Electronic device

Abstract

An electronic device 1 comprises: a front surface 11 that is provided with a rectangular display; a rear surface 12 that is positioned on the opposite side from the front surface; a first side surface and a second side surface that are adjacent to each other and connect the front surface and the rear surface; and an infrared camera 41 that is provided on the first side surface. The first side surface extends in the short direction of the display, and the second side surface extends in the long direction of the display. The infrared camera is configured such that a first viewing angle in the front-rear direction, which is a direction perpendicular to the front surface, is wider than a second viewing angle in the short direction of the display. An image captured by the infrared camera is displayed on the display such that the direction in which the infrared camera has the first viewing angle corresponds to the long direction of the display and the direction in which the infrared camera has the second viewing angle corresponds to the short direction of the display.

Description

electronic equipment

[0001] The present disclosure relates to electronic devices.

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a portable device having a housing, a display provided on the front surface of the housing, and an infrared camera provided on the right side of the housing (for example, Patent Document 1). In such a portable device, gesture inputs and operations on an external operating device are detected based on images captured by the infrared camera.

[0003] JP 2018-129084 A

[0004] However, when using an electronic device with an infrared camera mounted on the side of the housing, it is conceivable that the electronic device will be held in one hand and the other hand or an object held in the other hand will be held in front of the infrared camera. When using the electronic device in this way, it is necessary to adjust the position of the object to be captured by the infrared camera so that it can be captured by the infrared camera.

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present disclosure is to make it easier to adjust the position of an object to be captured by an infrared camera so that it is captured by the infrared camera.

[0006] The gist of the present disclosure is as follows.

[0007] (1) An electronic device comprising: a front surface provided with a rectangular display; a rear surface located opposite the front surface; first and second side surfaces adjacent to each other connecting the front surface and the rear surface; and an infrared camera provided on the first side surface, wherein the first side surface extends in a short-edge direction of the display and the second side surface extends in a long-edge direction of the display, the infrared camera being configured so that a first viewing angle in a front-to-rear direction that is a direction perpendicular to the front surface is wider than a second viewing angle in the short-edge direction of the display, and an image captured by the infrared camera is displayed on the display so that the direction in which the infrared camera has the first viewing angle corresponds to the long-edge direction of the display and the direction in which the infrared camera has the second viewing angle corresponds to the short-edge direction of the display. (2) The electronic device according to (1), further comprising: a first input unit on the second side surface used for input from a user, wherein the infrared camera is started up or an image is captured by the infrared camera when an input operation to the first input unit is detected. (3) The electronic device according to (1) or (2) above, further comprising a second input unit and a third input unit used for user input, on both sides of the front surface in the longitudinal direction of the display. (4) The electronic device according to (3) above, wherein the second input unit and the third input unit comprise a first type input device and a second type input device, respectively, and the first type input device and the second type input device of the second input unit and the third input unit are arranged opposite to each other in the short direction of the display. (5) The electronic device according to any one of (1) to (4) above, further comprising a processing unit capable of communicating with the infrared camera, the processing unit being connected to the infrared camera by a wire. (6) The electronic device according to any one of (1) to (5) above, further comprising a cover that covers the infrared camera, the cover being longer in the short direction of the display than in the front-to-rear direction. (7) The electronic device described in any one of (1) to (6) above, further comprising a light-emitting unit provided on the first side surface on both sides of the infrared camera in the short side direction of the display.(8) The electronic device according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the infrared camera is positioned closer to the front surface than to the rear surface on the first side.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, the relationship between the movement of an object held over an infrared camera and the image on the display can be intuitively understood.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a front view of the electronic device. FIG. 2 is a top view of the electronic device. FIG. 3 is a right side view of the electronic device. FIG. 4 is a right side view of the electronic device. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the electronic device. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing one usage mode of the electronic device. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another usage mode of the electronic device.

[0010] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, like components are designated by like reference numerals.

[0011] <Overall Configuration of Electronic Device> The configuration of an electronic device 1 according to one embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. In this embodiment, the electronic device 1 is a portable game device that is held by a user while playing a game. The user operates input units 31 to 33 provided on the electronic device 1 while looking at a display 5 provided on the electronic device 1. The electronic device 1 controls the electronic device 1, specifically, controls the display of the display 5 and controls audio, based on signals transmitted from the input units 31 to 33 as a result of the user operating the input units 31 to 33. Note that the electronic device 1 may be a device other than a portable game device, such as a smartphone or tablet terminal, as long as it is a portable electronic device having a display 5.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a front view of the electronic device 1, Fig. 2 is a top view of the electronic device 1, and Figs. 3 and 4 are right side views of the electronic device 1. Fig. 3 shows a state in which a cover 43 that covers the infrared camera is attached, while Fig. 4 shows a state in which this cover 43 is removed.

[0013] In this specification, the direction in which the display 5 is provided with respect to the electronic device 1 is referred to as the front, and the direction opposite to the direction in which the display 5 is provided is referred to as the rear. Furthermore, when a user holds the electronic device 1 and uses it while looking at the display 5, the upward, downward, left, and right directions as viewed from the front (as viewed from the user) are referred to as the upward, downward, left, and right directions of the electronic device 1, respectively.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 , the electronic device 1 includes a front surface 11 having a display 5, a rear surface 12 located opposite the front surface 11, and four side surfaces formed between the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12 to connect the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12, namely, an upper side surface 13, a lower side surface 14, a left side surface 15, and a right side surface 16. The upper side surface (second side surface) 13 is a side surface located above the electronic device 1, and the lower side surface 14 is a side surface located below the electronic device 1. The left side surface 15 is a side surface located to the left of the electronic device 1, and the right side surface (first side surface) 16 is a side surface located to the right of the electronic device 1. Therefore, the left side surface 15 is adjacent to the upper side surface 13 and the lower side surface 14, and the right side surface 16 is also adjacent to the upper side surface 13 and the lower side surface 14. When a user holds the electronic device 1 to play a game in a normal manner, the user basically holds the electronic device 1 with the left hand covering the left side surface 15 and the right hand covering the right side surface 16.

[0015] In this embodiment, the front surface 11 of the electronic device 1 is formed to be substantially flat over its entirety. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the front surface 11 of the electronic device 1 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, with the top and bottom sides constituting the long sides and the left and right sides constituting the short sides. That is, the electronic device 1 is formed so that the left-right direction is longer than the up-down direction. Note that the front surface 11 may have any shape other than a rectangle, such as a rounded rectangle or a square. Furthermore, the length (thickness) of the electronic device 1 in the front-to-back direction is shorter than the length of the electronic device 1 in the left-to-right direction and the length of the electronic device 1 in the up-to-down direction.

[0016] The upper side 13, lower side 14, left side 15, and right side 16 of the electronic device 1 extend substantially perpendicular to the front surface 11 between the edge of the front surface 11 and the edge of the rear surface 12. The upper side 13 extends between the upper long sides of the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12, and the lower side 14 extends between the lower long sides of the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12. The left side 15 extends between the left short sides of the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12, and the right side 16 extends between the right short sides of the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12. In this embodiment, the upper side 13, lower side 14, left side 15, and right side 16 are formed substantially flat. Note that if the front surface 11 has a rounded rectangular shape, the upper side 13 may be curved toward the left side 15 and right side 16 near both left and right ends to match the shape of the rounded corners of the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12. Similarly, the lower surface 14 may be curved toward the left side surface 15 and the right side surface 16 near both ends to match the shape of the rounded corners of the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12.

[0017] 1 to 4, the electronic device 1 has a housing 20. The housing 20 has a front wall 21 provided on the front side of the electronic device 1, a rear wall provided on the rear side of the electronic device 1, and a side wall 23 provided in the front-to-rear direction between the front wall 21 and the rear wall. The side wall 23 extends around the entire circumference between the edge of the front wall 21 and the edge of the rear wall.

[0018] In this embodiment, the front surface of the front wall 21 defines the front surface 11 of the electronic device 1, and the rear surface of the rear wall defines the rear surface 12 of the electronic device 1. In addition, in this embodiment, the outer surfaces of the upper side wall 23, the outer surfaces of the lower side wall 23, the outer surfaces of the left side wall 23, and the outer surfaces of the right side wall 23 define the upper surface 13, the lower surface 14, the left surface 15, and the right surface 16 of the electronic device 1, respectively. In this embodiment, the front wall 21 and the side walls 23 are integrally formed, and the housing 20 is formed by attaching a separate rear wall to the side walls 23.

[0019] <Configuration of Electronic Device> Next, the configuration of the electronic device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 5 in addition to Figs. 1 to 4. Fig. 5 is a block diagram that schematically shows the configuration of the electronic device 1. As shown in Fig. 5, the electronic device 1 includes a display 5, a speaker 6, a first input unit 31, a second input unit 32, a third input unit 33, an infrared camera 41, a light-emitting unit 42, and a processing unit 50. In addition, the electronic device 1 further includes a battery (not shown) that supplies power to the display 5, the processing unit 50, etc.

[0020] The display 5 is a device that is communicatively connected to the processing unit 50 and displays images in accordance with signals from the processing unit 50. The display 5 displays images in accordance with a computer program (such as a game application) being executed by the processing unit 50. The display 5 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, an EL (Electro Luminescence) display, or a plasma display. The display 5 may be provided with a touch panel on its surface that functions as an input unit.

[0021] The display 5 is provided on the front surface 11 of the electronic device 1. In this embodiment, the display 5 is provided in the center of the front surface 11. In this embodiment, the display 5 has a rectangular shape and is arranged such that the longitudinal direction of the display 5 coincides with the longitudinal direction of the front surface 11 and the short side direction of the display 5 coincides with the short side direction of the front surface 11. Therefore, the extension direction (left-right direction) of the upper surface 13 and the lower surface 14 coincides with the longitudinal direction of the display 5, and the extension direction (up-down direction) of the left surface 15 and the right surface 16 coincides with the short side direction of the display 5.

[0022] The display 5 has a substantially flat surface. In addition, the display 5 is disposed so as to be flush with the front surface of the front wall 21 surrounding the display 5, and constitutes a part of the front surface 11 of the electronic device 1. For example, the display 5 is placed on the surface of a portion of the front surface of the front wall 21 that is recessed toward the rear wall 22.

[0023] The speaker 6 is a device that is connected to the processing unit 50 and generates sound in accordance with a signal from the processing unit 50. The speaker 6 generates sound in accordance with a computer program being executed by the processing unit 50. In this embodiment, the speaker 6 is accommodated inside the housing 20.

[0024] The first input unit 31, the second input unit 32, and the third input unit 33 are used for input from the user. The first input unit 31, the second input unit 32, and the third input unit 33 are operated by the user, detect the user's input operation, and transmit an input signal according to the detected input operation to the processing unit 50. The first input unit 31, the second input unit 32, and the third input unit 33 are used, for example, to perform input operations for progressing through a game application executed by the processing unit 50. Therefore, the first input unit 31, the second input unit 32, and the third input unit 33 perform different functions depending on the game application executed by the processing unit 50. However, a portion of the first input unit 31, the second input unit 32, or the third input unit 33 may be used to cause the processing unit 50 to perform processing related to the operating system. In this case, a portion of the first input unit 31, the second input unit 32, or the third input unit 33 performs the same function regardless of the game application executed by the processing unit 50.

[0025] 1 and 2 , the first input units 31 are provided on the upper surface 13 of the electronic device 1. In this embodiment, four first input units 31 are provided on the upper surface 13. In this embodiment, the first input units 31 are buttons, but may be other types of input components such as a selector switch, a lever, a joystick, or a slide stick. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first input units 31 include a left inner button 31 a, a right inner button 31 b, a left outer button 31 c, and a right outer button 31 d.

[0026] The left inner button 31a and the left outer button 31c are provided to the left of the center in the left-right direction of the electronic device 1. In particular, the left inner button 31a and the left outer button 31c are positioned so that they can be operated by the fingers of the user's left hand when holding the electronic device 1 in a normal manner to play a game. Therefore, the left inner button 31a and the left outer button 31c are positioned close to the left side surface 15. Furthermore, the left inner button 31a is positioned to the right (inside) of the left outer button 31c.

[0027] Furthermore, the right inner button 31b and the right outer button 31d are provided to the right of the center in the left-right direction of the electronic device 1. In particular, the right inner button 31b and the right outer button 31d are positioned so that they can be operated by the fingers of the user's right hand when holding the electronic device 1 to play a game in a normal manner. Therefore, the right inner button 31b and the right outer button 31d are positioned close to the right side surface 16. Furthermore, the right inner button 31b is positioned to the left (inside) of the right outer button 31d.

[0028] 1 , the second input unit 32 is provided on the front surface 11 of the electronic device 1. In particular, in this embodiment, the second input unit 32 is disposed on the left side of the display 5. In this embodiment, the second input unit 32 is a button and a joystick, but may be other types of input components such as a selector switch, a lever, or a slide stick. Specifically, in this embodiment, the second input unit 32 has a left front joystick 32 a and a left front button 32 b.

[0029] The left front joystick 32a is provided above the vertical center of the electronic device 1. The left front button 32b is provided below the vertical center of the electronic device 1. The left front joystick 32a and the left front button 32b are positioned so that they can be operated by the fingers of the left hand of the user holding the electronic device 1 when the user holds the electronic device 1 in a normal manner to play a game.

[0030] 1 , the third input unit 33 is provided on the front surface 11 of the electronic device 1. In particular, in this embodiment, the third input unit 33 is disposed on the right side of the display 5. In this embodiment, the third input unit 33 is a button and a joystick, but may be other types of input components such as a selector switch, a lever, or a slide stick. Specifically, in this embodiment, the third input unit 33 has a right front button 33a and a right front joystick 33b.

[0031] The right front button 33a is provided above the vertical center of the electronic device 1. The right front joystick 33b is provided below the vertical center of the electronic device 1. The right front button 33a and the right front joystick 33b are positioned so that they can be operated by the fingers of the right hand of the user holding the electronic device 1 when the user holds the electronic device 1 in a normal manner to play a game.

[0032] In this embodiment, the second input unit 32 and the third input unit 33 each have a joystick and a button. The second input unit 32 has a left front joystick 32a provided on the upper side and a left front button 32b provided on the lower side. On the other hand, the third input unit 33 has a right front button 33a provided on the upper side and a right front joystick 33b provided on the lower side. That is, the joysticks and buttons are arranged in a vertically reversed manner in the second input unit 32 and the third input unit 33. That is, the second input unit 32 and the third input unit 33 each have an input device of one input type and an input device of another input type, and the input device of one input type and the input device of the other input type are arranged in a vertically reversed manner in the second input unit 32 and the third input unit 33.

[0033] The infrared camera 41 is a camera for visualizing infrared rays (particularly near-infrared rays) emitted from an object. The infrared camera 41 has a two-dimensional detector configured with an array of photoelectric conversion elements sensitive to infrared rays and an imaging optical system that forms an image of the area to be imaged on the two-dimensional detector. The infrared rays received by each element of the two-dimensional detector are converted into electrical signals, thereby outputting a two-dimensional infrared image. In this embodiment, the infrared camera 41 is communicably connected to the processing unit 50 via a wired connection and outputs the captured two-dimensional infrared image to the processing unit 50. In particular, in this embodiment, the infrared camera 41 captures an image of the target area at a predetermined imaging period (e.g., 1 / 60 to 1 / 15 seconds) and generates an infrared image depicting the target area. The infrared camera 41 outputs the generated image to the processing unit 50 each time an image is generated.

[0034] 4 , the infrared camera 41 is provided on the right side surface 16 of the electronic device 1. In particular, in this embodiment, the infrared camera 41 is disposed near the center in the vertical direction. For example, the infrared camera 41 is disposed within the central one-third of the area in the vertical direction. Additionally, in this embodiment, the infrared camera 41 is disposed on the front side of the right side surface 16, i.e., closer to the front surface 11 than to the rear surface 12.

[0035] In this embodiment, the infrared camera 41 is provided on the right side surface 16. However, the infrared camera 41 may be provided on a side surface other than the right side surface 16 (specifically, the left side surface 15) as long as the infrared camera 41 is provided on a side surface extending in the short direction of the front surface 11 of the rectangular electronic device 1.

[0036] The infrared camera 41 is configured so that the first viewing angle in the front-to-back direction (angle α in FIG. 2) is wider than the second viewing angle in the up-down direction (angle β in FIG. 1). In this embodiment, for example, the first viewing angle α is 90° to 130°, 95° to 110°, or 100° to 105°, and the second viewing angle β is 60° to 95°, 70° to 90°, or 80° to 85°.

[0037] The light-emitting unit 42 is a light-emitting element that emits infrared light, and is, for example, an infrared LED (Light Emitting Diode). The light-emitting unit 42 emits infrared light toward an area to be imaged by the infrared camera 41. In this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 42 emits infrared light toward the target area at a predetermined emission cycle (for example, 1 / 60 to 1 / 15 seconds). In particular, in this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 42 emits infrared light toward the target area in synchronization with the image-capturing cycle of the infrared camera 41. The infrared light emitted from the light-emitting unit 42 is reflected by an object located within the target area, and the reflected infrared light is received by the infrared camera 41, thereby acquiring an infrared image of the object located within the target area.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 4 , the light-emitting unit 42 is provided on the same side as the infrared camera 41. Therefore, in this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 42 is provided on the right side surface 16 of the electronic device 1. In particular, in this embodiment, two light-emitting units 42 are arranged on both sides of the infrared camera 41 in the up-down direction. The two light-emitting units 42 are arranged in positions that overlap each other in the front-to-rear direction (positions that overlap each other when viewed in the up-down direction). The light-emitting units 42 are arranged in a position that is farther from the center of the electronic device 1 in the up-down direction than the infrared camera 41. The light-emitting units 42 are also arranged on the front side of the right side surface 16, i.e., closer to the front surface 11 than the rear surface 12. In particular, in this embodiment, the light-emitting units 42 are arranged in a position that overlaps with the infrared camera 41 in the front-to-rear direction (positions that overlap with the infrared camera 41 when viewed in the up-down direction).

[0039] In this embodiment, the upper light-emitting unit 42a, which is arranged above the infrared camera 41, and the lower light-emitting unit 42b, which is arranged below the infrared camera 41, have different infrared radiation angles (the angle at which the infrared intensity is halved relative to its maximum intensity). In this embodiment, the radiation angle of the upper light-emitting unit 42a is 110° to 150°, 120° to 140°, or 125° to 135°. On the other hand, the radiation angle of the lower light-emitting unit 42b is 55° to 95°, 65° to 85°, or 70° to 80°. In this embodiment, both the upper light-emitting unit 42a and the lower light-emitting unit 42b emit infrared rays so that the centers of their radiation ranges are perpendicular to the right side surface 16 or in directions slightly tilted vertically relative to this direction so that they approach each other.

[0040] In this embodiment, the radiation angle of the upper light-emitting unit 42a is wider than the radiation angle of the lower light-emitting unit 42b, but it may be narrower than or the same as the radiation angle of the lower light-emitting unit 42b. Also, in this embodiment, two light-emitting units 42 are provided around the infrared camera 41, but only one light-emitting unit 42 may be provided, or three or more light-emitting units 42 may be provided. Also, the light-emitting units 42 may be arranged in the front-to-back direction of the infrared camera 41, rather than in the up-and-down direction.

[0041] The cover 43 is formed from a material that transmits infrared rays (particularly near-infrared rays) but does not transmit visible light. As shown in Fig. 3, the cover 43 is arranged to cover the infrared camera 41 and the light-emitting unit 42. The cover 43 prevents the infrared camera 41 and the light-emitting unit 42 from being exposed to the outside, and prevents dust from adhering to the outer surfaces of the infrared camera 41 or the light-emitting unit 42 and damaging the infrared camera 41 or the light-emitting unit 42.

[0042] In this embodiment, the cover 43 collectively covers the infrared camera 41 and the light-emitting unit 42, which are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. Therefore, the cover 43 extends in the vertical direction. Therefore, the length of the cover 43 in the vertical direction is longer than the length of the cover 43 in the front-to-rear direction. Note that, although the length of the cover 43 in the vertical direction is longer than the length of the cover 43 in the front-to-rear direction in this embodiment, any shape of cover may be used as long as it can cover the infrared camera 41 and the light-emitting unit 42.

[0043] The processing unit 50 transmits control signals to the display 5, speaker 6, etc. in accordance with the computer program being executed, based on signals received from the input units 31 to 33 and the infrared camera 41. The processing unit 50 has a communication interface 51, a memory 52, and a processor 53. The communication interface 51, the memory 52, and the processor 53 may be separate circuits, or may be configured as a single integrated circuit.

[0044] The communication interface 51 is a circuit for connecting the processing unit 50 to other components within the housing 20. Each time the communication interface 51 receives a signal related to an input operation from the input units 31 to 33, it transmits the received signal to the processor 53. Furthermore, each time the communication interface 51 receives an infrared image from the infrared camera 41, it transmits the received infrared image to the processor 53. Furthermore, each time the communication interface 51 receives an image signal for display on the display 5 from the processor 53, it transmits the received image signal for display to the display 5. Additionally, each time the communication interface 51 receives an audio signal from the processor 53, it transmits the received audio signal to the speaker 6.

[0045] The memory 52 is a storage medium for storing data. The memory 52 includes, for example, a volatile semiconductor memory or a non-volatile semiconductor memory. The memory 52 may also include a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD). Additionally, the memory 52 may also include removable media such as a memory card or an optical disk. The memory 52 stores computer programs executed by the processor 53, such as computer programs related to game applications and operating systems. The memory 52 also stores various data used by the running programs, such as data used in game applications or data of infrared images captured by the infrared camera 41.

[0046] The processor 53 has one or more central processing units (CPUs) and their peripheral circuits. The processor 53 may further have other arithmetic circuits such as a logic unit or a numerical operation unit. The processor 53 executes various processes based on computer programs stored in the memory 52. ​​For example, the processor 53 executes control processes for the display 5 and the speaker 6, and generates and outputs control signals (image signals and audio signals) to be output to the display 5 and the speaker 6.

[0047] In particular, in this embodiment, the processor 53 generates an image signal so that the direction in which the infrared camera 41 has the first viewing angle α corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the display 5, and the direction in which the infrared camera 41 has the second viewing angle β corresponds to the lateral direction of the display 5, and so that the infrared image captured by the infrared camera 41 is displayed on the display 5. As a result, the infrared image captured by the infrared camera 41 is displayed on the display 5 so that the front-to-back direction of the electronic device 1 corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the display 5, and the up-to-down direction of the electronic device 1 corresponds to the lateral direction of the display 5.

[0048] Additionally, the processor 53 executes control processing for the infrared camera 41 and the light-emitting unit 42, and generates and outputs control signals for the infrared camera 41 and the light-emitting unit 42. For example, the processor 53 outputs signals related to the activation of the infrared camera 41, the start and end of imaging by the infrared camera 41, and the imaging cycle by the infrared camera 41. The processor 53 also outputs signals related to the activation of the light-emitting unit 42, the start and end of infrared radiation by the light-emitting unit 42, and the radiation cycle by the light-emitting unit 42.

[0049] In particular, in this embodiment, when an input operation to the first input unit 31 (for example, the left inner button 31a or the right inner button 31b) is detected and an input signal is received from the first input unit 31, the processor 53 outputs a control signal to the infrared camera 41 to activate the infrared camera 41 or to capture an image using the infrared camera 41. In this embodiment, when the left inner button 31a is pressed by the user, the infrared camera 41 is activated, and then when the right inner button 31b is pressed by the user, the infrared camera 41 captures an image.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the processing unit 50 is provided inside the housing 20 of the electronic device 1. However, the processing unit 50 may be provided outside the electronic device 1. Specifically, the processing unit 50 may be provided in an external server or a game console separate from the electronic device 1. In this case, the electronic device 1 is configured to communicate with the externally provided processing unit wirelessly or via a wire. Through such communication, input signals from the input units 31 to 33, the infrared camera 41, etc. of the electronic device 1 are transmitted to the external processing unit, and image signals and audio signals from the external processing unit are transmitted to the electronic device 1.

[0051] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the electronic device 1 includes the display 5, the speaker 6, the input units 31 to 33, the infrared camera 41, and the light-emitting unit 42. However, the electronic device 1 may include other components. Specifically, the electronic device 1 may include, for example, a vibrator that vibrates the electronic device 1, a microphone that detects sound, a sensor (such as an acceleration sensor) that detects the attitude of the electronic device 1, a geomagnetic sensor that detects geomagnetism, a GPS sensor that detects position information, etc. These electronic devices are connected to the processing unit 50 and receive control signals from the processing unit 50 or transmit signals related to the detection results to the processing unit 50.

[0052] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the processor 53 activates the infrared camera 41 or causes the infrared camera 41 to capture an image when it receives an input signal from the first input unit 31. However, the processor 53 may also activate the infrared camera 41 or cause the infrared camera 41 to capture an image based on an input signal from the second input unit 32 or the third input unit 33 that are provided on a location other than the upper surface 13. Furthermore, the processor 53 may also activate the infrared camera 41 or cause the infrared camera 41 to capture an image, regardless of the input signal from the input units 31 to 33, for example, in response to a request from a game application or the like.

[0053] <Operation> Next, the operation of the electronic device 1 configured as described above will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Figure 6 is a diagram showing one mode of use of the electronic device 1. Figure 7 is a diagram showing another mode of use of the electronic device 1.

[0054] 6 shows a state in which the user is holding the electronic device 1 in his left hand and holding his right hand over the infrared camera 41. In particular, Fig. 6 shows a state in which the user has already pressed the left inner button 31a and the infrared camera 41 has already been activated.

[0055] In the state shown in FIG. 6 , the user is holding the electronic device 1 by supporting the upper surface 13 and the lower surface 14 of the electronic device 1 with their left hand. In particular, in the state shown in FIG. 6 , the user is holding the electronic device 1 with their left hand while pressing the right inner button 31b. Therefore, an image is being captured by the infrared camera 41. As described above, the infrared image captured by the infrared camera 41 is displayed on the display 5 so that the front-to-back direction of the electronic device 1 corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the display 5 and the up-to-down direction of the electronic device 1 corresponds to the lateral direction of the display 5. In the state shown in FIG. 6 , the user's right hand is held over the infrared camera 41 with the thumb facing forward (direction extending outward perpendicular to the paper surface) and the little finger facing backward (direction facing inward perpendicular to the paper surface). In addition, in the state shown in FIG. 6 , the user's right hand is held over the infrared camera 41 with the fingertips facing upward and the bases of the fingers facing downward.

[0056] As a result, the image of the user's right hand is displayed on the display 5 with the thumb side on the right side and the little finger side on the left side. In addition, the image of the user's right hand is displayed on the display 5 with the fingertips facing up and the bases of the fingers facing down. For example, when the user's right hand moves forward (in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface and extending outward), the image of the user's right hand displayed on the display 5 moves to the right. For example, when the user's right hand moves upward, the image of the user's right hand displayed on the display 5 moves upward.

[0057] FIG. 7 shows a state in which a user is holding the electronic device 1 with both hands. In particular, FIG. 7 shows a state in which the user is holding the upper left corner of the electronic device 1 with his / her left hand and the lower left corner of the electronic device 1 with his / her right hand. In this state, the user operates the left front joystick 32a with his / her left hand and the left front button 32b with his / her right hand. Therefore, the user is using the electronic device 1 in a special manner that differs from the normal manner. When the user is using the electronic device 1 in this special manner, the user's right hand is not positioned on the right side surface 16 of the electronic device 1, unlike when the user is using the electronic device 1 in the normal manner. Therefore, the infrared camera 41 can capture an image of the target area around the electronic device 1 without being obstructed by the user's right hand. Furthermore, when the user is using the electronic device 1 in this special manner, the user can press the right inner button 31b with the fingers of his / her left hand, thereby causing the infrared camera 41 to capture an image.

[0058] In the above embodiment, the infrared camera 41 is configured so that the first viewing angle α in the front-to-back direction is wider than the second viewing angle β in the up-down direction of the display 5. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the image captured by the infrared camera 41 is displayed on the display 5 so that the direction in which the infrared camera 41 has the first viewing angle α corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the display 5, and the direction in which the infrared camera 41 has the second viewing angle β corresponds to the lateral direction of the display 5.

[0059] Generally, due to the nature of human vision, alignment in the front-to-back direction (depth direction) is more difficult than alignment in the up-to-down and left-to-right directions. Therefore, when holding an object such as a hand over the infrared camera 41, it is easy to adjust the position of the object in the up-to-down direction so that it is captured by the infrared camera 41, but it is difficult to adjust the position of the object in the front-to-back direction. In the above embodiment, the first viewing angle α in the front-to-back direction of the infrared camera 41 is larger than the viewing angle β in the up-to-down direction, so that the object can be captured by the infrared camera 41 even if the position adjustment in the front-to-back direction is insufficient. In addition, by displaying the image on the display 5 so that the direction corresponding to this wide first viewing angle α corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the display 5, the image of the object can be displayed on the display 5 even if the object is slightly misaligned in the front-to-back direction relative to the infrared camera 41. As a result, the user can easily adjust the position of the object captured by the infrared camera 41.

[0060] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the direction in which the infrared camera 41 has the second viewing angle β coincides with the short-side direction of the display 5. As a result, the up-down direction of an object captured by the infrared camera 41 coincides with the up-down direction of the object in the image displayed on the display 5. This makes it easier for the user to intuitively recognize the direction of the object captured by the infrared camera 41 and the direction of the object in the image displayed on the display 5, which also makes it easier for the user to adjust the position of the object captured by the infrared camera 41.

[0061] In the above embodiment, when an input operation to the first input unit 31 (particularly the left inner button 31a and the right inner button 31b) provided on the upper surface 13 is detected, the infrared camera 41 is activated or an image is captured by the infrared camera 41. As a result, the user can operate the infrared camera 41 while holding the electronic device 1 by supporting the upper surface 13 and the lower surface 14 with one hand as shown in Fig. 6, and can smoothly capture an image with the infrared camera 41.

[0062] Additionally, in the above embodiment, the second input unit 32 and the third input unit 33 are provided on both the left and right sides of the display 5. Additionally, in the above embodiment, the second input unit 32 and the third input unit 33 are arranged so that the positions of the input devices (joystick and buttons) of different input formats are reversed between them. As a result, when the electronic device 1 is held in a normal manner, the joystick is operated with the left hand and the buttons are operated with the right hand, and even when the electronic device 1 is held in the special manner shown in FIG. 7 , the joystick is operated with the left hand and the buttons are operated with the right hand. As a result, even when the electronic device 1 is held in the special manner shown in FIG. 7 , the user can use the infrared camera 41 and operate the electronic device with the same feeling as when the electronic device is held in a normal manner.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the processing unit 50 is connected by wire to the infrared camera 41. As a result, it becomes possible to transmit large amounts of data, such as image data, from the infrared camera 41 to the processing unit 50, and therefore it is possible to display a moving image captured by the infrared camera 41 on the display 5.

[0064] Additionally, in the above embodiment, the vertical length of the cover 43 is longer than the front-rear length of the cover 43. As a result, although the extending direction of the cover 43 does not coincide with the direction of the wide first viewing angle α of the infrared camera 41, the cover 43 can collectively cover the infrared camera 41 and the light-emitting unit 42 that are arranged next to each other in the vertical direction.

[0065] In the above embodiment, the light-emitting units 42 are provided on both sides of the infrared camera 41 in the vertical direction. As a result, although the direction in which the light-emitting units 42 are provided relative to the infrared camera 41 does not coincide with the direction of the wide first viewing angle α of the infrared camera 41, multiple light-emitting units 42 can be provided within the narrow width of the electronic device 1 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0066] Additionally, in the above embodiment, the infrared camera 41 is disposed on the right side surface 16 closer to the front surface 11 than to the rear surface 12. As a result, the infrared camera 41 is disposed closer to the eyes of the user viewing the display 5, making it easier for the user to adjust the position of the object being viewed by the infrared camera 41.

[0067] <Modifications> In the above embodiment, the first input unit 31 is provided on the upper surface 13 of the electronic device 1. However, the first input unit 31 may be provided on a side surface other than the upper surface 13, as long as the side surface is adjacent to the side surface on which the infrared camera 41 is provided. In the above embodiment, since the infrared camera 41 is provided on the right side surface 16, the first input unit 31 may be provided on the lower surface 14 instead of or in addition to the upper surface 13.

[0068] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the claims.

[0069] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Electronic device 11 Front surface 12 Rear surface 13 Upper surface 16 Right surface 31 First input unit 32 Second input unit 33 Third input unit 41 Infrared camera 42 Light-emitting unit 50 Processing unit

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising: a front surface having a rectangular display; a rear surface opposite the front surface; first and second side surfaces adjacent to each other connecting the front surface and the rear surface; and an infrared camera provided on the first side surface, wherein the first side surface extends in the short direction of the display and the second side surface extends in the long direction of the display, the infrared camera being configured so that a first viewing angle in the front-to-back direction, which is a direction perpendicular to the front surface, is wider than a second viewing angle in the short direction of the display, and an image captured by the infrared camera is displayed on the display so that the direction in which the infrared camera has the first viewing angle corresponds to the long direction of the display, and the direction in which the infrared camera has the second viewing angle corresponds to the short direction of the display.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a first input unit on the second side used for input from a user, wherein when an input operation to the first input unit is detected, the infrared camera is started or an image is captured by the infrared camera.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a second input section and a third input section used for input from a user, on both sides of the front surface in the longitudinal direction of the display.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the second input section and the third input section respectively comprise a first type input device and a second type input device, and in the second input section and the third input section, the first type input device and the second type input device are arranged opposite to each other in the short direction of the display.

5. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a processing unit capable of communicating with the infrared camera, the processing unit being connected to the infrared camera by wire.

6. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a cover for covering the infrared camera, the cover being longer in a short-side direction of the display than in the front-rear direction.

7. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a light-emitting unit provided on the first side surface on both sides of the infrared camera in the short side direction of the display.

8. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the infrared camera is positioned on the first side closer to the front surface than to the rear surface.

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