JP4903425B2 - Portable information terminal - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable information terminal, and more particularly to a portable information terminal having a function of recording a moving image.

  In recent years, mobile phones having a function of recording moving images have been distributed in the market. Since the display surface of a liquid crystal display (LCD) that displays images taken by the camera is directed toward the photographer, the LCD display surface is directed to the opposite side of the camera's imaging direction when another person is the subject. When the photographer is the subject, the display surface of the LCD is directed toward the image capturing direction of the camera. When the LCD display surface is directed to the opposite side of the camera imaging direction and when the LCD display surface is directed to the camera imaging direction side, the LCD orientation is opposite, and the LCD is oriented horizontally with respect to the camera. When the direction of the LCD display surface is changed by rotating 180 degrees around the axis, the vertical direction of the LCD is opposite to the vertical direction of the camera before and after the rotation. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-330590 describes a technique in which an image displayed on an LCD is inverted up and down and left and right when the vertical direction of the LCD is opposite to the vertical direction of the camera.

However, in the state where the photographer is the subject and the display surface of the LCD is directed toward the imaging direction of the camera, a mirror image obtained by horizontally inverting the image output by the camera is displayed on the LCD so that the photographer can easily understand the shooting direction. Is displayed. When recording is started while a mirror image is displayed on the display surface of the LCD, the processing load of the arithmetic circuit is limited, so that the image displayed on the LCD can be returned from the mirror image to the image output by the camera. There are cases where it is not possible. For this reason, after recording is started with the LCD display surface facing the camera imaging direction, the LCD is rotated about the horizontal axis so that the LCD display surface is opposite to the camera imaging direction. , The mirror image displayed in the up-down direction is displayed on the LCD, and there is a problem that an image that is uncomfortable for the photographer is displayed on the LCD.
JP 2003-330590 A

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a mobile phone capable of displaying an image without a sense of incongruity even if the state of the display screen is changed during shooting. It is to provide an information terminal.

In order to achieve the above-described object, according to one aspect of the present invention, the portable information terminal is connected to the first housing and the first housing so as to be openable and closable, and is rotatable with the first housing in the opened state. A second casing coupled to the first casing, an imaging means provided in the first casing for imaging and outputting moving image data, a display means provided in the second casing for displaying images, and an imaging means for output Recording means for recording moving image data, display control means for controlling the display means, direction detecting means for detecting the direction of the display surface of the display means, posture determining means for determining the imaging posture, and display surface of the display means When recording by the recording unit is started when the image unit faces the imaging direction of the imaging unit, mirror image data obtained by horizontally inverting the moving image data output by the imaging unit is given to the display control unit, and the display surface of the display unit is in the imaging direction. Recording by recording means when facing the opposite side When started, and a control means for supplying the display control means moving image data capturing means outputs, display control means, lateral attitude by the attitude determination means and display means and image pickup means arranged in the horizontal direction is captured While the position is determined and the recording by the recording means is being performed, the second casing rotates with respect to the first casing in an open state with the first casing, and the display surface of the display means When the direction to face changes from the imaging direction side to the opposite side, or when the direction in which the display surface of the display means faces changes from the opposite side to the imaging direction to the imaging direction side, the image that has been displayed up and down, left and right The reverse image is displayed on the display means.

According to this aspect, when recording by the recording unit is started when the display surface of the display unit faces the imaging direction of the imaging unit, mirror image data is given to the display control unit. While the horizontal posture is determined as the imaging posture and the recording is being performed, the second housing rotates with respect to the first housing while being opened with the first housing, and the display unit displays When the direction in which the screen faces changes from the imaging direction side to the opposite side, or when the direction in which the display surface of the display means faces changes from the side opposite to the imaging direction to the imaging direction side, the display surface is centered on the horizontal axis. , The display surface of the display means is turned upside down. When the display surface of the display means is turned upside down, the image that has been displayed upside down is turned upside down, so an image with the mirror image data turned upside down is displayed, and the mirror image is aligned with the subject up and down. Is displayed. As a result, it is possible to provide a portable information terminal capable of displaying an image without a sense of incongruity even if the state of the display screen is changed during shooting.

  Preferably, the second casing is rotatable about the first axis with respect to the first casing so as to be opened and closed, and is connected to be rotatable about the second axis that intersects the first axis. The

Preferably, the first axis is an axis that can be perpendicular to the display surface of the display unit, and the display control unit detects the horizontal posture by the posture determination unit and is recording the recording unit. In addition, when the second casing rotates around the first axis and the direction of the display surface of the display means is changed from the imaging direction side to the opposite side, the image that has been displayed up and down, left and right The same image is displayed on the display means.

  When the second casing rotates about the first axis in the horizontal orientation, the display surface does not rotate about the horizontal axis, and therefore there is no change in the vertical direction of the display means. For this reason, it is possible to display the mirror image data or the moving image data that has been displayed so far in the up-down direction and the left-right direction, so that the vertical direction can be displayed in accordance with the subject. As a result, it is possible to display an image that does not feel uncomfortable even if the state of the display screen is changed during shooting.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a mobile phone in one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1A, mobile phone 1 includes an operation side portion 3 and a display side portion 2. An operation key 14 such as a numeric keypad, a call key, and a start key 15 and a microphone 13 are disposed on the inner surface of the operation side portion 3, and a camera 12 described later is disposed on the outer surface opposite to the inner surface. Further, a start key 15 </ b> A connected in parallel with the start key 15 is disposed on the side surface of the operation side portion 3. A liquid crystal display (LCD) 16 and a speaker 11 are arranged on the inner surface of the display side portion 2. Although an example in which the mobile phone 1 includes the LCD 16 is shown here, an organic EL (ElectroLuminescence) display may be used instead of the LCD 16.

  The operation side part 3 and the display side part 2 are connected by a hinge mechanism so as to be rotatable around the first rotation shaft 18, and the operation side part 3 and the display side part 2 can be freely opened and closed. The first rotation shaft 18 is parallel to the display surface of the LCD 16. Further, the display side portion 2 is connected to the operation side portion 3 so as to be rotatable about a second rotation shaft 19 orthogonal to the first rotation shaft 18. FIG. 1B is a perspective view in a state where the display side portion 2 is rotating with respect to the operation side portion 3 around the second rotation shaft 19. The mobile phone 1 can transition between four states: a flip closed style (hereinafter referred to as “closed style”), a flip open style (hereinafter referred to as “open style”), a twist style, and a front style. The closed style is a closed state in which the inner surface of the operation side portion 3 and the inner surface of the display side portion 2 face each other. In the closed style, since the LCD 16 and the operation key 14 face each other, the operation key 14 and the LCD 16 do not come into contact with the outside, and an operation unintended by the user is input or damaged by touching an external object. This is a style suitable for transportation. FIG. 2A is a view of a mobile phone in an open style as viewed from the LCD 16 side. FIG. 2B is a diagram of a mobile phone in an open style as viewed from the camera side. The open style is an open state in which the inner surface of the operation side portion 3 and the inner surface of the display side portion 2 face the same direction and are visible to the user. Since the microphone 13 and the speaker 11 are in the same direction, the style is suitable for making a call. Further, since the LCD 16 and the operation key 14 are in the same direction, the style is suitable for operating the operation key 14 while looking at the LCD 16. In addition, since the image capturing direction of the camera 12 and the display surface of the LCD 16 are opposite to each other, the style is suitable for photographing other people as subjects.

  FIG. 3A is a view of a mobile phone in a twist style as viewed from the LCD side. FIG. 3B is a view of the mobile phone in the twist style as viewed from the opposite side of the LCD. The twist style is an open state in which the inner surface of the operation side portion 3 and the outer surface of the display side portion 2 face the same direction. Since the camera 12 and the LCD 16 are in the same direction, the style is suitable for photographing a user as a subject. FIG. 4A is a diagram of a mobile phone in a front style as viewed from the LCD side. FIG. 4B is a view of the mobile phone in the front style as viewed from the camera side. The front style is a closed state in which the inner surface of the operation side portion 3 and the outer surface of the display side portion 2 face each other. Since the camera 12 and the LCD 16 are in opposite directions, this style is suitable for photographing other people as subjects.

  FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of functions of the mobile phone according to the present embodiment. Referring to FIG. 5, a mobile phone 1 includes a control unit 21 for controlling the entire mobile phone 1, a radio circuit 23 to which an antenna 22 is connected, a codec unit 31 for processing audio data, Each of the microphone 13 and the speaker 11 connected to the codec unit 31, the camera 12, an operation key 14 for receiving an input of a user operation, a memory 24 for storing moving image data, a program executed by the control unit 21, and the like. A VRAM (Video Random Access Memory) 25 for storing image data to be displayed on the LCD 16, a display control unit 26 for controlling the LCD 16, first and second switches 27A and 27B, and direction detection Sensor 27C. The control unit 21 also compresses moving image data composed of a plurality of frames of image data output from the camera 12 and records the compressed data in the memory 24, and mirror image data obtained by horizontally inverting the image data output from the camera 12. A mirror image data generation unit 52 that generates the image, a style detection unit 53 that detects the style of the mobile phone 1, and a reversal instruction unit 54 that outputs a reversal instruction to the display control unit 26.

  The radio circuit 23 receives a radio signal received by the antenna 22 and outputs an audio signal obtained by demodulating the radio signal to the codec unit 31. The radio circuit 23 receives an audio signal from the codec unit 31 and outputs a radio signal obtained by modulating the audio signal to the antenna 22. The codec unit 31 decodes the audio signal input from the wireless circuit 23, converts the decoded digital audio signal into analog, amplifies, and outputs the analog signal to the speaker 11. The codec unit 31 receives an analog audio signal from the microphone 13, converts the audio signal to digital, encodes it, and outputs the encoded audio signal to the radio circuit 23.

  The memory 24 is a card interface on which a ROM (Read Only Memory) for storing a recording processing program executed by the control unit 21, an output image switching table and a reverse instruction table, which will be described later, and a detachable flash memory 40 are mounted. (I / F). Here, an example in which a recording processing program to be executed by the control unit 21 is stored in the ROM of the memory 24 will be described. However, the recording processing program is stored in the flash memory 40 and the recording process is performed from the flash memory 40. The program may be read out and executed by the control unit 21. The recording medium for storing the recording processing program is not limited to the flash memory 40, and is a flexible disk, cassette tape, optical disk (MO (Magnetic Optical Disc) / MD (Mini Disc) / DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)), IC card ( A semiconductor memory such as an optical card, a mask ROM, an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), and an EEPROM (Electronically EPROM). Alternatively, the cellular phone 1 may be connected to the Internet via the wireless circuit 23, and a recording processing program may be downloaded from a computer connected to the Internet and executed by the control unit 21. The program here includes not only a program directly executable by the control unit 21 but also a program in a source program format, a compressed program, an encrypted program, and the like.

  The direction detection sensor 27 </ b> C is a gravity sensor, detects the posture of the mobile phone 1, and outputs the detected posture to the control unit 21. The direction detection sensor 27C may be attached to either the display side part 2 or the operation side part 3. The direction detection sensor 27C detects the horizontal posture and the vertical posture. The horizontal posture is a posture in which the camera 12 installed on the operation side unit 3 and the LCD 16 installed in the display side unit 2 are arranged in the horizontal direction, and the vertical posture is a camera 12 and the LCD 16 arranged in the vertical direction. It is posture. Note that the mobile phone 1 has a state in the middle of the transition from the vertical posture to the horizontal posture, but the vertical posture side of the halfway state is defined as the vertical posture and the horizontal posture from any of the halfway states. The side may be in a lateral orientation. Here, a case will be described as an example where the mobile phone 1 is imaged in the horizontal orientation.

  The camera 12 is controlled by the control unit 21, starts imaging in response to an instruction from the control unit 21, and outputs the obtained moving image data to the control unit 21. The moving image data is a series of image data (frames) of a plurality of still images. Since the control unit 21 performs processing in units of frames, the moving image data is also simply referred to as image data here. The camera 12 includes a lens and a photoelectric conversion element such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor, and focuses light collected by the lens on a CMOS sensor. The CMOS sensor photoelectrically converts the received light to convert image data. Output to the control unit 21. The camera 12 includes an image processing circuit that executes image processing for improving the image quality of the photoelectrically converted image data, and an A / D conversion circuit that converts the image data from analog to digital.

  When the operation key 14 detects that the start key 15 or 15A is pressed by the user, the operation key 14 inputs a recording instruction to the control unit 21. The recording unit 51 of the control unit 21 receives moving image data from the camera 12. When a recording instruction is input from the operation key 14, the recording unit 51 encodes moving image data by a compression encoding method such as MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group), and is attached to the card I / F of the memory 24. Store in flash memory.

  The first switch 27 </ b> A is a switch that detects the open / closed state of the mobile phone 1. The first switch 27A is turned on when the mobile phone 1 is in the open state and turned off when the mobile phone 1 is in the closed state. The display side portion 2 rotates about the first rotation shaft 18 with respect to the operation side portion 3. When the cellular phone 1 is in the closed state, it is in a closed style or a front style. Further, when the mobile phone 1 is in the open state, the mobile phone 1 is in an open style or a twist style. The mobile phone 1 has a state in the middle of the transition from the open state to the closed state. However, the open state side of the intermediate state may be set to the open state and the closed state side may be set to the closed state with respect to any of the intermediate states. . The first switch 27 </ b> A may be an angle sensor that detects an angle at which the display side portion 2 rotates about the first rotation shaft 18 with respect to the operation side portion 3.

  The second switch 27 </ b> B is a switch that detects the position of the display side portion 2 that rotates about the second rotation shaft 19 with respect to the operation side portion 3. The second switch 27B is turned on when the mobile phone 1 is in the open style or the closed style, and is turned off when the mobile phone 1 is in the twist style or the front style. Here, the position of the display side portion 2 when the second switch 27B is on is referred to as a normal position, and the position of the display side portion 2 when the second switch 27B is off is referred to as a reverse position. The second switch 27B is turned on when the display side portion 2 is in the normal position, and the display side portion 2 in the normal position is rotated 180 degrees around the second rotation shaft 19 (hereinafter referred to as “reverse position”). When it becomes, it becomes off. Note that the mobile phone 1 has a state in which the display side unit 2 is transitioning from the normal position to the reverse position, but the normal position side of the intermediate state is the normal position and the reverse position at any of the intermediate states. The side may be in the reverse position. Note that the second switch 27 </ b> A may be an angle sensor that detects an angle at which the display side portion 2 rotates about the second rotation shaft 19 with respect to the operation side portion 3.

  The state of the first switch 27A and the second switch 27B is input to the style detection unit 53. The style detection unit 53 detects the style of the mobile phone 1 from the state of the first switch and the second switch. That is, the style detection unit 53 detects that the mobile phone 1 is in the open style when the first switch is on (open state) and the second switch is on (normal position), and the first switch is on (open state). ), The mobile phone 1 is detected to be twisted if the second switch is off (reverse position), and the mobile phone 1 is detected if the first switch is off (closed) and the second switch is on (normal position). If the first switch is off (closed state) and the second switch is off (reverse position), it is detected that the mobile phone 1 is the front style. The style detection unit 53 outputs the detected style to the mirror image data generation unit 52 and the inversion instruction unit 54.

  The mirror image data generation unit 52 receives moving image data from the camera 12, receives the style of the mobile phone 1 from the style detection unit 53, and receives a signal indicating whether recording is in progress from the recording unit 51. The signal indicating that recording is in progress is a logical signal that is ON (high) during recording and OFF (low) when no recording is in progress. The mirror image data generation unit 52 refers to the output image table stored in advance in the ROM of the memory 24 and stores either the moving image data or the mirror image data obtained by horizontally inverting the moving image data in the VRAM 25 according to the style of the mobile phone 1. Decide whether to memorize. The mirror image data generation unit 52 writes either the determined moving image data or mirror image data to the VRAM 25 in order one frame (image data). The display control unit 26 is controlled by the control unit 21, reads image data stored in the VRAM 24 in accordance with an instruction input from the control unit 21, and causes the LCD 16 to display the image data.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the output image table. Referring to FIG. 6, a normal image is associated with the open style and the front style, and a mirror image is associated with the twist style. That is, the normal image is associated when the display surface of the LCD 16 is in the direction opposite to the imaging direction of the camera 12, and the mirror image is associated when the display surface of the LCD 16 is in the imaging direction of the camera 12. Note that neither the normal image nor the mirror image is associated with the closed style. This is because no image is displayed on the LCD 16 in the closed style.

  When the style of the mobile phone 1 input from the style detection unit 53 is the open style or the front style, the mirror image data generation unit 52 stores the moving image data input from the camera 12 as it is in the VRAM 25 for each frame (image data). Remember. When the style of the mobile phone 1 input from the style detection unit 53 is twist style, mirror image data obtained by horizontally inverting the moving image data input from the camera 12 is generated, and the generated mirror image data is converted into one frame ( Image data) is stored in the VRAM 25 one by one. Further, whether the mirror image data generation unit 52 stores the moving image data or the mirror image data in the VRAM 25 is not determined while the recording unit 51 is recording the moving image data. In other words, when the mirror image data generating unit 52 determines to store the moving image data in the VRAM when the recording unit 51 starts recording the moving image data, the recording unit 51 records the moving image data. While the mobile phone 1 is changed to the twist style, the storage of the moving image data is continued without generating mirror image data. Further, when it is determined that the mirror image data is stored in the VRAM at the time when the recording unit 51 starts recording the moving image data, the mobile phone 1 is in an open style while the recording unit 51 is recording the moving image data. Or, even if the front style is changed, mirror image data is generated and the storage of the mirror image data is continued. This is to reduce the load on the entire control unit 21. In addition, since it takes time to store one frame in the VRAM by switching between moving image data and mirror image data, the display on the LCD 16 is prevented from being temporarily stopped by switching between moving image data and mirror image data. Because.

  The inversion instruction unit 54 receives the style of the mobile phone 1 from the style detection unit 53, receives a signal indicating whether recording is in progress from the recording unit 51, and outputs an inversion signal to the display control unit 26. The reversal instruction unit 54 uses the signal indicating whether recording is in progress input from the recording unit 51 and the style of the mobile phone 1 input from the style detection unit 53. It is determined whether or not to output an inversion instruction to the display control unit 26 by comparing the style of the telephone 1 with the current style of the mobile phone 1. For comparison, an inverted signal table stored in advance in the ROM of the memory 24 is used. The inversion instruction unit 54 outputs an inversion signal to the display control unit 26. The inversion signal is a signal that is ON (high) when the image to be displayed on the LCD 16 is inverted vertically and horizontally, and is OFF (low) when the image to be displayed on the LCD 16 is not inverted vertically and horizontally.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the inverted signal table. The inverted signal table defines the output of the inverted signal for each of a plurality of combinations of the recording start style and the recording style. The inversion signal is a signal that is ON (high) when the image to be displayed on the LCD 16 is inverted vertically and horizontally, and is OFF (low) when the image to be displayed on the LCD 16 is not inverted vertically and horizontally. In the figure, among the combinations of the style at the start of recording and the style at the time of recording, the combination including the closed style is not shown. This is because recording cannot be started in the closed style, and recording is stopped when the closed style is reached during recording. Further, in the figure, the states of the first switch and the second switch are shown, but these are shown for explanation, and are not actually required in the inversion instruction table.

  Referring to FIG. 7, among the combinations of styles at the start of recording and during recording, a combination in which the state of the second switch is different at the start of recording and during recording is a combination in which the inversion signal is ON (high). Yes. When the mobile phone 1 changes from the open style to the front style, the mobile phone 1 changes from the open style to the twist style and then changes to the front style. Conversely, when the mobile phone 1 changes from the front style to the open style, the mobile phone 1 changes from the front style to the twist style and then changes to the open style.

  When the mobile phone 1 is in the open style at the start of recording, the inversion signal changes from OFF to ON when transitioning to the twist style or the front style. Since the transition from the open style to the front style must transition to the twist style, the inversion signal changes when the transition from the open style to the twist style occurs. Further, when the twist style or the front style is changed to the open style, the inversion signal changes from ON to OFF. Since the transition from the front style to the open style must transition to the twist style, the inversion signal changes when the transition from the twist style to the open style occurs.

  In addition, when the mobile phone 1 is in the twist style at the start of recording, the inversion signal changes from OFF to ON when the mobile phone 1 subsequently changes to the open style. Furthermore, when the transition is made from the open style to the twist style, the inversion signal changes from ON to OFF.

  If the mobile phone 1 is in the front style at the start of recording, the inversion signal changes from OFF to ON when the mobile phone 1 transitions to the open style. Since the transition from the front style to the open style must transition to the twist style, the inverted signal changes when the twist style changes to the open style. Further, when the open style transitions to the twist style, the inverted signal changes from ON to OFF.

  Here, the change of the inversion signal is referred to as an inversion instruction. As described above, when the mobile phone 1 is in the open style at the start of recording, the inversion signal changes from OFF to ON when the open style transitions from the twist style, and the inversion signal changes from ON to OFF. The change occurs when the twist style changes to the open style. When the mobile phone 1 is in the open style or the front style at the start of recording, the inversion signal changes from OFF to ON when the twist style changes to the open style, and the inversion signal changes from ON to OFF. The change occurs when transitioning from the open style to the twist style. In other words, since the inversion signal changes when the second switch changes, the inversion instruction is a signal output when the second switch changes. Note that the second switch changes only when the first switch is on (open). That is, when the first switch is turned on (open state) and the second switch is turned on (display side 2 is in the normal position) to off (display side 2 is in the reverse position), The inversion instruction unit 54 outputs a signal to the display control unit 26, and the first switch is turned on (open state) and the second switch is turned off (the display side unit 2 is in the reverse position). Is a signal that the inversion instruction unit 54 outputs to the display control unit 26 at the time when the position changes to the normal position.

  The display control unit 26 receives an inversion signal from the inversion instruction unit 54. The display control unit 26 reads the image data stored in the VRAM 25 and causes the LCD 16 to display the image data. The display control unit 26 can read image data from the VRAM 25 in a first direction and in a second direction in which the first direction is upside down, left and right. When the inversion signal is OFF (low), the display control unit 26 reads the image data from the first direction from the VRAM 25 and outputs it to the LCD 16. When the inversion signal is ON (high), the display control unit 26 outputs the second data. Image data is read from the VRAM 25 from the direction and output to the LCD 16. That is, when the inversion instruction is not input, the display control unit 26 displays the image displayed so far on the LCD 16 as it is. However, when the inversion instruction is input, the display control unit 26 displays the image displayed so far on the LCD 16. Display an image that is upside down, left and right. The display control unit 26 may display the image data upside down and left and right on the LCD 16 with the direction in which the image data stored in the VRAM 25 is read constant.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of horizontal recording processing executed by the mobile phone in the present embodiment. This horizontal recording process is a process executed by the control unit 21 when the control unit 21 executes a recording process program stored in the ROM. Further, the horizontal recording process is a process executed when the imaging posture is in the horizontal posture. If the horizontal posture is input as the imaging posture of the mobile phone 1 from the direction detection sensor 27C, the control unit 21 determines the imaging posture as the horizontal posture and executes the horizontal recording process.

  Referring to FIG. 8, control unit 21 detects the style of mobile phone 1 in step S01. The control unit 21 detects the style of the mobile phone from the states of the first switch 27A and the second switch 27B. Then, in step S02, if the detected style is the twist style, control unit 21 proceeds to step S03, otherwise proceeds to step S04. The control unit 21 sets the image data stored in the VRAM 25 as a mirror image in step S03 and advances the process to step S05. In step S04, sets the image data as a normal image and advances the process to step S05. In step S05, the control unit 21 determines whether there is an instruction to start recording. When the user of the mobile phone 1 instructs the start keys 15 and 15A, the control unit 21 detects an instruction to start recording. If the recording start instruction is detected, the control unit 21 proceeds with the process to step S06, and if not detected, returns the process to step S01. Thereby, the control unit 21 switches the image displayed on the LCD 16 to the mirror image or the normal image according to the switching of the style of the mobile phone 1 until the recording start instruction is detected.

  In step S06, the control unit 21 starts recording the moving image data output from the camera 12 in the memory 24, and advances the process to step S07. In step S07, the control unit 21 determines whether the image data stored in the VRAM 25 is set as a mirror image. If it is set as a mirror image, the process proceeds to step S08, and if it is set as a normal image, the process proceeds to step S09.

  In step S08, the control unit 21 generates mirror image data obtained by horizontally inverting the moving image data output from the camera 12, stores the frame data in the VRAM 25 frame by frame, and advances the process to step S10. In step S09, the control unit 21 stores the moving image data output from the camera 12 frame by frame in the VRAM 25 and advances the process to step S10. In step S10, the control unit 21 detects whether or not the state of the second switch has changed. Specifically, whether or not the second switch has changed from on (display side 2 is the normal position) to off (display side 2 is the reverse position), or the second switch is off (display side 2 is It is detected whether or not the display side portion 2 has changed from ON (reverse position) to ON (display side 2 is in the normal position). If the control unit 21 detects a change in the state of the second switch, the process proceeds to step S11. If no change is detected, step S11 is skipped and the process proceeds to step S12. In step S <b> 11, the control unit 21 outputs an inversion instruction to the display control unit 26. As a result, the display control unit 26 displays an image that is upside down, left and right, and the image displayed on the LCD 16 until then. When the state of the second switch changes, the LCD 16 rotates 180 degrees around the horizontal direction when recording with the mobile phone 1 in the horizontal orientation. For this reason, the display surface of the LCD 16 is turned upside down. By reversing the image displayed on the LCD 16 vertically and horizontally, the vertical direction of the subject and the vertical direction of the image displayed on the LCD 16 can be matched.

  Then, the control unit 21 determines whether there is an instruction to end the recording (step S12). When the user of the mobile phone 1 instructs the start keys 15 and 15A again, the control unit 21 detects an instruction to end recording. If the recording end instruction is detected, the control unit 21 proceeds with the process to step S13. If not detected, the control unit 21 returns the process to step S07. In step S13, the control part 21 complete | finishes a process, after complete | finishing the video recording started by step S02.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an image displayed on the LCD when recording is started in the open style. Here, a case where a female face that winks the right eye is imaged will be described as an example. FIG. 9A shows an image displayed on the open-style LCD 16. The LCD 16 displays an image of the face of a woman who winks her right eye as seen from the front. FIG. 9B shows an image displayed on the LCD 16 after the transition to the twist style. Due to the transition from the open style to the twist style, the image capturing direction of the camera 12 is not changed, and the display surface of the LCD 16 is turned upside down. For this reason, the LCD 16 displays an image that is upside down and left and right opposite to the image displayed on the LCD 16 in the open style. As a result, an image is displayed on the LCD 16 with the subject's head facing up. The appearance of the image displayed on the twist style LCD 16 is the same as the image displayed on the open style LCD 16. FIG. 9C shows an image displayed on the LCD 16 after transition to the front style. The image displayed on the front style LCD 16 is the same as the image displayed on the twist style LCD 16.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an image displayed on the LCD when recording is started in the twist style. Here again, a case where the face of a woman who winks the right eye is imaged will be described as an example. A mirror image of the subject is displayed on the LCD 16. For this reason, an image that looks like a mirror of a woman's face winking her right eye is displayed. FIG. 10B shows an image displayed on the open-style LCD 16. On the LCD 16, the same image as the image displayed on the LCD 16 in the twist style is displayed as if the face of a woman who winked the right eye is reflected in the mirror. Due to the transition from the twist style to the open style, the image capturing direction of the camera 12 is not changed, and the display surface of the LCD 16 is turned upside down. For this reason, the mirror image displayed on the LCD 16 is upside down and left and right and the mirror image displayed on the LCD 16 in the twist style. As a result, a mirror image with the subject's head up is displayed on the LCD 16. FIG. 10C shows an image displayed on the LCD 16 after transition to the front style. The image displayed on the front style LCD 16 is the same as the image displayed on the twist style LCD 16.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an image displayed on the LCD when recording is started in the front style. Here again, a case where the face of a woman who winks the right eye is imaged will be described as an example. FIG. 11A shows an image displayed on the LCD 16 in the front style. The LCD 16 displays an image of the face of a woman who winks her right eye as seen from the front. FIG. 11B shows an image displayed on the LCD 16 after the transition to the twist style. The image displayed on the twist style LCD 16 is the same as the image displayed on the front style LCD 16. FIG. 11C shows an image displayed on the LCD 16 after the transition to the open style. Due to the transition from the twist style to the open style, the image capturing direction of the camera 12 is not changed, and the display surface of the LCD 16 is turned upside down. For this reason, the LCD 16 displays an image that is upside down and left and right reversed from the image displayed on the LCD 16 in the twist style. As a result, an image with the subject's head up is displayed on the LCD 16. The appearance of the image displayed on the open style LCD 16 is the same as the image displayed on the twist style LCD 16.

<Modification>
In the mobile phone 1 according to the present embodiment described above, the imaging posture of the mobile phone 1 is detected by the direction detection sensor 27C. However, the user may specify the imaging posture of the mobile phone 1 during recording. . In this case, the direction detection sensor 27C is not necessary. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a flow of imaging processing executed by the mobile phone in the modified example. This imaging process is a process executed by the control unit 21 when the control unit 21 executes a recording process program stored in the ROM. Referring to FIG. 12, control unit 21 accepts imaging condition settings and stores the accepted settings (step S21). The control unit 21 displays an imaging condition setting screen on the LCD 16 and receives an imaging condition input to the operation key 14 in accordance with the imaging condition setting screen displayed by the user. The control unit 21 stores the accepted imaging conditions in the EEPROM of the memory 21. The imaging conditions include the imaging posture of the mobile phone 1. The imaging posture of the mobile phone 1 is either a horizontal posture or a vertical posture. When the imaging orientation of the mobile phone 1 is determined by other imaging conditions such as the recording mode and the recording size, a table in which the imaging conditions for determining the imaging orientation and the imaging orientation are associated with each other is stored in advance in the EEPROM. The imaging posture itself may not be included in the conditions.

  The control unit 21 determines whether or not a recording instruction is accepted (step S22). If the recording instruction is accepted, the process proceeds to step S23, and if not accepted, the control unit 21 enters a standby state. The recording instruction is input to the mobile phone 1 when the user presses the start key 15, 15 </ b> A, and is received by the control unit 21. In step S23, the controller 21 reads the imaging conditions stored in the EEPROM in step S21 and determines the imaging posture. The imaging posture is either a horizontal posture or a vertical posture. When the imaging posture is included in the imaging condition, the imaging posture determined by the read imaging condition is determined. When the imaging posture is not included in the imaging condition, a table in which the imaging condition and the imaging posture are associated with each other is read, and the imaging posture associated with the read imaging condition in the table is determined.

  Then, the control unit 21 determines whether or not the imaging posture is a horizontal posture (step S24). If the posture is a horizontal posture, the process proceeds to step S25. If the posture is a vertical posture, the process proceeds to step S26. In step S25, the control unit 21 executes the horizontal recording process described above, and in step S26 executes the vertical recording process. The vertical recording process is the same as the process executed during recording with a conventional mobile phone, and therefore, the description thereof will not be repeated here.

  As described above, the mobile phone 1 in the present embodiment reverses the video data output from the camera 12 when the recording starts when the display surface of the LCD 16 faces the imaging direction of the camera 12. While the mirror image data is given to the display control unit 26 and the subsequent recording is being performed, the first switch 27A is turned on (open state), and the direction in which the display surface of the LCD 16 faces is the imaging direction (the display side unit 2 is When the direction changes from the reverse position) to the opposite direction (the display side 2 is the normal position), or the direction in which the display surface of the LCD 16 faces is opposite to the imaging direction (the display side 2 is the normal position). When the display side part 2 changes to the reverse position), an image that is displayed upside down and upside down is displayed. When the mobile phone 1 is in the open state (open style or twist style), the direction in which the display surface of the LCD 16 faces is opposite to the imaging direction (the display side 2 is the reverse position) (the display side 2 is the normal position). When the direction changes, and when the direction in which the display surface of the LCD 16 faces changes from the direction opposite to the imaging direction (the display side portion 2 is the normal position) to the imaging direction (the display side portion 2 is the reverse position), the display surface of the LCD 16 becomes horizontal. Since it rotates 180 degrees around the direction axis, the LCD 16 is turned upside down. For this reason, the image of the mirror image data is displayed upside down and horizontally reversed, so that the vertical direction of the image displayed on the LCD 16 can be displayed in accordance with the vertical direction of the subject.

  Further, the display side portion 2 is rotatable about the first rotation shaft 18 with respect to the operation side portion 3 and can be opened and closed, and can be rotated about a second rotation shaft 19 orthogonal to the first rotation shaft 18. Connected to Therefore, the display side portion 2 rotates around the first rotation shaft 18 to be in the open state, and in the open state, the display side portion 2 rotates about the second rotation shaft 19 to change the direction of the LCD 16 to the camera 12. The imaging direction can be changed to the opposite direction.

  The first rotation shaft 18 is parallel to the display surface of the LCD 16, and the display control unit 26 rotates the display side unit 2 around the first rotation shaft 18 during recording so that the LCD 16 Is changed from the image capturing direction (twist style) of the camera 12 to the opposite direction (front style), the image displayed on the LCD 16 is displayed on the LCD 16 in the same vertical, left, and right directions. When the transition is made from the twist style to the front style, the display surface of the LCD 16 does not rotate in the horizontal direction, so that there is no change in the vertical direction of the LCD 16. For this reason, it is possible to display the image of the mirror image data displayed so far as it is, or by displaying the image obtained by inverting the image of the moving image data vertically and horizontally as it is, according to the subject.

  In the mobile phone 1 according to the present embodiment, the display side part 2 rotates about the first rotation shaft 18 so as to be openable and closable with the operation side part 3, but the display side part 2 is the operation side part. 3 may be moved parallel to be freely opened and closed. In this case, the mobile phone 1 changes from the closed front style to the open open style, and also changes from the closed closed style to the open twist style. In the mobile phone 1 according to the present embodiment, the first rotation shaft 18 is parallel to the display surface of the LCD 16, but the first rotation shaft 18 may be orthogonal to the display surface of the LCD 16. In this case, the display side portion 2 rotates in a state where the inner surface thereof and the inner surface of the operation side portion 3 are parallel to each other. It changes from the front style before rotation to the open style after rotation, and also changes from the closed style before rotation to the twist style after rotation. In this case, since the LCD 16 is turned upside down between the open state and the closed state, the display control unit 26 rotates the display side unit 2 around the first rotation shaft 18 during recording. In this case, the image displayed upside down and left and right is displayed on the LCD 16.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

<Appendix>
The cellular phone in the above-described embodiment includes the following inventive concept.
(1) The moving image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the posture determination unit includes a direction detection unit that detects the posture of the second housing or the first housing.
(2) The moving image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attitude determination unit includes an attitude reception unit that receives an input of an attitude of the second casing or the first casing.
(3) It further comprises display data storage means for storing display data for display on the display means,
The control means stores the moving image data or the mirror image data in the display data storage means,
The moving image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit reads the display data and causes the display unit to display an image.
(4) The moving image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second casing moves in parallel with the first casing and can be opened and closed.
(5) The moving image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first axis is parallel to a display surface of the display means.
(6) The moving image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first axis is perpendicular to a display surface of the display means.

It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the mobile telephone in one of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the mobile phone in an open style. It is a figure which shows the mobile phone in a twist style. It is a figure which shows the mobile phone in a front style. It is a functional block diagram which shows an example of the function of a mobile telephone. It is a figure which shows an example of an output image table. It is a figure which shows an example of an inversion signal table. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of the horizontal direction video recording process performed with the mobile telephone in this Embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the image displayed on LCD when video recording is started by an open style. It is a figure for demonstrating the image displayed on LCD when recording starts with a twist style. It is a figure for demonstrating the image displayed on LCD when recording starts with a front style. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the imaging process performed with the mobile telephone in a modification.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Mobile phone, 2 Display side part, 3 Operation side part, 11 Speaker, 12 Camera, 13 Microphone, 14 Operation key, 15, 15A Start key, 16 LCD, 18 1st rotating shaft, 19 2nd rotating shaft, 21 Control Unit, 22 antenna, 23 wireless circuit, 24 memory, 26 display control unit, 27A first switch, 27B second switch, 27C direction detection sensor, 31 codec unit, 40 flash memory, 51 recording unit, 52 mirror image data generation unit, 53 style detection unit, 54 inversion instruction unit.

Claims (3)

A first housing;
The second housing connected to the first housing so as to be openable and closable, and rotatably connected to the first housing in an open state;
An image pickup means provided in the first housing for picking up an image and outputting moving image data;
Display means provided in the second housing for displaying an image;
Recording means for recording moving image data output by the imaging means;
Display control means for controlling the display means;
Direction detection means for detecting the direction of the display surface of the display means;
Posture determining means for determining an imaging posture;
When recording by the recording unit is started when the display surface of the display unit faces the imaging direction side of the imaging unit, mirror image data obtained by horizontally inverting the moving image data output by the imaging unit is supplied to the display control unit. And when the recording means starts recording when the display surface of the display means faces away from the imaging direction, the control means supplies the moving image data output by the imaging means to the display control means. Prepared,
In the display control means, the horizontal posture in which the image pickup means and the display means are arranged in the horizontal direction is determined as the image pickup posture by the posture determination means, and during the recording by the recording means, When the second housing rotates with respect to the first housing in an open state with the first housing, and the direction in which the display surface of the display unit faces changes from the imaging direction side to the opposite side, or When the direction in which the display surface of the display unit faces is changed from the opposite side to the imaging direction, the moving image is displayed on the display unit so that the image displayed upside down and upside down is reversed. Image recording device.   The second casing is rotatable about a first axis with respect to the first casing and can be opened and closed, and is connected to be rotatable about a second axis that intersects the first axis. The moving image recording apparatus according to claim 1. The first axis is an axis that can be perpendicular to the display surface of the display means;
The display control means detects the lateral attitude by the attitude detection means, and the second casing rotates about the first axis while recording by the recording means is being performed. Then, when the direction of the display surface of the display unit is changed from the imaging direction side to the opposite side, the image displayed on the display unit is displayed on the display unit in the same direction as the image displayed up to now. Video recording device.

Images