Flexible display device and method of driving the same

1. A method of driving a flexible display device, comprising:

detecting a capacitance change with respect to at least some coordinates of a display area;

determining whether bending is occurring through the detected capacitance change; and

setting a driving mode in response to a result of the step of determining whether bending is occurring;

wherein:

the driving mode is set into a bending mode when it is determined that bending is occurring, and the driving mode is set into a force touch mode when it is determined that bending is not occurring; and

the step of determining whether bending is occurring comprises:

detecting bending coordinates at which the capacitance change is greater than a first reference capacitance change; and

detecting whether the detected bending coordinates form a line.

2. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the step of determining whether bending is occurring comprises:

determining that bending is not occurring when the bending coordinates are not detected or when the bending coordinates do not form a line.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

when driving is performed in the bending mode,

determining a bending angle from the detected capacitance change; and

selecting one mode from a plurality of display modes providing different functions to the display area in response to determining the bending angle.

4. The method of claim 3 ,

wherein the step of determining a bending angle comprises determining that the bending angle increases as capacitance change increases.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

when driving is performed in the bending mode,

determining a position at which the line of bending coordinates is disposed; and

selecting one mode from a plurality of display modes providing different functions to the display area based on the position at which the line is disposed.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

when it is determined that bending is not occurring,

detecting touch coordinates at which the capacitance change is greater than a second reference capacitance change, wherein the second reference capacitance change is greater than the first reference capacitance change.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein in the step of setting the driving mode, driving is set to the force touch mode when the touch coordinates are detected.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the line is a straight line formed by connecting both ends of the display area.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether bending is occurring comprises:

detecting bending coordinates at which the capacitance change is greater than a first reference capacitance change; and

comparing the bending coordinates with stored bending reference coordinates to determine that bending is occurring when the bending coordinates include all of the bending reference coordinates.

10. A method of driving a flexible display device, comprising:

detecting a capacitance change with respect to at least some coordinates of a display area;

determining whether bending is occurring through the detected capacitance change; and

setting a driving mode in response to a result of the step of determining whether bending is occurring;

wherein:

the driving mode is set into a bending mode when it is determined that bending is occurring, and the driving mode is set into a force touch mode when it is determined that bending is not occurring;

the step of determining whether bending is occurring comprises determining that bending is not occurring when the bending coordinates are not detected or when the bending coordinates do not form a line; and

when it is determined that bending coordinates at which the capacitance change is greater than the first reference capacitance change do not form a line, determining that the capacitance change is noise.

11. A flexible display device, comprising:

a display unit configured to display an image;

a detection unit configured to detect capacitance changes with respect to at least some coordinates of the display unit;

a determination unit configured to determine whether bending is occurring through the detected capacitance change; and

a control unit connected to the detection unit and the determination unit and configured to set a driving mode according to an output of the determination unit,

wherein:

the control unit is configured to convert the driving mode into a bending mode when the determination unit determines that bending is occurring, and the control unit is configured to convert the driving mode into a force touch mode when the determination unit determines that bending is not occurring; and

the determination unit is configured to detect bending coordinates at which the capacitance change is greater than a first reference capacitance change, and whether the bending coordinates form a line.

12. The flexible display device of claim 11 ,

wherein the determination unit is configured to determine that bending is not occurring when the bending coordinates are not detected or when detected bending coordinates do not form a line.

13. The flexible display device of claim 12 ,

wherein the determination unit is configured to detect touch coordinates at which the capacitance change is greater than a second reference capacitance change, and wherein

the second reference capacitance change is greater than the first reference capacitance change.

14. The flexible display device of claim 11 ,

wherein the determination unit is configured to determine a bending angle through the detected capacitance changes, and is configured to select one mode from a plurality of display modes providing different functions to the display unit in response to the determined bending angle.

15. The flexible display device of claim 11 ,

wherein the determination unit is configured to determine a line in which the bending coordinates are connected as a bending line, and

the display unit is configured to display one mode from a plurality of display modes providing different functions to the display unit in response to a position at which the bending line is disposed.

16. The flexible display device of claim 11 ,

wherein the determination unit includes memory storing bending reference coordinates, the determination unit is configured to detect bending coordinates at which the capacitance change is greater than a first reference capacitance change, and the determination unit is configured to compare the bending coordinates with the bending reference coordinates.

17. A flexible display device, comprising:

a display unit configured to display an image;

a detection unit configured to detect capacitance changes with respect to at least some coordinates of the display unit;

a determination unit configured to determine whether bending is occurring through the detected capacitance change; and

a control unit connected to the detection unit and the determination unit and configured to set a driving mode according to an output of the determination unit,

wherein:

the control unit is configured to convert the driving mode into a bending mode when the determination unit determines that bending is occurring, and the control unit is configured to convert the driving mode into a force touch mode when the determination unit determines that bending is not occurring;

the detection unit comprises:

a lower electrode;

an elastic layer disposed on the lower electrode; and

an upper electrode disposed on the elastic layer and insulated from the lower electrode; and

the capacitance change is a value based upon a change in capacitance between the lower electrode and the upper electrode.

18. The flexible display device of claim 17 ,

wherein the elastic layer comprises any one of a magnetic fluid, a magneto-rheological fluid, and an electro-rheological fluid, and

viscosity of each of the magnetic fluid, the magneto-rheological fluid, and the electro-rheological fluid is controlled by an electric field between the upper electrode and the lower electrode.