Mobile communication device with enhanced image communication capability

• US 8,032,177 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2006
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yun, Jung-Pil, Cho, Yoo-Seok, Kim, Eun-Mi, Kim, Dong-Eun
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar; Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZHANG, XIANG
• Application Number:
  US11/558,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20070070184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 348/333.71, 348/14.07, 345/1.1, 345/1.3, 345/2.2, 361/680
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1605 Multimedia displays, e.g. with integrated or attached speakers, cameras, microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0218 The hinge comprising input and/or output user interface means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• 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

Abstract

The present invention discloses a mobile communication device that allows the user to easily perform simultaneous voice communication and image communication that allows the user to transmit high quality image information to another user and receive high quality image information from another user. The mobile communication device provides multiple cameras and/or display screens that allow a user to easily photograph a subject and view captured images that are received either from a camera located in the device or from another user.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal configured to perform video telephony, the mobile terminal comprising:

a housing;

a first camera located on a front surface of the housing;

a second camera located on a rear surface of the housing;

at least one input unit adapted to allow a user to select at least the first camera or the second camera to perform an image capturing function;

a first display unit having a viewing direction that is essentially the same as a capturing direction of the first camera, the first display unit adapted to function as a viewfinder by showing an image captured by at least the first camera or second camera; and

a transceiver adapted to transmit the captured image to another mobile terminal and to receive an image captured by the another mobile terminal for the video telephony,

wherein the capturing direction of the first camera is different than a capturing direction of the second camera,

wherein the first display unit comprises at least a first screen region and a second screen region,

wherein the first screen region is adapted to display either an image captured by the first camera or picture data and the second screen region is adapted to display the image received from the another mobile terminal in an image communication mode,

wherein the image or picture data displayed on the first screen region is transmitted to the another mobile terminal, and

wherein a determination between displaying the image captured by the first camera and the picture data on the first screen region is based on a user selection.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first body and a second body, the first body moveable with respect to the second body such that the mobile terminal has an open configuration and a closed configuration.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, further comprising a protective device adapted to cover the second camera, the protective device moveable between an open position and a closed position.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the first camera and the first display unit are located on the first body and the second camera is located on the second body.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 2, further comprising a second display unit adapted to function as a viewfinder by showing an image captured by the second camera while the mobile terminal is in the closed configuration.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the first camera is located on either the same side of the first body as the first display unit or on the opposite side of the first body as the first display unit.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein an image captured by the second camera is automatically displayed on a second display unit when the protective device is moved to the open position to expose the second camera.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein an image resolution of the first camera is lower than an image resolution of the second camera.

25. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first screen region is sized to include the entire second screen region at a portion of the first screen region.

9. A mobile communications device comprising:

a first body;

a second body moveable with respect to the first body such that the mobile communications device has an open configuration and a closed configuration;

a first image capturing device located on the first body and having a first capturing direction;

a second image capturing device located on the second body and having a second capturing direction;

at least one switch key adapted to initiate an image capturing function;

a transceiver adapted to transmit an image captured by at least the first image capturing device or the second image capturing device to another mobile communications device and to receive an image captured by the another mobile communications device; and

a first display unit having a viewing direction that is essentially the same as the first capturing direction,

wherein the first display unit comprises at least a first screen region and a second screen region,

wherein the first screen region is adapted to display either an image captured by the first image capturing device or picture data and the second screen region is adapted to display the image received from the another mobile terminal in an image communication mode,

wherein the image or picture data displayed on the first screen region is transmitted to the another mobile terminal, and

wherein a determination between displaying the image captured by the first image capturing device and the picture data on the first screen region is based on a user selection.

10. The mobile communications device of claim 9, wherein the first capturing direction is different from the second capturing direction.

11. The mobile communications device of claim 10, wherein the first display unit is adapted to provide a viewfinder function by displaying the image captured by the at least first image capturing device or second image capturing device.

12. The mobile communications device of claim 9, wherein the at least one switch key is further adapted to allow a user to select the at least first image capturing device or second image capturing device to perform the image capturing function.

13. The mobile communications device of claim 12, wherein the first image capturing device and the first display unit are located on the first body and the second image capturing device is located on the second body.

14. The mobile communications device of claim 13, further comprising a second display unit adapted to provide a viewfinder function by displaying an image captured by the second image capturing device when the mobile communications device is in the closed configuration.

15. The mobile communications device of claim 14, wherein the first image capturing device is located either on the same side of the first body as the first display unit or on the opposite side of the first body as the first display unit and the second image capturing device is located either on the same side of the second body as the second display unit or on the opposite side of the second body as the second display unit.

16. The mobile communications device of claim 14, wherein the image captured by the second image capturing device is automatically displayed on the second display unit when a protective cover is moved to an open position.

17. A mobile terminal comprising:

a body;

a first display screen located on a front surface of the body;

a second camera located on a rear surface of the body and having a first capturing direction, the second capturing direction different than the first capturing direction and essentially coincident with a viewing direction of the first display screen; and

a transceiver adapted to transmit an image captured by the second camera to another mobile terminal in order to perform a video telephony function, wherein an image captured by the second camera is displayed on the first display screen and transmitted to the another mobile terminal when an image communication mode starts to perform the video telephony function,

wherein the first display screen is configured to function as a viewfinder by showing an image captured by at least the first camera or second camera, and wherein the characters received via the second display screen are transmitted to the another mobile terminal in the image communication mode.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the first capturing direction is essentially opposite to the viewing direction of the first display screen.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the second capturing direction is toward a user and the first capturing direction is away from the user.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the first camera is fixed with respect to the body and the second camera is movable with respect to the body.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 17, further comprising a folder operatively attached to the body and adapted to be opened and closed and wherein the second camera is attached to the folder.

22. The mobile terminal of claim 21, wherein the folder is adapted to provide protection for the second camera when the folder is closed.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 21, wherein:

the second display screen is located on the folder and adapted to be viewable when the folder is opened; and

the first capturing direction is essentially opposite to a viewing direction of the second display screen.

24. The mobile terminal of claim 17, further comprising a protective cover operatively attached to the rear surface of the body and adapted to cover or expose the first camera.