Mobile Phone Camera Lens Protrusion Control via Dual Button Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mobile communication terminals with camera functions face issues of accidental drops and camera lens damage due to unstable support during photography, and inverted images when taken upside down.

Innovation Solution

A mobile communication terminal design with separate photographing and supporting buttons that control the camera lens protrusion and image adjustment, ensuring stable support and upright image capture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the camera lens protrudes outwardly from the main body during photography, then the photographing function is improved, but the vulnerability to damage from accidental drops increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephotographing functionVSAvoiddamage to camera lens

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit checks whether the supporting button is pushed before allowing the camera lens to protrude. This preliminary verification ensures that the terminal is properly supported before the vulnerable lens extension occurs, preventing damage from accidental drops during photography

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the user pushes the photographing button without stable support, then the photographing operation is simplified, but the terminal may be dropped causing damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephotographing operationVSAvoidterminal stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit continuously monitors the state of the supporting button and uses this feedback to control the camera lens protrusion. Only when the supporting button is detected as pushed does the system allow the lens to protrude, creating a feedback-based safety mechanism that prevents operation during unstable holding conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If the mobile communication terminal is turned upside down for photography, then the camera can capture images in difficult positions, but the photographed images appear inverted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephotography positioningVSAvoidimage orientation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit detects when the terminal is held upside down through sensor information and automatically inverts the photographed image during capture. This real-time inversion ensures that images taken in unconventional positions are stored in the correct orientation, eliminating the need for post-processing rotation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS7574130B2Mobile communication terminal having camera function and method of controlling photographing process thereof

Publication Date: 2009.08.11 PANTECH CORP

AI summary

Disclosed is a mobile communication terminal having a camera function and a method of controlling a photographing process thereof. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the mobile communication terminal comprises two buttons relating to the camera function positioned separately on a main body of the terminal. A first button is a photographing button that captures an image when on-state and a second button is a supporting button, provided the user chooses to activate this function. In this setup, the mobile communication terminal protrudes a camera lens or takes a photograph only when the first and the second buttons are in the on state. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the possibility of dropping the terminal due to carelessness during photography, and to decrease the possibility of damaging the camera lens even when the terminal is dropped on the ground.