Image capturing and displaying method and system

• US 8,049,678 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2006
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Weon, Dong-Jun, Cheon, Jee-Young, Jeon, Soo-Jin, Jo, Seon-Tae, Lee, Seung-Jun, Park, Yeon-Woo, Lee, Sang-Hyuck
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Steinberg; Jeffrey S
• Application Number:
  US11/530,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20070057866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,880 Days
• Field of Search: 345 11- 23, 455/566, 455/575.1
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0218 The hinge comprising input and/or output user interface means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a mobile communication terminal comprises a first display and a second display and a user interface for allowing a user to select one or more images to be displayed on either of the first and second displays, wherein images displayed on both the first and the second display are viewable from a first viewing angle.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a transceiver unit for transmitting and receiving one or more images;

first and second camera units for capturing a plurality of images;

first and second display units for displaying the captured plurality of images, wherein the first and second display units are viewable together from a first viewing angle by a user;

a storage unit for storing the captured plurality of images; and

a controller for controlling the mobile terminal such that at least two of the captured plurality of images are each displayed on at least the first display unit or the second display unit, wherein the controller combines the at least two of the captured plurality of images into a single image and stores the combined single image in the storage unit,

wherein the at least two of the captured plurality of images in the combined single image are consolidated into an image format such that the combined single image is displayed on at least the first display unit or the second display unit, wherein the user controls how different portions of the at least two of the captured plurality of images in the combined single image are each displayed on at least the first display unit or the second display unit.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least two of the captured plurality of images is displayed on the first display unit, and at least another one of the at least two of the captured plurality of images is displayed on the second display unit.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least two of the captured plurality of images is entirely displayed on the first display unit or the second display unit.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least two of the captured plurality of images is displayed partially on the first display unit and partially on the second display unit.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one of the received one or more images, at least one of the captured plurality of images, or at least one of the stored plurality of images is transmitted to a designated subscriber through the transceiver unit.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one of the received one or more images, at least one of the captured plurality of images, or at least one of the stored plurality of images is displayed on the first display unit and a functional image of a user interface is displayed on the second display unit.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the second display unit comprises a touch screen.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein more than one image is displayed on the first display unit.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the first display unit is divided into a plurality of viewable sections.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the first display unit is divided according to a picture-in-picture method.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the first display unit is divided into a main screen and at least one sub-screen, wherein an image with a first level of importance is displayed on the main screen and an image with a second level of importance is displayed on said at least one sub-screen.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the images displayed on the main screen and the sub-screen can be switched.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller virtually combines the at least two of the captured plurality of images through a preview function.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further for controlling the transceiver unit to transmit the combined single image.

14. A mobile communication terminal comprising:

a first camera unit for capturing images;

a second camera unit for capturing images;

a storage unit for storing the captured images;

a first display and a second display, wherein images displayed on both the first and the second displays are viewable from a first viewing angle;

a user interface for allowing a user to select one or more images displayed on either of the first and second displays; and

a controller for controlling the mobile terminal such that at least a portion of a first image captured by the first camera unit is displayed on the first display and at least a portion of a second image captured by the second camera unit is displayed on the second display, wherein the controller combines the first image and the second image into a single image and stores the combined single image in the storage unit,

wherein the first image and the second image are consolidated into an image format such that the combined single image is displayed on at least the first display or the second display, wherein the user controls how different portions of the first image and the second image in the combined single image are each displayed on at least the first display or the second display.

15. The mobile communication terminal of claim 14, wherein a first portion of the first image is displayed on the first display and a second portion of the first image is displayed on the second display.

16. The mobile communication terminal of claim 14, wherein the second image is displayed on the first display.

17. The mobile communication terminal of claim 16, wherein the first and second images are displayed in a picture-in-picture format.

18. The mobile communication terminal of claim 16, wherein the first display is divided into a main screen and at least one sub-screen, wherein the first image is displayed in the main screen and the second image is displayed in said at least one sub-screen.

19. The mobile communication terminal of claim 14, wherein the first display comprises a touch screen comprising the user interface.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 14, further comprising:

a transceiver controllable by the controller to transmit the combined single image.