Mobile terminal having foldable display and operation method for the same

• US 9,684,342 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2010
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jin Yong, Lee, Myeong Lo, Kim, Kyung Hwa, Oh, Jung Yeob
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAM, NELSON C
• Application Number:
  US12/684,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20100182265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,720 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 345 11- 22
• 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 at least one hinge separating a plurality of display zones, the method comprising:

detecting a folding angle about the hinge between adjacent display zones;

controlling an activation of at least one application program or an operation of at least one activated application program according to the detected folding angle;

displaying a result of the activation or the operation on at least one of the plurality of display zones or on the whole foldable display unit in a full screen mode;

displaying a window related to a first application program on a first display zone, and a window related to a second application program on a second display zone;

handling touch events occurring on the first display zone and the second display zone in a coordinated way;

detecting a tap input on a first object on the first display zone; and

detecting a drag input on a second object on the second display zone and in response moving the second object from the second display zone to the first object on the first display zone,

wherein said displaying a result comprises one of;

(a) combining, when the folding angle 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 a first display zone and another content listed on a second display zone into a single content;

(b) activating, when the folding angle 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 displaying 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 displaying a window related to the activated application program on one of the display zones; and

(d) displaying, when the folding angle is equal to the second angle, the window related to a currently running application program in the full screen mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling comprises:

sensing a touch event occurring on at least one of the plurality of display zones; and

controlling the activation of at least one application program or an operation of at least one activated application program according to at least one of the touch event and the folding angle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said displaying a result comprises one of:

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 displaying a window related to the first application program on a first display zone;

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

when the folding angle is equal to a predefined angle, displaying one of windows related to a first application program and a second application program in the full screen mode;

identifying, when the folding angle is equal to the predefined angle, preset priorities of activated application programs, and displaying a window related to the highest-priority application program in the full screen mode;

identifying, when the folding angle is equal to the predefined angle, preset priorities of the display zones, and displaying a window displayed on the highest-priority display zone in the full screen mode;

displaying, when the folding angle is less than the predefined angle, a window, which is currently displayed in the full screen mode, on the first display zone; and

displaying, when the folding angle is less than the predefined angle, a window, which is currently displayed in the full screen mode, on the first display zone, and newly activating the most recently deactivated application program and displaying 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 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 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 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.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring a placement state of the mobile terminal relative to the ground;

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

controlling an activation of at least one application program or an operation of at least one activated application program according to a generated placement event.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising deactivating, when a predetermined placement event is generated, a touch sensor installed on the display unit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first application program is unrelated to the second application program; and

the first application program is activated and the first window related thereto is displayed on the first display zone upon detection of a first folding angle; and

the second application program is activated and the second window related thereto is displayed on the second display zone upon detection of a second folding angle.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising combining, when a folding state is changed from a first folding state to a second folding state and then changed back to the first folding state, a content displayed on a first display region and another content displayed on a second display region into a single content.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a detection of the folding angle equaling a first folding angle, performing a first operation of at least one application program and displaying a result of the first operation on at least one of the plurality of display zones; and

executing a second operation differing from the first operation upon detecting a transition from the first folding angle to a second folding angle and back to the first folding angle.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a specific folding angle corresponding to the activation or the operation in relation to the controlling is detected only when the specific folding angle is detected for longer than or equal to a preset time.

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

a display unit having a plurality of display zones separated by at least one hinge;

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

a control unit configured to;

control an activation of at least one application program or an operation of at least one activated application program according to the folding angle;

control the display unit to display a result of the activation or the operation on at least one of the plurality of display zones or on the whole foldable display unit in a full screen mode;

control the display unit to display a window related to a first application program on a first display zone, and to display a window related to a second application program on a second display zone;

handle touch events occurring on the first display zone and the second display zone in a coordinated way;

detect a tap input on a first object on the first display zone; and

detect a drag input on a second object on the second display zone and in response moving the second object from the second display zone to the first object on the first display zone,

wherein the function controller controls one of;

(a) combining, when the folding angle 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 a first display zone and another content listed on a second display zone into a single content;

(b) activating, when the folding angle 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 displaying 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 displaying a window related to the activated application program on one of the display zones; and

(d) displaying, when the folding angle is equal to the second angle, the window related to a currently running application program in the full screen mode.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14, further comprising:

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

the control unit controls the activation of at least one application program or an operation of at least one activated application program according to at least one of the touch event and the folding angle.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 14, 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.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the function controller controls one of:

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;

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;

copying, when the folding angle 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;

copying, when the folding angle 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

when the folding angle 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

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.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 16, 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.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the angle sensor generates a placement event according to the placement state of the mobile terminal relative to the ground and sends the placement event to the control unit.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the control unit controls activation of an application program or execution of a currently active application program according to the generated placement event.

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

22. The mobile terminal of claim 14, 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.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 14, further comprising:

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

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

a display unit having a plurality of display zones separated by at lease one hinge;

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

a control unit operatively coupled to the display unit and the angle sensor and configured to control operations of;

activate a preset application program according to a change in the folding angle, and display a window related to the activated program on one of the display zones;

display, in response to the folding angle transitioning to and remaining at a first angle greater than a predefined angle, a window related to a first application program on a first display zone, and a window linked with the first application program on a second display zone;

handle touch events occurring on the first display zone and the second display zone in a coordinated way;

detect a tap input on a first object on the first display zone and a drag input on a second object on the second display zone, and in response move the second object from the second display zone to the first object on the first display zone;

if a first content is listed on the first display zone and a second content is listed on the second display zone, combine, when the folding angle is changed from the first angle to a second angle and then changed back to the first angle, the first content and the second content into a single content; and

if a current window related to a currently running application is displayed on only one of the first and second display zones, display, when the folding angle transitions to the first angle, the current window on both the first and second display zones in a full screen mode.