Flexible device and operating methods thereof

• US 9,818,928 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2013
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Jin, Chin, Woo-seok, Jung, Ji-yeon
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liang, Dong Hui
• Application Number:
  US13/974,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20140055394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 345173, 345156, 345177, 3404072
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/1071 with electrical and mechanical input and output, e.g. having combined actuator and sensor parts
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/204 using bending displacement, e.g. unimorph, bimorph or multimorph cantilever or membrane benders
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/802 Drive or control circuitry or methods for piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A flexible device includes a flexible body and a plurality of piezoelectric materials arranged on the flexible body that deform in response to drive signals causing deformation of the flexible body of the flexible device.

Claims

1. A flexible device comprising:

a flexible body;

a first plurality of piezoelectric materials of a lower piezoelectric layer disposed on the flexible body, the first plurality of piezoelectric materials arranged in rows on the flexible body in a horizontal direction of the flexible device, each of the rows comprising piezoelectric materials of elongated shape in the horizontal direction;

a first plurality of electrodes which are formed to have a plurality of first electrode patterns, first electrode patterns among the plurality of first electrode patterns respectively connected to piezoelectric materials among the first plurality of piezoelectric materials;

a second plurality of piezoelectric materials of an upper piezoelectric layer disposed on the first plurality of piezoelectric materials, the second plurality of piezoelectric materials arranged in columns on the flexible body in a vertical direction of the flexible device, each of the columns comprising piezoelectric materials of elongated shape in the vertical direction;

a second plurality of electrodes which are formed to have a plurality of second electrode patterns, second electrode patterns among the plurality of second electrode patterns respectively connected to piezoelectric materials among the second plurality of piezoelectric materials;

a flexible display panel supported by the flexible body; and

a controller configured to apply a drive signal selectively to the plurality of first electrode patterns connected to one or more rows of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials or the plurality of second electrode patterns connected to one or more columns of the second plurality of piezoelectric materials in response to detecting an event, causing the one or more rows of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials to deform in the horizontal direction of the flexible device or the one or more columns second plurality of piezoelectric materials to deform in the vertical direction of the flexible device.

2. The flexible device of claim 1, wherein the drive signal comprises a first drive signal and a second drive signal,

wherein the first drive signal drives the one or more rows of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the second drive signal drives the one or more columns of the second plurality of piezoelectric materials,

wherein the one or more rows of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials deform in the horizontal direction of the flexible device, in response to application of the first drive signal to the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the one or more columns of the second plurality of piezoelectric materials deform in the vertical direction of the flexible device, in response to application of the second drive signal to the second plurality of piezoelectric materials.

3. The flexible device of claim 2, wherein the controller divides the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the second plurality of piezoelectric materials into a plurality of groups based on the rows in which the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the columns in which the second plurality of piezoelectric materials are disposed, and applies different ones of the first drive signal and the second drive signal to the respective groups to cause the grouped first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the second plurality of piezoelectric materials to locally deform.

4. The flexible device of claim 3, further comprising a display,

wherein the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the second plurality of piezoelectric materials are disposed on a lower portion of the display,

wherein the controller selectively applies the first drive signal and the second drive signal to the one or more rows of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the one or more columns of the second plurality of piezoelectric materials based on a type of the event, and

wherein the controller controls the display to display a user interface (UI) corresponding to a deformation state of the flexible body corresponding to the deformation of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the second plurality of piezoelectric materials on the display.

5. The flexible device of claim 1, further comprising a display;

and

at least one biosensor configured to detect a touch of a user arranged on lower side of the display,

wherein the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the second plurality of piezoelectric materials are disposed between the display and the at least one biosensor, and

wherein the controller selectively applies the first drive signal and the second drive signal to the one or more rows of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the one or more columns of the second plurality of piezoelectric materials and controls the display to display a user interface on the display, in response to the at least one biosensor detecting the touch of the user.

6. The flexible device of claim 1, further comprising a non-conductive intermediate layer of flexible elastic material disposed on the first plurality of piezoelectric materials,

wherein the first plurality of piezoelectric materials wherein the first plurality of piezoelectric materials, the intermediate layer, and the second plurality of piezoelectric materials are stacked sequentially on one side of the flexible body.

7. The flexible device of claim 1, wherein a magnitude of the drive signal corresponds to a degree of deformation of the at least one of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the second plurality of piezoelectric materials.

8. The flexible device of claim 1, further comprising a detector configured to detect an electric signal generated from one or more piezoelectric materials of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the second plurality of piezoelectric materials in response to a deformation of the flexible body,

wherein the controller determines a deformation state of the flexible body based on a change in the electric signal and performs a control operation corresponding to the determined deformation state.

9. A method for operating a flexible device, comprising:

detecting, by a controller of the flexible device, occurrence of an event; and

selectively applying drive signals to electrode patterns among a plurality of first electrode patterns respectively connected to piezoelectric materials among a first plurality of piezoelectric materials of a lower piezoelectric layer disposed on a flexible body of the flexible device and electrode patterns among a plurality of second electrode patterns respectively connected to piezoelectric materials among a second plurality of piezoelectric materials of an upper piezoelectric layer disposed on the first plurality of piezoelectric materials, based on the event, the first plurality of piezoelectric materials arranged in rows on the flexible body in a horizontal direction of the flexible device, each of the rows comprising piezoelectric materials of elongated shape in the horizontal direction and the second plurality of piezoelectric materials arranged in columns on the flexible body in a vertical direction of the flexible device, each of the columns comprising piezoelectric materials of elongated shape in the vertical direction,

wherein the selectively applied drive signals cause independently controlled deformation of the one or more rows of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials in the horizontal direction of the flexible device or the one or more columns of the second plurality of piezoelectric materials in the vertical direction of the flexible device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the selectively applying drive signals comprises:

determining drive signals to apply to the one or more rows of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the one or more columns of the second plurality of piezoelectric materials based on the type of the event; and

applying the determined drive signals to the one or more rows of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the one or more columns of the second plurality of piezoelectric materials,

wherein the first plurality of piezoelectric materials deform in the horizontal direction of the flexible device in response to application of a first drive signal to the first plurality of piezoelectric materials of the lower piezoelectric layer and the one or more columns of the second plurality of piezoelectric materials deform in the vertical direction of the flexible device, in response to application of the second drive signal to the second plurality of piezoelectric materials of the upper piezoelectric layer.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the selectively applying comprises:

dividing the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the second plurality of piezoelectric materials into a plurality of groups based on the rows in which the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the columns in which the second plurality of piezoelectric materials are disposed; and

applying different ones of the drive signals to the respective groups to cause the grouped first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the second plurality of piezoelectric materials to locally deform.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying a user interface (UI) corresponding to a deformation state of the flexible device corresponding to deformation of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the second plurality of piezoelectric materials on a display of the flexible device.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting a touch of a user through a biosensor provided on the flexible device;

selectively applying the drive signals to the one or more rows of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the one or more columns of the second plurality of piezoelectric materials and displaying a user interface on a display of the flexible device, in response to the detecting.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein magnitudes of the drive signals correspond to degree of deformations of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the second plurality of piezoelectric materials.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting an electric signal generated from one or more piezoelectric materials of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the second plurality of piezoelectric materials in response to a deformation of the flexible body;

determining deformation state of the flexible device based on a change in the electric signal; and

performing a control operation corresponding to the determined deformation state.

16. A flexible device comprising:

a flexible body;

a first plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials supported by the flexible body, the first plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials arranged in rows aligned according to elongated axes of the first plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials; and

a second plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials supported by the flexible body, the second plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials arranged in columns orthogonal to the rows of the first plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials and aligned according to elongated axes of the second plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials, the second plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials in each of the columns disposed in spaces between the rows of the first plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials;

wherein the first plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials are configured to be independently deformed from the second plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials by drive signals which are selectively applied to the first plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials or the second plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials,

wherein the first plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials and the second plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials are disposed in a single layer of piezoelectric materials.

17. A flexible device comprising:

a flexible body;

a first plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials supported by the flexible body, the first plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials arranged in rows aligned according to elongated axes of the first plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials; and

a second plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials supported by the flexible body, the second plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials arranged in columns orthogonal to the rows of the first plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials and aligned according to the elongated axes of the second plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials, the second plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials in each of the columns disposed in spaces between the rows of the first plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials;

wherein the first plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials are configured to be independently deformed from the second plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials by drive signals which are selectively applied to the first plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials or the second plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials,

wherein the first plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials are disposed in a lower piezoelectric layer and the second plurality of elongated piezoelectric materials are disposed in an upper piezoelectric layer disposed on the lower piezoelectric layer, the lower piezoelectric layer being different from the upper piezoelectric layer.

18. A flexible device comprising:

a flexible body;

a first plurality of piezoelectric materials supported by the flexible body, the first plurality of piezoelectric materials arranged in rows in a horizontal direction of the flexible device, each of the rows comprising piezoelectric materials of elongated shape in the horizontal direction;

a first plurality of electrodes which are formed to have a plurality of first electrode patterns, first electrode patterns among the plurality of first electrode patterns respectively connected to piezoelectric materials among the first plurality of piezoelectric materials;

a second plurality of piezoelectric materials supported by the flexible body, the second plurality of piezoelectric materials arranged in columns in a vertical direction of the flexible device, each of the columns comprising piezoelectric materials of elongated shape in the vertical direction;

a second plurality of electrodes which are formed to have a plurality of second electrode patterns, second electrode patterns among the plurality of second electrode patterns respectively connected to piezoelectric materials among the second plurality of piezoelectric materials; and

a controller configured to independently control deformation of one or more rows of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and one or more columns of the second plurality of piezoelectric materials by selectively applying drive signals to the plurality of first electrode patterns connected to the one or more rows of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the plurality of second electrode patterns connected to the one or more columns of the second plurality of piezoelectric materials,

wherein the first plurality of piezoelectric materials are disposed in a lower piezoelectric layer and the second plurality of piezoelectric materials are disposed in an upper piezoelectric layer disposed on the lower piezoelectric layer.

19. The flexible device of claim 18, wherein the drive signals cause deformation of first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the second plurality of piezoelectric materials.

20. The flexible device of claim 18, further comprising a flexible display supported by the flexible body.

21. A flexible device comprising:

a flexible body;

a flexible display supported by the flexible body;

a first plurality of piezoelectric materials disposed in a lower piezoelectric layer, the first plurality of piezoelectric materials arranged in rows in a horizontal direction of the flexible device, each of the rows comprising piezoelectric materials of elongated shape in the horizontal direction;

a first plurality of electrodes which are formed to have a plurality of first electrode patterns, first electrode patterns among the plurality of first electrode patterns respectively connected to piezoelectric materials among the first plurality of piezoelectric materials;

a second plurality of piezoelectric materials disposed in an upper piezoelectric layer disposed on the lower piezoelectric layer, the second plurality of piezoelectric materials arranged in columns in a vertical direction of the flexible device, each of the columns comprising piezoelectric materials of elongated shape in the vertical direction;

a second plurality of electrodes which are formed to have a plurality of second electrode patterns, second electrode patterns among the plurality of second electrode patterns respectively connected to piezoelectric materials among the second plurality of piezoelectric materials; and

a controller configured to selectively apply drive signals to the plurality of first electrode patterns connected to one or more rows of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the plurality of second electrode patterns connected to one or more columns of the second plurality of piezoelectric materials that cause independent deformation of the one or more rows of the first plurality of piezoelectric materials and the one or more columns of the second plurality of piezoelectric materials.