JP4937094B2 - Mobile terminal device with imaging function - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a mobile terminal device with an imaging function in which an imaging unit is provided in one of two casings, and a display unit that displays an image projected by the imaging unit is provided in the other casing. It is.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventional mobile terminal devices such as mobile phones include a mobile terminal device with an imaging function that is equipped with a camera (imaging unit) such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) so that a still image can be taken ( For example, see Patent Document 1). An image taken by the camera of such a portable terminal device can be displayed on a display unit such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display).

  In addition, the display unit of such a portable terminal device with an imaging function functions as a finder at the time of shooting, and displays an image projected by the camera. The user can take an image by adjusting the composition of the image while operating the shutter button or a button corresponding to the image while viewing the image displayed on the display unit. Yes.

  Also, in a general mobile terminal device with an imaging function, the frame shape of the display unit is formed so that the length in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction are different, and is displayed when this display unit operates as a viewfinder. In many cases, the ratio between the length in the vertical direction and the length in the horizontal direction of the video is set to be approximately the same as the frame shape of the display unit.

Then, the mobile terminal device with the imaging function is rotated 90 ° in the clockwise direction or the counterclockwise direction while keeping the imaging direction as it is, so that the ratio of the length in the vertical direction to the horizontal direction is reversed. You can also shoot.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-133081

  However, since it is necessary to always keep the finger of the hand in contact with the shutter button when shooting, this portable terminal device with an imaging function is rotated 90 ° clockwise or counterclockwise. When photographing, the user must hold the portable terminal device with the imaging function in an unstable posture in order to adjust the angle by moving his / her wrist, elbow, shoulder and the like. For this reason, there has been a problem that camera shake occurs when the shutter button is pushed in with fingers.

  Therefore, in view of the above problems, the present invention can hold an image to be taken in an easy posture without moving a wrist, an elbow, a shoulder, or the like even when it is desired to change a ratio between a vertical direction and a horizontal direction for a photographed image. A further object is to provide a portable terminal device with an imaging function that does not cause camera shake when a shutter button is pressed.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention connects a first housing having an imaging unit, a second housing having a display unit, and the first housing and the second housing so as to be relatively rotatable. a connecting shaft for, and a control unit for displaying the image captured by the imaging unit on the display unit, the image being captured by the imaging unit is displayed on the display unit When the first casing and the second casing are rotated relative to each other via the connecting shaft in a state where the image is captured, the image captured by the imaging unit is displayed on the second casing. The display unit is displayed by rotating in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of one housing .

  According to such a portable terminal device with an imaging function, even when it is desired to change the ratio between the vertical direction and the horizontal direction for an image to be captured, it is held in an easy posture without moving the wrist, elbow, shoulder, etc. In addition, it is possible to prevent camera shake when the shutter button is pressed.

  According to the mobile terminal device with an imaging function of the present invention, the position and orientation of the shutter button can be left unchanged and displayed on the display unit even when the aspect ratio of the captured video is to be reversed. Since the image is always displayed in the same direction as the subject, the user can hold it in an easy posture without moving the wrist, elbow, shoulder, etc., and press the shutter button. In this case, it is possible to prevent camera shake from occurring.

  In addition, when text information such as comments is arranged and displayed in the video, the text information can always be displayed in the same orientation as the video, so the aspect ratio of the video displayed on the display unit is reversed. Sometimes, there is no need to perform a special operation for the arrangement display of character information.

  FIGS. 1 to 8 are diagrams which are referred to for explaining the mobile phone 30 (corresponding to a mobile terminal device with an imaging function) according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mobile phone 30 includes a first housing 32 and a second housing 34, and has a connecting line having an axis in a direction passing through the first housing 32 and the second housing 34. The ends of the shafts 36 are rotatably connected to each other.

  The mobile phone 30 has a second housing on a surface opposite to the first housing 32 so that the display surface 38 can be seen from the outside even when the first housing 32 and the second housing 34 are overlapped. 34 display units 40 are provided. The frame shape of the display unit 40 is such that the length of the second casing 34 in the length direction is longer than the length of the second casing 34 in the width direction.

  As shown in FIG. 2, when the first housing 32 and the second housing 34 are stacked, the cross key 42 or the like is placed on the surface of the first housing 32 covered by the second housing 34. An operation unit 46 including a ten key 44 and the like is provided.

  In addition, on the surface of the second housing 34 on which the display unit 40 is disposed, speakers 48 are provided at each of the end on the connection shaft 36 side and the end on the opposite side. The first casing 32 is provided with a microphone 50 at the end opposite to the connecting shaft 36 side, and the microphone 50 can be connected to the first casing 32 and the second casing 34 even when they are overlapped. The two casings 34 are arranged so as not to be covered.

  From the state in which the first casing 32 and the second casing 34 are overlapped, the mobile phone 30 rotates the second casing 34 clockwise (in the direction of arrow a in FIG. 1) about the connecting shaft 36. By rotating the mobile phone 30 degrees, as shown in FIG. 3, the mobile phone 30 can be opened so that the operation unit 46 provided in the first housing 32 can be seen on the outside.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the second housing 34 is also provided in the first housing 32 as shown in FIG. 3 by rotating it 180 degrees counterclockwise (arrow b direction). It is possible to make the operation unit 46 open so that it can be seen on the outside.

  In either the clockwise direction or the counterclockwise direction, the display surface 38 rotates while facing the substantially same direction as the operation unit 46, so of course the display surface 38 even when the mobile phone 30 is opened. Can be seen from the outside. When the cellular phone 30 of FIG. 3 is viewed from the back side, it is as shown in FIG.

  In the present invention, the state of the mobile phone 30 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is referred to as an “overlapping state” or “closed state”, and the state as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is referred to as an “open state”. I will do it.

  Next, the shutter button 52 and the camera 54 (imaging unit) will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the shutter button 52 is provided on one side surface 55 that is parallel to the length direction of the second housing 34. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a camera 54 (imaging unit) such as a CCD and a mirror 56 are provided on the back surface of the first housing 32.

  When the function of the camera 54 is in operation, as shown in FIG. 5, the cellular phone 30 is in the closed state, the opened state, and the position where the second casing 34 is rotated 90 ° clockwise from the closed state. When the shutter button 52 is pushed in, the image can be taken by pressing the shutter button 52 in either the left 90 ° state or the right 90 ° state where the second housing 34 is rotated 90 ° counterclockwise from the closed state. it can.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the mobile phone 30. In addition to the speaker 48, the microphone 50, the display unit 40, the operation unit 46, the shutter button 52, and the camera 54, the mobile phone 30 includes the built-in antenna 58, the radio unit 60, and the communication described above with reference to FIGS. A control unit 62, an audio processing unit 64, an angle detection unit 66 (angle detection means), a memory 68, and a control unit 70 for comprehensively controlling them are provided.

  The memory 68 stores an image taken by the camera 54. The built-in antenna 58, the radio unit 60, the communication control unit 62, and the voice processing unit 64 operate when the mobile phone 30 functions as a telephone, and operate in the same manner as a general mobile phone. Therefore, the description thereof is omitted. Here, in the present embodiment, the built-in antenna 58 is used. However, even if the antenna protrudes to the outside, there is no influence on the application of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the angle detection unit 66 detects this when the mobile phone 30 is operated in each of a closed state, an open state, a left 90 ° state, and a right 90 ° state. It has become.

  In the present embodiment, although not shown, such an angle detection unit 66 has the first housing 32 and the second housing 34 in the closed state, the open state, the left 90 ° state, and the right 90 ° state. A contact point that conducts in each state is provided, and a different signal is output to the control unit 70 for each state.

  As another embodiment different from the present embodiment, the angle detection unit 66 may be configured such that a slit is formed on the outer periphery of the connecting shaft 36 and this is read by an optical sensor. As yet another embodiment, an angle sensor such as an encoder may be used.

  Then, when the camera 54 is operating, the control unit 70 serves as a determination unit based on the angle detected by the angle detection unit 66 and video or character information (comment, menu information, function setting information) to be displayed on the display unit 40. Etc.), and display (display direction) control of image and character information is performed even when the camera 54 is not operating.

  Next, the operation at the time of shooting of the mobile phone 30 will be described based on FIG. 3, FIG. 7, and FIG. Switching to the camera mode in which the camera can be operated is performed by an input operation from the operation unit 46 on a menu screen displayed on the display unit 40, for example. As shown in FIG. 3, the display direction of the character information on the menu screen is displayed on the display unit 40 so that it can be easily operated by the operation unit 46 in the open state. When the camera mode C is selected from the menu screen by the input operation from the operation unit 46 and is closed as shown in FIG. 7, the mode is switched to the camera mode, and the display unit 40 is used as a viewfinder. The video image 54 is displayed.

  At this time, the image displayed on the display unit 40 has a vertical / horizontal length ratio that is the same as the vertical / horizontal ratio of the frame shape of the display unit 40. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, in the state where the mobile phone 30 is leveled so that the shutter button 52 is on the upper side, the image displayed on the display unit 40 is long in the horizontal direction.

  As described above, when the mobile phone 30 is closed, a long image is displayed in the horizontal direction as a default (standard setting) because the position of the shutter button 52 of the mobile phone 30 is The mobile phone 30 can be held in the same way as the general camera or digital camera by setting it to the same position as the shutter button at the time of shooting with a commercially available general camera or digital camera. It is for doing so.

  In this state, the user can store a long image in the horizontal direction in the memory 68 by pressing the shutter button 52 and operating the function of the camera 54.

  Further, when it is desired to reverse the aspect ratio of the image to be shot and to shoot an image that is long in the vertical direction, the first casing 32 having the camera 54 is replaced with the second casing 34 as shown in FIG. On the other hand, it is rotated 90 ° clockwise to the right 90 ° state (see FIG. 5). At this time, if nothing is done, the camera 54 captures the image of the subject in a state rotated by 90 ° in the direction opposite to the rotated direction, that is, in the counterclockwise direction.

  On the other hand, when the mobile phone 30 is turned to the right 90 ° state, the angle detection unit 66 detects this and outputs a signal to that effect to the control unit 70. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, the control unit 70 rotates and corrects the image projected by the camera 54 by 90 ° in the clockwise direction, and reverses the ratio of the length and width of the image. The video is further reduced and displayed in order to fit the video in the display unit 40. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, the video displayed on the display unit 40 is a video that is long in the vertical direction and is displayed in the same direction as the subject.

  Although not shown, the cellular phone 30 rotates the first housing 32 having the camera 54 90 ° counterclockwise with respect to the second housing 34 from the closed state shown in FIG. Even in the case of the ° state (see FIG. 5), the image displayed on the display unit 40 is made to be a long image in the vertical direction and in the same direction as the subject as in the case of the right 90 ° state. Are displayed (see FIG. 8).

  In addition, the cellular phone 30 can display and display character information such as comments in the captured image. When character information such as comments is arranged and displayed in the captured image, first, an input operation is performed from the operation unit 46 on the menu screen shown in FIG. Is displayed. Then, the character information can be input by an input operation from the operation unit 46 and can be displayed in a state of being superimposed on the image. The character information input in this way can be stored in the memory 68 together with the target image.

  Furthermore, the cellular phone 30 can input character information before photographing as another method for arranging and displaying character information such as comments in the photographed image.

  In this case, before switching to the camera mode, after inputting character information such as a comment, when the operation is switched to the camera mode and then closed, the control unit 70 displays the display unit as shown in FIG. 40 is made to function as a finder so that an image projected by the camera is displayed. At the bottom of the image, character information such as comments input is in a direction different from the display direction of the menu screen shown in FIG. Control is performed so that the image is displayed in the same direction as the image shown in FIG.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, even when the mobile phone 30 is set to the right 90 ° state in order to reverse the aspect ratio of the video, this character information is corrected so as to be in the same direction as the video. Displayed at the bottom.

  Although not shown, when the second casing 34 is further rotated by 90 ° to open, the mobile phone 30 is displayed on the display unit 40 as in the closed state shown in FIG. Is long in the horizontal direction.

  When the camera is further rotated 90 ° from the open state to the left 90 ° state, the image projected by the camera is rotated 90 ° counterclockwise, and the ratio of the length and width of the image is reversed. To do. The video is further reduced and displayed in order to fit the video in the display unit 40. Here, even in the open state and the left 90 ° state, the video displayed on the display unit 40 is always displayed in the same direction as the subject.

  According to such a cellular phone 30, the position and orientation of the second casing 34 and the shutter button 52 can be maintained as they are, even when it is desired to reverse the aspect ratio of the captured video. Since the image displayed on the unit 40 is always displayed in the same orientation as the subject, the user can perform shooting operations with a comfortable posture, so that the occurrence of camera shake can be prevented. it can.

  In addition, when character information such as comments is arranged and displayed in the video, it can be controlled so that the character information is always displayed in the same direction as the video, so the vertical / horizontal ratio of the video displayed on the display unit can be controlled. Even when it is reversed, there is no need to perform a special operation for the arrangement display of the character information.

Next, a mobile phone 80 (corresponding to a mobile terminal device with an imaging function) according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIG. 9 and FIG. In the mobile phone 80 shown in these drawings, the same components as those of the mobile phone 30 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description of the overlapping configuration and operation is omitted. To do.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the mobile phone 80 according to the present embodiment is different from the mobile phone 30 according to the first embodiment in that the position of the shutter button 72 (see FIG. 6) is the second position. The casing 34 is provided on the end surface 82 on the connection shaft 36 side.

  As with the mobile phone 30 according to the first embodiment, the mobile phone 80 according to the present embodiment selects the camera mode from the menu screen in the open state (not shown), and as shown in FIG. When in the closed state, the mode is switched to the camera mode, and the display unit 40 displays an image projected by the camera as a viewfinder.

At this time, the image displayed on the display unit 40 has a vertical / horizontal length ratio that is the same as the vertical / horizontal ratio of the frame shape of the display unit 40. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, in the state where the mobile phone 80 is vertically oriented so that the shutter button 72 is on the upper side, the video displayed on the display unit 40 is long in the vertical direction. In such a state, the user can store an image long in the vertical direction in the memory by pressing the shutter button 72 and operating the function of the camera 54.

  Further, when it is desired to reverse the aspect ratio of the image to be shot and to shoot a long image in the horizontal direction, the first housing 32 having the camera is attached to the second housing 34 as shown in FIG. To 90 ° clockwise (see FIG. 5). At this time, the camera 54 captures the image of the subject in a direction opposite to the rotated direction, that is, in a state rotated by 90 ° counterclockwise. Similar to the embodiment, by the control operation of the control unit 70, the image displayed on the display unit 40 is displayed in a horizontal direction and in the same direction as the subject.

As in the first embodiment, the input text information such as comments is placed in the same direction as the display direction of the menu screen, that is, in the same direction as the video, at the bottom of the video projected by the camera. Needless to say, they may be arranged and displayed.

  Although not shown, the mobile phone 80 may display the video displayed on the display unit 40 in the same direction as the subject even in the open state and the left 90 ° state. This is the same as the embodiment.

  Even with such a cellular phone 80, as in the first embodiment, even when it is desired to reverse the aspect ratio of the captured image, the position and orientation of the second casing 34 and the shutter button 72 remain unchanged. Since the video displayed on the display unit 40 is always displayed in the same direction as the subject, the user can easily perform this without moving the wrist, elbow, shoulder, etc. In addition to being held in a posture, camera shake can be prevented from occurring when the shutter button is pressed.

  In addition, when character information such as comments is arranged and displayed in the video, it can be controlled so that the character information is always displayed in the same direction as the video, so the vertical / horizontal ratio of the video displayed on the display unit can be controlled. Even when it is reversed, there is no need to perform a special operation for the arrangement display of the character information.

  In the first and second embodiments, the shutter button 52 or 72 is provided on the side surface 55 of the second housing 34 or the end surface 82 on the connecting shaft 36 side. May be provided on the side surface opposite to the end surface 82 or the end surface opposite to the end surface 82. Further, the shutter button may be provided on the side surface of the first housing 32, the end surface on the side of the connecting shaft 36, or the end surface opposite to the end surface. In this case, when changing the aspect ratio of the image The second casing 34 is rotated.

  In the first and second embodiments, when the cellular phones 30 and 80 are changed from the closed state to the open state, the first casing 32 is rotated clockwise with respect to the second casing 34. Although it can be rotated in both the counterclockwise direction and the counterclockwise direction, the present invention can be applied even if it is configured to rotate 180 ° only in one of the rotation directions. .

  In this case, for example, the angle detection unit 66 is configured such that the mobile phones 30 and 80 are in the closed state, the open state, and an intermediate position angle (an angle corresponding to either the right 90 ° state or the left 90 ° state). To detect that it is in the state.

  In the first and second embodiments, the mobile phones 30 and 80 can be photographed in any of the closed state, the open state, the right 90 ° state, and the left 90 ° state. However, the image may not be taken at any angle.

  Further, in the first and second embodiments, a description is given of a mobile phone in which the end portions are connected by a connecting shaft 36 having an axis in a direction penetrating the first housing 32 and the second housing 34. However, a cellular phone in which a housing having a display portion and a housing having a camera are connected to each other via a hinge, a housing having a display portion and a camera having a camera are ball joints, etc. By being connected to each other, it can be applied to a mobile phone that is configured to be able to perform a twisting operation as well as a folding operation so that the display surface can always face outward.

  In the first and second embodiments, the case where the present invention is applied to a mobile phone has been described. However, the present invention is also applicable to other types of mobile terminal devices such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). It goes without saying that you can do it.

It is a top view which shows the closed state of the mobile telephone 30 which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a left view which shows the closed state of the mobile telephone 30 shown in FIG. It is a top view which shows the open state of the mobile telephone 30 shown in FIG. It is a rear view which shows the open state of the mobile telephone 30 shown in FIG. It is a top view which shows each state of the mobile telephone 30 shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the circuit structure of the mobile telephone 30 shown in FIG. It is a top view which shows the state which displayed the image | video long in the horizontal direction on the display part 40 shown in FIG. It is a top view which shows the state which displayed the image | video long in the vertical direction on the display part 40 shown in FIG. It is a top view which shows the state which displayed the image | video long in the vertical direction on the display part 40 of the mobile telephone 80 which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the state which displayed the image | video long in the horizontal direction on the display part 40 of the mobile telephone 80 which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

30 Mobile phone (mobile terminal device with imaging function)
32 First housing 34 Second housing 36 Connecting shaft 38 Display surface 40 Display section 42 Cross key 44 Numeric keypad 46 Operation section 48 Speaker 50 Microphone 52 Shutter button 54 Camera (imaging section)
56 mirror 58 built-in antenna 60 wireless unit 62 communication control unit 64 audio processing unit 66 angle detection unit 68 memory 70 control unit 72 shutter button 80 mobile phone (mobile terminal device with imaging function)
82 End face

Claims (7)

A first housing having an imaging unit;
A second housing having a display unit;
A connecting shaft that rotatably connects the first housing and the second housing;
A control unit that displays on the display unit the image and character information captured by the imaging unit,
The control unit is configured such that the first housing and the second housing are relatively rotated via the connecting shaft in a state where an image captured by the imaging unit is displayed on the display unit. Then, while maintaining the orientation of the character information with respect to the display unit, the image captured by the imaging unit is rotated in the same direction as the rotation direction of the first housing with respect to the second housing. Display on the display unit,
A portable terminal device with an imaging function. The control unit reduces or enlarges the image captured by the imaging unit so that the entire image captured by the imaging unit is displayed in the display area of the display unit. indicate,
The portable terminal device with an imaging function according to claim 1. The control unit displays an image captured by the imaging unit on the display unit while maintaining a display orientation with respect to the display unit.
The portable terminal device with an imaging function according to claim 1 or 2. The second housing is provided with a shutter button,
The control unit displays an image captured by the imaging unit on the display unit such that a display direction of the display unit is constant with respect to an arrangement position of the shutter button.
The portable terminal device with an imaging function according to claim 3. The controller reverses the aspect ratio of the image captured by the imaging unit when the first casing and the second casing are rotated by 90 ° relative to each other via the connecting shaft. To display on the display unit,
The mobile terminal device with an imaging function according to claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal device has an imaging function. The connection shaft is centered on a closed state in which the first housing and the second housing are overlapped and an axis line along a direction in which the first housing and the second housing overlap. The first housing and the second housing are connected to each other such that the first housing and the second housing can rotate between an open state rotated 180 ° from the closed state,
The display unit is disposed in the second housing with a display surface exposed in both the closed state and the open state.
The portable terminal device with an imaging function according to claim 1, wherein the portable terminal device has an imaging function. The control unit displays an image captured by the imaging unit on the entire surface of the display unit in the closed state or the open state, and the first casing and the first unit are displayed from the closed state or the open state. In a state where the two housings are rotated by 90 ° via the connecting shaft, the aspect ratio of the image photographed by the imaging unit is reversed and displayed in the display area of the display unit. The image captured by the imaging unit is reduced and displayed on the display unit.
The portable terminal device with an imaging function according to claim 6.

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