Collapsible cellular communication terminal having a camera having photographing control function and photographing control method in the terminal

• US 20040166829A1
• Filed: 04/05/2004
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hirota, Nao, Matsuo, Toru, Nakae, Kazuaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,345,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00

Abstract

A folding mobile communications terminal according to the present invention is a folding mobile communications terminal that has a photographing function and is openable/closable. This folding mobile communications terminal detects whether the folds are closed, and disables the photographing function if the folds are closed.

Claims

1. A folding mobile communications terminal that has a photographing function and is openable and closable, comprising:

a detecting unit operable to detect whether the mobile communications terminal is in a closed state; and

a photographing control unit operable to disable the photographing function when the detecting unit detects that the mobile communications terminal is in the closed state.

2. The mobile communications terminal of claim 1, wherein

the detecting unit detects an opening angle of the mobile communications terminal, and

the photographing control unit disables the photographing function when the detected opening angle is below a threshold angle.

3. The mobile communications terminal of claim 2, wherein

the photographing control unit includes

a warning unit operable to generate a warning when the detected opening angle is below the threshold angle.

4. The mobile communications terminal of claim 1, wherein

the photographing control unit includes

a warning unit operable to generate a warning when the detecting unit detects that the mobile communications terminal is in the closed state.

5. The mobile communications terminal of claim 1, further comprising

a lightness judging unit operable to (i) measure lightness which indicates a level of ambient light, and (ii) judge whether the lightness is below a threshold level, wherein

when the lightness judging unit judges that the lightness is below the threshold level, the photographing control unit disables the photographing function.

6. The mobile communications terminal of claim 5, wherein

the photographing control unit includes

a warning unit operable to generate a warning when the lightness judging unit judges that the lightness is below the threshold level.

7. The mobile communications terminal of claim 1, further comprising

a lightness judging unit operable to (i) measure lightness which indicates a level of ambient light, and (ii) judge whether the lightness is below a threshold level, wherein

the photographing control unit includes

a warning unit operable to generate a warning when the lightness judging unit judges that the lightness is below the threshold level.

8. The mobile communications terminal of claim 7, wherein

the warning unit generates the warning by emitting light.

9. The mobile communications terminal of claim 7, wherein

the warning unit generates the warning by making the mobile communications terminal vibrate.

10. The mobile communications terminal of claim 7, wherein

the warning unit generates the warning by outputting a voice message.

11. A folding mobile communications terminal that is openable and closable, comprising:

a photographic lens which is positioned so as to be externally invisible when the mobile communications terminal is in a closed state; and

a photographing unit operable to photograph an object through the photographic lens.

12. A photographing control method for a folding mobile communications terminal that has a photographing function and is openable and closable, comprising:

a detecting step of detecting whether the mobile communications terminal is in a closed state; and

a photographing control step of disabling the photographing function when detected that the mobile communications terminal is in the closed state.