It’s hard to say whether Apple is facing another lawsuit this early in the game since we know very little about the iPhone’s screen technology. On the surface, it seems as though Apple may have infringed on Sony Ericsson’s paten filed on May 1, 2004 and issued on August 1, 2006.

The similarities between the two consist of automatic screen rotation, so that while in landscape mode the iPhone can be viewed conveniently in a portrait orientation. The patent discusses the screen rotation concept as well as resizing, cropping, and/or rotating the image.

Abstract

Mobile terminal with ergonomic imaging functions. The present invention, by way of example embodiments, provides for a mobile terminal with ergonomic imaging or camera functions. A single display can be used, for example in portrait mode while terminal functions are being used and in landscape mode while imaging functions are being used. The change between the two orientations can be accomplished automatically. In some embodiments, the capability is also provided to process an image for assignment to a terminal function, where the image has at least one display attribute that makes it at least partly unsuitable for use with the terminal function. The processing may include resizing, cropping, and/or rotating the image. This processing can be accomplished for example, so that a landscape image can be viewed conveniently in a portrait orientation.

Patent number: 7085590
Filing date: Mar 1, 2004
Issue date: Aug 1, 2006
Inventors: Peter J Kennedy, Laurie A. Gray, Elisabeth Gibbons, David Desmond Middleton, James Cunningham, Stacy Smith, Amy Swanson, David C. Bates
Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
Primary Examiner: Sonny Trinh
Attorneys: Moore & Van Allen, PLLC, Steven B. Phillips

Current U.S. Classification
455/556.1; 455/566; 455/575.1

Claims
What is claimed is:

1. In a mobile device operable to perform both an imaging function and terminal functions, a method of processing an image produced by the imaging function for assignment to a terminal function, the method comprising:

receiving a first user indication requesting that the image be assigned to the terminal function, the image having at least one display attribute that makes it at least in part unsuitable for use with the terminal function;

altering the at least one display attribute of the image using a second user input indicating the location of a specific area of the image on a display screen so that the image is more suitable for use with the terminal function; and

assigning the image to the terminal function.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the altering of the at least one display attribute comprises at least one of resizing, cropping, and rotating the image.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one of resizing, cropping, and rotating is accomplished so that a landscape image can be viewed in a portrait orientation.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the terminal function comprises at least one of a group consisting of a phonebook function, a caller ID function, a screen filler function, and a send function.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the terminal function comprises at least one of a group consisting of a phonebook function, a caller ID function, a send function, and a screen filler function.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the terminal function comprises at least one of a group consisting of a phonebook function, a caller ID function, a screen filler function, and a send function.

7. Apparatus operable as a mobile device having both an imaging function and terminal functions, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a first user indication requesting that the image be assigned to the terminal function, the image having at least one display attribute that makes it at least in part unsuitable for use with the terminal function;

means for altering the at least one display attribute of the image using a second user input indicating the location of a specific area of the image on a display screen so that the image is more suitable for use with the terminal function; and

means for assigning the image to the terminal function.

8. A mobile terminal comprising both an imaging function and terminal functions, the mobile terminal further comprising:

a radio block operable to provide an interface to a wireless communication network;

an imaging device associated with the imaging function;

a visual display operable to present at least a portion of a user interface to a user;

a processor to, at least in part, control the mobile terminal, the processor being operationally connected to the radio block, the imaging device and the visual display; and

program code stored within the mobile terminal, the program code operable to, using the processor, control the mobile terminal to receive a first user indication requesting that an image captured by the imaging device be assigned to a terminal function and to alter at least one display attribute of the image using a second user input indicating the location of a specific area of the image on the visual display so that the image is more suitable for use with the terminal function.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8 wherein the program code causes the mobile terminal to alter the at least one display attribute by performing at least one of resizing, cropping, and rotating the image.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9 wherein the at least one of resizing, cropping, and rotating the image is accomplished so that a landscape image can be viewed in a portrait orientation on the visual display.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10 wherein the terminal function comprises at least one of a group consisting of a phonebook function, a caller ID function, a screen filler function, and a send function.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 9 wherein the terminal function comprises at least one of a group consisting of a phonebook function, a caller ID function, a screen filler function, and a send function.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 8 wherein the terminal function comprises at least one of a group consisting of a phonebook function, a caller ID function, a screen filler function, and a send function.

Patent: Mobile terminal with ergonomic imaging functions [via mad4mobilephones.com]