Mobile telephone with camera

• US 8,600,438 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2008
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Goebel, Klaus, Hockenreiner, Hans-Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMAKRISHNAIAH, MELUR
• Application Number:
  US12/099,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20080188262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,065 Days
• Field of Search: 455/557, 455/556.1, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 455/348, 455/566, 348 1401- 1409, 348/333.06, 348/373, 348/207.99, 348/158
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0208 characterized by the relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/20 including a rotatable camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors

Abstract

A mobile telephone with a camera, a casing, a display and a keypad for entering manual commands is disclosed. The camera is permanently attached to at least a part of the keypad in a subcomponent of the casing, wherein the subcomponent within a chassis of the casing is designed in such a way that it can be swiveled about at least one axis relative to the display, and the chassis at least partly surrounds the subcomponent.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a casing;

a display; and

a removable subcomponent of the casing, the removable subcomponent including a camera, the removable subcomponent located within a chassis of the casing and configured such that it can be swiveled about at least one axis relative to the display, the chassis partially surrounding the removable subcomponent.

2. The mobile electronic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the subcomponent is configured to swivel through an angle range of up to 90 degrees in one swivel direction and in an opposite axial swivel direction, respectively, for an angle range of up to 180 degrees.

3. The mobile electronic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the subcomponent is configured to swivel about an axis that is oriented one of parallel or perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the mobile electronic device.

4. The mobile electronic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the subcomponent is configured to swivel about an axis that runs diagonal to the longitudinal axis of the mobile electronic device.

5. The mobile electronic device as defined in claim 4, wherein the axis runs at 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis.

6. The mobile electronic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the subcomponent is configured to engage in at least three positions.

7. The mobile electronic device as defined in claim 6, wherein in a first engagement position of the at least three positions, a lens of the camera is oriented in such a way that a user of the mobile electronic device can scan an object from the surroundings via the lens of the camera, and the object is simultaneously displayed by the display of the mobile electronic device.

8. The mobile electronic device as defined in claim 6, wherein in a second engagement position of the at least three positions, the lens of the camera is oriented in such a way as to allow a self-scan of a user by the user via the lens of the camera, wherein a self-portrait of the user is simultaneously displayed by the display of the mobile electronic device.

9. The mobile electronic device as defined in claim 6, wherein in a third engagement position of the at least three positions, the lens of the camera is located between the chassis of the mobile and the subcomponent.

10. The mobile electronic device as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one slidable and/or swivelable protective panel is arranged on the subcomponent in order to protect a lens of the camera against damage.

11. The mobile electronic device as defined in claim 1 wherein both the subcomponent and the remaining casing of the mobile electronic device have a power supply.

12. The mobile electronic device as defined in claim 1 wherein the subcomponent and the remaining casing of the mobile electronic device each have an a radio connection interface.

13. The mobile electronic device as defined in claim 12, wherein the radio connection interface is a Bluetooth interface via which the subcomponent and the remaining casing intercommunicate.