Camera having a lens barrel and method

Claim 2

A combination of a camera and a detachable lens barrel, the combination comprising: at least one photographic lens that forms a photographic image at a designated position in said camera; a control amount calculation device that determines a lens driving control amount; a lens driving control device that controls said at least one photographic lens based on said lens driving control amount; a lens driving device coupled to said at least one photographic lens and linked to said lens driving control device, said lens driving device driving said at least one photographic lens along an optical axis in accordance with said lens driving control amount; a memory device linked to said lens driving control device, said memory device storing lens driving capability data, said lens driving capability data including at least a characteristic lens driving amount and a corresponding lens driving time relating to said at least one photographic lens; and a communications device linked to said lens driving control device, said communications device being connectable to said camera, enabling communication between said lens driving control device and said camera such that said lens driving capability data, including the lens driving time, can be communicated to said camera for controlling at least one occurrence of at least one photographic operation, including at least one focusing operation.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1, further comprising a data determination device linked to said memory device, wherein said data determination device determines said lens driving capability data in accordance with said lens driving control amount.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1, further comprising an environmental state detection device linked to said memory device that detects an environmental state approximately simultaneously with a release of a shutter, said environmental state affecting said lens driving capability data stored in said memory device.

Claim 5

The camera of claim 1, wherein said lens driving capability data is stored in said memory device in accordance with at least one of a plurality of environmental states, said driving capability data including at least a lens driving amount and a corresponding lens driving time wherein said driving time also corresponds with said at least one of a plurality of environmental states.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 3, wherein said environmental state detection device detects a power supply capability of a power source of said camera.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 5, wherein said power supply capability includes a voltage capability measurement.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 5, wherein said power supply capability includes a resistance of the power source measurement.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 3, wherein said environmental state detection device detects a temperature.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 3, wherein said environmental state detection device detects a position of said at least one photographic lens along the optical axis thereof.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 1, further comprising an environmental state detection device that detects an environmental state approximately simultaneously with a release of a shutter and a data determination device linked to said memory device, wherein said data determination device determines lens driving capability data in accordance with said lens driving control amount and said environmental state.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 1, further comprising an environmental state detection device that detects an environmental state approximately simultaneously with a release of a shutter and a data determination device linked to said memory device, wherein said data determination device determines lens driving capability data in accordance with said lens driving control amount, said environmental state, and data received from said communications device.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 1, wherein said lens driving capability data are transmitted via said communications device to said camera at least once during at least one of a focus detection operation and a lens driving control amount calculation.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 1, wherein said lens driving capability data are transmitted to said camera via said communications device at least once before a focus detection operation.

Claim 15

A camera system comprising a camera and a detachable camera lens barrel, said camera having a focal point detection device and a control amount calculation device, said camera system comprising: at least one photographic lens that forms a photographic image of a subject at a designated position in said camera, said at least one photographic lens having a focal point state detectable by said focal point detection device; a lens driving control device that controls said at least one photographic lens based on a lens driving control amount determined by said control amount calculation device in accordance with results from said focal point detection device; a lens driving device coupled to said at least one photographic lens and linked to said lens driving control device, said lens driving device driving said at least one photographic lens along an optical axis; a memory device linked to said lens driving control device, said memory device storing lens driving capability data, said lens driving capability data including at least a characteristic lens driving amount and a corresponding lens driving time relating to said at least one photographic lens; and a communications device linked to said lens driving control device, said communications device being connectable to said camera, enabling communication between said lens driving control device and said camera such that said lens driving capability data, including said lens driving time, can be communicated to said camera for performing at least one photographic operation, including at least one focusing operation.

Claim 16

A camera system comprising a camera and a detachable camera lens barrel, said camera having a focal point detection device and a control amount calculation device, said camera system comprising: at least one photographic lens that forms a photographic image of a subject at a designated position in said camera, said at least one photographic lens having a focal point state detectable by said focal point detection device; a lens driving control device that controls said at least one photographic lens based on a lens driving control amount determined by said control amount calculation device in accordance with results from said focal point detection device; a lens driving device coupled to said at least one photographic lens and linked to said lens driving control device, said lens driving device driving said at least one photographic lens along an optical axis; a memory device linked to said lens driving control device, said memory device storing lens driving capability data, said lens driving capability data including at least a characteristic lens driving amount and a corresponding lens driving time relating to said at least one photographic lens; and a communications device linked to said lens driving control device, said communications device being connectable to said camera, enabling communication between said lens driving control device and said camera such that said lens driving capability data, including said lens driving time, can be communicated to said camera for performing at least one photographic operation, including at least one focusing operation.

Claim 17

The camera system of claim 14, wherein said camera further comprises an environmental state detection device that detects an environmental state approximately simultaneously with a release of a shutter.

Claim 18

The camera system of claim 15, wherein said camera lens barrel further comprises a data determination device linked to said lens control device, wherein at a time when said control amount calculation device operates, said data determination device determines lens driving capability data in accordance with said lens driving control amount and said environmental state.

Claim 19

The camera system of claim 15, wherein said camera further comprises a data determination device linked to said control amount calculation device, wherein said data determination device determines lens driving capability data in accordance with said lens driving control amount and said environmental state.

Claim 20

The camera system of claim 17, said camera lens barrel further comprising an environmental state detection device that detects an environmental state approximately simultaneously with a release of a shutter.

Claim 21

The camera system of claim 18, wherein said camera lens barrel further comprises a data determination device linked to said lens driving control device, wherein at a time when said control amount calculation device operates, said data determination device determines lens driving capability data in accordance with said lens driving control amount and said environmental state.

Claim 22

The camera system of claim 18, wherein said camera lens barrel further comprises a data determination device linked to said lens driving control device, wherein at a time when said control amount calculation device operates, said data determination device determines lens driving capability data in accordance with said lens driving control amount, a camera environmental state detected by said environmental state detection device of said camera and a lens barrel environmental state detected by said environmental state detection device of said camera lens barrel.

Claim 23

The camera system of claim 18, wherein said environmental state detection device of said camera lens barrel includes at least a power source voltage component and a temperature detection component, and wherein said environmental state detection device includes at least a position detection component that detects a position of said at least one photographic lens along the optical axis thereof.

Claim 24

The camera system of claim 14, said camera lens barrel further comprising an environmental state detection device that detects an environmental state approximately simultaneously with a release of a shutter.

Claim 25

The camera system of claim 15, wherein said environmental state detection device detects a power supply capability of the power source.

Claim 26

The camera system of claim 23, wherein said power supply capability includes a voltage measurement.

Claim 27

The camera system of claim 23, wherein said power supply capability includes a resistance of the power source measurement.

Claim 28

The camera system of claim 15, wherein said environmental state detection device detects a temperature.

Claim 29

The camera system of claim 15, wherein said environmental state detection device detects a position of said at least one photographic lens along the optical axis thereof.

Claim 30

The camera system of claim 14, wherein said lens driving capability data are transmitted to said camera via said communication device at least once during at least one of a focus detection operation and a lens driving control amount calculation.

Claim 31

The camera system of claim 14, wherein said lens driving capability data are transmitted to said camera via said communication device at least once before a focus detection operation.

Claim 34

The method of claim 30, further comprising determining said driving capability data with a driving capability data determination component.

Claim 35

The method of claim 31, wherein said step of determining said driving capability data includes receiving environmental state data via said communications device.

Claim 36

The method of claim 31, wherein said step of determining said driving capability data includes detecting environmental state data with an environmental state detection device disposed within said at least one photographic lens.

Claim 37

The method of claim 31, wherein said step of determining said driving capability data includes detecting environmental state data with an environmental state detection device disposed within said camera.

Claim 38

The method of claim 32, wherein said step of receiving environmental state data includes receiving power source voltage data, temperature data and lens position data corresponding to a position of the at least one photographic lens along the optical axis thereof.

Claim 39

The method of claim 33, wherein said step of detecting environmental state data includes detecting power source voltage data, temperature data and lens position data corresponding to a position of the at least one photographic lens along the optical axis thereof.

Claim 40

The method of claim 34, wherein said step of detecting environmental state data includes detecting power source voltage data, temperature data and lens position data corresponding to a position of the at least one photographic lens along the optical axis thereof.

Claim 41

The method of claim 31, wherein said step of determining said driving capability data includes receiving power source data and temperature data from said camera via said communications device and detecting said lens position data corresponding to a position of the at least one photographic lens along the optical axis thereof.

Claim 42

The method of claim 38, wherein said step of determining said driving capability data occurs approximately when said at least one photographic lens is connected to said camera.

Claim 43

A camera system having a lens comprising: a memory for storing lens driving capability data representing a relationship between lens driving times and corresponding lens driving amounts characteristic of the lens; and a controller connected to the memory and to the lens for determining a lens driving amount, determining a lens driving time based on the lens driving capability data stored in the memory and the lens driving amount, and controlling at least one photographic operation of the camera, including at least one focusing operation, in accordance with the determined lens driving time.

Claim 44

A camera system having a lens comprising: a memory for storing lens driving capability data representing a relationship between lens driving times and corresponding lens driving amounts characteristic of the lens; and a controller connected to the memory and to the lens for determining a lens driving amount, determining a lens driving time based on the lens driving capability data stored in the memory and the lens driving amount, and controlling at least one photographic operation of the camera, including at least one focusing operation, in accordance with the determined lens driving time.