Imaging apparatus

• US 8,917,985 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2008
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Kuwahara, Masato, Koshiishi, Kazunori, Ehara, Yui, Fukasawa, Ryo
• Primary Examiner(s): Laballe, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): REISNER, NOAM S
• Application Number:
  US12/153,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20090059497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,401 Days
• Field of Search: 396/87, 345/169
• US Class Current: 396/287
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/695 Imported photos, e.g. of the player

Abstract

An imaging apparatus 10 comprises a lower housing 11, an upper housing 21, a lower LCD 12, an upper LCD 22, an inner camera 23, and a microphone. The upper housing 21 has a lower side which is connected to an upper side of the lower housing 11 such that the lower housing 11 and the upper housing 21 are foldable. The lower LCD 12 has a display screen which is provided in an inner surface of the lower housing 11 when folded. The upper LCD 22 has a display screen which is provided in an inner surface of the upper housing 21 when folded. The imaging section is provided in the inner surface of the upper housing 22 and between the display screen of the lower LCD 12 and the display screen of the upper LCD 22. The microphone is provided in the inner housing of the upper housing 21 and between the display screen of the lower LCD 12 and the display screen of the upper LCD 22.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a first housing having a button at a right end on an upper surface thereof and a button at a left end on an upper surface thereof, each button being on a same surface of the first housing and each button is for performing the same photographing instruction operation,

the right end button extending at its right end to the right end of the first housing,

the left end button extending at its left end to the left end of the first housing;

a second housing having a lower side which is connected to an upper side of the first housing such that the first and second housings are foldable;

a first display section having a display screen which is provided in an inner surface of the first housing when folded except in regions of the inner surface that are to the lower side of the right end button and the left end button;

a second display section having a display screen which is provided in an inner surface of the second housing when folded except in regions of the inner surface that are to the upper side of the right end button and the left end button;

an imaging section provided in the inner surface of the second housing and located substantially at a center of the second housing in a left-right direction; and

sound output sections provided in the inner surface of the second housing and on both sides of the display screen of the second display section in a left-right direction, respectively, wherein;

an image taken by the imaging section is displayable on the first or second display section,

when the first and second housings are folded such that the first display section and the second display section are not visible, the buttons on the first housing are still visible,

the right and left end buttons are located so as to be hidden from view when the first and second housings are open and the imaging apparatus is viewed in plan view from the first and second display sections'"'"' sides of the first and second housings, and

the right and left end buttons are effective for performing the same photographing instruction operation at the same time.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the second housing has at the lower side an axial portion which is pivotally connected to the upper housing of the first housing, and

the imaging section and a sound input section are located in the axial portion.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the axial portion is located substantially at the center of the second housing in the left-right direction.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sound input section is located at a position away from a position of the imaging section in the left-right direction.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the right end button and the left end button are formed not to project outward from the plane of an outer surface of the first housing, which surface is opposed to the inner surface.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the right end of the right end button is flush with the right end of the first housing and left end of the left end button is flush with the left end of the first housing,

upper surfaces of the right and left end buttons, when not depressed, extend outwardly from a plane defined by the upper surface of the first housing, and

the right and left end buttons do not project outwardly from a plane corresponding to an outer surface of the first housing, the outer surface of the first housing being opposite the inner surface of the first housing.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an LED light provided to the second housing, the LED light being actuatable during a camera-related operation as an indication that the camera-related operation is being undertaken.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the LED light is provided to an outer surface of the second housing.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the LED light is adjacent to an outer imaging section, the outer imaging section also being provided to the outer surface of the second housing.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the LED light is actuated when a picture is being, or is about to be, taken, by either one of the inner imaging section or the outer imaging section.

11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the picture is a moving picture.

12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the outer imaging section is provided to an upper portion of the second housing remote from the upper side of the first housing.

13. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is sized and shaped to be held with one hand in connection with the photographing instruction operation.

14. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first housing has a lower surface opposite the upper surface thereof, the lower surface having at least partially rounded corners.

15. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a first housing having a button at a right end on an upper surface thereof and a button at a left end on an upper surface thereof,

each button being on a same surface of the first housing and each button is for performing the same photographing instruction operation,

the right end button extending at its right end to the right end of the first housing,

the left end button extending at its left end to the left end of the first housing;

a second housing having a lower side which is connected to an upper side of the first housing such that the first and second housings are foldable;

a first display section having a display screen which is provided in an inner surface of the first housing when folded except in regions of the inner surface that are to the lower side of the right end button and the left end button;

a second display section having a display screen which is provided in an inner surface of the second housing when folded except in regions of the inner surface that are to the upper side of the right end button and the left end button; and

an imaging section provided in the inner surface of the second housing and located substantially at a center of the second housing in a left-right direction, wherein;

an image taken by the imaging section is displayable on the first or second display section,

when the first and second housings are folded such that the first display section and the second display section are not visible, the buttons on the first housing are still visible,

the right and left end buttons are located so as to be hidden from view when the first and second housings are open and the imaging apparatus is viewed in plan view from the first and second display sections'"'"' sides of the first and second housings, and

the right and left end buttons are effective for performing the same photographing instruction operation at the same time.

16. The imaging apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the right end button and the left end button are formed not to project outward from the plane of an outer surface of the first housing, which surface is opposed to the inner surface.

17. The imaging apparatus according to claim 15, wherein:

the right end of the right end button is flush with the right end of the first housing and left end of the left end button is flush with the left end of the first housing,

upper surfaces of the right and left end buttons, when not depressed, extend outwardly from a plane defined by the upper surface of the first housing, and

the right and left end buttons do not project outwardly from a plane corresponding to an outer surface of the first housing, the outer surface of the first housing being opposite the inner surface of the first housing.