Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6957083?dq=7,117,286
Timestamp: 2015-03-02 07:29:55
Document Index: 667228724

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 105', 'art 102', 'art 105', 'art 107', 'art 107', 'arts 107', 'arts 107', 'art 106', 'arts 107', 'arts 107', 'art 215', 'art 215', 'art 215', 'art 21', 'arts 107', 'art 105', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 103', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'arts 107', 'art 105', 'art 102', 'art 105', 'art 106', 'arts 107', 'art 105']

Patent US6957083 - Mobile telephone - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsThere is provided a mobile telephone in which a camera portion is rotatably provided in a coupling partition for rotatably coupling a first casing and a second casing with each other, a main display part and a manipulating part are provided in a casing surface which is hidden in a condition in which...http://www.google.com/patents/US6957083?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6957083 - Mobile telephoneAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6957083 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/372,775Publication dateOct 18, 2005Filing dateFeb 26, 2003Priority dateSep 20, 2002Fee statusPaidAlso published asCN1222148C, CN1484417A, CN2684482Y, US7460885, US20040204064, US20050287953Publication number10372775, 372775, US 6957083 B2, US 6957083B2, US-B2-6957083, US6957083 B2, US6957083B2InventorsMinoru Ikeda, Yoshihiro Iwama, Yuichiro Kota, Kazuo ShimoyamadaOriginal AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (12), Non-Patent Citations (6), Referenced by (25), Classifications (21), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMobile telephone
US 6957083 B2Abstract
There is provided a mobile telephone in which a camera portion is rotatably provided in a coupling partition for rotatably coupling a first casing and a second casing with each other, a main display part and a manipulating part are provided in a casing surface which is hidden in a condition in which the first casing and the second casing are folded to each other. And a subdisplay part and an image pick-up button are provided in a first casing surface which is always exposed, and a switch for changing over the display condition of the subdisplay part between a camera mode and an equipment status display mode is provided, whereby the image pick-up by the camera portion can be simply carried out with no affection by folding motion of the casings.
1. A mobile telephone comprising a body housing having a first casing and a second casing which are rotatably coupled with each other through the intermediary of a coupling portion, a camera portion mounted to the body housing, a mode change-over switch for changing over operation between a talk mode and an image pick-up mode, and a setting key, the first casing and the second casing of the body housing which are coupled to each other through the intermediary of the coupling portion being set in two conditions, that is, a first condition in which the first casing and the second casing are opened from each other and a second condition in which the first casing and the second casing are folded onto each other, the first casing incorporating a main display part in a surface which is exposed in the first condition but is hidden in the second condition, and a subdisplay part in a surface which is exposed in the second condition, said second casing incorporating a manipulating part in a surface which is exposed in the first condition but which is hidden in the second condition, in an image pick-up mode, an image picked up by the camera portion being displayed on the main display part in the first condition but on the subdisplay part in the second condition, the setting key being arranged in a surface which is exposed in the second condition, and being set as an image pick-up manipulation key in the image pick-up mode, but as a change-over manipulation key for changing over images on the subdisplay part in the talk mode.
2. A mobile telephone as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coupling portion incorporates a pair of arm parts for rotatably supporting said first casing and the second casing, and said camera portion is rotatably supported at its opposite ends by the pair of arm parts in a device storage space defined between the pair of arm parts.
3. A mobile telephone as set forth in claim 2, wherein said camera portion is arranged in a projected area of said pair of arm parts, said coupling portion is formed so as to overhang from the casing surface incorporating therein said main display part and a manipulating part in the first condition, the casing surface which is exposed in the second condition and which includes said arm parts surrounding around said camera portion is formed therein with an arcuated cut-out part around a lens part of the camera portion as a center.
4. A mobile telephone as set forth in claim 3, wherein the camera portion is rotated at least over an angle of 180 deg.
5. A mobile telephone as set forth in claim 1, said mode change-over switch can change over the image pick-up mode of the camera portion between a still image mode and an animation mode.
6. A mobile telephone as set forth in claim 1, wherein said setting key incorporates a pair of buttons which are arranged on a side of the subdisplay part which is opposed to the camera portion, and one of the pair of buttons is set as an image pick-up button in the image pick-up mode in the second condition.
7. A mobile telephone as set forth in claim 6, wherein the image pick-up button is set as a recording starting button when the image pick-up mode is in the animation mode, but as an image pick-up key in the still image mode.
8. A mobile telephone as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first casing incorporates the main display part in a casing surface which is exposed in the first condition, and the subdisplay part and the setting key in a casing surface opposed to the casing surface in which the main display part is incorporated, the second casing incorporates ten keys and a cursor key in a casing surface which is exposed in the first condition, a battery storage part in a casing surface opposed to the casing surface in which the ten keys are incorporated, a battery being accommodated in the battery storage part, and a mode change-over switch in a casing side surface connecting the two opposed casing surface, said coupling portion incorporates a rotary shaft for foldably coupling said first casing and the second casing with each other, and said camera portion is rotatably coupled in said coupling portion at the center thereof, the rotary axis of the camera portion being aligned with the rotary shaft of said coupling portion.
9. A mobile telephone as set forth in claim 8, further comprising an arm part for foldably supporting said first casing and said second casing, and said camera portion is rotatably supported on one side of said arm part through the intermediary or a rotary shaft aligned with the rotary shaft of the coupling portion.
Thus, the mobile telephone 1 in this embodiment can pick up an image by the camera potion 400 in not only the first condition but also the second condition. Further, image pick-up can be made while an image to be picked up is displayed on the subdisplay part 105 even in the second condition similar to the first condition in which a picked-up image is displayed on the main display part 102, and accordingly, the image pick-up can be made while an object to be picked up is displayed for confirmation, thereby it is possible to reduce erroneous operation upon image pick-up. Further, in this image pick-up condition, the camera portion 400 provided in the coupling portion 300 can be optionally rotated so as to be directed to an object to be picked up, and accordingly, the motion of a hand which holds the portable phone for directing the camera portion 400 to an object to be picked up can be reduced even inn both first and second conditions thereby it is possible to reduce the burden upon the hand. Further, in this embodiment, with the provision of the mode change-over switch 206, the subdisplay part 105 itself can be selectively used in both telephone mode and camera mode (still image mode and animation mode), and accordingly, the number of components can be reduced so as to be economical. Similarly, the option setting key part 107 can be selectively used in both telephone mode and camera mode by means of the mode change-over switch 206. Further, this option setting key part 107 can optionally set any function, thereby it is possible to provide the user with a freedom for manipulation.
Next, the configuration of the first casing 100 will be explained with reference to FIG. 4. This first casing 100 is composed of a first cover 109 which defines the inner surface 101 of the first casing 100, and a first outer cover 110 which defines the outer surface 104 of the first casing 100, and a main chassis 113. These two covers 110, 112 are made of resin materials and are attached to the main chassis 113 by means of screws.
Meanwhile, the option setting key parts 107 are arranged around the center in FIG. 6 b. In general, in the case of gripping the mobile telephone 1 in one hand in the second condition, the lower part thereof is held in the hand. In this gripped posture, since the position where the option setting key parts 107 are located, falls within the operational range by the thumb of the one hand holding the mobile telephone, the user can manipulate the mobile telephone 1 with his one hand. Moreover, the second speaker part 106 is located between the pair of the option setting key parts 107, and accordingly, erroneous operation can be reduced even blind manipulation is carried out. Further, with the arrangement of the option setting key parts 107, it is possible to prevent the visibility from being hindered by the thumb on manipulation.
Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6 b, with the provision of the subantenna 14 in one side part of the rear surface of the second casing 200, the battery storage part 215 is provided being biased toward one side. With this arrangement, the battery storage part 215 and the subantenna 14 can be arranged side by side, thereby it is possible to ensure a sufficient space for arranging a connector above the battery storage part 215. Thus, the external connection part 21 can be arranged in one side surface.
Further, in this configuration, the subantenna can be located along one side of the second housing 200. With this configuration, even though the mobile telephone is changed over from the first condition into the second condition, the subantennal 14 is held to be stationary at the upper position, irrespective of the motion of the first casing 100. In particular in the second condition, the option setting key parts 107 and the mode change-over switch 206 are manipulated so as to confirm the subdisplay part 105 or manipulate the camera portion 400 in this embodiment, and accordingly, should the subantenna 14 be provided in the first casing 100, the manipulatability of the second casing 200 would be greatly affected. However, since it is located at one side of the upper surface of the second casing 200 in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the manipulatability in the second condition 200 from being hindered, even through the subantenna 14 is extracted.
Meanwhile, the selection keys consists of an internet key 224 a, a mail key 224 b and a pair of soft keys 224 c, 224 d which can set an optional function. The soft keys 224 c, 224 d are adapted to carry out operation corresponding to function display icons 241, 242 which have been previously set and displayed on the main display part 102 in the lower part of the latter. In another mode or in a lower hierarchical layer, the function of the soft keys 2214 c, 224 d are set so as to carry out operation corresponding to the function display icons 241, 242 which have been previously set up and which are give in the lower part of a screen on the main display part 102. Further, there are provided the mode change-over switch 206, a manner mode setting key 225 and an ear phone jack (with a cover) 226 in the side surfaces of the second casing 200.
In this embodiment, since the manipulating group is arranged within an operational range by the thumb of the one hand which grips the mobile telephone 1, the mobile telephone 1 can be manipulated by one hand which holds the mobile telephone 1. Further, by manipulating the internet key 224, the mail key 224 b, the ten keys 202 and the like, there may be carried out several operations and input manipulations including talking, mailing and internet, displaying of a address list, displaying of an image section and enjoying of a music and the like. Further, referring to FIG. 8, in this embodiment, the opening angle θ of the first casing 100 with respect to the second casing 200 is set in a range from 160 to 170 deg. Thus, since the first condition is held in such a posture that the first casing 100 and the second casing 200 are angled around the coupling portion 300, the microphone 205 and the first speaker part 103 can be held in conformity with the mouth and an ear of the user during taking. Further, in this angle configuration, even through the subantenna 14 is extended, the subantenna 14 is prevented from limiting the motion of the first casing 100.
Referring to FIGS. 9 a and 9 b, in this configuration, the camera portion 400 is rotatably provided in the coupling portion 300, and accordingly, a content picked up by the camera portion 400 can be processed while it is confirmed even in either the first condition or the second condition. Further, in this embodiment, since the camera portion 400 is accommodated in the pair of components of the coupling portion 300, the mobile telephone 1 can be formed in a compact shape in its entirety. However, should the cameral portion 400 be accommodated within the coupling portion 300, a part of the casing would fall in the range of the view angle θ of the camera portion 400. For example, as shown in FIGS. 9 a and 9 b, in this embodiment, the camera portion 400 having a pick-up range in which the view angle extend circularly in its section is utilized. Should such a camera portion 400 be rotated around the axis 303 in alignment with the rotary shafts 303 of the coupling portion 300, the folded casings would fall in the range of the view angle of the cameral portion 400. In particular, in this arrangement, since the camera portion 400 can be rotated over an angle of 180 deg., and accordingly, the possibility of pick-up of an image of a part of the first casing 100 or the second casing 200 would become higher.
For example, referring to FIG. 10 which schematically shows a one hand manipulation by the left hand, the user can grip the second casing 200 with the palm and four fingers of his left hand while he manipulates the cursor shift key 223, the enter key 222, the ten keys 202 and the like. In this condition, the view angle θ of the camera portion 400 is set so as to direct the lens part toward an object to be picked up, an image picked-up can be made while the content of the picked up image is confimed on the main display part 102. The content of the picked-up image can be processed in several manners by displaying an editing screen through manipulation of the cursor shift key 223 or the like. Naturally, since the camera portion 100 can be turned, it is inverted, and a self-portrait can be picked up while the self portrait is displayed on the main display part 102.
For example, FIG. 10 b schematically shows a one hand operation by a left hand. The user can grip the second casing 200 with the palm and four fingers of his left hand while the option setting key parts 107 are manipulated by the thumb thereof. In this condition, by setting the view angle θ of the camera portion 400 so as to direct the lens part toward an object to be picked up, the image can be picked up while the content thereof is confirmed on the subdisplay part 105. Naturally, since the camera portion 400 can be turned, if it is inverted, a self-portrait can be picked up while it is confirmed on the main display part 102. It is noted that the content of the picked-up image can be variously processed by displaying an editing screen through manipulation of the cursor shift keys 223 or the like in the first condition.
Meanwhile, a subdisplay part 105, a second speaker part 106, a pair of option setting key parts 107 and a status part 105 are arranged in the outer surface 104 of the fist casing 104 on the side opposed to the inner surface 101 of the first casing 100. Accordingly, even in this second embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, an image can be picked up while the content of the picked-up image is confirmed even either the first condition or the second condition.
Further, in this embodiment the subantenna 14 is provided at the outer surface 104 of the first casing 100. This subantenna 14 overhangs from the center of the end part, and accordingly, the subantennal 14 is located at the uppermost part in the first condition, thereby it is possible to satisfy the sensitivity.
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