Mobile communication device with enhanced image communication capability

• US 8,115,798 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2009
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Eun-Mi, Cho, Yoo-Seok, Kim, Dong-Eun, Yun, Jung-Pil
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US12/359,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20090137274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 455/556.1, 455/566, 345/173
• US Class Current: 348/14.02
• 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

A mobile communication device includes a first body, a folder portion rotatably coupled with the first body and positionable between open and closed positions, a first display unit coupled to the folder portion and configured to display first information, and a second display unit coupled to a first side of the first body and configured to receive input and display second information, wherein at least one of text information and graphic information received through the second display unit is displayed on the first display unit.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a first body;

a folder portion rotatably coupled with the first body and positionable between open and closed positions;

a first display unit coupled to the folder portion and configured to display first information comprising at least outgoing information that is being transmitted to another mobile communication device or incoming information that is being received from the other mobile communication device; and

a second display unit comprising a touch screen and coupled to a first side of the first body and configured to receive input and display second information,

wherein at least text information or graphic information, which is received through the second display unit while the first information is displayed on the first display unit, is transmitted to the another mobile communication device.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a keypad arranged on the first side of the first body.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the second display unit is mounted on the first side of the first body at an inclined angle relative to a plane along which the first body lies.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the inclined angle of the second display unit is substantially the same as an angle of the folder portion in the open position such that the first display unit mounted on the first side of the folder portion and the second display unit mounted on the first body lie on a same plane when the folder portion is in the open position.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first display unit has a first screen region and a second screen region, the first and second screen regions displaying two image data simultaneously, the outgoing information comprising one of the two image data and the incoming information comprising the other one of the two image data.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the folder portion further comprises:

a screen exposure portion sized to form an opening that substantially corresponds to at least a portion of the second display unit to permit viewing of the second display unit when the folder portion is in the closed position.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising:

a transparent protection window sized to couple with the opening of the screen exposure portion.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first camera coupled to the first body or the folder portion and positioned to be directed towards a user when the folder portion is in the open position.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising:

a second camera coupled to the first body or the folder portion and positioned to be directed in a direction opposite to a direction of the first camera when the folder portion is in the open position,

wherein the outgoing information comprises an image captured by the first camera or the second camera.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the first camera is mounted along a first side of the folder portion and proximate to the first display unit, and the second camera is mounted along a second side of the first body, the second side of the first body being opposite to the first side of the first body.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising:

a screen exposure portion sized to form an opening that substantially corresponds to at least a portion of the second display unit to permit viewing of the second display unit when the folder portion is in the closed position,

wherein images obtained from the second camera are displayed on the first display unit if the folder portion is in the open position, and displayed on the second display unit if the folder portion is in the closed position.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the second information is transmitted to the another mobile communication device while the first information is transmitted to or received from the other mobile communication device.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the second information comprises text information or graphic information that is displayed on the second display unit in response to the received input comprising at least the text information or the graphic information.

14. The device of claim 13, further comprising:

a camera configured to capture a user'"'"'s image,

wherein the first information comprises the user'"'"'s image captured by the camera.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the second information is displayed on the second display unit in a call standby state or during a voice communication and comprises basic information related to the mobile communication device, the basic information comprising at least an indicator for battery power or current time.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least text information or graphic information received through the second display unit is displayed on the first display unit.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the at least text information or graphic information is combined with the first information displayed on the first display unit such that the combined information, comprising the first information and the at least text information or graphic information, is transmitted to the another communication device.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the first display unit comprises a first screen region and a second screen region, and the first information is displayed on the first screen region while the at least text information or graphic information is displayed on the second screen region.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the first display unit comprises:

a first screen region displaying the outgoing information; and

a second screen region displaying the incoming information.

20. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a first body;

a first camera located on the first body;

a second body coupled with the first body;

a second camera located on the second body;

a first display coupled to the first body and configured to display first information; and

a second display coupled to the second body and configured to display second information,

wherein the first display or the second display includes at least two screen regions and a first image received via the first camera and a second image received via the second camera are displayed on different regions of the at least two screen regions at the same time, and

wherein at least the first display or the second display comprises a touch pad that is configured to receive input information.