Personal communicator having orientable video imaging element

• US 5,414,444 A
• Filed: 03/30/1994
• Issued: 05/09/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T IPM Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Britz, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weldon, Ulysses
• Application Number:
  US08/221,152
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: 348/294, 348/333, 348/376, 348/373, 348/151, 348/158, 348/14, 379/37, 379/38, 345/156, 345/168, 345/169
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00281 with a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call terminal details of transmission H04N1/00095; establishing a communication with one of a facsimile machine or another apparatus sharing a single line H04N1/32704; interfacing cordless telephone terminals with an accessory to increase the functionality of user interface H04M1/72409
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0063 Constructional details

Abstract

A personal communicator for use in a wireless communication network includes a wireless communications LCD and a multimedia LCD with the communications, mounded on a hinged member, and superimposed on top of the multimedia LCD. The communications LCD is sufficiently transparent to permit viewing of the under multimedia LCD. Each provides visual information to the user relative to the present use of the communicator. The selected use of the communicator is primarily responsive to the open or closed position of the hinged keyboard supporting cover. When the hinged member is closed the communicator operates in a communication mode. When it is open the communicator operates primarily in a multimedia mode. The personal communicator includes a steerable video imager for controllably optimizing image field coverage and adjusting to the orientation of the user relative to the personal communicator. The video imager includes an optical lens set and the imager is mounted on a mounting shaft so as to allow controlled rotation about its axis. The video imager includes mechanical apparatus interactive with the hinged keyboard supporting cover to reset its orientation to a standard position when the cover is closed and allow differing orientations when the cover is open.

Claims

1. A personal communicator for radiotelephone communication with in a wireless communication system, comprising:

a support housing including a keyboard input mounted on a cover member connected by a hinge to the housing, a visual information display for information output positioned under the cover member and exposed when the cover member is open and a video image input module located adjacent the visual information display and accessible for visual input through a video camera aperture in the cover member when the cover member is closed;

the video image input module comprising;

a rotatable support mounted on a shaft defining a tilt axis and attached to the communicator housing;

a focusing lens mounted in a lens housing of the rotatable support;

an imaging collector mounted to receive images focused on it by the focusing lens;

a signal conductor for coupling the imaging collector to circuitry within the communicator housing;

a position reset lever connected to the rotatable support for adjusting an angular position of the rotatable support;

the cover member including means for engaging the position reset lever when the cover member is closed and positioning the video image module so that the focusing lens is aligned to receive images through the video camera aperture.

2. A personal communicator including;

a support member and a hinged keyboard supporting cover mounted by hinges to the support member;

a steerable video imager for controllably optimizing image field coverage and adjusting to the orientation of the user relative to the personal communicator;

the video imager being mounted on a mounting shaft, affixed in the support housing, so as to allow controlled rotation about its axis and allow differing image reception orientations when the cover is open and exposed for image reception through a cover aperture in the keyboard supporting cover;

the video imager including mechanical apparatus interactive with a protuberance of the hinged keyboard supporting cover to reset its orientation to a standard position to allow image receipt through the cover aperture, when the cover is closed.

3. A personal communicator including;

a support member and a hinged keyboard supporting cover mounted by hinges to the support member;

a steerable video imager for controllably optimizing image field coverage and adjusting to the orientation of the user relative to the personal communicator;

the video imager being mounted in a rotary gimbal mounting affixed in the support housing, so as to allow controlled rotation about two axes and allow differing image reception orientations when the cover is open and exposed for image reception through a cover aperture in the keyboard supporting cover;

the video imager including mechanical apparatus interactive with a protuberance of the hinged keyboard supporting cover to reset its orientation to a standard position to allow image receipt through the cover aperture, when the cover is closed.

4. A personal communicator as claimed in claim 3 including;

the mechanical apparatus including the gimbal mounting supporting the video imager.

5. A personal communicator including;

a support member and a hinged keyboard supporting cover mounted by hinges to the support member;

a steerable video imager for controllably optimizing image field coverage and adjusting to the orientation of the user relative to the personal communicator;

the video imager being mounted in a ball and socket mounting affixed in the support housing, so as to allow controlled rotation about multiple axes and allow differing image reception orientations when the cover is open and exposed for image reception through a cover aperture in the keyboard supporting cover;

the video imager including mechanical apparatus interactive with a protuberance of the hinged keyboard supporting cover to reset its orientation to a standard position to allow image receipt through the cover aperture, when the cover is closed.

6. A personal communicator as claimed in claim 5 including;

the mechanical apparatus including a flange included around a circumference of the video imager positioned to engage the protuberance of the cover to reposition the video imager to a standard position.

7. A personal communicator as claimed in claim 5 including;

the mechanical apparatus including a micro indexing motor for repositioning the the video imager to a standard position.