SWIVEL PORTABLE TERMINAL

• US 20080157754A1
• Filed: 12/18/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Hyun-Seok, Jeon, Jae-Woong, Shin, Young-Chul, Yoon, In-Kook
• Granted Patent: US 8,228,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/207.2
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/10 with non-parallel pins
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/07 Hall effect devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/072 Constructional adaptation of the sensor to specific applications

Abstract

Provided is a swivel portable terminal. The swivel portable terminal is configured to allow first and second magnet detecting units installed at one body of a main body and a swivel body at a predetermined interval therebetween to detect first and second magnets installed at the other body and corresponding to the first and second magnet detecting units. A rotation direction in which the swivel body rotates is determined according to a time difference of a change in a magnet detecting state of the first and second magnet detecting units when the swivel body rotates.

Claims

1. A swivel portable terminal comprising:

a main body;

a swivel body rotating a predetermined angle around a predetermined axis with respect to the main body;

a pair of magnets installed at one body of the main body and the swivel body, the magnets having a predetermined interval therebetween;

a pair of magnet detecting units installed at the other body of the main body and the swivel body, the magnet detecting units corresponding to the respective magnets; and

a control unit receiving signals detected by the magnet detecting units according to rotation of the swivel body to determine a rotation direction in which the swivel body rotates, and controlling a function of the terminal corresponding to the determined rotation direction.

2. The swivel portable terminal of claim 1, wherein the magnet detecting units are installed such that both the magnet detecting units detect or do not detect the respective magnets simultaneously when the swivel body is not rotating.

3. The swivel portable terminal of claim 2, wherein the magnet detecting units are installed such that the magnet detecting units perform or stop detection of the magnets with a predetermined time difference between the magnet detecting units when the swivel body begins or stops rotating.

4. The swivel portable terminal of claim 3, wherein the control unit receives signals informing the control unit which of the magnet detecting units first detects a change in a state of the magnets, and determines the rotation direction of the swivel body according to the change.

5. The swivel portable terminal of claim 1, wherein the magnet detecting units are installed at a portion of the main body operating close to the swivel body.

6. The swivel portable terminal of claim 5, wherein the magnet detecting units are one of a Hall sensor and a magnetic lead switch.

7. A swivel portable terminal comprising:

a main body including a predetermined fixed body;

a swivel body rotatably coupled to the fixed body and including a predetermined rotary body;

a pair of magnets installed at one body of the fixed body and the rotary body, the magnets having a predetermined interval therebetween;

a pair of magnet detecting units installed at the other body of the fixed body and the rotary body, the magnet detecting units corresponding to the respective magnets; and

a control unit receiving signals detected by the magnet detecting units according to rotation of the swivel body to determine a rotation direction in which the swivel body rotates, and controlling a function of the terminal corresponding to the determined rotation direction.

8. The swivel portable terminal of claim 7, wherein the rotary body comprises:

a hollow center shaft including a space for receiving a swivel hinge module; and

a plurality of fixed pieces respectively extending from both ends of the center shaft to predetermined lengths, and fixed to the swivel body,

wherein the magnets are respectively installed at the fixed pieces to face the fixed body.

9. The swivel portable terminal of claim 8, wherein the magnet detecting units are installed on a plane portion of the fixed body and correspond to the respective magnets.

10. The swivel portable terminal of claim 9, wherein the magnet detecting units are installed such that both the magnet detecting units detect or do not detect the respective magnets simultaneously when the swivel body is not rotating.

11. The swivel portable terminal of claim 10, wherein the magnet detecting units are installed such that the magnet detecting units perform or stop detection of the magnets with a predetermined time difference between the magnet detecting units when the swivel body begins and stops rotating.

12. The swivel portable terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit receives signals informing the control unit which of magnet detecting units first detects a change in a state of the magnets, and determines the rotation direction of the swivel body according to the change.

13. The swivel portable terminal of claim 7, wherein the magnet detecting units are one of a Hall sensor and a magnetic lead switch.

14. A method for detecting a rotation direction in which a swivel portable terminal having a main body and a swivel body, the swivel portable terminal configured to allow a first and a second magnet detecting units installed at one body of the main body and the swivel body at a predetermined interval between the magnet detecting units to detect a first and a second magnets installed at the other body of the main body and the swivel body, the first and second magnets corresponding to the first and second magnet detecting units, the method comprising the step of:

determining a rotation direction in which the swivel body rotates according to a time difference of a change in a magnet detecting state of the first and second magnet detecting units when the swivel body rotates, the magnet detecting state being changed according to a change in relative positions of the first and second magnets with respect to the first and second magnet detecting units.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein when the swivel body is at an initial position, both the first and second magnet detecting units detect the respective magnets.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at the point when the swivel body begins to rotate in a first rotation direction, the first magnet detecting unit stops detection of the magnet first before the second magnet detecting unit, thereby determining the first rotation direction.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein at the point when the swivel body begins to rotate in a second rotation direction opposite the first rotation direction, the second magnet detecting unit stops detection of the magnet first before the first magnet detecting unit, thereby determining the second rotation direction.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the swivel body is installed to be rotatable 90°

and 180°

about the main body in one of a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein when the swivel body has rotated 90°

, both the first and second magnet detecting units do not detect the magnets.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein when the swivel body returns to an initial 0°

position from a rotated position of 90°

, a direction in which the swivel body has rotated from the initial 0°

position determines which of the first and second magnet detection sensors performs detection first.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein when the swivel body rotates further 90°

from a rotated position of 90°

in the same rotation direction, that is, total 180°

from an initial 0°

position, a direction in which the swivel body has rotated from the initial 0°

position determines which of the first and second magnet detection sensors performs detection first.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the magnet detecting units are one of a Hall sensor and a magnetic lead switch.