Portable electronic device and control method therefor

• US 8,676,250 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2010
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Tanabe, Shigeki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc M
• Application Number:
  US13/201,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20110300903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/575.3, 348/373
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• 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: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• 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 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules

Abstract

Disclosed are a portable electronic device that can change imaging instruction keys according to the position of the casing, and a control method therefor. The device is provided with an operating unit casing, an operating unit that has multiple keys, an assessment unit that assesses the position of the operating side casing, a setting unit that sets the prescribed keys in the operating part to be the imaging instruction keys that give instructions for imaging according to the position of the operating side casing assessed by the assessment unit, and a camera that performs imaging according to the imaging instructions from the imaging instruction keys that are set by the setting unit.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a body;

an operation unit having a plurality of keys;

a determination unit that determines an attitude of the body;

a setting unit that sets predetermined keys among the plurality of keys in the operation unit as an image capturing command key for performing an image capturing command, according to the attitude of the body determined by the determination unit;

an image capturing unit that captures an image according to the image capturing command by way of the image capturing command key set by the setting unit; and

an inclination angle detection unit that detects an inclination angle of the body relative to a predetermined reference direction,

wherein the determination unit determines the attitude of the body according to the inclination angle detected by the inclination angle detection unit,

wherein the setting unit sets a first key among the predetermined keys as the image capturing command key when the inclination angle is substantially 90 degrees clockwise when the body is seen from a face on which the operation unit is provided, and sets a second key, which is different from the first key, among the predetermined keys as the image capturing command key when the inclination angle is substantially 90 degrees anti-clockwise when the body is seen from a face on which the operation unit is provided, and

wherein the plurality of keys is arranged on a face of the body in a rectangular shape with predetermined spacing, and the first key and the second key are located at corners of the face, respectively.

2. A portable electronic device comprising:

a body;

an operation unit having a plurality of keys;

a determination unit that determines an attitude of the body;

a setting unit that sets predetermined keys among the plurality of keys in the operation unit as an image capturing command key for performing an image capturing command, according to the attitude of the body determined by the determination unit;

an image capturing unit that captures an image according to the image capturing command by way of the image capturing command key set by the setting unit; and

an inclination angle detection unit that detects an inclination angle of the body relative to a predetermined reference direction,

wherein the determination unit determines the attitude of the body according to the inclination angle detected by the inclination angle detection unit,

wherein the setting unit sets a first key among the predetermined keys as the image capturing command key when the inclination angle is substantially 90 degrees clockwise when the body is seen from a face on which the operation unit is provided, and sets a second key, which is different from the first key, among the predetermined keys as the image capturing command key when the inclination angle is substantially 90 degrees anti-clockwise when the body is seen from a face on which the operation unit is provided,

wherein the plurality of keys is arranged on a face of the body in a rectangular shape with predetermined spacing, and the first key and the second key are located at corners of the face, respectively, and

wherein, in the body, a key that is set as the image capturing command key is not provided on a lateral face that intersects the face.

3. The portable electronic device according to claim 2, further comprising an attitude setting unit that sets the attitude of the body in advance,

wherein the determination unit determines the attitude of the body according to a setting of the attitude setting unit.

4. The portable electronic device according to claim 2,

wherein the body includes:

a first body;

a second body; and

a connection unit that connects the first body and the second body to be openable and closable, and

wherein the setting unit sets the predetermined keys as the image capturing command key in a state in which the first body and the second body are mutually opened.

5. The portable electronic device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a notification unit that performs notification in a predetermined mode; and

a notification control unit that notifies of the image capturing command key being set by way of the notification unit in a predetermined mode, when the predetermined keys are set as the image capturing command key by the setting unit.

6. The portable electronic device according to claim 5,

wherein the notification unit is a display unit, and

wherein the notification control unit displays a location of the image capturing command key on the display unit in the predetermined mode.

7. The portable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined keys are input operation keys for inputting a character, numeral or symbol.

8. A portable electronic device comprising:

a body;

an operation unit having a plurality of keys;

a determination unit that determines an attitude of the body;

a setting unit that sets predetermined keys among the plurality of keys in the operation unit as an image capturing command key for performing an image capturing command, according to the attitude of the body determined by the determination unit;

an image capturing unit that captures an image according to the image capturing command by way of the image capturing command key set by the setting unit; and

an inclination angle detection unit that detects an inclination angle of the body relative to a predetermined reference direction,

wherein the determination unit determines the attitude of the body according to the inclination angle detected by the inclination angle detection unit, and

wherein the setting unit sets a third key among the predetermined keys as the image capturing command key when the inclination angle is substantially 45 degrees clockwise when the body is seen from a face on which the operation unit is provided, and sets a fourth key, which is different from the third key, among the predetermined keys as the image capturing command key when the inclination angle is substantially 45 degrees anti-clockwise when the body is seen from a face on which the operation unit is provided.

9. A portable electronic device comprising:

a body;

an operation unit having a plurality of keys;

a determination unit that determines an attitude of the body;

a setting unit that sets predetermined keys among the plurality of keys in the operation unit as an image capturing command key for performing an image capturing command, according to the attitude of the body determined by the determination unit;

an image capturing unit that captures an image according to the image capturing command by way of the image capturing command key set by the setting unit;

an attitude setting unit that sets the attitude of the body in advance; and

a display unit that displays a selection menu for selecting a direction of the body when capturing an image by the image capturing unit,

wherein the determination unit determines the attitude of the body according to a setting of the attitude setting unit, and

wherein the attitude setting unit sets attitude of the body according to the direction selected at the selection menu.

10. A portable electronic device comprising:

a body;

an operation unit having a plurality of keys;

a determination unit that determines an attitude of the body;

a setting unit that sets predetermined keys among the plurality of keys in the operation unit as an image capturing command key for performing an image capturing command, according to the attitude of the body determined by the determination unit;

an image capturing unit that captures an image according to the image capturing command by way of the image capturing command key set by the setting unit;

a notification unit that performs notification in a predetermined mode; and

a notification control unit that notifies of the image capturing command key being set by way of the notification unit in a predetermined mode, when the predetermined keys are set as the image capturing command key by the setting unit,

wherein the notification unit is a back light of the plurality of keys, and

wherein the notification control unit turns on a back light of the predetermined keys set as the image capturing command key or changes a color of the back light of the predetermined key set as the image capturing command key as the predetermined mode.

11. A method for controlling a portable electronic device including a body and an operation unit having a plurality of keys, the method comprising:

determining an attitude of the body;

setting a different predetermined key among the plurality of keys in the operation unit to be an image capturing command key for performing an image capturing command-based on the attitude of the body determined in the determination step, thereby defining the different one of the plurality of keys capable of performing the image capturing command in response to the body being disposed in each of a plurality of attitudes; and

capturing an image according to the image capturing command image by way of the image capturing command key set in the setting step;

detecting an inclination angle of the body relative to a predetermined reference direction;

determining the attitude of the body according to the detected inclination angle;

setting a first key among the predetermined keys as the image capturing command key when the inclination angle is substantially 90 degrees clockwise when the body is seen from a face on which the operation unit is provided;

setting a second key, which is different from the first key, among the predetermined keys as the image capturing command key when the inclination angle is substantially 90 degrees anti-clockwise when the body is seen from a face on which the operation unit is provided;

wherein the plurality of keys is arranged on a face of the body in a rectangular shape with predetermined spacing, and the first key and the second key are located at corners of the face, respectively.