APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CHANGING AN IMAGE-CAPTURING POSITION OF A MOBILE PHONE CAMERA USING A MIRROR DEVICE

• US 20110081946A1
• Filed: 10/07/2009
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Byron Singh N John Singh
• Original Assignee: Byron Singh N John Singh
• Inventors: Singh, Byron Singh N John
• Application Number:
  US12/575,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20110081946A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly

Abstract

An apparatus and a method are disclosed for changing an image-capturing position of a mobile phone camera using a mirror device. In one embodiment of the invention, the mirror device has a first mirror surface which reflects an image into a second mirror surface that further reflects and redirects the image into a lens of a mobile phone camera. Furthermore, the mirror device also has a material positioned between the first mirror surface and the second mirror surface to enable tilting of mirror surfaces, wherein the material typically contains a non-reflective surface and one or more hinges. It is preferred that the mirror device also has Velcro surfaces which attach to a surface exposing the mobile phone camera. In addition, a software program can be used to invert the image reflected into the lens of the mobile phone camera.

Claims

1. An apparatus for changing an image-capturing position of a mobile phone camera using a mirror device, the apparatus comprising:

a first mirror surface configured to reflect an image into a second mirror surface, wherein the second mirror surface further reflects the image into a lens of the mobile phone camera;

a material positioned between the first mirror surface and the second mirror surface, wherein the material has one or more hinges to connect the first mirror surface to the material and the second mirror surface to the material;

a first Velcro surface attached to the apparatus;

a second Velcro surface attached to a surface exposing the lens of the mobile phone camera, wherein the first Velcro surface and the second Velcro surface are configured to create a removable fixed position for the apparatus upon contact and wherein the surface exposing the lens of the mobile phone camera is either part of the mobile phone camera itself or part of a mobile phone camera cover; and

a stabilizing arm attached to the apparatus, wherein the stabilizing arm is configured to stabilize the removable fixed position with an additional removable attachment contact point with a surface of the mobile phone camera.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more hinges can change an angle between the first mirror surface and the second mirror surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more hinges guide the first mirror surface and the second mirror surface to a predefined angular position between the first mirror surface and the second mirror surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stabilizing arm uses a third Velcro surface configured to be attached removably to the surface of the mobile phone camera containing a fourth Velcro surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first mirror surface at least partially faces the image.

6. A method for changing an image-capturing position of a mobile phone camera using a mirror device, the method comprising the steps of:

using a first mirror surface to reflect an image from a position not normally facing a lens of the mobile phone camera;

using a second mirror surface to redirect the image reflected from the first mirror, wherein a redirected image operatively reaches the lens of the mobile phone camera; and

using a pair of Velcro strips to create a removably fixed and/or stabilized position between the second mirror surface and the mobile phone camera.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising a step of using a stabilizing arm configured to stabilize the removably fixed position with an additional removable attachment contact point with a surface of the mobile phone camera or with a surface of a mobile phone camera cover, wherein the stabilizing arm has a stabilizing arm Velcro surface attachable to the surface of the mobile phone camera or to the surface of the mobile phone camera cover.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising a step of using a software program to invert the redirected image that reached the lens of the mobile phone camera.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the first mirror surface and the second mirror surface are connected by a non-reflective material between the first mirror surface and the second mirror surface using one or more hinges.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the stabilizing arm is also attached to the non-reflective material.

11. A method for changing an image-capturing position of a mobile phone camera using a mirror device, the method comprising the steps of:

using a first mirror surface to reflect an image from a position not normally facing a lens of the mobile phone camera;

using a second mirror surface to redirect the image reflected from the first mirror, wherein a redirected image operatively reaches the lens of the mobile phone camera; and

using one or more attachable surfaces to create a removably fixed and/or stabilized position between the second mirror surface and the mobile phone camera.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising a step of using a stabilizing arm configured to stabilize the removably fixed and/or stabilized position with an additional removable attachment contact point with a surface of the mobile phone camera or with a surface of a mobile phone camera cover, wherein the stabilizing arm has a surface attachable to the surface of the mobile phone camera or to the surface of the mobile phone camera cover.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising a step of using a software program to invert the redirected image that reached the lens of the mobile phone camera.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first mirror surface and the second mirror surface are connected by a non-reflective material between the first mirror surface and the second mirror surface using one or more hinges.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the stabilizing arm is also attached to the non-reflective material.