Visual interface control based on viewing display area configuration

1. A method in a visual interface having a plurality of picture elements disposed on a substrate, the method comprising:

configuring a viewable display area of the visual interface by expanding or contracting the substrate in at least one dimension,

at least a portion of the viewable display area of the visual interface is deformed, including the plurality of picture elements that comprise an elastic characteristic, wherein the plurality of picture elements expand or contract to change a size of an image when the substrate is expanded by stretching an elastic strand and the picture elements contract when the substrate folds or collapses, and

all picture elements remain viewable despite the contraction or expansion of the substrate; and

controlling a characteristic of the visual interface based on the configuration of the viewable display area by enabling at least some of the picture elements of the viewable display area.

2. The method of claim 1 , the viewable display area having a surface dimension, expanding or contracting the substrate in a direction substantially parallel to the surface dimension of viewable display area.

3. The method of claim 1 ,

configuring the viewable display area includes changing a size characteristic of the viewable display area by expanding or contracting the substrate,

controlling the characteristic of the visual interface includes controlling a brightness of the visual interface based on the size characteristic of the viewable display area.

4. The method of claim 1 ,

configuring the viewable display area includes changing a size characteristic of the viewable display area by expanding or contracting the substrate,

controlling the characteristic of the visual interface includes addressing a group of neighboring picture elements as a single picture element, wherein the number of neighboring picture elements in the group is dependent on the size characteristic of the viewable display area.

5. The method of claim 4 , addressing a lesser number of neighboring picture elements in the group when the size characteristic of the display is smaller, and addressing a greater number of neighboring picture elements in the group when the size characteristic of the display is greater.

6. The method of claim 1 ,

configuring the viewable display area includes changing a size characteristic of the viewable display area by expanding or contracting the substrate,

controlling the characteristic of the visual interface includes enabling a greater number of picture elements when the size characteristic is relatively large and enabling a lesser number of picture elements when the size characteristic is relatively small.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising,

detecting the configuration of the viewable display area upon expanding or contracting the substrate in at least one dimension;

controlling the characteristic of the visual interface in response to detecting the configuration of the viewable display area.

8. The method of claim 7 , detecting the configuration of the viewable display area by detecting a change in an electrical property of the substrate.

9. The method of claim 1 , expanding or contracting the substrate in at least one dimension substantially parallel to the surface dimension of viewable display area by applying an electrical signal to the substrate.

10. The method of claim 1 , configuring the viewable display area based on content displayed on the visual interface.

11. A portable electronic device comprising:

a visual interface having a plurality of addressable picture elements disposed on a surface of a substrate,

a viewable display area of the visual interface is configurable by expanding or contracting the substrate in a direction substantially parallel to a surface dimension of the viewable display area to deform the viewable display area,

wherein to change a size of an image, the addressable picture elements expand when the substrate is expanded by stretching an elastic strand and the addressable picture elements contract when the substrate folds or collapses; and

a controller communicably coupled to the visual interface,

the controller configuring a characteristic of the visual interface based on the configuration of the viewable display area.

12. The device of claim 11 , the controller controlling a brightness characteristic of the visual interface based on a size configuration of the viewable display area.

13. The device of claim 11 , the controller addressing a group of neighboring picture elements as a single picture element, the number of neighboring picture elements in the group dependent on a size characteristic of the viewable display area.

14. The device of claim 13 , the controller addressing a lesser number of neighboring picture elements in the group when the size characteristic of the display is smaller, and the controller addressing a greater number of neighboring picture elements in the group when the size characteristic of the display is greater.

15. The device of claim 11 , at least a portion of the viewable display area of the visual interface including a number of picture elements that remains unchanged when the substrate is expanded or contracted,

the controller controlling the characteristic of the visual interface includes enabling a greater number of picture elements when a size of the viewable display area is relatively large and enabling a lesser number of picture elements when the size of the viewable display area is relatively small.

16. The device of claim 11 further comprising,

the controller detecting the configuration of the viewable display area upon expanding or contracting the substrate;

the controller controlling the characteristic of the visual interface in response to detecting the configuration.

17. The device of claim 16 , the controller detecting the configuration of the viewable display area by detecting a change in an electrical property of the substrate.

18. The device of claim 11 , the controller applying an electrical signal to the substrate to control expansion and contraction of the substrate applying an electrical signal to the substrate.

19. The device of claim 11 , configuring the viewable display area of the visual interface based on content displayed on the visual interface.

20. The device of claim 11 , where the visual display changes to a default configuration when the device powers off.