Mobile-type electronic apparatus and method for controlling the same

• US 6,970,723 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2001
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Chigira, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson, Blane J.
• Application Number:
  US09/816,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20010036847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/574, 455/572.2, 455/557, 455/569.1, 455/575.2, 455/575.1, 348/14.02, 348/14.04, 348/14.07, 345/7, 345/8, 345/9
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

A mobile-type electronic apparatus is arranged to input an image picked up by a camera to a display circuit through an image pickup circuit and a communication circuit and to display the image on an LCD panel in a state of being enlarged by an enlargement display optical system. In the mobile-type electronic apparatus, a control circuit is arranged to switch the power supply for the display circuit from one state over to another, according to an operation performed on a switch portion, in such a way as to supply electric power only when the use of the LCD panel and a back light is necessary.

Claims

1. A mobile-type electronic apparatus, comprising:

communication means capable of transmitting and receiving image data;

a display portion for displaying image data;

enlargement display means having a prism mounted on the display portion and formed on reflecting or refracting surface thereon to optically enlarge an image displayed on said display portion to display the enlarged image as a virtual image;

a display circuit arranged to cause said display portion to display image data;

a plurality of operation buttons means for controlling said display circuit; and

control means for controlling a power supply for said display circuit in accordance with an operation on said operation buttons;

wherein said display portion and said operation buttons are provided on a common operation panel of a main body of said mobile-type electronic apparatus and the prism is mounted on the display portion.

3. A mobile-type electronic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said operation buttons includes a switch which changes an output thereof every time said switch is manually operated.

5. A mobile-type electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a discriminating means for discriminating a communicating state of said communication means.

6. A mobile-type electronic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said control means turns on the power supply for said display circuit when said discriminating means has detected a state of communicating image data or information to be displayed, and turns off the power supply for a part of or whole of said display circuit when said discriminating means has detected a state of communicating an audio signal only.

7. A mobile-type electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting means for detecting that said enlargement display means has been gazed at.

8. A mobile-type electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said control circuit turns on the power supply for said display circuit when said detecting means has detected that said enlargement display means has been gazed at, and turns off the power supply for a part of or whole of said display circuit when said detecting means has detected that said enlargement display means is not gazed at.

2. A mobile-type electronic apparatus, comprising:

communication means capable of transmitting and receiving image data;

an operation information display portion arranged to display information necessary for performing a communicating operation;

an image display portion for displaying image data;

enlargement display means having a prism mounted on the display portion and formed on reflecting or refracting surface thereon to optically enlarge an image displayed on said display portion to display the enlarged image as a virtual image;

a display circuit arranged to cause said display portion to display image data;

a plurality of operation buttons provided for controlling said display circuit; and

control means for controlling a power supply for said display circuit in accordance with an operation on said operation buttons;

wherein said operation information display portion image, display portion and said operation buttons are provided on a common operation panel and the prism is mounted on the image display portion.

4. A mobile-type electronic apparatus, comprising:

communication means capable of transmitting and receiving image data;

a display portion for displaying image data;

enlargement display means having a prism mounted on the display portion and formed on reflecting or refracting surface thereon to optically enlarge an image displayed on said display portion to display the enlarged image as a virtual image;

a display circuit arranged to cause said display portion to display image data;

a plurality of operation buttons for controlling said display circuit;

detecting means for detecting that a body of said electronic apparatus has been grasped by hand; and

control means for controlling a power supply for said display circuit in accordance with an operation on said operation buttons;

wherein said display portion and said operation buttons are provided on a common operation panel of a main body of said mobile-type electronic apparatus and the prism is mounted on the display portion.