Picture frame with internal camera source

• US 20100079654A1
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Imation Corporation (Glassbridge Enterprises, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Imation Corporation (Glassbridge Enterprises, Inc.)
• Inventors: Egemo, Andrew J.
• Application Number:
  US12/286,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20100079654A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.10
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1605 Multimedia displays, e.g. with integrated or attached speakers, cameras, microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0063 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0089 Image display device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/53 of electronic viewfinders, e.g. rotatable or detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters

Abstract

An apparatus for taking and displaying photographs includes a back surface, an image display surface, and a camera assembly in electrical communication with the image display surface. The camera assembly is disposed along opposed edges of the back surface and the image display surface and includes a lens that is pointable in a direction facing away from the back surface and movable to be pointed in a direction facing away from the image display surface.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a back surface;

an image display surface; and

a camera assembly in electrical communication with the image display surface, the camera assembly disposed along opposed edges of the back surface and the image display surface, the camera assembly comprising a lens pointable in a direction facing away from the back surface and movable to be pointed in a direction facing away from the image display surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the back surface and the image display surface are non-parallel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the back surface extends from a base to a leading edge of the back surface and the image display surface extends from the base to a leading edge of the image display surface, the camera assembly disposed between the leading edges of the back surface and the image display surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a cap coupled between the leading edges of the back surface and the image display surface, wherein the camera assembly is integrated with the cap and the lens is disposed in a window formed in the cap.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the camera assembly comprises a cylindrical camera assembly axially aligned in the cap.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the lens comprises a rotatable lens configured to rotate on a major axis of the camera assembly.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the rotatable lens is configured to rotate at least approximately 180 degrees on the major axis of the camera assembly to photograph subjects facing the back surface and rotate to photograph subjects facing the image display surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the rotatable lens is configured to rotate to point in a direction away from both the back surface and the image display surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image display surface comprises the only view finder employed by the camera assembly.

10. A camera system comprising:

a housing comprising a base, a back surface extending between the base and a leading edge, an image display surface extending between the base and a leading edge, and a cap attached to the leading edges of the back surface and the image display surface; and

a camera assembly integrated within the cap and in electrical communication with the image display surface, the camera assembly comprising a lens configured to photograph subjects facing the back surface and movable to photograph subjects facing the image display surface.

11. The camera system of claim 10, wherein the lens comprises a rotatable camera lens.

12. The camera system of claim 11, wherein the camera assembly comprises a cylindrical camera assembly and the cap comprises an arched cap that is semi-circular in lateral cross-section and configured to receive the cylindrical camera assembly.

13. The camera system of claim 12, wherein the arched cap defines a major axis and the rotatable camera lens is configured to rotate about the major axis.

14. The camera system of claim 13, wherein the rotatable camera lens is configured to rotate at least 180 degrees about the major axis.

15. A method of providing a picture frame configured to photograph a subject, the method comprising:

providing the picture frame with an image display screen and a camera assembly comprising a movable lens;

configuring the movable lens to capture images of subjects facing the image display screen; and

configuring the movable lens to rotate and capture images of subjects behind the image display screen.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising providing the picture frame with a lens integrated into a peripheral edge of the picture frame.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising providing the picture frame with an internal source for capturing and displaying digital images on the image display screen.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising providing the picture frame with an image display screen comprising the only view finder employed by the camera assembly.

19. The method of claim 15, comprising configuring the image display screen to display sequences of the images of subjects facing the image display screen and the images of subjects behind the image display screen.

20. The method of claim 15, comprising rotating the movable lens from a direction pointing toward the subjects facing the image display screen to a direction pointing toward the subjects behind the image display screen.