Portable compact imaging and displaying apparatus with rotatable camera

• US 5,612,732 A
• Filed: 03/18/1994
• Issued: 03/18/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Yuyama, Masami, Morikawa, Shigenori, Tsukamoto, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Acosta, Juan G.
• Application Number:
  US08/210,562
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 348/13, 348/14, 348/706, 348/725, 348/790, 348/838, 348/373, 348/376, 348/36, 379/55, 379/54, 379/53
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/02 Handling of images in compressed format, e.g. JPEG, MPEG
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2059 using error diffusion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• 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 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/124 Quantisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/126 Details of normalisation or weighting functions, e.g. normalisation matrices or variable uniform quantisers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/60 using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6187 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0056 Using mechanical couplings, e.g. mating elements H04N2201/0049, H04N2201/0051, H04N2201/0058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 : Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 : Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/66 : Transforming electric information into light information scanning details H04N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 : between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 : the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 : using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9261 : involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 : Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

A pocketable imaging apparatus which can be carried by a user. A body case has a liquid crystal display section therein and a rotatable camera section. A memory device built into the body case can store several sheets of images taken by the camera section. The liquid crystal display section displays thereon either an image stored in the memory device or an image taken by the camera section. The liquid crystal display section is provided on the back of the body case. The camera section is provided rotatably on the left side of the body case so as to form the same flat surfaces as the front and back surfaces of the body case even if the camera section is rotated through an angle of 180° forward and backward. A telephone line jack is also provided on the body case to enable the user to transmit the image on a telephone via telephone lines at any place where a telephone can be installed.

Claims

1. A pocketable television receiver with a rotatable camera comprising:

a case containing;

a television tuner;

a display section for displaying an image received by the television tuner;

a camera section installed to be rotated on the case;

means for causing an image taken by the camera section to be displayed on the display section;

means for compressing the image taken by the camera section; and

means for modulating the image compressed by the compressing means; and

a telephone line jack provided on the case and connected to a telephone line in order to output the image data modulated by the modulating means to the telephone line.

2. A pocketable television receiver with a rotatable camera according to claim 1, wherein the display section comprises a liquid-crystal display device with a backlight, the backlight comprising a flat fluorescent tube.

3. A pocketable television receiver with a rotatable camera according to claim 1, wherein said camera section is attached to the case such that it can be rotated around a rotating shaft like a semicircle between a front surface and a back surface of the case.

4. A pocketable videophone comprising:

a case containing;

a television tuner;

means for displaying an image received by the television tuner;

a camera section;

means for compressing an image taken by the camera section;

means for modulating the image compressed by the compressing means;

means for demodulating the image modulated by the modulating means;

means for expanding the image demodulated by the demodulating means; and

means for displaying selectively one of the image taken by the camera section and the image expanded by the expanding means;

a telephone line jack connected to a telephone line; and

wherein outputting the image modulated by the modulating means through the telephone line jack to a telephone line and demodulating by the demodulating means a modulated image inputted from the telephone line through the telephone line jack enables the receiver to function as a videophone.

5. A pocketable imaging and displaying apparatus with a rotatable camera, comprising:

a display section;

a camera section having an imaging means for providing image data, said camera section being smaller in size than said display section and being installed rotatably on said display section; and

said display section including;

means for compressing image data taken by said imaging means;

means for modulating said image data compressed by said compressing means;

means for transmitting said image data modulated by said modulating means, said transmitting means having a telephone line jack connected to a telephone line;

means for receiving said image data transmitted from said telephone line via said telephone line jack;

means for demodulating said image data received by said receiving means;

means for expanding said image data demodulated by said demodulating means; and

means for displaying selectively said image data expanded by said expanding means and said image data taken by said imaging means in said camera section, said displaying means comprising a liquid-crystal display device with a backlight.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said backlight comprises a flat fluorescent tube.

7. A pocketable imaging and displaying apparatus comprising:

a display section; and

a camera section having an imaging means for providing image data, said camera section being smaller in size than said display section and being installed rotatably on said display section; and

said display section including;

means for compressing image data taken by said imaging means;

means for storing plural sets of said image data compressed by said compressing means;

means for playing back said image data stored in said storing means; and

means for displaying selectively said image data played back by said playing back means and said image data taken by said imaging means, said displaying means comprising a liquid-crystal display device with a backlight formed of a flat fluorescent tube.

8. A pocketable imaging and displaying apparatus with a rotatable camera, comprising:

a body case;

a liquid-crystal displaying section provided on the back of said body case;

a camera section for taking a picture of a subject, said camera section including a lens and a lens selecting switch for switching a standard lens and a macro lens, respectively, on the front and the side thereof;

a storing section provided in said body case, for storing a plurality of images taken by said camera section;

a display section for displaying one of said image taken by said camera section and said image stored in said storing section;

a key input section provided on the top of said body case; and

a shutter button provided on the top and on an opposite side to said camera section;

wherein said camera section is provided rotatably on a side of the body case so as to form the same flat surfaces as front surface and back surface of the body case even if the camera section is rotated through an angle of 180°

forward and backward.