Two part device with camera and mechanical flap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9871954-B2
Application number	US-201615174988-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2016
Priority date	Jun 6, 2016
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

A device comprising at least two body sections is disclosed. The first body section comprises a first camera element having an optical axis, and the second body section comprises a second camera element and a mechanical flap adapted to expose and conceal the second camera element. The first body section is in a movable connection with the second body section, and the device is operable in at least two modes. In the first mode, the first and the second body sections are brought together, and the mechanical flap is adapted to expose the second camera element. In the second mode, the first and the second body sections are positioned such that the first and the second camera elements are positioned away from each other, and the mechanical flap is adapted to conceal the second camera element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a first body section comprising a first camera element and at least one magnetic element,
a second body section comprising a second camera element, at least one magnetic element, a mechanical flap, and a retention mechanism attached to the mechanical flap,
wherein:
the first body section is in a movable connection with the second body section, and
the device is operable in at least two modes:
in the first mode the first and the second body sections are brought together, the mechanical flap is adapted to expose the second camera element, and the mechanical flap is locked in a position exposing the second camera element due to magnetic interaction between the at least one magnetic element in the second body section and the at least one magnetic element in the first body section, and
in the second mode the first and the second body sections are positioned such that the first and the second camera elements are positioned away from each other, the mechanical flap is adapted to conceal the second camera element, and the retention mechanism is adapted to position the mechanical flap such that the second camera element is concealed.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 comprising a hinge, wherein the first body section is in a folding movable connection with the second body section about the hinge.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 , wherein in the first mode the device is folded and in the second mode the device is unfolded.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the mechanical flap comprises the second magnetic element.

5. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the retention mechanism is selected from a group of: a spring, an electrical motor, and at least one additional magnetic element.

6. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnetic element in the second body section is adapted to lock the mechanical flap in the second mode and release the mechanical flap in the first mode.

7. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first camera element has an optical axis, and in the first mode the position of the second camera element is aligned with the optical axis of the first camera element.

8. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first camera element is an imaging unit comprising an image sensor.

9. A device as defined in claim 8 , wherein the imaging unit further comprises at least one lens.

10. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein
the second camera element is an optical unit which comprises at least one additional optical element, and
in the first mode the first and the second body sections are brought together such that the at least one additional optical element and first camera element are operable together as a camera with an optical axis.

11. A device as defined in claim 10 , wherein at least one additional optical element is selected from the group of: an optical filter and an additional lens.

12. A device as defined in claim 1 , comprising
a position-sensing element adapted to detect the relative position of the first body section and the second body section,
at least one processor, and
a memory including computer program code, wherein
the first camera element has an optical axis;
the memory is configured to store images captured by the imaging unit; and
the computer program code and the at least one memory are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the device to:
enter the first mode upon detection by the position-sensing element that the first and the second body sections are brought together such that the second camera element is exposed and aligned with the optical axis of the first camera element, and
enter the second mode upon detection by the position-sensing element that the first body section and the second body section are positioned such that the second camera element is concealed and positioned away from the optical axis of the first camera element.

13. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the mechanical flap covers a predefined area on both sides of the second body section around the second camera element.

14. A device as defined in claim 1 , comprising at least one display attached to the first body section or the second body section.

15. A device is defined in claim 1 , wherein the device is a portable electronic device.

16. A system comprising:
a first module comprising a first camera element and at least one magnetic element,
a second module comprising a second camera element, a retention mechanism, a mechanical flap attached to the retention mechanism, and at least one magnetic element, wherein:
the first module is in a movable connection with the second module, and
the system is operable in at least two modes:
in the first mode the first and the second modules are brought together, and the mechanical flap is locked in a position exposing the second camera element due to magnetic interaction between the at least one magnetic element in the second module and the at least one magnetic element in the first module; and
in the second mode the first and the second modules are positioned away from each other, and the retention mechanism is adapted to position the mechanical flap such that the second camera element is concealed.

17. A system as defined in claim 16 , wherein the retention mechanism is selected from a group of: a spring, an electrical motor, and at least one additional magnetic element.

18. A system as defined in claim 16 , wherein the at least one magnetic element in the second module is adapted to lock the mechanical flap in the second mode and release the mechanical flap in the first mode.

19. A system as defined in claim 16 comprising a hinge, wherein the first module is in a folding movable connection with the second module about the hinge.

20. A foldable electronic device, comprising:
a first body section comprising at least one magnetic element, and a camera having an optical axis,
a second body section comprising at least one magnetic element, and at least one additional optical element,
a hinge connecting the first body section to the second body section, and
a mechanical flap adapted to conceal the at least one additional optical element;
wherein the device is operable in at least two modes:
in the first mode the device is folded by bringing the first body section and the second body section together, the mechanical flap is open exposing the optical element due to magnetic interaction between the at least one magnetic element in the second body section and the at least one magnetic element in the first body section, the optical element is aligned with the optical axis of the camera, and the camera is operable through the optical element; and
in the second mode the device is unfolded by separating the first body section and the second body section from each other about the hinge, the mechanical flap is closed concealing the optical element, and the optical element is positioned away from the optical axis of the camera.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Eromäki Marko

Classifications

• G03B17/04

  collapsible, foldable or extensible, e.g. book type · CPC title

• G03B11/043 Primary

  Protective lens closures or lens caps built into cameras · CPC title

• H04M2250/16

  including more than one display unit · CPC title

• G03B17/12

  with means for supporting objectives, supplementary lenses, filters, masks, or turrets · CPC title

• H04M1/0216

  Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge · CPC title