Handheld electronic device having a battery compartment door that includes a camera

An improved handheld electronic device includes an improved battery compartment door having a miniature camera disposed thereon. The battery compartment door with its camera advantageously does not alter the form factor of the handheld electronic device and can easily be replaced with a similar battery door without a camera which, when installed on the handheld electronic device, will provide the same form factor. A battery compartment of the handheld electronic device is configured to be larger than required to accommodate a battery of the handheld electronic device in order to also accommodate the camera of the battery compartment door.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to handheld electronic devices and, more particularly, to a handheld electronic device including a removable battery compartment door and a camera.

2. Background Information

Numerous types of handheld electronic devices are known. Examples of such handheld electronic devices include, for instance, personal data assistants (PDAs), handheld computers, two-way pagers, cellular telephones, and the like. Such handheld electronic devices are generally intended to be portable and thus are relatively small. Many handheld electronic devices also feature wireless communication capability, although many such handheld electronic devices are stand-alone devices that are functional without communication with other devices or that can be selectively communicated, such as through the use of detachable wires.

Since handheld electronic devices desirably are portable, it is also desirable that the form factor of the devices be sufficiently small and ergonomic that the devices can be easily transported with convenience, such as with a belt clip, in a user's pocket, manually, or in a briefcase. Ergonomics and ease of use are of paramount importance in a handheld electronic device, and the user of a handheld electronic device typically will not use accessories or functions of the device that are not ergonomically configured or that are not easy to use, which is undesirable. As technology advances, therefore, accessories and functions that are added to handheld electronic devices must be of an ergonomic and easy to use nature or will be of limited value in the context of a handheld electronic device.

Certain features of handheld electronic devices can be undesirable in certain contexts. For instance, many handheld electronic devices include a miniature camera that can take photos which are then stored in memory resident on the handheld electronic device or can be transmitted to another device using wireless communication. Cameras typically are not permitted to be brought into research facilities and other facilities that are secure or that are otherwise restricted. A handheld electronic device is desirably kept with the user at all times to serve its intended purpose. However, if a user of a handheld electronic device must enter a secure facility without the handheld electronic device, the utility of the handheld electronic device is severely hampered.

The ergonomics of a given handheld electronic device are largely dictated by the form factor of the handheld electronic device. The “form factor” of a handheld electronic device refers broadly to the size and shape of the handheld electronic device and can include the various ergonomic contours of the exterior surfaces of the device as well as the external dimensions thereof. The form factor of a given handheld electronic device often can be optimized for a given application, but the addition of accessories often alters the form factor from its previous optimum configuration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An improved handheld electronic device and its improved battery compartment door provide these and other aspects of the invention. An improved handheld electronic device includes an improved battery compartment door having a miniature camera disposed thereon. The battery compartment door with its camera advantageously does not alter the form factor of the handheld electronic device and can easily be replaced with a similar battery door without a camera which, when installed on the handheld electronic device, will provide the same form factor. A battery compartment of the handheld electronic device is configured to be larger than required to accommodate a battery of the handheld electronic device in order to also accommodate the camera of the battery compartment door.

Accordingly, an aspect of the invention is to provide an improved handheld electronic device having a battery compartment door that includes a camera and that substantially does not alter the form factor of the handheld electronic device.

Another aspect of the invention is to provide an improved handheld electronic device that can be configured either to include or not to include a camera substantially without altering the form factor of the handheld electronic device.

Another aspect of the invention is to provide an improved handheld electronic device that can have one of two battery compartment doors, one of which includes a camera, and the other of which does not include a camera, with the handheld electronic device having substantially the same form factor regardless of which of the two battery compartment doors is installed thereon.

Another aspect of the invention is to provide an improved battery compartment door that can be used in conjunction with a handheld electronic device and that substantially does not alter the form factor of the handheld electronic device.

Another aspect of the invention is to provide an improved battery door that can be used with a handheld electronic device and that includes a camera, with the improved battery compartment door being interchangeable with a similar battery compartment door that does not include a camera, with such interchanging occurring substantially without altering the form factor of the handheld electronic device.

Another aspect of the invention is to provide an improved handheld electronic device having an improved battery compartment door that includes a camera, with the camera being disposed substantially within the interior of the handheld electronic device and not altering the form factor of the handheld electronic device.

Another aspect of the invention is to provide an improved handheld electronic device having a battery compartment that is larger than required to accommodate a battery in order to also accommodate a camera of a battery compartment door of the handheld electronic device.

Another aspect of the invention is to provide an improved handheld electronic device having sets of accessories and/or features that are tailored to specific environments and that are ergonomic and easy to use. Such an improved handheld electronic device may be configured to permit certain of the accessories to be added or removed depending upon the specific environment.

Another aspect of the invention is to provide an improved handheld electronic device having accessories that can be added or subtracted without meaningfully altering the form factor of the handheld electronic device.

These and other aspects of the invention are provided by an improved compartment door structured to be used with a handheld electronic device of a type having a primary housing portion with a cavity formed therein, the cavity being in communication with an exterior of the primary housing portion, in which the general nature of the compartment door can be stated as including a panel, a camera, and a number of attachment structures. The panel has an inner surface and an outer surface. The camera is mounted to the panel and disposed substantially opposite the outer surface. The attachment structures are disposed on the panel and are structured to cooperate with the handheld electronic device to removably mount the compartment door to the handheld electronic device and to substantially enclose the cavity. The compartment door is structured to cooperate with the primary housing portion to together form a housing of the handheld electronic device, with the inner surface of the panel facing toward the cavity, with the camera being disposed substantially within the cavity, and with the outer surface facing away from the cavity when the compartment door is mounted to the handheld electronic device.

The panel may be structured such that the outer surface thereof is disposed substantially flush with an exterior surface of the primary housing portion adjacent the cavity when the compartment door is mounted to the handheld electronic device. The compartment door may be a battery compartment door and may be structured to additionally enclose a battery of the handheld device within the cavity.

Other aspects of the invention are provided by an improved handheld electronic device, the general nature of which can be stated as including a housing and a battery disposed on the housing. The housing has a compartment door and a primary housing portion having an exterior and a cavity formed therein, with the cavity being in communication with the exterior of the primary housing portion. The compartment door has a panel and a camera. The panel has an inner surface and an outer surface, and the camera is mounted to the panel and disposed substantially opposite the outer surface. The compartment door is removably mounted to the primary housing portion and substantially encloses the cavity. The inner surface of the panel faces toward the cavity. The camera is disposed substantially within the cavity. The outer surface faces away from the cavity.

The primary housing portion may include an exterior surface, and the outer surface of the panel may be disposed substantially flush with the exterior surface of the primary housing portion adjacent the cavity. The battery may disposed in the cavity, and the compartment door may be a battery compartment door that may enclose the battery within the cavity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An improved handheld electronic device4is depicted generally inFIGS. 1 and 7.FIGS. 2-4generally depict the device4in whole or in part. As is best shown inFIG. 2, the device4includes a housing8and a battery12. The exemplary embodiment of the device4depicted herein (FIG. 7) also includes a keyboard14, a display18, and a processor22(e.g., without limitation, a microprocessor μP) having software26that resides in the handheld electronic device4and that provides functionality to inputs received from the keyboard14and provides outputs to the display18, although it is understood that the teachings provided herein are applicable to handheld electronic devices that are lacking one or more of a keyboard, a display, and a processor. Examples of handheld electronic devices are included in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,452,588 and 6,489,950 which are incorporated by reference herein.

As can be understood fromFIGS. 1 and 2, the handheld electronic device4, and particularly the housing8, includes a primary housing portion16and a compartment door20. The compartment door20is removably mountable to the primary housing portion16, and the primary housing portion16and the compartment door20together make up the housing8.

The primary housing portion16includes a cavity24formed therein that is open to the exterior of the housing8. The battery12is receivable in the cavity24and is enclosed within the cavity24when the compartment door20is mounted to the primary housing portion16(FIG. 1). It thus can be seen that in the exemplary depicted embodiment of the device4, the cavity24is a battery compartment and the compartment door20is a battery compartment door although in other embodiments either could be of other configurations.

The primary housing portion16includes an exterior surface28. The cavity24is formed in the exterior surface28. When the primary housing portion16is considered without the cavity24, i.e., if the primary housing portion16did not have the cavity24formed therein, the exterior surface28can be considered to give a form factor to the primary housing portion16.

The primary housing portion16includes a number of power electrical contacts32(FIG. 2) and a number of device electrical contacts36within the cavity24. As used herein, the expression “a number of” and variations thereof shall refer to any non-zero quantity, including a quantity of one. The power electrical contacts32are electrically engaged with corresponding contacts (not expressly depicted) on the battery12to transmit electrical power between the battery12and the housing8. The device electrical contacts36will be described in greater detail below.

The compartment door20includes a panel40, a camera48(FIG. 3), and a number of attachment structures52. The panel40includes a support44upon which the camera48is disposed. The panel40is a plate-type member having an inner surface56(FIG. 4) and an outer surface60opposite one another, and further includes a first end64and a second end68which, in the depicted embodiment, are opposite one another.

The attachment structures52include a deflectably movable latch72at the first end64and a pair of stationary tangs76at the second end68. The tangs76are receivable in a pair of receptacles84formed on the primary housing portion16within the cavity24. The latch72is cooperably receivable within a recessed region80of the primary housing portion16. When the compartment door20is mounted to the primary housing portion16, meaning that the tangs76are received in the receptacles84, and the latch72is lockably engaged with the primary housing portion16within the recessed section80, the panel40is disposed against a ledge86formed on the primary housing portion16within the cavity24. In the depicted embodiment, the ledge86extends substantially about the perimeter of the cavity24. When the compartment door20is mounted to the primary housing portion16in such fashion, the compartment door20encloses the cavity24and encloses the battery12within the cavity24.

As can be understood fromFIGS. 1 and 4, when the compartment door20is mounted to the primary housing portion16in the indicated fashion, the outer surface60of the panel40is disposed substantially flush with the exterior surface28of the primary housing portion16. It thus can be seen that the configuration of the cavity24with its ledge86recessed therein permits the panel40to be largely disposed recessed within the primary housing portion16, which permits the flush relationship between the outer surface60and the exterior surface28in the region of the cavity24.

It thus can also be seen that the form factor of the primary housing portion16without the cavity24is substantially unaltered by the compartment door being mounted thereto. Stated otherwise, the compartment door20does not alter the form factor of the primary housing portion16, and rather the compartment door20cooperates with and becomes a substantially unaltering portion of the form factor of the primary housing portion16.

As can be understood fromFIG. 3, the camera48includes a body88, a lens92, and a flash apparatus96. The support44includes a printed circuit board104and a bracket108. The lens92is disposed on the body88, with the body88and the flash apparatus96being disposed on the printed circuit board104. The printed circuit board104is mounted on the bracket108which is, in turn, mounted to the panel40at the inner surface56(FIG. 4) thereof generally at the first end64. The camera48additionally includes appropriate camera electronics116that are shown in block diagram form inFIG. 3and are disposed on the printed circuit board104. The printed circuit board104additionally includes a number of camera electrical contacts112(FIG. 4) that are electrically engaged with the device electrical contacts36to transfer power and data between the camera48and the primary housing portion16.

In the depicted embodiment, the flash apparatus96includes a pair of white LEDs100disposed on the printed circuit board104. The lens92is disposed generally between the white LEDs100. The panel40includes a lens hole120formed therein that allows light to pass through the panel40and into the camera48through the lens92. The panel40additionally includes a pair of LED holes124formed therein that permit light produced by the white LEDs100to pass through the panel40and onto a subject (not shown) being photographed. It thus can be seen that the camera48is disposed on the panel40and extends away from the panel40in a direction generally opposite the outer surface60.

As can be understood fromFIG. 2, the cavity24can be considered to include a first cavity portion128within which the battery24is disposed and a second cavity portion132within which the camera48and the support44are disposed (FIG. 4) when the compartment door20is mounted to the primary housing portion16. The cavity24, which serves as a battery compartment for the device4, is configured to be slightly larger than needed to accommodate the battery12therein in order to additionally accommodate the camera48of the compartment door20.

As can be seen fromFIG. 4, when the compartment door20is mounted to the primary housing portion16, the camera electrical contacts112are electrically engaged with the device electrical contacts36, and the camera48is disposed within the cavity24. Alternatively, the compartment door20with its camera48could be interchanged with an alternate compartment door136(FIGS. 5-6) having a panel shown as40′ inFIG. 6and a number of attachment structures52′, but not including a camera or a support. The alternate compartment door136mounted to the primary housing portion16(FIG. 6) results in a handheld electronic device4′ having substantially the same form factor as the device4, which includes the camera48.

It thus can be seen that the improved handheld electronic device4includes a removable camera48, and the presence or absence of the camera48does not affect the form factor of the handheld electronic device4. This is because the camera48is mounted to the compartment door20, which is removable from the handheld electronic device4and is replaceable with the alternate compartment door136which does not include a camera but provides the same form factor to the handheld electronic device4when mounted thereon. The outer surface60, which faces away from the cavity24when the compartment door20is mounted to the primary housing portion16, blends with and is flush with the exterior surface28of the primary housing portion16, such that the compartment door20advantageously does not affect or alter the form factor of the primary housing portion16.