Electronic device and method for controlling operation mode based on state of electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11616869-B2
Application number	US-202016996240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2020
Priority date	Aug 20, 2019
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a sensor circuit, a display, a processor operationally connected to the sensor circuit and the display, and a memory operationally connected to the processor, wherein the processor may detect, via the sensor circuit, whether the electronic device is unfolded at a predetermined angle, detect a placement state of the electronic device via the sensor circuit when the electronic device is unfolded at the predetermined angle, when the detected placement state of the electronic device is a first state, control the electronic device to operate in a first operation mode corresponding to the first state, and when the detected placement state of the electronic device is a second state, control the electronic device to operate in a second operation mode corresponding to the second state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a sensor circuit;
a display;
a processor operationally connected to the sensor circuit and the display; and
a memory operationally connected to the processor,
wherein the processor is configured to:
detect, via the sensor circuit, whether the electronic device is unfolded at a predetermined angle,
detect a placement state of the electronic device via the sensor circuit when the electronic device is unfolded at the predetermined angle,
when the detected placement state of the electronic device is a first state, control the electronic device to operate in a first operation mode corresponding to the first state, wherein the first state is a state in which a movement of the electronic device is detected, and
when the detected placement state of the electronic device is a second state, control the electronic device to operate in a second operation mode corresponding to the second state, wherein the second state is a state in which the movement of the electronic device is not detected, and

wherein, when the detected placement state is the first state, the processor is further configured to:
set a touch sensitivity of the first state to be higher than a touch sensitivity corresponding to the second state, and
set a vibration sensitivity of the first state to be lower than a vibration sensitivity corresponding to the second state.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a housing structure,
wherein the housing structure comprises:
a hinge structure which forms a folding region and comprises a hinge housing,
a first housing structure which forms a first region, is connected to the hinge structure, and the first housing structure comprises a first surface, a second surface facing in a direction opposite to that of the first surface, and a first side surface member surrounding a first space between the first surface and the second surface, and
a second housing structure which forms a second region, is connected to the hinge structure, and the second housing structure comprises a third surface, a fourth surface facing in a direction opposite to that of the third surface, and a second side surface member surrounding a second space between the third surface and the fourth surface,

wherein the first housing structure and the second housing structure are foldably arranged along the hinge structure between a folded state and an unfolded state, and
wherein the first surface and the third surface face in the same direction in the unfolded state, and the second surface and the fourth surface face in opposite directions in the folded state.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 ,
wherein the display is configured to traverse from at least a part of the first surface to at least a part of the third surface via the folding region, and
wherein the display comprises a first region disposed on the first surface and a second region disposed on the third surface.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect, via the sensor circuit, the predetermined angle formed by the first surface and the third surface and/or the predetermined angle formed by the second surface and the fourth surface, and
control, based on the detected predetermined angle, the display to display a user interface according to the first operation mode or the second operation mode.

5. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect, via the sensor circuit, a gripping form according to gripping of the electronic device when the detected placement state of the electronic device is the first state, and
control, based on the detected gripping form, the electronic device to operate in the first operation mode corresponding to the first state.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the electronic device to operate in the first operation mode for adjusting, based on the detected gripping form, a display region ratio of a layout of a user interface output in the first region of the display and the second region of the display.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the sensor circuit comprises an optical sensor, and
wherein the processor is further configured to:
obtain a distance between the electronic device and a user of the electronic device by using the optical sensor when the detected placement state of the electronic device is the first state, and
control the electronic device to operate in the first operation mode corresponding to the first state when the obtained distance is included in a designated range.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a camera,
wherein the processor is further configured to:
drive the camera when the detected placement state of the electronic device is the first state, and
control the electronic device to operate in the first operation mode corresponding to the first state when at least a part of a user's face is detected via the driven camera.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect a direction of a user's line-of-sight via the driven camera, and
control the electronic device to operate in the first operation mode corresponding to the first state when it is determined that the detected user's line-of-sight is directed toward the display.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the sensor circuit comprises multiple sensor circuits,
wherein the processor is further configured to:
obtain sensing information regarding a movement of the electronic device via the multiple sensor circuits when the electronic device is unfolded at the predetermined angle, and
determine, based on the obtained sensing information, whether the movement of the electronic device is detected,

wherein the first state comprises a state in which the movement of the electronic device is detected,
wherein the second state comprises a state in which the movement of the electronic device is not detected, and
wherein the multiple sensor circuits comprise at least one among an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, or a barometer sensor.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first operation mode and the second operation mode are different in at least one of an application to be executed or a layout of a user interface to be output.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first operation mode and second operation mode are based on a designated angle range of the electronic device.

13. A method for controlling an operation mode based on a state of an electronic device, the method comprising:
detecting, via a sensor circuit, whether the electronic device is unfolded at a predetermined angle;
detecting a placement state of the electronic device via the sensor circuit when the electronic device is unfolded at the predetermined angle;
when the detected placement state of the electronic device is a first state, controlling the electronic device to operate in a first operation mode corresponding to the first state, wherein the first state is a state in which a movement of the electronic device is detected; and
when the detected placement state of the electronic device is a second state, controlling the electronic device to operate in a second operation mode corresponding to the second state, wherein the second state is a state in which the movement of the electronic device is not detected,

wherein the method further comprises:
when the detected placement state is the first state,
setting a touch sensitivity of the first state to be higher than a tou

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Seungeun
• Seo Hyewon
• Kim Seungnyun
• Park Jeongmin
• Han Dugjin

Classifications

• H04M1/72454

  according to context-related or environment-related conditions · CPC title

• G06F1/1641

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

• H04M2201/34

  Microprocessors · CPC title

• H04M1/0214 Primary

  Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position (combined with translation movement H04M1/0235) · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

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