Portable electronic device for capturing images
View Patent ↗A portable electronic device having a main body, the device including a camera arrangement for capturing images in a plurality of directions relative to the main body of the device; a lighting element; and a reflector, at least a portion of which is movable about the lighting element to change the direction of light reflected from the lighting element.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a camera arrangement configured to capture images in a plurality of directions relative to a main body of the apparatus;
a lighting element;
a reflector, at least a portion of which is movable about the lighting element to change the direction of light from the lighting element;
a voltage source configured to provide a voltage to operate the lighting element; and
a wiper connector configured to electrically connect the voltage source to the reflector, in order to apply a voltage to the reflector to operate the lighting element, wherein
a point of connection between the wiper connector and the reflector is variable in dependence upon movement of at least a portion of the reflector about the lighting element, and wherein the reflector is configured to maintain an electrical connection between the voltage source and the reflector as at least a portion of the reflector rotates, about the lighting element, around at least 360°.
2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the camera arrangement comprises a camera with an aperture movable relative to the main body to change the direction from which images are captured.
3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the reflector is movable by a user.
4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the reflector is movable by rotation around the lighting element.
5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the camera arrangement comprises a camera with an aperture that is rotatable by a user relative to the main body to change the direction from which images are captured, and the camera aperture and at least a portion of the reflector is rotatable around substantially parallel axes.
6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the camera arrangement comprises a camera with an aperture that is rotatable by a user relative to the main body to change the direction from which images are captured, and at least a portion of the reflector is rotatable around substantially the same axis.
7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a coupler acting between the reflector and the camera arrangement and so arranged that movement of the camera aperture causes movement of the reflector.
8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the coupler is configured to provide at least two positions for the camera aperture at which there is substantial alignment between the direction from which images are captured and the direction to which light is reflected, in use, by the reflector.
9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the camera arrangement is configured to capture images in a first direction and in a second direction which is substantially opposite to the first direction.
10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reflector has a curved surface.
11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lighting element has an elongate portion and the reflector is movable around the elongate portion.
12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lighting element is fixedly positioned in the main body.
13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the voltage source fixedly positioned in the main body of the apparatus.
14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lighting element comprises a xenon tube.
15. A method, comprising:
changing, when at least a portion of a reflector is moved about a lighting element around at least 360°, the direction of light from the lighting element while maintaining an electrical connection between a voltage source and the reflector using a wiper connector, wherein a point of connection between the wiper connector and the reflector varies as the at least a portion of the reflector is moved, and the voltage source is configured to apply a voltage to the reflector to operate the lighting element; and
capturing an image with a camera arrangement using the directed light from the lighting element.
16. A method as claimed in claim 15 , further comprising adjusting the camera arrangement to change the direction from which images are captured, to correspond with the direction to which light is directed by the reflector.
17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reflector comprises a connecting rail that is configured to maintain an electrical connection between the voltage source and the reflector as at least a portion of the reflector rotates, about the lighting element, around at least 360°.
18. The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the reflector comprises a connecting rail that maintains an electrical connection between the voltage source and the reflector as at least a portion of the reflector rotates, about the lighting element, around at least 360°.