synchronizing a remote lighting device to image acquisition of a camera, the camera having a hot shoe connector, an external device that is not a flash device connected to the hot shoe connector, the external device including a radio frequency transmitter for wireless communication, the method comprising:
 communicating a first series of data from the external device to the camera via the hot shoe connector of the camera, the first series of data having been stored in a memory of the external device and representing information known to be responsive to a request from the camera for data about a photographic lighting device, the series of data including information that a device other than the external device would communicate to the camera in response to the request if the device other than the external device were connected to the hot shoe connector of the camera, wherein the series of data is sourced to the external device by a manufacturer of the external device;   receiving a TTL data at the external device via the hot shoe connector;   wirelessly communicating a TTL information from the external device to the remote lighting device, the TTL information being based on the TTL data from the camera body, the TTL information including an information related to an amount of light to be emitted by the remote photographic lighting device for a TTL main flash exposure;   receiving a synchronization signal from the camera at the external device via the hot shoe connector; and   wirelessly communicating using the radio frequency transmitter a remote synchronization from the external device to the remote lighting device for synchronizing the remote lighting device to an image acquisition by the camera using the remote synchronization signal, wherein said synchronizing the remote lighting device includes using the remote synchronization signal and the TTL information.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said wirelessly communicating a TTL information occurs prior to said receiving a synchronization signal at the external device. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said wirelessly communicating TTL information includes wirelessly communicating TTL pre-flash information. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the series of data includes default data. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the default data includes information set by a manufacturer of the external device. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving one or more additional camera data at the external device via the hot shoe connector of the camera; and   wirelessly communicating using the radio frequency transmitter at least one camera data of the one or more camera data to the remote lighting device.   
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the one or more additional camera data includes a camera data selected from the group consisting of an ISO/gain value, a shutter speed, an aperture, a zoom distance, a focus distance, a mode of operation of the camera, an auto-flash mode indication, a distance from the camera to a subject, a zoom factor, an indication that pre-flash is not used during auto-mode, and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . A system for synchronizing a remote lighting device to image acquisition of a camera, the camera having a hot shoe connector, the system comprising:
 an external device that is not a flash device, the external device configured to connect to the hot shoe connector and including:
 a processing element; 
 a radio frequency transmitter for wireless communication; 
 a memory element configured with information for instructing the processing element to:
 communicate a first series of data from the external device to the camera via the hot shoe connector of the camera, the first series of data having been stored in the memory element and representing information known to be responsive to a request from the camera for data about a photographic lighting device, the series of data including information that a device other than the external device would communicate to the camera in response to the request if the device other than the external device were connected to the hot shoe connector of the camera, wherein the series of data is sourced to the external device by a manufacturer of the external device; 
 receive a TTL data via the hot shoe connector; 
 wirelessly communicate a TTL information from the external device to the remote lighting device using the radio frequency transmitter, the TTL information being based on the TTL data from the camera body, the TTL information including an information related to an amount of light to be emitted by the remote photographic lighting device for a TTL main flash exposure; 
 receive a synchronization signal from the camera via the hot shoe connector; and 
 wirelessly communicate using the radio frequency transmitter a remote synchronization to the remote lighting device for synchronizing the remote lighting device to an image acquisition by the camera using the remote synchronization signal, wherein said synchronizing the remote lighting device includes using the remote synchronization signal and the TTL information. 
 
   
     
     
         9 . A machine-readable hardware storage medium including machine-executable instructions for synchronizing a remote lighting device to image acquisition of a camera, the camera having a hot shoe connector, an external device that is not a flash device connected to the hot shoe connector, the external device including a radio frequency transmitter for wireless communication, the instructions comprising:
 a set of instructions for communicating a first series of data from the external device to the camera via the hot shoe connector of the camera, the first series of data having been stored in a memory of the external device and representing information known to be responsive to a request from the camera for data about a photographic lighting device, the series of data including information that a device other than the external device would communicate to the camera in response to the request if the device other than the external device were connected to the hot shoe connector of the camera, wherein the series of data is sourced to the external device by a manufacturer of the external device;   a set of instructions for receiving a TTL data at the external device via the hot shoe connector;   a set of instructions for wirelessly communicating a TTL information from the external device to the remote lighting device, the TTL information being based on the TTL data from the camera body, the TTL information including an information related to an amount of light to be emitted by the remote photographic lighting device for a TTL main flash exposure;   a set of instructions for receiving a synchronization signal from the camera at the external device via the hot shoe connector; and   a set of instructions for wirelessly communicating using the radio frequency transmitter a remote synchronization from the external device to the remote lighting device for synchronizing the remote lighting device to an image acquisition by the camera using the remote synchronization signal, wherein said synchronizing the remote lighting device includes using the remote synchronization signal and the TTL information.