METHOD OF CONTROLLING USER INPUT USING PRESSURE SENSOR UNIT FOR FLEXIBLE DISPLAY DEVICE

• US 20140168139A1
• Filed: 07/19/2013
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Ku, Ja-Seung
• Granted Patent: US 9,703,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/045 Zooming at least part of an image, i.e. enlarging it or shrinking it
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/035 for flexible display surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/20 for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters

Abstract

There is provided a method of controlling a user input using a pressure sensor unit for a flexible display device in which the pressure sensor unit for sensing a touch position through pressure transmitted when a touch is made is formed on one surface of a substrate, by which a user may zoom in/out a displayed image by only one hand using the intensity and pattern of input touch pressure.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a user input using a pressure sensor unit which includes a plurality of first electrodes arranged on one surface of a first substrate in a first direction and a plurality of second electrodes positioned on the first electrodes and arranged in a second direction for a flexible display device, the method comprising steps of:

after a specific region of a top surface of the first substrate is touched, determining whether intensity of a sensing signal generated by a change in a distance between the first electrodes and the second electrodes corresponding to the touched region is no less than a threshold value;

when it is determined that the intensity of the sensing signal is no less than the threshold value, calculating a touch position at a point of time and setting the calculated touch position as a center position of increase/reduction in an image;

determining whether a touch pressure applied in the touch position is increased or reduced after the point of time; and

when the touch pressure is increased or reduced, zooming in or out an image by increase or reduction in the intensity of the sensing signal corresponding to the touch pressure.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when it is determined that the intensity of the sensing signal is smaller than the threshold value, further comprising a step of calculating only the touch position using the sensing signal.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein a plurality of pixels are formed on a display region of the first substrate, and

wherein the pressure sensor unit is positioned under the plurality of pixels.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pressure sensor unit comprises:

the plurality of first electrodes patterned on the one surface of the first substrate and arranged in the first direction;

an insulating layer formed on an entire surface of the first substrate including the first electrodes;

the plurality of second electrodes formed on the insulating layer and arranged in the second direction that intersects the first electrodes; and

a buffer layer formed on the second electrodes to planarize a surface.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein spacers that maintain a distance between the first electrodes and the second electrodes are provided in the insulating layer.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the plurality of pixels are formed on the buffer layer.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first substrate is formed of a transparent material having a flexible characteristic.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the flexible material is polyimide.