Portable information terminal comprising a camera with a fixed and movable display

• US 7,496,378 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2003
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kawamura, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Blane J
• Application Number:
  US10/367,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20040198458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,197 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 455/416, 455/66.1, 455/550.1, 455/557, 455/569.1, 455/575.1, 455/575.8, 348/14.07, 379/433.04, 379/434, 379/93.21
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• 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 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• 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 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a wider display screen to a portable information terminal including a video telephone function and to provide means for simultaneously confirming both a transmission screen and a reception screen.

A movable display part in a shape of a lid body that can be opened is provided in a back of a case of the portable information terminal and the movable display part is opened taking an axis provided on the case as a center, thereby enabling a display screen of the movable display part to be seen from the same direction as that of a fixed display part. Thus, a wider display screen than the conventional one is provided. Moreover, different information is displayed on the fixed display part and the movable display part, thus increasing an amount of information that can be recognized by an operator at a time. Particularly, in using a video telephone, a transmitted image is displayed on one of the screens and a received image is displayed on the other screen. As a result, it is made possible to make a phone call while confirming an image in an actual dimension of the transmitted image, which was difficult to perform in the conventional portable information terminal.

Claims

1. A portable information terminal comprising:

a fixed display part;

a movable display part in a shape of a lid body that can be opened from a back of a case;

a transmission and reception circuit which transmits and receives data including image data for a telephone conference;

a camera which photographs an image and which is rotatably mounted on the fixed display part of said portable information terminal;

a control unit which controls, during the telephone conference, the fixed display part and the moveable display part to display a received image and a transmitting image on any one of the fixed display part and the moveable display part; and

a protection cover, which is entirely or partially transparent and which protects the movable display part, wherein in a state where the movable display part is protected by the protection cover, the entire or part of the display screen of the movable display displays the received image,

wherein the camera is rotatable in a range of 360 degrees,

wherein the camera is capable of photographing the image throughout the range of 360 degrees, and

wherein the image photographed by the camera corresponds to the transmitting image.

2. The portable information terminal of claim 1, further comprising a movable display part opening and closing detecting unit which detects opened and closed states of the movable display part.

3. The portable information terminal of claim 2, wherein the movable display part stops its display operation when the movable display part opening and closing detecting unit detects the closed state of the movable display part.

4. The portable information terminal of claim 1, further comprising a protection cover of the movable display part, wherein the protection cover protects a display screen of the movable display part when the movable display part is closed.

5. The portable information terminal of claim 1, further comprising a mechanism which supports the movable display part after being opened from the back of the case such that a display screen of the movable display part is positioned at an angle which is capable of being viewed from a given direction.

6. The portable information terminal of claim 1, wherein the camera is rotatably mounted on the side of the portable information terminal.

7. The portable information terminal of claim 1, wherein the camera is detachable from the portable information terminal.

8. A portable information terminal comprising:

a fixed display part;

a movable display part in a shape of a lid body that can be opened from a back of a case;

a protection cover, which is entirely or partially transparent and which protects the movable display part;

a transmission and reception circuit which transmits and receives data including image data for a telephone conference;

a camera which photographs an image and which is rotatably mounted on the fixed display part of said portable information terminal;

a control unit which controls, during the telephone conference, the fixed display part and the moveable display part to display a received image and a transmitting image on any one of the fixed display part and the moveable display part,

wherein the camera is rotatable in a range of 360 degrees,

wherein the camera is capable of photographing the image throughout the range of 360 degrees, and

wherein the image photographed by the camera corresponds to the transmitting image.