JP2005323049A - Imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate a fault that it is user-unfriendly for a user because of an imaging mode becoming various each time at the start of imaging by starting imaging in the imaging mode used in the imaging immediately before if the imaging is re-started by opening a lens cover 11, after closing the lens cover 11 when finishing the imaging after imaging in a predetermined imaging mode by the camera of a portable telephone with the camera. <P>SOLUTION: In an imaging apparatus, a control unit 16 is provided in the lens cover 11, and a switching lever 15 for switching the imaging mode of the camera 10 can be made to be operated. And, the control unit 16 operates the switching lever 15 by an operation for closing the lens cover 11 so that it is switched to an initial imaging mode. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus such as a camera-equipped mobile phone, and more particularly to an imaging apparatus that can switch an imaging mode of a camera.

  Mobile phones have come into widespread use as they incorporate various functions such as mail in addition to the original telephone function. Recently, mobile phones with cameras have been proposed, and cameras are mounted on almost all models.

  By the way, a mobile phone is carried in a bag or pocket and is often exposed to dust and dirt. In the case of a mobile phone without a camera, there was no particular problem even if it was exposed to dust or dust. However, when the camera was attached, dust and dirt attached to the camera lens, which must be wiped off during imaging. It was.

  In order to solve this problem, for example, as in Patent Document 1, a protective cover that exposes the camera lens when the camera is used and covers the camera lens when the camera is not used has been proposed. This protective cover not only protects the camera lens from dust and dust, but also has a function of protecting the camera lens from being damaged by dropping.

  On the other hand, the camera functions of mobile phones have been enhanced, and functions of a wide-angle shooting mode and a telephoto shooting mode have been added. These functions are switched between modes by operating a selector switch provided on the surface of the main body.

JP 2001-309003 A

  A conventional imaging device such as a cellular phone is provided with a lens cover for protecting the lens and a changeover switch for switching the imaging mode. However, the operation of the lens cover and the operation of the changeover switch are independent of each other. It was done. Therefore, after imaging in a predetermined imaging mode, when imaging is finished and the lens cover is closed, and then the lens cover is opened and imaging is resumed, imaging is started in the imaging mode used in the immediately preceding imaging. As a result, each time imaging is started, the imaging mode varies, which is inconvenient for the user.

  An image pickup apparatus according to the present invention is housed in a housing and is provided with an image pickup unit that picks up an image of a subject, a lens cover that is movably provided along the surface of the case and opens and closes a camera lens of the image pickup unit A mode changeover switch for switching the image pickup mode of the image pickup unit is provided on the lens cover, and an operation unit for switching the mode changeover switch to an initial image pickup mode when the lens cover is closed.

  According to the present invention, when the lens cover is closed, the operation unit provided on the lens cover operates the mode switching switch to switch the imaging mode to the initial imaging mode. Since the imaging mode is set, there is an effect that an imaging device that is convenient for the user can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an imaging apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and shows an example applied to a camera-equipped mobile phone. FIG. 1A is a front view of a state in which the two-fold type mobile phone is opened, and FIG. 1B is a rear view thereof. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an LCD side housing having a main LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 2 on the front side and a sub LCD 3 on the back side. A receiver 4 is provided at an end on the front side, and an end on the back side. Is provided with an indicator 5 for notifying an incoming call. Reference numeral 6 denotes an operation side housing in which operation keys 7 such as numeric keys are arranged on the front side, and a microphone 8 is provided at an end portion. A hinge 9 connects the LCD housing 1 and the operation housing 6 so that they can be opened and closed.

  A camera 10 serving as an imaging unit is provided on the back side of the operation side housing 6, and is movable along the surface on the back side of the operation side housing 6 to protect the lens of the camera 10. Is provided.

  2 is an enlarged view of the lens cover 11. FIG. 2A is a plan view seen from the front surface side, and FIG. 2B is a bottom view seen from the back surface side. In the figure, a lens cover 11 is formed by bonding two covers together, and 12 is a design cover on the surface side and is made of ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) resin. The inner cover 13 on the back side moves while sliding on the surface of the operation side housing 6 and is made of POM (Polyoxymethylene) resin having a small friction coefficient. Elastic members 14 are provided at both ends of the lens cover 11 so as to be fitted to rails formed on the operation-side casing 6 so that the lens cover 11 can move along the rails. Further, the inner cover 13 is formed with a concave camera housing portion 13a for housing a part of the camera 10 when the lens cover 11 is attached to the operation side housing 6. Further, a concave portion 13b formed in a concave shape is formed more than the camera housing portion 13a, and an operation portion for operating a mode changeover switch 15 for switching a shooting mode of the camera 10 described later by a part of the side wall of the concave portion 13b. 16 Reference numeral 17 denotes a coupling portion including a boss planted in the design cover 12 and a hole provided in the internal cover 13 for receiving the boss and coupling the design cover 12 and the internal cover 13.

  The operation for switching the opening / closing operation of the camera cover 11 and the imaging mode of the camera 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3A is a rear view showing a state in which the camera cover 11 is opened and an image is captured by the camera 10, and the imaging mode of the camera 10 is an initial imaging mode. FIG. 3B is a sectional view thereof. FIG. 4A is a rear view showing a state in which the camera cover 11 is opened and an image is captured by the camera 10, and the imaging mode of the camera 10 is switched. FIG. 4B is a sectional view thereof. FIG. 5A is a rear view showing a state in which the camera cover 11 is being closed, and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view thereof. FIG. 6A is a rear view showing a state in which the camera cover 11 is closed, and FIG. 6B is a sectional view thereof.

  In FIGS. 3 to 6, reference numeral 17 denotes a window, which is made of a light transmitting material, and is used for flash photography by allowing light to pass through a light source provided inside the operation side housing 6.

  First, FIG. 3 shows a state in which the lens cover 11 is opened, and the camera 10 is exposed. Then, the switching lever 15 of the imaging mode switching switch for switching the imaging mode of the camera 10 is at the position of the initial imaging mode, for example, the standard imaging mode. In this state, the camera 10 can perform imaging in the standard imaging mode. When the user wants to take an image in another imaging mode, the user rotates the switching lever 15 clockwise and operates as shown in FIG. Thereby, the camera 10 can perform imaging in another imaging mode, for example, a wide-angle imaging mode or a telephoto imaging mode.

  Here, the imaging mode can be switched by mechanically moving the camera lens in the front-back direction on the paper surface of FIG. 4 by operating the switching lever 15. Similarly, the camera can be switched by operating the switching lever 15. This is also possible by changing the settings for software processing of the data captured at 10.

  Next, FIG. 5 shows a state in the middle of closing the camera cover 11 after imaging. In this state, the operation unit 16 of the camera cover 11 contacts the switching lever 15. When the camera cover 11 is further operated in the closing direction, the switching lever 15 is operated in the closing direction by the operation unit 16, thereby rotating counterclockwise and taking an image as shown in FIG. 6 in the closed state. Return the mode switch to the initial imaging mode position. Therefore, when the user resumes camera imaging, imaging is started in an initial imaging mode, for example, the standard imaging mode.

  In Embodiment 1 described above, the switching lever 15 is operated to rotate, but it may be operated in a linear direction.

  7 to 9 show a camera-equipped mobile phone according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 7A is a rear view showing a state in which the camera cover 11 is closed, and FIG. Is a cross-sectional view thereof. FIG. 8A is a rear view in an intermediate stage in the middle of fully opening the camera cover 11. At this time, the camera 10 takes an image in an initial imaging mode. FIG. 8B is a sectional view thereof. FIG. 9A is a rear view showing a state in which the camera cover 11 is fully opened. At this time, the camera 10 takes an image in another imaging mode different from the initial mode. FIG. 9B is a sectional view thereof.

  First, FIG. 7 shows a state in which the camera cover 11 is closed, and the camera 10 is hidden by the camera cover 11. When the user takes an image with the camera 10, the camera cover 11 is opened to an intermediate opening degree as shown in FIG. At this time, the switching lever 15 is operated for a certain distance in the opening direction of the camera cover 11 by the first operation unit 16a of the camera cover 11, and the imaging mode of the camera 10 is set to the initial standard mode. In conjunction with this, the camera 10 is activated. That is, the user can start the camera 10 by opening the camera cover 11 in an intermediate stage and set the imaging mode to the initial standard mode.

  Next, when the camera cover 11 is further opened and fully opened as shown in FIG. 9, the switching lever 15 is further operated in the opening direction of the camera cover 11 by the first operation portion 16a, and the imaging mode of the camera 10 is changed to the wide angle mode. change. Then, when the imaging is finished, the user closes the camera cover 11 as shown in FIG. By this operation, the switching lever 15 is operated in the closing direction by the second operation portion 16b. The operation of the switching lever 15 stops the camera 10 from being activated.

  In the first and second embodiments, the switching lever 15 is operated by moving on the same plane, but it may be operated up and down.

  10-12 is a figure which shows the mobile phone with a camera which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. FIG. 10A is a rear view showing a state in which the camera cover 11 is closed. At this time, the camera 10 is in a stopped state. FIG. 10B is a sectional view thereof. FIG. 11A is a rear view in a state where the camera cover 11 is opened to an intermediate stage. At this time, the camera 10 is activated in an initial imaging mode. FIG. 11B is a sectional view thereof. FIG. 12A is a rear view showing a state in which the camera cover 11 is fully opened. At this time, the camera 10 is switched from the initial imaging mode. FIG. 12B is a sectional view thereof.

  The switching lever 15 according to the third embodiment is a push button type switching lever, and the operation section 16 on the camera cover 11 side is formed in a step shape.

  First, FIG. 10 shows a state in which the camera cover 11 is closed, and the camera 10 is hidden by the camera cover 11. At this time, the camera 10 is in a stopped state. When taking an image with the camera 10, the user opens the camera cover 11 to an intermediate stage as shown in FIG. As a result, the switching lever 15 is pressed toward the inside of the operation-side housing 6 by the operation portion 16 formed in a staircase shape to activate the camera 10 and set the imaging mode of the camera to the initial standard imaging mode. When the user wants to change the imaging mode, the camera case 11 is further opened and fully opened as shown in FIG. Accordingly, the switching lever 15 is further pressed into the operation side housing 6 by the operation unit 16 to change the imaging mode of the camera 10 to, for example, the wide angle imaging mode.

  On the other hand, when stopping the imaging, the user closes the camera cover 11 to the state shown in FIG. Thereby, the switching lever 15 is pushed out from the inside of the operation side housing | casing 6, and a starting of a camera is stopped.

  Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The camera cover 11 according to Embodiment 4 is circular, and has two operation units 16a and 16b on the back surface. FIG. 13 shows a state in which the camera cover 11 is closed, and the camera 10 is hidden by the camera cover 11. When the user wants to start imaging, the camera cover 11 is rotated clockwise to open and the camera 10 is exposed as shown in FIG. By this rotation of the camera cover 11, the switching lever 15 is operated by the first operation unit 16a to activate the camera 10 and set the imaging mode to the initial standard imaging mode.

  When the user wants to change the imaging mode, the camera cover 11 is further rotated clockwise to the state shown in FIG. By this rotation operation, the switching lever 15 is operated by the operation unit 16a to change the imaging mode of the camera 10 from the initial imaging mode to, for example, the wide-angle imaging mode.

  On the other hand, when stopping imaging, the user rotates the camera cover 11 counterclockwise to the state shown in FIG. Thereby, the switching lever 15 is operated by the second operation unit 16b, and the activation of the camera is stopped.

It is the front view and back view which show embodiment which applied this invention to the mobile telephone with a camera. It is the top view and bottom view which show the lens cover which concerns on this invention. It is the rear view and sectional drawing which showed the state which opened the camera cover and imaged with the camera with the camera-equipped mobile phone which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the rear view and sectional drawing which showed the state which opened the camera cover and imaged with the camera with the camera-equipped mobile phone which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the rear view and sectional drawing which showed the state in the middle of closing the camera cover with the mobile phone with a camera which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the rear view and sectional drawing which showed the state which closed the camera cover in the mobile phone with a camera which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the rear view and sectional drawing which showed the state which closed the camera cover in the mobile phone with a camera which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is the rear view which showed the state of the intermediate stage in the middle of fully opening a camera cover with the camera-equipped mobile phone which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is the rear view and sectional drawing which showed the state which fully opened the camera cover in the mobile phone with a camera which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is the rear view and sectional drawing which showed the state which closed the camera cover in the mobile phone with a camera which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is the rear view which showed the state of the intermediate stage in the middle of fully opening a camera cover with the camera-equipped mobile phone which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is the rear view and sectional drawing which showed the state which opened the camera cover fully with the mobile phone with a camera which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is the rear view which showed the state which closed the camera cover in the mobile phone with a camera which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is the rear view which showed the state which opened the camera cover to the stage in the middle with the camera-equipped mobile phone which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is the rear view which showed the state which fully opened the camera cover in the mobile phone with a camera which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Display side housing | casing 2 Main LCD 6 Operation side housing | casing 10 Camera 11 Lens cover 15 Switching lever 16 Operation part.

Claims (2)

An imaging unit that is housed in a housing and images a subject;
A lens cover that is movably provided along the surface of the housing and opens and closes the camera lens of the imaging unit;
A mode selector switch for switching the imaging mode of the imaging unit;
An image pickup apparatus, comprising: an operation unit that is provided on the lens cover and switches the mode changeover switch to an initial image pickup mode by closing the lens cover. 2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mode switching switch mechanically switches the position of the camera lens and switches the imaging mode when operated by the operation unit.

Images