Discreetly positionable camera housing

• US 20080058010A1
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Original Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Inventors: Lee, Wicky
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,128 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly

Abstract

A camera housing positionably coupled to an electronic appliance is disclosed. Preferably, the camera housing is positionable in two discrete positions such that the camera can be positioned to face towards or away from the user. The appliance includes a recess sized to receive the camera housing. A cellular telephone includes a camera housing which is positionable in two discrete positions. In the first position, the camera faces the user. In the second position, the camera faces away from the user. The camera housing is coupled to the cellular telephone by a hinge mechanism that latches the camera into one of the two positions.

Claims

1. An electronic appliance having a comprising:

a. an appliance housing having a recess;

b. a display means;

c. a camera, having;

i. a lens;

ii. means for displaying a field of view of the lens on the display means;

iii. a camera housing for positionably and rotatably coupling the camera to the electronic appliance in two discrete positions, wherein in a first position the display means is visible within the field of view of the lens and in a second position the display means is not visible within the field of view of the lens and further wherein the camera housing is sized to fit within the recess and is hingedly coupled to the appliance housing to be within the recess in one of the first position and the second position.

3. The positionable camera in claim 1 wherein the electrical appliance is any one of a cellular phone, a digital camera, a PDA, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a multimedia device and a portable music player.

4. A cellular telephone comprising:

a. a casing;

b. signal processing means to transmit and receive data;

c. a speaker coupled to the casing;

d. a microphone coupled to the casing;

e. a display screen coupled to he casing; and

,

f. a camera housing, having a camera, a top surface and a bottom surface, coupled to the case, wherein the camera housing is positionable in a first position facing substantially towards a user and a second position facing substantially away from a user.

2. The camera housing in claim 8 wherein the hinge mechanism comprises:

a. at least one pivot formed on the camera housing;

b. at least one socket, having an inner surface, formed on the electrical appliance, having plurality of indentations on the inner surface, wherein the at least one socket is configured to receive the pivot;

c. a locking sleeve having a latching protrusion for coupling the protrusion and the socket;

wherein the plurality of indentations are configured to receive the latching protrusion and lock the camera housing in a discrete position.

5. The cellular telephone in claim 4 wherein the casing comprises a recessed cavity having a top inner surface and a bottom inner surface, configured to receive the camera housing in its second position.

6. The cellular phone in claim 5 wherein the casing further comprises a depression along the recessed cavity such that the user can manipulate the camera housing between the first and second position.

7. The cellular telephone in claim 4 wherein the camera housing is coupled to the case by a hinge mechanism, the hinge mechanism comprising:

a. a first pivot on the top surface of the camera housing;

b. a second pivot on the bottom surface of the camera housing;

c. a first socket, having an inner surface, formed on the top surface of the recessed cavity and configured to receive the first pivot; and

d. a second socket, formed on the bottom surface of the recessed cavity and configured to receive the second pivot.

8. The cellular telephone in claim 7 wherein the first socket further comprises a first indentation and a second indentation formed along the inner surface.

9. The cellular telephone in claim 8 wherein the hinge mechanism further comprises a locking sleeve, having a latching protrusion, configured to couple between the first socket and first protrusion, further wherein the locking protrusion has been configured to latch into one of the first indentation and the second indentation.

10. The cellular phone in claim 4 wherein the display screen is capable of being used as a tactile interface.

11. The cellular phone in claim 4 further comprising a tactile interface.