Mirror-Lit Selfie Mount for Direct Screen Viewing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for taking selfie pictures with electronic communication devices, such as holding the device away from the body or using telescopic poles, do not provide an easy or high-quality solution for capturing images.

Innovation Solution

A device with a mirror surface and light emitting diodes, equipped with a fastener for secure attachment of the communication device, allowing for portrait or landscape orientation, and featuring a control circuit with Bluetooth communication and membrane switches for controlling light intensity and camera activation, enabling easy and high-quality selfie picture or video capture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a person holds an electronic communication device away from their body to take a selfie picture, then the camera can capture the person's face, but the person cannot directly view the camera screen while taking the picture

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepicture qualityVSAvoiddirect eye-line viewing
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A mirror is introduced as an intermediary element between the camera and the user. The mirror reflects the camera screen image back to the user's eyes, allowing direct viewing while maintaining the camera at the optimal distance for picture quality. This resolves the contradiction by adding a mediating component that enables both high-quality capture and direct visual feedback.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If conventional devices with mirror surfaces and specific apertures are used, then picture taking is assisted, but the user cannot take pictures using the electronic communication device with direct eye-line of the device

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepicture qualityVSAvoiddirect eye-line viewing
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The solution moves the mirror from a fixed two-dimensional surface to a flexible, multi-dimensional configuration that can wrap around the device. This allows the mirror to position itself optimally in three-dimensional space, providing direct eye-line viewing while maintaining picture quality. The flexible nature enables the mirror to adapt to different viewing angles and device positions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a fastener with spring loaded gripping arms is used to secure the communication device, then the device can be held in one of several positions including portrait or landscape orientation, but the fastener structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemultiple positioning optionsVSAvoidfastener structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fastener uses spring-loaded gripping arms that can dynamically adjust to different device sizes and orientations. The springs provide automatic tension adjustment, allowing the fastener to securely hold the device in multiple positions (portrait, landscape, angled) without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms. This dynamic design achieves versatility while keeping the structure relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables users to easily take high-quality selfie pictures or videos by allowing the device to be securely positioned and illuminated, providing better image capture compared to conventional methods.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of light emitting diodes that can emit light from the mirror surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight emitting diode: Light Emitting Diode

Implementation Method 2

The fastener can rotate and comprises spring loaded gripping arms to secure the communication device in one of several positions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring: Spring

Data Source

PatentEP3221746B1Selfie apparatus
Publication Date: 2021.04.07 KAISER ERIK A
  • EP3221746B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3221746B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3221746B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The present invention is a device for use with a communication device, such as an IPhone®, having a camera enabled by a wireless communication chip such as Bluetooth® to take a selfie picture or video. The device generally comprises a body having a mirror surface and a plurality of light emitting diodes that emit light from the mirror surface. The device further comprises a fastener adapted to removably engage the communication device with the mirror surface. The fastener comprises gripping arms adapted to secure the communication device in several positions, including a portrait or landscape orientation. The body further comprises a control circuit having a wireless Bluetooth® communication chip and an input device such as a membrane switch. The input device comprises dim up and dim down buttons to control the intensity of the light emitting diodes and a camera activation button to wirelessly activate the camera to take a picture or video.