Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9639177-B2
Application number	US-201414552162-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2014
Priority date	Sep 18, 2014
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A mobile terminal is provided that is capable of effectively displaying information to users by utilizing characteristics of a flexible display unit. The mobile terminal includes a flexible display unit configured to display image information on an entire screen; a sensing unit configured to sense a folded state of the flexible display unit; and a control unit configured to divide an entire screen of the flexible display unit into a plurality of screens based on a folded position, rearrange image information according to the plurality of divided screens, and display the rearranged image information on at least one of the plurality of divided screens.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:
a flexible display unit configured to display information;
a sensing unit configured to sense a folded position of the display unit; and
a control unit configured to control the display unit to:
display image information on an entire screen;
divide the entire screen into a plurality of screens based on the sensed folded position;
rearrange the displayed image information according to the plurality of screens;
display the rearranged image information on at least one of the plurality of screens;
output a preset alarm sound or display an alarm image when a sensed folding angle of the display unit is within a preset folding angle range;
display applications along a folding line corresponding to the sensed folded position;
select one of the displayed applications; and
display an execution image of the selected one of the displayed applications on one of the plurality of screens upon receiving a touch input to move the selected one of the displayed applications from the folding line to the one of the plurality of screens.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein:
the sensing unit is further configured to sense a folded direction of the display unit; and
the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to enlarge or contract the displayed image information according to the sensed folded direction.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein:
the image information is map data; and
the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display a starting position on a first screen of the plurality of screens and a destination position on a second screen of the plurality of screens when the display unit is folded while the map data is displayed on the entire screen.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein:
the image information is map data; and
the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display a position of the mobile terminal on a first screen of the plurality of screens and a position of another mobile terminal on a second screen of the plurality of screens when the display unit is folded while the map data is displayed on the entire screen.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display a first calendar on a first screen of the plurality of screens and a second calendar on a second screen of the plurality of screens when the display unit is folded while the first calendar is displayed on the entire screen.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display the first calendar on the entire screen when the display unit is refolded while the first calendar is displayed on the first screen of the plurality of screens and the second calendar is displayed on the second screen of the plurality of screens.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display a preview image captured by a camera on a first screen of the plurality of screens and at least one image related to a specific image on a second screen of the plurality of screens when the specific image is selected within the preview image and the display unit is folded while the preview image is displayed on the entire screen.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display a recently-captured image on either the entire screen or the plurality of screens when the display unit is folded at a first preset angle within a first preset time while a preview image captured by a camera is displayed on the entire screen.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display an image captured at a current position of the mobile terminal on either the entire screen or one of the plurality of screens when the display unit is folded at a second preset angle within a second preset time while the preview image is displayed on the entire screen.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of screens include a first display screen, a second display screen and a third display screen; and
the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to turn off the first and second display screens and to display a preview image captured by a camera on the third display screen when the first and second display screens are folded while the preview image is displayed on the first, second and the third display screens.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display the preview image only on the third display screen without turning the first and second display screens off when the first display screen is folded in a preset pattern and the third display screen is touched while the preview image is displayed on the first, second and third display screens.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to:
display a setting menu; and
change a setting value of the displayed setting menu according to a changed sensed folding angle of the display unit when the displayed setting menu is touched.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the setting menu is a camera setting menu.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to change a volume of music or displayed video according to a sensed changed folding angle of the display unit when a displayed volume control icon is touched.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of screens comprise a plurality of display regions, and
the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display information related to an application on at least a first display region of the plurality of display regions when second and third display regions of the plurality of display regions are folded or unfolded and an icon related to the application that is displayed on the first display region is touched.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of screens includes a plurality of display regions;
the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display an icon on a third display region of the plurality of display regions when first and second display regions of the plurality of display regions are folded while a user input is displayed on the first and second display regions; and
the icon is for transmitting or storing the displayed user input.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of screens include a plurality of display regions; and
the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to output the preset alarm sound and display the alarm image on at least one display region of the plurality of display regions when the sensed folding angle of the display unit is within the preset folding angle range.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein:
the display unity comprises a vibration motor; and
the control unit is further configured to drive the vibration motor when the sensed folding angle of the display unit is within the preset folding angle range.

19. A control method of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:
displaying image information on entire screen of a flexible display unit;
sensing a folded position of the display unit;
dividing the entire screen into a

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Samsick
• Lee Seojin
• Yu Donghwan

Classifications

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• G09G2380/02

  Flexible displays · CPC title

• G06F2203/04803

  Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas · CPC title

• G06F3/0346 Primary

  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

• H04M1/0214

  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