IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,517,641
Granted Patent B2
US 12,517,641 · App. 18/680,350 · Granted Jan 6, 2026

Slidable electronic device and control method therefor

Inventors: Kawon Cheon (Suwon-si, KR); Yeojun Yoon (Suwon-si, KR); Soojung Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Jooho Seo (Suwon-si, KR); Seungjoon Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Jaehyuk Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Donghun Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Minsoo Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Seonkeun Park (Suwon-si, KR); Jaewoong Chung (Suwon-si, KR); Duyeong Choi (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
G06F3/04845G06F1/1624G06F1/1652G06F3/0488
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,517,641
App. No.
18/680,350
Granted
Jan 6, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic device includes a housing; a flexible display at least partially exposed to an outside through the housing; and at least one processor operatively connected to the flexible display, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: based on receiving a first user input on the flexible display for a sliding operation to expose a second part including at least part of a first part of the flexible display to the outside in a state in which the first part of the flexible display is exposed to the outside, identify an edge area of the flexible display to be slid, control the flexible display to display an indicator in at least part of an area of the first part of the flexible display corresponding to the edge area of the flexible display, and expose the second part to the outside by sliding at least part of the flexible display including the edge area after the indicator is displayed.

Claims (53)

1 . An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a flexible display at least partially exposed to an outside through the housing;

a processor; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to:

receive a first user input on the flexible display, in a state in which a first part of the flexible display is exposed to the outside, for a sliding operation to further expose a second part of the flexible display to the outside,

based on the first user input, control the flexible display to display a guide object for receiving a second user input related to a sliding direction of an edge area, and display an indicator indicating the edge area of the flexible display where the sliding operation is performed, in at least part of an area of the first part of the flexible display, corresponding to the edge area of the flexible display, and

expose the second part of the flexible display to the outside by sliding at least part of the flexible display including the edge area.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the edge area is an end area of the flexible display which moves in an outward direction from the housing based on the sliding operation, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to:

based on receiving the second user input through the guide object, expose the second part of the flexible display to the outside by sliding the at least part of the flexible display including the edge area according to the sliding direction.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the guide object includes a first object related to a first sliding length of the flexible display, and a second object related to a second sliding length of the flexible display, the second sliding length being greater than the first sliding length, and

wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to slide the at least part of the flexible display including the edge area based on a sliding length related to an object selected by the second user input from among the first object and the second object.

4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to:

detect an interference factor interfering with the sliding operation,

based on a detection of the interference factor, provide a first feedback indicating that the interference factor exists, and

expose the second part of the flexible display to the outside by sliding the at least part of the flexible display including the edge area based on detecting that the interference factor is removed.

5 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the first feedback includes at least one of vibration, sound, lighting, or message display.

6 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to, based on not detecting the interference factor being removed for a predetermined time after the first feedback is provided, provide a second feedback with a greater intensity than the first feedback.

7 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the first feedback is set by a user input.

8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to, based on detecting at least one of a touch input or a pressure greater than or equal to a predetermined value in at least part of the edge area, determine that an interference factor is detected.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to, based on receiving the first user input on the flexible display in a state in which a lock screen is displayed on the first part of the flexible display, display an unlock screen on the second part of the flexible display after the sliding operation.

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

expose the second part of the flexible display to the outside by sliding the at least part of the flexible display including the edge area in a first direction,

based on receiving a third user input on the flexible display, in a state in which the second part of the flexible display is exposed to the outside, for the sliding operation to expose the first part of the flexible display to the outside, wherein the first part of the flexible display is a portion of the second part of the flexible display,

control the flexible display to display a second indicator, in at least part of the area of the first part of the flexible display, corresponding to the edge area of the flexible display, and

expose the first part of the flexible display to the outside by sliding the at least part of the flexible display including the edge area in a second directions which is opposite to the first direction.

11 . A method of controlling an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving a first user input on a flexible display of the electronic device, in a state in which a first part of the flexible display is exposed to the outside, for a sliding operation to further expose a second part of the flexible display to the outside;

based on the first user input, displaying a guide object for receiving a second user input related to a sliding direction of an edge area, and displaying an indicator indicating the edge area of the flexible display where the sliding operation is performed, in at least part of an area of the first part of the flexible, display corresponding to the edge area of the flexible display; and

exposing the second part of the flexible display to the outside by sliding at least part of the flexible display including the edge area.

12 . The method of claim 11 ,

wherein the edge area is an end area of the flexible display which moves in an outward direction from a housing based on the sliding operation, and

wherein the exposing the second part of the flexible display to the outside comprises, based on receiving the second user input through the guide object, exposes the second part of the flexible display to the outside by sliding the at least part of the flexible display including the edge area according to the sliding direction.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the guide object includes a first object related to a first sliding length of the flexible display, and a second object related to a second sliding length of the flexible display, the second sliding length being greater than the first sliding length, and

wherein the exposing the second part of the flexible display to the outside comprises sliding the at least part of the flexible display including the edge area based on a sliding length related to an object selected by the second user input from among the first object and the second object.

14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

detecting an interference factor interfering with the sliding operation,

based on a detection of the interference factor, providing a first feedback indicating that the interference factor exists, and

exposing the second part of the flexible display to the outside by sliding the at least part of the flexible display including the edge area based on detecting that the interference factor is removed.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first feedback includes at least one of vibration, sound, lighting, or message display.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising, based on not detecting the interference factor being removed for a predetermined time after the first feedback is provided, providing a second feedback with a greater intensity than the first feedback.

17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising detecting an interference factor based on detecting at least one of a touch input or a pressure greater than or equal to a predetermined value in at least part of the edge area.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the receiving the first user input comprises, receiving the first user input on the flexible display in a state in which a lock screen is displayed on the first part of the flexible display, and

wherein the method further comprises, displaying an unlock screen on the second part of the flexible display after the sliding operation.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the exposing the second part of the flexible display to the outside comprises, exposing the second part of the flexible display to the outside by sliding at least part of the flexible display including the edge area in a first direction, and

wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a third user input on the flexible display, in a state in which the second part of the flexible display is exposed to the outside, for the sliding operation to expose the first part of the flexible display to the outside, wherein the first part of the flexible display is a portion of the second part of the flexible display,

displaying a second indicator, in at least part of the area of the first part of the flexible display, corresponding to the edge area of the flexible display, and

exposing the first part of the flexible display to the outside by sliding the at least part of the flexible display including the edge area in a second directions which is opposite to the first direction.

20 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving a first user input on a flexible display of the electronic device, in a state in which a first part of the flexible display is exposed to the outside, for a sliding operation to further expose a second part of the flexible display to the outside;

based on the first user input, displaying a guide object for receiving a second user input related to a sliding direction of an edge area, and displaying an indicator indicating the edge area of the flexible display where the sliding operation is performed, in at least part of an area of the first part of the flexible, display corresponding to the edge area of the flexible display; and

exposing the second part of the flexible display to the outside by sliding at least part of the flexible display including the edge area.

Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2020-0094770 · Jul 29, 2020 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 18102407 · Jan 27, 2023
Continuation PCTKR2021008263 · Jun 30, 2021
Related Publication 20240319858A1 · Sep 26, 2024
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