JP2004056297A - Portable terminal device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable terminal device provided with a camera, which exposes the camera only when it is used and hides the camera when it is not used to clearly show a third person that photographing is not performed, while maintaining small-scale performance and drop impact resistance. <P>SOLUTION: The device is provided with a camera 102 provided inside a case 101, a widow 103 being open on a portion corresponding to the camera 102 in the case 101, a shielding member 104 provided so as to be positioned between the window 103 and the camera 102, and a control means for allowing the member 104 to change between a clear state and a colored state. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal device having a camera.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a camera-equipped mobile phone disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-309003. FIG. 6A is an explanatory diagram illustrating a case where the camera is not used and the camera is not used, and FIG. 6B is an explanatory diagram illustrating a case where the camera using the camera is used.
[0003]
The mobile phone main body 50 has a camera 51 mounted thereon, and a shielding member 52 covering the camera 51 is slidably provided using a guide such as a groove 53 provided in the main body 50.
[0004]
The shielding member 52 is positioned so as to cover the camera 51 when the camera is not used (FIG. 6A), and is slid on the groove 53 when the camera is used (FIG. 6B). Can be positioned to be exposed.
[0005]
Therefore, the user sets the camera 51 at a position where the camera 51 is covered when the camera is not used, and only when the camera is used, slides the shielding member 52 by hand to expose the camera 51.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, according to such a conventional technique, since the movement of the shielding member 52 is manual, a camera cannot be used until the shielding member 52 is moved when an image is to be taken, and the operation is complicated. was there.
[0007]
In order to avoid the complicated operation, for example, it is conceivable to provide the shielding member 52 electrically. In this case, however, it is necessary to provide a driving unit such as an actuator and a firm groove 53. Therefore, the miniaturization of the main body of the mobile phone is hindered. Further, since the number of parts increases, there is a fear that the operation durability and the drop impact resistance are reduced.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 includes a camera provided inside a housing, a window opened at a position of the housing facing the camera, and a window formed between the window and the camera. It is characterized by including a shielding member provided so as to be located therebetween, and control means such as a control unit for changing the shielding member between a transparent state and a colored state.
[0009]
Therefore, by providing the shielding member, the portable terminal device can always protect the camera from the external dust while maintaining the compactness, the operation durability and the drop impact resistance, and the shielding member when the camera is not used. Is colored so that it is possible to clearly show to a third party that the camera is not imaged by hiding the camera from the outside.
[0010]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 2 is the portable terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the shielding member is in a transparent state when the camera is used, under the control of the control means. It is characterized in that when the camera is not used, the camera enters a colored state.
[0011]
Therefore, when the camera is not used, by setting the shielding member to a colored state, it is possible to clearly show to the third party that the camera is not imaged by being hidden from the outside.
[0012]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 3 is the portable terminal device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shielding member is controlled by the control unit to control the housing. Is formed by a display which reflects a specific wavelength of external light to become a colored state.
[0013]
Therefore, by providing the shielding member, the portable terminal device can always protect the camera from the external dust while maintaining the compactness, the operation durability and the drop impact resistance, and the shielding member when the camera is not used. By reflecting a specific wavelength of the external light in the colored state, the camera can be hidden from the outside so that it can be clearly shown to a third party that an image is not captured.
[0014]
In order to solve the above problem, the invention according to claim 4 is the portable terminal device according to claim 3, wherein the shielding member is formed by a chiral nematic liquid crystal device.
[0015]
Therefore, by providing the shielding member formed of the chiral nematic liquid crystal device, the portable terminal device can always protect the camera from dust while maintaining compactness, operation durability and drop impact resistance. When the camera is not used, a specific wavelength of external light is reflected by the shielding member so as to be in a colored state, so that the camera is hidden so that it cannot be seen from the outside, and it is possible to clearly indicate to a third party that the image is not captured. Will be possible.
[0016]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 5 is the portable terminal device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shielding member emits light under the control of the control unit. It is characterized by being formed by a display that becomes colored.
[0017]
Therefore, the portable terminal device can always protect the camera from dust while maintaining compactness, operation durability and drop impact resistance, and when the camera is not used, the shielding member emits light to change to a colored state. By doing so, it is possible to clearly show to a third party that the camera is not imaged by hiding the camera from the outside.
[0018]
In order to solve the above problem, the invention according to claim 6 is the portable terminal device according to claim 5, wherein the shielding member is formed by a transparent EL (Electro Luminescence) device. And
[0019]
Therefore, by providing a shielding member formed of a transparent EL (Electro Luminescence) device, the portable terminal device can always protect the camera from dust while maintaining compactness, operation durability and drop impact resistance. In addition, when the camera is not used, the shielding member is made to emit light to make the color state, so that the camera can be hidden so as not to be seen from the outside and it is possible to clearly show to a third party that the camera is not being imaged. .
[0020]
In order to solve the above problem, an invention according to claim 7 is the portable terminal device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shielding member is formed by an electrochromic device. And
[0021]
Therefore, by providing the shielding member formed of the electrochromic device, the mobile terminal device can always protect the camera from dust while maintaining compactness, operation durability and drop impact resistance, When the camera is not used, the shielding member is colored so as to be in a colored state, so that the camera is hidden so as not to be seen from the outside and it is possible to clearly show to a third party that the camera is not being imaged.
[0022]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, an invention according to claim 8 is the portable terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the control means is provided on an entire surface of the shielding member. Can be controlled between a transparent state and a colored state.
[0023]
Therefore, the portable terminal device can always protect the camera from dust while maintaining compactness, operation durability, and drop impact resistance, and when the camera is not used, the entire surface of the shielding member is colored. This makes it possible to clearly show to a third party that the camera is not captured by hiding the camera from the outside.
[0024]
In order to solve the above problem, an invention according to claim 9 is the portable terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the shielding member is provided by a dot matrix display. And the control means can control a transparent state and a colored state for each dot.
[0025]
Therefore, by providing the shielding member formed of the dot matrix display, the portable terminal device can always protect the camera from dust while maintaining the compactness, the operation durability, and the drop impact resistance. In addition, when the camera is not used, the time, a predetermined character, incoming information, and the like can be displayed on the shielding member, thereby improving the convenience for the user.
[0026]
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the portable terminal device according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, wherein, under the control of the control means, the shielding member has a predetermined pattern area in a transparent state. And a colored state, and the predetermined pattern is displayed in the colored state.
[0027]
Therefore, when the camera is not used, the time, the predetermined character, the incoming call information, and the like can be displayed on the shielding member, and there is an effect that the convenience for the user is improved.
[0028]
In order to solve the above problem, an invention according to claim 11 is the portable terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the shielding member is controlled by the control unit. Is characterized in that only a portion covering the camera is changed to a transparent state.
[0029]
Therefore, when the camera is used, only the imaging portion of the shielding member that covers the camera is made transparent so that the camera is exposed to the outside, and the number of images that can be captured is displayed in an information display portion that is a portion that does not cover the camera. There is an effect that the convenience of the user is improved, for example, it is used to display a captured image and determine a frame (imaging range) when photographing the user himself.
[0030]
In order to solve the above problem, an invention according to claim 12 is the portable terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the shielding member is controlled by the control unit. An image picked up by the camera is projected on a portion which does not cover the camera.
[0031]
Therefore, there is an effect that the convenience of the user is improved such that the image captured by the camera is displayed and used to determine a frame (imaging range) when the user himself is photographed.
[0032]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0033]
The embodiment described below is an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a mobile phone.
(First Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is an external explanatory view of a mobile phone as a mobile terminal device according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part.
[0034]
FIG. 1A is an explanatory diagram illustrating a case where a camera provided on a mobile phone is not used and a camera not used is used, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram illustrating a case where a camera using a camera provided on a mobile phone is used. It is.
[0035]
The mobile phone 100 has a camera 102 such as a CCD for imaging inside a housing 101.
[0036]
Further, a window 103 is provided in the casing 101, and external light is guided to the camera 102 through the window 103.
[0037]
Further, the shielding member 104 is provided between the window 103 and the camera 102 at a position that closes the window 103. That is, when the mobile phone 100 is viewed from the outside, the shielding member 104 covers the camera 102.
[0038]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the mobile phone.
[0039]
The mobile phone 100 includes a camera 102, a shielding member 104, a control unit 200 as control means, a display unit 201, an operation unit 202, a microphone 203, a speaker 204, an antenna 205, and a storage unit 206.
[0040]
The control unit 200 controls the entire mobile phone 100.
[0041]
The display unit 201 is usually arranged on the front of the mobile phone 100 and is configured using a liquid crystal display or the like. An image captured by the camera 102 can be displayed under the control of the control unit 200.
[0042]
Also, the display unit 201 displays the time during normal standby for incoming calls, displays various states of the mobile phone 100, and displays the telephone number of the other party who called when receiving an incoming call. Things.
[0043]
The operation unit 202 enables a user to operate the mobile phone 100 via the control unit 200, and includes a power key 202a, a numeric keypad 202b for inputting a telephone number, and the mobile phone 100. An imaging mode key 202c for setting a camera imaging state, a shutter 202d of the camera, and a volume button 202e for operating the volume of the speaker 204 via the control unit 200 are provided.
[0044]
The microphone 203 and the speaker 204 are usually located on the front of the mobile phone 100 at a location suitable for using the mobile phone 100 close to the ears and mouth for talking.
[0045]
The antenna 205 is for transmitting and receiving radio waves.
[0046]
The shielding member 104 is formed of a transparent EL (Electro Luminescent) device, and can be changed to a colored state and a transparent state by ON / OFF of voltage application, respectively. When the voltage application is turned off, the shielding member 104 becomes transparent, and when the voltage application is turned on, the shielding member 104 emits light and becomes colored. Note that the magnitude of the voltage applied when the shielding member 104 is changed to a colored state by the light emission is determined in advance by the material of the transparent EL device forming the shielding member 104.
[0047]
The storage unit 206 is for storing telephone number data, images captured by the camera 102, and the like.
[0048]
When the camera is not used (FIG. 1A), a voltage is applied to the shielding member 104 under the control of the control unit 200 to emit light, so that the shielding member 104 is colored and the camera 102 cannot be seen from the outside. On the other hand, when the camera is used (FIG. 1B), the voltage application is turned off, the shielding member 104 is made transparent, and the camera 102 is exposed to the outside.
[0049]
Normally, the mode shifts to the imaging mode when the imaging mode key 202c is pressed. Therefore, even if the voltage application is simultaneously controlled by a control unit (not shown) so as to be turned off at this time, the voltage application to the shielding member 104 is not performed. A switch for performing the operation may be provided separately, and may be controlled by the control unit 200 so as to follow the operation of the switch.
[0050]
The display device for forming the above-described shielding member 104 is not limited to a transparent EL device, and may be, for example, a chiral nematic liquid crystal device or an electrochromic device.
[0051]
When the transparent EL device is colored by light emission, the chiral nematic liquid crystal device is used as the shielding member 104. When a predetermined voltage is applied, light of a specific wavelength is selectively reflected. Then, a specific color is exhibited and a colored state is established.
[0052]
When an electrochromic device is used for the shielding member 104, when a predetermined voltage is applied, a chemical reaction occurs to change the color of the device itself to a specific color and develop color.
[0053]
According to the first embodiment described above, by providing the shielding member 104, the camera 102 is always protected from dust while maintaining the compactness, operation durability and drop impact resistance of the mobile phone. When the camera is not used, a voltage is applied to the shielding member 104 to emit light, so that the camera 102 is hidden so that it cannot be seen from the outside, and it is clearly shown to a third party that an image is not taken. It becomes possible.
[0054]
(Second embodiment)
FIG. 4 is an external view of a mobile phone as a mobile terminal device according to the second embodiment.
[0055]
FIG. 4 (a) is an explanatory diagram showing when the camera is not used, and FIG. 4 (b) is an explanatory diagram showing when the camera is used.
[0056]
The shielding member 104A in the second embodiment is formed by a dot matrix light emitting transparent EL device, is normally transparent, and emits light only when a voltage is applied. The other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the detailed description is omitted.
[0057]
When the camera is not used (FIG. 4A), the shielding member 104A turns on voltage application to predetermined dots of the shielding member 104A, and displays, for example, time, a predetermined character, incoming call information, and the like. By causing the pattern to emit light, the camera 102 cannot be seen from outside.
[0058]
On the other hand, when the camera is used (FIG. 4B), the voltage application is turned off, the shielding member 104A is made transparent, and the camera 102 is exposed to the outside.
[0059]
According to the above-described second embodiment, it is possible to always protect the camera 102 from dust while maintaining the compactness, operation durability, and drop impact resistance of the mobile phone. When not in use, by applying a voltage to the shielding member 104A to emit light, it is possible to hide the camera 102 so that it cannot be seen from the outside and clearly show a third party that no image is captured.
[0060]
Furthermore, when the camera is not used, the time, a predetermined character, incoming call information, and the like can be displayed on the shielding member 104A, and the user's convenience is improved.
[0061]
(Third embodiment)
FIG. 5 is an external explanatory view of a mobile phone as a mobile terminal device according to the third embodiment.
[0062]
FIG. 5 (a) is an explanatory diagram showing when the camera is not used, and FIG. 5 (b) is an explanatory diagram showing when the camera is used.
[0063]
The shielding member 104B according to the third embodiment is formed by a dot matrix light emitting transparent EL device. When a camera is used, the application of voltage is turned off to become transparent. In some cases, an information display portion 104b is provided for displaying imaging information by turning on voltage application for a predetermined dot.
[0064]
The other configuration is the same as that of the second embodiment, and the detailed description is omitted.
[0065]
When the camera is not used (FIG. 5A), the shielding member 104B turns on the voltage application to cause the shielding member 104B to emit light, thereby displaying, for example, time, a predetermined character, incoming call information, and the like. Make the camera 102 invisible from the outside.
[0066]
On the other hand, when the camera is used (FIG. 5B), only the imaging portion 104 a of the shielding member 104 </ b> B is turned off to apply a voltage to make the camera 102 transparent and expose the camera 102 to the outside. Then, voltage application is turned on for predetermined dots in the information display portion 104b of the shielding member 104B to emit light, and, for example, the remaining number of images that can be captured is displayed during imaging.
[0067]
According to the third embodiment described above, it is possible to always protect the camera 102 from external dust while maintaining the compactness, operation durability, and drop impact resistance of the mobile phone. When not in use, by applying a voltage to the shielding member 104B to emit light, the camera 102 can be hidden so as not to be seen from the outside, so that it is possible to clearly show a third party that no image is captured.
[0068]
Further, when the camera is not used, the time, a predetermined character, incoming call information, and the like can be displayed on the shielding member 104B. In addition, at the time of photographing, only the imaging portion 104a of the shielding member 104B can be made transparent so that the camera is exposed to the outside, and the number of images that can be captured can be displayed at the information display portion 104b. Further, if an image captured by the camera 102 is displayed at the information display portion 104b, user convenience such as use to determine a frame (imaging range) when the user himself is captured by the camera 102 is improved. There is an effect of improving.
[0069]
In the above description, the case where the shielding member is in the transparent state has been described, but the transparent state may be colorless or colored. When the image is colorless, the image is taken as it is, and when the image is colored, an image as if wearing spectacles such as sepia can be obtained.
[0070]
Further, when the shielding member is in a colored state, the shielding member may be in a transparent state, and if the density of the color is high, the camera 102 cannot be observed from the outside unless it is close, so that no image is taken. Can be clearly shown to a third party. When the shielding member is in the colored state, it is obvious that the shielding member may be in the opaque state.
[0071]
However, in the present invention, it is not appropriate to use a liquid crystal device that simply becomes black and opaque as the shielding member. This is because a mere black opacity does not change from a state where the camera is exposed when observed from the outside.
[0072]
Similarly, it is not appropriate to use a high dispersion type liquid crystal device used for a light control glass or the like as a shielding member. The high dispersion type liquid crystal device becomes white because it scatters external light, but it is only scattered light, so even if it covers a black camera, it only blurs the outline, so when viewed from the outside, the camera is exposed. It will be no different from the state where you are.
[0073]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, by providing the shielding member, the portable terminal device always protects the camera from external dust while maintaining compactness, operation durability and drop impact resistance. In addition, by setting the shielding member in a colored state, it is possible to clearly show to a third party that the camera is not imaged by hiding the camera from the outside.
[0074]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the first aspect of the present invention, when the camera is not used, the shielding member is colored so that the camera is hidden from the outside. It is possible to clearly indicate to a third party that no image has been taken.
[0075]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, by providing the shielding member, the portable terminal device can always protect the camera from dust while maintaining compactness, operation durability, and drop impact resistance. When the camera is not used, a specific wavelength of external light is reflected by the shielding member to make it colored when the camera is not used, so that it is clear to a third party that the camera is not concealed and is not imaged from the outside. It becomes possible to show.
[0076]
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, by providing the shielding member formed of the chiral nematic liquid crystal device, the portable terminal device can maintain the small size, the operation durability, and the drop impact resistance, and always have the external dust. It is possible to protect the camera from the camera, and when the camera is not used, a specific wavelength of external light is reflected by a shielding member so as to be in a colored state, so that the camera is not hidden from the outside and an image is not taken. Can be clearly shown to a third party.
[0077]
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, by providing the shielding member, the portable terminal device can always protect the camera from dust while maintaining compactness, operation durability and drop impact resistance. When the camera is not used, the shielding member emits light to make it colored when the camera is not used, so that the camera can be hidden from the outside so that it is possible to clearly indicate to a third party that the camera is not being imaged. Become.
[0078]
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, by providing the shielding member formed of the transparent EL device, the portable terminal device can always be protected from external dust while maintaining compactness, operation durability and drop impact resistance. It is possible to protect the camera, and when the camera is not in use, the shielding member emits light to make it colored so that it is clear to a third party that the camera is not concealed from the outside and the image is not taken. It becomes possible to show.
[0079]
According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, by providing the shielding member formed of the electrochromic device, the portable terminal device can always be protected from external dust while maintaining compactness, operation durability and drop impact resistance. It is possible to protect the camera, and when the camera is not used, the shielding member is colored to make it colored, so that it is clear to a third party that the camera is not concealed and is not imaged from the outside. It becomes possible to show.
[0080]
According to the invention described in claim 8, in addition to the effect of the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 8, when the camera is not used, the entire surface of the shielding member is illuminated to change to a colored state. By doing so, it is possible to hide the camera so that it is not visible from the outside, and to clearly indicate to a third party that no image is captured.
[0081]
According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect of the present invention, a camera is provided by providing a shielding member formed by a dot matrix display. At the time of non-use, the time, a predetermined character, incoming call information, and the like can be displayed on the shielding member, so that there is an effect that user convenience is improved.
[0082]
According to the tenth aspect, in addition to the effect of the ninth aspect, the time, the predetermined character, the incoming call information, and the like are displayed on the shielding member when the camera is not used in the predetermined pattern area. This has the effect of improving user convenience.
[0083]
According to the invention described in claim 11, in addition to the effects of the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 10, in addition to the effect of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 10, only the imaging portion which is a portion of the shielding member that covers the camera when the camera is used. When the camera is exposed to the outside by making it transparent, the number of images that can be captured is displayed at the information display area that is not covered by the camera, or the image captured by the camera is displayed to shoot the user himself. There is an effect that the convenience of the user is improved, for example, it is used to determine a frame (imaging range).
[0084]
According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the first aspect of the present invention, an image is captured by the camera at a location of the shielding member that does not cover the camera. There is an effect that the convenience of the user is improved such that the image is displayed and used to determine a frame (imaging range) when photographing the user himself.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external view of a mobile phone as a mobile terminal device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of the mobile phone according to the first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of the appearance of a portable telephone as a portable terminal according to a second embodiment. FIG. 5 is an appearance of a portable telephone as a portable terminal according to a third embodiment. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a camera-equipped mobile phone according to the related art.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 mobile phone 101 housing 102 camera 103 window 104 shielding member 104 a imaging location 104 b information display location 200 control unit 201 display unit 202 operation unit 203 microphone 204 speaker 205 antenna 206 storage unit 50 mobile phone main unit 51 camera 52 shielding member 53 Groove

Claims (12)

A camera provided inside the housing,
A window opened at a location of the housing facing the camera,
A shielding member provided between the window and the camera,
Control means for changing the shielding member between a transparent state and a colored state. 2. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the shielding member is in a transparent state when a camera is used, and is in a colored state when the camera is not used, under the control of the control unit. 3. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:
The mobile terminal device, wherein the shielding member is formed by a display that reflects a specific wavelength of light outside the housing and enters a colored state under the control of the control unit. The mobile terminal device according to claim 3, wherein
The portable terminal device, wherein the shielding member is formed of a chiral nematic liquid crystal device. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:
The portable terminal device, wherein the shielding member is formed by a display that emits light and becomes colored under the control of the control unit. The mobile terminal device according to claim 5, wherein
The portable terminal device, wherein the shielding member is formed by a transparent EL (Electro Luminescence) device. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:
The portable terminal device, wherein the shielding member is formed by an electrochromic device. The mobile terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein
The said control means can control the whole surface of the said shielding member between a transparent state and a colored state, The portable terminal device characterized by the above-mentioned. The mobile terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein:
The shielding member is formed by a dot matrix display,
The portable terminal device, wherein the control means can control a transparent state and a colored state for each dot. The mobile terminal device according to claim 9,
The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein, under the control of the control means, the area of the predetermined pattern of the shielding member changes between a transparent state and a colored state, and the predetermined pattern is displayed in the colored state. The mobile terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein
The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the shielding member changes only a portion covering the camera into a transparent state under the control of the control unit. The mobile terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein
A mobile terminal device, wherein an image captured by the camera is projected on a portion of the shielding member that does not cover the camera under the control of the control unit.

Images