Electronic device and method for processing gesture thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10942546-B2
Application number	US-201916393479-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2019
Priority date	Oct 12, 2015
Publication date	Mar 9, 2021
Grant date	Mar 9, 2021

Abstract

A method of an electronic device for processing gesture is provided. The method includes, in response to an input of a hovering gesture to a flexible display of the electronic device, wherein the flexible display is divided in response to folding of the electronic device into a first area and a second area based on a folding line, sensing the hovering gesture in the first area and the second area, respectively, and determining a hovering point corresponding to the hovering gesture, based on the sensed positions of the first area and the second area, respectively. Accordingly, a hovering gesture can be detected with increased accuracy.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of an electronic device for processing a gesture, the method comprising:
in response to a hovering gesture to a flexible display of the electronic device being input while the flexible display is folded based on a folding line, wherein the flexible display is divided in response to folding of the electronic device into a first area and a second area based on the folding line, sensing a plurality of positions of the hovering gesture in each of the first area and the second area, respectively; and
determining a hovering point corresponding to the hovering gesture, based on the plurality of sensed positions of the first area and the second area, respectively.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hovering gesture is performed in vicinity of a folding area comprising the folding line of the flexible display.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
sensing a folding state of the electronic device,
wherein the folding area is determined according to the folding state of the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the folding state of the electronic device is one of:
an in-bending state in which the electronic device is bent inward, or
an out-bending state in which the electronic device is bent outward.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein a size of the folding area is increased as a folding angle of the electronic device is increased.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensed positions in the first area correspond to a position of an electrode of electrodes in the first area for which a sensed value measured with respect to the hovering gesture has a peak point.

7. An electronic device comprising:
a flexible display dividable into a first area and a second area based on a folding line; and
a processor configured to, in response to a hovering gesture being input while the flexible is folded based on the folding line, sense a plurality of positions of the hovering gesture in each of the first area and the second area, respectively, and determine a hovering point corresponding to the plurality of positions of the hovering gesture based on the plurality of sensed positions in the first area and the second area, respectively.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the hovering gesture is performed in vicinity of a folding area comprising the folding line of the flexible display.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 further comprising:
a state sensor configured to sense a folding state of the electronic device,
wherein the processor determines the folding area according to the folding state.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the folding state of the electronic device is one of:
an in-bending state in which the electronic device is bent inward; or
an out-bending state in which the electronic device is bent outward.

11. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein a size of the folding area is increased as a folding angle of the electronic device is increased.

12. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of sensed positions in the first area correspond to a position of an electrode of electrodes in the first area for which a sensed value measured according to the hovering gesture has a peak point.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Jeong-Rok
• Lee Kang-Min
• Kim Dong-Churl
• Huh Jae-Young

Classifications

• G06F3/04886

  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 · CPC title

• G06F2203/04102

  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 title

• G06F1/1641

  the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components (G06F1/1647 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/0446

  using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes · CPC title

• G06F3/0416

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title