Housing configuration for orientating a surface feature on a mobile device

• US 8,902,171 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Nguyen, Huy, Chin, Tola
• Primary Examiner(s): OLSON, JASON C
• Application Number:
  US10/159,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20030222845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,568 Days
• Field of Search: 345/169, 345/158, 345/173, D14/341, D14/342, D14/138, D16/208
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera

Abstract

A handheld computer has a housing with a front face and a back face. A length of the front face and a length of the back face each extend primarily in a first direction corresponding to a length of the housing. A width of the front face and a width of the back face each extend primarily in a second direction corresponding to a width of the housing. A first surface extends between the front face and the back face. The first surface is acutely angled with respect to at least one of the front face and the back face. A component is disposed at least partially on the front surface. The component is operationally affected by a direction in which the component is oriented.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a housing having (i) a front face and a back face, a length of the front face and a length of the back face each extending primarily in a first direction corresponding to a length of the housing, a width of the front face and a width of the back face each extending primarily in a second direction corresponding to a width of the housing, (ii) a top surface being substantially planar and extending between the front face and the back face to form a top edge, the top surface being acutely angled with respect to the front face, and (iii) a bottom surface being substantially planar and extending between the front face and the back face to form a bottom edge, the top surface and the bottom surface being substantially parallel to each other, wherein the housing is structured to be unitary, so that the front face, the back face, the top surface, and the bottom surface are fixed relative to one another and so that the length of the housing is constant;

a lens component for use in capturing an image of a scene, the component being disposed on the top surface but not on the back face and being operationally affected by a direction in which the lens component is oriented;

a plurality of input mechanisms provided on the front face, the plurality of input mechanisms including a contact-sensitive display;

a processor contained with the housing to cause the image of the scene captured by the lens component to be displayed on the display;

wherein the housing is structured to enable an orientation that, relative to a reference Y that is defined by a direction of gravity and a reference X that is orthogonal to Y, enables (i) an angle in which the display is viewed by a user to be acute with respect to Y, and (ii) a direction in which the lens component is directed to be substantially along X and directed outward away from the user.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the front face and the back face are substantially parallel to one another.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the mobile device is defined by a distance between the front face and the back face, and wherein the thickness varies over the length of the mobile device.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the first surface is angled between 15 degrees and 45 degrees from the front face.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of input mechanisms provided on the front face includes a button.

6. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the button is positioned on the front face between the contact-sensitive display and an edge of the front face that meets the bottom surface.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising a button provided on the back face of the mobile device to enable the mobile device to capture the image of the scene using the lens component.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor enables the user to store the image of the scene captured by the lens component in a memory resource.

9. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a pair of lateral sides, and wherein a set of features are provided on one of the lateral sides.

10. A mobile device comprising:

a housing having (i) a front face and a back face, a length of the front face and a length of the back face each extending primarily in a first direction corresponding to a length of the housing, a width of the front face and a width of the back face each extending primarily in a second direction corresponding to a width of the housing, (ii) a top surface being substantially planar and extending between the front face and the back face to form a top edge, the top surface being acutely angled with respect to the front face, and (iii) a bottom surface being substantially planar and extending between the front face and the back face to form a bottom edge, the top surface and the bottom surface being substantially parallel to each other, wherein the housing is structured to be unitary, so that the front face, the back face, the top surface, and the bottom surface are fixed relative to one another and so that the length of the housing is constant;

a display provided on the front face;

one or more input mechanisms provided on the front face, the one or more input mechanisms being actuatable by a user to provide input;

a memory resource to store one or more applications;

a lens component for use in capturing an image of a scene, the lens component being disposed on the first surface but not on the back face;

a processor to run the one or more applications stored in the memory resource, wherein the processor further causes the image of the scene captured by the lens component to be displayed on the display;

wherein the housing is structured to enable an orientation that, with reference to a reference Y that is defined by a direction of gravity and a reference X that is orthogonal to Y, enables (i) an angle in which the display is viewed by the user to be acute with respect to Y when the user holds and operates the mobile device, and (ii) a direction in which the lens component is directed to be substantially along X and directed outward away from the user.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the one or more application includes at least one of a calendar application, a contacts application, a memo application, or a word processing application.

12. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the front face and the back face are substantially parallel to one another.

13. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein a thickness of the mobile device is defined by a distance between the front face and the back face, and wherein the thickness varies over the length of the mobile device.

14. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the first surface is angled between 15 degrees and 45 degrees from the front face.

15. The mobile device of claim 10, further comprising one or more ports to connect the mobile device to another device.

16. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the lens component includes a transmissive layer provided on the first surface.

17. The mobile device of claim 10, further comprising a button provided on the back face of the mobile device to enable the mobile device to capture the image of the scene using the lens component.

18. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the processor enables the user to store the image of the scene captured by the lens component in a memory resource.

19. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the housing includes a pair of lateral sides, and wherein a set of features are provided on one of the lateral sides.