Personal data communication apparatus

• US 6,137,525 A
• Filed: 02/17/1998
• Issued: 10/24/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Kyeong-Won, Choi, Ho-Young, Moon, Hee Jong
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harrington, Alicia M.
• Application Number:
  US09/024,301
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 348/13, 348/14, 348/16, 348/552, 348/207, 348/151, 348/158, 455/90, 455/66, 455/575
• US Class Current: 348/14.02
• 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 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085

Abstract

A personal data communication apparatus that provides a camera, a magnified image in a display and a video telecommunication system within a compact handset housing is disclosed. The personal data communication apparatus can include a memory that stores image information from the camera converted into an electrical signal as data. A transmission controlling part accesses the data stored in the memory and transmits to a radio public telecommunication network in response to a user signal requesting a video communication and displays the image information received as an image signal from the public telecommunication network. The personal data communications apparatus can further include a receiver receiving a voice, a viewfinder type display adapted to magnify the image information, a speaker for transmitting a voice and a system driving part for entering system operation control signals by the user. The camera is a compact design using a diffractive optic system to be mounted within a housing. The housing preferably encompasses the personal data communications apparatus with the speaker rotatably attached to an upper portion of the housing to protect the camera in a closed position and the receiver rotatably attached to a lower portion of the housing to protect the display in a closed position.

Claims

1. A personal data communication apparatus that selectively performs a function of transmitting and receiving an image signal, the personal data communication apparatus comprising:

a housing for encompassing the personal data communication apparatus;

a camera located on a front upper part of the housing, for receiving an information, and for inputting the image signal;

a memory for storing the image signal from the camera;

a transmission and reception controller for controlling operations of reading the image signal from the memory and transmitting the image signal to a wireless public telecommunication network according to a user'"'"'s request signal, and operations of displaying the image signal received from the wireless public telecommunication network;

a speaker mounted on an upper part of the housing, for outputting a voice signal, wherein the speaker is a flip type covering the camera lens;

a viewfinder within the housing for magnifying and displaying the image signal stored in the memory;

a system driver located in a lower part of the housing, for inputting control signals that control operations of the apparatus;

a display located on the front part of the housing for displaying one of the received image signal and an input state of the system driver; and

a microphone mounted on the lower part of the housing, for transmitting the voice.

2. A personal data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the camera includes:

a camera lens for inputting external images through a window formed in front of the housing; and

,

a CCD for converting the image input from the camera lens to an electrical signal.

3. A personal data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lens is a diffractive optic lens.

4. A personal data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the camera further includes a reflecting means for changing a path of the image signal between the camera lens and the CCD.

5. A personal data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the reflecting means is one of a mirror and a prism.

6. A personal data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the camera includes a diffractive optic lens.

7. A personal data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microphone is a flip type covering the display.

8. A personal data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the viewfinder includes,

a line LED for displaying the image signal input from the camera in a line unit in sequence,

a magnifying lens magnifying the displayed image signal,

a rotating mirror part scanning the magnified image signal, and

a display part displaying the scanned image signal.

9. A personal data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system driver further includes a switch for transmitting the control signal requesting transmission and reception of the image signal to the transmission controlling part when a user desires.

10. A personal data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a switch for entering a signal for requesting a video telecommunication when a user desires into the transmission controlling part.

11. A personal data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein further comprising:

an LCD for displaying a received signal;

a reception controlling part for receiving a data from a radio public telecommunication network through a modem means and displaying on a LCD as an image data in response to a signal generated in the switch.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing that encompasses the apparatus, wherein the housing has dimensions being a prescribed height, width and depth;

a camera within the housing having a total length of a lens system less than 10 millimeters, wherein the camera receives and inputs an image signal;

a memory for storing at least the image signal from the camera;

a controller for controlling operations of the apparatus including reading the image signal from the memory;

an input device coupled to the controller for inputting user commands;

a display system extending to the front part of the housing for displaying at least one of the image signals and an input state of the apparatus, wherein the display system comprises a viewfinder, further comprising,

a line LED that displays the image signal input from the camera in sequence,

a magnifying lens that magnifies the displayed image signal,

a rotating mirror part that scans the magnified image signal according to a prescribed sequence, and

a display part that displays the scanned image signal;

an antenna for transmitting and receiving signals including image signals with an external communications system, wherein the memory stores the image signals from the external communications system, and wherein the controller controls operations of the apparatus including transmitting the image signals to the external communications system, and displaying the image signals received from the external communications system;

a speaker mounted on an upper part of the housing, wherein the prescribed length is greater than the prescribed width that is greater than the prescribed depth of the housing, and wherein the speaker is a flip type covering the camera lens in a closed position; and

a microphone mounted on the lower part of the housing, wherein the microphone is a flip type covering the display system in a closed position.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the camera includes:

a camera lens for inputting external images through a window formed in the housing, wherein the lens is a diffractive optic lens, and wherein the camera is mounted within the prescribed depth dimension of the apparatus; and

a CCD for converting the images input from the camera lens to electrical signals.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the camera comprises:

a camera lens for inputting external images through a window formed in the housing, wherein the lens is a diffractive optic lens, and wherein the camera is mounted within the prescribed depth dimension of the apparatus;

a CCD for converting the images input from the camera lens to electrical signals; and

a prism positioned as such that an optical path between the camera lens and the CCD forms a right angle at the prism.

15. A personal data communication apparatus, comprising:

a housing the encompasses the personal data communication apparatus, wherein the housing has dimensions being a prescribed height, width and depth;

a camera having a diffractive optic lens, wherein the camera is mounted within the housing for receiving and inputting an image signal;

a memory for storing at least the image signal;

a controller for controlling operations of the apparatus including reading the image signal from the memory;

an input device coupled to the controller for inputting user commands;

a display system extending to the front part of the housing for displaying at least one of the image signals and an input state of the apparatus, wherein the display system comprises a viewfinder further comprising,

a line LED that displays the image signal input from the camera in sequence,

a magnifying lens that magnifies the displayed image signal,

a rotating mirror part that scans the magnified image signal according to the prescribed sequence, and

a display part that displays the scanned image signal;

an antenna for transmitting and receiving signals including image signals with an external communications system, wherein the memory stores the image signals from the external communications system, and wherein the controller controls operations of the apparatus including transmitting the image signal to the external communications system, and displaying the image signals received from the external communications systems;

a speaker mounted on an upper part of the housing, wherein the prescribed length is greater than the prescribed width that is greater than the prescribed depth of the housing and wherein the speaker is a flip type covering the camera lens in a closed position; and

a microphone mounted on the lower part of the housing, wherein the microphone is a flip type covering the display system in a closed position.

16. The personal data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the camera includes:

a camera lens for inputting external images through a window formed in the housing, wherein the camera has a total length of a lens system less than 10 millimeters; and

a CCD for converting the images input from the camera lens to electrical signals.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the camera further comprises:

a CCD for converting the images input from the diffractive optic lens to electrical signals; and

a prism positioned such that an optical path between the diffractive optic lens and the CCD forms a right angle at the prism.

18. A personal data communication apparatus, comprising:

a housing that encompasses the personal data communication apparatus, wherein the housing has dimensions such that a length is greater than a width, which is greater than a depth;

a camera within the housing for receiving and inputting an image signal;

an antenna for transmitting and receiving signals including image signals with an external communications systems;

a memory for storing at least the image signal from the camera and the external communications system;

a controller for controlling operations of the apparatus including reading the image signal from the memory and transmitting the image signal to the external communications system, and displaying the image signal received from the external communications system;

an input device coupled to the controller for inputting user commands;

a display system for displaying at least one of the image signals and an input state of the system driver, wherein the display system includes a scanning-type viewfinder that magnifies and displays the image signals;

a speaker mounted on an upper part of the housing, wherein the speaker is a flip type reciprocating between first and second positions, wherein the first position covers the camera lens; and

a microphone mounted on the lower part of the housing, wherein the microphone is a flip type reciprocating between first and second positions, wherein the first position covers the display system and wherein the camera comprises,

a camera lens for inputting external images through a window formed in the housing, wherein the lens is a diffractive optic lens, and wherein the camera has total length of a lens system less than 10 millimeters, and

a CCD for converting the images input from the camera lens to electric signals.

19. The personal data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the scanning-type viewfinder comprises:

a line LED that displays the image signals in sequence;

a magnifying lens that magnifies the displayed image signals;

a rotating mirror part that scans the magnified image signals according to a prescribed sequence; and

a display part that displays the scanned image signals.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a prism positioned such that an optical path between the camera lens and the CCD forms a right angle at the prism.