The invention relates to a display apparatus, particularly a flat screen for a computer system, having an integrated webcam.
Such display apparatus are known from the prior art. In particular as a result of the increasing spread of video communication, flat screens and laptop displays in computer systems more and more frequently have a built-in digital camera, usually called a webcam.
Webcams allow a multiplicity of novel applications, such as particularly video telephony, or the recording of simple images or videos, of the user of a computer system. The use of webcams also harbors risks, however, particularly in respect of unauthorized recording and observation of a user, for example by malicious software.
In order to avoid unnoticed use of camera, known webcams usually have a light-emitting diode which lights as soon as the webcam has been activated by a piece of software. However, such a status indicator can also be manipulated by a malicious software component.
It is an object of the present invention to describe an improved display apparatus of the type cited at the outset. In particular, a user of the display apparatus is intended to be able to prevent unnoticed or unauthorized activation of an integrated webcam.
The aforementioned object is achieved by a display apparatus having a webcam integrated in the display apparatus. In this case, the display apparatus has a first housing portion having a recording opening for the webcam and an opaque second housing portion which is movably connected to the first housing portion. The second housing portion covers the recording opening in a first position and exposes the recording opening in a second position.
Covering a recording opening for a webcam allows unauthorized observation or recording of a user to be prevented in a simple, mechanical manner.
In various refinements, the display apparatus has additional switching elements for interrupting electrical lines for connecting the webcam or further components. In this case, the switching elements are mechanically coupled to the second housing portion, with transmission of signals being prevented in the first position by the switching elements being opened.
The display apparatus described is particularly suitable for use in a computer system, such as a computer system having an integrated display apparatus.
In one preferred refinement, the computer system is set up to execute a program for processing image data from the webcam when the second housing portion moves into the second position.
Further advantageous refinements of the invention are disclosed in the appended patent claims and in the detailed description below. The invention is explained below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the figures, in which:
The top left-hand portion of
The bottom right hand portion of
Furthermore,
Additionally, two microphone openings 13 for a stereo microphone are arranged behind the slider 8. The microphone openings 13 are also exposed only after the slider 8 has been pulled up and are otherwise covered by the slider 8. Covering the microphone openings 13 in the closed state as shown in
As is evident from
A first electrical line 22 for connecting the microphone 16 is connected to the audio component 19 via a switching element 23. A second electrical line 24 for connecting the webcam 15 is connected to the video component 20 via a second switching element 25. A third electrical line 26 connects the power supply component 18 to the webcam 15. The third electrical line 26 can be interrupted by means of a third switching element 27. A fourth electrical line 28 is used to tap off the supply voltage for the webcam 15 downstream of the third switching element 27 and to route it back to the evaluation component 21. The three switching elements 23, 25 and 27 form different switching contacts of a three-pole switch 29 in the exemplary embodiment.
The switch 29 is mechanically coupled to a movable housing portion, for example the slider 8 based on the exemplary embodiment in
The position of the movable housing portion can be ascertained by the evaluation component 21 by means of the fourth electrical line 28 and can be used, by way of example, to automatically start an associated piece of software, for example, a piece of video conference software in the computer system 17, when the slider 8 is opened. In this case, the provision of the operating voltage serves as a control signal which indicates to the evaluation component 21 that the slider 8 is open.
The various refinements described allow unintentional or unauthorized use of a webcam 15 and components connected thereto to be safely and effectively prevented by a user. In this case, the functional state of the webcam 15 is signaled firstly by the position of the slider 8 and optionally additionally by the lighting of the indicator element 12.
In this case, neither the mechanical block by the slider 8 nor the optional, additional electrical interruption by the switching elements 23, 25 and 17 can be overcome by malware which is executed by the computer system 17.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
20 2011 107 699.0 | Nov 2011 | DE | national |