Disabling operation of a camera on a handheld mobile communication device based upon enabling or disabling devices

• US 7,706,837 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2006
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Ladouceur, Norman M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aminzay; Shaima Q
• Application Number:
  US11/469,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20080058006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/90.3, 455/403, 455/418, 455/550.1, 455/566, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 348/14.02, 348/176, 348/335, 348/374, 396/56
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/667 Preventing unauthorised calls from a telephone set H04M1/677 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/634 Warning indications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes

Abstract

A handheld communication device capable of transmitting and receiving at least voice and text communication. The device has a body assembly including a front face arranged to be directed toward an operator of the device when held in a text communicating orientation. A display screen and a text-input keyboard are included and are each exposed at the front face of the body assembly. The keyboard has a plurality of keys that include a set of alphabetic keys with which either QWERTY-, QWERTZ- AZERTY- or Dvorak-arranged alphabetic characters are associated. An integrated camera assembly is also included that is configured for taking photographs and the communication device enabled to wirelessly communicate photographs taken with the camera assembly to a remote receiver. The camera assembly includes a photo-initiating actuator having an actuated position and an unactuated position and at least one of a selective enablement device or a selective disablement device.

Claims

1. A handheld communication device capable of transmitting and receiving at least voice and text communication, said device comprising:

a body assembly having a front face arranged to be directed toward an operator of the device when held in a text communicating orientation;

a display screen and a text-input keyboard each being exposed at the front face of said body assembly, said keyboard comprising a plurality of keys that include a set of alphabetic keys with which QWERTY-arranged alphabetic characters are associated;

an integrated camera assembly configured for taking photographs and said communication device enabled to wirelessly communicate photographs taken with said camera assembly to a remote receiver, said camera assembly including a photo-initiating actuator having an actuated position and an unactuated position and a selective disablement device; and

said selective disablement device comprises a removable pin that when inserted into a pin-receiver on said device prevents said photo-initiating actuator from moving from said unactuated position to said actuated position.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said camera assembly comprises a selective enablement device that in an enabled mode activates said photo-initiating actuator thereby permitting an operator to take photographs.

3. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein said selective enablement device further comprises a disabled mode in which said photo-initiating actuator is deactivated thereby preventing an operator from taking photographs.

4. The device as recited in claim 3, wherein said selective enablement device further comprises a removable key that when inserted in a key-receiver on said device, said photo-initiating actuator is activated thereby permitting an operator to take photographs.

5. The device as recited in claim 4, wherein said removable key is a pin with detectable physical characteristics required to activate said photo-initiating actuator thereby permitting an operator to take photographs.

6. The device as recited in claim 4, wherein said removable key is a programmable card with recorded information required to activate said photo-initiating actuator thereby permitting an operator to take photographs.

7. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said selective disablement device further comprises a tamper-evidencing lock that enables a third party to temporarily prevent an operator from taking photographs.

8. The device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a trackball navigational tool exposed at said front face of said device and located adjacent said display screen, said trackball configured to affect cursor navigation on said display screen by an operator of the device.

9. The device as recited in claim 8, wherein said body assembly has a height greater than a width thereof and said device is configured to be held in a portrait orientation for text communication.

10. The device as recited in claim 9, wherein said trackball navigational tool is located substantially between said display screen and said keyboard.

11. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein said set of alphabetic keys with which QWERTY-arranged alphabetic characters are associated comprises twenty-six keys with one English-alphabet character associated with each of said twenty-six keys.

12. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein said set of alphabetic keys with which QWERTY-arranged alphabetic characters are associated comprises fewer than twenty-six keys with one than one English-alphabet character associated with at least one of said alphabetic keys.

13. A handheld communication device capable of transmitting and receiving at least text communication, said device comprising:

a body assembly having a front face arranged to be directed toward an operator of the device when held in a text communicating orientation;

a display screen and a text-input keyboard each being exposed at the front face of said body assembly, said keyboard comprising a plurality of keys that include a set of alphabetic keys with which one of QWERTY-, QWERTZ-, AZERTY- or Dvorak-arranged alphabetic characters are associated;

an integrated camera assembly configured for taking photographs and said communication device enabled to wirelessly communicate photographs taken with said camera assembly to a remote receiver, said camera assembly including a photo-initiating actuator having an actuated position and an unactuated position and a selective disablement device; and

said selective disablement device comprises a removable pin that when inserted into a pin-receiver on said device prevents said photo-initiating actuator from moving from said unactuated position to said actuated position.

14. The device as recited in claim 13, wherein said handheld communication device is capable of transmitting and receiving e-mail.