JP2005223634A - Portable communication terminal with camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily rotate a camera unit without damaging a camera lens in a portable communication terminal provided with a movable camera unit and to effectively hold a communication state at the time of communication. <P>SOLUTION: The portable communication terminal is provided with the camera unit 5 arranged so as to be freely rotated around a portable communication terminal body 1 through a prescribed rotary shaft 7, an antenna 4 is installed on a position separated from the rotary shaft 7 of the camera unit 5, and the antenna 4 in the camera unit 5 is connected to a communication circuit in the portable communication terminal body 1 through an antenna feeder. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable communication terminal provided with a rotating camera unit.

  In recent years, a camera has been mounted on a mobile communication terminal, and has a function of transmitting and receiving image data taken by the camera. Since such a mobile communication terminal has a large display, there is a demand for photographing while confirming a camera image shown there. Furthermore, regardless of whether the photographer shoots on the other side or the other side, there is a need to take a picture while taking an image on the display, so two cameras that face the same direction as the display and two cameras that face the opposite direction. There is a demand for mobile communication terminals equipped with the.

  In response to this request, the mobile communication terminal is provided with a rotating camera unit, so that when the photographer takes a picture of his / her side, the camera unit is turned to his / her side, and when the other party is taken, the other side In either case, a mobile communication terminal capable of capturing an image of a camera on a display by rotating is put into practical use. According to this portable communication terminal, it is possible to reduce the cost by adopting only one camera while providing convenience in that it is possible to shoot while checking the image of the camera regardless of the direction of the own side or the other side. It is planned.

  On the other hand, some mobile communication terminals such as mobile phones have a structure in which an antenna is built in a housing because downsizing is important in order to improve portability. However, when the antenna is built in the housing, there are generally problems of degradation of antenna efficiency and narrow band due to low resistance and high Q. Therefore, there is a demand for the antenna to be installed at a position as far as possible from the substrate serving as the ground and to protrude from the housing.

  Recently, with the increase in the number of pixels of the camera device for mobile communication terminals, there is a problem that the reception sensitivity is deteriorated by receiving noise radiated from the camera unit through the antenna of the mobile communication terminal itself. doing. Therefore, it is necessary to provide an electromagnetic shield for the camera unit.

In Patent Document 1, as a mobile phone for realizing such a request, a mobile phone body is provided with a casing that rotates, a camera unit is provided on one surface of the rotating housing, and a speaker is provided on the opposite surface. When using the phone, the speaker surface of the rotating housing is used facing the user side, and when using the camera, the camera can be directed in the desired direction by rotating the rotating housing. Is disclosed.
JP 2002-325127 A

  However, since the camera unit of the conventional mobile phone does not have an external knob, the user must hold the camera unit body, rotate the camera unit by finger friction, and has good operability. I can't say that. In addition, when a user's finger or nail touches the camera lens, there is a problem that it becomes dirty or scratched.

  An object of the present invention is to facilitate a rotation operation of a camera unit without damaging a camera lens in a mobile communication terminal including a movable camera unit and to maintain a good communication state during communication. is there.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention comprises a camera unit that is rotatably arranged via a predetermined rotation axis with respect to the mobile communication terminal body, and an antenna is attached at a position away from the rotation axis of the camera unit, The antenna in the camera unit and the communication circuit in the mobile communication terminal body are connected by an antenna feed line.

  Thus, the antenna portion serves as a knob for rotating the camera unit, so that the user can easily rotate the camera unit and easily adjust the shooting direction of the camera.

  At this time, in order to prevent the antenna sensitivity from deteriorating due to noise generated from the camera unit, the camera unit is provided with an electromagnetic shield utilizing the skin depth at high frequencies. Thereby, even when the antenna is provided in the vicinity of the camera, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the sensitivity of the antenna.

  According to the present invention, by attaching an antenna to the movable camera unit, the antenna portion protrudes from the casing of the mobile communication terminal, and the camera unit also rotates together by rotating with the antenna portion. Therefore, the user can easily adjust the camera direction when using the camera, and can operate without damaging the lens of the camera.

  Further, by providing an electromagnetic shield on the camera unit, it is possible to reduce the sensitivity deterioration of the antenna due to camera noise. Furthermore, since the antenna is installed in a shape protruding from the housing at a position away from the housing of the mobile communication terminal, the antenna characteristics during communication can be kept good.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a mobile phone configured with one housing as an example of a mobile communication terminal. On the front side of the casing 1 of the mobile phone is provided with a display 2 for displaying character information such as communication information and image information taken by a camera. Similarly, on the front side of the casing 1, operations such as communication and photography are performed. An operation device 3 for performing is provided. Further, although not shown, a microphone, a speaker, and the like for calling are also provided. A rotating shaft 7 is attached to the housing protruding portion 8 at the upper end of the housing 1 in a state of being able to rotate horizontally with respect to the housing 1, and the camera unit 5 is fixed to the rotating shaft 7. A camera lens 6 is provided on the front side of the camera unit 5, and an antenna 4 is built in a handle-shaped part protruding from the top of the camera unit 5.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the rotation state of the camera unit 5. A handle-shaped part is attached to the camera unit 5, and the antenna 4 is built in that part. The camera unit 5 can rotate approximately 180 degrees in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 2 in the front-rear direction around a rotation shaft that is rotatably attached to the housing protrusion 8. Thus, since the camera lens can be directed to the back side of the mobile phone by rotating the camera unit 5, the user is displayed on the display on the front side even when shooting an object on the back side. You can shoot while checking the camera image. Further, when performing the rotation operation, the user can operate the handle-shaped antenna 4 protruding from the camera unit 5 while holding it with his / her finger, so that the operation is easy and there is no worry of touching the camera lens.

  Next, the internal configuration of the camera unit 5 in this example will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the internal configuration of the camera unit 5 of this example. The camera unit 5 is rotatably disposed on the housing protrusion 8 of the mobile phone by the rotation shaft 7. A camera lens 6 is provided on the front side of the camera unit 5, and image pickup means such as a CCD image pickup device is disposed therein, so that image light incident through the camera lens 6 can be taken. An antenna element 41 is attached to the upper part of the camera unit 5. The antenna element 41 is disposed at a position away from the rotation shaft 7 and substantially parallel to the rotation shaft 7. Here, the camera unit 5, the antenna element 41, and the rotating shaft 7 are electromagnetically shielded. A feed point 42 for feeding power to the antenna is provided at the end of the antenna element 41, and a coaxial cable 43 serving as a feed line is connected to the feed point 42. The other end of the coaxial cable 43 is connected to an antenna matching circuit 44 and further connected to an RF (Radio Frequency) circuit 45. The antenna matching circuit 44 and the RF circuit 45 are configured on a circuit board built in the casing 1 of the mobile phone, and perform transmission / reception processing during communication of the mobile phone.

  Usually, since an antenna of a mobile phone operates using a substrate as a ground conductor, a large amount of high-frequency current flows through the substrate and the shield. In this example, the camera unit 5 and the antenna element 41 are electromagnetically shielded, and the rotating shaft 7 that is in contact with the casing protruding portion 8 of the mobile phone is also shielded. Therefore, a high-frequency current is configured to flow through the substrate of the mobile phone main body through the shield skin of the camera unit 5 and the shield skin of the rotating shaft 7, and a sufficient ground conductor size can be obtained.

  Next, an enlarged view showing an example of the internal configuration of the rotating shaft 7 is shown in FIG. Inside the shielded rotating shaft 7, a flexible substrate 12 that is a signal line of the camera is formed in a spiral shape in the same rotational direction with respect to the concentricity of the rotating shaft 7. One of the flexible boards 12 is connected to a camera (not shown) in the camera unit via a connector 13 on the camera unit 5 side, and the other is connected to the camera signal processing circuit 10 via a connector 11 provided on the casing side of the mobile phone. Configure to connect. In addition, the feeder line connected to the antenna element 41 is composed of a flexible coaxial cable 43, and is located around the outer periphery of the shield of the rotary shaft 7 provided with electromagnetic shielding with respect to the concentricity of the rotary shaft 7. A spiral is formed in the same rotational direction.

  By configuring in this way, even when the camera unit 5 is rotated, the winding of the flexible substrate and the coaxial cable is loosened, and the risk of the cable etc. being stretched and disconnected can be reduced.

  Further, since electromagnetic noise is normally radiated from the signal line of the camera, it flows into the RF circuit via the antenna, thereby causing deterioration in reception sensitivity. However, in this example, since the flexible substrate 12 which is a camera signal line is formed inside the shield of the camera unit 5 and the rotary shaft 7, the space for radiating noise from the signal line is closed by these shields. . For this reason, radiation of noise to the outside is suppressed, and deterioration of reception sensitivity of the antenna can be reduced.

  In addition, it is necessary to give sufficient thickness more than the skin depth in a high frequency to the electromagnetic shield of the camera unit 5 and the rotating shaft 7. FIG.

  3 and 4, the coaxial cable 43 serving as the antenna feeding line is illustrated so as to be exposed to the outside of the rotating shaft 7. However, the rotating shaft 7 and the coaxial cable 43 are accommodated outside the rotating shaft 7. You may comprise so that the external case of the shape to be provided may be provided. Further, in the drawing, the camera unit 5 and the antenna element 41 are shown in contact with each other, but a part of the camera unit 5 and the antenna element 41 may be separated from each other so as not to contact each other.

  Next, the case where this example is comprised with an inverted F antenna, a loop antenna, etc. is demonstrated. When configuring an inverted F antenna or a loop antenna, it is necessary to provide a short-circuit point. The shield skin applied to the camera unit of this example is connected to the ground of the substrate through the shield skin of the rotating shaft and the coaxial cable skin, and has the same potential. Therefore, each antenna can be configured by providing a short-circuit point on the outer skin of the shield of the camera unit.

  FIG. 5 shows a configuration example in the case where this example is configured with an inverted-F antenna. The camera unit 5 is rotatably disposed on the housing protrusion 8 of the mobile phone by the rotation shaft 7. A camera lens 6 is provided on the front side of the camera unit 5, and an antenna element 41 is attached to the upper part of the camera unit 5. A feed point 42 that feeds power to the antenna is located at a position in contact with the camera unit 5 at the end of the antenna element 41, and a coaxial cable 43 that is a feed line is connected to the feed point 42. A short-circuit point 46 is provided on the outer skin of the shield of the camera unit 5 in the vicinity of the feeding point 42 and is grounded to the camera unit.

  A configuration example in the case where this example is configured by a loop antenna is shown in FIG. The camera unit 5 is rotatably disposed on the housing protrusion 8 of the mobile phone by the rotation shaft 7. An antenna element 41 is attached to the upper part of the camera unit 5. A feed point 42 that feeds power to the antenna is located at a position in contact with the camera unit 5 at the end of the antenna element 41, and a coaxial cable 43 that is a feed line is connected to the feed point 42. At the end of the antenna element 41 opposite to the feeding point 42, a short-circuit point 46 is provided on the outer skin of the shield of the camera unit 5, and is grounded to the camera unit.

  With the configuration shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the antenna unit portion can be fixed with, for example, a screw, so that the strength can be increased.

  In the embodiment described above, the part that houses the antenna element that can be used as a handle when rotating the camera unit has been described as being fixed to the camera unit. A fixed configuration is also possible. FIG. 7 shows an example in which the antenna and the camera unit are connected at a plurality of locations on the rotation axis. In this example, the handle portion 15 that houses the antenna element 41 and the camera unit 5 are fixed at the contact portions indicated by x and y in FIG. 7, and the rotating shaft 7 that is connected to the housing protruding portion 8 of the cellular phone is further provided. It forms so that it may protrude partially from a housing | casing, The protrusion part, ie, the part shown by z and t of FIG. 7, and the handle part 15 are fixed.

  As described above, the connection strength between the antenna and the camera unit can be structurally increased by connecting the antenna and the camera unit at a plurality of locations on the rotation axis.

  In the embodiment described above, the camera unit is described as being configured to rotate in the front-rear direction with respect to the casing of the mobile phone. However, the camera unit may be configured to rotate in the left-right direction. it can. A configuration example in this case will be described with reference to FIG. In this example, the first casing 1 ′, which is a casing of the mobile phone main body, and the second casing 16 that houses the camera unit 5, the upper portion of the first casing 1 ′ and the second casing 16 are configured. The rotary shaft 7 'is pivotably connected so that the axis is perpendicular to the lower part of the rotary shaft. A camera lens 6 is provided on the front side of the camera unit 5 housed in the second housing 16. The antenna element 41 is built in the upper part of the second casing 16, that is, at a position opposite to the first casing 1 ', in a state substantially orthogonal to the rotation shaft 7'. By using the portion that houses the antenna element 41 as a handle, the second housing 16 can be rotated in the left-right direction. In this example, since the change in the antenna position due to the rotation of the camera unit is small, the change in the antenna sensitivity can be reduced.

  In addition, although the shape of the casing of the mobile phone main body has been described as a single casing, a foldable mobile phone having a shape in which two casings are combined may be used.

In the configuration described so far, only the antenna attached to the camera unit has been described. However, another antenna may be provided on the casing side of the mobile phone main body, and two antennas may be provided.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the camera unit is attached to the mobile phone has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to other devices as long as the camera unit and the wireless communication unit are built in. . For example, when a rotatable camera unit is attached to a terminal called PDA (Personal Digital Assistance) and communication means for connecting to a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) is provided, the antenna of the communication means May be built in the camera unit.

It is an external view which shows the structural example of the mobile telephone by one embodiment of this invention. It is an external view which shows the structural example of the camera unit part of the mobile telephone by one embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structural example of the camera unit part of the mobile telephone by one embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the internal structural example of the camera unit part of the mobile telephone by one embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structural example of the camera unit part of the mobile telephone by one embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structural example of the camera unit part of the mobile telephone by one embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structural example of the camera unit part of the mobile telephone by other embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structural example of the camera unit part of the mobile telephone by further another embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Housing | casing, 1 '... 1st housing | casing, 2 ... Display, 3 ... Operation device, 4 ... Antenna, 5 ... Camera unit, 6 ... Camera lens, 7, 7' ... Rotating shaft, 8 ... Housing protrusion part DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Camera signal processing circuit, 11 ... Connector, 12 ... Flexible substrate, 13 ... Connector, 15 ... Handle part, 16 ... 2nd housing | casing, 41 ... Antenna element, 42 ... Feeding point, 43 ... Coaxial cable, 44 ... Antenna matching circuit, 45 ... RF circuit, 46 ... short circuit point

Claims (5)

A camera unit arranged to be rotatable with respect to the communication terminal body via a predetermined rotation axis;
An antenna attached to the camera unit at a position away from the rotation axis;
A camera-equipped mobile communication terminal comprising an antenna feed line for connecting an antenna in the camera unit and a communication circuit in a communication terminal body. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein
The mobile communication terminal with a camera, wherein the antenna is disposed substantially parallel to the rotation axis. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein
A connection means for electrically connecting the camera unit and a circuit in the communication terminal body is disposed inside the rotating shaft,
A camera-equipped mobile communication terminal in which the antenna feed line is disposed outside the rotation shaft. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein
The said connection means is a flexible substrate arrange | positioned helically inside the said rotating shaft, The portable communication terminal with a camera. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein
The antenna is a mobile communication terminal with a camera arranged in a state substantially orthogonal to the rotation axis.

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