Smartphone with front camera and maximized display screen

• US 10,324,492 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2017
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inodyn Newmedia GmbH
• Original Assignee: Inodyn Newmedia GmbH
• Inventors: Pantel, Lothar
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsvey, Gennadiy
• Application Number:
  US15/856,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20180219987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1605 Multimedia displays, e.g. with integrated or attached speakers, cameras, microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/04 Changes in size, position or resolution of an image
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/145 related to small screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2092 Details of a display terminals using a flat panel, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto suitable for both CRT and flat panel G09G5/003; specific for a CRT G09G1/165
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/40 OLEDs integrated with touch screens

Abstract

A smartphone device may have thin borders at the left, right, top, and/or bottom edges of the display screen. To accommodate, e.g., a front camera in spite of a border that is too thin for a camera module and lens, at least one corner of the display may be cut out. Optical sensor(s), emitter(s), or the lens of a front camera may be disposed at the location(s) of the cutout(s). A wide-screen movie may be displayed in letterbox mode with horizontal bars above and/or below the movie, wherein the cutout(s) are located, at least partially, in the region(s) of the horizontal bars, thereby avoiding that larger parts of the movie are hidden by the cutout(s). In other embodiments, an uninterrupted status bar may be displayed between a cutout in the upper-left corner and a cutout in the upper-right corner of the display.

Claims

1. A method for maximizing the size of a wide-screen movie in relation to the outer dimensions of a smartphone equipped with a front camera, comprising:

a) providing an oblong display, said display being aligned in landscape orientation and having a left edge, a right edge, an upper edge, a lower edge, a horizontal screen width, an upper-left corner, and a lower-left corner, wherein said display has an upper-left cutout at said upper-left corner and a lower-left cutout at said lower-left corner, said upper-left cutout having an upper-left cutout area, and said lower-left cutout having a lower-left cutout area,

b) providing at least one front camera and at least one optical emitter,

c) providing an oblong casing with at least a first thin border and a second thin border, said casing being aligned in landscape orientation and having an outer horizontal measurement,

d) configuring said smartphone to display a first screen content on said display, comprising;

i) a wide-screen movie in landscape orientation that seamlessly extends over the entire horizontal screen width of said display, said wide-screen movie having a left side, a right side, and an image width, wherein the left side of said wide-screen movie is displayed between said upper-left cutout and said lower-left cutout,

ii) an upper horizontal matte region located above said wide-screen movie, wherein said upper horizontal matte region extends into said upper-left cutout area, such that said upper-left cutout is accommodated, at least in part, in said upper horizontal matte region,

iii) a lower horizontal matte region located below said wide-screen movie, wherein said lower horizontal matte region extends into said lower-left cutout area, such that said lower-left cutout is accommodated, at least in part, in said lower horizontal matte region,

e) disposing said at least one front camera, at least in part, in said upper-left cutout area or said lower-left cutout area, and disposing said at least one optical emitter, at least in part, in said lower-left cutout area or said upper-left cutout area,

f) disposing said first thin border adjacent to the left side of said wide-screen movie and said second thin border adjacent to the right side of said wide-screen movie, such that the outer horizontal measurement of said casing is nearly equal to the image width of said wide-screen movie,

g) configuring said smartphone to alternately display a second screen content on said display, comprising;

i) a photograph having a visible area, wherein said photograph seamlessly extends to the left edge, the right edge, the upper edge, and the lower edge of said display, and

ii) a schematized camera lens symbol located adjacent to said upper-left cutout area or said lower-left cutout area, wherein said schematized camera lens symbol surrounds said upper-left cutout area or said lower-left cutout area substantially in a quarter circle, such that the visible area of said photograph is maximized, said schematized camera lens symbol being animated and being visible, at least if said front camera is active.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said upper horizontal matte region and said lower horizontal matte region are empty and contain no content.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said upper horizontal matte region and said lower horizontal matte region are displayed in black.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said display has a curved surface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said smartphone is a phablet.

6. A method for increasing the screen area for a wide-screen movie in relation to the outer dimensions of a smartphone equipped with a front camera, comprising:

a) providing an oblong display, said display being aligned in landscape orientation and having a left edge, a right edge, an upper edge, a lower edge, a horizontal screen width, at least an upper corner, and at least a lower corner, wherein said display has an upper cutout at said upper corner and a lower cutout at said lower corner, said upper cutout having an upper cutout area, and said lower cutout having a lower cutout area,

b) providing at least one front camera and disposing said front camera, at least in part, in said upper cutout area or said lower cutout area,

c) providing an oblong casing with at least a first thin border and a second thin border, said casing being aligned in landscape orientation and having an outer horizontal measurement,

d) configuring said smartphone to display a first screen content on said display, comprising;

i) a wide-screen movie in landscape orientation that seamlessly extends over the entire horizontal screen width of said display, said wide-screen movie having a left side, a right side, and an image width, wherein said wide-screen movie is displayed horizontally between said upper cutout and said lower cutout,

ii) an upper horizontal matte region located above said wide-screen movie, wherein said upper horizontal matte region extends into said upper cutout area, such that said upper cutout is accommodated, at least in part, in said upper horizontal matte region,

iii) a lower horizontal matte region located below said wide-screen movie, wherein said lower horizontal matte region extends into said lower cutout area, such that said lower cutout is accommodated, at least in part, in said lower horizontal matte region,

e) disposing said first thin border adjacent to the left side of said wide-screen movie and said second thin border adjacent to the right side of said wide-screen movie, such that the outer horizontal measurement of said casing is nearly equal to the image width of said wide-screen movie,

f) configuring said smartphone to alternately display a second screen content on said display, comprising;

i) a photograph having a visible area, wherein said photograph seamlessly extends to the left edge, the right edge, the upper edge, and the lower edge of said display, and

ii) a schematized camera lens symbol located adjacent to said upper cutout area or said lower cutout area, wherein said schematized camera lens symbol surrounds said upper cutout area or said lower cutout area substantially in a quarter circle, such that the visible area of said photograph is maximized, said schematized camera lens symbol being animated and being visible, at least if said front camera is active.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said front camera is a front camera module with at least one lens.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said upper horizontal matte region and said lower horizontal matte region are empty and contain no content.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said display has a curved surface.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein said smartphone is a phablet.

11. A smartphone having a front-facing camera, said smartphone being made for maximizing the size of a wide-screen movie in relation to the outer dimensions of said smartphone, comprising:

a) an oblong display, said display being aligned in landscape orientation and having a horizontal screen width, at least an upper corner, and at least a lower corner, wherein said display has an upper cutout at said upper corner and a lower cutout at said lower corner, said upper cutout having an upper cutout area, and said lower cutout having a lower cutout area,

b) a computer system configured to be at least able to alternately display a first screen content and a second screen content on said display,

c) said first screen content comprising;

i) a wide-screen movie in landscape orientation that seamlessly extends over the entire horizontal screen width of said display, said wide-screen movie having a left side, a right side, and an image width, wherein said wide-screen movie is displayed horizontally between said upper cutout and said lower cutout,

ii) an upper horizontal matte region located above said wide-screen movie, wherein said upper horizontal matte region extends into said upper cutout area, such that said upper cutout is accommodated, at least in part, in said upper horizontal matte region,

iii) a lower horizontal matte region located below said wide-screen movie, wherein said lower horizontal matte region extends into said lower cutout area, such that said lower cutout is accommodated, at least in part, in said lower horizontal matte region,

d) at least one front camera module with at least one lens disposed, at least in part, in said upper cutout area or said lower cutout area, and at least one optical emitter disposed, at least in part, in said lower cutout area or said upper cutout area,

e) an oblong casing with at least a first thin border and a second thin border, said casing being aligned in landscape orientation and having an outer horizontal measurement, wherein said first thin border is disposed adjacent to the left side of said wide-screen movie and said second thin border is disposed adjacent to the right side of said wide-screen movie, such that the outer horizontal measurement of said casing is nearly equal to the image width of said wide-screen movie,

f) said second screen content comprising;

i) an image having a visible area, and

ii) a schematized camera lens symbol located adjacent to said upper cutout area or said lower cutout area, wherein said schematized camera lens symbol surrounds said upper cutout area or said lower cutout area substantially in a quarter circle, such that the visible area of said image is maximized, said schematized camera lens symbol being animated and being visible, at least if said front camera module is active.

12. The smartphone of claim 11, wherein said upper horizontal matte region and said lower horizontal matte region are empty and contain no content.

13. The smartphone of claim 12, wherein said upper horizontal matte region and said lower horizontal matte region are displayed in black.

14. The smartphone of claim 11, wherein said display has a curved surface.

15. The smartphone of claim 11, wherein said smartphone is a phablet.

16. A smartphone comprising:

a) an oblong display, said display being aligned in landscape orientation and having a horizontal screen width, at least an upper corner, and at least a lower corner, wherein said display has an upper cutout at said upper corner and a lower cutout at said lower corner, said upper cutout having an upper cutout area, and said lower cutout having a lower cutout area,

b) at least one front camera disposed, at least in part, in said upper cutout area or said lower cutout area,

c) a computer system configured to be at least able to alternately display a first screen content and a second screen content on said display,

d) said first screen content comprising;

i) an image having a visible area, and

ii) a schematized camera lens symbol located adjacent to said upper cutout area or said lower cutout area, wherein said schematized camera lens symbol surrounds said upper cutout area or said lower cutout area substantially in a quarter circle, such that the visible area of said image is maximized, said schematized camera lens symbol being animated and being visible, at least if said front camera is active,

e) said second screen content comprising;

i) a wide-screen movie in landscape orientation that seamlessly extends over the entire horizontal screen width of said display, said wide-screen movie having a left side, a right side, and an image width, wherein said wide-screen movie is displayed horizontally between said upper cutout and said lower cutout,

ii) an upper horizontal matte region located above said wide-screen movie, wherein said upper horizontal matte region extends into said upper cutout area, such that said upper cutout is accommodated, at least in part, in said upper horizontal matte region,

iii) a lower horizontal matte region located below said wide-screen movie, wherein said lower horizontal matte region extends into said lower cutout area, such that said lower cutout is accommodated, at least in part, in said lower horizontal matte region,

f) an oblong casing with at least a first thin border and a second thin border, said casing being aligned in landscape orientation and having an outer horizontal measurement, wherein said first thin border is disposed adjacent to the left side of said wide-screen movie and said second thin border is disposed adjacent to the right side of said wide-screen movie, such that the outer horizontal measurement of said casing is nearly equal to the image width of said wide-screen movie.

17. The smartphone of claim 16, wherein said front camera is a front camera module with at least one lens.

18. The smartphone of claim 16, wherein said upper horizontal matte region and said lower horizontal matte region are empty and contain no content.

19. The smartphone of claim 16, wherein said display has a curved surface.

20. The smartphone of claim 16, wherein said smartphone is a phablet.