Adjustably mounted camera assembly for portable computers

• US 5,801,919 A
• Filed: 04/04/1997
• Issued: 09/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway 2000, Inc. (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Griencewic, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): FEILD, LYNN DIANA
• Application Number:
  US08/832,940
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 361/681, 361/683-686, 364/708.1
• US Class Current: 361/679.26
• 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: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera

Abstract

A portable computer has a main body section, a display screen and an adjustable camera assembly. The camera assembly is carried by the portable computer and has a limited field of view and a discernable viewing direction. The camera assembly is moveable relative to the portable computer so that the viewing direction may be adjusted without moving the main body section or display screen.

Claims

1. A portable computer having a main body section, a display screen carried by said main body section, and an adjustable camera assembly carried by said portable computer, wherein:

said camera assembly is moveably and adjustably joined to said portable computer; and

said camera assembly has a limited field of view and a discernable viewing direction, said camera assembly being moveable such that said viewing direction is adjustable without moving said main body section or said display screen;

said display screen comprises a perimeter bezel having at least a top member and a side member, said camera assembly being moveably joined to said bezel;

said camera assembly is further moveable between a storage position and an operational position, said camera assembly being received within a recess in said bezel when in said storage position and extends from said recess when in said operational position;

said recess comprises a channel extending internally within said side member of said bezel and opening into said top member of said bezel,

said channel being unexposed to an outside surface of the display screen.

2. The portable computer of claim 1 wherein said camera assembly is carried by a flexible rod, said flexible rod and said camera assembly being received within said channel when in said storage position and extending from said channel with said camera assembly spaced from said bezel when in said operational position.

3. The portable computer of claim 2 wherein said rod comprises at least one flexible segment permitting adjustment of said viewing direction of said camera assembly by bending said at least one flexible segment in a desired manner.

4. A portable computer having a main body section, a display screen carried by said main body section, and an adjustable camera assembly carried by said portable computer, wherein:

said camera assembly is moveably and adjustably joined to said portable computer;

said camera assembly has a limited field of view and a discernable viewing direction, said camera assembly being moveable such that said viewing direction is adjustable without moving said main body section or said display screen;

a camera support wherein said camera assembly is rotatable relative to a first rotational axis extending generally perpendicular from said camera support for side to side rotational adjustment of said viewing direction of said camera assembly relative to said display screen; and

said camera assembly is further tiltable about a second rotational axis which is generally perpendicular to said first rotational axis for vertical adjustment of said viewing direction of said camera assembly relative to said display screen.

5. The portable computer of claim 4 wherein said camera assembly pivots about a pivoting end of said camera support such that said camera assembly pivots into a storage position within said recess and pivots out to an operational position extending from said recess.

6. The portable computer of claim 4 wherein said camera assembly further comprises a microphone disposed on said camera assembly.

7. The portable computer of claim 4 wherein said camera assembly further comprises a focus feature disposed thereon for focusing said camera assembly on a particular subject as desired.

8. The portable computer of claim 4 wherein said camera assembly further comprises a zoom feature disposed thereon for selectively adjusting said field of view of said camera assembly relative to a particular subject as desired.

9. The portable computer of claim 4 wherein said camera assembly further comprises an indicator light disposed thereon for indicating when said camera assembly is in use.

10. A portable computer having a main body section including a plurality of electronic components therein and a keyboard on its upper surface, a display screen having a generally rectangular perimeter shape rotatably carried by said main body section, a bezel disposed around said perimeter of said display screen, and an adjustable camera assembly carried by said bezel and being electrically connected to said portable computer, said camera assembly comprising:

a camera support being moveable between a storage position disposed within a recess in said bezel and an operational position extending from said recess, said recess being internal to said bezel and unexposed to an outside surface of the display screen;

a lens housing carried on said camera support and being rotatably adjustable about a first rotational axis extending generally perpendicularly from said camera support when said camera support is in said operational position;

a lens apparatus carried by said lens housing, said lens apparatus having a discernable viewing direction relative to said lens housing and a limited field of view in said viewing direction; and

wherein said viewing direction is adjustable without moving said main body section or said display screen by rotating said lens housing relative to said camera support about said first rotational axis.