Method and system for operating a flexible computing-device according to different functionality based on bending axis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11099659-B2
Application number	US-201916730721-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2019
Priority date	May 23, 2017
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

A method and a system for operating a flexible computing-device is provided. The method is executed by the system and includes determining at least one bending axis of a computing-device based on a type of application selected by a user. Based on an activation-instruction received from the user, a bending-axis selected from one or more bending axis is also activated. Further, at least one user-input directed to the device is received, based upon which a user-interface of the application uniquely linked to the activated bending-axis is rendered. Such user-interface has at least one designated-control to operate the application.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operating a flexible computing device, the method comprising:
identifying at least one bending axis associated with an application selected by a user;
receiving a user input on a display of the flexible computing device to select a bending axis from the identified at least one bending axis; and
displaying a user interface of the application based on the selected bending axis,
wherein a number of the at least one bending axis associated with the application is updated when a location of an application icon of the application is changed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying the at least one bending axis comprises:
detecting a hovering input over a first bending axis among the at least one bending axis; and
providing a preview of a layout corresponding to the first bending axis.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user input includes pressure applied on the selected bending axis.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one bending axis is identified based on at least one of the location of the application icon, a type of the application or preference of the user.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the displaying the user interface of the application comprises:
rendering data set of a function of the application mapped to the selected bending axis.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes at least one control option to operate a function mapped to the selected bending axis.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a second user input on the display of the flexible computing device;
identifying at least one of a location or a level of the second user input; and
providing data access corresponding to the at least one of the location or the level of the second user input.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a function of the application associated with a remaining one of the at least one bending axis except for the selected bending axis is limited.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the display is divided into a first area and a second area by the selected bending axis, and the first area provides a first content different from a second content provided in the second area.

10. A flexible computing device, comprising:
a display; and
at least one processor configured to:
identify at least one bending axis associated with an application selected by a user,
receive a user input on the display to select a bending axis from the identified at least one bending axis, and
control the display to display a user interface of the application based on the selected bending axis,

wherein a number of the at least one bending axis associated with the application is updated when a location of an application icon of the application is changed.

11. The flexible computing device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor further configured to:
detecting a hovering input over a first bending axis among the at least one bending axis, and
provide a preview of a layout corresponding to the first bending axis.

12. The flexible computing device of claim 10 , wherein the user input includes pressure applied on the selected bending axis.

13. The flexible computing device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one bending axis is identified based on at least one of the location of the application icon, a type of the application or preference of the user.

14. The flexible computing device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor further configured to:
render data set of a function of the application mapped to the selected bending axis.

15. The flexible computing device of claim 10 , wherein the user interface includes at least one control option to operate a function mapped to the selected bending axis.

16. The flexible computing device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor further configured to:
receive a second user input on the display,
identify at least one of a location or a level of the second user input, and
provide data access corresponding to the at least one of the location or the level of the second user input.

17. The flexible computing device of claim 10 , wherein a function of the application associated with a remaining one of the at least one bending axis except for the selected bending axis is limited.

18. The flexible computing device of claim 10 , wherein the display is divided into a first area and a second area by the selected bending axis, and the first area provides a first content different from a second content provided in the second area.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sharma Ankur
• Gupta Atul
• GUPTA Sachin Kumar

Classifications

• G06F3/04883 Primary

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title

• G06F3/041

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

  the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable · CPC title

• 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

• G06F2203/04803

  Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas · CPC title