Electronic device and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10095346-B2
Application number	US-201514868992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2015
Priority date	Jun 30, 2015
Publication date	Oct 9, 2018
Grant date	Oct 9, 2018

Abstract

An electronic device and a control method are described where the electronic device includes a first body having a first end and a second end; a connecting body having a third end and a fourth end, the third end being connected to the second end; a second body having a fifth end and a sixth end, the fifth end being connected to the fourth end, the second body being capable of rotating round the first body through the connecting body. The connecting body includes a connecting sub-input unit configured to acquire an input operation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a first section comprising a first end and a second end;
a connecting section comprising a third end and a fourth end, the third end being connected to the second end;
a second section comprising a fifth end and a sixth end, the fifth end being connected to the fourth end, the second section being capable of rotating round the first body through the connecting section;
a sensor disposed on the connecting section and configured to determine a mode in which the electronic device is currently in according to a deformation state of the connecting section; and
a processing unit;
wherein the connecting section comprises a connecting sub-input unit which comprises a touch sensing unit and is configured to acquire an input operation,
the electronic device comprises a third mode in which the first section, the connecting section, and the second section approximately form a single plane, and a fourth mode in which the connecting section and the connecting sub-input unit are bent,
wherein if the electronic device is in the third mode, the processing unit responds to an input acquired by the connecting sub-input unit according to an instruction in a third instruction set, the third instruction set makes the connecting sub-input unit, the first sub-input unit, and the second sub-input unit as an input unit in common; and if the electronic device is in the fourth mode, the processing unit responds to an input acquired by the connecting sub-input unit according to an instruction in a fourth instruction set to control the first section and/or the second section, the fourth instruction set only makes the connecting sub-input unit as an input unit,
wherein the connecting section comprises a rotary shaft through which the second section can rotate relative to the first section, and
wherein the processer determines an input of the touch sensing unit, when a determination result shows that the input is a slide input along a rotary shaft direction, a prescribed processing is executed.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first section comprises a first sub-input unit configured to acquire an input operation; and the second section comprises a second sub-input unit configured to acquire an input operation.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein;
each of the first section, the connecting section, and the second section comprises hefty has a first surface and a second surface that are opposite,
the first sub-input unit is disposed on the first surface of the first section,
the connecting sub-input unit is disposed on the first surface of the connecting section,
the second sub-input unit is disposed on the first surface of the second section,
the electronic device comprises a first outer surface, which comprises the first surface of the first section, the first surface of the connecting section and the first surface of the second section.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the first outer surface comprises a second input unit and the first sub-input unit, the connecting sub-input unit, and the second sub-input unit are three regions of the second input unit.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises the fourth mode in which the second surface of the first section faces the second surface of the second section.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the first section comprises has a first sub-display, and the processer comprises a display control processor, when the electronic device is in the fourth mode, the display control processor controls display of the first sub-display in response to an input acquired by the connecting sub-input unit.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:
a deformable first display is disposed on the first outer surface of the electronic device,
the first surface of the connecting section comprises a connecting sub-display,
the first sub-display and the connecting sub-display are a first region and a second region of the first display, respectively,
the first display overlaps with at least a part of the second input unit.

8. A control method for an electronic device that comprises a first section comprising a first end and a second end; a connecting section comprising a third end and a fourth end, the third end being connected to the second end; a second section comprising a fifth end and a sixth end, the fifth end being connected to the fourth end, the second section being capable of rotating around the first section through the connecting section; the connecting section comprising a connecting sub-input unit configured to acquire an input operation, wherein the connecting sub-input unit comprises a touch sensing unit; and a sensor disposed on the connecting section and configured to determine a gesture which the electronic device is currently in according to a deformation state of the connecting section; and the electronic device at least comprising a third mode in which the first surface of the first section, the first surface of the connecting section body, and the first surface of the second section approximately form a single plane, and a fourth mode in which the connecting section and the connecting sub-input unit are bent and the second surface of the first section faces the second surface of the second section, wherein the connecting section comprises a rotary shaft through which the second section can rotate relative to the first section; wherein the method comprises:
determining a mode which the electronic device is currently in by the sensor;
if the electronic device is in the third mode, responding to an input acquired by the connecting sub-input unit according to an instruction in a third instruction set, the third instruction set makes the connecting sub-input unit, the first sub-input unit, and the second sub-input unit as an input unit in common
if the electronic device is in the fourth mode, responding to an input acquired by the connecting sub-input unit according to an instruction in a fourth instruction set to control the first section and/or the second section, the fourth instruction set only makes the connecting sub-input unit as an input unit,
wherein the third instruction set and the fourth instruction set are at least partially different, wherein the method further comprises:
determining a touch input on the touch sensing unit, when a determination result shows that the input is a slide input along a rotary shaft direction, executing a prescribed processing.

9. The control method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first surface of the first section of the electronic device has a first sub-display, and when the electronic device is in the fourth mode, controlling display of the first sub-display in response to an input acquired by the connecting sub-input unit.

Assignees

• Lenovo Beijing Co Ltd

Inventors

• Gao Yan
• Xia Jie

Classifications

• G09G2340/0492

  Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored · CPC title

• G06F3/1423

  controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display · CPC title

• G09G2360/144

  the light being ambient light · CPC title

• G09G2340/14

  Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed · CPC title

• G09G2330/021

  Power management, e.g. power saving · CPC title