Camera flash systems and methods for adjusting flash exposure power

Abstract

Camera flash systems and methods for data transmission between cameras and flash devices remote to the camera for remotely adjusting flash exposure power of the flash devices are disclosed. The camera flash systems include a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter receives camera output data from a camera that includes exposure power data for at least one flash device remote to the transmitter and user input data that includes adjustments to the flash exposure power data for the at least one flash device. The transmitter is operable to transmit the adjusted flash exposure power data to the at least one flash device. The receiver receives the adjusted flash exposure power data from the transmitter and is operable to transmit the adjusted flash exposure power data to a flash device.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A camera flash system configured for remotely adjusting flash exposure power comprising:
 a transmitter comprising:
 a transmitter connecting element configured for coupling the transmitter to a camera, the transmitter being operable to receive camera output data from the camera via the transmitter connecting element, the camera output data including flash exposure power data for at least one flash device remote to the transmitter; 
 a user input unit configured to receive user input data from a user of the camera flash system, the user input data including adjustments to the flash exposure power data for the at least one flash device; and 
 the transmitter being operable to transmit the adjusted flash exposure power data to the at least one flash device; and 
   a receiver comprising:
 a receiving unit operable to receive the adjusted flash exposure power data from the transmitter; and 
 a receiver connecting element configured for coupling the receiver to one of the at least one flash device, the receiver being operable to transmit the adjusted flash exposure power data to the one of the at least one flash device via the receiver connecting element. 
   
     
     
         2 . The camera flash system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more groups of flash devices remote to the transmitter, each group including one or more flash devices, the one or more flash device of each group having an associated receiver;
 wherein the camera output data comprises a set of flash exposure power data for each of the one or more groups of flash devices; and   the user input data comprises adjustments to each set of flash exposure power data.   
     
     
         3 . The camera flash system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the transmitter is operable to transmit each set of adjusted flash exposure power data separately; and   the receiver is operable to receive the adjusted flash exposure power data for the group of flash devices with which its receiver is associated.   
     
     
         4 . The camera flash system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the transmitter is further operable to receive pre-flash data from the camera via the transmitter connecting element, the pre-flash data comprising instructions to the at least one flash device to perform a flash operation; and   the transmitter is further operable to transmit the pre-flash data to the at least one flash device.   
     
     
         5 . The camera flash system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the adjusted flash exposure power data transmitted by the transmitter further comprises instructions to the at least one flash device to perform a flash operation using the flash exposure power provided in the adjusted flash exposure power data.   
     
     
         6 . A transmitter configured for remotely adjusting flash exposure power in a camera flash system, the transmitter comprising:
 a transmitter connecting element configured for coupling the transmitter to a camera, the transmitter being operable to receive camera output data from the camera via the transmitter connecting element, the camera output data including flash exposure power data for at least one flash device remote to the transmitter;   a user input unit configured to receive user input data from a user of the transmitter, the user input data including adjustments to the flash exposure power data for the at least one flash device; and   the transmitting unit operable to transmit the adjusted flash exposure power data to the at least one flash device.   
     
     
         7 . The transmitter of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the user input unit is configured to receive user input data including adjustments to the flash exposure power data for a plurality of groups of flash devices remote to the transmitter, each group comprising one or more flash devices;   the camera output data comprises a set of flash exposure power data for each of the plurality of groups of flash devices; and   the user input data comprises adjustments to each set of flash exposure power data.   
     
     
         8 . The transmitter of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the transmitter is operable to transmit each set of adjusted flash exposure power data separately.   
     
     
         9 . The transmitter of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the transmitter is further operable to receive pre-flash data from the camera via the transmitter connecting element, the pre-flash data including instructions to the at least one flash device to perform a flash operation; and   the transmitter is further operable to transmit the pre-flash data to the at least one flash device.   
     
     
         10 . The transmitter of  claim 6 , wherein
 the adjusted flash exposure power data transmitted by the transmitter further comprises instructions to the at least one flash device to perform a flash operation using the flash exposure power provided in the adjusted flash exposure power data.   
     
     
         11 . A method for remotely adjusting flash exposure power comprising:
 receiving camera output data from a camera at a transmitter, the camera output data including flash exposure power data for at least one flash device remote to the camera;   receiving user input data from a user at the transmitter, the user input data including adjustments to the flash exposure power data for the at least one flash device; and   transmitting the adjusted flash exposure power data to the at least one flash device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the step of receiving camera output data comprises receiving camera output data including a set of flash exposure power data for each of a plurality of groups of flash devices remote to the transmitter, each group comprising one or more flash devices; and   the step of receiving user input data comprises receiving user input data including adjustments to each set of flash exposure power data.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the transmitting step comprises transmitting each set of adjusted flash exposure power data separately.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
 communicating pre-flash data from the camera to the transmitter, the pre-flash data including instructions to the at least one flash device to perform a flash operation; and   transmitting the pre-flash data to the at least one flash device.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of:
 transmitting instructions to the at least one flash device to perform a flash operation using the flash exposure power provided in the adjusted flash exposure power data.