Camera module and mobile communication terminal using it

• US 20040021792A1
• Filed: 07/14/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Yasui, Kenichiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,365,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/373
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/028 Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits H05K1/0283 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10128 Display
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor

Abstract

A camera module according to the invention comprises one flexible substrate, first and second camera units mounted on the same face of this flexible substrate, and bent parts so set in prescribed positions of the flexible substrate that the directions of the fields of view of the first and second camera units be reverse to each other. As these features can provide a configuration in which the directions of the fields of view of the two camera units are reverse (180 degrees) to each other, there is no need to provide an FPC, which is a printed circuit board for control use, for each camera but one common FPC can suffice, resulting in an advantage of simpler structure.

Claims

1. A camera module comprising one flexible substrate, first and second camera units mounted on the same face of this flexible substrate, and bent parts so set in prescribed positions of said flexible substrate that the directions of the fields of view of said first and second camera units be reverse to each other.

3. The camera module, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

bent parts are so set in prescribed positions of said flexible substrate that the lens face of said first camera unit and the rear face of said second camera unit be on substantially the same plane, and the rear face of said first camera unit and the lens face of said second camera unit be on substantially the same plane.

2. A camera module comprising one flexible substrate, and first and second camera units mounted on different faces of this flexible substrate so that the directions of their fields of view be reverse to each other.

4. The camera module, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

bent parts are so set in prescribed positions of said flexible substrate that the lens face of said first camera unit and the rear face of said second camera unit be on substantially the same plane, and the rear face of said first camera unit and the lens face of said second camera unit be on substantially the same plane.

5. A mobile communication terminal having a built-in camera module comprising one flexible substrate, first and second camera units mounted on the same face of this flexible substrate, and bent parts so set in prescribed positions of said flexible substrate that the directions of the fields of view of said first and second camera units be reverse to each other.

7. The mobile communication terminal, as claimed in claim 5, provided with:

bent parts so set in prescribed positions of the flexible substrate that the lens face of said first camera unit and the rear face of said second camera unit be on substantially the same plane, and the rear face of said first camera unit and the lens face of said second camera unit be on substantially the same plane.

9. The mobile communication terminal, as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said first camera unit is intended for short-range shots and said second camera unit is intended for long-range shots.

11. The mobile communication terminal, as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

said first camera unit is intended for short-range shots and said second camera unit is intended for long-range shots.

13. The mobile communication terminal, as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

the lens face of said first camera unit is exposed on a front case constituting the body of the mobile communication terminal, and the lens face of said second camera unit is exposed on a rear cover constituting said body.

15. The mobile communication terminal, as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the lens face of said first camera unit is exposed on a front case constituting the body of the mobile communication terminal, and the lens face of said second camera unit is exposed on a rear cover constituting said body.

6. A mobile communication terminal having a built-in camera module comprising one flexible substrate, and first and second camera units mounted on different faces of this flexible substrate so that the directions of their fields of view be reverse to each other.

8. The mobile communication terminal, as claimed in claim 6, provided with:

bent parts so set in prescribed positions of the flexible substrate that the lens face of said first camera unit and the rear face of said second camera unit be on substantially the same plane, and the rear face of said first camera unit and the lens face of said second camera unit be on substantially the same plane.

10. The mobile communication terminal, as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said first camera unit is intended for short-range shots and said second camera unit is intended for long-range shots.

12. The mobile communication terminal, as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said first camera unit is intended for short-range shots and said second camera unit is intended for long-range shots.

14. The mobile communication terminal, as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

the lens face of said first camera unit is exposed on a front case constituting the body of the mobile communication terminal, and the lens face of said second camera unit is exposed on a rear cover constituting said body.

16. The mobile communication terminal, as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

the lens face of said first camera unit is exposed on a front case constituting the body of the mobile communication terminal, and the lens face of said second camera unit is exposed on a rear cover constituting said body.