User terminal apparatus and method of controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016357221-A1
Application number	US-201615018917-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 9, 2016
Priority date	Jun 4, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A user terminal apparatus includes a flexible display configured to be divided into a first region and a second region in response to the user terminal apparatus being bent, a bending detector configured to detect a bending state of the user terminal apparatus, a sensor configured to detect a use environment of the user terminal apparatus, and a controller configured to detect the use environment of the user terminal apparatus through the sensor in response to bending of the user terminal apparatus being detected through the bending detector, and determine whether to perform a function corresponding to the bending of the user terminal apparatus according to the detected use environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A user terminal apparatus comprising:
a flexible display configured to be divided into a first region and a second region in response to the user terminal apparatus being bent; a bending detector configured to detect a bending angle of the user terminal apparatus; at least one sensor configured to detect a use environment of the user terminal apparatus; and a controller configured to:
determine whether the user terminal apparatus is in a bended state or an unbended state according to the bending angle of the user terminal apparatus;
detect the use environment of the user terminal apparatus through the at least one sensor in response to determining that the user terminal apparatus is in the bended state; and
determine whether to perform a function corresponding to the bended state of the user terminal apparatus according to the detected use environment.

2 . The user terminal apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises an illumination sensor configured to detect an illumination value representing an amount of illumination near the user terminal apparatus, and
wherein the controller is further configured to not perform the function corresponding to the bended state of the user terminal apparatus in response to detecting that the illumination value is less than a predetermined value.

3 . The user terminal apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a proximity sensor configured to detect an object near the user terminal apparatus, and
wherein the controller is further configured to not perform the function corresponding to the bended state of the user terminal apparatus in response to detecting that an object is within a predetermined distance of the user terminal apparatus.

4 . The user terminal apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises an acceleration sensor configured to detect a motion of the user terminal apparatus, and
wherein the controller is further configured to not perform the function corresponding to the bended state of the user terminal apparatus in response to detecting a predetermined motion.

5 . The user terminal apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to the user terminal apparatus being in a sleep mode or a standby mode, determine whether to perform the function corresponding to the bended state of the user terminal apparatus according to the detected use environment.

6 . The user terminal apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a fingerprint recognizer configured to recognize a fingerprint of a user,
wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to a fingerprint of a user being recognized through the fingerprint recognizer, perform the function corresponding to the bended state of the user terminal apparatus regardless of the detected use environment.

7 . The user terminal apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to a call request being received, accept the call request if the user terminal apparatus is in the bended state, and determine whether to end the call according to a sensing value detected through the at least one sensor in response to detecting that the user terminal apparatus enters the unbended state while the call is being performed.

8 . The user terminal apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a proximity sensor and an illumination sensor, and
the controller is further configured to, in response to detecting that the user terminal apparatus enters the unbended state, maintain the call if the proximity sensor or the illumination sensor detects that the user terminal apparatus is close to a user.

9 . The user terminal apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a touch sensor, and
wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to the bended state of the user terminal apparatus being detected within a predetermined time after a touch is recognized through the touch sensor, perform the function corresponding to the bended state of the user terminal apparatus, and in response to the bended state of the user terminal apparatus not being detected within the predetermined time after the touch is recognized through the touch sensor, perform a function corresponding to the touch.

10 . A method of controlling a user terminal apparatus, the method comprising:
detecting a bending angle of the user terminal apparatus; determining whether the user terminal is in a bended state or an unbended state according to the bending angle of the user terminal apparatus; detecting a use environment of the user terminal apparatus in response to determining that the user terminal apparatus is in the bended state; and determining whether to perform a function corresponding to the bended state of the user terminal apparatus according to the detected use environment.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the detecting of the use environment of the user terminal apparatus comprises detecting an illumination value representing an amount of illumination near the user terminal apparatus using an illumination sensor, and
the determining comprises determining that the function corresponding to the bended state of the user terminal apparatus is not performed in response to the illumination value detected through the illumination sensor being less than a predetermined value.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the detecting of the use environment of the user terminal apparatus comprises detecting an object near the user terminal apparatus through a proximity sensor, and
the determining comprises determining that the function corresponding to the bended state of the user terminal apparatus is not performed in response to an object being detected within a predetermined distance of the user terminal apparatus through the proximity sensor.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the detecting of the use environment of the user terminal apparatus comprises detecting a motion of the user terminal apparatus through an acceleration sensor, and
the determining comprises determining that the function corresponding to the bended state of the user terminal apparatus is not performed in response to a predetermined motion being detected through the acceleration sensor.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the determining comprises determining, in response to the user terminal apparatus being in a sleep mode or a standby mode, whether to perform the function corresponding to the bended state of the user terminal apparatus according to the detected use environment.

15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising recognizing a fingerprint of a user, and
wherein the determining comprises determining that the function corresponding to the bended state of the user terminal apparatus is performed regardless of the detected use environment in response to a fingerprint of a user being recognized through a fingerprint recognizer.

16 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving a call request; accepting the call request in response to detecting that the user terminal apparatus is in the bended state; and determining whether to end a call according to a sensing value detected through a sensor of the user terminal apparatus in response to detecting that the user terminal apparatus enters the unbended state.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a proximity sensor and an illumination sensor, and
the determining whether to end the call

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Huh Jae-Young

Classifications

• 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

• 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

• G06F3/0346

  with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors · CPC title

• G06F3/041

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