Electronic device providing status information by changing shape of electronic device, and method for controlling the same

1 . An electronic device comprising:

a housing including a first housing part and a second housing part configured to movably engage with the first housing part between a retracted position and an extended position;

a flexible display coupled to the first housing part and the second housing part so that a size of an area of the flexible display that is visible from a front side of the housing changes as the second housing part is moved between the retracted position and the extended position;

driving circuitry configured to move the second housing part with respect to the first housing part;

at least one processor; and

memory which stores instructions,

wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to:

identify an occurrence of an event related to the electronic device,

determine a state of the electronic device based on the occurrence of the event,

determine, based on the state of the electronic device, a length that the flexible display is to be slid-in or slid-out according to a progress of the occurred event,

control the driving circuitry to gradually slid-in or slid-out the flexible display up to the determined length based on a ratio of a current progress value of the event to a maximum progress value of the event, and

display information related to the progress of the occurred event on the flexible display slid-in or slid-out according to control of the driving circuitry.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to determine whether the occurred event is designated as a primary event after the event occurs.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to control the driving circuitry so that the flexible display slides-in or slides-out based on the determined length when the event is designated as the primary event.

4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the event includes at least one of a charging event for charging a battery of the electronic device, an alarm generation event, a text message reception event, an event of executing a payment application, an emergency event, an event of a change in biometric information, or an event of a change in a context of performing a task.

5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to determine that the electronic device is in an opened state or in a closed state, or determining a first length that the flexible display is slid-out from an inside of the first housing at a time point that the event is occurred.

6 . A method for controlling an electronic device including a housing including a first housing part and a second housing part configured to movably engage with the first housing part between a retracted position and an extended position, a flexible display coupled to the first housing part and the second housing part such that a size of an area of the flexible display that is visible from a front side of the housing changes as the second housing part is moved between the retracted position and the extended position and a driving circuitry configured to move the second housing part with respect to the first housing part,

the method comprising:

identifying an occurrence of an event related to the electronic device;

determining a state of the electronic device based on the occurrence of the event,

determining, based on the state of the electronic device, a length that the flexible display is to be slid-in or slid-out according to a progress of the occurred event,

controlling the driving circuitry to gradually slid-in or slid-out the flexible display up to the determined length based on a ratio of a current progress value of the event to a maximum progress value of the event, and

displaying information related to the progress of the occurred event on the flexible display slid-in or slid-out according to control of the driving circuitry.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising determining whether the event is designated as a primary event after the event occurs.

8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising controlling the driving circuitry when the event is designated as the primary event.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the event includes at least one of a charging event for charging a battery of the electronic device, an alarm generation event, a text message reception event, an event of executing a payment application, an emergency event, an event of a change in biometric information, or an event of a change in a context of performing a task.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the event includes the charging event, and

the method further comprises controlling the driving circuitry to extend the flexible display according to a charging state of the battery when the event is the charging event.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising controlling the driving circuitry to extend the flexible display to a maximum in the second direction when a designated time arrives to generate an alarm or a text message is received when the event is the alarm generation event or the text message reception event.

12 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising controlling the driving circuitry to move the flexible display in the first direction in a maximally extended state of the flexible display over time when the event is the event of executing the payment application.

13 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising controlling the driving circuitry to move the flexible display in the second direction according to an elapse of a time related to the emergency event or the change in the biometric information when the event is the emergency event or the event of the change in the biometric information.

14 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising controlling the driving circuitry to move the flexible display in the second direction as the task is completed when the event is the event of the change in the context of performing the task.

15 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising controlling the driving circuitry so that the flexible display fully slides-in from the identified length or fully slides-out from the identified length while the occurred event is progressed.

16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having recorded thereon a program for implementing a method for controlling an electronic device including a housing including a first housing part and a second housing part configured to movably engage with the first housing part between a retracted position and an extended position, a flexible display coupled to the first housing part and the second housing part such that a size of an area of the flexible display that is visible from a front side of the housing changes as the second housing part is moved between the retracted position and the extended position and a driving circuitry configured to move the second housing part with respect to the first housing part, the method comprising:

identifying an occurrence of an event related to the electronic device;

determining a state of the electronic device based on the occurrence of the event,

determining, based on the state of the electronic device, a length that the flexible display is to be slid-in or slid-out according to a progress of the occurred event,

controlling the driving circuitry to gradually slid-in or slid-out the flexible display up to the determined length based on a ratio of a current progress value of the event to a maximum progress value of the event, and

displaying information related to the progress of the occurred event on the flexible display slid-in or slid-out according to control of the driving circuitry.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises determining whether the event is designated as a primary event after the event occurs.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises controlling the driving circuitry when the event is designated as the primary event.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the event includes at least one of a charging event for charging a battery of the electronic device, an alarm generation event, a text message reception event, an event of executing a payment application, an emergency event, an event of a change in biometric information, or an event of a change in a context of performing a task.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the event includes the charging event, and

the method further comprises controlling the driving circuitry to extend the flexible display according to a charging state of the battery when the event is the charging event.