Abstract:
A handheld device with integral axial camera is disclosed. The apparatus discloses: a top portion; a bottom portion; a hinge, rotational about a first axis and having a first end and a second end, coupling the top portion to the bottom portion; and an image capture device, coupled to the first end of the hinge and oriented to capture images aligned along the first axis of the hinge. The method discloses: permitting a first large screen interface to rotate about a first hinge axis with respect to a second large screen interface; capturing images aligned along the first hinge axis; and setting a mode in which the device operates in response to an orientation of the first large screen interface to a second large screen interface.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates generally to handheld devices, and more particularly toward incorporating a camera into a handheld device.  
         [0003]     2. Discussion of Background Art  
         [0004]     Handheld devices, such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), are information appliances geared toward mobile users. They have been evolving very quickly as users are demanding, and manufacturers are adding, new features and functionalities at an increasing pace.  
         [0005]     Basic handheld devices are commonly used for maintaining personal information, such as schedules, lists of names and phone numbers, performing basic calculations, and note taking. However some enhanced handheld devices may further include: a cell phone, modem, a wireless connection, e-mail, and Web browsing capabilities. Most have tiny keyboards, while others include touch pads.  
         [0006]     Many of the enhanced handheld features, however, have been hastily added, and thus tend to be unrefined, bulky, and difficult to use. For example, recent handhelds have included a still camera as a next “must have” feature. These cameras tend to be tacked wherever there is space left, but often are very awkward to use and/or have limited capabilities.  
         [0007]     In response to the concerns discussed above, what is needed is handheld computer that overcomes the problems of the prior art.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention is a handheld device with integral axial camera. The apparatus of the present invention includes: a top portion; a bottom portion; a hinge, rotational about a first axis and having a first end and a second end, coupling the top portion to the bottom portion; and an image capture device, coupled to the first end of the hinge and oriented to capture images aligned along the first axis of the hinge.  
         [0009]     The method of the present invention includes: permitting a first large screen interface to rotate about a first hinge axis with respect to a second large screen interface; capturing images aligned along the first hinge axis; and setting a mode in which the device operates in response to an orientation of the first large screen interface to a second large screen interface.  
         [0010]     These and other aspects of the invention will be recognized by those skilled in the art upon review of the detailed description, drawings, and claims set forth below.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a first pictorial diagram of one embodiment of a handheld device;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a second pictorial diagram of the one embodiment;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a third pictorial diagram of the one embodiment;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a fourth pictorial diagram the one embodiment;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a fifth pictorial diagram the one embodiment; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart of one embodiment of a method of operation for the device.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0017]     The present invention ergonomically incorporates an image capture device into a hand held device. By placing image capture and display devices axially within the handheld device&#39;s hinge, the present invention permits users to capture and view images under any lighting condition, while holding the device in a natural and ergonomically friendly manner, and even when the device is in a folded orientation. Such an axial location also permits a variety of aftermarket lenses and filters to be attached to the image capture device for better viewing. Also the relatively long length of the hinge permits optical lenses to translate along the axis for telephoto or wide angle image captures.  
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a first pictorial diagram  100  of one embodiment of a handheld device  102 .  FIG. 2  is a second pictorial diagram  200  of the one embodiment.  FIG. 3  is a third pictorial diagram  300  of the one embodiment.  FIG. 4  is a fourth pictorial diagram  400  the one embodiment. And,  FIG. 5  is a fifth pictorial diagram  500  the one embodiment.  FIGS. 1 through 5  are discussed together.  
         [0019]     The handheld device  102  preferably falls into a class of devices known as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), and thus preferably provides certain computing and information storage and retrieval functionalities common to the class. Alternative embodiments of the present invention, however, could be embodied within other types of hinged apparatus, such as cell phones, a laptop computers, notepads, or even items of luggage.  
         [0020]     The device  102  includes a hinge  104  which permits a top cover  106  to rotate about a first axis (A)  107  with respect to a bottom cover  108 . The hinge  104  includes a first end  110 , and a second end  111  both affixed to the bottom cover  108 , and a middle portion  112  affixed to the top cover  106 . The middle portion  112  includes a sub-hinge  114 , which permits the top cover  106  to rotate about a second axis (B)  115  with respect to the bottom cover  108 . Those skilled in the art recognize that there are an unlimited number of orientations of the top cover  106  with respect to the bottom cover  108  about the hinge  104  and sub-hinge  114 .  
         [0021]     Rotation of the top and bottom covers  106  and  108  with respect to each other automatically determines a mode in which the device  102  operates. These modes include: a “first image capture mode,” a “first handheld mode,” a “second image capture mode,” and a “second handheld mode.” A preferred method for determining when each mode is entered and what effect each mode has on the device  102 , is described below with respect to  FIG. 6 . Those skilled in the art however recognize that while the modes describe are preferred, they can be varied for different implementations of the present invention.  
         [0022]     The hinge  104  also includes an image capture device  116  located within the first end  110  and a small screen interface  118  located within the second end  111  of the hinge  104 . The image capture device  116  includes a light sensitive sensor for acquiring optical information, and one or more lenses for focusing optical light on the light sensitive device. Some embodiments of the image capture device  116  include multiple lens which can translate with respect to each other, so as to provide an optical zoom capability. Additional lenses and/or filters (not shown) may also be attached to the image capture device  116  to provide for enhanced image capture capabilities. The small screen interface  118  is preferably capable of displaying both captured images (either in real-time like a viewfinder or which have been previously recorded) and any other information generated by the device  102 . Both the image capture device  116  and the small screen interface  118  are preferably aligned along the hinge&#39;s axis of rotation so that users may simultaneously capture and view images when the top and bottom covers  106  and  108  of the device  102  are closed.  
         [0023]     The bottom cover  108  includes a telephoto (T) and wide-angle (W) zoom control  120  beneath the small screen interface  118  and a shutter control  122  beneath the image capture device  116 . The zoom control  120  provides for an optical and/or digital zoom feature, and the shutter control  122  instructs the device  102  to capture one or more images (i.e. a still picture or a video clip) using the image capture device  116 . The bottom cover  108  also includes a bottom large screen interface  124  and a touch sensitive pad  126 . The bottom large screen interface  124  is at a minimum preferably capable of receiving input commands from users of the device  102 , but may also display any information generated by the device  102 , including captured images. The bottom large screen interface  124  preferably accepts a pen inputs, while user selections are made with the touch sensitive pad  126 . In alternate embodiments, the bottom large screen interface  124  may be wholly replaced with another input device, such as a keyboard or touch sensitive pad.  
         [0024]     The top cover  106  includes a top large screen interface  128  and a set of selection buttons  130 . The top large screen interface  128  preferably functions as an image display for either captured images or other information generated by the device  102 . However, since the top cover  106  can be rotated and flipped back onto the bottom cover  108  such that the top large screen interface  128  faces away from the bottom large screen interface  124 , the top large screen interface  128  preferably can also accept user inputs so that the device functions as a tablet computer.  
         [0025]     Other features of the device  102  include: a sound capturing device, so that sounds may be recorded by the device  102  along with images; a biometric fingerprint recognition pad  132  for unlocking the device  102 ; wireless phone and networking capabilities; and spatial locational device.  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart  600  of one embodiment of a method of operation for the device. The method begins in step  602  where the device  102  identifies a current orientation of top and bottom covers  106  and  108 , and top and bottom large screen interfaces  128  and  124 .  
         [0027]     Next in step  604 , the device  102  enters a “first image capture mode” and displays information on the small screen interface  118 , if the top cover  106  is folded onto bottom cover  108 , and top and bottom large screen interfaces  128  and  124  are facing each other.  FIGS. 1, 3  and  4  show the device in the “first image capture mode.” In this mode, users are capturing images with the image capture device  116  while looking through the small screen interface  118  at what is being captured. Users may prefer this mode out of convenience or due to bright lighting conditions which would otherwise obscure images displayed on one of the large screen interfaces  124  and  128 .  
         [0028]     In step  606 , the device  102  enters a “first handheld mode” and displays information on the top large screen interface  128  in a first (preferably portrait) orientation, if the top cover  106  is not folded onto the bottom cover  108 , and there is less than +/−45 degrees of rotation about the sub-hinge  114  with respect to home position. The home position is herein preferably defined as the orientation of the top and bottom covers  106  and  108  about the sub-hinge  114  as shown in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  shows the device in the “first handheld mode.” In this mode, users are primarily using the device  102  as a handheld PDA, whereby commands and inputs are received on the bottom large screen interface  124  and information is displayed on the top large screen interface  128 .  
         [0029]     In step  608 , the device  102  enters a “second image capture mode” and displays information on the top large screen interface  128  in a second (preferably landscape) orientation, if top cover  106  is not folded onto bottom cover  108 , and there is more than +/−45 degrees of rotation about the sub-hinge  114  with respect to the home position.  FIG. 5  shows the device in the “second image capture mode” after the top cover  106  as been rotated approximately 90 degrees about the sub-hinge  114 . In this mode, users are capturing images with the image capture device  116  while looking through the top large screen interface  128  at what is being captured. Users may prefer this mode when viewing images on the top large screen interface  128  would be more convenient than viewing them on the small screen interface  118 .  
         [0030]     Then in step  610 , the device  102  enters a “second handheld mode” and displays information on the top large screen interface  128  in a third (preferably portrait) orientation, if top cover  106  is folded onto the bottom cover  108 , and the top and bottom large screen interfaces  128  and  124  are facing away from each other. The third orientation is upside-down with respect to the first orientation. This mode is not shown in the Figures, however, in this mode, users are primarily using the device  102  as a handheld tablet computer, whereby commands and inputs are received and information is displayed on the top large screen interface  128 .  
         [0031]     Those skilled in the art will know that the values given for degrees of rotation, home position, image orientation, and information displayed and/or received on the screen interfaces, as discussed herein are preferred but not required. Other embodiments of the present invention may vary these elements to fit any particular design. Such other embodiments can perhaps include replacing the “second handheld mode” in step  610  with a “simultaneous handheld and image capture mode” which displays information on both the top large screen interface  128  and the small screen interface  118 , when the top cover  106  is folded onto the bottom cover  108 , and the top and bottom large screen interfaces  128  and  124  are facing away from each other.  
         [0032]     Next in step  612 , the device  102  adjusts zoom of the image capture lens  116  in response to user command (e.g. rocking the zoom control  120 ). And in step  614 , the device  102  captures a set of image in response to user command (e.g. pressing the shutter button  122 ).  
         [0033]     While one or more embodiments of the present invention have been described, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications may be made. Variations upon and modifications to these embodiments are provided by the present invention, which is limited only by the following claims.