Camera-equipped cellular telephone

• US 20040027474A1
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Optis Wireless Technology, LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tabata, Taichi, Aoyama, Sachio
• Granted Patent: US 7,271,845 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/335
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• 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 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00519 Constructional details not otherwise provided for, e.g. housings, covers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00535 using rotatably mounted or foldable components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0097 Storage of instructions or parameters, e.g. customised instructions or different parameters for different user IDs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0063 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/007 Selecting or switching between a still picture apparatus or function and another apparatus or function H04N2201/0022 takes precedence

Abstract

Cell phone apparatus with camera capabilities characterized in that the cell phone apparatus with camera capabilities includes a shooting section for shooting a picture, a reclosable lens cover for protecting the shooting lens of the shooting section, detecting means for detecting opening/closing of the lens cover, a memory for storing information on presetting of a plurality of modes where various features are set, and a controller for switching to a preset mode among a plurality of modes stored in the memory on detecting that the lens cover is open. This provides easy-to-use cell phone apparatus with camera capabilities in both the cell phone mode and the camera mode without causing misunderstanding or unnecessary guard on the side of others in photography shooting.

Claims

1. Cell phone apparatus with camera capabilities characterized in that the cell phone apparatus with camera capabilities comprises a shooting section for shooting a picture, a reclosable lens cover for protecting the shooting lens of the shooting section, detecting means for detecting opening/closing of the lens cover, a memory for storing information on presetting of a plurality of modes where various features are set, and a controller for switching to a preset mode among a plurality of modes stored in the memory on detecting that the lens cover is open.

2. Cell phone apparatus with camera capabilities according to claim 1, characterized in that the controller switches from the cell phone mode to the camera mode on detecting that the lens cover is open, and switches from the camera mode to the cell phone mode on detecting that the lens cover is closed.

3. Cell phone apparatus with camera capabilities according to claim 1, characterized in that the controller switches from the camera mode to the cell phone mode on detecting that the lens cover is closed, and switches from the camera mode to the cell phone mode as well as switches the roles of the keys used in the cell phone mode to those of the keys used in the camera mode on detecting that the lens cover is open.

4. Cell phone apparatus with camera capabilities according to any one of claims 1 through 3, characterized in that the controller retrieves presence/absence of a picture temporarily stored in the camera mode, and in case the picture is present, asks the user whether this picture needs registration and issues an instruction for the user to register or erase the temporary stored picture data via choice of the user.