Foldable electronic device and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025355497-A1
Application number	US-202519286821-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 31, 2025
Priority date	May 11, 2023
Publication date	Nov 20, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes at least two housings rotatably coupled to each other; a flexible display disposed on the at least two housings, a first vibration motor disposed in a first housing among the at least two housings, a second vibration motor disposed in a second housing among the at least two housings and configured to vibrate in a different direction from the first vibration motor, at least one first sensor; at least one second sensor, memory, including one or more storage media, storing instructions, and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the flexible display, the first vibration motor, the second vibration motor, the at least one first sensor, the at least one second sensor, and the memory, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to acquire at least one measurement value from the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor, identify a folding state of the electronic device according to rotation between the at least two housings, based on the at least one measurement value measured from the at least one first sensor, identify a grip state with respect to at least one of the at least two housings, based on the at least one measurement value measured from the at least one second sensor, and operate the first vibration motor or the second vibration motor, based on the identified folding state and the identified grip state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device comprising:
at least two housings rotatably coupled to each other; a flexible display disposed on the at least two housings; a first vibration motor disposed in a first housing among the at least two housings; a second vibration motor disposed in a second housing among the at least two housings and configured to vibrate in a different direction from the first vibration motor; at least one first sensor; at least one second sensor; memory, comprising one or more storage media, storing instructions; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the flexible display, the first vibration motor, the second vibration motor, the at least one first sensor, the at least one second sensor, and the memory, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to:
acquire at least one measurement value from the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor,
identify a folding state of the electronic device according to rotation between the at least two housings, based on the at least one measurement value measured from the at least one first sensor,
identify a grip state with respect to at least one of the at least two housings, based on the at least one measurement value measured from the at least one second sensor, and
operate the first vibration motor or the second vibration motor, based on the identified folding state and the identified grip state.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a vibration direction of the first vibration motor corresponds to a direction intersecting a vibration direction of the second vibration motor.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 ,
wherein the vibration direction of the first vibration motor is configured to be parallel with a direction in which the first housing and the second housing are coupled and extend, and wherein the vibration direction of the second vibration motor is configured to be a direction intersecting a planar direction in which the flexible display extends.

4 . The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one second sensor comprises at least one grip sensor provided in the at least two housings, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to, as at least a portion of identifying the grip state with respect to at least one of the at least two housings, identify the grip state with respect to at least one of the at least two housings, based on the at least one measurement value acquired from the at least one grip sensor.

5 . The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one second sensor comprises a touch sensor configured to detect a touch onto the flexible display, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to, as at least a portion of identifying the grip state with respect to at least one of the at least two housings, identify the grip state with respect to at least one of the at least two housings, based on the at least one measurement value acquired from the touch sensor.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to, as at least a portion of operating at least one of the first vibration motor or the second vibration motor, operate at least one of the first vibration motor or the second vibration motor, disposed in a housing identified as being gripped among the at least two housings.

7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to:
as at least a portion of identifying the folding state of the electronic device:
identify an arrangement direction of the at least two housings, based on the at least one measurement value, and
identify the folding state of the electronic device, based on the identified arrangement direction.

8 . The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to, as at least a portion of operating at least one of the first vibration motor or the second vibration motor, select and operate one of the first vibration motor or the second vibration motor, which has a vibration direction having a relatively large angle with respect to a floor or a ground on which the electronic device is mounted, based on the identified arrangement direction.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to:
detect whether a first condition designated in connection with providing repeated notifications is satisfied, and as at least a portion of operating at least one of the first vibration motor or the second vibration motor, repeatedly operate the first vibration motor and the second vibration motor concurrently or alternately, based on the designated first condition being satisfied.

10 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to:
detect whether a second condition designated in connection with providing a notification once or more is satisfied, and as at least a portion of operating at least one of the first vibration motor or the second vibration motor, concurrently or alternately operate the first vibration motor and the second vibration motor a designated number of times, based on the designated second condition being satisfied.

11 . A method performed by an electronic device, the electronic device comprising at least two housings rotatably coupled to each other, a flexible display disposed on the at least two housings, a first vibration motor disposed in a first housing among the at least two housings, a second vibration motor disposed in a second housing among the at least two housings and configured to vibrate in a different direction from the first vibration motor, at least one first sensor, and at least one second sensor, the method comprising:
acquiring, by the electronic device, at least one measurement value from the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor;
identifying, by the electronic device, a folding state of the electronic device according to rotation between the at least two housings, based on the at least one measurement value;
identifying, by the electronic device, a grip state with respect to at least one of the at least two housings, based on the at least one measurement value; and
operating, by the electronic device, at least one of the first vibration motor or the second vibration motor, based on the identified folding state and the identified grip state.

12 . The method of claim 11 ,
wherein the at least one second sensor comprises at least one grip sensor provided in the at least two housings, and wherein the method further comprises, as at least a portion of identifying the grip state with respect to at least one of the at least two housings, identifying the grip state with respect to at least one of the at least two housings, based on the at least one measurement value acquired from the at least one grip sensor.

13 . The method of claim 11 ,
wherein the at least one second sensor comprises a touch sensor configu

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Changi
• Kang Jeongho
• Kim Namwoo
• Kim Minho
• Jun Jaeyoung
• Hong Hyunchul

Classifications

• 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

• H04M1/72448

  with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions · CPC title

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

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