JP4515234B2 - Portable information terminal - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable information terminal that can quickly shift to a usable state.

In general, a portable information terminal such as a mobile phone, a digital camera, a digital video camera, or the like is attached with a strap that can be held by hand or hung around a neck.
Patent Document 1 discloses a camera that detects the weight of the camera when it is suspended by a strap and prohibits the operation of an operation button such as a release button in order to prevent malfunction during carrying. .

Utility model registration No. 2602358

  For such a portable information terminal, for example, a digital camera, it is necessary to quickly shift to a photographing enabled state when a photo opportunity suddenly comes. However, in a state where the operation of the operation button is prohibited as in Patent Document 1, first, an operation for canceling this state is required, and it is not possible to quickly shift to a photographing enabled state.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a portable information terminal that can quickly and easily shift to a photographing enabled state by a series of simple operations.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following means.
A portable information terminal according to the present invention includes a main body, an imaging unit, a strap fixing unit provided on the main unit, to which one end of a strap is fixed, and an image captured by the imaging unit provided on the main unit. An image display unit for displaying on the main body, and a transflective optical element that is provided in the main body and reflects light from the image display unit and transmits light from a real field of view in a user's line of sight, the strap depending on the displacement movement of the strap fixing portion which is displaced by the tension of, along with the photographable state, the semi-transmissive optical element and the image display unit, in conjunction with the displacement movement of the strap fixing portion, wherein from the retracted position to be housed in the body, so as to display a virtual image of the image information to be displayed in the image display section farther than the viewed from the user transflective type optical element, opening to the outside side And features.

For example, by pulling the strap, tension can be applied to displace the strap fixing portion so that the photographing can be performed, so that the next operation can be immediately started. That is, it is only necessary to apply tension to the strap, and there is no need to search for a button for shifting to a photographing enabled state such as a power button. For example, a digital camera does not miss a photo opportunity.

  Further, in the portable information terminal of the present invention, the strap fixing part is provided at one end of the main body, and the other end opposite to the one end provided with the strap fixing part via the main body has a photographing lens. Is provided.

Since the strap fixing part is provided at one end of the main body and the photographing lens is provided at the other end of the main body, when the strap is suspended from the neck, the photographing lens is directed downward. In this state, if an attempt is made to discover a subject photographed, the user pulls after gripping the body, displaces the strap fixing portion giving a tension to the strap, than this, that on purpose photographable like the imaging apparatus . The user lifts the photographic lens facing downward while holding the main body, and points the photographic lens toward the target subject. As described above, since the photographing can be quickly performed by a series of operations and the photographing lens can be directed toward the subject, a photo opportunity is not missed.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to quickly make it usable by simply applying tension to the strap, so that a photo opportunity is not missed.

An embodiment of a portable information terminal according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows how the digital camera (personal digital assistant) 10 of this embodiment is used. The digital camera 10 can shoot still images and moving images, and has a function (described later) that can superimpose image information on the user's actual field of view.

A strap 18 is attached to the digital camera 10, and the user carries the digital camera 10 with the strap 18 on the neck (FIG. 1A). When a photo opportunity comes, the user holds the digital camera 10 and pulls the digital camera 10 away from the neck so as to apply tension to the strap 18 (see the arrow in FIG. 1B). In conjunction with this operation, the image display unit 20 and the combiner 30 of the digital camera 10 are opened outward, and at the same time, the power is turned on and the photographing is possible (FIG. 1 ( c )). Then, the user captures the subject by placing the digital camera 10 on the temple and presses the release button to take a picture. Shooting can be performed by such a series of operations.
After the photographing is completed, the image display unit 20 and the combiner 30 are rotated to the main body side of the digital camera 10 by hand or a motor and returned to the storage position.

  A mechanism for opening the image display unit 20 and the combiner 30 by pulling the strap will be described below after describing the configuration of the digital camera.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a digital camera according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
2 and 3 are external perspective views showing a configuration example of a digital camera according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1 shows a storage state during non-shooting, and FIG. 2 shows a state during shooting.
The digital camera 10 converts an image (still image or moving image) captured through a photographing optical system that combines various lenses and the like into image information of digital data through a semiconductor element such as a CCD or MOS, and converts this image information. It is configured to be stored and stored in a storage medium such as a flash memory. The main body 11 of the digital camera 10 is provided with an openable and closable image display unit 20 that is taken out from the main body 11 and used when shooting, and a combiner 30 that is a transflective optical element.

The main body 11 includes a shutter switch 14, in addition to a photographic lens 13 constituting the photographic optical system, outside a housing 12 containing a semiconductor element having a photographic optical system, a battery (power supply), various control mechanisms, a control board, and the like. Various operation switches such as zoom operation units 15a and 15b and a power switch (not shown) are provided. An image display unit 20 and a combiner 30 that are opened and used in a substantially Z-shape at the time of photographing are attached to the main body 11 so as to be rotatable.
Note that the illustrated image display unit 20 and combiner 30 are housed in the space of the opening 11a that penetrates the main body 11 in the retracted state, and each side of the short side that is rectangular is pivotally supported by the main body 11. Opening and closing operation by rotation is possible.

  The image display unit 20 displays an image picked up by the image pickup means via the photographing lens 13 on a display surface, and a so-called thin display such as a liquid crystal display panel (LCD) or an organic EL display panel is used. The display surface of the image display unit 20 is directed to a surface facing a combiner 30 described later in the storage state, that is, the inside of the housing 12.

  The combiner 30 is a transflective optical element that reflects the light of the image displayed on the image display unit 20 and transmits the light from the real field of view of the photographer. In other words, the combiner 30 has a free-form surface (three-dimensional aspheric surface) on at least one surface, transmits an external field image (real image) as a real field of view, and optically displays an image displayed on the image display unit 20. This is a transflective optical element that projects as a virtual image and displays the virtual image of the image superimposed on the real image of the outside world.

A strap fixing portion 17 is provided at the end opposite to the end where the photographing lens 13 is provided. Since the photographing lens 13 and the strap fixing portion 17 are provided at opposite ends in this manner, as shown in FIG. 1A, when the strap 18 is suspended from the neck, the photographing lens 13 is lowered. It will turn.
A rod-like attachment portion 19 for winding and attaching one end of the strap 18 is provided at the center outside the end face of the strap fixing portion 17.
FIG. 3 shows a state in which the strap 18 is separated from the main body 11 by applying tension to the strap 18 and displacing the strap fixing portion 17.

Next, the structure which the image display part 20 and the combiner 30 open is demonstrated using FIGS.
The image display unit 20 and the combiner 30 are configured to rotate about their respective rotation axes (not shown) (see FIG. 3), and pressing means (not shown) provided in the vicinity of the rotation axes. It is urged | biased by the direction opened to a main body outer side. The image display unit 20 and the combiner 30 are normally held in a storage position that matches the outer shape of the main body by a locking / release mechanism A described later (see FIG. 2), and are released and opened during shooting (see FIG. 2). (See FIG. 3).

  Details of the locking / releasing mechanism A will be described. 4 and 5, only the locking / release mechanism A provided on one side of the main body 11 is shown, but the locking / release mechanism A is provided at symmetrical positions on both sides of the main body 11.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a drive shaft 40 extending in the longitudinal direction is provided in the housing 12. One end (right side in the figure) 40 a of the drive shaft 40 is fixed to the strap fixing part 17, and the other end (left side in the figure) 40 b is fixed to one end 42 a of the operation piece 42.
A guide 44 fixed on the housing 12 side is provided in the middle of the drive shaft 40, and the drive shaft 40 is disposed so as to penetrate a hole formed in the guide 44. A compression spring 46 is disposed between the guide 44 and one end 42 a of the operation piece 42, and the strap fixing portion 17 connected to the drive shaft 40 is arranged on the main body 11 side (left side in the figure) by the compression spring 46. Is always energized. A coil spring is used as the compression spring 46, and the drive shaft 40 is disposed so as to pass through the inside of the coil spring.

  The operation piece 42 extends to the vicinity of the other end (left side in the figure) on the photographing lens 13 side. Locking piece holes 48 are formed in the vicinity of both ends of the operation piece 42, respectively. A locking piece 50 for locking the image display unit 20 and the combiner 30 is disposed in each locking piece hole 48. Of the locking pieces 50, the locking piece 50 positioned on the strap fixing portion 17 side is for locking the combiner 30, and the locking piece 50 positioned on the photographing lens 13 side is the image display unit 20. Is for locking.

  As shown in FIG. 6A, the locking piece 50 includes a flat base portion 50a, and a wall portion 50b is erected from the side edge of the base portion 50a upward from the upper surface thereof. ing. At the upper end of the wall portion 50b, a claw portion 50c that engages with a locking hole (see 20a and 30a in FIG. 3) formed in the image display unit 20 or the combiner 30 is provided. An inclined surface 50d is formed between the claw portion 50c and the base portion 50a, and an edge portion 48a around the locking piece hole 48 abuts against the inclined surface 50d (see FIG. 7). As shown in FIG. 6B, two pins 52 are provided on the lower surface of the locking piece 50 so as to stand vertically with respect to the lower surface. These pins 52 are inserted into holes 12a formed in the housing 12, as shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 shows a state in which the locking piece 50 is disposed between the operation piece 42 and the housing 12. In FIG. 7A, the image display unit 20 or the combiner 30 is locked and held in the storage position. (B) shows the unlocked state. 7A and 7B, the upper part shows a longitudinal sectional view, and the lower part is shown in a state in which the position in the horizontal direction matches the upper part, and is a plane viewed from the operation piece 40 side. FIG.
As shown in the figure, the locking piece 50 is such that the claw portion 50c is positioned in the locking piece hole 48 with each pin 52 inserted into the hole 12a formed in the housing 12. Is arranged. A pressing spring 54 is inserted between the locking piece 50 and the housing 12, and the locking piece 50 is always urged toward the operation piece 42 by the pressing spring 54.

Next, the movement of the locking / releasing mechanism A will be described with reference to FIG.
When the operation piece 42 is in the state of FIG. 7A, that is, when the strap fixing portion 17 is in a state where it can be photographed without being separated from the main body 11 and the image display portion 20 and the combiner 30 are in the storage position, The claw portion 50c and the inclined surface 50d of the piece 50 are at positions corresponding to the locking piece hole 48 of the operation piece 42. The claw portion 50c protrudes from the upper surface of the operation piece 42, and the image display unit 20 and the combiner 30 It engages with the locking holes 20a, 30a (see FIG. 3). When the state shifts from this state to the state shown in FIG. 7B, that is, when the strap 18 is tensioned to displace the strap fixing portion 17 away from the main body 11, the operation piece 42 is moved relative to the locking piece 50. It moves rightward in the figure (see the arrow in FIG. 7B). Then, the edge part 48a which forms the hole 48 for latching pieces of the operation piece 42 which contact | abutted to the slope 50d of the latching piece 50 moves along the climbing direction of the slope 50d. With this operation, the locking piece 50 is pushed down with respect to the operation piece 42, and the claw portion 50c of the locking piece 50 is retracted from the surface of the operation piece 42 (see the state of FIG. 7B). Accordingly, the locked state of the image display unit 20 and the combiner 30 locked to the claw portion 50c is released, and the image display unit 20 and the combiner 30 are rotated outward from the main body 11 to be in an open state. (See FIG. 3). Along with the operation from the locked state to the released state, a power switch (not shown) is turned on, and the digital camera 10 is turned on. As a result, the digital camera 10 becomes ready for photographing.

  The operation piece 42 automatically returns from the released state shown in FIG. 7B to the locked state shown in FIG. That is, since the strap fixing portion 17 is always urged toward the main body 11 by the compression spring 46 provided between the guide 44 and one end (right side in the figure) 42a of the operation piece 42 (see FIG. 4). When the tension applied to the strap 18 is released, the operation piece 42 moves to the left in FIG. 7 and returns to the state shown in FIG.

The digital camera 10 according to the present embodiment described above has the following effects.
Since the image display unit 20 and the combiner 30 are opened and the power is turned on only by displacing the strap fixing part 17 by applying tension by pulling the strap 18, the image can be photographed immediately. Can move on. That is, it is only necessary to apply tension to the strap 18, and it is not necessary to search for a button for shifting to a photographing enabled state such as a power button, so that a photo opportunity is not missed.
Here, the “usable state” means a state immediately before the image can be taken by pressing the release button (photographable state) in the case of a photographing apparatus such as a digital camera. This is a state where the mode has been switched from the mode to the shooting mode. In the case of a mobile phone, it means a state immediately before the user can dial immediately by pressing the call button (callable state). In addition, a viewer device that does not include a photographing device such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) refers to a display state in which information is displayed on the display.

  Since the strap fixing portion 17 is provided at one end of the main body 11 and the photographing lens 13 is provided at the other end of the main body 11, when the strap 18 is suspended from the neck, the photographing lens 13 is directed downward. In this state, when a subject is found and an attempt is made to take a picture, the user pulls after gripping the main body, applies tension to the strap 18 and displaces the strap fixing part 17, and thus the digital camera 10 can be taken. And The user lifts the photographing lens 13 facing downward while holding the main body 11 and points the photographing lens 13 toward the target subject. As described above, since the photographing can be quickly performed by a series of operations and the photographing lens 13 can be directed toward the subject, a photo opportunity is not missed.

Reference Example 1 is shown.
The digital camera 170 includes a mechanism in which a lens barrel 182 including a photographing lens protrudes during zooming (see FIG. 8B). A strap 180 is fixed to the strap fixing portion 181 of the digital camera 170. A power-on mechanism and a lens barrel drive mechanism (not shown) are connected to the strap fixing portion 181.
According to the digital camera 170 configured as described above, when the user applies a tension to the strap 180 and displaces the strap fixing portion 181, the power is turned on and the lens barrel 182 protrudes to be ready for photographing.
In this way, since it is possible to shift to the photographing enabled state simply by applying the tension to the strap 180, a photo opportunity is not missed.

Reference Example 2 is shown.
The cellular phone 270 is of a folding type that is bent and overlapped at a central hinge portion, and a strap fixing portion 281 for fixing the strap 280 is provided on the hinge portion. The strap fixing portion 281 is provided with a power-on mechanism (not shown), a release mechanism that releases the malfunction prevention function, and an opening operation mechanism that operates from the folded state to the state where the lid is opened.
According to the mobile phone 270 having the above configuration, when the user applies tension to the strap 280 to displace the strap fixing portion 281, the power is turned on, the malfunction prevention function is released, and the folded state (FIG. 9 ( The lid is opened from the state (see a) to the opened state (see FIG. 9B). Then, the user presses the call button 272 to start a call.
As described above, since the strap 280 can be shifted to a call-ready state simply by applying a tensile tension, the call can be started quickly with a simple operation.

It is the figure which showed the usage example of the digital camera concerning this invention. 1 is an external perspective view illustrating a state in which an image display unit and a combiner are stored according to an embodiment of a digital camera according to the present invention. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the digital camera of FIG. 2, and shows the state which the image display part and the combiner opened. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a locking / release mechanism of the digital camera of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a locking / release mechanism of the digital camera of FIG. 2. FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the top surface, and FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the bottom surface. The operations of the operation piece and the locking piece are shown. (A) shows a locked state in which the claw of the locking piece protrudes, and (b) shows a released state in which the claw of the locking piece is retracted. It is the perspective view which showed the reference example 1 of the digital camera which does not have a combiner. It is the perspective view which showed the reference example 2 of the mobile phone.

Explanation of symbols

10 Digital camera (personal digital assistant)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Main body 13 Shooting lens 17 Strap fixing part 18 Strap 20 Image display part 30 Combiner (semi-transmissive optical element)
170 Digital camera (personal digital assistant)
270 Mobile phone (personal digital assistant)

Claims (2)

The body,
Imaging means;
A strap fixing portion provided on the main body, to which one end of the strap is fixed;
An image display unit provided in the main body and displaying an image captured by the imaging unit on a display surface ;
A transflective optical element that is provided in the main body and reflects light from the image display unit and transmits light from a real field of view of the user's line of sight;
In accordance with the displacement operation of the strap fixing portion that is displaced by the tension of the strap, it becomes possible to shoot ,
The transflective optical element and the image display unit are interlocked with the displacement operation of the strap fixing unit and are located farther than the transflective optical element from the storage position stored in the main body as viewed from the user. to display a virtual image of the image information to be displayed in the image display unit, a portable information terminal, wherein the opening to the outside side. The strap fixing part is provided at one end of the main body,
Portable information terminal according to claim 1 and one end the strap fixing portion is provided at the other end on the opposite side through said body, characterized in that the photographic lens is provided.

Images