JPH10257460A - Portable video telephone equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide portable video telephone equipment which is freely turnable constituted through a common shaft to mutually overlap a camera part and a display part, enables miniaturization and lightening in weight and can have the function of an electronic still camera. SOLUTION: Concerning the portable video telephone equipment provided with a camera part 13 for inputting a subject and a display part 8 for displaying an image inputted from the camera part 13 or the received image freely turnably through common shafts 31 and 32, a detecting means 23 is provided for detecting the state of turning the camera part 13 and the display part 8 and when it is detected that the camera part 13 and the display part 8 are mutually overlapped on the back, this equipment is functioned as the electronic still camera for the still picture recording of the photographed image from the camera part 13.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable video telephone capable of transmitting and receiving image and audio information, and more particularly to a portable video telephone having an electronic still camera function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the advancement of LSI technology, image processing circuits have been greatly integrated, enabling downsizing and low power consumption, as well as cordlessness and portability. A portable video-phone device having a structure in which the camera is integrated with a micro CCD camera has been developed.

In this portable videophone device, an image of a user of the device body is input by a camera unit, and the input image is transmitted to a partner device by using radio waves.
The video transmitted from the partner device is reproduced on a display unit (liquid crystal display).

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-292195 discloses that a camera and a display are provided on the surface of a flip connected to a main body of the apparatus by a hinge, and a normal portable device is provided in a compact state with the flip closed. There has been proposed a portable wireless videophone that can be used as a telephone and used as a videophone with the flip part opened.

On the other hand, an electronic still camera capable of storing an image input from a camera unit in an internal storage unit such as a flash memory and immediately displaying the stored captured image on a display unit (liquid crystal display) is known. Widespread.

[0006]

However, in the case of the above-mentioned conventional portable videophone device, the user photographs his / her own image with the camera while watching the image of the other party on the display unit. The camera unit and the display unit are provided on the same surface of the same housing. On the other hand, in the case of an electronic still camera, the camera unit is normally directed to a subject in front of the user, and the camera unit and the display unit are in the same housing because the image captured by the camera unit is photographed while looking at the display unit. Are provided on mutually opposing surfaces.

Accordingly, a portable videophone device and an electronic still camera have both a camera unit and a display unit in common, but one device has both functions. However, there is a problem that each use is limited.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-133801 discloses that
There has been proposed an electronic still camera with a mobile phone function that has a camera unit on the top of the main unit housing and a display unit in the center of the front of the main unit housing. The camera and display unit are arranged almost orthogonally. Therefore, the sender cannot be photographed while looking at the display unit, and no consideration has been given to using it as a videophone.

In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-294030, a rotatable (tiltable) camera unit is pivotally supported on an upper portion of a housing main body, an image display unit is provided on a chest of the housing main body, and the camera unit is rotated. As a result, a mobile phone-integrated video camera having both a hands-free videophone function and a video camera function has been proposed. However, a configuration in which a camera unit is rotatably provided in a part of such a housing body. Then, there was a problem that the size of the device was increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is configured to be rotatable through a common shaft so that a camera unit and a display unit overlap each other, thereby realizing miniaturization. It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable videophone device which can have a function of an electronic still camera.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable videophone device, comprising: a camera unit for inputting a subject image; and a display for displaying an image input from the camera unit or a received image. A portable videophone device rotatably provided via a common shaft, provided with a detecting means for detecting a rotating state of the camera unit and the display unit,
When the detection unit detects that the camera unit and the display unit overlap each other in a state of being opposed to each other, the camera unit and the display unit are configured to function as an electronic still camera that records a still image of a captured image from the camera unit. It is.

Thus, the functions of the videophone and the electronic still camera can be automatically switched according to the rotation state of the camera unit and the display unit which are rotatably provided via the common shaft. Both functions can be realized with very simple handling. Also, when used as an electronic still camera or when stored, the camera unit and display unit can be closed so that they overlap each other,
It is possible to reduce the size of the device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the portable videophone device according to the first aspect, the camera unit and the display unit are not overlapped by the detection means. When this is detected, the image taken from the camera unit is inverted up and down and left and right and displayed on the display unit.

Thus, when used as a videophone, that is, in a face-to-face shooting state, the self-portrait can be displayed as a mirror image by detecting this and automatically inverting the displayed image up, down, left, and right. Can be improved.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the portable videophone device according to the first or second aspect, the camera unit and the display unit are mutually connected by the detecting means. When it is detected that they overlap each other in a contradictory state, an incoming call detection result is displayed on the display unit.

In this way, even when the telephone is used as an electronic still camera, when a call is received, it can be displayed on the display unit and visually recognized by the user, so that the user can be informed of the incoming call without fail. It becomes possible.

A portable videophone device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the portable videophone device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein a touch panel is provided on the display section, and the camera is provided by the detection means. When it is detected that the section and the display section do not overlap, a dial is displayed on the display section.

Thus, when used as a videophone, dial display can be automatically performed on the display unit and dial operation can be performed using the touch panel, so that troublesome operation can be omitted. In addition, the number of mechanical operation buttons can be reduced, and the size of the device can be further reduced.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the portable videophone device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the camera unit and the display unit are mutually separated by the detecting means. The power supply is turned off when it is detected that they are facing each other.

Thus, when the camera unit and the display unit overlap each other so as to face each other, the power is automatically turned off assuming that the camera is in the stowed state, and otherwise, the power is automatically turned on. This not only does not bother the user with the power on / off operation, but also prevents the user from forgetting to turn off the power.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of a portable videophone device of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Here, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a portable videophone device of the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 shows (a) a case where the portable videophone device of the present embodiment is used as an electronic still camera.
(B) When used as a videophone, (c) an external view illustrating the storage state, and FIG. 3 is an external front view illustrating the schematic configuration of the portable videophone device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows (a) the portable videophone device of this embodiment when used as an electronic still camera.
(B) When used as a videophone, (c) Side sectional explanatory view showing storage state, FIG. 5 is an external front explanatory view showing an example of an incoming call display on the display unit in the portable videophone device of the present embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an external front view showing an example of dial display on a display unit in the portable videophone device of the embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an interface for demultiplexing an information signal and a control signal. That is, when the signal is output to the antenna 21, it is multiplexed,
It is separated when input from the antenna 21. Information fetched from the interface 1 is transmitted to the system control unit 2
To be separated into audio information and video information. The system control unit 2 controls all the functional units, analyzes the information taken in according to what the information is, and controls each unit.

First, the image information is sent to the image encoding unit 3. Since the transmitted image information has been compression-encoded, the decoding and decompression processing is performed here. The image signal that has been decoded and decompressed and restored passes through an image processing unit 5 and is stored in an output image storage unit 7 such as a RAM at an image output unit 6. When the image signals for one screen are completed, the image output unit 6 sends the image signals to the display unit 8 including a CRT, a liquid crystal display, or the like, and displays them.

On the other hand, the audio signal separated by the system control unit 2 is taken into the audio decoding unit 9, converted into an analog signal by the audio processing unit 11, processed, and output from the speaker 12. .

An image photographed from the built-in camera unit 13 is temporarily taken into an input image storage unit 15 via an image input unit 14, processed by an image processing unit 5, and then processed by an image output unit 6.
And is sent to the image encoding unit 4 via the display unit 8. The image coding unit 4 compresses and codes the image information and sends it to the system control unit 2. On the other hand, microphone 16
The input audio signal is digitized by the audio processing unit 11 and then sent to the system control unit 2.

The operation section 17 is for performing telephone dialing and various operations. In the present embodiment, the operation section 17 is constituted by a touch panel provided on the display section 8. Operation information from the operation unit 17 is notified to the system control unit 2 via the operation interface 18. Reference numeral 19 denotes a memory including a storage element such as a flash memory. In an electronic still camera mode to be described later, the built-in camera unit 1 is operated by operating a video capture button (not shown) of the operation unit 17.
3, and image data encoded by the image encoding unit 4 is stored. The image data stored in the memory 19 can be displayed on the display unit 8 again by the operation of the user.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a call control unit for detecting that there is an incoming call from the antenna 21. In an electronic still camera mode, which will be described later, the system control unit 2 stores the information internally based on the detection result of the call control unit 20. The data such as a character string is read out and sent to the image processing unit 5. Image processing unit 5
In, after performing a superimposition process or the like with the image captured from the built-in camera unit 13, the image is output to the display unit 8.

Reference numeral 23 denotes a camera position detecting unit for detecting a positional relationship of the built-in camera unit 13 with respect to the display unit 8, and notifies the system control unit 2 of a detection signal. System control unit 2
Is based on a detection signal from the camera position detection unit 23,
It controls switching between an electronic still camera mode and a videophone mode, which will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the camera position detecting section 23 includes a projection 25 provided on a camera cabinet 24 having a built-in camera section 13 and a switch 27 provided on a display section cabinet 26 having a display section 8. It is composed of

That is, as shown in FIG. 2A, when the built-in camera unit 13 and the display unit 8 are opposed to each other and the camera cabinet 24 and the display unit cabinet 26 overlap and are closed, The projection 25 is the switch 2
7 is pressed to notify the system controller 2 of a detection signal. At this time, an electronic still camera mode is set in which image data from the built-in camera unit 13 can be stored in the memory 19.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2B, when the camera cabinet 24 and the display unit cabinet 26 are open without overlapping, the projection 25 separates from the switch 27, so that the system control unit 2 Is not notified of a detection signal, and at this time, it is in a videophone mode in which audio / video data can be transmitted and received. Since the built-in camera unit 13 in the videophone mode is upside down and left and right as compared with the electronic still camera mode, the image processing unit 5 changes the photographed image up and down so that the self image is displayed as a mirror image on the display unit 8. A process of inverting left and right is performed and output to the display unit 8.

Next, a rotating mechanism of the camera cabinet 24 and the display unit cabinet 26 will be described with reference to FIGS. The camera cabinet 24 is provided with cylindrical coupling shafts 31 and 32, and the display unit cabinet 26 is provided with semi-cylindrical coupling bearings 33 and 34, respectively. It is possible to set an arbitrary angle relatively.

As shown in FIG. 4 (a), when used as an electronic still camera, the camera cabinet 24 and the display unit cabinet 26 are connected to the coupling shaft 32 and the coupling bearing 3 respectively.
3 and Then, by rotating the camera cabinet 24 around the coupling shaft 32 as a rotation center axis, the camera cabinet 24 can be changed to a state used as a videophone as shown in FIG. 4B.

In the state shown in FIG. 4B, the camera cabinet 24 and the display unit cabinet 26 are
1 and 32 and coupling bearings 33 and 34, respectively. Here, the coupling bearing 34 is made of an elastic material, and can perform a locking function by coupling with the coupling shaft 31. And
The camera cabinet 24 uses the coupling shaft 31 as a rotation center axis.
By rotating, as shown in FIG.
It can be changed to the storage state.

A conductor is buried in the coupling shaft 32 and is brought into conduction by contact with the coupling bearings 33 and 34. That is, in the use state shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the coupling shaft 32 contacts the coupling bearing 33.
In the housed state shown in FIG. 3C, the coupling shaft 32 and the coupling bearing 3
No contact with 3. Therefore, by using the coupling shaft 32 as a power supply line, it is possible to switch so that the power supply is turned off in the housed state shown in FIG. 4C and turned on in the use state shown in FIG. 4B.

Next, the operation of the portable videophone device of this embodiment will be described below. First, the camera cabinet 24 and the display unit cabinet 2 as shown in FIG.
The camera cabinet 24 is opened with the coupling shaft 31 as the rotation center axis from the storage state in which the camera cabinet 24 overlaps with FIG.
When the state shown in (b) is reached, the coupling shaft 32 and the coupling bearing 3
3 contacts and the power is turned on.

In this state, since the projection 23 of the camera cabinet 24 is not in contact with the switch 27 of the display unit cabinet 26, no detection signal is output and the mode is the videophone mode. At this time, the system control unit 2 reads out dial display data such as “0” to “9”, “*”, and “#” stored therein, and transmits the data via the image processing unit 5 as shown in FIG. To be displayed on the display unit 8.

The user performs a dial operation by pressing a touch panel provided on the display unit 8 while watching the dial display on the display unit 8. That is, a change in voltage caused by pressing the touch panel is detected by the system control unit 2, and it is determined which button has been operated.
As a result, troublesome operation can be omitted, and mechanical operation buttons can be reduced, so that the size of the device can be further reduced.

Further, in the videophone mode, the user of the apparatus body is face-to-face photographed by the built-in camera unit 13, so that the self-portrait of the user displayed on the display unit 8 becomes a mirror image. The control unit 2 is an image processing unit 5
To invert the top, bottom, left and right of the captured and displayed image.

Further, the camera cabinet 24 is rotated so that the built-in camera unit 13 and the display unit 8 are opposed to each other as shown in FIG.
4 and the display unit cabinet 26 overlap each other,
Since the projection 23 of the camera cabinet 24 presses the switch 27 of the display unit cabinet 26 to output a detection signal, the electronic still camera mode is set.

In this state, when the image capture button (not shown) of the operation unit is pressed, the image data captured from the built-in camera unit 13 can be stored in the memory 19. The image data stored in the memory 19 can be read out and displayed on the display unit 8 by pressing a play button (not shown) of the operation unit.

Here, when the call control unit 20 detects that there is an incoming call, the system control unit 2 reads out the character string data of "incoming", for example, stored therein,
The image is superimposed on the video captured by the built-in camera unit 13 in the image processing unit 5 and displayed on the display unit 8 as shown in FIG. Thus, even in the electronic still camera mode, it is possible to reliably notify the user that there is an incoming call.

In the above-described embodiment, as a means for detecting that the built-in camera unit cabinet 24 and the display unit cabinet 26 are overlapped with the built-in camera unit 13 and the display unit 8 facing each other, a combination is used. Shaft 32
In the description above, a projection is provided on the same surface as the built-in camera unit 13 of the camera cabinet 24, a switch is provided on the same surface as the display unit of the display cabinet 26, and detection is performed by pressing the switch with the projection. The present invention is not limited to this.

[0045]

According to the portable videophone device according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the portable videophone device is configured as described above, the camera unit and the display unit are provided rotatably via a common shaft. Since the functions of the videophone and the electronic still camera can be automatically switched according to the rotation state,
Both functions can be realized with very simple handling. In addition, when used as an electronic still camera or when stored, the camera unit and the display unit can be closed so as to overlap each other, so that the size of the device can be reduced.

When the portable videophone device according to the second aspect of the present invention is used as a videophone, that is, in a face-to-face shooting state, this is detected and the display image is automatically turned upside down and left and right. Thus, the self-portrait can be displayed as a mirror image, and the usability can be improved.

The portable videophone device according to the third aspect of the present invention, even when used as an electronic still camera, displays an incoming call on the display unit and visually recognizes it when a call is received. This allows the user to be notified of the incoming call without fail.

The portable videophone device according to the invention described in claim 4 of the present application, when used as a videophone,
It is possible to automatically display the dial on the display unit and perform dial operation using the touch panel, so that troublesome operations can be omitted and mechanical operation buttons can be reduced, further improving the equipment Miniaturization can be realized.

In the portable videophone device according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when the camera section and the display section overlap each other in a state of facing each other, the power is automatically turned off as the storage state. In other cases, the power can be turned on automatically, so that not only does the user not have to bother turning the power on and off, but also forgetting to turn off the power can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a portable videophone device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a portable videophone device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
(B) When used as a videophone, (c) is an external explanatory view showing a storage state.

FIG. 3 is an external front view showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of the portable videophone device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a portable videophone device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
(B) When used as a videophone, (c) is an explanatory side sectional view showing a storage state.

FIG. 5 is an external front view showing an example of an incoming call display on a display unit in the embodiment of the portable videophone device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an external front view showing an example of dial display on a display unit in the embodiment of the portable videophone device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Interface unit 2 System control unit 3 Image decoding unit 4 Image encoding unit 5 Image processing unit 6 Image output unit 7 Output image storage unit 8 Display unit 9 Audio decoding unit 10 Audio encoding unit 11 Audio processing unit 12 Speaker 13 Built-in camera unit 14 Image input unit 15 Input image storage unit 16 Microphone 17 Operation unit 18 Operation interface unit 19 Memory 20 Call control unit 21 Antenna 23 Camera position detection unit 24 Camera cabinet 25 Projection 26 Display unit cabinet 27 Switch 31, 32 Coupling axis 33, 34 Coupling bearing

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A portable videophone device in which a camera unit for inputting a subject image and a display unit for displaying an image input or received image from the camera unit are rotatably provided via a common shaft. And detecting means for detecting a rotation state of the camera section and the display section, and when the detecting section detects that the camera section and the display section overlap each other in a state in which they are opposed to each other. A portable videophone device that functions as an electronic still camera that records a still image of a captured image from the camera unit. 2. The portable video-phone device according to claim 1, wherein when the detecting means detects that the camera section and the display section do not overlap each other, the image taken from the camera section is displayed. A portable videophone device, wherein the videophone device is displayed upside down and left and right on the display unit. 3. The portable video-phone apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the detecting means detects that the camera section and the display section overlap each other in a state in which the camera section and the display section are opposed to each other, an incoming call is made. A portable videophone device wherein a detection result is displayed on the display unit. 4. The portable videophone device according to claim 1, wherein a touch panel is provided on the display unit, and the detection unit detects that the camera unit and the display unit do not overlap with each other. A portable videophone device, wherein a dial is displayed on the display unit. 5. The portable videophone device according to claim 1, wherein a power supply is provided when the detection unit detects that the camera unit and the display unit overlap each other so as to face each other. A portable videophone device, wherein the videophone device is turned off.