Accessory, camera, accessory shoe, and connector

Abstract

An accessory capable of communicating with a camera, includes a terminal section having a plurality of terminals. The plurality of terminals include a startup state providing terminal that provides, to the camera, a detection level by which the camera detects that the accessory is capable of being started up, a data signal terminal that outputs a data signal including information regarding the accessory to the camera, and a first reference potential terminal having a reference potential of the detection level and the data signal. The startup state providing terminal is disposed adjacent to the data signal terminal, and the first reference potential terminal is adjacent to the data signal terminal, and is disposed with the data signal terminal interposed between the startup state providing terminal and the first reference potential terminal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An accessory capable of communicating with a camera, the accessory comprising:
 a terminal section having a plurality of terminals,   wherein the plurality of terminals include   a startup state providing terminal that provides, to the camera, a detection level by which the camera detects that the accessory is capable of being started up, and   a plurality of communication terminals that perform the communication,   wherein a terminal out of the communication terminals, which performs a communication of a signal which has a possibility to cause a malfunction due to an electric noise, is disposed adjacent to the startup state providing terminal.   
     
     
         2 . An accessory capable of communicating with a camera, the accessory comprising:
 a terminal section having a plurality of terminals,   wherein the plurality of terminals include   a startup state providing terminal that provides, to the camera, a detection level by which the camera detects that the accessory is capable of being started up,   a light emission control signal terminal to which a light emission control signal for controlling a light-emitting state of a light-emitting section is input from the camera, and   a communication control signal terminal to which a communication control signal that sets a timing for communicating a data signal including information regarding the accessory to and from the camera is input from the camera,   wherein the startup state providing terminal is disposed adjacent to the light emission control signal terminal, and   the communication control signal terminal is adjacent to the light emission control signal terminal, and is disposed with the light emission control signal terminal interposed between the startup state providing terminal and the communication control signal terminal.   
     
     
         3 . An accessory which is controlled by a control signal supplied from a camera, the accessory comprising:
 a terminal section having a plurality of terminals,   wherein the plurality of terminals include a startup state providing terminal that provides, to the camera, a detection level by which the camera detects that the accessory is capable of being started up, and   a terminal which is disposed next to the startup state providing terminal, out of the plurality of terminals, is a terminal capable of maintaining a level state which is not considered to be the detection level in the startup state providing terminal, when short-circuited to the startup state providing terminal.   
     
     
         4 . The accessory according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the terminals disposed next to opposite sides of the startup state providing terminal, out of the plurality of terminals, is a terminal capable of maintaining a level state which is not considered to be the detection level in the startup state providing terminal, when short-circuited to the startup state providing terminal. 
     
     
         5 . The accessory according to  claim 3 , further comprising a light-emitting section that emits illumination light,
 wherein one of the terminals disposed next to the startup state providing terminal, out of the plurality of terminals, is a light-emitting signal input terminal to which a light emission command signal for causing the light-emitting section to emit light is input from the camera.   
     
     
         6 . The accessory according  claim 3 , wherein one of the terminals disposed next to the startup state providing terminal, out of the plurality of terminals, is an information output terminal that outputs at least information of the accessory side to the camera. 
     
     
         7 . The accessory according to  claim 5 , wherein a pull-up resistor is connected to a signal line which is connected to the terminal disposed next to the startup state providing terminal. 
     
     
         8 . The accessory according to  claim 3 , wherein when the accessory is mounted to the camera, a level of the detection level is the same as a signal level indicated by a reference potential of the control signal. 
     
     
         9 . The accessory according to  claim 3 , wherein the detection level changes in accordance with attachment and detachment of the accessory from the camera. 
     
     
         10 . The accessory according to  claim 3 , further comprising a first switch section that switches a state of the detection level in accordance with detachment of the accessory from the camera. 
     
     
         11 . The accessory according to  claim 10 , wherein the first switch section includes a movable member that moves in a predetermined direction with respect to the terminal section, and
 the state of the detection level is switched by the movement of the movable member in the predetermined direction.   
     
     
         12 . The accessory according to  claim 11 , wherein the movable member moves in the predetermined direction by force received from the camera when the accessory is mounted to the camera. 
     
     
         13 . The accessory according to  claim 11 , wherein when the accessory is mounted to the camera, the movable member is locked to the camera to thereby regulate the movement of the accessory with respect to the camera. 
     
     
         14 . The accessory according to  claim 11 , further comprising an operating portion that receives an operation for moving the movable member in the predetermined direction. 
     
     
         15 . The accessory according to  claim 10 , further comprising a second switch section that switches the state of the detection level,
 wherein the second switch section is connected to a signal line which is connected to the startup state providing terminal in series with the first switch section.   
     
     
         16 . The accessory according to  claim 15 , wherein the second switch section further comprises an operating portion that receives an operation for switching the state of the detection level. 
     
     
         17 . The accessory according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of terminals includes a linear shape, and is formed so as to be connected to the corresponding terminals on the camera side, in the vicinity of the tip of the linear shape. 
     
     
         18 . A camera that supplies a control signal for controlling an accessory to the accessory, the camera comprising:
 a terminal section having a plurality of terminals,   wherein the plurality of terminals include a startup state detecting terminal to which a detection level, by which the camera detects that the accessory is capable of being started up, is provided from the accessory, and   the terminals disposed next to opposite sides of the startup state detecting terminal, out of the plurality of terminals, are terminals capable of maintaining a level state which is not considered to be the detection level in the startup state detecting terminal, when short-circuited to the startup state detecting terminal.   
     
     
         19 . An accessory shoe to and from which an accessory controlled by a control signal supplied from a camera is attached and detached, the accessory shoe comprising:
 a terminal section having a plurality of terminals,   wherein the plurality of terminals include a startup state detecting terminal to which a detection level by which the camera detects that the accessory is capable of being started up is provided from the accessory, and   the terminals disposed next to opposite sides of the startup state detecting terminal, out of the plurality of terminals, are terminals capable of maintaining a level state which is not considered to be the detection level in the startup state detecting terminal, when short-circuited to the startup state detecting terminal.   
     
     
         20 . A connector capable of being attached to and detached from a camera so as to attach and detach an accessory controlled by a control signal supplied from the camera to and from the camera, the connector comprising:
 a terminal section having a plurality of terminals,   wherein the plurality of terminals include a startup state providing terminal that provides, to the camera, a detection level by which the camera detects that the accessory is capable of being started up, and   a terminal disposed next to the startup state providing terminal, out of the plurality of terminals, is a terminal capable of maintaining a level state which is not considered to be the detection level in the startup state providing terminal, when short-circuited to the startup state providing terminal.   
     
     
         21 . An accessory capable of being attached to and detached from a camera, the accessory comprising:
 a startup state providing terminal that provides a detection level by which the camera detects whether the accessory is capable of being started up,   a terminal different from the startup state providing terminal, and   a setting section that sets a state of the detection level so as to indicate that the accessory is capable of being started up, in accordance with a voltage level of the different terminal.   
     
     
         22 . The accessory according to  claim 21 , wherein when the accessory is mounted to the camera, the different terminal has a first voltage level causing the state of the detection level to indicate that the accessory is capable of being started up. 
     
     
         23 . The accessory according to  claim 22 , wherein the startup state providing terminal provides the detection level indicating that the accessory is capable of being started up, in accordance with setting of the voltage level of the different terminal to the first voltage level. 
     
     
         24 . The accessory according to  claim 22 , wherein the setting section provides the detection level indicating that the accessory is capable of being started up from the startup state providing terminal, in accordance with setting of the voltage level of the different terminal to the first voltage level. 
     
     
         25 . The accessory according to  claim 22 , wherein the first voltage level is a level of a reference potential of the detection level. 
     
     
         26 . The accessory according to  claim 21 , further comprising a reference potential terminal having a reference potential,
 wherein the reference potential terminal is electrically connected to the startup state providing terminal through the different terminal.   
     
     
         27 . The accessory according to  claim 26 , wherein the different terminal is cut off from the reference potential terminal in a direct current manner. 
     
     
         28 . The accessory according to  claim 26 , further comprising a terminal section having a plurality of terminals including the startup state providing terminal and the reference potential terminal. 
     
     
         29 . The accessory according to  claim 26 , wherein when the accessory is mounted to the camera, the voltage level of the different terminal is set to a voltage level of a housing portion of the camera. 
     
     
         30 . The accessory according to  claim 29 , wherein the different terminal is provided in a position different from that of the terminal section having the plurality of terminals. 
     
     
         31 . The accessory according to  claim 26 , wherein when the accessory is not mounted to the camera, the different terminal is insulated from the reference potential terminal. 
     
     
         32 . The accessory according to  claim 21 , wherein when the accessory is mounted to the camera, a voltage level of the startup state providing terminal is set to the same voltage level as the voltage level of the different terminal. 
     
     
         33 . A camera capable of mounting the accessory according to  claim 21 , comprising:
 a startup state detecting terminal to which the detection level is provided from the accessory,   wherein the terminal different from the startup state providing terminal in the accessory is provided with a predetermined voltage level for setting the state of the detection level of the startup state detecting terminal.   
     
     
         34 . An accessory shoe to and from which an accessory capable of being attached to and detached from a camera is attached and detached, comprising:
 a startup state detecting terminal to which a detection level is provided from the accessory,   wherein a terminal different from the startup state providing terminal in the accessory is provided with a predetermined voltage level for setting a state of the detection level of a startup state detecting terminal.   
     
     
         35 . A connector which is attached to and detached from a camera that supplies a control signal for controlling an accessory to the accessory, the connector comprising:
 a startup state providing terminal that provides a detection level by which the camera detects whether the accessory is capable of being started up, and   a terminal different from the startup state providing terminal,   wherein a setting section included in the accessory sets a state of the detection level so as to indicate that the accessory is capable of being started up, in accordance with a voltage level of the different terminal.