Electronic apparatus for controlling size of display and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11380283-B2
Application number	US-202016738801-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2020
Priority date	Nov 29, 2019
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

Provided is an electronic apparatus including a flexible display having at least a portion thereof positioned at a first surface of the electronic apparatus and changing in size to be exposed according to driving of a motor, a first sensor configured to sense a pressure applied to at least one of the first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface, and a controller configured to sense a first input to at least one of the first surface and the second surface, and, when a pressure corresponding to the first input satisfies a predetermined condition, control, based on the first input, a size of the display to be exposed at the first surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
a flexible display including at least a portion of the flexible display positioned at a front side of the electronic apparatus, wherein a size of the portion of the flexible display positioned at the front side of the electronic apparatus is changeable;
a fixed part having a predetermined fixed position;
a variable part that moves for changing a size of the portion of the flexible display positioned at the front side;
a first sensor disposed at the fixed part and configured to detect a pressure applied to rear side of the electronic apparatus;
a second sensor comprising a metal electrode part disposed at the variable part and configured to sense an approach of an object; and
a controller configured to detect a first input to the rear side using the first sensor and the second sensor for controlling the size of the portion of the flexible display positioned at the front side based on a pressure corresponding to the first input satisfying a predetermined condition.

2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the size of the portion of the flexible display positioned at the front side is controlled based on the first input when the pressure corresponding to the first input is greater than or equal to a predetermined value.

3. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide information regarding the first input when the pressure corresponding to the first input is smaller than a predetermined value.

4. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide information regarding a detected grip pose of a user of the electronic apparatus, wherein the detected grip pose is identified based on an area of the flexible display corresponding to the detected first input.

5. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide information regarding a second input when the second input associated with the first input is received in a specific region of the rear side, wherein the specific region comprises at least a portion of the flexible display positioned at the front side that moves according to a size control of the flexible display positioned at the front side.

6. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide information regarding a detected grip pose of a user of the electronic apparatus when the first input comprises a second input to the flexible display at the rear side.

7. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the flexible display is disposed at the variable part.

8. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the flexible display positioned at the first side extends in a first direction, and wherein the first sensor is disposed to be adjacent to one side of the electronic apparatus in a direction opposite to the first direction.

9. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the size of the portion of the flexible display positioned at the front side is controlled based on the first input being dragged in a first direction.

10. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor comprises at least one of a strain gauge force sensor, an inductive force sensor, a micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) ultrasonic force sensor, or a piezo ultrasonic force sensor.

11. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second sensor is configured to sense the approach of an object based on a change in capacitance or based on a specific absorption rate (SAR).

12. The electronic apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined condition corresponds to the pressure detected by the first sensor corresponding to the first input being equal to or greater than a first predetermined value, and the change sensed by the second sensor corresponding to the first input being equal to or smaller than a second predetermined value.

13. An electronic apparatus comprising:
a flexible display including at least a portion of the flexible display positioned at a front side of the electronic apparatus, wherein a size of the at least a portion of the flexible display positioned at the front side of the electronic apparatus is changeable;
a first sensor configured to detect a pressure applied to a rear side of the electronic apparatus, wherein the first sensor is disposed to be adjacent to the rear side;
a controller configured to detect a first input to the rear side using the first sensor for controlling the size of the at least a portion of the flexible display positioned at the front side based on a pressure corresponding to the first input satisfying a predetermined condition;
a second sensor configured to detect an approach of an object based on a change in capacitance, wherein the second sensor comprises a metal electrode part and a sensing part configured to detect a change in capacitance of the metal electrode part, wherein the sensing part is disposed at a fixed part of the electronic apparatus and the metal electrode part is disposed at a variable part of the electronic apparatus;
the fixed part having a predetermined fixed position and the variable part that moves for changing a size of the portion of the flexible display positioned at the front side, wherein the controller is further configured to control the size of the at least a portion of the flexible display positioned at the front side based on the first input when a value detected by the second sensor satisfies a first condition.

14. The electronic apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the size of the portion of the flexible display positioned at the front side based on a second input detected by the second sensor.

15. The electronic apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the metal electrode part and the sensing part are connected using at least one of a flexible programmable circuit board (FPCB), a radio frequency (RF) cable, or a metal frame, and wherein the second sensor further comprises a specific absorption rate (SAR) sensor.

16. The electronic apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the metal electrode part moves corresponding to a size change of portion of the flexible display positioned at the front side, and
the electronic apparatus further comprises:
a metal frame formed at an outer surface of the electronic apparatus,
a first clip fixed to one side of the metal electrode part and configured to contact the metal frame based on movement of the metal electrode part, and
a second clip electrically connecting the metal frame and the sensing part.

17. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
a flexible display including at least a portion of the flexible display positioned at a front side of the electronic apparatus, wherein a size of the at least a portion of the flexible display positioned at the front side of the electronic apparatus is changeable;
a fixed part having a predetermined fixed position;
a variable part that moves for changing a size of the portion of the flexible display positioned at the front side;
a first sensor configured to detect a pressure applied to a rear side of the electronic apparatus;
a controller configured to detect a first input to the rear side using the first sensor for controlling the size of the portion of the flexible display positioned at the front side based on a pressure corresponding to the first input satisfying a predetermined condition,
wherein the controller is further configured to provide information regarding the first input based on an identification that a detec

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Shim Hongjo
• Seol Seounghwan
• Kim Youngmo
• Chang Sungwook

Classifications

• G09G2380/02

  Flexible displays · CPC title

• G09F9/301

  flexible foldable or roll-able electronic displays, e.g. thin LCD, OLED · CPC title

• G09G5/003 Primary

  Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto (specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092) · CPC title

• G06F1/1652 Primary

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

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title