Imaging apparatus

• US 20090060490A1
• Filed: 05/09/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Koshiishi, Kazunori, Kuwahara, Masato, Ehara, Yui
• Granted Patent: US 8,177,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/429
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/90 Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups A63F13/20 or A63F13/25, e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/695 Imported photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/531 being rotatable or detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2621 Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects during image pickup, e.g. digital cameras, camcorders, video cameras having integrated special effects capability

Abstract

An imaging apparatus 10 comprises a lower housing 11, an upper housing 21, an outer camera 25, and at least one photographing button (buttons 14H and 14G). The upper housing 21 is connected to an upper surface of the lower housing 11 such that the upper housing 21 and the lower housing 11 are foldable. The outer camera 25 is provided in an outer surface of the upper housing 21 which is located outside when the two housings 11 and 21 are folded. The at least one photographing button is provided on an upper surface of the lower housing 11 for performing an instruction to store an image taken by the outer camera 25.

Claims

1. A foldable imaging apparatus comprising:

a first imaging section;

a first housing;

a second housing;

a connection section for foldably connecting the first housing to the second housing; and

at least one photographing button provided on a side surface of the first housing in a case where an inner surface of the first housing when folded is referred to as a front surface, which side surface is on a side on which the second housing is located when the first housing and the second housing are opened, for performing an instruction to record an image taken by the first imaging section.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first imaging section is provided in an outer surface of the second housing when folded.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first imaging section is located in the outer surface of the second housing and on a side more distant from the connection section than a center of the outer surface of the second housing in an up-down direction.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein as the at least one photographing button, first and second buttons are provided on left and right ends of the side surface, respectively.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second imaging section provided substantially at a center of an apparatus main surface, which is formed by the inner surface of the first housing and an inner surface of the second housing when the imaging apparatus is opened, in a left-right direction.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a plurality of operation buttons provided on the inner surface of the first housing and on a right side and a left side of the second imaging section.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display section having a display screen which is provided substantially at a center of the inner surface of the first housing in a left-right direction; and

a plurality of operation buttons provided on the inner surface of the first housing and on a left side and a right side of the display screen.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display section having a display screen which is provided in the inner surface of the first housing;

a coordinate input section operable to input coordinates on the display screen; and

a control section for displaying a predetermined image on the display screen and recording an image taken by the first imaging section when an input by the coordinate input section is performed in an area of the predetermined image.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control section displays the predetermined image so as to be located substantially at a center of the first housing in a left-right direction.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first housing has a length in a left-right direction which is equal to or larger than 100 mm and which is equal to or smaller than 150 mm, and a length in an up-down direction which is equal to or larger than 60 mm and which is equal to or smaller than 90 mm.