Portable terminal device and position detection method used therein

1. A portable terminal device, comprising:

a movable part having a display part;

an arm part provided on a base part, the arm part being configured to support the movable part so that the movable part is rotatable without overlapping the base part in a rotation range of at least ±90° with reference to a rotation center position around a rotation center, the arm part being configured to be foldable relative to the base part through a hinge part; and

a position detection part configured to detect a rotational position of the movable part relative to the arm part,

wherein the position detection part includes a pair of magnets, a pair of one-output magnetic sensors configured to detect magnetic fields of the magnets, and a calculation part configured to determine the rotational position of the movable part based on outputs of the one-output magnetic sensors,

the magnets are provided in a first one of the arm part and the movable part so as to be 90° apart from each other around the rotation center,

the one-output magnetic sensors are provided in a second one of the arm part and the movable part so as to oppose the corresponding magnets when the movable part is positioned at the rotation center position, and

a first one of the magnets and a first one of the one-output magnetic sensors are positioned on a longitudinal center line passing through the rotation center and extending parallel to a long axis of the portable terminal device, and a second one of the magnets and a second one of the one-output magnetic sensors are positioned on a line perpendicular to the longitudinal center line and passing through the rotation center with the movable part being positioned at the rotation center position.

2. The portable terminal device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the one-output magnetic sensors are magnetoresistive elements.

3. The portable terminal device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the display part is in a landscape display position in response to one of a +90° rotation and a −90° rotation of the movable part.

4. A position detection method used in a portable terminal device, the portable terminal device including a movable part having a display part; an arm part provided on a base part, the arm part being configured to support the movable part so that the movable part is rotatable in a rotation range of at least ±90° with reference to a rotation center position around a rotation center; and a position detection part configured to detect a rotational position of the movable part relative to the arm part, the position detection method comprising:

moving the arm part into an unfolded state relative to the base part through a hinge part;

rotating the movable part relative to the arm part without the movable part overlapping the base part; and

detecting the rotational position of the movable part relative to the arm part in the unfolded state using paired magnets provided in a first one of the arm part and the movable part so as to be 90° apart from each other around the rotation center, and paired one-output magnetic sensors provided in a second one of the arm part and the movable part so as to be 90° apart from each other around the rotation center, a first one of the magnets and a first one of the one-output magnetic sensors being positioned on a longitudinal center line passing through the rotation center and extending parallel to a long axis of the portable terminal device, and a second one of the magnets and a second one of the one-output magnetic sensors being positioned on a line perpendicular to the longitudinal center line and passing through the rotation center with the movable part being positioned at the rotation center position,

wherein said detecting determines that the rotational position of the movable part is one of +90° and −90° from the rotation center position in response to the one-output magnetic sensors outputting different signals during a rotation of the movable part relative to the arm part.

5. A portable terminal device, comprising:

a movable part having a display part;

an arm part provided on a base part, the arm part being configured to support the movable part so that the movable part is rotatable without overlapping the base part in a rotation range of at least ±90° with reference to a rotation center position around a rotation center, the arm part being configured to be foldable relative to the base part through a hinge part; and

a position detection part configured to detect a rotational position of the movable part relative to the arm part,

wherein the position detection part includes a magnet, a pair of magnetic sensors configured to detect a magnetic field of the magnet, and a calculation part configured to determine the rotational position of the movable part based on outputs of the magnetic sensors,

the magnet is provided in a first one of the movable part and the arm part, and

the magnetic sensors are provided in a second one of the movable part and the arm part so as to be positioned at corresponding boundaries of a region within which the magnetic sensors sense the magnetic field of the magnet with the movable part being at the rotation center position, so that the magnetic sensors simultaneously sense the magnetic field of the magnet with the movable part being at the rotation center position.

6. The portable terminal device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein:

the magnet is provided in the first one of the movable part and the arm part so as to be positioned on a center line passing through the rotation center to extend in a longitudinal direction of the first one of the movable part and the arm part.

7. A portable terminal device, comprising:

a movable part having a display part;

an arm part provided on a base part, the arm part being configured to support the movable part so that the movable part is rotatable without overlapping the base part in a rotation range of at least ±90° with reference to a rotation center position around a rotation center, the arm part being configured to be foldable relative to the base part through a hinge part; and

a position detection part configured to detect a rotational position of the movable part relative to the arm part,

wherein the position detection part includes a pair of first and second magnets, a pair of first and second magnetic sensors configured to detect magnetic fields of the first and second magnets, and a calculation part configured to determine the rotational position of the movable part based on outputs of the first and second magnetic sensors, and

the first and second magnets are provided in a first one of the movable part and the arm part so as to be apart from each other by a first predetermined degree with reference to the rotation center position around the rotation center, and the first and second magnetic sensors are provided in a second one of the movable part and the arm part so as to be offset from first and second positions opposing the first and second magnets, respectively, to be apart from each other by a second predetermined degree with the movable part being at the rotation center position, one of the first predetermined degree and the second predetermined degree being 90°, so that the first and second magnetic sensors switch respective output signals at different timings.

8. The portable terminal device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the offset between one of the first and second magnets and a corresponding one of the first and second magnetic sensors is determined based on a variation in a range over which the magnetic field of the one of the first and second magnets extends and a variation in a detection range of the corresponding one of the first and second magnetic sensors.