Terminal equipped with removable robotic module

Abstract

In an embodiment, a smart terminal is equipped with a removable robot. In some embodiments, the smart terminal includes a removable camera module that operates as a drone.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A portable electronic device, comprising:
 a touch-screen display;   an electronic processor coupled to the touch-screen display;   a housing including:
 an opening on an exterior surface of the housing; and 
 a longitudinal axis; 
   a rod coupled to the housing at a first end of the rod, the rod movable along the longitudinal axis of the housing; and   a camera coupled to a second end of the rod and positionable within the opening on the exterior surface of the housing,   wherein the rod is configurable to, in response to signals from the electronic processor, retract the camera at least partially into the housing or extend the camera at least partially outside of the housing.   
     
     
         16 . The portable electronic device of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 one or more electrical actuators operably coupled to the rod,   wherein the electronic processor is electrically coupled to the one or more electrical actuators,   wherein the electronic processor is configured to:
 receive a signal from the touch-screen display; 
 determine a movement direction of the rod based at least in part on the signal, and 
 operate the one or more electrical actuators to move of the rod in the movement direction. 
   
     
     
         17 . The portable electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to display a horizontal position control button on the touch-screen display, and, in response to selection of the horizontal position control button, operate the one or more electrical actuators to rotate the rod  180  degrees about the longitudinal axis of the housing. 
     
     
         18 . The portable electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the rod is movable to extend at least a portion of the rod outside of the housing. 
     
     
         19 . The portable electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the camera is configured to rotate with respect to an axis of the rod. 
     
     
         20 . The portable electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the camera is pivotable relative to the second end of the rod. 
     
     
         21 . A portable electronic device, comprising:
 a smart terminal comprising:
 a touch-screen display; and 
 an electronic processor; and 
   a removable robotic module removably coupled to the camera, the robotic module comprising a camera,   wherein the smart terminal is operable to control the camera of the robotic module in response to user input to the touch-screen display.   
     
     
         22 . The portable electronic device of  claim 21 , wherein the robotic module further comprises a drone configured to separate from the smart terminal and move from place to place under the drone's own power. 
     
     
         23 . The portable electronic device of  claim 22 , wherein the drone is a removable micro hovering drone. 
     
     
         24 . The portable electronic device of  claim 21 , wherein the smart terminal further comprises a docking station, wherein the robotic module is configured to couple on the docking station, wherein the docking station is configurable to provide power to the robotic module. 
     
     
         25 . The portable electronic device of  claim 21 , wherein the smart terminal is configured to operate as a remote control for the robotic module. 
     
     
         26 . The portable electronic device of  claim 21 , wherein the smart terminal is configured to operate as a remote control for the robotic module, wherein the smart terminal comprises an augmented-reality viewfinder. 
     
     
         27 . The portable electronic device of  claim 21 , wherein the robotic module comprises a drone device and a camera module movable coupled to the drone device. 
     
     
         28 . The portable electronic device of  claim 21 , wherein the robotic module comprises a drone device and a camera module movably coupled to the drone device, wherein the robotic module further comprises a rod coupled between the drone device and the camera module, wherein the rod is configured to rotate the camera module relative to the drone device. 
     
     
         29 . The portable electronic device of  claim 21 , wherein the robotic module comprises a drone device and a camera module movably coupled to the drone device, wherein the robotic module further comprises a rod coupled between the drone device and the camera module, wherein the drone device is configurable to move the rod to extend and retract the camera module relative to the drone device. 
     
     
         30 . A portable electronic device, comprising:
 a smart terminal comprising:
 a housing comprising a recess; 
 a touch-screen display; and 
 an electronic processor; and 
   a removable camera module removably at least partially in the recess, the camera module comprising one or more cameras,   wherein the smart terminal is operable to control at least one of the one or more cameras of the removable camera module in response to user input to the touch-screen display.   
     
     
         31 . The portable electronic device of  claim 30 , wherein the recess comprises a channel along a top edge of the housing of the smart terminal. 
     
     
         32 . The portable electronic device of  claim 30 , wherein the smart terminal further comprises a docking station, wherein the removable camera module is configured to couple on the docking station, wherein the docking station is configurable to provide power to the removable camera module. 
     
     
         33 . The portable electronic device of  claim 30 , wherein the smart terminal is configured to operate as a remote control for the removable camera module. 
     
     
         34 . The portable electronic device of  claim 30 , wherein the removable camera module comprises a drone device.