Portable device and method for controlling the same

• US 8,593,371 B1
• Filed: 04/08/2013
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Hyorim
• Primary Examiner(s): SHERMAN, STEPHEN G
• Application Number:
  US13/858,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20130300689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 232 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-178, 345 11- 7, 178 1801- 1809, 178/18.11, 455/566
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3228 Monitoring task completion, e.g. by use of idle timers, stop commands or wait commands
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3262 Power saving in digitizer or tablet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for controlling a portable device and which includes detecting one of a first unlock command for switching a state of a first display unit to an active state and maintaining a state of a second display unit in a locked state or a second unlock command for switching the state of the first display unit to the active state and switching the state of the second display unit to a ready-to-activate state; switching the states of the first and second display units to the active state and the ready-to-activate state, respectively, when the second unlock command is detected; detecting an unlock trigger; and switching the second display unit to the active state according to the detected unlock trigger.

Claims

1. A foldable device comprising:

first and second display units at opposing surfaces of the foldable device in a closed position configured to display content; and

a controller configured to;

detect an unlock command for switching a state of the first display unit from a first locked state to an active state and-switching a state of the second display unit from a second locked state to a ready-to-activate state,

switch the state of the first display unit to the active state and switch the state of the second display unit to the ready-to-activate state when the unlock command is detected,

detect an unlock trigger for switching the state of the second display unit, which is in the ready-to-activate state, to the active state, and

switch the state of the second display unit, which is in the ready-to-activate state, to the active state according to the detected unlock trigger,

wherein the ready-to-activate state is an intermediate state between the second locked state and the active state.

2. The foldable device according to claim 1, wherein the unlock trigger is generated when the foldable device is unfolded from the closed position to an open position.

3. The foldable device according to claim 2, wherein, when the foldable device is unfolded, the switching of the state of the second display unit to the active state includes the controller activating a light emitting element of the second display unit when the foldable device has been unfolded by a first threshold angle and activating a touch sensor of the second display unit when the foldable device has been unfolded by a second threshold angle that is equal to or greater than the first threshold angle.

4. The foldable device according to claim 1, wherein the unlock trigger is generated when the second display unit faces a user.

5. The foldable device according to claim 1, wherein the unlock trigger is generated upon execution of an application that operates in conjunction with the second display unit.

6. The foldable device according to claim 5, wherein, when the application that operates in conjunction with the second display unit is executed, the switching of the state of the second display unit to the active state includes the controller activating at least one of a light emitting element and a touch sensor of the second display unit according to control of the application.

7. The foldable device according to claim 1, wherein the first display unit faces a user and the second display unit faces the opposite direction of the first display unit in the closed position.

8. The foldable device according to claim 1, wherein the unlock trigger is detected through at least one of a touch sensor, a gravity sensor, a motion sensor, a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, an inclination sensor, and a brightness sensor.

9. The foldable device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to detect the unlock command by a simultaneously touching of a touch sensor of the first display unit and a touch sensor of the second display unit.

10. The foldable device according to claim 1, wherein the unlock command is determined based on a touch region detected by a touch sensor of the first display unit.

11. The foldable device according to claim 1, wherein when the controller detects the unlock trigger for the second display unit, the controller is further configured to display detailed content on the second display unit associated with the content displayed on the first display unit.

12. The foldable device according to claim 1, wherein, in the ready-to-activate state, the state of the second display unit is switched to the active state by detecting the unlock trigger without simultaneously detecting the unlock command.

13. The foldable device according to claim 1, wherein, in the ready-to-activate state, the state of the second display unit is switched to the active state by detecting the unlock trigger without simultaneously detecting the unlock command.

14. The foldable device according to claim 1, wherein, in the first locked state, the first display unit partially activates a touch sensor or a light emitting element.

15. The foldable device according to claim 1, wherein, in the second locked state, a light emitting element and a touch sensor of the second display unit are inactive.

16. The foldable device according to claim 1, wherein the first locked state of the first display unit is identical with the second locked state of the second display unit.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the unlock trigger is generated when the foldable device is unfolded from the closed position to an open position.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the unlock trigger is generated when the second display unit faces a user.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first locked state of the first display unit is identical with the second locked state of the second display unit.

17. A method for controlling a foldable device including first and second display units at opposing surfaces of the foldable device in a closed position, the method comprising:

detecting an unlock command for switching a state of the first display unit from a first locked state to an active state and switching a state of the second display unit from a second locked state to a ready-to-activate state;

switching the state of the first display unit to the active state and switching the state of the second display unit to the ready-to-activate state when the unlock command is detected;

detecting an unlock trigger for switching the state of the second display unit, which is in the ready-to-activate state, to the active state; and

switching the state of the second display unit, which is in the ready-to-activate state, to the active state according to the detected unlock trigger,

wherein the ready-to-activate state is an intermediate state between the second locked state and the active state.