Foldable display device and method for controlling same

• US 10,416,719 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2014
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Chun, Sinae, Lee, Doyoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US15/517,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20170308125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,789 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/02 Details of power systems and of start or stop of display operation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/04 Display device controller operating with a plurality of display units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/02 Flexible displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

Disclosed in the present specification are a foldable display device for displaying interconnected first and second contents respectively in a first display region and a second display region which are physically and visually separated by the folding of a housing part, and a method for controlling the same. The foldable display device according to the present invention is capable of further displaying a second content connected with a first content in a second display region facing the same direction as a first display region when the housing part is converted from a completely folded state to a half unfolded state during a period of displaying the first content in the first display region of at least two display regions which are physically or visually separated by the folding of the housing part in a state where the housing part is completely folded. The present specification allows a user to simultaneously identify the first content displayed in the first display region and the second content displayed in the second display region in the second state. Accordingly, the user can conveniently simultaneously compare at least two interconnected contents.

Claims

1. A foldable display device, comprising:

a housing unit configured to contain at least 3 or more bases;

at least two or more hinge units configured to physically connect the bases in a manner of being positioned between the bases and make the bases have a completely unfolded state that the bases are located at the same plane, a completely folded state that the bases are layered, and an intermediate unfolded or an intermediate folded state corresponding to a connection state between the completely unfolded state and the completely folded state;

a display configured to be positioned on at least one side of the housing unit;

a folding sensor unit configured to output a state signal for the completely folded state, the intermediate unfolded or intermediate folded state, or the completely unfolded state of the housing unit; and

a controller configured to;

detect a state of the housing unit by receiving the state signal from the folding sensor unit and control the display,

when first content is displayed in a first display region among at least two or more display regions which are physically or visually separated by the folding of the housing unit in the completely folded state of the housing unit, hereinafter, first state, if the completely folded state of the housing unit is switched to the intermediate unfolded state of the housing unit, cause the display to display second content interconnected with the first content in a second display region facing a direction identical to a direction at which the first display region is facing in a second state,

cause the display to display one of a plurality of the second contents in the second display region according to the extent of the second state approaching the completely unfolded state or the completely folded state, and

cause the display to display one content of the plurality of second contents having a large difference value among the plurality of the second contents in the second display region as the second state is getting close to the completely unfolded state or the completely folded state,

wherein the second content corresponds to the plurality of second contents, and

wherein the plurality of the second contents comprise the difference value indicating an extent of a difference the plurality of the second content is interconnected with the first content.

2. The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to further display information indicating the existence of the second content interconnected with the first content in the first display region in the first state.

3. The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to display content identical to the first content, which is displayed in the first display region in the first state, in the first display region in the second state.

4. The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to display content of which the second content is excluded from the first content, which is displayed in the first display region in the first state, in the first display region in the second state.

5. The foldable display device of claim 1, further comprising a touch sensor unit configured to detect a user touch touched on the display and output an input signal, wherein the controller is configured to receive the input signal, analyze a user input, and control a screen displayed on the display according to the analyzed input.

6. The foldable display device of claim 5, wherein if a user input inputted on the first display region in the second state corresponds to an input for magnifying a screen, the controller is configured to control a screen of the first content displayed in the first display region to be magnified only.

7. The foldable display device of claim 5, wherein if a user input inputted on the first display region in the second state corresponds to an input for magnifying a screen, the controller is configured to control screens of the first content and the second content displayed in the first display region and the second display region to be magnified with the same ratio.

8. The foldable display device of claim 5, wherein if a user input inputted on the first display region in the second state corresponds to an input for moving a screen, the controller is configured to control a screen of the first content displayed in the first display region to be moved only.

9. The foldable display device of claim 5, wherein if a user input inputted on the first display region in the second state corresponds to an input for moving a screen, the controller is configured to control screens of the first content and the second content displayed in the first display region and the second display region to be moved with the same distance in the same direction.

10. The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the first content and the second content correspond to images having a different focus on the same target.

11. The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the first content and the second content correspond to images having different time information on the same target.

12. The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the first content and the second content correspond to floor plans having a different height for the same building.

13. The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the first content and the second content correspond to maps having a different height for the same region.

14. The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the first content and the second content correspond to maps represented by a different scheme for the same region.

15. The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the first content and the second content correspond to documents written by a different language for the same content.

16. The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the first content and the second content respectively correspond to an original version and a revised version for the same document.

17. The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein if the display is switched to the completely unfolded state from the second state, the controller is configured to display the first content on the display.

18. A method of controlling a foldable display device, which contains a housing unit configured to contain at least 3 or more bases, at least two or more hinge units configured to physically connect the bases in a manner of being positioned between the bases and make the bases have a completely unfolded state that the bases are located at the same plane, a completely folded state that the bases are layered, and an intermediate unfolded or an intermediate folded state corresponding to a connection state between the completely unfolded state and the completely folded state, and a display unit-configured to be positioned at least one side of the housing unit, comprising the steps of:

causing the display to display first content in a first display region among at least two or more display regions which are physically or visually separated by the folding of the display in the completely folded state of the housing unit;

detecting a state of the housing unit by receiving a state signal from a folding sensor unit configured to output a signal for the completely folded state, the intermediate unfolded or intermediate folded state, or the completely unfolded state of the housing unit;

if the state of the housing unit is switched to the intermediate unfolded state, further displaying second content interconnected with the first content in a second display region facing a direction identical to a direction at which the first display region is facing in a second state;

causing the display to display one of a plurality of the second contents in the second display region according to the extent the second state approaches the completely unfolded state or the completely folded state; and

causing the display to display one content of the plurality of second contents having a large difference value among the plurality of the second contents in the second display region as the second state is getting close to the completely unfolded state;

wherein the second content corresponds to the plurality of second contents, and

wherein the plurality of the second contents comprise the difference value indicating the extent of a difference the plurality of the second content is interconnected with the first content.