IP Library Granted Patent US 12,288,486
Granted Patent B2
US 12,288,486 · App. 18/074,005 · Granted Apr 29, 2025

Electronic device including flexible display and method for operating the same

Inventors: Jookwan Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Yongjin Kwon (Suwon-si, KR); Gyeongtae Park (Suwon-si, KR); Yangwook Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Jihea Park (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
G09F9/301G06F1/1624G06F1/1652G06F1/1677G06F3/0346H04M1/0268
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,288,486
App. No.
18/074,005
Granted
Apr 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a housing, a flexible display, a memory storing executable instructions, and at least one processor, wherein the instructions are configured to, when executed, enable the at least one processor to identify a first event triggering a first display operation for displaying an image based on a rotation of the electronic device, identify a second event triggering a second display operation for displaying an image based on a change in an area of the flexible display, and sequentially change a display attribute of an image displayed on the flexible display.

Claims (96)

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first sensor;

a second sensor;

a housing;

memory storing executable instructions;

a flexible display, wherein an area of the flexible display exposed to an outside of the housing is changeable; and

at least one processor to access the memory, and execute the instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the electronic device to:

identify whether a first sensing value obtained through the first sensor exceeds a preset first value related to rotation of the electronic device,

when the first sensing value exceeds the preset first value, identify that the electronic device is rotated,

identify whether a second sensing value obtained through the second sensor exceeds a preset second value related to change in the area,

when the second sensing value exceeds the preset second value, identify that the area is changed,

based on a first display operation according to rotation of the electronic device and a second display operation according to change of the area,

change at least one of a size of an image or a degree of rotation of the image displayed on the flexible display, and

identify at least one of:

an ordinal relationship between a starting time of the first display operation and a starting time of the second display operation, or

an ordinal relationship between an ending time of the first display operation and an ending time of the second display operation.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the electronic device to:

sequentially change the degree of rotation of the image when the first display operation is performed;

sequentially change the size of the image when the second display operation is performed; and

sequentially change the size of the image and the degree of rotation of the image when the first display operation and the second display operation are simultaneously performed.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the electronic device to:

obtain information associated with the rotation of the electronic device using the first sensor, wherein the information associated with the rotation including information about at least one of a current rotation angle of the electronic device or a rotation angle speed of the electronic device, and

obtain first information associated with the first display operation based on the information associated with the rotation, wherein the first information including information about at least one of a first start time of the first display operation, a first execution time of the first display operation, or a first end time of the first display operation.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the electronic device to:

determine the first execution time of the first display operation based on at least part of the information associated with the rotation.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , further comprising:

a motor drivable to change the area; and

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

obtain information associated with the change in the area of the flexible display using the second sensor, wherein the information associated with the change in the area including information about at least one of a time when the change in the area starts, a rotation speed of the motor, or a time when the motor is driven, and

obtain second information associated with the second display operation based on the information associated with the change in the area, wherein the second information including information about at least one of a second start time of the second display operation, a second execution time of the second display operation, or a second end time of the second display operation.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the electronic device to:

when a first start time of the first display operation is equal to or before a second start time of the second display operation and a first end time of the first display operation is before a second end time of the second display operation,

sequentially change a size and a degree of rotation of a first image displayed on the flexible display by performing the first display operation and the second display operation during a first time, and

sequentially change a size of a second image displayed on the flexible display by performing the second display operation after the first time.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the electronic device to:

identify a value associated with a size of the area of the flexible display, associated with the first end time, at the second start time,

perform an operation of obtaining the second image to be displayed at the first end time, based on the value associated with the size of the area, and

when the second image is obtained, display the second image at the first end time and sequentially change the size of the second image by performing the second display operation.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the electronic device to:

change the first end time when the second image is not obtained.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the electronic device to:

when a first start time of the first display operation is equal to or before a second start time of the second display operation and a first end time of the first display operation is equal to or after a second end time of the second display operation, sequentially change a size and a degree of rotation of the image by performing the first display operation and the second display operation.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the electronic device to:

when a first start time of the first display operation is equal to or after a second start time of the second display operation and a first end time of the first display operation is equal to or before a second end time of the second display operation,

sequentially change a size of a first image displayed on the flexible display by performing the second display operation during first time,

change the first end time to the second end time, and

sequentially change a size and a degree of rotation of a second image displayed on the flexible display by performing the first display operation and the second display operation after the first time.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the electronic device to:

when a first start time of the first display operation is equal to or after a second start time of the second display operation and a first end time of the first display operation is equal to or after a second end time of the second display operation,

sequentially change a size of a first image displayed on the flexible display by performing the second display operation during the first start time, and

sequentially change a size and a degree of rotation of a second image displayed on the flexible display by performing the first display operation and the second display operation after the first start time.

12. A method for operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

identifying whether a first sensing value obtained through a first sensor of the electronic device exceeds a preset first value related to rotation of the electronic device;

when the first sensing value exceeds the preset first value, identifying that the electronic device is rotated;

identifying whether a second sensing value obtained through a second sensor exceeds a preset second value related to change in an area of a flexible display of the electronic device;

when the second sensing value exceeds the preset second value, identifying that the area is changed;

based on a first display operation according to rotation of the electronic device and a second display operation according to change of the area;

changing at least one of a size of an image or a degree of rotation of the image displayed on the flexible display; and

identifying at least one of:

an ordinal relationship between a starting time of the first display operation and a starting time of the second display operation, or

an ordinal relationship between an ending time of the first display operation and an ending time of the second display operation.

13. The method of claim 12 ,

sequentially changing the degree of rotation of the image when the first display operation is performed;

sequentially changing the size of the image when the second display operation is performed; and

sequentially changing the size of the image and the degree of rotation of the image when the first display operation and the second display operation are simultaneously performed.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

obtaining information associated with the rotation of the electronic device using the first sensor, wherein the information associated with the rotation including information about at least one of a current rotation angle of the electronic device or a rotation angle speed of the electronic device; and

obtaining first information associated with the first display operation based on the information associated with the rotation, wherein the first information including information about at least one of a first start time of the first display operation, a first execution time of the first display operation, or a first end time of the first display operation.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

determining the first execution time of the first display operation based on at least part of the information associated with the rotation.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

when a first start time of the first display operation is equal to or before a second start time of the second display operation and a first end time of the first display operation is before a second end time of the second display operation;

sequentially changing a size and a degree of rotation of a first image displayed on the flexible display by performing the first display operation and the second display operation during a first time; and

sequentially changing a size of a second image displayed on the flexible display by performing the second display operation after the first time.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

identifying a value associated with a size of the area of the flexible display, associated with the first end time, at the second start time;

performing an operation of obtaining the second image to be displayed at the first end time, based on the value associated with the size of the area; and

when the second image is obtained, displaying the second image at the first end time and sequentially changing the size of the second image by performing the second display operation.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

when a first start time of the first display operation is equal to or before a second start time of the second display operation and a first end time of the first display operation is equal to or after a second end time of the second display operation, sequentially changing a size and a degree of rotation of the image by performing the first display operation and the second display operation.

19. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

when a first start time of the first display operation is equal to or after a second start time of the second display operation and a first end time of the first display operation is equal to or before a second end time of the second display operation,

sequentially changing a size of a first image displayed on the flexible display by performing the second display operation during first time;

changing the first end time to the second end time; and

sequentially changing a size and a degree of rotation of a second image displayed on the flexible display by performing the first display operation and the second display operation after the first time.

20. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a flexible display wherein an area of the flexible display exposed to an outside of the housing is changeable;

a sensor for identifying a rotation angle of the electronic device; and

at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

display, on the flexible display, a first image having a first area based on a first screen direction during a first time when the rotation angle of the electronic device is identified to be less than a specific angle using the sensor,

display, on the flexible display, a plurality of second images obtained based on the first image during a second time after an event for changing a size of the area exposed to the outside of the housing occurs, and the rotation angle of the electronic device is identified to be the specific angle or more, respective sizes of display of the plurality of second images differing from each other, and respective rotation angles of the plurality of second images differing from each other,

display, on the flexible display, a third image having a third size different from the first area based on a second screen direction, after the second time, and

identify at least one of:

an ordinal relationship between a starting time of a rotation event of the electronic device and a starting time of a display size changing event of the flexible display, or

an ordinal relationship between an ending time of a rotation event of the electronic device and an ending time of a display size changing event of the flexible display.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 2, 2022
From: LEE, JOOKWAN; KWON, YONGJIN; PARK, GYEONGTAE; KIM, YANGWOOK; PARK, JIHEA
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 061958/0139 →
Priority Claims (2)
KR 10-2021-0172438 · Dec 3, 2021 · national
KR 10-2021-0194328 · Dec 31, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTKR2022019259 · Nov 30, 2022
Related Publication 20230177982A1 · Jun 8, 2023
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