Head-Separated Camera Device and Control Method Thereof

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method for controlling a head-separated camera device in which a camera head and a camera control unit are connected to each other by a cable comprising a line that supplies the camera head with serial data from the camera control unit. The method comprises outputting, by the camera control unit, serial data containing information for specifying a predetermined control target device of a plurality of control target devices to be controlled, where the plurality of control target devices are implemented within the camera head. The method further comprises identifying, by the camera head, the predetermined control target device specified by the serial data received, and supplying the predetermined control target device with an active select signal.

1 . A head-separated camera device comprising:
 a camera control unit;   a camera head; and   a cable comprising a line that supplies the camera head with serial data from the camera control unit and connects the camera head and the camera control unit to each other, wherein   the camera control unit is configured to output serial data containing information for specifying a predetermined control target device of a plurality of control target devices to be controlled, and   the camera head comprises a conversion module that is configured to (i) identify the predetermined control target device specified by the serial data received and (ii) supply an active select signal to the identified predetermined control target device, the conversion module including a digital-to-analog converter capable of outputting the active select signal at a plurality of levels corresponding to input/output levels of the plurality of control target devices.   
     
     
         2 . The head-separated camera device of  claim 1 , wherein the conversion module being configured to identify the predetermined control target device specified by the serial data received together with a second select signal, and to supply the identified predetermined control target device with the active select signal. 
     
     
         3 . The head-separated camera device of  claim 1 , wherein the digital-to-analog converter is configured to output a preset constant direct current level to the camera control unit through the cable. 
     
     
         4 . The head-separated camera device of  claim 3 , wherein the camera control unit is configured to measure a length of the cable, based on a decrease amount of the direct current level output from the digital-to-analog converter. 
     
     
         5 . The head-separated camera device of  claim 1 , wherein the cable comprises a line that supplies the camera head with a select signal from the camera control unit. 
     
     
         6 . The head-separated camera device of  claim 5 , wherein the camera control unit is configured to output (i) an inactive select signal to the camera head, and (ii) the serial data containing information for specifying the predetermined control target device in the camera head. 
     
     
         7 . A method for a head-separated camera device in which a camera head and a camera control unit are connected to each other by a cable comprising a line that supplies the camera head with serial data from the camera control unit, the method comprising:
 outputting, by the camera control unit, serial data containing information for specifying a predetermined control target device of a plurality of control target devices to be controlled, the plurality of control target devices being implemented within the camera head;   identifying, by the camera head, the predetermined control target device specified by the serial data received; and   supplying, by the camera head, the predetermined control target device with an active select signal.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the supplying of the active select signal to the identified predetermined control target device is performed by a digital-to-analog converter within the camera head. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the digital-to-analog converter outputs the active select signal at a level corresponding to an input/output level of the predetermined control target device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the digital-to-analog converter outputs the active select signal at different levels, each level corresponding to an input/output level of the predetermined control target device of the plurality of control target devices. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising outputting, by the digital-to-analog converter, a preset constant direct current level to the camera control unit through the cable. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising measuring, by the camera control unit, a length of the cable, based on a decrease amount of the direct current level output from the digital-to-analog converter. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the outputting of the serial data by the camera control unit further comprises outputting an inactive select signal to the camera head. 
     
     
         14 . A head-separated camera device comprising:
 a camera control unit;   a camera head; and   a cable comprising a line that supplies the camera head with serial data from the camera control unit and connects the camera head and the camera control unit to each other, wherein   the camera control unit is configured to output serial data containing information for specifying a predetermined control target device of a plurality of control target devices to be controlled, and   the camera head comprises a digital-to-analog converter to (i) identify the predetermined control target device specified by the serial data received and (ii) supply an active select signal to the identified predetermined control target device, the active select signal being set to one at a plurality of levels corresponding to an input/output level of the predetermined control target device, each of the plurality of control target devices having a different input/output level.   
     
     
         15 . The head-separated camera device of  claim 14 , wherein the digital-to-analog converter to identify the predetermined control target device using by the serial data and a select signal supplied by the camera control unit. 
     
     
         16 . The head-separated camera device of  claim 14 , wherein the digital-to-analog converter is configured to output a preset constant direct current level to the camera control unit through the cable. 
     
     
         17 . The head-separated camera device of  claim 16 , wherein the camera control unit is configured to measure a length of the cable, based on a decrease amount of the direct current level output from the digital-to-analog converter. 
     
     
         18 . The head-separated camera device of  claim 14 , wherein the cable comprises a line that supplies the camera head with a select signal from the camera control unit, the select signal being used to identify the predetermined control target device. 
     
     
         19 . The head-separated camera device of  claim 18 , wherein the camera control unit is configured to output (i) an inactive select signal to the camera head, and (ii) the serial data containing information for specifying the predetermined control target device in the camera head.