Movable Camera Mechanism for Terminal Device Screen-to-Body Ratio
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing camera layout in terminal devices, such as mobile phones and tablets, requires a significant amount of space at the top for front-facing cameras, limiting the screen-to-body ratio and reducing the available display area.
Innovation Solution
A movement mechanism is integrated into the terminal device, allowing the front-facing camera to be positioned on the back and moved to the front when needed, eliminating the need for top-mounted camera placement and maximizing the screen-to-body ratio.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a front-facing camera is placed at the top of the terminal device, then the camera can shoot photographs or videos of targets in front of the device, but the screen-to-body ratio is limited due to the space required for the camera
Solution Approach 1:
The camera is made movable rather than fixed at the top of the device. A movement mechanism allows the camera to dynamically change its position between a retracted state (within the device body) and an extended state (at the front for shooting). This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction by eliminating the need for permanent top-mounted camera space while maintaining camera functionality when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of placing the camera in the traditional top-dimension of the device front surface, the invention utilizes the depth dimension by retracting the camera into the device body. The camera can be positioned at the back of the device or within internal spaces, effectively using the third dimension (depth) to resolve the space conflict and maximize the screen-to-body ratio.
2Ease of operation
If large space is reserved at the top of the terminal device for the front-facing camera, then the camera can be properly positioned for front shooting, but the overall device size increases and screen-to-body ratio decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera module is nested within the device body rather than being externally mounted. The movement mechanism allows the camera to be stored within the device's internal space when not in use, and only extends outward when needed for shooting. This nesting approach eliminates the need for additional external space while maintaining the camera's front-shooting capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera positioning system transitions from a static top-mounted arrangement to a dynamic movable structure. The camera can be extended to the front position for shooting operations and retracted to a compact position within the device body, allowing the device to maintain a compact form factor while preserving full shooting functionality.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide a terminal device, including a screen, a first camera, and a movement mechanism, where the first camera is disposed on a movable component of the movement mechanism, the movement mechanism is disposed on the back of the screen, and the movable component is configured to drive the first camera to move from the back of the screen to a position at which the first camera can be seen from in front of the terminal device.