Self-cradling type portable terminal

Disclosed is a self-cradling type portable terminal including a first body having at least one first user interfacing unit, the first body having a stationary body and a sliding body adapted to slide in a longitudinal direction of the stationary body while continuously facing the stationary body so that a predetermined region of an upper surface of the stationary body is exposed/hidden, and a second body having at least one second user interfacing unit, the second body being connected to the first body so as to rotate about a hinge axis extending through a region of a lateral surface of the first body in a longitudinal direction of the first body, the region being spaced from a center of the lateral surface, so that the first body is supported at a slant by the second body when the second body is rotated by a predetermined angle relative to the first body.

PRIORITY

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to an application entitled “Self-Cradling Type Portable Terminal” filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Jan. 27, 2006 and assigned Serial No. 2006-9049, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a portable terminal, including a digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) phone, a game phone, a chatting phone, a camera phone, an MP3 phone, a cellular phone, a Personal Communication System (PCS), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and a Hand Held Phone (HHP), and in particular, to a self-cradling type portable terminal adapted to be used conveniently in a DMB mode or camera mode.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, “portable terminal” refers to an electronic apparatus that a user can carry to perform wireless communication with a desired partner. As a means of further facilitating portability, designs of such portable terminals are increasingly more compact, slim, and light, and are also increasingly providing multimedia services, having a much wider variety of functions. In particular, future portable terminals are expected to incorporate greater multi-functionality and be capable of multi-purpose utilization, as well as to be more compact, light, and capable of being modified to be suitable for various multimedia or Internet environments.

Conventional portable terminals may be classified into various categories according to their appearance, such as bar-type portable terminals, flip-type portable terminals, and folder-type portable terminals. The bar-type portable terminals have a single housing shaped like a bar. The flip-type portable terminals have a flip rotatably coupled to a bar-shaped housing by a hinge device. The folder-type portable terminals have a folder connected to a single bar-shaped housing by a hinge device in such a manner that the folder can be rotated to fold on or unfold from the housing.

Portable terminals may also be classified into neck wearable type portable terminals and wrist wearable type portable terminals according to the position or way in which users put on the portable terminals. The neck wearable type portable terminals are worn around the user's neck using a string, and the wrist wearable type portable terminals are worn around the user's wrist.

In addition, portable terminals may be classified into rotation-type portable terminals and sliding-type portable terminals. In the rotation-type portable terminals, two housings are coupled to each other in such a manner that one housing rotates to be opened or closed relative to the other while they face each other. In the sliding-type portable terminals, two housings are coupled to each other in such a manner that one housing slides along a longitudinal direction to be opened or closed relative to the other housing. These variously classified portable terminals can be easily understood by those skilled in the art.

Meanwhile, conventional portable terminals now tend to transmit data at a much higher speed in addition to providing a basic voice communication function. In other words, according to increased consumer demands, recent portable terminals tend to provide services using a wireless communication technology capable of transmitting data at a much higher speed.

Recent portable terminals also tend to be equipped with a camera lens to obtain video signals for transmission. Current portable terminals have an external or embedded camera lens module, which enables a user to perform video communication with a desired partner or to photograph desired objects. However, when a conventional portable terminal is to be cradled at a slant, a separate cradle is necessary. This is an additional economic burden on the user.

Particularly, in a DMB mode for watching various mobile images, the display device must be cradled at a slant and stereoscopic sound must be provided for realistic watching. However, it is inconvenient to cradle a conventional portable terminal even when a separate cradle is used.

Furthermore, conventional portable terminals have a camera lens module fixed in a predetermined position on their body. This means that it is inconvenient to use them in a camera mode for photographing mobile images or in a self-shot mode. Therefore, it is requested to provide a portable terminal having a self-cradling function so that the camera lens can rotate for convenient use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the conventional art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal having a self-cradling function so that a user or manufacturer has economic merit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal adapted to be cradled easily.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal adapted to be used conveniently in a DMB mode or camera mode.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal adapted not only to be cradled, but also to be conveniently slidably opened/closed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal having a body, which is still slim even when a high-capacity camera module is mounted thereon.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal having a camera module rotatably positioned on a second body and a camera lens positioned on an upper, lateral, or lower surface of a first body, i.e. in front of or behind a user, so that the portable terminal can be used conveniently in a camera mode for taking still or motion pictures of a desired object or in a video communication mode.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal having a body combining a cradling function with a photographing function.

In order to accomplish these objects, there is provided a self-cradling type portable terminal including a first body having at least one first user interfacing unit, the first body having a stationary body and a sliding body adapted to slide in a longitudinal direction of the stationary body while continuously facing the stationary body so that a predetermined region of an upper surface of the stationary body is exposed/hidden, and a second body having at least one second user interfacing unit, the second body being connected to the first body so as to rotate about a hinge axis extending through a region of a lateral surface of the first body in a longitudinal direction of the first body, the region being spaced from a center of the lateral surface, so that the first body is supported at a slant by the second body when the second body is rotated by a predetermined angle relative to the first body.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a self-cradling type portable terminal including a first body having at least one first user interfacing unit and a second body having at least one second user interfacing unit, the second body being connected to the first body so as to rotate about a hinge axis extending through a region of a lateral surface of the first body in a longitudinal direction of the first body, the region being spaced from a center of the lateral surface, so that the first body is supported at a slant by the second body when the second body is rotated by a predetermined angle relative to the first body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein is omitted to avoid making the subject matter of the present invention unclear.

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 4, a portable terminal according to the present invention includes a first body100and a second body200adapted to rotate away from the first body100and cradle it at a slant. The first body100includes a stationary body110and a sliding body120adapted to slide in the longitudinal direction of the stationary body110while continuously facing it and expose/hide a predetermined region of an upper surface110aof the stationary body100. The second body200is connected to the first body100so as to rotate about a hinge axis A extending through a region of a lateral surface120cof the first body100(shown inFIG. 4), which is spaced from the center of the lateral surface120c, in the longitudinal direction of the first body100and, after being rotated by a predetermined angle relative to the first body100, supports the first body100at a slant. More particularly, the second body200is connected to the sliding body120so as to rotate about a hinge axis A extending through a region of a lateral surface120cof the sliding body120, which is spaced from the center of the lateral surface120c, in the longitudinal direction of the sliding body120and, after being rotated by a predetermined angle relative to the sliding body120, supports the sliding body120at a slant.

The second body200is adapted to rotate towards or away from the sliding body120while continuously facing the lateral surface120cof the sliding body120. The second body200extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the sliding body120so as to be coupled to the sliding body120. A sliding open/closing module (not shown) is mounted between the stationary body110and the sliding body120, and a hinge module (not shown) is mounted between the first body100, particularly the sliding body120, and the second body200. The sliding and hinge modules can have an automatic, semi-automatic, or manual driving source. Depending on the type of the hinge module, the degree of slant of the first body100is adjusted. When the hinge module has an automatic or semi-automatic driving source, it has retaining ability as shown inFIG. 4.

Referring toFIG. 4, the second body200has been rotated by a predetermined angle relative to the lateral surface120cof the sliding body120and supports the sliding body120at a slant. In this state, a free end204of the second body200abuts the ground so that the sliding body120is supported at a slant. The free end204of the second body200has the largest radius of rotation about the hinge axis A, while the other end202of the second body200has the smallest radius of rotation about the hinge axis A. When the second body200has been rotated about the hinge axis A by a predetermined angle, not only the first body100is supported at a slant, but also a camera lens212(shown inFIG. 4) is directed towards the user, as will be described later in more detail.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 3, the hinge axis A of the second body200is parallel to a direction of sliding of the sliding body120. Particularly, the longitudinal direction of the stationary body110and the sliding body120is parallel to the hinge axis A, while the longitudinal direction of the second body200is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the stationary body110and the sliding body120, as well as to the hinge axis A. The sliding body120has a stepped portion128formed on its bottom surface120b(shown inFIG. 2). When the sliding body120slides, the stepped portion128is moved towards or away from the stationary body110.

The first body100has at least one first user interfacing unit, and the second body200has at least one second user interfacing unit. The first user interfacing unit includes a display device122positioned on an upper surface120aof the sliding body120, a first keypad124having a number of keys positioned on the upper surface120aof the sliding body120while being adjacent to the display device122, and a second keypad112positioned on an upper surface110aof the stationary body110so as to be exposed/hidden when the sliding body120slides. The display device122may be an LCD. Alternatively, the display device122may be a touch screen so that information can be inputted/outputted by touching operations. In addition, the first keypad124or second keypad112may be replaced with a touch screen so that data can be inputted by pressing operations and various pieces of information can be inputted/outputted by touching operations.

The second user interfacing unit includes a speaker device210positioned on an upper surface200aof the second body200and a camera lens212positioned on a lateral surface200bof the second body200while being adjacent to the speaker device210so that the camera lens212can face in the forward, backward, or lateral direction in terms of the user. Particularly, the camera lens212can be directed towards the upper, bottom, or lateral surface of the sliding body120. It is advantageous to separately fabricate the camera lens212and couple it to the sliding body120by a hinge module (not shown), considering slimness of the first body100, particularly the sliding body120. When a high-capacity camera module is used to contain the camera lens212, which is positioned on the second body200, an increase in thickness is inevitable, particularly in the case of a camera lens212having a zoom function. If such a camera module is integrally formed on the sliding body120, the thickness of the sliding body120increases substantially. This is contrary to the trend towards slimness. In order to solve this problem, according to the present invention, a high-capacity camera lens module is rotatably positioned on the second body200in conformity with slimness of the portable terminal, including the sliding body120.

Referring toFIG. 2, a protrusion126is positioned between the display device122and the first keypad124so that the sliding body120can be opened/closed easily.

FIG. 2shows the portable terminal according to the present invention when used in a phone mode, andFIG. 4shows the terminal in a DMB mode, video communication mode, or self-shot mode. In the DMB mode, the display device is cradled at a slant so that the user can watch it in a comfortable position.

As mentioned above, the portable terminal according to the present invention is advantageous in that it incorporates a self-cradling function so that it can be cradled easily and has economic merit from the viewpoint of a user or manufacturer. In a DBM mode or camera mode, the display device is cradled at a slant so that the user can watch the screen in an comfortable position. The sliding body can be slid to be opened/closed easily. A high-capacity camera module is rotatably connected to the first body in conformity with slimness of the first body. The portable terminal combines the function of a cradle with that of a camera for increased mounting efficiency and convenient use.