1. A pet toy, comprising:
a compartment adapted to hold a substance attractive to a pet, the compartment comprising coupled first and second halves, a sifting hole, and a lid;
means for promoting movement of the compartment such that the substance, or an aroma of the substance, within the compartment may pass through the sifting hole;
a substantially rigid body surrounding the compartment except for a first aperture defined within the body that at least temporarily exposes the sifting hole during operation of the pet toy; and
a second aperture defined within the body through which the compartment may be viewed, the second aperture not exposing the sifting hole during operation of the pet toy; wherein the means for promoting movement comprises the compartment located within the body and extending partially through the first aperture in the body, a horizontal axle running through a center of the compartment rotatably coupling the compartment to the body about a horizontal axis, whereby the compartment rotates and functions as a rotating element when the pet toy is propelled along a horizontal surface.
2. The pet toy of claim 1, wherein the compartment further comprises:
an opening through which the compartment may be filled with the substance; and
the lid covering the opening of the compartment.
3. The pet toy of claim 2, wherein the lid comprises the sifting hole.
4. The pet toy of claim 1, wherein the rotatably coupling means comprises:
a horizontally-oriented axle comprising a first end and a second end each coupled to an interior of the body; and
a first and second axle holes of the compartment positioned at diametrically opposed locations along a horizontal axis through a center of the compartment, the axle extending therethrough.
5. The pet toy of claim 1, wherein the rotatably coupling means comprises:
a first and second cylindrical protrusions extending from opposite sides of an inner surface of the body and defining a horizontal axis of the body; and
a first and second receptor holes defined by the compartment, the first and second receptor holes aligned along a horizontal axis through a center of the compartment and receiving the cylindrical protrusions of the body such that the compartment rotates about the horizontal axis defined by the cylindrical protrusions.
6. The pet toy of claim 1, wherein the body and the compartment are manufactured from plastic.
7. The pet toy of claim 1, wherein the body resembles an animal.
8. The pet toy of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a geometric shape.
9. The pet toy of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a left body portion and a right body portion.
10. The pet toy of claim 1, wherein the compartment comprises a ball.
11. The pet toy of claim 10, wherein the ball is spherical.
12. The pet toy of claim 10, wherein the ball is cylindrical.
13. The pet toy of claim 10, wherein the ball is football-shaped.
14. The pet toy of claim 1, wherein the compartment comprises a wheel.
15. The pet toy of claim 1, further comprising a torsion spring coupling the compartment to the body, wherein rotation of the compartment causes a tightening of the torsion spring, thereby causing the compartment to rotate in an opposing direction upon releasing the compartment.
16. The pet toy of claim 1, further comprising:
a tether comprising a first and second end, the first end fixably attached to the body; and
an anchor coupled with the second end of the tether, the anchor adapted to remain stationary on a horizontal surface;
wherein the body revolves around the anchor when the body is propelled across the horizontal surface.
17. The pet toy of claim 16, wherein the anchor comprises:
a base; and
a pivot structure rotatably coupled with the base and fixably attached to the tether.
18. The pet toy of claim 17, wherein the anchor further comprises:
a suction cup coupled to the base, the suction cup configured to create a suction between the base and the horizontal surface.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An image capturing apparatus which is connectable to and able to communicate with an external control apparatus, comprising:
an image capturing unit configured to capture an object image and generates image data;
a recording unit configured to divide image data generated by said image capturing unit into a plurality of files and records the files; and
a notifying unit configured to notify said external control apparatus of individual files divided into said plurality of files and recorded as information of a single file.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said notifying unit combines individual files divided into said plurality of files and notifies said external control apparatus of information of a single file.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording unit has a plurality of recording media that are detachable from said image capturing apparatus; and wherein image data generated by said image capturing unit is divided into a plurality of files and recorded in said plurality of recording media.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein file information for which notification is given by said notifying unit is a file size after the plurality of files are combined.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein file information for which notification is given by said notifying unit is a file name of one of the files before the plurality of files are combined, or is the created date and time of the file.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the case that file information for which notification was given by said image capturing apparatus is deleted in said external control apparatus, said recording unit deletes all files corresponding to that deleted file information.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the case that files recorded in each recording medium of said image capturing apparatus are displayed as a list in said external control apparatus, information of a single file is recorded in each recording medium in which said divided individual files are recorded.
8. A control method for an image capturing apparatus comprising a communication unit configured to connect to and communicate with an external control apparatus, and an image capturing unit configured to capture an object image and generate image data, comprising:
a recording step of recording image data generated by said image capturing unit and dividing the image data into a plurality of files and recording the files; and
a notifying step of notifying said external control apparatus of individual files divided into said plurality of files and recorded as information of a single file.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein in said notifying step, said individual files divided into said plurality of files are combined, and said external control apparatus is notified of information of a single file.
10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said image capturing apparatus has a plurality of recording media that are detachable from the image capturing apparatus, wherein in said recording step, image data generated by said image capturing unit is divided into a plurality of files and recorded in said plurality of recording media.
11. The method according to claim 8, wherein file information for which notification is given by said notifying step is a file size after the plurality of files are combined.
12. The method according to claim 8, wherein file information for which notification is given by said notifying step is a file name of one of the files before the plurality of files are combined, or is the created date and time of the file.
13. The method according to claim 8, wherein in the case that file information for which notification was given from said image capturing apparatus is deleted in said external control apparatus, all files corresponding to that deleted file information are deleted in said recording step.
14. The method according to claim 8, wherein in the case that files recorded in each recording medium of said image capturing apparatus are displayed as a list in said external control apparatus, information of a single file is recorded in each recording medium in which said divided individual files are recorded.
15. A program for causing a computer of the image capturing apparatus to execute the control method according to claim 8.
16. A system in which an external control apparatus and an image capturing apparatus are connectable and able to communicate with each other, wherein:
said image capturing apparatus comprises:
an image capturing unit configured to capture an object image and generates image data;
a recording unit configured to divide image data generated by said image capturing unit into a plurality of files and records the files; and
a notifying unit configured to notify said external control apparatus of individual files divided and recorded in said plurality of files as information of a single file; and
said external control apparatus comprises:
a receiving unit configured to receive file information for which notification was given by said image capturing apparatus; and
an obtaining unit configured to obtain image data divided into a plurality of files from said image capturing apparatus as a single file, based on file information for which notification was given by said receiving unit.