Method and apparatus for controlling imaging area of flexible display device

• US 9,235,290 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lee, Wook-Jae
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZUBAJLO, JENNIFER L
• Application Number:
  US13/789,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20140125604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184
• 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 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Provided are a method and apparatus for controlling an imaging area of a flexible display device. A method of controlling an imaging area in a display area of a flexible display device including a display unit for receiving a touch, and a display area overlapping the display unit and for displaying an image includes obtaining at least two input signals input to the display unit in response to a continuous touch in the form of a closed loop, setting an internal area of the closed loop as an imaging area based on the obtained at least two input signals, and controlling the image displayed on the display area to be moved and displayed onto the set imaging area. An area for displaying an image may be controlled appropriately for the shape of a flexible display device by using an input signal generated by a user'"'"'s touch.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a flexible display device, the method comprising:

controlling an imaging area within a display area of the flexible display device comprised of a display unit for receiving a manual touch, and a display area overlapping the display unit and displaying an image, by obtaining at least two input signals input to the display unit in response to a continuous manual touch in a form of a closed loop;

setting an internal area of the closed loop as the imaging area in accordance with the at least two input signals, the at least two input signals comprising a first input signal and a second input signal; and

controlling the image displayed on the display area to be moved and displayed onto the set imaging area, the imaging area comprising a first imaging area and a second imaging area spaced apart from each other on the display unit, and the setting of an internal area comprises setting the first imaging area on the a basis of the first input signal, and setting of the second imaging area on a basis of the second input signal, the display unit is flexible between the first imaging area and the second imaging area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the image further comprises generating an output signal for displaying the image on the set imaging area.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the generating an output signal comprises generating the output signal by converting a coordinate for displaying the image, from a first coordinate where the image is displayed on the display area to a second coordinate corresponding to the set imaging area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting an internal area further comprises:

making a determination of whether the at least two input signals are signals for setting an imaging area based on a time when the input of the at least two input signals starts or ends; and

performing setting the internal area when the determination indicates that the at least two input signals are signals for setting an imaging area.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the determination of whether the at least two input signals are signals for setting an imaging area comprises determining that the at least two input signals are signals for controlling an imaging area when the input of one of the at least two input signals starts within a first critical time after the input of the other of the at least two input signals ends.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the flexible display device is transformable to a spiral structure, and the at least two input signals are continuously input to the display unit and form one closed loop on the transformed flexible display device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting an internal area comprises setting a first imaging area based on the first input signal and a first edge of the display unit, and setting the second imaging area based on the second input signal and a second edge of the display unit.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the display area comprises sub display areas spaced apart from each other on the display unit, and the first imaging area is within one of the sub display areas and the second imaging area is within the other of the sub display areas.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least two input signals further comprise a third input signal and a fourth input signal, and each of the third and fourth input signals extends between the first edge and the second edge facing the first edge and faces the other.

10. A computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program for executing the method of claim 1.

11. An apparatus for controlling an imaging area within a display area of a flexible display device comprised of:

a display unit disposed to respond operationally to reception of a manual touch, and

a display area of a flexible display device overlapping the display unit and displaying an image, the apparatus comprising;

a signal obtaining unit obtaining at least two input signals input to the display unit in response to a continuous manual touch in a form of a closed loop;

an imaging area setting unit setting an internal area of the closed loop as an imaging area in accordance with the at least two input signals, the at least two input signals comprise a first input signal and a second input signal; and

a display control unit controlling the image displayed on the display area to be moved and displayed onto the set imaging area, the imaging area comprises a first imaging area and a second imaging area spaced apart from each other on the display unit, and

the imaging area setting the first imaging area on a basis of the first input signal , and setting the second imaging area on a basis of the second input signal, the display unit is flexible between the first imaging area and the second imaging area.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an output signal generation unit connected to the display control unit, the display control unit controlling the image to be displayed in response to an output signal provided by the output signal generation unit.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the output signal is generated by converting a coordinate for displaying the image, from a first coordinate where the image is displayed on the display area to a second coordinate corresponding to the set imaging area.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a determination unit providing a determination of whether the at least two input signals are signals for setting an imaging area, based on a time when the input of the at least two input signals starts or ends, wherein the imaging area setting unit sets the internal area of the closed loop as the imaging area when the determination indicates that the at least two input signals are signals for setting an imaging area.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the determination unit determines that the at least two input signals are signals for controlling an imaging area when the input of one of the at least two input signals starts within a first critical time after the input of the other of the at least two input signals ends.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the flexible display device is transformable to a spiral structure, and the at least two input signals are continuously input to the display unit and form one closed loop on the transformed flexible display device.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the imaging area setting unit sets the first imaging area on the basis of the first input signal and a first edge of the display unit, and sets the second imaging area on the basis of the second input signal and a second edge of the display unit.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the display area comprises sub display areas spaced apart from each other on the display unit, and the first imaging area is within one of the sub display areas and the second imaging area is within the other of the sub display areas.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least two input signals further comprise a third input signal and a fourth input signal, and each of the third and fourth input signals extends between the first edge and the second edge facing the first edge and faces the other.