Imaging apparatus with multiple timing-adjusting parts

Assignee: Nikon Corporation

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 8,018,503
App. No.: 12/007,757
Granted: Sep 13, 2011
Kind: B2

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Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes a nonvolatile memory storing multiple kinds of parameters, a volatile memory storing temporarily the parameters read out from the nonvolatile memory, a processing part executing a processing using the parameters stored in the volatile memory and a data controlling part reading out the parameters from the nonvolatile memory according to a provided clock and transferring the parameters to the volatile memory, and the imaging apparatus includes a first timing-adjusting part outputting a first clock for reading out a part of the multiple kinds of parameters stored in the nonvolatile memory to the data controlling part, when the imaging apparatus is powered on, and a second timing-adjusting part outputting a second clock for reading out another part of the multiple kinds of parameters stored in the nonvolatile memory to the data controlling part, while the imaging apparatus is preparing for image shooting.

Claims (43)

1. An imaging apparatus that includes:

a nonvolatile memory storing multiple kinds of parameters;

a volatile memory storing temporarily the parameter read out from said nonvolatile memory;

a processing part executing a processing using the parameter stored in said volatile memory; and

a data controlling part reading out the parameter from said nonvolatile memory according to a provided clock and transferring the parameter to said volatile memory, and

said imaging apparatus comprising:

a first timing-adjusting part outputting a first clock for reading out a part of the multiple kinds of parameters stored in said nonvolatile memory to said data controlling part, when said imaging apparatus is powered on; and

a second timing-adjusting part outputting a second clock for reading out another part of the multiple kinds of parameters stored in said nonvolatile memory to said data controlling part, while said imaging apparatus is preparing for image-shooting, wherein:

said nonvolatile memory stores the parameter necessary for an image-shooting operation and the parameter necessary for image processing,

said first clock is a clock for reading out the parameter necessary for said image-shooting operation from said nonvolatile memory, and

said second clock is a clock for reading out the parameter necessary for said image processing from said nonvolatile memory and is a same clock as a clock to be provided to image data obtained by image-shooting.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said imaging apparatus further includes a central processor, and

said central processor comprises a third timing-adjusting part outputting a third clock for reading out a part of the multiple kinds of parameters stored in said nonvolatile memory to said data controlling part.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

said central processor rewrites the parameters stored in either one of said nonvolatile memory and said volatile memory according to a setting indication when the setting indication is input from an external interface part provided in said imaging apparatus.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

said third timing-adjusting part outputs the third clock for reading out the parameter necessary for a setting to said data controlling part when a setting indication is input from an operating part provided in said imaging apparatus.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

timing when said second timing-adjusting part outputs said second clock to said data controlling part is timing when a release switch provided in said imaging apparatus is half-pressed.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

said second timing-adjusting part has a function generating said clock to be provided both to the image data obtained by the image-shooting and to a correction processing part for correction-processing the image data, other than a function generating said second clock, and

a circuit size of said first timing-adjusting part is smaller than a circuit size of said second timing-adjusting part.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

said nonvolatile memory stores at least the parameter necessary for the image-shooting operation, and

said third clock is a clock for reading out the parameter necessary for said image-shooting operation from said nonvolatile memory.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

said nonvolatile memory is a serial EEPROM, and

said volatile memory is an SRAM.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein