Camera, an image inputting apparatus, a portable terminal device, and a method for transforming the camera configuration

• US 20060013580A1
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shigeru Horiguchi
• Original Assignee: Shigeru Horiguchi
• Inventors: Horiguchi, Shigeru
• Granted Patent: US 7,295,773 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/535
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0208 characterized by the relative motions of the body parts
• 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 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/20 including a rotatable camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera

Abstract

A camera has a camera body formed in a longitudinal rectangular shape, and in the intermediate portion of the camera body, a flexion/transformation mechanism dividing the camera body into an image photographing section including a lens system for capturing an optical image of a subject and a gripping section for a photographer to grip the camera body at the time of photographing is provided. The flexion/transformation mechanism is configured so as to dispose the image photographing section and the gripping section on a same straight line such that the camera body is formed in the longitudinal rectangular shape in a first state, and to dispose the gripping section angled relative to said image photographing section in a second state.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a first body section including;

a lens system configured to capture an image of a subject, and

a display configured to display said image; and

a second body section rotatably connected to said first body section, including;

a telephone keypad, and

a space configured to accommodate a battery as a power source.