Nec Corporation

Nec C Orporation

Masaki Shimamura

Michio Nagai

Masatomo Mizuta

Mika Fujii

Kiyoshi Kohayakawa

Kazuo Ohtsuta

Masakatsu Takizawa

Hiromu Kitamura

Yoshiki Miyazawa

Mitsuru Sendouda

Jin Kuramoto

Kazuo Ootuta

Atsushi Yamamoto

Minoru Shimizu

Atsushi Ohta

Kazuhiko Yamaoka

Mitsuaki Kanada

Kazuo Oosawa

Katsuya Sakaguchi

Kazuya Kumazawa

Mitio Nagai

Kiyosi Kohayakawa

A foldable portable information terminal includes an upper unit having a display unit on its one side, a lower unit having operation keys on its one side, and a movable connecting mechanism connecting the upper unit and the lower unit allowing the upper unit to be opened, closed, and freely rotated with respect to a longitudinal direction of the lower unit. The displaying mode of the display unit whose direction varies depending on a position of the upper unit is changed depending on a positional relationship of the upper unit and the lower unit.

Foldable portable information terminal

A portable device includes an upper unit, a lower unit having an operation section on an operation surface, and a movable connecting mechanism which connects the upper unit and the lower unit. The movable connecting mechanism includes a rotating hinge including a rotation axis which is securely and rotatably provided to the lower unit and which protrudes from the operation surface in a direction substantially normal to the operation surface, a projection protruding outward from the rotation axis, and a stopping member provided at a location where the projection comes in contact with the stopping member due to rotation of the rotation axis. The stopping member is movable within a predetermined range of movement due to the projection coming in contact with the stopping member.

A portable communication apparatus includes a first unit having at least a display section and a second unit having at least a main operation section, which are coupled by a slide coupling and are freely slidable in a longitudinal direction between a retracted state and an extended state. The first unit and the second unit are urged by an urging member in an extension direction and are releasably locked by a releasable lock mechanism in the retracted state. The locking is released by a predetermined operation. An optical aperture for optical function is provided in one of surfaces of the first and second units that face one another in the retracted state. The optical function section is made operable when the first and second units are positioned in the extended state.

Slide-type portable communication apparatus

A portable communication apparatus includes a main housing having at least a display section and an operation section and a movable housing that is engaged with the main housing slidably in a longitudinal direction between a retracted state and an extended state. The main housing and the movable housing are urged in an extension direction and are releasably locked in the retracted state. A portion of the display section is covered and protected by the movable housing when retracted. An optical aperture for optical function is provided in the main housing and its optical function is made operable when extended.

A foldable type portable information terminal can accurately recognize operation mode in a construction having various of functions and various relative attitudes. The portable information terminal includes the upper unit having the display screen in either of the upper or lower surfaces and the lower unit having the operation surface in either upper or lower surfaces coupled for opening and closing and for pivoting. The portable information terminal has a detector which detects variation of relative attitude of the upper unit and the lower unit, for externally announcing variation of relative attitude of the upper unit and the lower unit as detected by the detector.

Foldable type portable information terminal, condition notifying method used in the same and program therefor

This invention relates to a folding portable information terminal including an upper unit having a display section on one surface, a lower unit having an operating section on one surface, and a movable joining member which openably and pivotally couples the upper and lower units to each other or openably couples the units to each other at one end of each of the units. This portable information terminal includes an upper unit posture detecting unit for detecting opening-closing and/or pivoting operation of the upper unit, an information recording section which records at least one of predetermined voice information, still image information, and moving image information, and an information recording control unit for setting the information recording section in a mode of recording selected predetermined information when the upper unit posture detecting unit detects a shift of the upper unit to a predetermined posture or a shift of the upper unit from a predetermined posture during voice communication or a standby period.

Folding portable information terminal with fold-position-based recording control

When no photographing is carried out, a control unit applies no voltage to a dimming film of a lens concealing plate, sets a light blocking state to scatter incident light, and prevents a camera lens from becoming visible. When an operator depresses a photographing mode selection key, the control unit applies a predetermined voltage to the dimming film to set a transparent state, thereby enabling photographing to be carried out. In this state, when photographing a landscape, the operator directs the camera lens to an object, sets a cellular phone ready, decides a composition by watching an image of the object displayed on a main display unit, and correcting a position of the cellular phone, and depresses the photographing mode key again.

Portable electronic equipment having a photographic function and a concealable lens

A cellular phone can attach a detachable attachment thereto. The attachment includes a signal output unit which outputs a specific signal corresponding thereto, and an output terminal which outputs the signal to the cellular phone. The cellular phone includes a signal detection unit which detects the signal intrinsic to the attachment, and a control unit which controls a change for setting conditions of the cellular phone based on the signal. The attachment can include a predetermined function unit. The control unit can control the function unit in response to the signal.

Cellular phone and attachment thereof

A portable electronic device is provided which an operator (photographer) has not an abnormal but favorable feeling from a design (aesthetic) viewpoint and which enables the operator to know an area in which a photograph can be successfully taken or a position of a subject to be photographed. A control section has an auxiliary display section display present time, notification of arrival of data and/or messages, or a like when no photograph is taken. When the operator presses down a photographing mode selecting key, the control section controls a liquid crystal panel so that its all pixels are put into a light transmitting state and causes reflected light from a mirror reflecting plate to be visually viewed by the operator. That is, the auxiliary display section operates as the mirror to look therein at an image of a subject to be photographed. The operator, if wishing to take a photograph of himself/herself, holds a portable cellular phone and directs a camera lens toward himself/herself, and corrects a posture of the portable cellular phone so that his/her face may be looked in such a manner that has a desired size or a desired position in the auxiliary display section operating as the mirror. After the operator has determined photographic composition of the subject, the operator presses down the shutter button.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Masaki Shimamura