Portable communication terminal device for communication and image data

• US 7,502,636 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2004
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Ryosuke, Matsuzawa, Takeshi, Sakuta, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles N
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEPHEN, EMEM O
• Application Number:
  US10/817,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20040198460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,799 Days
• Field of Search: 4555751-5754, 455/566, 4555561-5562, 455/550.1, 455/573.3, 455/66.1, 455/90.3, 455/425, 348/14, 345/156
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0225 Rotatable telephones, i.e. the body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• 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 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a portable communication terminal wherein: an upper case is connected, at its lower end position, to a lower case so as to be slidable and rotatable about a shaft substantially perpendicular to a display screen of a display portion; the lower case has, on its inner main surface, a main operating portion equipped with various keys; and the display portion, even in a closed state of the upper case, is exposed; a shutter button is disposed on an outer side face of the lower case. The device is designed such that when the shutter button is depressed long in a closed state of the upper case, a shift is made to an imaging mode. The imaging mode allows a user to utilize the display screen of the display portion as a finder and to permit imaging in accordance with the user'"'"'s operation of the shutter button. The device is also designed such that when the upper case is opened, the imaging operation is inhibited. This construction permits the display portion for communication to be utilized as a finder as well and also permits the device as an imaging function to serve in a way comparable to an ordinary camera.

Claims

1. A portable communication terminal having an imaging function, comprising:

a lower case having, on its main surface, an operating portion equipped with various keys;

an upper case having, on its main surface, a display portion equipped with a graphics display screen and not including a second graphics display screen, said upper case being connected, at its lower end position, to said lower case so as to be slidable and rotatable about a shaft substantially perpendicular to the graphics display screen;

an imaging portion including a lens disposed on a back side of the operating portion of said lower case so as to face outward;

an imaging button, disposed on an outer side face of either said upper case or said lower case, to allow instruction for imaging;

imaging control means which controls an imaging operation of said imaging portion while allowing a user to utilize the graphics display screen of the display portion as a finder; and

an opening/closing detecting means for detecting opening or closing of said upper case relative to said lower case,

wherein when said imaging control means detects that said upper case is an open state upon receipt of an instruction for a shift to the imaging mode, the imaging control means inhibits the shift to the imaging mode or the imaging operation of said imaging portion.

2. A portable communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein upon receipt of an instruction for a shift to the imaging mode via a predetermined operation of said imaging button, said imaging control means prompts a user to utilize the graphics display screen of the display portion as a finder, and then controls the imaging operation of said imaging portion in accordance with the user'"'"'s operation of said imaging button.

3. A portable communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein when said imaging control means, engaged in shifting to the imaging mode, detects that said upper case is in an open state, inhibits the imaging operation of said imaging portion.

4. A portable communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein when said upper case has changed from the open state to a closed state, said imaging control means cancels the inhibition of the imaging operation.

5. A portable communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein when the state of said upper case has changed from the open state to a closed state, said imaging control means cancels the imaging operation.

6. A portable communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein, at the time of inhibiting the imaging operation, said imaging control means prompts the display portion to display a warning message calling for closing of said upper case.

7. A portable communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein, at the time of inhibiting the imaging operation, said imaging control means causes the display portion to display a warning message calling for closing of said upper case.

8. A portable communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein when said upper case is detected to be in an open state in the imaging mode, said imaging control means releases the imaging mode.

9. A portable communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second operating portion disposed on the main surface of said upper case, wherein

said imaging control means, while in the imaging mode, releases the imaging mode in accordance with the operation of said second operating portion.

10. A portable communication terminal according to claim 9, wherein said second operating portion has rotary dial operating means.

11. A portable communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein said imaging button is disposed on an outer side face of said lower case.

12. A portable communication terminal having an imaging function, comprising:

a lower case having, on its main surface, an operating portion equipped with various keys;

an upper case having a display portion equipped with a graphics display screen and not including a second graphics display screen, the display portion being disposed so as to be exposed, said upper case being connected, at its lower end position, to said lower case so as to be slidable and rotatable about a shaft substantially perpendicular to the graphics display screen;

an imaging portion including a lens disposed on a back side of the operating portion of said lower case so as to face outward;

an imaging button disposed on a side face of either said upper case or said lower case to allow instruction for imaging;

a CPU that controls an imaging operation of said imaging portion while allowing a user to utilize the graphics display screen of the display portion as a finder; and

an opening/closing detecting means for detecting opening or closing of said upper case relative to said lower case, wherein

when said imaging control means detects that said upper case is in an open state upon receipt of an instruction for a shift to the imaging mode, the imaging control means inhibits the shift to the imaging mode or the imaging operation of said imaging portion.

13. A portable communication terminal having an imaging function, comprising:

a lower case having, on its main surface, an operating portion equipped with various keys;

an upper case having a display portion having a graphics display screen and not including a second graphics display screen, the display portion being disposed so as to be exposed, said upper case being connected, at its lower position, to said lower case so as to be slidable and rotatable about a shaft substantially perpendicular to the graphics display screen;

a folding detecting portion for detecting opening or closing of said upper case relative to said lower case;

an imaging portion including a lens disposed on a back side of the operating portion of said lower case so as to face outward;

an imaging button disposed on a side face of either said upper case or said lower case so as to allow instruction for imaging;

a CPU that, on the basis of a detection result provided from said folding detecting portion, controls an imaging operation of said imaging portion while allowing a user to utilize the display portion; and

an opening/closing detecting means for detecting opening or closing of said upper case relative to said lower case,

wherein when said imaging control means detects that said upper case is in an open state upon receipt of an instruction for a shift to the imaging mode, the imaging control means inhibits the shift to the imaging mode or the imaging operation of said imaging portion.