Method of establishing communication link and display devices thereof

• US 9,990,055 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2013
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Seo, Joon-kyu, Jung, Sang-keun, Lee, Geun-ho, Sohn, Jung-joo
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherman, Steven G
• Application Number:
  US13/974,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20140055344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,747 Days
• Field of Search: 345173, 345156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• 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 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03 Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser

Abstract

Provided is a method of establishing, by a first display device, a communication link with a second display device, the method including operations of detecting a first bending motion occurring in the first display device; obtaining information about a second bending motion occurring in the second display device; and establishing a communication link for a data exchange with the second display device, based on a start time of the first bending motion and a start time of the second bending motion.

Claims

1. A method of establishing, by a first display device, a communication link with a second display device, the method comprising:

detecting a first bending motion of the first display device;

receiving, from the second display device, information about a second bending motion generated by the second display device;

comparing the first bending motion and the second bending motion, the first bending motion being detected while the second bending motion is detected by the second device; and

establishing a communication link for a data exchange with the second display device when the first bending motion corresponds to the second bending motion, based on a difference between a start time of the first bending motion and a start time of the second bending motion and a result of the comparing,

wherein the establishing of the communication link is performed when the difference between the start time of the first bending motion and the start time of the second bending motion is less than a predetermined threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing of the communication link comprises establishing the communication link further based on pattern information of the first bending motion and pattern information of the second bending motion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing of the communication link comprises establishing the communication link further based on a distance difference between the first display device and the second display device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing of the communication link comprises establishing the communication link further based on a correspondence between the first bending motion and the second bending motion.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the establishing of the communication link comprises determining the correspondence between the first bending motion and the second bending motion, based on at least one from among a first bent position, a first bending direction, a first degree of bending, a first bending strength, a first bending speed, a first total number of times, a first start time, and a first elapsed-time of the first bending motion and a second bent position, a second bending direction, a second degree of bending, a second bending strength, a second bending speed, a second total number of times, a second start time, and a second elapsed-time of the second bending motion.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the establishing of the communication link is performed when a difference between the first bending motion and the second bending motion is within a predetermined range.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the establishing of the communication link is performed when the first bending motion and the second bending motion are symmetrical with respect to a predetermined axis.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the communication link comprises at least one from among a wireless local area network (LAN), near field communication (NFC), Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wi-Fi Direct (WFD), and Ultra Wide Band (UWB).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing of the communication link comprises:

displaying a confirm request message about whether to establish the communication link between the first display device and the second display device; and

receiving, from a user, a confirmation with respect to the establishment of the communication link.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing of the communication link comprises displaying an image so as to guide the first bending motion for establishment of the communication link.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing of the communication link comprises:

receiving, from a user, selection with respect to at least one piece of content; and

automatically transmitting the at least one piece of content to the second display device via the communication link.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing of the communication link comprises obtaining arrangement status information with respect to the first display device and the second display device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the obtaining of the arrangement status information comprises obtaining the arrangement status information by using at least one from among a tactile sensor, a proximity sensor, an illuminance sensor, an NFC tag, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing of the communication link comprises determining one of the first display device and the second display device, as a master device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining of the master device is performed based on at least one from among a first bent position, a first bending direction, a first degree of bending, a first bending strength, a first bending speed, a first total number of times, a first start time, and a first elapsed-time that of the first bending motion and a second bent position, a second bending direction, a second degree of bending, a second bending strength, a second bending speed, a second total number of times, a second start time, and a second elapsed-time of the second bending motion.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing of the communication link comprises:

detecting a third bending motion of the first display device, or receiving information about a fourth bending motion of the second display device; and

disconnecting the communication link, based on the third bending motion or the fourth bending motion.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the disconnecting of the communication link is performed when a difference between the first bending motion and one of the third bending motion and the fourth bending motion is within a predetermined range.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the disconnecting of the communication link is performed when the first bending motion and one of the third bending motion and the fourth bending motion are symmetrical with respect to a predetermined axis.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program which, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 1.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein a tag is disposed on one portion of each display device and a tag reader is disposed on an opposed portion of each display device, respectively, in order to determine a stacking order of the first display device and the second display device.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically displaying content displayed on the first display device on the second display device upon establishing the communication link.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the first bending motion being detected while the second bending motion is detected comprises:

detecting that a peripheral portion of the first display device is bent towards an inner portion of the first display device while a peripheral portion of the second display device is bent towards an inner portion of the second display device.

23. A first display device comprising:

a sensor configured to detect a first bending motion of the first display device;

a communicator configured to receive, from a second display device, information about a second bending motion generated by the second display device; and

a controller configured to compare the first bending motion and the second bending motion, the first bending motion being detected while the second bending motion is detected by the second device, and to establish a communication link for a data exchange with the second display device when the first bending motion corresponds to the second bending motion, based on a difference between a start time of the first bending motion and a start time of the second bending motion and a result of the comparing,

wherein the controller is configured to establish the communication link when the difference between the start time of the first bending motion and the start time of the second bending motion is less than a predetermined threshold value.

24. The first display device of claim 23, wherein the controller is configured to establish the communication link further based on a pattern information of the first bending motion and pattern information of the second bending motion.

25. The first display device of claim 23, wherein the controller is configured to establish the communication link further based on a distance difference between the first display device and the second display device.

26. The first display device of claim 23, wherein the controller is configured to establish the communication link further based on a correspondence between the first bending motion and the second bending motion.

27. The first display device of claim 26, wherein the controller determines the correspondence between the first bending motion and the second bending motion, based on at least one from among a first bent position, a first bending direction, a first degree of bending, a first bending strength, a first bending speed, a first total number of times, a first start time, and a first elapsed-time of the first bending motion and a second bent position, a second bending direction, a second degree of bending, a second bending strength, a second bending speed, a second total number of times, a second start time, and a second elapsed-time of the second bending motion.

28. The first display device of claim 26, wherein the controller is configured to establish the communication link when a difference between the first bending motion and the second bending motion is within a predetermined range.

29. The first display device of claim 26, wherein the controller is configured to establish the communication link when the first bending motion and the second bending motion are symmetrical with respect to a predetermined axis.

30. The first display device of claim 23, wherein the communication link comprises at least one from among a wireless local area network (LAN), near field communication (NFC), Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wi-Fi Direct (WFD), and Ultra Wide Band (UWB).

31. The first display device of claim 23, further comprising a display unit configured to display a confirm request message about whether to establish the communication link between the first display device and the second display device.

32. The first display device of claim 23, further comprising a display unit configured to display an image so as to guide the first bending motion for establishment of the communication link.

33. The first display device of claim 23, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a user selection with respect to at least one piece of content, and

wherein the communicator is configured to automatically transmit the at least one piece of content to the second display device via the communication link.

34. The first display device of claim 23, wherein the controller is configured to obtain arrangement status information with respect to the first display device and the second display device.

35. The first display device of claim 34, wherein the controller is configured to obtain the arrangement status information by using at least one from among a tactile sensor, a proximity sensor, an illuminance sensor, an NFC tag, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

36. The first display device of claim 23, wherein the controller is configured to determine one from among the first display device and the second display device, as a master device.

37. The first display device of claim 36, wherein the controller is configured to determine the master device based on at least one from among a first bent position, a first bending direction, a first degree of bending, a first bending strength, a first bending speed, a first total number of times, a first start time, and a first elapsed-time of the first bending motion and a second bent position, a second bending direction, a second degree of bending, a second bending strength, a second bending speed, a second total number of times, a second start time, and a second elapsed-time of the second bending motion.

38. The first display device of claim 23, wherein the controller is configured to disconnect the communication link, based on a third bending motion of the first display device, that is detected by the sensor, or information about a fourth bending motion of the second display device, that is obtained by the communicator.

39. The first display device of claim 38, wherein the controller is configured to disconnect the communication link when a difference between the first bending motion and one of the third bending motion and the fourth bending motion is within a predetermined range.

40. The first display device of claim 38, wherein the controller is configured to disconnect the communication link when the first bending motion and one of the third bending motion and the fourth bending motion are symmetrical with respect to a predetermined axis.

41. A method of establishing by a server, a communication link between a first display device and a second display device, the method comprising:

obtaining information about a first bending motion of the first display device;

obtaining information about a second bending motion of the second display device;

comparing the first bending motion and the second bending motion, the first bending motion being detected by the first device while the second bending motion is detected by the second device; and

transmitting communication connection information to the first display device and the second display device, when the first bending motion corresponds to the second bending motion, based on a difference between a start time of the first bending motion and a start time of the second bending motion and a result of the comparing, wherein the communication connection information is required to establish the communication link between the first display device and the second display device, and

wherein the transmitting of the communication connection information is performed when the difference between the start time of the first bending motion and the start time of the second bending motion is less than a predetermined threshold value.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the transmitting of the communication connection information comprises transmitting the communication connection information further based on pattern information of the first bending motion and pattern information of the second bending motion.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the transmitting of the communication connection information comprises transmitting the communication connection information further based on a distance difference between the first display device and the second display device.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the transmitting of the communication connection information comprises transmitting the communication connection information further based on correspondence between the first bending motion and the second bending motion.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the transmitting of the communication connection information comprises determining the correspondence between the first bending motion and the second bending motion, based on at least one of a first bent position, a first bending direction, a first degree of bending, a first bending strength, a first bending speed, a first total number of times, a first start time, and a first elapsed-time of the first bending motion and a second bent position, a second bending direction, a second degree of bending, a second bending strength, a second bending speed, a second total number of times, a second start time, and a second elapsed-time of the second bending motion.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein the communication link comprises at least one from among a wireless local area network (LAN), near field communication (NFC), Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wi-Fi Direct (WFD), and Ultra Wide Band (UWB).

47. The method of claim 41, wherein the transmitting of the communication connection information comprises:

transmitting identification (ID) information of the second display device, communication connection scheme information, and first authentication information to the first display device; and

transmitting ID information of the first display device, the communication connection scheme information, and second authentication information to the second display device.

48. The method of claim 41, further comprising determining one of the first display device and the second display device, as a master device.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the determining of the master device is performed based on at least one from among a first bent position, a first bending direction, a first degree of bending, a first bending strength, a first bending speed, a first total number of times, a first start time, and a first elapsed-time of the first bending motion and a second bent position, a second bending direction, a second degree of bending, a second bending strength, a second bending speed, a second total number of times, a second start time, and a second elapsed-time of the second bending motion.

50. A method of communication between a first device and a second device, the method comprising:

detecting a first fold in the first device;

receiving, from the second device, information about a second fold generated by the second device;

comparing the first fold and the second fold, the first fold being detected while the second fold is detected by the second device; and

starting a communication link between the first device and the second device based on a result of the comparing, when the first fold corresponds to the second fold,

wherein the first device acquires identifying information of the second device prior to detecting the first fold, and

wherein the starting the communication link is performed when a difference between a start time of the first fold and a start time of the second fold is less than a predetermined threshold value.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the starting the communication link comprises starting the communication link when the second fold is detected at substantially at a same time the first fold is detected or when the second fold is detected within a preset amount of time after the first fold is detected.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the starting the communication link comprises comparing a geometry of the first fold with a geometry of the second fold or comparing a folding motion of the first fold with a folding motion of the second fold.

53. A method of bending of flexible display devices to control transmitting data between a first display device and a second display device, the method comprising:

selecting an object displayed on the first display device;

detecting a first bending motion of the first display device;

receiving, from the second display device, information about a second bending motion generated by the second display device;

comparing the first bending motion and the second bending motion, the first bending motion being detected while the second bending motion is detected by the second device;

establishing a communication link for a data exchange with the second display device, when there is a correspondence between the first bending motion and the second bending motion, based on a difference between a start time of the first bending motion and a start time of the second bending motion and a result of the comparing; and

automatically transmitting the selected object to the second display device,

wherein the first display device acquires identifying information of the second display device prior to detecting the first bending motion, and

wherein the establishing of the communication link is performed when the difference between the start time of the first bending motion and the start time of the second bending motion is less than a predetermined threshold value.