Camera-equipped portable device

• US 7,331,724 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2004
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Otsuki, Susumu, Tsumura, Toshiyuki, Hasegawa, Akira, Yamaguchi, Katsumasa, Nanmoku, Teruo
• Primary Examiner(s): KOVAL, MELISSA J
• Application Number:
  US10/541,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20060104628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 396/287, 396/348, 345/168, 345/169, 348/333.06, 348/333.08, 348/335
• US Class Current: 396/348
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/021 using combined folding and rotation motions combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0229 The hinge comprising input and/or output user interface means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0233 Including a rotatable display body part
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0241 using relative motion of the body parts to change the operational status of the telephone set, e.g. switching on/off, answering incoming call
• 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 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/531 being rotatable or detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

A portable device includes a camera section, a camera image display, a first case having a first surface having the display therein and a second surface opposite the first surface, a second case that can be positioned over the second surface of the first case, a rotation axis section supporting the second case to the first case rotatably about an axis perpendicular to the first surface of the first case, and a camera/display operation section. The camera section has an optical axis, and the rotation axis section accommodates the camera section so that the optical axis is parallel to the rotation axis. The operation section is on the first surface of the first case opposite an image-capturing direction of the rotation axis of the rotation axis section.

Claims

1. A portable device, comprising:

a camera section having an optical axis and being capable of capturing an image of an object in an image-capturing direction parallel to the optical axis;

a display capable of displaying the image captured by the camera section;

a first case having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the first surface having the display provided therein;

a second case that can be positioned over the second surface of the first case;

a rotation axis section supporting the second case to the first case rotatably about a rotation axis perpendicular to the first surface of the first case, the rotation axis section accommodating the camera section, the optical axis being parallel to the rotation axis, the image-capturing direction being directed from the first surface of the first case to the second surface of the first case; and

an operation section configured to operate at least one of the camera section and the display, the operation section being provided at a portion of the first surface of the first case opposite to the image-capturing direction of the rotation axis of the rotation axis section.

2. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the camera section is fixed for the first case.

3. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the camera section is fixed for the second case.

4. The portable device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a position detector for detecting a relative position of the second case with respect to the first case; and

a controller for changing a display orientation of the display according to the detected relative position.

5. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the operation section includes a plurality of keys for operating at least one of the camera section and the display, the portable device further comprising:

a position detector for detecting a relative position of the second case with respect to the first case; and

a controller for allocating functions to the keys of the operation section according to the detected relative position.

6. The portable device according to claim 1, further comprising a stopper for stopping rotation of the second case against the first case at a predetermined angle.

7. The portable device according to claim 1, further comprising a stopper for stopping rotation of the second case relative to the first case at a plurality of predetermined angles.

8. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein a width of the second case in a direction substantially parallel to a rotation direction of the rotation axis is smaller than a width of the first case in the direction substantially parallel to the rotation direction.

9. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the first case is placed in a direction substantially parallel to a rotation direction of the rotation axis, and the first case has a side surface having a recess formed therein.

10. The portable device according to claim 1, further comprising a projection for providing a gap between the first case and the second case in a direction parallel to the rotation axis.

11. A portable device comprising:

a camera section having an optical axis and being capable of capturing an image of an object in an image-capturing direction parallel to the optical axis;

a first case having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;

a second case that can be positioned over the second surface of the first case; and

a hinge section supporting the second case to the first case rotatably about a first rotation axis perpendicular to the first surface of the first case and about a second rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis, the hinge section accommodating the camera section, the optical axis being parallel to the first rotation axis, and the image-capturing direction is directed from the first surface of the first case to the second surface of the first case.

12. The portable device according to claim 11, further comprising an operation section for operating at least one of the camera section and the display, the operation section being provided at a portion of the first surface of the first case opposite to the image-capturing direction of the first rotation axis of the rotation axis section.

13. The portable device according to claim 11, further comprising a display capable of displaying the image captured by the camera section, the display being provided at one of the first case and the second case.

14. The portable device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a position detector for detecting a relative position of the second case with respect to the first case; and

a controller for changing a display orientation of the display according to the detected relative position.

15. The portable device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a display selection switch; and

a controller for changing an orientation of an image displayed on the display according to a state of the display selection switch.

16. The portable device according to claim 13, wherein the display is provided at a surface of the second case that can face the second surface of the first case.

17. The portable device according to claim 13, further comprising a switch provided on the second case near the display.

18. The portable device according to claim 11, further comprising a stopper for stopping rotation of the second case relative to the first case about the second rotation axis at a plurality of angles.

19. The portable device according to claim 11, further comprising a stopper for stopping rotation of the second case relative to the first case about the first rotation axis at a plurality of angles.

20. The portable device according to claim 11, further comprising a projection for providing a gap between the first case and the second case in a direction parallel to the first rotation axis.

21. The portable device according to claim 11, wherein the camera section is fixed for the second case.

22. The portable device according to claim 11, further comprising a switch provided at the first case, the switch being activated when the second case is placed over the second surface of the first case.

23. The portable device according to claim 11, wherein a width of the second case in a direction substantially parallel to a rotation direction of the first rotation axis is smaller than a width of the first case in the direction substantially parallel to the rotation direction.

24. The portable device according to claim 11, wherein the first case is placed in a direction substantially parallel to a rotation direction of the first rotation axis, and the first case has a side surface having a recess formed therein.

25. The portable device according to claim 11, further comprising a stopper for stopping rotation of the second case relative to the first case about the second rotation axis at a predetermined angle.

26. The portable device according to claim 11, further comprising a stopper for stopping rotation of the second case relative to the first case about the first rotation axis at a predetermined angle.