Abstract:
A device for extending and controlling signals of a camera shutter release cable through an isolated switch is provided. A single short signal is generated to a camera shutter release cable by a manual button, another control device or a computer command, and extended into a multiple short signal with well isolation, good stability and enough voltage level through multiple isolated switches, so as to simultaneously activate several cameras connected in parallel to focus and snap. Therefore, it is able to prevent that the voltage levels provided by a single short signal are too low to simultaneously activate all of those cameras connected from the interference between them. Moreover, the foregoing multiple short signal can further be individually, partially or together controlled by a computer, a USB and a CPU, so as to simultaneously activate the cameras connected in parallel to focus and snap rapidly.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to a device capable of extending a single short signal of a camera shutter release cable into a multiple short signal with well isolation, good stability and enough voltage level through a plurality of isolated switches, such as relays or photocoupler, so as to simultaneously activate a plurality of cameras connected in parallel to focus and snap, and more particularly to a device capable of individually, partially or together controlling the extended multiple short signal and the connected cameras by a computer, a universal serial bus (USB hereinafter) cable and a central processing unit (CPU hereinafter), so as to simultaneously activate the cameras connected in parallel to focus and snap rapidly. In addition, the device of the present invention can control more cameras by connecting a plurality of control boards in parallel. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
       [0002]    In the related art, a computer  1  usually controls a single camera  3  to focus and snap by a USB cable  2  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . In contrast, in order to control a plurality of cameras to focus and snap, the computer  4  is usually connected with a USB hub  6  through a USB cable  5  first, and then further connected with a plurality of cameras  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14  through a plurality of USB cables  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 , in parallel as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , so as to respectively control each of the cameras in sequence through identifications (ID hereinafter) for representing different cameras and software developer&#39;s kits (SDK) provided by camera manufacturers. However, the control manner as illustrated in  FIG. 2  is unable to simultaneously activate the plurality of cameras connected with each other to rapidly focus and snap. 
         [0003]    Another approach for controlling a single camera  17  to focus and snap as illustrated in  FIG. 3  is practiced by using a camera shutter release cable  16 . In this approach, the user can directly control the camera  17  to focus and snap by pressing down a manual button  15 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a contact A is a common point of the manual button  15 , so that it is able to focus as long as the user lightly presses down the manual button to short out the contacts A and B within the manual button, and it is able to snap as long as the user continuously presses down the manual button to short out all of the contacts A, B and C. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention is directed to simultaneously controlling a plurality of cameras to rapidly snap by a single short signal provided through a camera shutter release cable, so as to significantly decrease the required time for creating and composing a spherical 3D image and facilitate the spherical 3D image applications can be widely used in commerce, wherein the foregoing single short signal is generated by a manual button, another control device or a computer command. 
         [0005]    The present invention is also directed to extending a single short signal into a multiple short signal with well isolation, good stability and enough voltage level, so as to control a plurality of cameras to focus and snap simultaneously. In addition, the present invention can individually, partially or together control the multiple short signal and the cameras connected therewith as well. 
         [0006]    The present invention provides a device capable of extending a single short signal of a camera shutter release cable into a multiple short signal with well isolation, good stability and enough voltage level through a plurality of isolated switches, so as to simultaneously control a plurality of cameras connected with each other in parallel. Alternatively, the present invention provides a device capable of individually, partially or together control the extended multiple short signal and the cameras connected therewith through a computer, a USB cable and a CPU. In contrast, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , if a user desires to directly use a manual button  18  to directly control a plurality of cameras  24 ,  25 ,  26 ,  27 ,  28  connected with each other in parallel through a plurality of camera shutter release cables  19 ,  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23  without using any relay or photocoupler, for example but not limited to a metal oxide semiconductor relay (MOS relay), to isolate the signals, some or most of the cameras may not be activated or even damaged, because an impedance issue resulted from an interference between the signals. For example, as long as voltage levels of the cameras are decreased to lower than 0.7 V when the user presses down the manual button to short out the camera shutter release cable, the cameras will be activated to focus or snap. However, some of the cameras may not be activated to focus or snap if the voltage levels thereof are not decreased to lower than 0.7 V because the signals are interfered to each other. Herein, the short signal of the camera shutter release cable can be generated by not only the manual button, but also another control device or a computer command. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates an approach of the related art, wherein a computer is directly used to control a single camera through a USB cable. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates an approach of the related art, wherein a computer is directly used to control a plurality of cameras through a plurality of USB cables and a USB hub. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  illustrates another approach of the related art, wherein a manual button and a camera shutter release cable are directly used to control a camera to snap. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  illustrates short points in a manual button for focusing and snapping according to the related art. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  illustrates a derivation application of the manual button in the related art for controlling a plurality of cameras. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  illustrates an example of extending a single short signal of a camera shutter release cable into a multiple short signal to control a plurality of cameras to focus and snap simultaneously according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  illustrates an example of extending a single short signal of a camera shutter release cable or a computer command into a multiple short signal to control a plurality of cameras to focus and snap simultaneously according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  illustrates an example of extending a single short signal of a camera shutter release cable into a multiple short signal to control a plurality of cameras to focus and snap simultaneously through a plurality of control boards connected in parallel according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  illustrates an example of extending a computer command into a multiple short signal to control a plurality of cameras to focus and snap through a plurality of control boards connected in parallel according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    Reference will now be made in detail to specific embodiments of the present invention. Examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with these specific embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to these embodiments. In fact, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. The present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well-known process operations are not described in detail in order not to obscure the present invention. 
         [0017]      FIG. 6  illustrates an example of extending a single short signal of a camera shutter release cable into a multiple short signal to control a plurality of cameras to focus and snap simultaneously according to an embodiment of the present invention. A power source  30  supplies electricity to a control board  29  (or another control device), and the electricity is transformed into 5V direct current (DC hereinafter) input  32  by the control board  29  and then supplied to a plurality of isolated switches  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40 ,  42  (for focusing) and a plurality of isolated switches  35 ,  37 ,  39 ,  41 ,  43  (for snapping). A single short signal  31  generated by a manual button, another control device or a computer command can be transmitted to and activate the isolated switches  34 ˜ 43  through a shutter release jack  33  (for focusing and snapping), so as to be extended into a multiple short signal with well isolation, good stability and enough voltage level. Then, the multiple short signal are respectively transmitted to a plurality of cameras  49 ,  50 ,  51 ,  52 ,  53  connected in parallel through a plurality of shutter release jacks  44 ,  45 ,  46 ,  47 ,  48 , so as to simultaneously activate the cameras  49 ,  50 ,  51 ,  52 ,  53  to focus or snap. Herein, each one of the isolated switches can be practiced by a relay or a photocoupler. 
         [0018]      FIG. 7  illustrates an example of extending a single short signal of a camera shutter release cable or a computer command into a multiple short signal to control a plurality of cameras to focus and snap simultaneously according to another embodiment of the present invention. A power source  56  supplies electricity to a control board  54  (or another control device), and the electricity is transformed into 5V DC input  59  by a power cord  63  and then supplied to all components in the control board  54 . A single short signal  57  generated by a manual button or another control device can be transmitted to and activate the isolated switches  79 ˜ 88  through a signal cable  64 , a shutter release jack  61  (for focusing and snapping) and a signal cable  67  in sequence, so as to be extended into a multiple short signal with well isolation, good stability and enough voltage level. Then, the multiple short signal are respectively transmitted to a plurality of cameras  109 ˜ 113  connected in parallel through a plurality of signal cables  89 ˜ 98 , a plurality of shutter release jacks  99 ˜ 103  and a plurality of signal cables  104 ˜ 108  in sequence, so as to simultaneously activate the cameras  109 ˜ 113  to focus or snap, and the description up to here in the present embodiment is similar to what disclosed in  FIG. 6 . Alternatively, a computer command provided by a computer  55  can be transmitted to a CPU  68  for control through a USB cables  62 , a USB integrated circuit (IC hereinafter)  58  and a signal cable  65  in sequence, and then the CPU  68  transforms the computer command into at least one control signal. Then, the control signal is transmitted to and activate specific at least one of isolated switches  79 ˜ 88  (for focusing and snapping) through specific at least one of output ports of the CPU and specific at least one of signal cables  69 ˜ 78  in sequence, so as to form a single or a multiple short signal. Afterward, the single or the multiple short signal are respectively transmitted to specific at least one of the cameras  109 ˜ 113  through specific at least one of the signal cables  89 ˜ 98 , specific at least one of the shutter release jacks  99 ˜ 103  and specific at least one of the signal cables  104 ˜ 108  in sequence, so as to individually, partially or together activate the cameras  109 ˜ 113  connected in parallel to focus or snap. Herein, the computer described above can further be a controller with a CPU, and the USB IC  58  can further be any other type of control IC, such as an IEEE 1394 control IC or a RS232 control IC. 
         [0019]    In another word, when the single short signal  57  generated by the manual button or another control device is inputted, the operation result is similar to what disclosed in  FIG. 6 , i.e. the cameras  109 ˜ 113  are simultaneously activated to focus and snap, but the computer  55  is unable to be operated at the time. In contrast, when the computer command generated by the computer  55  is inputted, the manual button or another control device does not generate the single short signal  57  as well. In the other word, it should be selected between the computer command generated by the computer  55  and the single short signal  57  generated by the manual button or another control device. Furthermore, an ID control unit  60  connected with the CPU  68  through a signal cable  66  can be used for assisting the computer  55  in indentifying the control boards only if a plurality of control boards  54  are connected in parallel. The ID control unit herein can be a dip switch or a memory IC. In a nutshell, when the single short signal  57  generated by the manual button or another control device is inputted (the computer is unable to be operated now), the single short signal  57  is extended into the multiple short signal through the isolated switches  79 ˜ 88  for simultaneously activating the cameras  109 ˜ 113  to focus and snap. In contrast, when the computer command generated by the computer  55  is inputted (the manual button and another control device are unable to be operated now), the CPU  68  differentiates which of the isolated switches  79 ˜ 88  should be activated based on the computer command and then transforms the computer command into at least a control signal, so as to individually, partially or together control the cameras  109 ˜ 113 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 8  illustrates an example of extending a single short signal of a camera shutter release cable into a multiple short signal to control a plurality of cameras to focus and snap simultaneously through a plurality of control boards connected in parallel according to an embodiment of the present invention. In a word,  FIG. 8  illustrates a device connecting a plurality of control boards the same as the control board  29  illustrated in  FIG. 6  in parallel, so as to connect more cameras with the device and then simultaneously activate the cameras to focus and snap. A plurality of output shutter release jacks  122 ˜ 126  of a control board  115  respectively connect with a plurality of input shutter release jacks  152 ˜ 156  of a control board  116 ˜ 120 , and a power source  114  supplies electricity to the control boards  115 ˜ 120 . When the single short signal  121  is inputted, the multiple short signal extended to the output shutter release jacks  122 ˜ 126  are further extended into a plurality of multiple short signals to the output shutter release jacks  195 ˜ 219  of the control boards  116 ˜ 120 , so as to simultaneously activate the cameras  127 ˜ 151  connected with the output shutter release jacks  195 ˜ 219  to focus or snap. In another word, when the single short signal  121  is inputted, all of the cameras  127 ˜ 151  are activated simultaneously. 
         [0021]      FIG. 9  illustrates an example of extending a computer command into a multiple short signal to control a plurality of cameras to focus and snap through a plurality of control boards connected in parallel according to another embodiment of the present invention. In a word, a plurality of control boards  159 ˜ 163  are the same as the control board  54  illustrated in  FIG. 7 , a computer  157  connects with the control boards  159 ˜ 163  in parallel through USB cables  220 ˜ 224  directly or with a USB hub  158 , and a power source  164  supplies electricity to the computer  157 , the USB hub  158  and the control boards  159 ˜ 163 . An ID code of an ID control unit  165  in the control board  159  is 0000, an ID code of an ID control unit  166  in the control board  160  is 0001, an ID code of an ID control unit  167  in the control board  161  is 0010, an ID code of an ID control unit  168  in the control board  162  is 0011, and an ID code of an ID control unit  169  in the control board  163  is 0100. When the computer  157  provides a computer command, the computer command is transmitted to the control boards  159 ˜ 163  through the USB hub  158 , wherein the computer  157  connects with the control boards  159 ˜ 163  in parallel through the USB cables  220 ˜ 224  directly or with the USB hub  158  in parallel. Next, the computer  157  selects and provides the computer command to at least one of the control boards  159 ˜ 163  according to the ID codes 0000, 0001, 0010, 0011 and 0100 in the ID control units  165 ˜ 169 , so as to enable the CPU(s) in the selected at least one of the control boards  159 ˜ 163  to transform the computer command into at least a control signal for activating at least one of isolated switches in the selected at least one of the control boards  159 ˜ 163  and thus forming a single or a multiple short signal. Thereafter, the single or the multiple short signal is outputted through at least one of output shutter release jacks in the selected at least one of the control boards  159 ˜ 163 , so as to individually, partially or together activate the cameras  170 ˜ 194  connected in parallel with the selected at least one of the control boards  159 ˜ 163 . In another word, the control boards are selected according to the different ID codes thereof. For example, if the ID code 0000 in the ID control unit  165  is selected, the computer  157  controls the CPU in the control board  159  to transform the single computer command provided by the computer into a multiple short signal, and the multiple short signal is transmitted to the output shutter release jacks on the control board  159 , so as to control the cameras  170 ˜ 174  connected in parallel with the control board  159 . Similarly, the ID codes 0001, 0010, 0011 and 0100 can be respectively used for controlling the control boards  160 ˜ 163  and the cameras connected in parallel with the control boards  160 ˜ 163 , so as to individually, partially or together control the cameras  170 ˜ 194  connected with the selected control boards  159 ˜ 163 . In the above-mentioned embodiment, the computer  157  connects with the control boards  159 ˜ 163  through the USB hub  158 . However, in the other embodiments, the computer  157  can directly connect with the control boards  159 ˜ 163  through the USB cables  220 ˜ 224  as well. 
         [0022]    Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that there are other embodiments that are equivalent to the described embodiments. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrated embodiments, but only by the scope of the appended claims.