MOBILE TERMINAL HAVING FOLDABLE DISPLAY AND OPERATION METHOD FOR THE SAME

• US 20100182265A1
• Filed: 01/08/2010
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Kyung Hwa, OH, Jung Yeob, KIM, Jin Yong, LEE, Myeong Lo
• Granted Patent: US 9,684,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• 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 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A mobile terminal having a foldable display and an operation method for the same are disclosed. The foldable display unit includes a plurality of display zones, wherein the application of program depends on the degree of folding angle of the display unit, and the display unit displays on its screen according to the folding angle. Further, variations of closing and opening motion of the foldable display unit triggers different modes of operation and displays

Claims

1. A method for providing different operation modes of a mobile terminal having a foldable display unit, the foldable display unit having a plurality of display zones, comprising:

detecting a folding angle between adjacent display zones; and

activating an application program or controlling an execution of an activated application program according to the detected folding angle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing a touch event occurring on at least one of the plurality of display zones.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the activating comprises one of:

(a) carrying out an application control on the basis of a function table specifying application control operations according to at least one of a touch event and the detected folding angle;

(b) when the folding angle between a first display zone and a second display zone is greater than a first predetermined angle and less than a second predetermined angle, activating a first preset application program and outputting a window related to the first application program on the first display zone;

(c) when the folding angle between the first display zone and the second display zone is greater than the first predetermined angle and less than the second predetermined angle, activating a first preset application program and outputting a window related to the first application program on the first display zone, and activating a second preset application program and outputting a window related to the second application program on the second display zone;

(d) when the folding angle between the first display zone and the second display zone becomes equal to a predefined angle, displaying one of windows related to a first application program and a second application program in a full screen mode on both the first display zone and the second display zone;

(e) identifying, when the folding angle between the first display zone and the second display zone becomes equal to the predefined angle, preset priorities of activated application programs, and outputting a window related to the highest-priority application program in a full screen mode on both the first display zone and the second display zone;

(f) identifying, when the folding angle between the first display zone and the second display zone becomes equal to the predefined angle, preset priorities of the display zones, and outputting a window displayed on the highest-priority display zone in a full screen mode on both the first display zone and the second display zone;

(g) outputting, when the folding angle between the first display zone and the second display zone becomes less than the predefined angle, a window, which is currently displayed in a full screen mode on both the first display zone and the second display zone, on the first display zone; and

(h) outputting, when the folding angle between the first display zone and the second display zone becomes less than the predefined angle, a window, which is currently displayed in full screen mode on both the first display zone and the second display zone, on the first display zone, and activating the most recently deactivated application program and outputting a window related to the newly activated application program on the second display zone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the activating comprises activating a preset function when the folding angle between a first display zone and a second display zone is changed from a first angle to a second angle less than the first angle and then changed back to the first angle.

5. The method of claim 4, further executing a particular function that copies a content listed on the first display zone and moves the copied version to a third display zone.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprises:

sensing, when the folding angle between the first display zone and the second display zone remains greater than the first angle, a touch event for selecting a content listed on the first display zone; and

copying the selected content and moving the copied version to a third display zone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the activating comprises one of:

(a) combining, when the folding angle between a first display zone and a second display zone is changed from a first angle to a second angle less than the first angle and then changed back to the first angle, a content listed on the first display zone and another content listed on the second display zone into a single content;

(b) activating, when the folding angle between the first display zone and the second display zone remains greater than the first angle, a preset first application program and outputting a window related to the first application program on the first display zone, and activating an application program linked with the first application program and outputting a window related to the linked application program on the second display zone;

(c) activating one of preset application programs according to a change in the folding angle between two adjacent display zones, and outputting a window related to the activated application program on one of the display zones;

(d) outputting, when the folding angle between the first display zone and the second display zone is equal to the second angle, the window related to a currently running application program in a full screen mode on both the first display zone and the second display zone; and

(e) outputting a window related to a first application program on the first display zone, outputting a window related to a second application program on the second display zone, and handling touch events occurring on the first display zone and the second display zone in a coordinated way.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step (e) comprises moving, when a touch and hold event occurs on a menu item listed on the first display zone and a touch event occurs on a content listed on the second display zone for selection, the content selected on the second display zone to the menu item on the first display zone.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a placement event according to the placement state of the mobile terminal; and

controlling an activation of an application program or an execution of a currently active application program according to a generated placement event.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising deactivating, when a placement event is generated, a touch sensor installed on the display unit.

11. A mobile terminal having a foldable display, comprising:

a display unit having a plurality of display zones;

an angle sensor sensing a folding angle between adjacent display zones; and

a control unit activating an application program or controlling an execution of an activated application program according to the folding angle.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, further comprising at least one of:

a hinge unit enabling the display unit to be folded and unfolded;

a touch sensor generating a touch event according to a touch occurring on at least one of the display zones; and

a storage unit storing a function table defining application control operations according to at least one of a touch event and the folding angle.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit comprises:

a sensing detector identifying the sensed folding angle between a first display zone and a second display zone; and

a function controller activating at least one of preset application programs according to the sensed folding angle, and outputting at least one window related to the activated application program on at least one of the first display zone and second display zone.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the function controller controls one of:

(a) when the folding angle between the first display zone and the second display zone is equal to a predetermined angle, displaying one of windows related to a first application program and a second application program in a full screen mode on both the first display zone and the second display zone;

(b) outputting, according to preset priorities of application programs or the display zones, a window related to the highest-priority application program or highest-priority display zone in a full screen mode;

(c) copying, when the folding angle between the first display zone and the second display zone is changed from a first angle to a second angle less than the first angle and then changed back to the first angle, a content listed on the first display zone and moving the copied version to a third display zone;

(d) copying, when the folding angle between the first display zone and the second display zone remains greater than a predefined angle and a touch event occurs on a content listed on the first display zone for selection, the content selected on the first display zone and moving the copied version to another display zone; and

(e) when the folding angle between the first display zone and the second display zone is changed from the first angle to the second angle less than the first angle and then changed back to the first angle, combining a content listed on the first display zone and another content listed on the second display zone; and

(f) outputting, when a second application program linked to a preset first application program is present, a window related to the first application program on the first display zone, and activating the second application program and outputting a window related to the second application program on the second display zone.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the function controller controls outputting a window related to a first application program on the first display zone, outputting a window related to a second application program on the second display zone, and handling touch events occurring on the first display zone and the second display zone in a coordinated way.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 15, wherein the function controller controls moving, when a touch and hold event occurs on a menu item listed on the first display zone and a touch event occurs on a content listed on the second display zone for selection, the content selected on the second display zone to the menu item on the first display zone.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the angle sensor generates a placement event according to the placement state of the mobile terminal and sends the placement event to the control unit.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the control unit controls activation of an application program or execution of a currently active application program according to the generated placement event.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the control unit deactivates, when the placement event is generated, a touch sensor installed on the display unit.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit activates one of preset application programs according to a change in the folding angle between two adjacent display zones, and outputs a window related to the activated application program on one of the display zones.