Portable terminal with rotatable axial flip unit and dual lens arrangement

• US 8,068,161 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2009
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Shibata, Junichiro, Yamaguchi, Shuuji
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, TUAN V
• Application Number:
  US12/349,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20100085463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.99, 348373-375, 348/333.01, 34833306-33308
• US Class Current: 348/333.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/021 using combined folding and rotation motions combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0218 The hinge comprising input and/or output user interface means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0243 using the relative angle between housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• 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 23/531 being rotatable or detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters

Abstract

This portable terminal comprises a main unit having a microphone, a key operation unit, and a radio sending/receiving function of image and sound, a

• • rotation axial unit having a video camera and an operation dial, an image display unit with a touch panel capable of displaying an image taken by the video camera, a received image and a screen for input operation, and a flip unit having the image display unit, a CCD camera, a
  • speaker and an operation button. The rotation axial unit further includes an opening/shutting axis for connecting the main unit and the flip unit in a mutually rotatable way and a rotation axis for connecting the flip unit in a way of rotating the flip unit across the above
  • rotation in the horizontal direction, and when the flip unit is opened and rotated across, it is used as a video camera with a monitor.

Claims

1. A portable terminal comprising:

a main unit;

a flip unit having a monitor screen connected with said main unit;

a first photographic lens provided at a predetermined position in an axial unit;

a second photographic lens provided at a predetermined position on the same side with said monitor screen;

an axial unit state sensor for detecting angle or positional relationship of the flip unit and the main unit, according to the angle of a movable portion of the axial unit;

a means for selecting and executing each function predetermined based on the angle or relationship of the flip unit and the main unit detected by said axial unit state sensor, from various usable functions provided in the portable terminal,

an information processing unit for processing input information and instruction;

the monitor screen that is a monitor with a touch panel; and

a means for putting a function of an information terminal for processing the input information and instruction upon receipt of the input from the touch panel, into an executable state

when the outside surface of the flip unit and one surface of the main unit are closed in contact with each other;

wherein said first photographic lens takes an image of a different direction from a direction from which said second photographic lens takes an image,

wherein said images taken by said first and second photographic lenses are displayed on said monitor screen,

wherein said axial unit has a structure of closing both the units making inside surface of the main unit into contact with inside surface of the flip unit.

2. A portable terminal comprising:

a main unit;

a flit unit having a monitor screen connected with said main unit;

a first photographic lens provided at a predetermined position in an axial unit;

a second photographic lens provided at a predetermined position on the same side with said monitor screen;

an axial unit state sensor for detecting angle or positional relationship of the flip unit and the main unit, according to the angle of a movable portion of the axial unit;

a means for selecting and executing each function predetermined based on the angle or relationship of the flip unit and the main unit detected by said axial unit state sensor, from various usable functions provided in the portable terminal;

a microphone on the inside of the main unit;

a speaker on the inside of the flip unit;

a communication unit for sound communication;

a means for putting a communication function through a wireless communication line into an executable state when the inside surface of the main unit and the inside surface of the flip unit are opened in the same direction;

a storing means for storing electronic data;

a means for converting a static image taken by said first photographic lens and said second photographic lens into electronic data; and

a means for putting a photographic function as a digital camera into an executable state

when the main unit and the flip unit are opened so as to direct said first photographic lens and said second photographic lens in an inverse direction,

wherein said first photographic lens takes an image of a different direction from a direction from which said second photographic lens takes an image,

wherein said images taken by said first and second photographic lenses are displayed on said monitor screen, and

wherein said axial unit has a structure of closing both the units making inside surface of the main unit into contact with inside surface of the flip unit.

3. The portable terminal as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:

a means for converting a moving image take by said first photographic lens and said second photographic lens into electronic data; and

a means for putting a photographic function as a digital video camera into an executable state

when the main unit and the flip unit are opened so as to direct said first photographic lens and said second photographic lens in an inverse direction.

4. A portable terminal comprising:

a main unit;

a flip unit having a monitor screen connected with said main unit;

a first photographic lens provided at a predetermined position in an axial unit;

a second photographic lens provided at a predetermined position on the same side with said monitor screen;

an axial unit state sensor for detecting angle or positional relationship of the flip unit and the main unit, according to the angle of a movable portion of the axial unit;

a means for selecting and executing each function predetermined based on the angle or relationship of the flip unit and the main unit detected by said axial unit state sensor, from various usable functions provide in the portable terminal;

a microphone on the inside of the main unit;

a speaker on the inside of the flip unit;

a communication unit for sound communication;

a means for putting a communication function through a wireless communication line into an executable state when the inside surface of the main unit and the inside surface of the flip unit are opened in the same direction; and

a means for stopping a predetermined function to be finished, of the functions under activation, after judging that the function is in unused state when the inside surface of the main unit and the inside surface of the flip unit are closed in contact with each other,

wherein said first photographic lens takes an image of a different direction from a direction from which said second photographic lens takes an image,

wherein said images taken by said first and second photographic lenses are displayed on said monitor screen, and

wherein said axial unit has a structure of closing both the units making inside surface of the main unit into contact with inside surface of the flip unit.