Foldable display device providing image layer and method of controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9430184-B2
Application number	US-201314019060-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2013
Priority date	Jul 22, 2013
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A method of controlling a foldable display device according to one embodiment of the present specification can include the steps of displaying a first image in a first area, a second image in a second area, and a third image in a third area in a mode that a foldable display device is not folded, wherein the first area is positioned at the center of the foldable display device, the second area is positioned at the left of the first area, and the third area is positioned at the right of the first area, detecting that the second area or the third area of the foldable display device is folded, if the second area is folded, assigning the first image to a first image layer of the first area and assigning the second image of the folded second area to a second image layer of the first area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable display device, comprising:
a display unit configured to contain a first area, a second area and a third area;
a sensor unit configured to detect that at least one area of the display unit is folded; and
a controller configured to:
recognize that the second area and the third area are folded,
convert the second area and the third area to an inactive mode,
assign a first image which is displayed at the first area to a first image layer of the first area, the first area being an unfolded area of the display unit,
if the second area is folded and the third area is folded after the second area is folded, assign a second image of the folded second area to a second image layer of the first area, and assign a third image of the folded third area to a third image layer of the first area, and
if the third area is folded and the second area is folded after the third area is folded, assign the third image of the folded third area to the second image layer of the first area, and assign the second image of the folded second area to the third image layer of the first area,
wherein the first image layer is an upper layer of the second image layer and the third image layer, and the second image layer is an upper layer of the third image layer.

2. The foldable display device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine each image layer to which the second image and the third image are assigned respectively, according to an order of which the second area and the third area of the display unit are folded.

3. The foldable display device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to display the first image assigned to the first image layer of the first area in the first area of the display unit and wherein the controller is configured to display an indicator indicating the second image and the third image in the first area of the display unit.

4. The foldable display device of claim 3 , wherein the indicator is a part of the second image and the third image.

5. The foldable display device of claim 3 , wherein the indicator comprises a tab linked to the second image and the third image, respectively.

6. The foldable display device of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to display a virtual object visualizing the folded second area and the folded third area of the display unit with the indicator.

7. The foldable display device of claim 3 , wherein the sensor unit is configured to further detect a control input for the display unit and wherein if a magnification of the first image is expanded more than a first threshold by the control input, the controller is configured to display the second image or the third image assigned to the second image layer of the first area in the display unit.

8. The foldable display device of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to display an indicator of the first image instead of the first image.

9. The foldable display device of claim 3 , wherein the sensor unit is further configured to detect a control input for the display unit and wherein if the first image is assigned to the first image layer of the first area, the second image is assigned to the second image layer of the first area, and the third image is assigned to the third image layer of the first area, when the control input for the indicator of the displayed second image is detected, the controller is configured to assign the first image to the second image layer of the first area, configured to assign the second image to the first image layer of the first area, and configured to display the second image.

10. The foldable display device of claim 1 , wherein if the first image is assigned to the first image layer of the first area, the second image is assigned to the second image layer of the first area, and the third image is assigned to the third image layer of the first area, when an assignment of the first image to the first image layer of the first area is terminated, the controller is configured to assign the second image to the first image layer of the first area and configured to assign the third image to the second image layer of the first area.

11. The foldable display device of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to further assign the first image to the third image layer of the first area.

12. The foldable display device of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to display the second image assigned to the first image layer of the first area in the display unit.

13. The foldable display device of claim 10 , wherein if an assignment of the second image to the first image layer of the first area is terminated, the controller is configured to assign the third image to the first image layer of the first area.

14. The foldable display device of claim 1 , wherein if the first image is assigned to the first image layer of the first area, the second image is assigned to the second image layer of the first area, and the third image is assigned to the third image layer of the first area, when the folded third area is unfolded, the controller is configured to display the third image in the unfolded third area.

15. The foldable display device of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to terminate an assignment of the third image to a third image layer of the first area.

16. The foldable display device of claim 1 , wherein if the first image is assigned to the first image layer of the first area, the second image is assigned to the second image layer, and the third image is assigned to the third image layer, the controller is configured to assign the third image to a first image layer of the third area, configured to assign the second image to a second image layer of the third area and configured to assign the first image to a third image layer of the third area.

17. The foldable display device of claim 16 , wherein when the foldable display device rotates to place the third area at the front of the foldable display device, the controller is configured to perform an operation of assigning the first image, the second, image and the third image to the third area.

18. The foldable display device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to display the first image assigned to the first image layer of the first area in the first area and wherein the controller is configured to further display the second image assigned to the second image layer of the first area or the third image in the first area in a manner of controlling transparency of the first image displayed in the first area.

19. A method of controlling a foldable display device including a display unit, the method comprising:
detecting that a second area and a third area of the display unit are folded;
converting the second area and the third area to an inactive mode;
assigning an image which is displayed at a first area to a first image layer of the first area, the first area being an unfolded area of the display unit;
if the second area is folded and the third area is folded after the second area is folded, assigning a second image of the folded second area to a second image layer of the first area, assigning a third image of the folded third area to a third image layer of the first area; and
if the third area is folded and the second area is folded after the third area is folded, assigning the third image of the folded third area to the second image layer of the first area, assigning the second image of the folded second area to the third image layer of the first area,
wherein the first image laye

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Cho Eunhyung
• Chun Sinae
• Kim Jongho
• Kim Jihwan

Classifications

• G06F3/147 Primary

  using display panels · CPC title

• G06F1/1641

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

• G06F1/3265

  Power saving in display device · CPC title

• H04M1/0247

  comprising more than two body parts · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

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