Abstract: The present invention relates generally to agriculture and irrigation of plants. A watering system comprising a master unit and one or more node units are able to carry out bidirectional communication via a power control bus, which may be a coaxial cable. The power control bus provides power and data communication to one or more node units. The one or more node units are configured to receive, carry out actions, or respond to queries from a master unit. Actions that may be taken by one or more node units may include the operation of irrigation valves and query of data related to moisture or other chemistry of a plant growing soil. A master unit may connect to an internet cloud via Wifi or other communication method, wherein a watering system of the present invention may be operable based on at least one data from an internet cloud.

Abstract: Methods for providing a flash management feature (“FMF”) in a camera system include obtaining a flash intensity value calculated for a flash device by a camera, saving the calculated flash intensity value in memory, accepting a user-provided adjustment of the calculated value, saving the adjusted flash intensity value in a memory, and providing, when the camera transmits the calculated value to the flash device for use during image acquisition, the adjusted value to the flash device instead of the calculated value. A communication device to provide a FMF includes a microprocessor configured to obtain a calculated flash intensity value from a camera, a memory, and a user interface configured to display and allow a user to adjust the calculated value. The microprocessor stores the adjusted flash intensity value in memory, and signals the flash device to emit light at the adjusted value during image acquisition by the camera.

Abstract: A control system for use with preconfigured photographic equipment that includes a controllable photographic device controlled by a controlling photographic device is disclosed. The controllable photographic device has a housing, and a device circuit having an upstream portion and a downstream portion coupled by control lines within the housing. An internal module may be located within the housing and includes a signal detecting arrangement configured to be coupled with the control lines between the upstream and downstream portions. The system may also include an external module configured to be located outside of the housing, and coupled with the internal module. The external module may include a signal receiving device capable of receiving a wireless control signal from the controlling photographic device, and to cause a module generated signal to be sent by the internal module to the downstream portion upon receipt of the wireless control signal.

Abstract: A control system for use with preconfigured photographic equipment that includes a controllable photographic device controlled by a controlling photographic device is disclosed. The controllable photographic device has a housing, and a device circuit having an upstream portion and a downstream portion coupled by control lines within the housing. An internal module may be located within the housing and includes a signal detecting arrangement configured to be coupled with the control lines between the upstream and downstream portions. The system may also include an external module configured to be located outside of the housing, and coupled with the internal module. The external module may include a signal receiving device capable of receiving a wireless control signal from the controlling photographic device, and to cause a module generated signal to be sent by the internal module to the downstream portion upon receipt of the wireless control signal.

Abstract: A device system and method is disclosed. The device includes a first USB port configured to couple with a USB port on a camera, and circuitry configured to send USB signals to the camera and/or to receive USB signals from the camera, and to operate in USB Host mode, and/or USB OTG (on the go) mode, as the camera operates in Device mode. The device may also include a second USB port configured to couple with a PDA. The circuitry may be further configured to send USB signals to the PDA and/or to receive USB signals from the PDA, and to operate in USB Host mode, and/or USB OTG mode, as the PDA operates in Device mode.

Abstract: A device and method for retrofitting a camera system is disclosed. The method may include detecting a first signal while it is being sent by a source device of the camera system to a remote device of the camera system, and wirelessly transmitting a data stream, which may include control instructions and trigger instructions, detected in the first signal using a transmitter unit. The method may also include wirelessly receiving the data stream using a receiver unit, converting the data stream into a second signal that is substantially the same as the first signal which may include configuring the second signal as light pulses. The method may also include directing the second signal toward the remote device which may be responsive to the light pulses.

Abstract: Methods and systems to relay short duration coded pulses of light emitted by a first flash device to a second flash device, which may be remote, using radio signals, wherein radio signals comprise data representative of short duration coded pulses of light from the first flash device which may comprise one or more binary commands and/or activation signals emitted by the first flash device. A first radio communication device may sense coded pulses of light from a first flash device and in response transmit radio signals representative of the coded pulses of light, and may subsequently stop transmitting radio signals following the transmission of radio signals representative of the coded pulses of light.

Abstract: Methods and systems to set an amount of light to be emitted by a remote flash device may comprise: a first radio communication device coupled to a camera, a means for a user to set a desired light emission intensity or power emission level which may be perceptible to a first radio communication device, and at least a second radio communication device coupled to a remote flash device. The first radio communication device may transmit at least one radio signal to the second radio communication device which may comprise a power emission level. The at least second radio communication device may send any sequence of data or control signals to a remote flash device which may be representative of the desired light emission intensity or power emission level. The at least second radio communication device may send activation signals to the coupled flash device, followed by allowing a delay interval to elapse, followed by sending quench signals to the coupled flash device.

Abstract: A device, system, and method is disclosed. The device may be a photographic asset that may include one or more functional features configured to enable the photographic asset to perform one or more functions. The device may have a memory configured to hold a photographic asset identifier. The device may include a communication mechanism which may be configured to couple with a data handler and to provide the asset identifier to the data handler, and to receive a licensure status from the data handler, the licensure status obtained from a cross referencing of the asset identifier against a license flag in a database. The database may include a copy of the asset identifier and the license flag, the license flag may include the licensure status.

Abstract: A control system for use with preconfigured photographic equipment is disclosed including a controllable photographic device controllable by a controlling photographic device. The controllable photographic device may have a housing, and a device circuit having an upstream portion and a downstream portion coupled by control lines substantially within the housing. An internal module may be physically located substantially within the housing and may include a signal directing arrangement electrically and logistically coupled with the one or more control lines between the upstream portion and the downstream portion. The system may also include an external module configured to be physically located substantially outside of the housing, and electrically and logistically coupled with the internal module.

Abstract: A device system and method is disclosed. The device includes a first USB port configured to couple with a USB port on a camera, and circuitry configured to send USB signals to the camera and/or to receive USB signals from the camera, and to operate in USB Host mode, and/or USB OTG (on the go) mode, as the camera operates in Device mode. The device may also include a second USB port configured to couple with a PDA. The circuitry may be further configured to send USB signals to the PDA and/or to receive USB signals from the PDA, and to operate in USB Host mode, and/or USB OTG mode, as the PDA operates in Device mode.

Abstract: Methods and by which a radio signal transmitter of a photographic device may be configured to adhere to the local legal and regulatory limits of a specific region based on a locational fix data derived from a global positioning system GPS receiver of the photographic device.

Abstract: Methods and systems to relay short duration coded pulses of light emitted by a first flash device to a second flash device, which may be remote, using radio signals, wherein radio signals comprise data representative of short duration coded pulses of light from the first flash device which may comprise one or more binary commands and/or activation signals emitted by the first flash device. A first radio communication device may sense coded pulses of light from a first flash device and in response transmit radio signals representative of the coded pulses of light, and may subsequently stop transmitting radio signals following the transmission of radio signals representative of the coded pulses of light.

Abstract: Methods and by which photographic equipment having a wireless communication functionality may join a wireless personal area network which may be a mesh network. In various representative embodiments a photographic device may discover the existence of a wireless personal area network and may provide an indication to a node of the personal area network of its existence and thus a coordinator node or node of a personal area network may discover the photographic device. Methods by which specific events which must be substantially synchronized in time may be synchronized by information or data comprised in a superframe of a transmission of a node of a wireless personal area network.

Abstract: Methods and systems to set an amount of light to be emitted by a remote flash device may comprise: a first radio communication device coupled to a camera, a means for a user to set a desired light emission intensity or power emission level which may be perceptible to a first radio communication device, and at least a second radio communication device coupled to a remote flash device. The first radio communication device may transmit at least one radio signal to the second radio communication device which may comprise a power emission level. The at least second radio communication device may send any sequence of data or control signals to a remote flash device which may be representative of the desired light emission intensity or power emission level. The at least second radio communication device may send activation signals to the coupled flash device, followed by allowing a delay interval to elapse, followed by sending quench signals to the coupled flash device.

Abstract: A device and method for retrofitting a camera system uses a radio bridge that can successfully transmit a complete data stream, normally just sent via infrared light pulses, in near real time. The data stream is acquired at a source device. A transmitter unit is positioned near the source device, and a receiver unit is positioned near a remote device, such as a flash unit. The transmitter unit monitors IR signals produced by the source device and immediately transmits any detected light pulses without needing to put the pulses into packets or even determine if the pulses are part of a legitimate data stream. Frequency-Shift Keying (FSK) modulation is the preferred method for transmitting a radio signal. The radio signal is intentionally shifted, between a high state and a low state, at the end of very precise intervals of time to prevent any random switching of the radio signal.

Abstract: A scheme for attenuating reflected microwave radiation (11) reflected from distant objects (10) in a flow measuring device. A microwave transducer (3) is mounted on a feedpipe (5) or adjacent to a region in which matrial (2) is permitted to freely fall. The feedpipe (5) permits the introduction of electromagnetic radiation (6) into a larger mass transporting conduit (1). As particulate material (2) passes through the electromagnetic wavefront (7) the reflected signal (9) is sensed by the transducer (3) and the velocity of the material (2) can be calculated. A radar absorbent material (22) is used to line the conduit (1) or surround the region in which material is freely falling, thereby reducing the magnitude of any electromagnetic energy (6) that passes through the absorbent material (22).

Abstract: A metal detector (10) which uses a metallic test sphere (5) to pass with the product through the detector head (2) at periodic intervals. The frequency generator (21) which generates the signal sent to the oscillator coil (11) is capable of operating on numerous frequencies in the 50 kHz to 2 MHz range. The product is passed through the detector head (2), with and without the sphere (5) present, for each of the operating frequencies. The detected signal from the product and the product with metal is characterized for each of the operating frequencies. In this manner the frequency which produces the highest ratio of product with metal present signal to product signal without metal present can be identified. A second version of the metal detector (40) uses a frequency synthesizer (43) which may be rapidly scanned through a range of frequencies while the product is passing through the detector head (41).

Abstract: A metal detector (1) having an oscillator coil (10) which radiates an electromagnetic field in the vicinity of an article to be tested. The field is detected by a primary set of receiver coils (15) which are in close proximity to the oscillator coil (10), as well as by a secondary set of receiver coils (18) located relatively more distant from the oscillator coil. Moving or vibrating metal external to the detector cavity (7) surrounded by the coils (15, 18) will produce a modulated waveform (48) in the primary coils (15) which is similar in period to the modulated waveform (56) produced by the secondary coils (18), while metal passing through the detector cavity (7) will produce a waveform (24) from the primary coils (15) which has a period which differs from the period of the waveform (31) produced by the secondary coils (18).

Abstract: Metal detector (1) including an oscillator (10) generates an RF field in the vicinity of the head (2). Two reference signals (13, 14) are generated, one signal (14) being in phase with the oscillator (10) and the other signal (13) being shifted from the oscillator signal by 90.degree.. The signal (8,9) from the receive coils (6,7) is amplified and quadrature demodulated into two signal channels, each channel giving the orthogonal component of the original signal (8,9). The signals of each channel are digitized and read by a microprocessor (37) that controls the amplitude of the balance signals (43, 49). One signal (43) is in phase with the oscillator signal (11) and the second signal (49) is shifted 90.degree. from the oscillator signal (11). Signals (43,49) return to detection circuitry (6,7), maintaining balance on each channel. By monitoring the magnitude of the phase shifted and unshifted signals (49,43), the microprocessor (37) determines the characteristics of the product.