Portable information processing apparatus

• US 5,898,600 A
• Filed: 06/27/1997
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Isashi, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): MOISE, EMMANUEL LIONEL
• Application Number:
  US08/884,679
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 364/705.01, 364/705.05, 364/708.1, 364/449, 364/514, 361/681-683, 348/552
• US Class Current: 708/105
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1618 the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0243 using the relative angle between housings

Abstract

A portable information processing apparatus includes a first member provided with an information display unit and a second member provided with an information input unit. The first member has an outer surface for exposing the information display unit, and the second member has an outer surface for exposing the information input unit. A hinge member pivotally connects the first and second members with each other so that the first and second members are pivotable between: (i) a portable position in which the first and second members overlap each such that the outer surface of the first member and the outer surface of the second member oppose each other, and (ii) an open position in which the outer surface of the first member and the outer surface of the second member are moved away from each other so as to separate the first and second members from each other. A photographing unit performs a photographing operation and an exposed portion protecting member protects an exposed portion of the information input unit when the information processing apparatus is placed on a plain surface with the outer surface of the second member facing the plain surface. The information display unit provided in the first member includes a display for displaying photographic image information obtained by the photographing unit, and the information input unit provided in the second member includes at least one of: (i) a photographic conditions setting device for setting various photographing conditions of the photographing unit, and (ii) a shutter release device for controlling a shutter of the photographing unit.

Claims

1. A portable information processing apparatus comprising:

a first member provided with an information display unite said first member having an outer surface for exposing the information display unit;

a second member provided with an information input unite said second member having an outer surface for exposing the information input unit;

a hinge member pivotally connecting said first and second members with each other so that said first and second members are pivotable between;

(i) a portable position in which said first and second members overlap each other such that the outer surface of said first member and the outer surface of said second member oppose each others and (ii) an open position in which the outer surface of said first member and the outer surface of said second member are moved away from each other so as to separate said first and second members from each other;

a photographing unit for performing a photographing operation; and

an exposed portion protecting member for protecting an exposed portion of the information input unit when said information processing apparatus is placed on a plain surface with the outer surface of said second member facing the plain surface;

wherein said information display unit provided in said first member includes a display for displaying photographic image information obtained by said photographing unit, and

wherein said information input unit provided in said second member includes at least one of;

(i) a photographic conditions setting device for setting various photographing conditions of said photographing unit, and (ii) a shutter release device for controlling a shutter of said photographing unit.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said exposed portion protecting member includes a plurality of protecting projections which project from a region of the outer surface of said second member surrounding the exposed portion of the information input unit, said plurality of protecting projections each having a height which is larger than a height of the exposed portion of the information input unit.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first member includes a plurality of depressed portions at positions on of the outer surface thereof which correspond to positions of the plurality of the protecting projections on the outer surface of said second member when said first and second members are located at the portable position, said plurality of depressed portions being able to respectively receive said plurality of protecting projections of said second member.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said exposed portion protecting member projects from the outer surface of said second member further than the exposed portion of the information input unit projects from the outer surface of said second member at regions surrounding the exposed portion of the information input unit except at an access portion of the exposed portion of the information input unit.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said exposed portion protecting member sets a connecting portion of said hinge member at which said hinge is connected to said second member higher than a portion of said second member which includes the exposed portion of the information input unit.

6. A portable information processing apparatus comprising:

a photographing unit for performing a photographing operation;

an information display unit for displaying photographic image information obtained by said photographing unit;

an information processing unit for recognizing a reception of a predetermined detection signal which corresponds to an operation for setting an action mode of said apparatus to a photographing mode; and

a display circuit for displaying on a portion of said information display unit a pattern which functions as an operation panel for operating the photographing unit when said information processing unit recognizes the reception of the predetermined detection signal which corresponds to the operation for setting the action mode of said apparatus to the photographing mode.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising an information storage unit for storing photographic image information obtained by said photographing unit, said information storage unit being provided with an information storage medium port through which an independent information storage medium can be inserted into the information storage unit and removed therefrom.

8. A portable information processing apparatus comprising:

a photographing unit which performs a photographing operation to obtain photographic image information;

an information display unit which displays information for controlling said portable information processing apparatus and the photographic image information obtained by said photographing unit;

an information processing unit which sets one of (i) a photographing operation mode in which said portable information processing apparatus processes information for controlling said photographing unit, and (ii) a normal operation mode in which said portable information processing apparatus processes other information excluding the information for controlling said photographing unit, wherein said information processing unit sets the normal operation mode when a first predetermined detection signal which corresponds to an operation for setting the normal operation mode is received, and wherein said information processing unit sets the photographing operation mode when a second predetermined signal which corresponds to an operation for setting the photographing operation mode is received; and

a track ball operating member which is operable in conjunction with said information processing unit to;

(i) control operations of said portable information processing apparatus when the normal operation mode is set, and (ii) control operations of said photographing unit when the photographing operation mode is set.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said track ball operating member includes means for indicating on a portion of said information display unit a position at which the photographing unit is focused when the photographing operation mode is set.

10. A portable information processing apparatus comprising:

a photographing unit which performs a photographing operation to obtain photographic image information;

an information display unit which displays information for controlling said portable information processing apparatus and the photographic image information obtained by said photographing unit;

an information input unit including a plurality of operation keys for inputting information for controlling said photographing unit and for inputting other processing information;

an information processing unit which sets one of (i) a photographing operation mode in which said portable information processing apparatus processes the information for controlling said photographing unit, and (ii) a normal operation mode in which said portable information processing apparatus processes the other processing information, wherein said information processing unit sets the normal operation mode when a first predetermined detection signal which corresponds to an operation for setting the normal operation mode is received, and wherein said information processing unit sets the photographing operation mode when a second predetermined signal which corresponds to an operation for setting the photographing operation mode is received; and

a function setting unit which sets said plurality of operation keys to be operable for controlling said information processing apparatus when the normal operation mode is set, and which sets predetermined ones of said plurality of operation keys to be operable for controlling said photographing unit when the photographing operation mode is set.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising an information storage unit for storing photographic image information obtained by said photographing unit, said information storage unit being provided with an information storage medium port through which an independent information storage medium can be inserted into the information storage unit and removed therefrom.