JP2002152339A - Portable terminal device having image pickup function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable image pickup when a camera unit is isolated by adding an image pickup function to a portable radio telephone. SOLUTION: This portable terminal device having image pickup function consists of a camera unit 20 provided with an image part 21 and a transmitting and receiving part 27 which is used for communication to a radio telephone 1, and the radio telephone 1 having a transmitting and receiving part 9 which is used for communication to the camera unit 20. In the radio telephone 1, image pickup function is controlled, and an image signal is received and transferred to a telephone circuit.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable terminal device having an image pickup function provided with an image pickup function in a portable telephone, a PHS or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various types of portable telephones and PHSs are commercially available. For example, JP-A-8-2940
As shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 30, there is a mobile phone equipped with a video camera. In FIG. 5 showing the appearance of an example of a conventional camera-equipped mobile phone, a mobile phone 31 has a liquid crystal display 32.
And a camera head unit 33. Such a conventional camera-equipped mobile phone has a structure in which an image is viewed on a display while being picked up by a video camera, and the image signal is transmitted.

[0003]

However, in such a conventional mobile phone with a video camera, the camera unit is integrated with the main body, so that the range in which images can be taken is limited, and the field of view from a point away from the main body, for example, There has been a problem that a user cannot take a picture of a scene from the lateral direction while using the mobile phone.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal device with an excellent image pickup function that can use a camera and a portable telephone unit separately.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A portable terminal device with an image capturing function according to the present invention is a portable terminal device with an image capturing function for performing communication via a public line or a dedicated line via wireless communication. And the portable terminal device main body stores a display, display control means for controlling contents displayed on the display, operation means for performing at least dial operation, and a telephone number inputted from the operation means. Memory, a photographing means memory for temporarily storing a video signal sent from the video camera,
A CPU for controlling the entire mobile terminal device, a baseband signal processing unit for the main unit, a transmitting / receiving unit for the main unit, a main body antenna for communicating with the video camera, and a main unit for supplying power to the main body of the mobile terminal device Power supply means, and coupling means for detachably coupling the video camera. The video camera includes an imaging unit for capturing a moving image, and a video signal temporarily captured by the imaging unit. A photographing memory for storing, a photographing ON / OFF unit for controlling start / stop of a function of the photographing unit, a photographing unit CPU for controlling the moving image photographing unit, and a photographing unit for communicating with the portable terminal device body A baseband signal processing unit, a transmission / reception unit for a camera, an antenna for the camera, a power supply unit for the camera for supplying power to the video camera, and a detachable coupling to the portable terminal device body. It has a configuration that is one having a binding means. With this configuration, even when the moving image photographing device is separated from the portable terminal device main body, the operation of the operating means causes the moving image photographing device to be activated / activated.
A stop command is transmitted, and a video signal captured by the video camera is received, transferred to a communication line, and captured.

In the portable terminal device with an imaging function according to the present invention, the coupling means of the portable terminal device main body is connected with the coupling means of the moving picture photographing device, and the unit for identifying the coupling is provided; Means for connecting the video camera and the video camera by wire, and means for stopping the operation of the transmitter / receiver for the main body and the transmitter / receiver for the camera. The communication between the moving image photographers can be wired.

Further, in the portable terminal device with an imaging function according to the present invention, the coupling means of the portable terminal device main body is connected to the coupling means of the moving picture photographing device by means of identifying the coupling, and the portable terminal device main body. And a means for supplying a power supply from the power supply means for the main body in place of the power supply means for the photographing machine, and Power consumption can be reduced to zero.

[0008]

(Embodiment 1) Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external view showing a schematic structure of a portable terminal device with an imaging function according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram in Embodiment 1 of the portable terminal device with an imaging function according to the present invention. In FIG. 1A, the wireless telephone 1 has a display 2, an operation unit 3 including ten keys and function keys, and a camera unit 20. The camera unit 20 has an imaging unit 21 and is detachably fixed using the headphone jack 15 of the wireless telephone 1. FIG. 1 (b)
Indicates a state in which the camera unit 20 is separated from the wireless telephone 1, and the camera unit 20 has a plug 29 for coupling to the headphone jack 15. A specific circuit operation will be described with reference to FIG. The wireless telephone 1 includes the display 2 for displaying characters, symbols, and images, the operation unit 3 for performing dial operation, function operation, and character input, and the display control unit 4 for controlling the content displayed on the display 2. A memory 5 for storing a telephone number, a message, and the like input from the operation unit 3, a photographing unit memory 6 for temporarily storing a video signal from the camera unit 20, a CPU 7 for controlling the entire wireless telephone 1,
A communication control unit 10 for controlling the original communication of the wireless telephone; a main transmitting and receiving unit 11 for performing the original communication of the wireless telephone; a main antenna 12 used for the original communication of the wireless telephone; A signal processing unit 8,
The transmission / reception unit 9 for communicating with the camera unit 20, an antenna 13 used for communication with the camera unit 20, and power supply means 14 for supplying power to the entire wireless telephone 1. Further, the camera unit 20 includes a video section 21 which is a video camera, a shooting memory 22 for temporarily storing a video signal captured by the video section 21, a power supply 23 such as a battery for supplying power to the camera unit 20, A photographing ON / OFF unit 24 for controlling the start / stop of the function 21
A CPU 25 for controlling the camera unit 20 and a baseband signal processing unit 26 for communicating with the wireless telephone 1
And a transmission / reception unit 27 for communicating with the wireless telephone 1 and an antenna 28 used for communication with the wireless telephone 1.

Next, the operation of the portable terminal device with an image pickup function will be described. When an operation to start shooting is performed by the operation unit 3 of the wireless telephone 1, radio waves are radiated through the CPU 7, the baseband signal processing unit 8, the transmission / reception unit 9, and the antenna 13, and the antenna 28 of the camera unit 20, the transmission / reception unit 2
7, received through the baseband signal processing unit 26,
The imaging ON / OFF unit 24 is turned on by the PU 25
The operation of is started. A video signal which is a moving image output from the video unit 21 is temporarily stored in the photographing memory 22,
The data is read by U25 and sequentially sent to the baseband signal processing unit 26. Further, the radio wave is transmitted via the transmission / reception unit 27 and the antenna 28 via the antenna 13, the transmission / reception unit 9 and the baseband signal processing unit 8 of the wireless telephone 1.
The CPU 7 is temporarily stored in the photographing means memory 6 via the PU 7 and is displayed on the display 2 through the display control means 4 and / or the operation of the operation means 3 for the CPU 7 and the communication control unit 1.
0, which can be transmitted to the communication partner through the communication line of the wireless telephone 1 through the main transmission / reception unit 11 and the main antenna 12. When ending the shooting, the operation of the operation means 3 also
The control signal is transmitted to the camera unit 20 along the same route as the start of shooting.
Is transmitted to

In the above operation, as shown in FIG. 1, regardless of whether the wireless telephone 1 and the camera unit 20 are connected or separated, an antenna is provided between them. 13 is connected by radio waves through an antenna 28, communicates by the same communication method, and transmits a control signal for starting / stopping imaging and a video signal. For example, FIG.
In the case of (a), the mounting direction of the camera unit 20 is not fixed, but the image of the face of the caller or the surrounding environment can be acquired and transmitted by wireless communication. Also, as shown in FIG.
Can be separated from the wireless telephone 1 and photographed at a free angle of view, and can be transferred by wireless communication.

A plurality of camera units 20 are provided for one wireless telephone 1, and different communication channels are set for each camera unit 20. Controls the first camera unit 20, the “2” key refers to the second camera unit 20, and controls the camera unit 20 of the selected communication channel. Images can also be obtained. The communication between the wireless telephone 1 and the camera unit 20 uses a narrow band radio wave, specifically, a 2.4 GHz band.

According to the first embodiment, the camera unit 20 can be installed separately from the wireless telephone 1, and an image in a field of view different from the position of the wireless telephone 1 can be transferred to the wireless telephone 1. it can. When a plurality of camera units 20 are used, the operation unit 3 of the wireless telephone 1
Can be selected and switched, so that various images can be transmitted to the wireless telephone 1 and the contents of the images can be transmitted to the other party.

Note that, instead of the camera unit 20 in the first embodiment, a GP connected wirelessly to the wireless telephone 1 is used.
By providing the S unit detachably, the position data can be transferred to the wireless telephone 1 and transmitted to the communication partner.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of Embodiment 2 of a portable terminal device with an imaging function according to the present invention. In the first embodiment, the camera unit 20
Is connected to the wireless telephone 1 using the headphone jack 15, but this is only a mechanical connection between the two. In the second embodiment, the camera unit 20 is connected to the headphone jack 15 of the wireless telephone 1 in the first embodiment.
When the plug 29 is inserted, the headphone jack 15 senses the insertion of the plug 29 and informs the CPU of the insertion of the plug 29 when the plug 29 is inserted. The transmission / reception unit 9, the antenna 13, the transmission / reception unit 27, and the antenna 28 are paused by directly connecting the signal processing unit 26 with a wire, so that transmission image quality can be improved and power consumption can be reduced.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a portable terminal device with an imaging function according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. The third embodiment utilizes the electrical connection when the plug 29 of the camera unit 20 is inserted into the headphone jack 15 of the wireless telephone 1 according to the first embodiment, and uses the electric power used by the camera unit 20 when the plug 29 is inserted. Is supplied from the wireless telephone 1, and the power consumption of the power supply means 23 of the camera unit 20 can be greatly reduced.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The camera unit 20 can be installed separately from the wireless telephone 1, and an image in a field of view different from the position of the wireless telephone 1 can be transferred to the wireless telephone 1. When a plurality of camera units 20 are used, the selection can be switched by the operation means 3 of the wireless telephone 1, so that
Various images can be sent to the wireless telephone 1, and the contents of the images can be sent to the other party.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view showing a schematic structure of a portable terminal device with an imaging function according to the present invention. FIG. 1 (a) is a diagram showing a state where a camera unit is connected to a wireless telephone. Figure

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a portable terminal device with an imaging function according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a portable terminal device with an imaging function according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a portable terminal device with an imaging function according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an external view of a conventional camera-equipped mobile phone.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 wireless telephone 2 display 3 operating means 4 display control means 5 memory 6 photographing means memory 7 CPU 8 baseband signal processing section 9 transmission / reception section 10 communication control section 11 main transmission / reception section 12 main antenna 13 antenna 14 power supply means 15 headphone jack 20 camera Unit 21 video section 22 shooting memory 23 power supply means 24 shooting ON / OFF section 25 CPU 26 baseband signal processing section 27 transmission / reception section 28 antenna 29 plug 31 mobile phone 32 liquid crystal display 33 camera head section

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Kouji Kobayashi 4-3-1 Tsunashima Higashi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Kazutoshi Masunari Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5C022 AA12 AC31 AC32 AC69 5C064 AA01 AA06 AC04 AD08 5K027 AA11 FF22 HH08 HH26

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A portable terminal device with an imaging function for performing communication via a public line or a dedicated line via radio, comprising a portable terminal device main body and a moving image photographing device, wherein the portable terminal device main body includes a display and Display control means for controlling the contents to be displayed on the display, operation means for performing at least a dial operation, memory for storing a telephone number inputted from the operation means, and temporarily storing a video signal sent from the video camera. A photographing means memory for storing, and a CPU for controlling the entire portable terminal device
And, a main body baseband signal processing unit for performing communication with the video camera, a main body transmitting / receiving unit, and a main body antenna,
A main body power supply unit for supplying power to the portable terminal device main body, and a coupling unit for detachably coupling the video camera, the video camera includes an imaging unit that captures a video, A photographing memory for temporarily storing a video signal imaged by the imaging unit,
Shooting ON / O for controlling start / stop of the function of the imaging unit
FF unit and a CPU for a photographing machine for controlling the moving picture photographing machine
And a camera baseband signal processing unit for performing communication with the portable terminal device body, a camera transmitting / receiving unit, a camera antenna, a camera power supply unit for supplying power to the video camera, Coupling means for detachably coupling to the portable terminal device main body, wherein a command for starting / stopping the video camera can be transmitted by the operation means; 2. The connecting means of the portable terminal device main body includes means for identifying the connection when connecting with the connecting means of the moving image photographing device, and means for connecting the portable terminal device main body and the moving image photographing device by wire. And means for stopping the operation of the main body transmission and reception unit and the photographing machine transmission and reception unit, when coupled,
The portable terminal device with an imaging function according to claim 1, wherein communication between the portable terminal device main body and the moving image photographing device is wired. 3. The connecting means of the portable terminal device main body includes means for identifying the connection when connecting with the connecting means of the moving image photographing device, and means for connecting the portable terminal device main body and the moving image photographing device by wire. And a means for supplying power from the power supply means for the main body instead of the power supply means for the photographing machine,
2. The portable terminal device with an imaging function according to claim 1, wherein the power consumption of the photographing device power supply unit is set to zero.