Portable electronic equipment having a photographing function

• US 20030125008A1
• Filed: 12/16/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Shimamura, Masaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,224,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/344
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• 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 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera

Abstract

When no photographing is carried out, a control unit applies no voltage to a dimming film of a lens concealing plate, sets a light blocking state to scatter incident light, and prevents a camera lens from becoming visible. When an operator depresses a photographing mode selection key, the control unit applies a predetermined voltage to the dimming film to set a transparent state, thereby enabling photographing to be carried out. In this state, when photographing a landscape, the operator directs the camera lens to an object, sets a cellular phone ready, decides a composition by watching an image of the object displayed on a main display unit, and correcting a position of the cellular phone, and depresses the photographing mode key again.

Claims

1. A portable electronic equipment comprising:

forming means for forming an image of an object;

concealing means for concealing said forming means;

judging means for judging whether a predetermined condition is satisfied or not; and

controlling means for controlling said concealing means based on a result of said judging means.

2. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said judging means judges whether or not switching is done based on electrical control.

3. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 2, wherein said controlling means controls said concealing means to a light transmitting state or a light blocking state by switching based on electrical control.

4. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 3, wherein said concealing means comprises a dimming layer which is brought to a light transmitting state for transmitting an incoming light, or a light blocking state for blocking the incoming light by absorbing or scattering it.

5. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 3, wherein said concealing means comprises a dimming layer having a light transmittance controlled in accordance with an applied voltage.

6. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 5, wherein said dimming layer comprises dispersed microcapsules containing liquid crystals in a base material.

7. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 6, wherein said controlling means controls to bring said dimming layer to a light transmitting state by applying a predetermined voltage to the same, and to a light blocking state by stopping the application of the voltage to the same.

8. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 7, wherein said portable electronic equipment is a cellular phone.

9. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 1, further comprises decision means for deciding a composition of said object.

10. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 9, wherein said decision means is arranged in the vicinity of said concealing means and held in a mirror surface state or a non-mirror surface state by switching based on electrical control.

11. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 10, wherein said concealing means comprises a first dimming layer having a light transmittance controlled in accordance with an applied voltage.

12. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 11, wherein said decision means comprises a mirror surface reflection portion for reflecting an incoming light on a mirror surface, and a second dimming layer arranged on a front surface side of said mirror surface reflection portion and having a light transmittance controlled in accordance with an applied voltage.

13. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 12, further comprises displaying means comprising a liquid crystal panel capable of displaying characters or images, said second dimming layer arranged on a rear surface side of said liquid crystal panel and said mirror surface reflection portion arranged on a rear surface side of said second dimming layer.

14. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 13, wherein said decision means is adapted to said displaying means.

15. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 14, further comprises second controlling means for controlling said concealing means and said displaying means to bring the first and second dimming layers to light transmitting states during photographing, and to light blocking states in a period other than the photographing.

16. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 14, wherein said portable electronic equipment is a cellular phone.

17. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portable electronic equipment is a foldable cellular phone composed of upper and lower casings connected to each other at a hinge unit.

18. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 17, wherein said forming means and said concealing means are arranged on a side which becomes an outer surface side of said cellular phone in a folded state of said cellular phone.

19. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 18, wherein said concealing means comprises a dimming layer having a light transmittance controlled in accordance with an applied voltage.

20. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 19, further comprising detecting means for detecting an opened/closed state of said cellular phone.

21. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 20, wherein said controlling means brings said dimming layer to the light transmitting state or the light blocking state based on a result of said detecting means.

22. A portable electronic equipment comprising:

a camera lens that forms an image of an object;

a lens concealing plate that conceals said camera lens;

a judging circuit that judges whether a predetermined condition is satisfied or not; and

a controller that controls said lens concealing plate based on a result of said judging circuit.

23. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 22, wherein said judging circuit judges whether or not switching is done based on electrical control.

24. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 23, wherein said controller controls said lens concealing plate to a light transmitting state or a light blocking state by switching based on electrical control.

25. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 24, wherein said lens concealing plate comprises a dimming layer which is brought to a light transmitting state for transmitting an incoming light, or a light blocking state for blocking the incoming light by absorbing or scattering it.

26. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 24, wherein said lens concealing plate comprises a dimming layer having a light transmittance controlled in accordance with an applied voltage.

27. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 26, wherein said dimming layer comprise dispersed microcapsules containing liquid crystals in a base material.

28. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 27, wherein said controller controls to bring said dimming layer to a light transmitting state by applying a predetermined voltage to the same, and to a light blocking state by stopping the application of the voltage to the same.

29. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 28, wherein said portable electronic equipment is a cellular phone.

30. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 22, further comprises decision circuit that decides a composition of said object.

31. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 30, wherein said decision circuit is arranged in the vicinity of said lens concealing plate and held in a mirror surface state or a non-mirror surface state by switching based on electrical control.

32. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 31, wherein said lens concealing plate comprises a first dimming layer having a light transmittance controlled in accordance with an applied voltage.

33. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 32, wherein said decision circuit comprises a mirror surface reflection portion for reflecting an incoming light on a mirror surface, and a second dimming layer arranged on a front surface side of said mirror surface reflection portion and having a light transmittance controlled in accordance with an applied voltage.

34. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 33, further comprises a display comprising a liquid crystal panel capable of displaying characters or images, said second dimming layer arranged on a rear surface side of said liquid crystal panel and said mirror surface reflection portion arranged on a rear surface side of said second dimming layer.

35. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 34, wherein said decision circuit is adapted to said display.

36. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 35, further comprises second controller that controls said lens concealing plate and said display to bring the first and second dimming layers to light transmitting states during photographing, and to light blocking states in a period other than the photographing.

37. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 35, wherein said portable electronic equipment is a cellular phone.

38. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 22, wherein said portable electronic equipment is a foldable cellular phone composed of upper and lower casings connected to each other at a hinge unit.

39. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 38, wherein said camera lens and said lens concealing plate are arranged on a side which becomes an outer surface side of said cellular phone in a folded state of said cellular phone.

40. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 39, wherein said lens concealing plate comprises a dimming layer having a light transmittance controlled in accordance with an applied voltage.

41. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 40, further comprises detector that detects an opened/closed state of said cellular phone.

42. The portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 41, wherein said controller brings said dimming layer to the light transmitting state or the light blocking state based on a result of said detector.

43. A method for controlling a camera lens provided in a portable electronic equipment, wherein said method comprises:

applying power;

setting said camera lens to a light blocking state;

judging whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied; and

changing said light blocking state to a light transmitting state when said predetermined condition is satisfied.

44. The method for controlling said camera lens provided in said portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 43, wherein said predetermined condition is that a switch is pushed.

45. The method for controlling said camera lens provided in said portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 43, where said method further comprises judging whether or not said portable electronic equipment is opened.

46. The method for controlling said camera lens provided in said portable electronic equipment as claimed in claim 45, wherein said predetermined condition is that said portable electronic equipment is opened.