Flexible display apparatus and method of operating the same

• US 9,223,398 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2013
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kwon, Jun-Il, Nam, Hui, Kim, Beom-Shik
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US14/017,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20140098040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3035 Edge emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass

Abstract

Provided are a flexible display apparatus and a method of operating the same. The flexible display apparatus includes: a display unit that displays an image and is flexible; and a sensor for detecting an approach of an object to a bent space of the display unit while the display unit is bent. The flexible display apparatus may use a proximity touch as a user interface by detecting an approach of an object, by disposing a sensor in a region adjacent to a display unit or on the display unit.

Claims

1. A flexible display apparatus, comprising:

a display unit that is flexible and displays an image; and

a sensor including a transmitter transmitting a sensing signal, the transmitter disposed at a first edge of the display unit, the sensor detecting an approach of an object into a sensing region that is a space formed between the first edge and a second edge of the display unit, the sensing region being formed only when the display unit is bent, the second edge facing the first edge when the display unit is bent.

2. The flexible display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor receives the sensing signal.

3. The flexible display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a receiver disposed at the second edge of the display unit for receiving the sensing signal or wherein the sensor receives the sensing signal reflected by the object.

4. The flexible display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a reflector disposed at the second edge of the display unit for reflecting the sensing signal.

5. The flexible display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a determiner for determining at least one of the approach of the object based on the transmitted sensing signal and the received sensing signal, an approach location of the object, and a bending degree of the display unit, wherein the determiner performs the determination by using at least one of a transmission time of the sensing signal, a reception time of the sensing signal, a strength of the transmitted sensing signal, and a strength of the received sensing signal.

6. The flexible display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller for controlling the display unit by recognizing the approach of the object as a user interface, wherein the display unit changes an image displayed on the display unit or ends an image display when the object intrudes into the sending region.

7. The flexible display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises:

a first sensor including the transmitter disposed at the first edge of the display unit; and

a second sensor including a transmitter disposed between the first sensor and a center of the display unit, the second sensor detecting the approach of the object into a bent space that is a space enclosed by the sensing region and the display unit when the display unit is bent.

8. The flexible display apparatus of claim 7, wherein an approach depth of the object is detected by the first and second sensors.

9. The flexible display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a slab unit bending with the display unit, the slab unit adhering to one surface of the display unit and having a curvature according to one direction.

10. The flexible display apparatus of claim 9, wherein the slab unit comprises a shape variation unit for maintaining a streamlined cross section even when the display unit is unbent.

11. The flexible display apparatus of claim 10, wherein a center of the shape variation unit matches a center of the display unit.

12. A method of operating a flexible display apparatus, the method comprising:

detecting an approach of an object to a bent space of a display unit of the flexible display apparatus, the bent space being formed only when the display unit is bent, the bent space being a space enclosed by a sensing region and the display unit, the sensing region being a space formed between a first edge of the display unit and a second edge of the display unit, the second edge facing the first edge when the display unit is bent; and

changing an image displayed on the display unit or ending an image display on the display unit when it is determined that the object intrudes into the bent space.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the detecting the approach of an object comprises detecting an approach depth of the object.

14. The method of claim 12, the method further comprising:

detecting a distance between an edge of a display unit of the flexible display apparatus and a predetermined region of the display unit when the display unit is bent.

15. A flexible display apparatus comprising:

a display unit that displays an image and is flexible;

a sensor including a transmitter transmitting a sensing signal, the transmitter disposed at an edge of the display unit, the sensor detecting a distance between the edge and a predetermined region of the display unit only when the display unit is bent, the predetermined region facing the edge when the display unit is bent; and

a controller for changing an image displayed on the display unit or ending display of the image when the distance is less than or equal to a predetermined distance.

16. The flexible display apparatus of claim 15, wherein the predetermined region of the display unit is another edge of the display unit.

17. The flexible display apparatus of claim 15, wherein the sensor receives the transmitted sensing signal.

18. The flexible display apparatus of claim 17, wherein the sensor comprises:

a receiver disposed at another edge of the display unit, said another edge of the display unit facing the edge of the display unit when the display unit is bent.

19. The flexible display apparatus of claim 18, wherein the sensor receives the sensing signal reflected by the object.

20. The flexible display apparatus of claim 15, wherein the predetermined distance is a half of a distance between the edge and said another edge when the display unit is unbent.