Multi-media mobile communication device and related construction method

• US 6,980,828 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2002
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nousiainen, Jaakko
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAMER, TEMICA M
• Application Number:
  US10/309,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/566, 455/575.1
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• 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 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0063 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

Mechanical and operational design considerations for the antenna, speaker and image capture functionalities, in a multi-media mobile communication device are combined and carried in a common shared antenna-speaker-image capture chamber. The common shared chamber permits greater focal lengths and larger optics packages compared to conventional multi-media communication devices with separate, individual chambers within the device.

Claims

1. A reduced size mobile communication device comprising:

a housing structure comprising a contoured case having a base wall with an exterior surface and interior surface for carrying subassemblies defining an operational communication device;

speaker means for producing audible sounds;

antenna means for transmitting RF signals;

camera sensor means for capturing an image;

cavity means within said housing structure for carrying said speaker means and said antenna means and said camera sensor means, said cavity means further defining an antenna support structure having a substantially sealed common shared chamber comprising multiple acoustic cavities in communication with one another and further comprising a first chamber defined between an upper wall portion of said antenna support structure and a printed circuit board (PCB) positioned a spaced distance below said upper wall portion, a second chamber defined between said PCB and a ground plate positioned a spaced distance below said PCB, a third chamber defined between said base wall and said ground plate positioned a spaced distance above said base wall, said speaker means carried in said third chamber and said camera sensor means carried in said first chamber, said first and second chambers providing a controlled back cavity defining an acoustic resonator chamber to provide a desired acoustic characteristic from said speaker means.

2. Method for construction of a multi-media mobile communication device having combined RF antenna, audio, and image capture functionalities, comprising the steps of:

providing a housing structure for carrying subassemblies defining an operational communication device;

providing a common chamber within said housing structure having multiple acoustic cavities in communication with one another and providing an internal planar RF antenna support structure;

locating the planar RF antenna on the antenna support structure;

locating audio transducer means in one of the acoustic cavities;

locating camera sensor means in another of the acoustic cavities;

providing an acoustic volume in each of said acoustic cavities so that the sum of the volumes of said multiple acoustic cavities provide a controlled volume back cavity having an acoustic volume to provide a desired acoustic characteristic from the audio transducer means.

3. A multi-media mobile communication device, comprising:

an RF transmitter and receiver, an RF antenna, a speaker component and an image capture component;

a housing structure for carrying subassemblies defining an operational communication device, said housing structure further comprising a contoured case having a base wall with an exterior surface and an interior surface;

a common chamber defined within said housing structure and arranged for carrying the RF antenna, the speaker component and the image capture component;

said common chamber further comprising multiple acoustic cavities wherein one of said acoustic cavities carries the image capture component and each of said cavities having an acoustic volume wherein the sum of the volumes of said multiple acoustic cavities provide a speaker chamber having an acoustic volume to provide a desired acoustic characteristic from the speaker component.

4. The multi-media mobile communication device as set forth in claim 3, characterized in that said image capture component functionality further comprises camera optical means.

5. The multi-media mobile communication device as set forth in claim 4, further characterized by camera sensor means.

6. The multi-media mobile communication device as set forth in claim 5 further characterized in that said camera sensor means is located within said common chamber.

7. The multi-media mobile communication device as set forth in claim 5 further characterized in that said camera sensor means is located outside said common chamber.

8. The multi-media mobile communication device as set forth in claim 5 further characterized in that said camera sensor means includes a camera lens carried within said common chamber and located intermediate of said camera sensor means and an aperture in a wall of said common chamber and defining an optical path having a first focal length.

9. The multi-media mobile communication device as set forth in claim 8, further characterized by one or more lenses defining a lens system being located intermediate said camera lens and said aperture along said optical path and defining a second focal length to improve the quality of an image being captured.

10. The multi-media mobile communication device as set forth in claim 9 characterized in that said lens system includes means for varying the focal length along said optical path to improve the quality of an image being captured.

11. The multi-media mobile communication device as set forth in claim 8 further characterized in that said housing includes a window in optical alignment with said camera sensor means whereby an image is captured when said housing is held in an orientation with said window pointed in the direction of the image.

12. The multi-media mobile communication device as set forth in claim 11 further characterized by a further lens being located in said window.

13. The multi-media mobile communication device as set forth in claim 3, further characterized in that said RF antenna is an internal planar antenna located in a spaced relationship to and with said audio component and said camera sensor means.

14. The multi-media mobile communication device as set forth in claim 3, further characterized in that said common chamber provides a suitable air volume to simultaneously accommodate RF antenna functionality, audio speaker functionality and imaging functionality.

15. The multi-media mobile communication device as defined in claim 3 wherein said common chamber is substantially sealed.