Abstract:
A handheld electronic apparatus. The handheld electronic apparatus includes a first connecting member, a second connecting member, an operating member, a first holding member and a second holding member. The second connecting member is rotatably connected to the first connecting member. The operating member is rotatably connected to the second connecting member. The first holding member is rotatably connected to the first connecting member. The second holding member is rotatably connected to the first connecting member. The first and second holding members relatively rotate between a closed position and an open position. The invention thereby provides convenient use of communication, digital photography, PDA, and video game functions in a single device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a handheld electronic apparatus, and in particular to a handheld electronic apparatus that combines communication, digital photography, PDA, and video game functions.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Conventional cellular phones often combine communication, digital photography, and video game functions, or communication, PDA, and video game functions. None, however, combines all. Furthermore, because the aforementioned functions are often poorly deployed in conventional cellular phones, it is often inconvenient to utilize one or more thereof.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a handheld electronic apparatus providing communication, digital photography, PDA, and video game functions, fully utilizing the space thereof such that multiple functions are more efficiently provided. The present handheld electronic apparatus also provides reduced weight and ergonomic shape, such that more comfortable use thereof is enabled. The handheld electronic apparatus comprises a first connecting member, a second connecting member, an operating member, a first holding member and a second holding member. The second connecting member is rotatably connected to the first connecting member. The operating member is rotatably connected to the second connecting member. The first holding member is rotatably connected to the first connecting member. The second holding member is rotatably connected to the first connecting member. The first and second holding members relatively rotate between a closed position and an open position.  
         [0006]     The handheld electronic apparatus further comprises a first rotating shaft disposed between the first and second connecting members. The first and second holding members relatively rotate by means of the first rotating shaft.  
         [0007]     The second connecting member further comprises a recess and the operating member further comprises a pin rotatably disposed therein. The second connecting member and operating member relatively rotate by means of the pin and recess.  
         [0008]     The first rotating shaft is perpendicular to the pin.  
         [0009]     The handheld electronic apparatus further comprises a second rotating shaft and a third rotating shaft, both disposed in the first connecting member. The first holding member is rotatably mounted on the second rotating shaft, and the second holding member is rotatably mounted on the third rotating shaft.  
         [0010]     The first holding member further comprises a first toothed portion and the second holding member further comprises a second toothed portion engaging the first toothed portion.  
         [0011]     The first connecting member further comprises an image capturing module having a camera lens disposed thereon.  
         [0012]     The operating member further comprises a cellular phone module and a computer module, respectively disposed on opposite surfaces thereof. The cellular phone module further comprises a keypad, a display and a speaker. The computer module further comprises an LCD touch panel.  
         [0013]     The operating member further comprises a circuit module and the first holding member further comprises a power cell receiving portion to receive a cell providing power to the circuit module.  
         [0014]     The first holding member further comprises a first operating interface having a first operating button.  
         [0015]     The second holding member further comprises a second operating interface having a second operating button.  
         [0016]     The handheld electronic apparatus further comprises a wireless transmission module disposed in the operating member, first holding member, or second holding member.  
         [0017]     The handheld electronic apparatus further comprises a first signal transmission cable connected to the first holding member and operating member. The first signal transmission cable connects the operating member and first holding member via the first and second connecting members.  
         [0018]     The handheld electronic apparatus further comprises a second signal transmission cable connecting the second holding member and operating member. The second signal transmission cable connects the operating member and second holding member via the first and second connecting members.  
         [0019]     A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]     The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the handheld electronic apparatus of the invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of the partial inner structure of the handheld electronic apparatus of the invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a plane view of an operating mode of the handheld electronic apparatus of the invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another operating mode of the handheld electronic apparatus of the invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a plane view of another operating mode of the handheld electronic apparatus of the invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of another operating mode of the handheld electronic apparatus of the invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is a plane view of another operating mode of the handheld electronic apparatus of the invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of another operating mode of the handheld electronic apparatus of the invention;  
         [0029]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of another operating mode of the handheld electronic apparatus of the invention according to  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0030]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of another operating mode of the handheld electronic apparatus of the invention according to  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of another operating mode of the handheld electronic apparatus of the invention; and  
         [0032]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of another operating mode of the handheld electronic apparatus of the invention according to  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0033]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the handheld electronic apparatus  100  comprises a first connecting member  110 , a second connecting member  120 , an operating member  130 , a first holding member  140  and a second holding member  150 . The second connecting member  120  is rotatably connected to the first connecting member  110 . The operating member  130  is rotatably connected to the second connecting member  120 . The first holding member  140  is rotatably connected to the first connecting member  110 . The second holding member  150  is rotatably connected to the first connecting member  110 . The operating member  130  has two sidewalls  139 . The first holding member  140  and second holding member  150  are rotatably connected to or separated from the sidewalls  139 .  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a first rotating shaft  160  is disposed between the first connecting member  110  and the second connecting member  120 . The first connecting member  110  and second connecting member  120  relatively rotate, as shown by arrow A in  FIG. 1 , by means of the first rotating shaft  160 . Additionally, the second connecting member  120  has a recess  121  and the operating member  130  has a pin (fourth rotating shaft)  131  perpendicular to the first rotating shaft  160 . Specifically, the pin (fourth rotating shaft)  131  is rotatably disposed in the recess  121 . Thus, the operating member  130  can rotate, as shown by arrow B in  FIG. 1 , relative to the second connecting member  120 .  
         [0035]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a second rotating shaft  111  and a third rotating shaft  112  are disposed in the first connecting member  110 . Specifically, the first holding member  140  is rotatably mounted on the second rotating shaft  111 , as shown by arrow C in  FIG. 1 . The second holding member  150  is rotatably mounted on the third rotating shaft  112 , as shown by arrow D in  FIG. 1 . The first rotating shaft  160 , second rotating shaft  111  and pin (fourth rotating shaft)  131  are substantially perpendicular to one another. Additionally, the first holding member  140  has a first toothed portion  141  and the second holding member  150  has a second toothed portion  151  engaging the first toothed portion  141 . Thus, the first holding member  140  and second holding member  150  can relatively rotate between a closed position (as shown in  FIG. 3 ) and an open position (as shown in  FIG. 4 ). Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 2 , a first signal transmission cable  170  connects the first holding member  140  and operating member  130 . The first signal transmission cable  170  connects a circuit module  138  of the operating member  130  and first holding member  140  via the first connecting member  110  and second connecting member  120 . Similarly, a second signal transmission cable  180  connects the second holding member  150  and operating member  130 . The second signal transmission cable  180  connects the circuit module  138  of the operating member  130  and second holding member  150  via the first connecting member  110  and second connecting member  120 .  
         [0036]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , an image capturing module  113  is disposed on the first connecting member  110 . The image capturing module  113  has a camera lens  114  to enable digital photography. Similarly, the image capturing module  113  is electrically connected to the circuit module  138  of the operating member  130 , as shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0037]     As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 5 , a cellular phone module  132  and a computer module  133  are disposed on the operating member  130 . Specifically, the cellular phone module  132  and computer module  133  are disposed on opposite surfaces of the operating member  130  and are electrically connected to the circuit module  138  thereof, respectively. Additionally, the cellular phone module  132  has a keypad  134 , a display  135  and a speaker  136 , and the computer module  133  has an LCD touch panel  137 .  
         [0038]     Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , the first holding member  140  has a first operating interface  142  and the second holding member  150  has a second operating interface  152 . Specifically, three first operating buttons  143  are disposed on the first operating interface  142  and a second operating button  153  is disposed on the second operating interface  152 . The first operating buttons  143  and second operating button  153  can simultaneously be used to operate the computer module  133  or play video games displayed on the LCD touch panel  137 . Also, the second operating button  153  can serve as a shutter release for the image capturing module  113  (camera lens  114 ).  
         [0039]     In addition, as shown in  FIG. 5 , two power cell receiving portions  144  and  154  are selectively or respectively disposed in the first holding member  140  and second holding member  150  to receive a cell or cells (not shown) providing power to the circuit module  138  of the operating member  130 .  
         [0040]     Further, the handheld electronic apparatus  100  has a wireless transmission module  190 . The wireless transmission module  190  may be disposed in the operating member  130  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ), first holding member  140 , or second holding member  150 . The handheld electronic apparatus  100  provides wireless connection with other devices, transmitting and receiving signals by means of the wireless transmission module  190 .  
         [0041]     The following description is directed to various operating modes of the handheld electronic apparatus  100 .  
         [0042]     Since the second connecting member  120  can rotate relative to the first connecting member  110  by means of the first rotating shaft  160 , the handheld electronic apparatus  100  may collapse into the configuration shown in  FIG. 6 . At this point, the handheld electronic apparatus  100  can be carried with ease and perform basic communication functions.  FIG. 10  shows the back of the handheld electronic apparatus  100  according to  FIG. 6 . A user can access data from the LCD touch panel  137  of the operating member  130  and input data thereto using conventional stylus/tablet operations. Similarly, the operating member  130  and second connecting member  120  can rotate relative to the first connecting member  110  into the configuration shown in  FIG. 5  by means of the first rotating shaft  160 . At this point, the cellular phone module  132  of the operating member  130  and image capturing module  113  of the first connecting member  110  are on the same side while the computer module  133  of the operating member  130 , first operating interface  142  of the first holding member  140  and second operating interface  152  of the second holding member  150  are on the opposite side, as shown in  FIG. 3 . The handheld electronic apparatus  100  can then be rotated into the configuration shown in  FIG. 4  by relative rotation of the first holding member  140  and second holding member  150 . At this point, the user can respectively hold the first holding member  140  and second holding member  150  and operate the first operating buttons  143  and second operating button  153  thereon to play video games.  
         [0043]     Since the pin (fourth rotating shaft)  131  of the operating member  130  can rotate in the recess  121  of the second connecting member  120 , the handheld electronic apparatus  100  can be rotated into the configuration shown in  FIG. 7 . At this point, the LCD touch panel  137  and camera lens  114  are on the same side, such that the user can perform self-photography and review the captured image on the LCD touch panel  137 .  
         [0044]     Additionally, when the user does not carry a tripod, the handheld electronic apparatus  100  can further be rotated into the configuration shown in  FIG. 8 . Herein, the top of the operating member  130  and ends of the first holding member  140  and second holding member  150  simultaneously contact a support surface, providing steady support for improved image capture. Additionally, as shown in  FIG. 9 , a perspective view of the back of the handheld electronic apparatus  100 , since the handheld electronic apparatus  100  is steadily supported, the user can easily access the LCD touch panel  137  of the operating member  130  at the same time.  
         [0045]     Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 11  and  FIG. 12 , the user can use the handheld electronic apparatus  100  in the closed configuration shown to, for example, capture and review images.  
         [0046]     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.