Mobile Terminal Camera Access via Volume Button

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face inconvenience in quickly capturing moments with mobile phones as they need to go through multiple steps to access the camera, often missing instantaneous scenes due to the time-consuming process of unlocking and navigating to the camera app.

Innovation Solution

A mobile terminal with physical volume buttons (volume-up and volume-down) configured to turn on the camera for photo or video shooting when pressed for specific durations, allowing quick access and continuous shooting or video recording, with optional alerts through sound or vibration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If users follow the conventional steps to access the camera (unlock screen, open camera app, switch to shooting mode), then the camera can be accessed, but the process takes too much time and users miss instantaneous scenes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecamera access speedVSAvoidoperation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The camera is pre-configured to be accessible from the lock screen through dedicated physical buttons. When the lock screen is detected, the system prepares the camera module in advance, allowing users to immediately capture photos or videos by pressing the volume buttons without needing to unlock the screen or navigate through applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The camera access function is extracted from the standard application navigation path and directly integrated into the lock screen interface. By assigning dedicated physical buttons (volume up for photo, volume down for video) on the lock screen, the patent creates a direct shortcut that bypasses the conventional multi-step process of unlocking and opening the camera app.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Speed

If the camera is activated immediately when the screen is lightened, then shooting can start quickly, but the screen may be too bright or cause glare affecting the shooting experience

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshooting activation speedVSAvoidscreen brightness
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The camera activation function is separated from the screen lighting function. Instead of requiring the screen to be fully lit and the device unlocked, the patent enables camera access through dedicated physical buttons on the lock screen, allowing camera activation independent of screen brightness state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The camera module is prepared in advance on the lock screen. When the user presses the volume buttons, the camera is already ready to capture, eliminating the need to wait for screen illumination and application loading, thus achieving fast activation without screen brightness interference.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3461112B1Mobile terminal and method for starting shooting on mobile terminal
Publication Date: 2023.05.31 BEIJING KUNSHI INTPROP MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP3461112B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3461112B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3461112B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a mobile terminal and a method for starting shooting on a mobile terminal, which are used to enable a user of a mobile terminal to capture a view quickly. An embodiment of the present invention includes: a camera, a control module, and a button disposed on a housing of a mobile terminal, where the control module is configured to perform detection with respect to the button when the mobile terminal is standby with a lock screen, and turn on the camera for shooting when detecting that a pressing operation of a user on the button meets a first preset condition. According to the embodiments of the present invention, a user of a mobile terminal can capture a view quickly; therefore, photo shooting experience of the user is improved.