Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US8177441?dq=5,072,412
Timestamp: 2014-09-02 17:15:30
Document Index: 681658304

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 2008', 'Application No. 2008', 'Application No. 2008', 'Application No. 2008', 'Application No. 2008', 'Application No. 2008', 'Application No. 2008']

Patent US8177441 - Imaging apparatus - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsAn imaging apparatus 10 comprises a lower housing 11, an upper housing 21, an outer camera 25, and at least one photographing button (buttons 14H and 14G). The upper housing 21 is connected to an upper surface of the lower housing 11 such that the upper housing 21 and the lower housing 11 are foldable....http://www.google.com/patents/US8177441?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US8177441 - Imaging apparatusAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS8177441 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 12/149,920Publication dateMay 15, 2012Filing dateMay 9, 2008Priority dateAug 29, 2007Also published asEP2039405A2, EP2039405A3, US8608392, US20090060490, US20120200758Publication number12149920, 149920, US 8177441 B2, US 8177441B2, US-B2-8177441, US8177441 B2, US8177441B2InventorsMasato Kuwahara, Kazunori Koshiishi, Yui EharaOriginal AssigneeNintendo Co., Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (60), Non-Patent Citations (15), Classifications (14), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetImaging apparatusUS 8177441 B2Abstract An imaging apparatus 10 comprises a lower housing 11, an upper housing 21, an outer camera 25, and at least one photographing button (buttons 14H and 14G). The upper housing 21 is connected to an upper surface of the lower housing 11 such that the upper housing 21 and the lower housing 11 are foldable. The outer camera 25 is provided in an outer surface of the upper housing 21 which is located outside when the two housings 11 and 21 are folded. The at least one photographing button is provided on an upper surface of the lower housing 11 for performing an instruction to store an image taken by the outer camera 25. Images(22) Claims(6)
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-119641, filed on May 1, 2008, is incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein relate to an imaging apparatus, and more particularly to an imaging apparatus which is held and used by a user when taking an image.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY Conventionally, there exists an imaging apparatus which is a foldable hand-held apparatus, such as a mobile phone, and the like, which is provided with a camera to have an imaging function. For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-333149) discloses a foldable mobile phone having a camera. The mobile phone includes two foldable housings, and the camera is provided in an outer surface of an upper first housing (which is a surface located on the outside of the mobile phone when the mobile phone is folded). As a shutter button for performing a photographing instruction (an instruction to store data of an image taken by the camera), a first shutter button is provided on an inner surface of a lower second housing (which is a surface located on the inside of the mobile phone when the mobile phone is folded), and a second shutter button is provided on the outer surface of the first housing. When photographing is performed while the mobile phone is opened, a user performs a photographing instruction using the first shutter button.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION Configuration of Imaging Apparatus The following will describe an imaging apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment. FIGS. 1 to 3 are external plan views of the imaging apparatus 10. The imaging apparatus 10 is a foldable imaging apparatus, FIGS. 1 and 2 show the imaging apparatus 10 in an opened state, and FIGS. 3A to 3D show the imaging apparatus 10 in a closed state. More specifically, FIG. 1 is a front view of the imaging apparatus 10 in the opened state, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the imaging apparatus in the opened state. The imaging apparatus 10 takes an image with a camera, displays the taken image on a screen, and records data of the taken image (may record data of the taken image in a nonvolatile memory or a volatile memory, or may record data of a still image or a moving image). The imaging apparatus 10 includes two display devices (LCDs 12 and 22) and two cameras (cameras 23 and 25).
Further, the inner camera 23 is mounted at a center of the axial portion 21A formed at the center of the lower end of the upper housing 21. In other words, the inner camera 23 is mounted at a center of a portion where the two housings 11 and 21 are connected to each other. Thus, when the imaging apparatus 10 is in the opened state, the inner camera 23 is located between the two LCDs 12 and 22 (see FIG. 1). In other words, the inner camera 23 is located in the vicinity of a center of the imaging apparatus 10. It is noted that the �center of the imaging apparatus 10� means a center of an operation surface of the imaging apparatus 10 (which includes the inner surfaces of the housings 11 and 21 in the opened state). Further, it may be meant that the inner camera 23 is located in the vicinity of a center of the LCDs 12 and 22 in the lateral direction. In the exemplary embodiment, since the axial portion 21A is integral with the upper housing 21 and the inner camera 23 is fixedly disposed in the axial portion 21A, the imaging direction of the inner camera 23 is changed in accordance with opening and closing of the upper housing 21. Thus, change in the imaging direction can be achieved without providing an additional mechanism for changing the imaging direction of the camera. Further, the inner camera 23 faces the lower housing 11 by closing the upper housing 21. Thus, the inner camera 23 can be protected automatically by making the imaging apparatus 10 in the closed state.
By performing instructions using the button images 53 to 58, the user can input an image on the taken image displayed on the lower LCD 12 (so as to be superimposed on the taken image). Hereinafter, an image inputted by the user is referred to as an �input image�. Processing of generating an input image (input image generation processing) will be described in detail later.
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Mobileburn, Sep. 20, 2005, Archived Nov. 25, 2006 by www.Archive.org Accessed Jul. 18, 2011. http://web.archive.org/web/20061125160046/http://www.mobileburn.com/review.jsp?Page=2&Id=1656.Classifications U.S. Classification396/502, 396/429International ClassificationG03B17/38Cooperative ClassificationH04N5/2621, A63F2300/1075, A63F13/08, A63F2300/695, A63F2300/1093, H04N5/2252, H04N5/23293European ClassificationA63F13/08, H04N5/225C2, H04N5/232V, H04N5/262CLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJul 15, 2008ASAssignmentOwner name: NINTENDO CO., LTD., JAPANFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:KUWAHARA, MASATO;KOSHIISHI, KAZUNORI;EHARA, YUI;REEL/FRAME:021280/0738Effective date: 20080620RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google