CN116472510A

CN116472510A - Method for operating flexible display and electronic device

Info

Publication number: CN116472510A
Application number: CN202180077212.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 金慜郁; 裵锺坤; 金炅泰; 金广泰; 廉东铉
Original assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-11-20
Filing date: 2021-11-22
Publication date: 2023-07-21

Abstract

According to various embodiments, an electronic device may include: a first housing; a second housing foldably connected to the first housing by a hinge device; a flexible display arranged to be supported by the second housing from the first housing through the hinge means; a touch sensor disposed at least partially in correspondence with the flexible display; a memory; and a processor operatively connected to the flexible display, the touch sensor, and the memory. The processor may operate a partial region of the touch sensor in a first mode in a state in which the first housing is folded with respect to the second housing, detect a sliding motion in the folded state based on the flexible display, confirm a first display region of the flexible display exposed to the outside in response to the sliding motion, and switch the touch sensor corresponding to the confirmed first display region from the first mode to the second mode. Various other embodiments are possible.

Description

Method for operating flexible display and electronic device

Technical Field

Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method for operating a flexible display and an electronic device.

Background

Electronic devices have become increasingly thinner and have been improved to increase the rigidity of the electronic devices, enhance their design aspects, and differentiate their functional elements. Electronic devices have evolved from single sided rectangular shapes to more diverse shapes. The electronic device may have a deformable structure so that a large screen display can be used while ensuring portability. As an example of a deformable structure, the electronic device may include a foldable electronic device including at least two foldable housings that operate to fold or unfold relative to each other, a slidable electronic device including housings configured to slide a specified reciprocal distance relative to each other, or a crimpable electronic device configured such that a shape of at least one housing is changed in a crimp type. Such electronic devices may include a flexible display that may be at least partially curved and face the housing that is deformed in various ways, and the flexible display may need to have improved curvature characteristics.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem

A foldable electronic device including a first housing and a second housing may include a main display (e.g., a flexible display) and a sub-display. The foldable electronic device may operate in a folded state (e.g., a folded state) and an unfolded state (e.g., a flat state or an unfolded state), and the first case and the second case may be disposed in the folded state such that one surfaces thereof overlap each other. In the folded state, the main display may be folded in and not exposed to the outside, and the foldable electronic device may provide at least one content to the user through the sub-display. According to the embodiment, the foldable electronic device may be in a state that the main display is folded inwards in the folded state, and the main display is difficult to use.

According to various embodiments, at least one of a first case and a second case of a foldable electronic device (e.g., an electronic device) may perform a sliding operation, and at least a portion of a main display thereof may be exposed to the outside when the sliding operation is performed. The electronic device according to the embodiment may provide the user with a partial region of the main display exposed to the outside as a display region according to the sliding operation.

Solution to the problem

According to various embodiments, an electronic device may include a first housing, a second housing foldably connected to the first housing by a hinge device, a flexible display configured to be supported from the first housing by the second housing by the hinge device, a touch sensor configured at least in part to correspond to the flexible display, a memory, and a processor operably connected to the flexible display, the touch sensor, and the memory. The processor may be configured to operate at least a partial region of the touch sensor in a first mode in a state in which the first and second cases are folded, detect a sliding operation in the folded state based on the flexible display, identify a first display region of the flexible display exposed to the outside in response to the sliding operation, and switch the touch sensor corresponding to the identified first display region from the first mode to the second mode.

Methods according to various embodiments may include: based on the hinge device, operating at least a partial region of the touch sensor corresponding to the flexible display supported by the first and second housings in a first mode in a state in which the first and second housings are folded, detecting a sliding operation in the folded state based on the flexible display, identifying a first display region of the flexible display exposed to the outside in response to the sliding operation, and switching the touch sensor corresponding to the identified first display region from the first mode to the second mode.

Advantageous effects of the invention

Various embodiments of the present disclosure may provide an electronic device designed to have a structure in which a sliding operation with respect to at least one housing is possible in a folded state of the electronic device including a first housing and a second housing. In the folded state, the electronic device may sense a sliding operation, and may switch an operation mode related to the flexible display (e.g., a touch sensor provided to correspond to the flexible display) in response to the sliding operation. According to an embodiment, the electronic device may use a flexible display at least partially exposed to the outside as a display area according to a sliding operation. User convenience can be improved. Various other advantageous effects, either explicitly or implicitly determined by the present disclosure, may be provided.

Drawings

The same or similar reference numbers will be used to refer to the same or similar elements throughout the description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2a is a front perspective view illustrating an electronic device in a deployed state (flat state or deployed state) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2b is a plan view illustrating a front surface of an electronic device in an unfolded state, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2c is a plan view illustrating a rear surface of an electronic device in an unfolded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3a is a perspective view illustrating an electronic device in a folded state (folded state) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3b is a perspective view illustrating an electronic device in an intermediate state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 4a is an exemplary view illustrating a sliding operation of an electronic device in a folded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 4b is an exemplary view illustrating a hinge device capable of performing a folding operation and a sliding operation according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 4c is a perspective view illustrating a sliding operation of an electronic device in a folded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 5 is a block diagram of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation method according to a sliding operation of an electronic device in a folded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7a is an exemplary view illustrating at least one channel included in a flexible display with an electronic device in a folded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7b is an exemplary view illustrating at least one channel included in a flexible display in the event of a sliding operation in an electronic device in a folded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device 101 in a network environment 100 according to various embodiments. Referring to fig. 1, an electronic device 101 in a network environment 100 may communicate with an electronic device 102 via a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network) or with an electronic device 104 or server 108 via a second network 199 (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may communicate with the electronic device 104 via the server 108. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include a processor 120, a memory 130, an input device 150, a sound output device 155, a display device 160, an audio module 170, a sensor module 176, an interface 177, a haptic module 179, a camera module 180, a power management module 188, a battery 189, a communication module 190, a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) 196, or an antenna module 197. In some embodiments, at least one of the components (e.g., display device 160 or camera module 180) may be omitted from electronic device 101, or one or more other components may be added to electronic device 101. In some embodiments, some of the components may be implemented as a single integrated circuit. For example, the sensor module 176 (e.g., fingerprint sensor, iris sensor, or illuminance sensor) may be implemented embedded in the display device 160 (e.g., display).

The processor 120 may run, for example, software (e.g., program 140) to control at least one other component (e.g., hardware component or software component) of the electronic device 101 that is connected to the processor 120, and may perform various data processing or calculations. According to one embodiment, as at least part of the data processing or calculation, the processor 120 may load commands or data received from another component (e.g., the sensor module 176 or the communication module 190) into the volatile memory 132, process the commands or data stored in the volatile memory 132, and store the resulting data in the non-volatile memory 134. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may include a main processor 121 (e.g., a Central Processing Unit (CPU) or an Application Processor (AP)) and an auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), an Image Signal Processor (ISP), a sensor hub processor or a Communication Processor (CP)) that is operatively independent or combined with the main processor 121. Additionally or alternatively, the auxiliary processor 123 may be adapted to consume less power than the main processor 121, or to be specifically adapted for a specified function. The auxiliary processor 123 may be implemented separately from the main processor 121 or as part of the main processor 121.

The auxiliary processor 123 may control at least some of the functions or states associated with at least one of the components of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the display device 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190) when the main processor 121 (rather than the main processor 121) is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or the auxiliary processor 123 may control at least some of the functions or states associated with at least one of the components of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the display device 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190) with the main processor 121 when the main processor 121 is in an active state (e.g., running an application). According to an embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as part of another component (e.g., the camera module 180 or the communication module 190) functionally related to the auxiliary processor 123.

The memory 130 may store various data used by at least one component of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the processor 120 or the sensor module 176). The various data may include, for example, software (e.g., program 140) and input data or output data for commands associated therewith. Memory 130 may include volatile memory 132 or nonvolatile memory 134.

The program 140 may be stored as software in the memory 130, and the program 140 may include, for example, an Operating System (OS) 142, middleware 144, or applications 146.

The input device 150 may receive commands or data from outside the electronic device 101 (e.g., a user) to be used by other components of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the processor 120). The input device 150 may include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, keys (e.g., buttons), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus).

The sound output device 155 may output a sound signal to the outside of the electronic device 101. The sound output device 155 may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. Speakers may be used for general purposes such as playing multimedia or playing a album and receivers may be used for incoming calls. Depending on the embodiment, the receiver may be implemented separate from the speaker or as part of the speaker.

Display device 160 may visually provide information to the outside (e.g., user) of electronic device 101. The display device 160 may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector, and a control circuit for controlling a corresponding one of the display, the holographic device, and the projector. According to an embodiment, the display device 160 may include touch circuitry adapted to detect touches or sensor circuitry (e.g., pressure sensors) adapted to measure the strength of forces caused by touches.

The audio module 170 may convert sound into electrical signals and vice versa. According to an embodiment, the audio module 170 may obtain sound via the input device 150, or output sound via the sound output device 155 or headphones of an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102) that is directly (e.g., wired) or wirelessly connected to the electronic device 101.

The sensor module 176 may detect an operational state (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device 101 or an environmental state (e.g., a state of a user) external to the electronic device 101 and then generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. According to an embodiment, the sensor module 176 may include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyroscope sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an Infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

Interface 177 may support one or more specific protocols that will be used to connect electronic device 101 with an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 102) directly (e.g., wired) or wirelessly. According to an embodiment, interface 177 may include, for example, a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a Secure Digital (SD) card interface, or an audio interface.

The connection end 178 may include a connector via which the electronic device 101 may be physically connected with an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102). According to an embodiment, the connection end 178 may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

The haptic module 179 may convert the electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus (e.g., vibration or motion) or an electrical stimulus that may be recognized by the user via his sense of touch or kinesthetic sense. According to an embodiment, the haptic module 179 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrostimulator.

The camera module 180 may capture still images or moving images. According to an embodiment, the camera module 180 may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, an image signal processor, or a flash.

The power management module 188 may manage power supply to the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the power management module 188 may be implemented as at least part of, for example, a Power Management Integrated Circuit (PMIC).

Battery 189 may power at least one component of electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, battery 189 may include, for example, a primary non-rechargeable battery, a rechargeable battery, or a fuel cell.

The communication module 190 may support establishing a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device 101 and an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102, the electronic device 104, or the server 108) and performing communication via the established communication channel. The communication module 190 may include one or more communication processors capable of operating independently of the processor 120 (e.g., an Application Processor (AP)) and supporting direct (e.g., wired) or wireless communication. According to an embodiment, the communication module 190 may include a wireless communication module 192 (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 194 (e.g., a Local Area Network (LAN) communication module or a Power Line Communication (PLC) module). A respective one of these communication modules may communicate with external electronic devices via a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range communication network such as bluetooth, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network 199 (e.g., a long-range communication network such as a cellular network, the internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or Wide Area Network (WAN)). These various types of communication modules may be implemented as a single component (e.g., a single chip), or may be implemented as multiple components (e.g., multiple chips) separate from each other. The wireless communication module 192 may identify and authenticate the electronic device 101 in a communication network, such as the first network 198 or the second network 199, using user information (e.g., an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)) stored in the user identification module 196.

The wireless communication module 192 may support a 5G network following a 4G network and next generation communication technologies (e.g., new Radio (NR) access technologies). NR access technologies may support enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), large-scale machine type communication (mctc), or ultra-reliable and low-latency communication (URLLC). The wireless communication module 192 may support a high frequency band (e.g., mmWave band) to achieve, for example, high data transmission rates. The wireless communication module 192 may support various techniques for ensuring performance over a high frequency band, such as beamforming, massive multiple-input multiple-output (massive MIMO), full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, analog beamforming, or massive antennas. The wireless communication module 192 may support various requirements specified in the electronic device 101, an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 104), or a network system (e.g., second network 199). According to an embodiment, the wireless communication module 192 may support a peak data rate (e.g., 20Gbps or greater) for implementing an eMBB, a loss coverage (e.g., 164dB or less) for implementing an emtc, or a U-plane delay (e.g., a round trip of 0.5ms or less, or 1ms or less for each of the Downlink (DL) and Uplink (UL)) for implementing a URLLC.

The antenna module 197 may transmit signals or power to the outside of the electronic device 101 (e.g., an external electronic device) or receive signals or power from the outside of the electronic device 101 (e.g., an external electronic device). According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include one or more antennas, and thus, at least one antenna suitable for a communication scheme used in a communication network, such as the first network 198 or the second network 199, may be selected, for example, by the communication module 190 (e.g., the wireless communication module 192). Signals or power may then be transmitted or received between the communication module 190 and the external electronic device via the selected at least one antenna.

According to various embodiments, antenna module 197 may form a millimeter wave antenna module. According to an embodiment, a millimeter wave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent to a first surface (e.g., a bottom surface) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a specified high frequency band (e.g., a millimeter wave frequency band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., array antennas) disposed on or adjacent to a second surface (e.g., a top surface or a side surface) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals of the specified high frequency band.

At least some of the above components may be interconnected via an inter-peripheral communication scheme (e.g., bus, general Purpose Input Output (GPIO), serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), or Mobile Industrial Processor Interface (MIPI)) and communicatively communicate signals (e.g., commands or data) therebetween.

According to an embodiment, commands or data may be sent or received between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 104 via the server 108 connected to the second network 199. Each of the electronic device 102 and the electronic device 104 may be the same type of device as the electronic device 101 or a different type of device from the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, all or some of the operations to be performed at the electronic device 101 may be performed at one or more of the external electronic device 102, the external electronic device 104, or the server 108. For example, if the electronic device 101 should automatically perform a function or service or should perform a function or service in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device 101 may request the one or more external electronic devices to perform at least part of the function or service instead of or in addition to the function or service, or the electronic device 101 may request the one or more external electronic devices to perform at least part of the function or service. The one or more external electronic devices that received the request may perform the requested at least part of the function or service or perform another function or another service related to the request and transmit the result of the performing to the electronic device 101. The electronic device 101 may provide the result as at least a partial reply to the request with or without further processing of the result. For this purpose, cloud computing technology, distributed computing technology, or client-server computing technology, for example, may be used.

Fig. 2a is a perspective view illustrating an electronic device in a deployed state (flat state or deployed state) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 2b is a plan view illustrating a front surface of an electronic device in an unfolded state, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 2c is a plan view illustrating a rear surface of an electronic device in an unfolded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3a is a perspective view illustrating an electronic device in a folded state (folded state) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 3b is a perspective view illustrating an electronic device in an intermediate state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to fig. 2 a-3 b, an electronic device 101 (e.g., the electronic device 101 of fig. 1) may include a pair of housings 210 and 220 (e.g., foldable housings) rotatably coupled with respect to a hinge device (e.g., the hinge device 240 of fig. 2 b) to fold while facing each other. In some embodiments, the hinge device (e.g., hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b) may be disposed in the X-axis direction or in the Y-axis direction. In some embodiments, two or more hinge devices (e.g., hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b) may also be arranged to fold in the same direction or in different directions. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include a flexible display 400 (e.g., a foldable display) disposed in an area formed by a pair of housings 210 and 220. According to an embodiment, the first case 210 and the second case 220 may be disposed at both sides around the folding axis (axis a), and may have a substantially symmetrical shape about the folding axis (axis a). According to an embodiment, the first case 210 and the second case 220 may have different angles formed with each other or different distances from each other according to whether the state of the electronic device 101 is an unfolded state (flat state or unfolded state), a folded state (folded state), or an intermediate state.

According to various embodiments, the pair of housings 210 and 220 may include a first housing 210 (e.g., a first housing structure) coupled to a hinge device (e.g., hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b) and a second housing 220 (e.g., a second housing structure) coupled to a hinge device (e.g., hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b). According to an embodiment, in the deployed state, the first housing 210 may include a first surface 211 oriented in a first direction (e.g., a front surface direction) (z-axis direction) and a second surface 212 oriented in a second direction (e.g., a rear surface direction) (-z-axis direction) opposite the first surface 211. According to an embodiment, in the unfolded state, the second housing 220 may include a third surface 221 oriented in a first direction (z-axis direction) and a fourth surface 222 oriented in a second direction (-z-axis direction). According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may be configured to operate in such a way: the first surface 211 of the first housing 210 and the third surface 221 of the second housing 220 are oriented in substantially the same first direction (z-axis direction) in the unfolded state, and the first surface 211 and the third surface 221 face each other in the folded state. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may be configured to operate in such a way: the second surface 212 of the first housing 210 and the fourth surface 222 of the second housing 220 are oriented in substantially the same second direction (-z-axis direction) in the unfolded state, and the second surface 212 and the fourth surface 222 are oriented in opposite directions to each other in the folded state. For example, in the folded state, the second surface 212 may be oriented in a first direction (z-axis direction) and the fourth surface 222 may be oriented in a second direction (-z-axis direction).

According to various embodiments, the first housing 210 may include a first side member 213 at least partially forming an exterior of the electronic device 101, and a first rear cover 214 coupled to the first side member 213 and forming at least a portion of the second surface 212 of the electronic device 200. According to an embodiment, the first side member 213 may include a first side surface 213a, a second side surface 213b extending from one end of the first side surface 213a, and a third side surface 213c extending from the other end of the first side surface 213 a. According to an embodiment, the first side member 213 may be formed in a long rectangular shape (e.g., square or rectangular) by the first side surface 213a, the second side surface 213b, and the third side surface 213c.

According to various embodiments, the second housing 220 may include a second side member 223 at least partially forming an exterior of the electronic device 101, and a second back cover 224 coupled to the second side member 223 and forming at least a portion of the fourth surface 222 of the electronic device 200. According to an embodiment, the second side member 223 may include a fourth side surface 223a, a fifth side surface 223b extending from one end of the fourth side surface 223a, and a sixth side surface 223c extending from the other end of the fourth side surface 223 a. According to an embodiment, the second side member 223 may be formed in an elongated rectangular shape by the fourth side surface 223a, the fifth side surface 223b, and the sixth side surface 223c.

According to various embodiments, the pair of housings 210 and 220 are not limited to the shapes and couplings shown, and may be implemented in other shapes or by combinations and/or couplings of other components. For example, in some embodiments, the first side member 213 may be integrally formed with the first rear cover 214, and the second side member 223 may be integrally formed with the second rear cover 224.

According to various embodiments, in the unfolded state, the electronic device 101 may be configured such that the second side surface 213b of the first side member 213 and the fifth side surface 223b of the second side member 223 are connected to each other without any gap. According to an embodiment, in the unfolded state, the electronic device 101 may be configured such that the third side surface 213c of the first side member 213 and the sixth side surface 223c of the second side member 223 are connected to each other without any gap. According to an embodiment, in the unfolded state, the electronic device 101 may be configured such that the sum of the lengths of the second side surface 213b and the fifth side surface 223b is longer than the length of the first side surface 213a and/or the fourth side surface 223 a. In addition, the electronic device may be configured such that the sum of the lengths of the third side surface 213c and the sixth side surface 223c is longer than the length of the first side surface 213a and/or the fourth side surface 223 a.

According to various embodiments, the first side member 213 and/or the second side member 223 may be formed of metal, or may also include a polymer injected into the metal. According to an embodiment, the first side member 213 and/or the second side member 223 may further comprise at least one conductive portion 216 and/or 226 electrically segmented by at least one segmented portion 2161 or 2162 and/or 2261 or 2262 formed of a polymer. In this case, the at least one conductive portion may be electrically connected to a wireless communication circuit included in the electronic device 101, and thus may serve as an antenna operating in at least one designated frequency band (e.g., a legacy frequency band).

According to various embodiments, for example, the first rear cover 214 and/or the second rear cover 224 may be formed of at least one of coated or colored glass, ceramic, polymer, or metal (e.g., aluminum, stainless steel (STS), or magnesium), or a combination of at least two.

According to various embodiments, the flexible display 400 may be configured to extend from the first surface 211 of the first housing 210 to at least a portion of the third surface 221 of the second housing 220 while crossing a hinge device (e.g., the hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b). For example, the flexible display 400 may include a first portion 230a corresponding to at least a partial region of the first surface 211, a second portion 230b corresponding to at least a partial region of the second surface 221, and a third portion 230c (e.g., a bendable region) connecting the first portion 230a and the second portion 230b and corresponding to a hinge device (e.g., the hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b). According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include a first protective cover 215 (e.g., a first protective frame or a first decorative member) coupled along an edge of the first housing 210. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include a second protective cover 225 (e.g., a second protective frame or a second decorative member) coupled along an edge of the second housing 220. According to an embodiment, the first protective cover 215 and/or the second protective cover 225 may be formed of a metallic material or a polymeric material. According to an embodiment, the first protective cover 215 and/or the second protective cover 225 may be used as a decorative member. According to an embodiment, the flexible display 400 may be placed such that an edge of the first portion 230a is interposed between the first housing 210 and the first protective cover 215. According to an embodiment, the flexible display 400 may be placed such that an edge of the second portion 230b is interposed between the second housing 220 and the second protective cover 225. According to an embodiment, the flexible display 400 may be placed such that an edge of the flexible display 400 corresponding to the protective cap is protected by the protective cap 235 provided in an area corresponding to the hinge device (e.g., hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b). Thus, the edge of the flexible display 400 may be substantially protected from external influences. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include a hinge housing 241 (e.g., a hinge cover), the hinge housing 241 supporting the hinge device (e.g., the hinge device 240 of fig. 2 b), exposed to the outside in a case where the electronic device 101 is in a folded state, and disposed to be invisible from the outside by being inserted into a first space (e.g., an inner space of the first housing 210) and a second space (e.g., an inner space of the second housing 220) in a case where the electronic device is in an unfolded state. In some embodiments, the flexible display 400 may be configured to extend from at least a portion of the second surface 212 to at least a portion of the fourth surface 222. In this case, the electronic device 101 may be folded such that the flexible display 400 is exposed to the outside (fold-out type).

According to various embodiments, the electronic device 101 may include a sub-display 231 disposed separately from the flexible display 400 (e.g., the main display). According to an embodiment, the sub display 231 may be disposed to be at least partially exposed to the second surface 212 of the first housing 210, and in a folded state, status information of the electronic device 101 may be displayed while replacing a display function of the flexible display 400 (e.g., a main display). According to an embodiment, the sub display 231 may be provided to be visible from the outside through at least a partial area of the first rear cover 214. In some embodiments, the sub-display 231 may also be disposed on the fourth surface 222 of the second housing 220. In this case, the sub display 231 may be provided to be visible from the outside through at least a partial area of the second rear cover 224.

According to various embodiments, the electronic device 101 may include at least one of an input device 203 (e.g., a microphone), sound output devices 201 and 202, a sensor module 204, camera modules 205 and 208, a key input device 206, or a connector port 207. In the illustrated embodiment, the input device 203 (e.g., microphone), the sound output devices 201 and 202, the sensor module 204, the camera modules 205 and 208, the key input device 206, and/or the connector port 207 may be illustrated as holes or shapes formed in the first housing 210 or the second housing 220, but may be defined to include substantial electronic components (e.g., an input device, a sound output device, a sensor module, or a camera module) disposed inside the electronic device 101 and configured to operate through the holes or shapes.

According to various embodiments, the input device 203 may include at least one microphone 203 disposed in the second housing 220. In some embodiments, the input device 203 may comprise a plurality of microphones 203 arranged to detect the direction of sound. In some embodiments, the plurality of microphones 203 may be disposed at appropriate locations in the first housing 210 and/or the second housing 220. According to an embodiment, the sound output means 201 and 202 may comprise speakers 201 and 202. According to an embodiment, the speakers 201 and 202 may include a receiver 201 for a call disposed in the first housing 210 and a speaker 202 disposed in the second housing 220. In some embodiments, the input device 203, the sound output devices 201 and 202, and the connector port 207 may be disposed in a space provided in the first housing 210 and/or the second housing 220 of the electronic device 101, and may be exposed to an external environment through at least one hole formed through the first housing 210 and/or the second housing 220. According to an embodiment, the at least one connector port 207 may be used to transmit power and/or data to or receive power and/or data from an external electronic device. In some embodiments, at least one connector port (e.g., a headset jack) may also receive a connector (e.g., a headset plug) for transmitting audio signals to or receiving audio signals from an external electronic device. In some embodiments, holes formed through the first housing 210 and/or the second housing 220 may be commonly used for the input device 203 and the sound output devices 201 and 202. In some embodiments, the sound output devices 201 and 202 may also include speakers (e.g., piezoelectric speakers) that operate without apertures formed through the first housing 210 and/or the second housing 220.

According to various embodiments, the sensor module 204 may generate electrical signals or data values corresponding to an internal operating state or an external environmental state of the electronic device 101. For example, the sensor module 204 may detect an external environment through the first surface 211 of the first housing 210. In some embodiments, the electronic device 101 may also further comprise at least one sensor module configured to detect an external environment through the second surface 212 of the first housing 210. According to an embodiment, a sensor module 204 (e.g., an illuminance sensor) may be disposed below the flexible display 400 to detect an external environment through the flexible display 400. According to an embodiment, the sensor module 204 may include at least one of a gesture sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a color sensor, an Infrared (IR) sensor, a biosensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor, a proximity sensor, a biosensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or an illuminance sensor 204.

According to various embodiments, the camera modules 205 and 208 may include a first camera module 205 (e.g., a front camera module) disposed on a first surface 211 of the first housing 210 and a second camera module 208 disposed on a second surface 212 of the first housing 210. The electronic device 101 may also include a flash 209 disposed proximate to the second camera module 208. According to an embodiment, each of the camera modules 205 and 208 may include a lens or lenses, an image sensor, and/or an image signal processor. For example, the flash 209 may include a light emitting diode or a xenon lamp. According to an embodiment, the camera modules 205 and 208 may be arranged such that two or more lenses (e.g., wide angle lens, ultra wide angle lens, or telephoto lens) and an image sensor are placed on one surface (e.g., the first surface 211, the second surface 212, the third surface 221, or the fourth surface 222) of the electronic device 101. In some embodiments, camera modules 205 and 208 may also include an image sensor and/or lens for time of flight (TOF).

According to various embodiments, a key input device 206 (e.g., a key button) may be disposed on the third side surface 213c of the first side member 213 of the first housing 210. In some embodiments, the key input device 206 may also be disposed on at least one of the other side surfaces 213a and 213b of the first housing 210 and/or the side surfaces 223a, 223b, and 223c of the second housing 220. In some embodiments, the electronic device 101 may not include a portion or all of the key input device 206, and the key input device 206 not included therein may also be implemented as a different type, such as soft keys, on the flexible display 400. In some embodiments, the key input device 206 may also be implemented using a pressure sensor included in the flexible display 400.

According to various embodiments, the camera modules (e.g., the first camera module 205) and/or the sensor module 204 of the camera modules 205 and 208 may be configured to be exposed through the flexible display 400. For example, in the interior space of the electronic device 101, the first camera module 205 or the sensor module 204 may be disposed in contact with the external environment through an opening (e.g., a through-hole) formed at least partially through the flexible display 400. As another example, the camera module (e.g., the first camera module 205) and/or the sensor module 204 may also be configured to perform its functions while not being visually exposed through the flexible display 400 in the interior space of the electronic device 101. For example, in this case, the area of the flexible display 400 facing the camera module 205 and/or the sensor module 204 may also not need an opening. For example, the first camera module 205 may not be visually exposed and may include a hidden display rear camera (under screen camera (UDC)).

Referring to fig. 3b, the electronic device 101 may also be operable to maintain an intermediate state by a hinge device (e.g., hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b). In this case, the electronic apparatus 101 may also control the flexible display 400 such that different contents are displayed on the display area corresponding to the first surface 211 and the display area corresponding to the third surface 221. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may be operated in a substantially unfolded state (e.g. unfolded state in fig. 2 a) and/or a substantially folded state (e.g. folded state in fig. 3 a) by the hinge device (e.g. hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b) with reference to a predetermined corner (e.g. an angle between the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 in case of being in an intermediate state). For example, in a case where a pressing force is provided to the electronic device in a direction of expansion (direction B) in a state where the electronic device is expanded at a predetermined corner by a hinge device (e.g., the hinge device 240 in fig. 2B), the electronic device 101 may be operated to be switched to an expanded state (e.g., an expanded state in fig. 2 a). For example, in a case where the electronic device is provided with a pressing force in a folding direction (direction C) in a state where the electronic device is unfolded at a predetermined corner by a hinge device (e.g., the hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b), the electronic device 101 may be operated to be switched to a closed state (e.g., a folded state in fig. 3 a). In an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may also be operable to maintain the unfolded state (not shown) at various angles by a hinge device (e.g., hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b).

According to an embodiment, a hinge device (e.g., hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b) may support a folding operation in which the electronic device 101 including the first and second housings 210 and 220 operates in a folded state (e.g., the folded state in fig. 3 a). According to an embodiment, the electronic apparatus 101 may be designed to have a structure capable of performing a sliding operation in a folded state. The hinge device 240 may support a folding operation of the electronic device 101 switching from an unfolded state to a folded state, and may also support a sliding operation in its folded state. For example, the sliding operation may include an operation in which at least one of the first case 210 and the second case 220 slides in a predetermined direction in a folded state of the electronic device 101 (e.g., a state in which the first surface 211 of the first case 210 and the third surface 221 of the second case 220 are in contact with each other). The sliding operation may include an operation of moving along the curved surface while the hinge device 240 at least partially maintains its curved surface shape.

Fig. 4a is an exemplary view illustrating a sliding operation of an electronic device in a folded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 4a illustrates a state in which at least a partial area of the flexible display 400 is exposed to the outside when the electronic device in a folded state (folded state) performs a sliding operation.

Referring to fig. 4a, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 in fig. 1) may include a pair of housings (e.g., the first housing 210 in fig. 2a and the second housing 220 in fig. 2 a), and the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 may be rotatably coupled with respect to a hinge device (e.g., the hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b) to be folded while facing each other. For example, a state where the first surface (e.g., the first surface 211 in fig. 2 a) of the first case 210 and the third surface (e.g., the third surface 221 in fig. 2 a) of the second case 220 are in contact with each other may be a folded state. Fig. 4a shows a second surface (e.g., second surface 212 in fig. 2 c) of the first housing 210 in the electronic device 101 in a folded state. At least a portion of the second surface 212 may include a rear cover 214. A sub-display (e.g., sub-display 231 in fig. 3 a), a flash (e.g., flash 209 in fig. 3 a), and/or a second camera module (e.g., second camera module 208 in fig. 3 a)) may be disposed on the second surface 212 of the first housing 210. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may activate the sub-display 231 in response to the occurrence of an event in the folded state. For example, in the event of an incoming call or receipt of a message, the electronic device 101 may provide a notification to the user via the sub-display 231.

According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may operate in a first mode (e.g., a first low power mode or a low power idle mode) in a collapsed state. For example, the first mode may be a mode in which at least one element of the electronic device 101 has been switched to a sleep mode and/or an inactive state to reduce power consumption. For example, the first mode may include a mode of at least partially activating a touch sensor (e.g., touch sensor 510 in fig. 5) included in the sensor module 176 of the electronic device 101, and a mode capable of detecting a sliding operation of the electronic device 101 by using the touch sensor. The electronic device 101 may maintain the flexible display 400 in an inactive state in the first mode. The electronic device 101 may activate, at least in part, the sub-display 231 and may display notification information indicating the occurrence of an event in response to the occurrence of the event (e.g., receipt of a call, receipt of a message, and/or occurrence of a notification) in the first mode. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may enter the first mode when changing from an unfolded state to a folded state. According to an embodiment, the first mode may comprise an operation mode in which power consumption in the electronic device 101 is minimal. For example, the electronic device 101 may at least partially activate a touch sensor included in the sensor module 176 while in the first mode, and a sliding operation of the electronic device 101 may be detected by the touch sensor. According to an embodiment, where the electronic device is operating in the first mode, the operating frequency of the electronic device 101 may be a value within a first frequency band range (e.g., a frequency band within a range of about 10Hz-40 Hz).

According to another embodiment, even in the case where the electronic apparatus 101 enters the sleep mode from the first mode through a processor (e.g., the processor 120 in fig. 1), the touch sensor 510 may be at least partially activated under the control of a touch sensor driving part (touch screen panel (TSP) IC), and a sliding operation of the electronic apparatus 101 may be detected. For example, even in the case of entering the sleep mode through the processor 120, the touch sensor 510 may be operated based on an operation frequency corresponding to the first mode. In the first mode, the touch sensor 510 may detect a sliding operation of the electronic device 101.

Referring to fig. 4a, the electronic device 101 may perform a sliding operation in a folded state based on the hinge device 240. The hinge device 240 may support a folding operation in which the first and second cases 210 and 220 are folded while facing each other, and may support a sliding operation in which at least one of the first and second cases 210 and 220 is moved a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction in a folded state. For example, the sliding operation may include an operation in which the first housing 210 moves in the first direction 411 (e.g., +y-axis direction), an operation in which the second housing 220 moves in the second direction 412 (e.g., -y-axis direction), or an operation in which each of the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 moves in a predetermined direction. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may operate in a first mode in a folded state and the touch sensor 510 may be in an at least partially activated state. According to an embodiment, the electronic apparatus 101 may detect a sliding operation through the touch sensor 510 in an activated state.

According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 in the folded state may perform a sliding operation, and at least a partial region 401 (e.g., a first display region) of the flexible display 400 may be exposed to the outside in response to the sliding operation. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may use the first display area 401 of the flexible display 400 as an additional display in response to a sliding operation. According to an embodiment, in response to a sliding operation, the electronic device 101 operating in a first mode (e.g., a first low power mode) in a folded state may be changed to a second mode (e.g., a second low power mode or a low power active mode). According to an embodiment, the electronic apparatus 101 may change the flexible display from the first mode to the second mode based on the first display region 401 exposed to the outside in response to the sliding operation. For example, the electronic device 101 may change only a portion of the flexible display 400 from the first mode to the second mode. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may display notification information indicating the occurrence of an event (e.g., the reception of a call, the reception of a message, and/or the occurrence of a notification) based on the first display area 401 operating in the second mode. According to an embodiment, the second mode may include switching at least one element to an active state or a state of performing at least one function based on the first display area 401, as compared to the first mode. For example, the electronic apparatus 101 may display notification information in the first display area 401 corresponding to the second mode, or may detect a user touch input. The operation of the flexible display 400 may be further performed in the second mode compared to the first mode, but the second mode may not be in a fully activated state. The scan period in the second mode may be relatively faster than in the first mode, and relatively more touch events may be detected in the second mode. According to an embodiment, where the electronic device is operating in the second mode, the operating frequency of the electronic device 101 may be a value within a second frequency band range (e.g., a frequency band within a range of about 30Hz-60 Hz). For example, the second frequency band range may at least partially overlap the first frequency band range.

According to an embodiment, in a case where the first display area 401 is operated in the second mode, the electronic device 101 may detect a specific event (e.g., a user touch input, a double touch input, a long touch input, and/or a double click input) of the first display area 401, and may change the flexible display from the second mode to the third mode (e.g., a normal mode or a normal mode) in response to detecting the specific event. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may fully activate the first display area 401 of the flexible display 400 in the third mode. For example, the third mode may include an operation to activate the flexible display 400 with the electronic device 101 in the unfolded state. According to an embodiment, regarding the first display area 401, in the case of being changed to the third mode, the electronic apparatus 101 may display at least one content through the first display area 401 or may perform at least one function corresponding to a user touch input. According to an embodiment, where the electronic device is operating in the third mode, the operating frequency of the electronic device 101 may be a value within a third frequency band range (e.g., a frequency band within a range of about 10Hz-240 Hz). For example, the third frequency band range may include, at least in part, the first frequency band range and the second frequency band range.

Referring to fig. 4b, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 in fig. 1) may include a pair of housings (e.g., the first housing 210 in fig. 2a and the second housing 220 in fig. 2 a), and the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 may be rotatably coupled with respect to a hinge device (e.g., the hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b) to be folded while facing each other. The hinge device 240 may be disposed between the first case 210 and the second case 220, and may support a folded state and/or an unfolded state of the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may operate in a folded state, which is a form in which the first case 210 and the second case 220 face each other based on the folding axis a. Fig. 4b shows a display area of a flexible display 400 based on a hinge device 240 in an electronic device 101 in an unfolded state.

Referring to fig. 4b, the flexible display 400 may be provided to extend from the first surface 211 of the first housing 210 to at least a portion of the third surface 221 of the second housing 220 while crossing the hinge device 240. Referring to fig. 4b, the hinge device 240 may support a folding operation such that the electronic device 101 in an unfolded state is changed to a folded state. Referring to fig. 4b, the hinge device 240 may be installed inside the electronic device 101, and the flexible display 400 may be disposed in a form at least partially overlapping with the hinge device 240. For example, the flexible display 400 may be at least partially folded in response to a folding operation of the hinge device 240.

According to an embodiment, the hinge device 240 may support a folded state of the electronic device 101, and may support a sliding operation of the electronic device 101 in the folded state. For example, the electronic device 101 may perform a folding operation based on the folding axis a, but is not limited to the folding axis a. According to an embodiment, the hinge device 240 may be implemented to support a folding operation and a sliding operation of the electronic device 101.

Referring to fig. 4c, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 in fig. 1) may include a pair of housings (e.g., the first housing 210 in fig. 2a and the second housing 220 in fig. 2 a), and the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 may be rotatably coupled to be at least partially folded while facing each other by using a hinge device (e.g., the hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b).

Referring to fig. 4c, the electronic device 101 may perform a sliding operation in a folded state based on the hinge device 240. The hinge device 240 may support a folding operation in which the first and second cases 210 and 220 are folded while facing each other, and may support a sliding operation in which at least one of the first and second cases 210 and 220 is moved a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction in a folded state. For example, the sliding operation may include an operation in which the first housing 210 moves in the first direction 411 (e.g., + y-axis direction) and/or an operation in which the second housing 220 moves in the second direction 412 (e.g., -y-axis direction).

According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may be configured such that at least a partial region 401 (e.g., a first display region) of the flexible display 400 is exposed to the outside in response to a sliding operation thereof. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 in the folded state may operate the flexible display 400 in a first mode (e.g., a first low power mode), and may change an area of the flexible display 400 from the first mode to a second mode (e.g., a second low power mode) in response to a sliding operation. The electronic device 101 may change the flexible display from the first mode to the second mode to correspond to the entire flexible display 400 or to at least a partial area of the flexible display 400 (e.g., the first display area 401). The electronic device 101 may operate in a first mode based on an operating frequency in the range of about 10Hz-40Hz and may operate in a second mode based on an operating frequency in the range of about 30Hz-60 Hz.

According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 operating in the second mode (e.g., operating in a state in which the first display area 401 is exposed to the outside) may detect a specific event (e.g., a user touch input, a double touch input, a long touch input, and/or a double click input) of the first display area 401, and may change the flexible display from the second mode to the third mode (e.g., a normal mode or a normal mode) in response to detecting the specific event. For example, the electronic device 101 may change the flexible display from the second mode to the third mode based on the first display region 401. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may fully activate the first display area 401 in the third mode. For example, the electronic device 101 may operate in the third mode based on an operating frequency in the range of about 10Hz-240 Hz.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101 in fig. 1) may include a pair of housings (e.g., first housing 210 in fig. 2a and second housing 220 in fig. 2 a), and first housing 210 and second housing 220 may be rotatably coupled with respect to a hinge device (e.g., hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b) to fold while facing each other.

Referring to fig. 5, the electronic device 101 may include a processor (e.g., the processor 120 of fig. 1), a memory (e.g., the memory 130 of fig. 1), a display module (e.g., the display device 160 of fig. 1), a sensor module (e.g., the sensor module 176 of fig. 1), a power management module (e.g., the power management module 188 of fig. 1), and/or a hinge device (e.g., the hinge device 240 of fig. 2 b).

According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may execute a program (e.g., the program 140 of fig. 1) stored in the memory 130 to control at least one other element (e.g., hardware or software element), and may perform various data processing or calculations. According to an embodiment, as at least part of the data processing or calculation, the processor 120 may store commands or data received from other elements (e.g., the display module 160, the sensor module 176, the power management module 188, and/or the hinge device 240) in the memory 130. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may include a touch sensor driving part (touch screen panel (TSP) IC) 511 for at least partially controlling the touch sensor 510 included in the sensor module 176 and a display module driving part 512 for at least partially controlling the display module 160. For example, the touch sensor driver 511 may at least partially activate the touch sensor 510, and the display module driver 512 may at least partially activate the display module 160. The touch sensor driving part 511 and the display module driving part 512 may be implemented as a single chip, and may be at least partially controlled by the processor 120.

According to an embodiment, with the electronic device 101 in a folded state, the electronic device 101 may operate in a first mode and may include a state in which the processor 120 and the touch sensor driver 512 are at least partially activated. According to another embodiment, even in the case where the processor 120 enters the sleep mode, the touch sensor 510 may be maintained in an at least partially activated state by the touch sensor driver 512. According to another embodiment, even in the case where the processor 120 is in the sleep mode, the touch sensor driving part 512 may detect the sliding operation of the electronic device 101 through the touch sensor 510.

According to an embodiment, the memory 130 may store various data used by at least one element of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the processor 120, the display module 160, the sensor module 176, the power management module 188, and/or the hinge device 240). For example, the data may include information regarding power applied to the at least one element based on an operation mode (e.g., a first mode (a first low power mode), a second mode (a second low power mode), or a third mode (a normal mode)) of the flexible display (e.g., the display module 160).

According to an embodiment, the display module 160 may visually provide at least one content to a user. The display module 160 may include a flexible display that is capable of being at least partially bent. According to an embodiment, in the electronic device 101 including the first case 210 and the second case 220, the display module 160 may be disposed to extend from the first case 210 to the second case 220. The display module 160 may support a folding operation in which the first and second cases 210 and 220 are folded while facing each other, and may be at least partially folded to correspond to the folding operation.

According to an embodiment, the sensor module 176 may detect whether a sliding operation has occurred in the electronic apparatus 101 in the folded state. For example, the sensor module 176 may be at least partially disposed in the display module 160 and may include at least one channel included in the display module 160. According to an embodiment, in a folded state of the electronic device 101, at least one channel may form a coupling relationship therebetween. The sensor module 176 may identify a coupling relationship of at least one channel and may determine that a sliding operation has occurred if the coupling relationship is broken. According to another embodiment, the sensor module 176 may include an illuminance sensor, and the processor 120 may detect a state in which at least a partial region (e.g., the first display region 401 in fig. 4 a) of the display module 160 is exposed to the outside by using the illuminance sensor. According to an embodiment, the sensor module 176 may include a touch sensor 510 (e.g., a touch proximity sensor), and the processor 120 may detect a state in which at least a partial region of the display module 160 is exposed to the outside (e.g., a sliding operation of the electronic device 101) by using the touch sensor 510. For example, touch sensor 510 may include an IR sensor (e.g., an infrared sensor), an ultrasonic sensor, and/or an optical sensor. According to an embodiment, the touch sensor 510 may include a mutual capacitance and/or a self capacitance, and may be disposed at least partially on a screen of the electronic device 101 corresponding to the display module 160. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may recognize whether the first display area 401 included in the display module 160 has been exposed to the outside by using the sensor module 176, and may operate in one of a plurality of operation modes (e.g., a first mode, a second mode, and/or a third mode).

According to an embodiment, the power management module 188 may be a configuration section for adjusting the amount of power provided to the electronic device 101 based on the mode of operation of the display module 160. For example, where the electronic device 101 is operating in a first mode (e.g., a first low power mode), the processor 120 may be powered in response to an operating frequency of about 10Hz or less. In the case of the electronic device 101) operating in a second mode (e.g., a second low power mode), the processor 120 may be powered in response to an operating frequency of about 10Hz to about 60Hz or less. In the case where the electronic device 101 is operating in the third mode (e.g., normal mode), the processor 120 may be powered in response to an operating frequency of about 120Hz or higher. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may be powered by the power management module 188 based on at least one of the plurality of channels included in the display module 160.

According to an embodiment, the hinge device 240 may be disposed between the first case 210 and the second case 220 constituting the electronic device 101, and may support a folding operation, an unfolding operation, and/or a sliding operation of the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the hinge device 240 may support a sliding operation in the electronic device 101 in a folded state. Hinge device 240 may include a bendable hinge track (e.g., a multi-joint hinge device or a multi-bar assembly) for supporting at least a portion of display module 160 (e.g., a flexible display). For example, the hinge device 240 may be formed of a multi-joint structure including at least one bar that allows the display module 160 (e.g., a flexible display) to at least partially bend. The hinge device 240 may perform a sliding operation based on the multi-joint structure. According to an embodiment, the hinge device 240 may be designed to perform an operation (e.g., a sliding operation) in which at least one of the first and second housings 210 and 220 is at least partially rolled by the hinge device 240 in the electronic device 101 in a folded state.

According to various embodiments, the electronic device 101 may recognize a sliding operation of the first and second housings 210 and 220 by using the sensor module 176 in a state where the first and second housings 210 and 220 are folded in a form facing each other. In response to the sliding operation, the electronic device 101 may be configured such that at least a partial region of the display module 160 (e.g., a flexible display or a main display) is exposed to the outside. The electronic device 101 may change an operation mode of at least a partial region (e.g., the first display region 401) of the display module 160 exposed to the outside, and may use at least a partial region of the display module 160 as one display region. The electronic device 101 may use the display module 160 in various ways.

According to various embodiments, the electronic device 101 may include a first housing 210, a second housing 220 connected to be foldable relative to the first housing 210 by a hinge device 240, a flexible display 400 configured to be supported from the first housing 210 by the second housing 220 by the hinge device 240, a touch sensor 510 at least partially disposed to correspond to the flexible display 400, a memory 130, and a processor 120 operatively connected to the flexible display 400, the touch sensor 510, and the memory 130. The processor 120 may operate at least a portion of the area of the touch sensor 510 in the first mode in a state where the first and second cases 210 and 220 are folded, may detect a sliding operation in the folded state based on the flexible display 400, may identify the first display area 401 of the flexible display 400 exposed to the outside in response to the sliding operation, and may switch the touch sensor 510 corresponding to the identified first display area 401 from the first mode to the second mode.

According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may recognize whether a predetermined event has occurred based on the first display area 401 switched to the second mode, and in response to the occurrence of the event, may change the first display area switched to the second mode to the third mode.

The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may further comprise a power management module 188 for powering the flexible display 400, and the processor 120 may be powered based on the first mode such that the flexible display has an operating frequency within a first frequency band range, may be powered based on the second mode such that the flexible display 400 has an operating frequency within a second frequency band range that at least partially overlaps the first frequency band range, and the processor 120 may be powered based on the third mode such that the flexible display 400 has an operating frequency within a third frequency band range that at least partially includes the first frequency band range and the second frequency band range.

According to an embodiment, the second mode may include a mode in which the first display region of the flexible display 400 operates in at least a partially activated state, and the processor 120 may detect the user touch input based at least in part on the first display region being switched to the second mode.

The electronic device 101 according to the embodiment may be configured such that the flexible display 400 includes at least one channel, and the processor 120 may measure the second current value based on the first channel included in the first housing 210 in the folded state while measuring the first current value based on the second channel included in the second housing 220, may identify a coupling relationship between the first channel and the second channel based on the first current value and the second current value, and may detect the sliding operation based on the identified coupling relationship.

The electronic device 101 according to the embodiment may further include a sensor module 176 for detecting a sliding operation, and the processor 120 may detect the sliding operation by using the sensor module 176.

According to an embodiment, the sliding operation may include an operation in which at least one of the first case 210 and the second case 220 in the folded state is moved a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction.

According to an embodiment, the hinge device 240 may support a folded state in which the first case 210 and the second case 220 are arranged to face each other, and may support a sliding operation in which at least one of the first case 210 and the second case 220 is moved a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction.

According to an embodiment, the hinge device 240 may be formed of a multi-joint structure including at least one bar allowing the flexible display 400 to be at least partially bent, and a sliding operation may be performed based on the multi-joint structure.

According to an embodiment, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 in fig. 1) may include a pair of housings (e.g., the first housing 210 in fig. 2a and the second housing 220 in fig. 2 a), and the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 may be rotatably coupled with respect to a hinge device (e.g., the hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b) to fold while facing each other. The hinge device 240 may be disposed between the first case 210 and the second case 220, and may support a folded state and/or an unfolded state of the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the hinge device 240 may include a bendable hinge track (e.g., a multi-joint hinge device or a multi-bar assembly) for supporting at least a portion of a flexible display (e.g., display module 160 in fig. 1). According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may perform a sliding operation through the hinge device 240 in a folded state. For example, the sliding operation may include an operation in which at least one of the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 slides in a predetermined direction by a predetermined distance. According to an embodiment, the hinge device 240 may be designed in a form capable of supporting a folding operation, an unfolding operation, and/or a sliding operation of the electronic device 101 in a folded state.

In operation 601, the processor 120 of the electronic device 101 may be configured to operate in a first low power mode (e.g., a first mode) in a collapsed state (e.g., a collapsed state). For example, the electronic device 101 may be in a folded state in which the first case 210 and the second case 220 face each other. In the case of operating in the first low power mode, the processor 120 may be powered to have an operating frequency within a first frequency band range (e.g., a frequency band in the range of about 10Hz-40 Hz). In the first low power mode, the electronic device 101 may be in a state where the flexible display 160 is deactivated and the screen is turned off. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 in the first low power mode may at least partially activate a touch sensor (e.g., the touch sensor 510 in fig. 5) that is at least partially disposed to correspond to the flexible display 160. For example, the electronic device 101 may detect a sliding operation of the electronic device 101 based on the activated touch sensor 510.

In operation 603, the processor 120 may detect a sliding operation in the folded state. According to an embodiment, the flexible display 160 may include a plurality of channels, and may be in a state in which one or more channels are coupled to each other in a folded state. For example, the channel may operate as a touch sensor 510. For example, in the case where the electronic device 101 is in a folded state, the flexible display 160 may be in a state of being at least partially in contact therewith. The folded state may be a state in which an area of the flexible display 160 disposed on a first surface (e.g., the first surface 211 in fig. 2 b) of the first housing 210 and an area of the flexible display 160 disposed on a third surface (e.g., the third surface 221 in fig. 2 b) of the second housing 220 are in contact with each other. According to an embodiment, in the case where at least one passage (e.g., a first passage) provided in the first housing 210 and at least one passage (e.g., a second passage) provided in the second housing 220 are in close contact with each other by less than a predetermined distance, the first passage and the second passage may be in a coupled state with each other. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may use at least one channel as a touch sensor (e.g., the touch sensor 510 in fig. 5). According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may identify whether to maintain the coupled state based on an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) value (e.g., a current value or intensity) corresponding to at least one channel. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may detect a state in which channels having a relationship of coupling with each other are released, and the release of the coupling relationship may mean that a sliding operation is detected. In operation 605, the processor 120 may determine whether a first display area (e.g., the first display area 401 in fig. 4 a) of the flexible display 160 has been exposed to the outside. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may set a threshold for the size of the first display area for the change of the operation mode. The processor 120 may identify the size of the first display area exposed to the outside in response to the sliding operation, and may determine that the first display area 401 is exposed to the outside in case the size of the first display area exceeds a threshold value.

In operation 605, in the case where the first display area 401 is exposed to the outside, the processor 120 may switch the operation mode of the flexible display 160 from a first low power mode (e.g., a first mode) to a second low power mode (e.g., a second mode) in operation 607. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may change the flexible display from the first low power mode to the second low power mode based on the first display area 401 of the flexible display 160 exposed to the outside. While in the second low power mode, the processor 120 may be powered to have an operating frequency within a second frequency band range (e.g., a frequency band in the range of about 40Hz-60 Hz). For example, the second frequency band range may at least partially include the first frequency band range. In the second low power mode, the first display region 401 of the flexible display 160 may perform at least a portion of a touch input or at least a portion of a function thereof. While in the second low power mode, the processor 120 may limit the operation of the flexible display 160. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may at least partially activate the first display region 401 while operating in the second low power mode. For example, the processor 120 may display notification information in the activated first display area 401.

In operation 605, in case the first display area 401 is not exposed to the outside in operation 605, returning to operation 601, the processor 120 may maintain the first display area 401 in the first low power mode. For example, after the sliding operation is detected in operation 603, in case the first display area 160 is not exposed to the outside for a predetermined period of time, the processor 120 may maintain the operation mode of the first display area 401 to the first low power mode in operation 601.

In operation 609, the processor 120 may determine whether an event corresponding to the first display region 401 has occurred in the second low power mode. For example, the event may be set in advance or by a user, and may include an event according to a specific condition, such as a double touch input, a long touch input, and/or a double click input. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may change the operation mode of the first display area 401 in case an event of the first display area 401 has occurred.

In response to the occurrence of the event of the first display region 401, the processor 120 may switch the flexible display from the second low power mode (e.g., the second mode) to the general mode (e.g., the third mode or the normal mode) in operation 611. For example, in a general mode, the processor 120 may activate all functions related to the first display area 401 of the flexible display 160. According to an embodiment, where operating in a general mode, the processor 120 may be powered to have an operating frequency within a third frequency band range (e.g., a frequency band in the range of about 10Hz-240 Hz). For example, the third frequency band range may include, at least in part, the first frequency band range and the second frequency band range.

In operation 609, in the event that the event of the first display area 401 has not occurred, the processor 120 may determine whether the first display area 401 has been inserted into the housing in operation 613. For example, in a state in which the first display area 401 is exposed to the outside, the processor 120 may maintain the second low power mode, and may periodically determine whether the first display area 401 has been inserted into the housing. For example, as operation 603, the processor 120 may recognize whether there is a coupling relationship of at least one channel, and may determine whether the first display region 401 has been inserted into the housing based on maintenance or release of the coupling relationship. In operation 613, in the case that the first display area 401 has been inserted into the housing, returning to operation 601, the processor 120 may change the operation mode of the first display area 401 to the first low power mode. In operation 613, the processor 120 may maintain the operation mode of the first display area 401 to the second low power mode in case the first display area 401 has not been inserted into the housing.

Fig. 7a is an exemplary view illustrating at least one channel included in a flexible display with an electronic device in a folded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 7b is an exemplary view illustrating at least one channel included in a flexible display in the event of a sliding operation in an electronic device in a folded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7a and 7b illustrate methods for detecting a sliding operation of an electronic device in a folded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 7a is a perspective view of at least one channel included in a flexible display (e.g., display module 160 in fig. 1) provided with an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101 in fig. 1) in a folded state. Fig. 7b is a perspective view of at least one channel included in the flexible display 160 provided in the case where a sliding operation occurs in the electronic device 101 in a folded state.

According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include a pair of housings (e.g., the first housing 210 in fig. 2a and the second housing 220 in fig. 2 a), and the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 may be rotatably coupled with respect to a hinge device (e.g., the hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b) to be folded while facing each other. The hinge device 240 may be provided to connect the first case 210 and the second case 220, and may be implemented in a form to support a folded state and/or an unfolded state of the electronic device 101. Hinge device 240 may include a bendable hinge track (e.g., a multi-joint hinge device or a multi-bar assembly) for supporting at least a portion of a flexible display (e.g., display module 160 in fig. 1). According to an embodiment, the hinge device 240 may be designed to perform a sliding operation in a folded state.

Referring to fig. 7a, the first case 210 and the second case 220 may be arranged to face each other based on the hinge device 240. According to an embodiment, the flexible display 160 may include at least one channel in the display screen. The electronic device 101 in the folded state may be disposed in a form in which at least one channel disposed in the first housing 210 and at least one channel disposed in the second housing 220 face each other. For example, the first channel 701 may face the twelfth channel 712, and the second channel 702 may face the eleventh channel 711. Referring to fig. 7a, the plurality of channels (e.g., 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, and 706) disposed in the first housing 210 may be disposed in a form facing the plurality of channels (e.g., 712, 711, 710, 709, 708, and 707) disposed in the second housing 220. According to an embodiment, at least one channel may operate as a touch sensor 510 included in the sensor module 176 of the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 in the folded state may form a coupling relationship based on the at least one channel, and the processor 120 may detect the at least one channel on which the coupling relationship is formed. For example, the coupling relationship may be formed where the separation distance between one or more channels is within a predetermined distance. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may identify a coupling relationship between particular channels and may determine an operational mode of the electronic device 101. For example, the processor 120 may determine that the electronic device 101 is in a folded state upon recognizing that a coupling relationship has been formed between the first channel 701 and the twelfth channel 712. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 in the folded state may operate in a first low power mode (e.g., a first mode), and the processor 120 may detect whether a coupling relationship has been formed based on at least one channel while in the first low power mode.

In an embodiment, the electronic device 101 in the folded state may perform a sliding operation in a predetermined direction based on the hinge device 240. For example, the sliding operation may include an operation in which the first housing 210 moves along the first direction 411 (e.g., the y-axis direction). For example, the sliding operation may include an operation in which the second housing 220 moves along the second direction 412 (e.g., -y-axis direction). During the sliding operation, while the hinge device 240 maintains its curved shape, an area of the flexible display 160 corresponding to the first housing 210 may be provided to correspond to the second housing 220.

Referring to fig. 7b, the electronic device 101 in the folded state may perform a sliding operation. The first housing 210 may be at least partially movable along a first direction 411 (e.g., a y-axis direction) and the second housing 220 may be at least partially movable along a second direction 412 (e.g., -y-axis direction). Referring to fig. 7b, the display area of the flexible display 160 corresponding to the first housing 210 may become smaller, and, conversely, the display area of the flexible display 160 corresponding to the second housing 220 may become larger. During a sliding operation, the hinge device 240 may move at least partially along the third direction 720 (e.g., the curved surface direction).

Referring to fig. 7b, in the case where a sliding operation is performed in the electronic apparatus 101, a coupling relationship may be formed between the first channel 701 and the eighth channel 708, and a coupling relationship may be formed between the second channel 702 and the seventh channel 707. According to an embodiment, in the case that a coupling relationship is formed between specific channels, the processor 120 may determine that a sliding operation has occurred. According to an embodiment, in response to the sliding operation, the processor 120 may recognize that the coupling relationship of the ninth through twelfth channels 709 through 712 has been released. For example, the display region (e.g., the first display region 401) of the flexible display 160 may include a display region exposed to the outside, which corresponds to the ninth through twelfth channels 709 through 712 in which the coupling relationship has been released. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may switch the operation mode of the first display region 401 from a first low power mode (e.g., a first mode) to a second low power mode (e.g., a second mode).

According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may detect whether a sliding operation is present based on at least one channel included in the flexible display 160. For example, the electronic device 101 may use at least one channel as a proximity sensor and may determine whether a proximity exists between particular channels. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may measure ADC values (e.g., current values or intensities) between one or more channels, and may determine whether there is formation and/or decoupling of a coupling relationship based on the measured ADC values. For example, the processor 120 may identify an amount of change in the ADC value based on at least one channel, and may determine whether there is decoupling of the coupling relationship according to the sliding operation based on the amount of change. According to another embodiment, the processor 120 may detect whether a sliding operation exists based on the size of the first display area 401 exposed to the outside. For example, the processor 120 may set the size of the first display area 401, and may identify at least one channel forming a coupling relationship in a case where the first display area 401 having the set size has been exposed to the outside. In case that the identified at least one channel forms a coupling relationship, the processor 120 may identify that the first display area 401 having the set size has been exposed to the outside, and may change the operation mode of the first display area 401.

According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may use at least one channel as a touch sensor (e.g., a touch proximity sensor) based on a capacitive method. The electronic device 101 may detect whether there is a sliding operation corresponding to at least one housing by using at least one channel. According to another embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include at least one of an Infrared (IR) sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and/or an optical sensor alone, and by using the sensor, it may also detect whether there is a sliding operation corresponding to the at least one housing.

According to another embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include additional sensors (e.g., hall sensors, illuminance sensors, and/or touch sensors) for detecting a sliding operation. For example, the electronic device 101 may include a hall sensor at least partially coupled to the hinge device 240, and whether a sliding operation exists may be detected by using the hall sensor. For another example, the electronic device 101 may include an illuminance sensor disposed at least partially in at least one housing and/or the flexible display 400. The illuminance sensor may be provided in a portion exposed to the outside in response to the sliding operation. The electronic apparatus 101 may detect whether a sliding operation exists by using an illuminance sensor.

Methods according to various embodiments may include: based on the hinge device (e.g., the hinge device 240 in fig. 2 b), in a state in which the first case (e.g., the first case 210 in fig. 2 a) and the second case (the second case 220 in fig. 2 a) are folded, at least a partial region of the touch sensor (e.g., the touch sensor 510 in fig. 5) corresponding to the flexible display (e.g., the flexible display 400 in fig. 2 a) supported by the first case 210 and the second case 220 is operated in the first mode; detecting a sliding operation in a folded state based on the flexible display 400; a first display area of the flexible display 400 exposed to the outside is identified in response to the sliding operation, and the touch sensor 510 corresponding to the identified first display area is switched from the first mode to the second mode.

The method according to an embodiment may further comprise: whether a predetermined event has occurred is identified based on the first display area switched to the second mode, and the first display area switched to the second mode is changed to the third mode in response to the occurrence of the event.

The method according to an embodiment may further comprise: the flexible display 400 is powered based on the first mode such that the flexible display 400 has an operating frequency within a first frequency band, powered based on the second mode such that the flexible display 400 has an operating frequency within a second frequency band, and powered based on the third mode such that the flexible display 400 has an operating frequency within a third frequency band, the second frequency band at least partially overlapping the first frequency band, the third frequency band at least partially including the first frequency band and the second frequency band.

According to an embodiment, the second mode may further comprise a mode in which the first display area (e.g., the first display area 401 in fig. 4 a) of the flexible display 400 operates in an at least partially activated state, and the method may further comprise detecting, at least in part, a user touch input based on the first display area switching to the second mode.

According to an embodiment, detecting the sliding operation may include: measuring a first current value corresponding to a first channel included in the first case 210 in the folded state based on at least one channel included in the flexible display 400, measuring a second current value corresponding to a second channel included in the second case 220 in the folded state, identifying a coupling relationship between the first channel and the second channel based on the first current value and the second current value, and detecting a sliding operation based on the identified coupling relationship.

According to an embodiment, the hinge device 240 may be formed of a multi-joint structure including at least one bar configured to at least partially bend the flexible display 400, and the hinge device 240 may be configured to support a folded state in which the first case 210 and the second case 220 are arranged in a form to face each other and support a sliding operation in which at least one of the first case 210 and the second case 220 is moved a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction.

The electronic device according to various embodiments may be one of various types of electronic devices. The electronic device may include, for example, a portable communication device (e.g., a smart phone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a household appliance. According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the electronic device is not limited to those described above.

It should be understood that the various embodiments of the disclosure and the terminology used therein are not intended to limit the technical features set forth herein to the particular embodiments, but rather include various modifications, equivalents or alternatives to the respective embodiments. For the description of the drawings, like reference numerals may be used to refer to like or related elements. It will be understood that a noun in the singular corresponding to a term may include one or more things unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, each of the phrases such as "a or B", "at least one of a and B", "at least one of a or B", "A, B or C", "at least one of A, B and C", and "at least one of A, B or C" may include all possible combinations of items listed with a corresponding one of the plurality of phrases. As used herein, terms such as "1 st" and "2 nd" or "first" and "second" may be used to simply distinguish one element from another element and not to limit the element in other respects (e.g., importance or order). It will be understood that if the terms "operatively" or "communicatively" are used or the terms "operatively" or "communicatively" are not used, then if an element (e.g., a first element) is referred to as being "coupled to," "connected to," or "connected to" another element (e.g., a second element), it is intended that the element can be directly (e.g., wired) connected to, wireless connected to, or connected to the other element via a third element.

As used herein, the term "module" may include units implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with other terms (e.g., "logic," "logic block," "portion" or "circuitry"). A module may be a single integrated component adapted to perform one or more functions or a minimal unit or portion of the single integrated component. For example, according to an embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC).

The various embodiments set forth herein may be implemented as software (e.g., program 140) comprising one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., internal memory 136 or external memory 138) readable by a machine (e.g., electronic device 101). For example, under control of a processor, a processor (e.g., processor 120) of the machine (e.g., electronic device 101) may invoke and execute at least one of the one or more instructions stored in the storage medium with or without the use of one or more other components. This enables the machine to operate to perform at least one function in accordance with the at least one instruction invoked. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code capable of being executed by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Wherein the term "non-transitory" merely means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not include a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), but the term does not distinguish between data being semi-permanently stored in the storage medium and data being temporarily stored in the storage medium.

According to embodiments, methods according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be included and provided in a computer program product. The computer program product may be available as a product to sellers and buyersAnd between which transactions are conducted. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium, such as a compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM), or may be distributed via an application Store (e.g., a Play Store ^TM ) The computer program product may be published (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) online, or may be distributed (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). At least some of the computer program product may be temporarily generated if published online, or at least some of the computer program product may be stored at least temporarily in a machine readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a forwarding server.

According to various embodiments, each of the above-described components (e.g., a module or program) may include a single entity or multiple entities. According to various embodiments, one or more of the above components may be omitted, or one or more other components may be added. Alternatively or additionally, multiple components (e.g., modules or programs) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, according to various embodiments, the integrated component may still perform the one or more functions of each of the plurality of components in the same or similar manner as the corresponding one of the plurality of components performed the one or more functions prior to integration. According to various embodiments, operations performed by a module, a program, or another component may be performed sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly, or in a heuristic manner, or one or more of the operations may be performed in a different order or omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing foldably connected to the first housing by a hinge device;

a flexible display arranged to be supported by the second housing from the first housing through the hinge means;

a touch sensor at least partially disposed to correspond to the flexible display;

a memory; and

a processor operatively connected to the flexible display, the touch sensor and the memory,

wherein the processor is configured to:

operating at least a part of the area of the touch sensor in a first mode in a state where the first and second housings are folded,

detecting a sliding operation in a folded state based on the flexible display,

identifying a first display area of the flexible display exposed to the outside in response to the sliding operation, and

the touch sensor corresponding to the identified first display area is switched from the first mode to a second mode.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

identifying whether a predetermined event has occurred based on the first display area being switched to the second mode; and

In response to the occurrence of the event, the first display area that has been switched to the second mode is changed to a third mode.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, further comprising: a power management module configured to power the flexible display, and

wherein the processor is configured to:

powering based on the first mode such that the flexible display has an operating frequency within a first frequency band;

powering based on the second mode such that the flexible display has an operating frequency within a second frequency band range that at least partially overlaps the first frequency band range; and

power is supplied based on the third mode such that the flexible display has an operating frequency within a third frequency band range that at least partially includes the first frequency band range and the second frequency band range.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the second mode comprises a mode in which the first display region of the flexible display operates in at least a partially activated state, and

wherein the processor is configured to detect a user touch input based at least in part on the first display region being switched to the second mode.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the flexible display comprises at least one channel, and

wherein the processor is configured to:

measuring a second current value based on a second channel included in the second housing while measuring a first current value based on a first channel included in the first housing in a folded state;

identifying a coupling relationship between the first channel and the second channel based on the first current value and the second current value; and

the sliding operation is detected based on the identified coupling relationship.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a sensor module configured to detect the sliding operation, and

wherein the processor is configured to detect the sliding operation by using the sensor module.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, the sliding operation comprising an operation in which at least one of the first housing and the second housing in the folded state is moved a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the hinge device is configured to support a folded state in which the first housing and the second housing are arranged to face each other, and to support the sliding operation in which at least one of the first housing and the second housing is moved a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, the hinge device formed from a multi-joint structure including at least one bar configured to at least partially bend the flexible display, and the hinge device configured to perform the sliding operation based on the multi-joint structure.

10. A method, comprising:

operating at least a partial region of a touch sensor corresponding to a flexible display supported by a first housing and a second housing in a first mode in a state in which the first housing and the second housing are folded based on a hinge device;

detecting a sliding operation in a folded state based on the flexible display;

identifying a first display area of the flexible display exposed to the outside in response to the sliding operation; and

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second mode comprises a mode in which the first display region of the flexible display operates in at least a partially activated state, and

wherein the method further comprises detecting a user touch input based at least in part on the first display area switching to the second mode.

14. The method of claim 10, the detecting a sliding operation comprising:

measuring a first current value corresponding to a first channel included in the first housing in a folded state based on at least one channel included in the flexible display;

Measuring a second current value corresponding to a second channel included in the second housing in a folded state;

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the hinge device is formed from a multi-joint structure including at least one bar configured to at least partially bend the flexible display, and

wherein the hinge device is configured to support a folded state in which the first housing and the second housing are arranged to face each other, and to support the sliding operation in which at least one of the first housing and the second housing is moved a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction.