Flexible display device and control method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12066866-B2
Application number	US-201917629101-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2019
Priority date	Jul 23, 2019
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

The present invention relates to a flexible display device and a control method therefor. The flexible display device comprises: a body part having a polygonal column shape; a flexible display unit which is configured to be inserted into the body part or withdrawn from the body part, while being deformed by an external force; a rotary member which is rotatably installed inside the body part and makes the flexible display unit become rolled or unrolled along the outer surface; a conductive member which is installed and fixed to the bottom surface portion inside the body part and contacts the flexible display unit to apply a touch input; and a control unit which sets an externally exposed region of the flexible display unit as an active region on the basis of the touch input applied to the flexible display unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flexible display device comprising:
a body part having a polygonal column shape;
a flexible display unit configured to be deformed by an external force so as to be inserted into or drawn out of the body part;
a rotary member rotatably installed inside the body part and configured to roll or unroll the flexible display unit along an outer surface thereof;
conductive members fixed to a bottom surface inside the body part and configured to apply touch inputs, in response to being in contact with the flexible display unit; and
a controller configured to set an externally-exposed region of the flexible display unit to an active region based on the touch inputs applied to the flexible display unit,
wherein the body part comprises a first body and a second body disposed to face the first body,
wherein the conductive member includes a first conductive member disposed on a bottom surface inside the first body and a second conductive member disposed on a bottom surface inside the second body, and
wherein the controller sets the externally-exposed region of the flexible display unit to the active region based on a signal generated by touch inputs of the first conductive member and the second conductive member.

2. The flexible display device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible display unit is unrolled from the rotary member to increase the externally-exposed region and is rolled on the rotary member to decrease the externally-exposed region.

3. The flexible display device of claim 2 , wherein the controller sets the externally-exposed region to the active region and a non-exposed region of the flexible display unit located inside the body part to an inactive region.

4. The flexible display device of claim 3 , wherein the flexible display unit comprises a touch sensing layer having a plurality of touch channels arranged at predetermined intervals to receive the touch inputs, and
wherein the plurality of touch channels transmit signals, respectively, for setting the active region to the controller, in response to being in contact with the conductive members according to a change in the externally-exposed region of the flexible display unit.

5. The flexible display device of claim 4 , wherein the controller sets the non-exposed region of the flexible display unit to the inactive region, based on position information related to the plurality of touch channels in contact with the conductive members.

6. The flexible display device of claim 4 , wherein the controller sets the non-exposed region of the flexible display unit located inside the body part to the inactive region, based on the plurality of touch channels in contact with the conductive members.

7. The flexible display device of claim 1 , wherein the controller controls screen information to be displayed on the active region.

8. The flexible display device of claim 1 , wherein the controller controls a touch input to be detected on the active region.

9. The flexible display device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive members are disposed in a predetermined shape on an inner surface of the body part, along an extending direction of the body part.

10. The flexible display device of claim 9 , wherein the conductive members are made of any one of conductive rubber and metal.

11. The flexible display device of claim 10 , wherein the conductive members are disposed in parallel at a predetermined interval.

12. The flexible display device of claim 1 , wherein the body part further comprises:
a main cover member having a polygonal column shape with both ends open and defining an inner storage space; and
side cover members configured to cover the both ends of the main cover member.

13. The flexible display device of claim 12 ,
wherein the externally-exposed region of the flexible display unit is changed as a distance between the first body and the second body changes according to an unrolled state of the flexible display unit.

14. The flexible display device of claim 13 , wherein the conductive members are fixed to the bottom surfaces inside the first body and the second body, respectively, to apply the touch inputs when being in contact with the flexible display unit, and
wherein the controller sets the externally-exposed region of the flexible display unit to the active region based on signals generated by the touch inputs.

15. The flexible display device of claim 1 , further comprising a rear plate coupled to a rear surface of the flexible display unit to be deformed together with the flexible display unit.

16. The flexible display device of claim 15 , wherein a front portion of the rear plate is closely coupled to a rear portion of the flexible display unit, and one side of a rear portion of the rear plate is rolled along the outer surface of the rotary member.

17. The flexible display device of claim 13 , wherein a first magnet is disposed on an outer surface of the first body,
wherein a second magnet is disposed on an outer surface of the second body to face the first magnet, and
wherein the first magnet and the second magnet get adjacent to each other and interact with each other such that the first body and the second body are in close contact with each other, when the externally-exposed region of the flexible display unit is minimized.

18. A method for controlling a flexible display device including a controller, the method comprising:
a first step of setting an externally-exposed region of a flexible display unit to an active region, the flexible display unit being deformed by an external force to be drawn out of or inserted into a body part;
a second step of setting the externally-exposed region of the flexible display unit to a new active region by detecting a change in the active region; and
a third step of setting a region of the flexible display unit inserted into the body part to an inactive region,
wherein the body part comprises a first body and a second body disposed to face the first body,
wherein a conductive member includes a first conductive member disposed on a bottom surface inside the first body and a second conductive member disposed on a bottom surface inside the second body, and
wherein the controller sets the externally-exposed region of the flexible display unit to the active region based on a signal generated by touch inputs of the first conductive member and the second conductive member.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Park Juhyun

Classifications

• G06F3/041

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

• G09F9/301

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

• G06F1/1615

  with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function (constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206) · CPC title

• G06F1/1652 Primary

  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