IC card having camera, microphone, and modem for use in information processors

• US 5,708,853 A
• Filed: 11/21/1995
• Issued: 01/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Sanemitsu, Yoshikado
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, DUNG C
• Application Number:
  US08/561,238
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 395/892, 395/893, 361/737, 361/749, 345/156, 348/373, 348/376
• US Class Current: 710/73
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

An IC Card includes an image input device and an acoustic input device. A transmission controller transmits electrical signals received from the image input device or the acoustic input device to a telephone or communication line, or transmits signals received from the communication line through a first connector to a terminal such as a personal computer. A frame supports the image input device, and the acoustic input device, the transmission controller, while a panel fixed to the frame encloses the image input device, the acoustic input device and the transmission controller. Another type of IC card has a frame with a main body and an extension connected thereto. The extension encloses the image input device and the acoustic input device. In a modified IC card, at least one of the image input device and the acoustic input device includes a rotatable connecting member so that the direction of the device can be set in a wide range.

Claims

1. An IC card comprising:

a first connector connectable to a terminal for processing information;

a second connector connectable to a communication line;

an image input device converting an optical signal to an electrical signal;

an acoustic input device converting an acoustic signal to an electrical signal;

a transmission controller transmitting an electrical signal received from said image input device or said acoustic input device through said second connector to the communication line and transmitting an electrical signal received from the communication line through said first connector to the terminal;

a frame mounting said image input device, said acoustic input device, said transmission controller and said first and second connectors;

a panel connected to said frame, said panel enclosing said first connector, said second connector, said image input device, said acoustic input device and said transmission controller;

wherein said panel comprises a first hole for propagating an image to said image input device and a second hole for propagating a sound to said acoustic input device.

2. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein said transmission controller comprises a signal multiplexer which generates multiplex signals of the electrical signals received from said image input device and from said acoustic input device and transmits the multiplex signals through said second connector to the communication line.

3. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein said transmission controller comprises a signal demultiplexer which separates image signals and acoustic signals from multiplex signals received through said second connector and sends the image and acoustic signals through said first connector to the terminal.

4. An IC card comprising:

a first connector connectable to a terminal for processing information;

a second connector connectable to a communication line;

an image input device converting an optical signal to an electrical signal;

an acoustic input device converting an acoustic signal to an electrical signal;

a transmission controller transmitting an electrical signal received from said image input device or said acoustic input device through said second connector to the communication line and transmitting an electrical signal received from the communication line through said first connector to the terminal;

a frame mounting said image input device, said acoustic input device, said transmission controller and said first and second connectors, said frame comprising a main body and an extension connected thereto, said extension enclosing said image input device and said acoustic input device and mounting said second connector at an end thereof, said extension comprising a first hole for propagating an image to said image input device and a second hole for propagating a sound to said acoustic input device; and

a panel connected to said frame, said panel enclosing said transmission controller.

5. The IC card according to claim 4, wherein said extension has a surface at which said first and second holes are provided, and the surface is parallel to an upper surface of said panel along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said frame.

6. The IC card according to claim 4, wherein said extension has a first surface at which said first hole is provided and a second surface at which said second hole is provided, and the surfaces are slant with respect to an upper surface of said panel along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said frame.

7. The IC card according to claim 4, wherein said frame comprises a main body and said extension, said frame further comprising a hinge connecting said main body to said extension.

8. The IC card according to claim 4, wherein said transmission controller comprises a signal multiplexer which generates multiplex signals of the electrical signals received from said image input device and from said acoustic input device and transmits the multiplex signals through said second connector to the communication line.

9. The IC card according to claim 4, wherein said transmission controller comprises a signal demultiplexer which separates image signals and acoustic signals from multiplex signals received through said second connector and sends the image and acoustic signals through said first connector to the terminal.

10. An IC card comprising:

a first connector connectable to a terminal for processing information;

a second connector connectable to a communication line;

an image input device converting an optical signal to an electrical signal, said image input device comprising a first hole for propagating an image;

an acoustic input device converting an acoustic signal to an electrical signal, said acoustic input device comprising a second hole for propagating a sound;

a transmission controller transmitting an electrical signal received from said image input device or said acoustic input device through said second connector to the communication line and transmitting an electrical signal received from the communication line through said first connector to the terminal;

a frame mounting said image input device, said acoustic input device, said transmission controller and said first and second connectors; and

a panel connected to said frame, said panel enclosing said transmission controller and said first and second connectors;

wherein one of said image input device and said acoustic input device comprising a rotatable connecting member which is connected to said frame.

11. The IC card according to claim 10, wherein said connecting member comprises a spherical joint.

12. The IC card according to claim 10, wherein said image input device comprises said connecting member.

13. The IC card according to claim 10, wherein said acoustic input device comprises said connecting member.

14. The IC card according to claim 12, wherein said acoustic input device comprises said connecting member.

15. The IC card according to claim 10, wherein said transmission controller comprises a signal multiplexer which generates multiplex signals of the electrical signals received from said image input device and from said acoustic input device and transmits the multiplex signals through said second connector to the communication line.

16. The IC card according to claim 10, wherein said transmission controller comprises a signal demultiplexer which separates image signals and acoustic signals from multiplex signals received through said second connector and sends the image and acoustic signals through said first connector to the terminal.

17. A terminal for processing information comprising a casing and an electrical circuit enclosed by the casing, the casing comprising:

a slot for inserting an IC card enclosing an image input device converting an optical signal to an electrical signal, said image input device comprising a first hole for propagating an image, an acoustic input device converting an acoustic signal to an electrical signal, said acoustic input device comprising a second hole for propagating a sound, the IC card transmitting the electrical signals received from the image input device and said acoustic input device to the terminal; and

third and fourth holes provided at positions in correspondence to the first and second holes when the IC card is inserted into said slot.

18. The terminal according to claim 17, wherein said image input device comprises a lens, and the lens is mounted to said third hole.