Rotating Front Camera in Terminal Gap for Screen-to-Body Ratio

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Solution Overview

Problem

The screen-to-body ratio of terminal devices is limited by the arrangement of front cameras, as they cannot be excluded due to their essential role in video communication and selfie-taking, and existing solutions fail to improve this ratio effectively.

Innovation Solution

A terminal design where the front camera is positioned behind a gap formed by the display panel and the housing, allowing it to rotate vertically and perform viewfinding through the gap, enabling image splicing to form a complete photographed view while minimizing the camera's physical presence on the terminal's front end.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of moving object

If the front camera is arranged abreast of the screen, then the camera can perform viewfinding and photographing, but the screen-to-body ratio cannot be improved because the camera occupies space that could otherwise be used for the display

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescreen-to-body ratioVSAvoidcamera viewfinding capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent moves the camera from a two-dimensional plane arrangement (abreast with the screen) to a three-dimensional configuration (behind the screen in the depth direction). The camera is positioned in the gap between the display panel and the housing, utilizing the Z-axis dimension to resolve the spatial conflict between screen area and camera placement.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The camera module is nested within the terminal's internal structure, specifically placed in the gap between the display panel and the housing. This nesting approach allows the camera to be housed within the existing terminal boundaries without requiring additional external space, thereby maintaining the screen-to-body ratio while preserving camera functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Manufacturing precision

If the camera width is increased to ensure sufficient photographing area, then the photographing capability is improved, but the screen-to-body ratio decreases because the camera occupies more space on the front end

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvephotographing area coverageVSAvoidscreen-to-body ratio
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSArea of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The solution transitions from increasing camera width (X-axis) to utilizing the depth dimension (Z-axis) by positioning the camera behind the display panel. This allows the camera to maintain adequate photographing area while occupying minimal space in the front-view direction, thus preserving the screen-to-body ratio.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The camera is made rotatable around the optical axis, allowing it to dynamically adjust its photographing direction. This rotational capability enables the camera to capture images across different angles and areas without requiring a larger fixed camera structure, thereby maintaining both photographing coverage and screen-to-body ratio.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Area of moving object

If the camera is positioned behind the display panel, then the screen-to-body ratio is improved, but the camera can only capture a limited area through the gap

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescreen-to-body ratioVSAvoidphotographing area coverage
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of moving objectVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The camera module incorporates rotational capability around its optical axis, enabling it to dynamically change its photographing direction. This allows the camera to sweep across different areas and capture a complete photographing scene by combining multiple angular views, effectively overcoming the limitation of the narrow gap opening.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The camera performs continuous rotational movement to capture images across different angles, ensuring that the entire photographing area is covered over time. This continuous action compensates for the limited instantaneous field of view through the gap, achieving complete area coverage through sequential imaging.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentEP3958552B1Terminal, photographing method, storage medium, and electronic device
Publication Date: 2024.12.04 ZTE CORP
  • EP3958552B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3958552B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3958552B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a terminal, a photographing method, a storage medium, and an electronic device. The terminal comprises a housing, a display panel, and a camera, wherein the camera is provided inside the terminal, and is located behind a gap formed by the display panel and the housing. A driving assembly is provided inside the terminal, and is connected to the camera, for driving the camera to rotate.