KR20240000957A - Electronic device and operating method for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A flexible display, comprising a memory for storing one or more instructions and one or more processors for executing one or more instructions stored in the memory, wherein the one or more processors execute one or more instructions such that the flexible display is positioned on the same plane. When it includes a plurality of display areas that are not displayed, the user's eye area is detected using a camera provided in one of the plurality of display areas, and the user's eye area is measured based on the distance from the camera to the user's eye area and the camera. Obtaining the direction of the area, obtaining the viewing angle for each of the user's plurality of display areas based on the obtained distance and direction, and setting display contents and settings for each of the plurality of display areas based on the obtained viewing angle. An electronic device that changes at least one may be provided.

Description

Electronic device and operating method for the same}

Various embodiments relate to electronic devices and methods of operating the same. More specifically, it relates to an electronic device that changes at least one of display content and settings according to the viewing angle of a plurality of display areas that are not located on the same plane, and a method of operating the same.

Recently, the use of flexible displays in electronic devices has been increasing.

When a flexible display is bent, a display area in which the user can barely discern the displayed content may be created depending on the user's position and viewing angle.

Even in this case, if the flexible display displays content in the same way as when it is not bent, the user may feel uncomfortable in understanding the overall content, and it may also be undesirable in terms of energy efficiency.

Therefore, when the flexible display is bent, it is necessary to adjust the content or display settings displayed in each display area according to the user's viewing angle.

The present disclosure provides an electronic device and a method of operating the same for changing at least one of display content and settings according to the viewing angle of a plurality of display areas that are not located on the same plane.

The technical problems to be achieved by the present invention are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below. There will be.

An electronic device according to an embodiment includes a flexible display, a memory storing one or more instructions, and one or more processors that execute the one or more instructions stored in the memory, wherein the one or more processors include the one or more instructions. By executing the instruction, when the flexible display includes a plurality of display areas that are not located on the same plane, the user's eye area is detected using a camera provided in one of the plurality of display areas, and the user's eye area is detected from the camera. Obtaining the distance to the user's eye area and the direction of the user's eye area based on the camera, and based on the obtained distance and direction, obtaining the viewing angle of the user for each of the plurality of display areas. And, based on the obtained viewing angle, at least one of display content and settings for each of the plurality of display areas can be changed.

According to one embodiment, the direction of the user's eye area with respect to the camera is the angle between a straight line indicating the distance and a straight line that passes through the center of the camera and is perpendicular to the hinges of the flexible display. It could be in a widened direction.

Among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas according to an embodiment, the viewing angle for one display area is a straight line directed from the plane of the one display area and the farthest part of the one display area from the user's eye area. This may be the angle formed.

The one or more processors according to an embodiment execute the one or more instructions, so that when the viewing angle of one display area among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas is greater than a predetermined angle, the one display area can be viewed. It is determined as a display area, and if the angle is less than the predetermined angle, the display area may be determined as a display area that cannot be viewed.

According to one embodiment, the one or more processors execute the one or more instructions, so that when the one display area is determined to be an unviewable display area, the one or more processors reduce the screen brightness of the one display area or You can control it to turn off the power.

The processor according to one embodiment executes the one or more instructions, and when the one display area is determined to be a display area in which viewing is not possible, the processor according to one embodiment determines the content displayed in the one display area to be a display area that is possible to view another display area. You can display it by moving it to .

According to one embodiment, the processor determines that the one display area is an unviewable display area by executing the one or more instructions, and determines the plane of the one display area and the user's eye area of the one display area. When the angle formed by a straight line heading to an area within a specific distance is greater than the predetermined angle, the area within the specific distance from the user's eyes among the display areas is determined as a first viewable display area, and the first display area is An area other than the display area may be determined as a second display area that cannot be viewed.

The processor according to an embodiment may display content displayed in the one display area on the first display area by executing the one or more instructions, when the first display area is larger than a predetermined ratio of the one display area. there is.

The processor according to an embodiment executes the one or more instructions to control one display area when the viewing angle of one display area among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas is less than a first predetermined angle. If the display area is determined to be impossible, and the viewing angle of one display area among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas is greater than or equal to the first predetermined angle but less than the second predetermined angle, the display area cannot be viewed. It can be decided by area.

The one or more processors according to an embodiment execute the one or more instructions, thereby determining the distance from the camera to the user's eye area and the user's eyes based on the camera using a wearable device worn by the user. The direction of the area may be obtained, and based on the obtained distance and direction, the viewing angle of the user for each of the plurality of display areas may be obtained.

In a method of operating an electronic device including a flexible display according to an embodiment, when the flexible display includes a plurality of display areas that are not located on the same plane, the display area is provided in one of the plurality of display areas. Detecting the user's eye area using a camera, obtaining the distance from the camera to the user's eye area and the direction of the user's eye area with respect to the camera, the obtained distance and direction Based on this, obtaining a viewing angle for each of the plurality of display areas of the user and changing at least one of display content and settings for each of the plurality of display areas based on the obtained viewing angle. It can be included.

In a method of operating an electronic device according to an embodiment, the direction of the user's eye area with respect to the camera passes through a straight line indicating the distance and the center of the camera. The direction may be as wide as the angle between straight lines perpendicular to the hinges of the flexible display.

In a method of operating an electronic device according to an embodiment, among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas, the viewing angle for one display area is a plane of the one display area and the one display area from the eye area of the user. It may be the angle formed by a straight line heading to the farthest part of .

In a method of operating an electronic device according to an embodiment, when the viewing angle of one display area among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas is greater than a predetermined angle, determining the one display area as a viewable display area, If the angle is less than the predetermined angle, the display area may be determined as an unviewable display area.

In the method of operating an electronic device according to an embodiment, when the display area is determined to be an unviewable display area, control is performed to reduce the screen brightness of the display area or to turn off the power of the display area. You can.

In a method of operating an electronic device according to an embodiment, when the one display area is determined to be an unviewable display area, the content displayed in the one display area is moved to another display area determined to be viewable and displayed. can do.

In a method of operating an electronic device according to an embodiment, the one display area is determined as a display area that cannot be viewed, and the plane of the one display area and an area within a certain distance of the one display area from the eye area of the user When the angle formed by the straight line toward may be determined as a second display area that cannot be viewed.

In a method of operating an electronic device according to an embodiment, when the first display area is larger than a predetermined ratio of the one display area, content displayed in the one display area may be displayed on the first display area.

A method of operating an electronic device according to an embodiment includes changing at least one of display content and settings for each of the plurality of display areas based on the obtained viewing angle, the viewing angle for each of the plurality of display areas Among them, if the viewing angle of one display area is less than the first predetermined angle, the one display area is determined as an uncontrollable display area, and among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas, the viewing angle of one display area is , if the angle is greater than or equal to the first predetermined angle but less than the second predetermined angle, determining the one display area as an unviewable display area.

A computer-readable recording medium according to an embodiment detects the user's eye area using a camera provided in one of the plurality of display areas when the flexible display includes a plurality of display areas that are not located on the same plane. obtaining a distance from the camera to the user's eye area and a direction of the user's eye area with respect to the camera; based on the obtained distance and direction, the plurality of displays of the user Implementing a method of operating an electronic device, comprising obtaining a viewing angle for each area and changing at least one of display content and settings for each of the plurality of display areas based on the obtained viewing angle. It may be a computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded.

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an electronic device operating according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 4 is a flowchart showing a method of operating an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of obtaining the distance from the camera to the user's eye area and the direction of the user's eye area with respect to the camera, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of obtaining a viewing angle for each of a plurality of display areas of a user according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of determining whether a display area is viewable based on a viewing angle obtained according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for an electronic device to obtain the minimum viewable angle using artificial intelligence according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 9A is a flowchart showing a method of operating an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 9B is a diagram illustrating an example of changing the display according to the viewing angle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of updating the viewing angle according to a change in the user's eye position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 11A is a flowchart showing a method of operating an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 11B is a diagram illustrating an example of changing the display according to the viewing angle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 11C is a diagram illustrating an example of changing the display according to the viewing angle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of changing the display according to the viewing angle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of changing the display according to the viewing angle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of changing the display according to the viewing angle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of changing the display according to the viewing angle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of determining a controllable display area or a viewable display area according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example of determining a viewable display area using a wearable device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Below, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

The terms used in this disclosure are described as general terms currently used in consideration of the functions mentioned in this disclosure, but may mean various other terms depending on the intention or precedents of those skilled in the art, the emergence of new technologies, etc. You can. Accordingly, the terms used in this disclosure should not be interpreted only by the name of the term, but should be interpreted based on the meaning of the term and the overall content of this disclosure.

Additionally, the terms used in the present disclosure are merely used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

Throughout the specification, when a part is said to be "connected" to another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly connected," but also the case where it is "electrically connected" with another element in between. .

As used herein, particularly in the claims, “the” and similar indicators may refer to both the singular and the plural. Additionally, unless there is a description clearly designating the order of steps describing the method according to the present disclosure, the steps described may be performed in any suitable order. The present disclosure is not limited by the order of description of the steps described.

Phrases such as “in some embodiments” or “in one embodiment” that appear in various places in this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure may be represented by functional block configurations and various processing steps. Some or all of these functional blocks may be implemented in various numbers of hardware and/or software configurations that perform specific functions. For example, the functional blocks of the present disclosure may be implemented by one or more microprocessors, or may be implemented by circuit configurations for certain functions. Additionally, for example, functional blocks of the present disclosure may be implemented in various programming or scripting languages. Functional blocks may be implemented as algorithms running on one or more processors. Additionally, the present disclosure may employ conventional technologies for electronic environment setup, signal processing, and/or data processing. Terms such as “mechanism,” “element,” “means,” and “configuration” are used broadly and are not limited to mechanical and physical components.

Additionally, connection lines or connection members between components shown in the drawings merely exemplify functional connections and/or physical or circuit connections. In an actual device, connections between components may be represented by various replaceable or additional functional connections, physical connections, or circuit connections.

In addition, terms such as "... unit" and "module" used in the specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented as hardware or software, or as a combination of hardware and software. .

Additionally, in the specification, the term “user” refers to a person who uses an electronic device to control the function or operation of the electronic device, and may include a viewer, administrator, or installation engineer.

Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an electronic device operating according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic device 100 of the present disclosure may be a device including a flexible display 130.

In the present disclosure, “flexible display” may refer to a display that implements the same image quality even when bent or folded.

In the present disclosure, the electronic device 100 includes a smart phone, a super computer, a tablet PC, a laptop computer, a netbook computer, a tablet PC, a desktop, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), and a Portable Multimedia Player (PMP). ), digital cameras, camcorders, navigation, MP3 players, wearable devices, smart refrigerators, e-books, smart TVs, digital signage products, and other home appliances.

Embodiments can be easily implemented when the electronic device 100 is a smart phone that includes a flexible display 130 and can easily move and bend the display, but is not limited thereto.

The electronic device 100 may be fixed or mobile, and may be a digital broadcasting receiver capable of receiving digital broadcasting.

The output resolution of the electronic device 100 may include, for example, High Definition (HD), Full HD, Ultra HD, or a resolution clearer than Ultra HD.

As in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the electronic device 100 may be bent. In this case, the flexible display 130 of the electronic device 100 may be divided into (1) a display area and (2) a display area that are not located on the same plane.

In this embodiment, (1) the display area may be a display area where the user can view the content displayed on the display area, and (2) the display area may be a display area where it is difficult for the user to view the content displayed on the display area. .

Conventionally, the flexible display 130 of the electronic device 100 is bent as shown in FIG. 1 so that (2) the display area is divided into (1) the display area and (2) even when it is difficult for the user to see the content displayed on the display area. 2) All display areas displayed the same content as before bending. However, in this case, the inconvenience occurred in that the user could only see half of the displayed content to view the entire content.

In addition, (2) even though no one is watching the content displayed in the display area, (1) the content is displayed consuming the same power as the display area, resulting in unnecessary power consumption.

In order to solve this problem, the electronic device 100 and the operating method of the electronic device according to the present disclosure acquire the viewing angle of each of a plurality of display areas that are not located on the same plane, and display contents and settings according to the obtained viewing angle. By changing at least one of them, user inconvenience can be eliminated and energy efficiency can be improved.

Specific details about the electronic device 100 and how to operate the electronic device will be described later.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the electronic device 100 may include a processor 110, a memory 120, a flexible display 130, and a camera 140.

The memory 120 may store programs for processing and control of the processor 110. Additionally, the memory 120 may store data input to or output from the electronic device 100.

The memory 120 may be a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (for example, SD or XD memory, etc.), or RAM. (RAM, Random Access Memory) SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), ROM (Read-Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), magnetic memory, magnetic disk , and may include at least one type of storage medium among optical disks.

Memory 120 may store one or more instructions that can be executed by processor 110.

In one embodiment, the memory 120 may store various types of information input through an input/output unit (not shown).

In one embodiment, when the flexible display 130 includes a plurality of display areas that are not located on the same plane, the memory 120 uses the camera 140 provided in one of the plurality of display areas to capture the user's eyes. Detect the area, obtain the distance from the camera 140 to the user's eye area and the direction of the user's eye area with respect to the camera 140, and display a plurality of the user's eyes based on the obtained distance and direction. An instruction for controlling to obtain a viewing angle for each area and changing at least one of display content and settings for each of the plurality of display areas based on the obtained viewing angle may be stored.

In the present disclosure, the “user's eye area” may be a minimal box area that includes both of the user's eyes, as shown in FIG. 5.

In the present disclosure, when the user's eye area is used as a standard for calculating distance and direction, the user's eye area may mean the center area of the user's eye area.

The processor 110 may execute an operating system (OS) and various applications stored in the memory 120 when there is a user input or a preset and stored condition is satisfied.

The processor 110 stores signals or data input from the outside of the electronic device 100, or uses RAM, which is used as a storage area corresponding to various tasks performed in the electronic device 100. It may include a ROM in which a control program for controlling is stored.

The processor 110 may include single core, dual core, triple core, quad core, and multiple cores thereof. Additionally, the processor 110 may include a plurality of processors. For example, the processor 110 may be implemented as a main processor (not shown) and a sub processor (not shown) operating in a sleep mode.

Additionally, the processor 110 may include at least one of a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), and a Video Processing Unit (VPU). Alternatively, depending on the embodiment, it may be implemented in the form of a SOC (System On Chip) integrating at least one of CPU, GPU, and VPU.

The processor 110 can control various components of the electronic device 100 by executing one or more instructions stored in the memory 120.

In one embodiment, when the flexible display 130 includes a plurality of display areas that are not located on the same plane, the processor 110 uses the camera 140 provided in one of the plurality of display areas to capture the user's eyes. Area can be detected.

The camera 140 provided in one of the plurality of display areas may be a front camera.

In one embodiment, the processor 110 may use the camera 140 to obtain the distance to the user's eye area and the direction of the user's eye area based on the camera 140. Details about this will be described later in FIG. 5.

In one embodiment, the processor 110 may obtain a viewing angle for each of the user's plurality of display areas based on the obtained distance and direction. Details about this will be described later in FIG. 6.

In one embodiment, the processor 110 may change at least one of display content and settings for each of the plurality of display areas based on the obtained viewing angle. Various examples of this will be described later in FIGS. 9A, 9B, 11A, 11B, and 11C.

In one embodiment, the processor 110 determines the display area as a viewable display area when the viewing angle of one display area among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas is greater than a predetermined angle, and determines the display area as a viewable display area. Among the viewing angles for each, if the viewing angle of one display area is less than a predetermined angle, the corresponding display area may be determined as a display area that cannot be viewed.

In one embodiment, the predetermined angle may be manually set by the user or automatically determined by the electronic device 100.

In one embodiment, the predetermined angle may be an angle obtained through repeated experiments or data.

Details of the method for obtaining a predetermined angle will be described later in FIG. 8.

Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

The electronic device 100 of FIG. 3 may be a display device that is an embodiment of the electronic device 100 described in FIGS. 1 and 2 .

Referring to FIG. 3, the electronic device 100 includes a tuner unit 340, a processor 110, a display 130, a communication unit 350, a sensor unit 360, an input/output unit 370, and a video processing unit. It may include (380), an audio processing unit (385), an audio output unit (390), a memory (120), and a power supply unit (395).

The processor 110 of FIG. 3 is connected to the processor 120 of FIG. 2, the memory 120 of FIG. 3 is connected to the memory 120 of FIG. 2, and the display 130 of FIG. 3 is connected to the flexible display 130 of FIG. 2. The camera 140 of FIG. 3 has a configuration corresponding to the camera 140 of FIG. 2. Therefore, the same content as previously described will be omitted.

The communication unit 350 according to one embodiment may include a Wi-Fi module, a Bluetooth module, an infrared communication module, a wireless communication module, a LAN module, an Ethernet module, a wired communication module, etc. At this time, each communication module may be implemented in the form of at least one hardware chip.

The Wi-Fi module and Bluetooth module communicate using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth methods, respectively. When using a Wi-Fi module or a Bluetooth module, various connection information such as SSID and session key are first transmitted and received, and various information can be transmitted and received after establishing a communication connection using this. Wireless communication modules include zigbee, 3G (3rd Generation), 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), LTE (Long Term Evolution), LTE-A (LTE Advanced), 4G (4th Generation), 5G (5th Generation), etc. It may include at least one communication chip that performs communication according to various wireless communication standards.

The communication unit 350 according to one embodiment may receive user input from an external device.

The tuner unit 340 according to one embodiment is intended to receive a broadcast signal received by wire or wirelessly from the broadcast reception device 100 among many radio wave components through amplification, mixing, resonance, etc. You can select only the frequency of the desired channel by tuning it. Broadcast signals include audio, video, and additional information (eg, Electronic Program Guide (EPG)).

The tuner unit 340 can receive broadcast signals from various sources, such as terrestrial broadcasting, cable broadcasting, satellite broadcasting, and Internet broadcasting. The tuner unit 340 may receive broadcast signals from sources such as analog broadcasting or digital broadcasting.

The sensor unit 360 detects voices around the electronic device 100, images around the electronic device 100, or interactions with the electronic device 100, and includes a microphone 331, a camera 140, and a light receiver ( 333) may include at least one of the following. The sensor unit 360 may detect the state of the electronic device 100 or the state surrounding the electronic device 100 and transmit the sensed information to the processor 110.

The microphone 331 receives the user's uttered voice and voices generated around the electronic device 100. The microphone 331 may convert the received voice into an electrical signal and output it to the processor 110. The microphone 331 can use various noise removal algorithms to remove noise generated in the process of receiving an external acoustic signal.

The camera 140 can obtain image frames such as still images or moving images. Images captured through the image sensor may be processed through the processor 110 or a separate image processing unit (not shown).

Image frames processed by the camera 140 may be stored in the memory 120 or transmitted externally through the communication unit 350. Two or more cameras 140 may be provided depending on the configuration of the electronic device 100.

The optical receiver 333 receives optical signals (including control signals) received from an external remote control device (not shown). The light receiver 333 may receive an optical signal corresponding to a user input (eg, touch, press, touch gesture, voice, or motion) from a remote control device (not shown). A control signal may be extracted from the received optical signal under the control of the processor 110. For example, the light receiver 333 may receive a control signal corresponding to a channel up/down button for channel switching from a remote control device (not shown).

The sensor unit 360 in FIG. 3 is shown as including a microphone 331, a camera 140, and a light receiver 333, but is not limited thereto, and includes a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, and an acceleration sensor. ), a temperature/humidity sensor, an infrared sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a location sensor (e.g., GPS), an air pressure sensor, a proximity sensor, an RGB sensor, an illuminance sensor, and a Wi-Fi signal receiver. However, it is not limited to this. Since the function of each sensor can be intuitively deduced by a person skilled in the art from its name, detailed description will be omitted.

The sensor unit 360 in FIG. 3 is shown as being provided in the electronic device 100 itself, but is not limited thereto, and is located independently of the electronic device 100, such as a remote control, and communicates with the electronic device 100. It may be provided in a control device that is a device.

When the control device of the electronic device 100 is equipped with the sensing unit 130, the control device can digitize the information sensed by the sensing unit 130 and transmit it to the electronic device 100. The control device may communicate with the electronic device 100 using short-range communication including infrared, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth.

For example, the microphone may be provided in the electronic device 100 itself, but may also be provided in a control device, such as a remote control, that is located independently of the electronic device 100 and communicates with the electronic device 100.

In one embodiment, when a microphone is provided in the remote control, an analog voice signal can be received through the microphone, digitized by the remote control, and transmitted to the TV. At this time, the remote control may communicate with the electronic device 100 using short-range communication including infrared, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth.

In one embodiment, the electronic device 100 may be provided with a plurality of communication units 350 capable of various short-distance communications including infrared, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth.

In one embodiment, the electronic device 100 may include a plurality of communication units 350, each of which is different from a communication unit that communicates with a server and a communication unit that communicates with a remote control.

In one embodiment, the electronic device 100 may include a communication unit 350 that communicates with a server and a communication unit that communicates with a remote control.

In one embodiment, a device such as a smartphone with a remote control application installed may perform the same role as the remote control described above. That is, a device with the remote control application installed can control the electronic device 100, such as a TV, and perform a voice recognition function.

The device on which the remote control application can be installed can be any device that can be operated by installing the application, such as an AI speaker, in addition to a smart phone.

The input/output unit 370 outputs video (e.g., video, etc.), audio (e.g., voice, music, etc.) and additional information (e.g., For example, EPG, etc.) are received. The input/output unit 370 includes HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link), USB (Universal Serial Bus), DP (Display Port), Thunderbolt, and VGA (Video Graphics Array). ) port, RGB port, D-SUB (D-subminiature), DVI (Digital Visual Interface), component jack, or PC port.

The video processing unit 380 performs processing on video data received by the electronic device 100. The video processing unit 380 can perform various image processing such as decoding, scaling, noise filtering, frame rate conversion, and resolution conversion on video data.

The display 130 generates a driving signal by converting image signals, data signals, OSD signals, and control signals processed by the processor 110. The display 130 may be implemented as a PDP, LCD, OLED, flexible display, etc., and may also be implemented as a 3D display. Additionally, the display 130 can be configured as a touch screen and used as an input device in addition to an output device.

The display 130 may output various contents input through the communication unit (not shown) or the input/output unit 370, or may output images stored in the memory 120. Additionally, the display 130 may output information input by the user through the input/output unit 370 on the screen.

Display 130 may include a display panel. The display panel may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel or a panel containing various light emitters such as a light emitting diode (LED), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), or a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL). Additionally, the display panel may include a curved display device, which is a screen with a curvature, or a flexible display device whose curvature can be adjusted. The display panel may be a 3D display or an electrophoretic display.

The output resolution of the display panel may include, for example, High Definition (HD), Full HD, Ultra HD, or a resolution sharper than Ultra HD.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 3 , the electronic device 100 is shown as including a display, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The electronic device 100 may be connected to a separate display device including a display through wired or wireless communication and may be configured to transmit video/audio signals to the display device.

The audio processing unit 385 performs processing on audio data. The audio processing unit 385 may perform various processing such as decoding, amplification, noise filtering, etc. on audio data. Meanwhile, the audio processing unit 385 may be equipped with a plurality of audio processing modules to process audio corresponding to a plurality of contents.

The audio output unit 390 outputs audio included in the broadcast signal received through the tuner unit 340 under the control of the processor 110. The audio output unit 390 may output audio (eg, voice, sound) input through the communication unit 350 or the input/output unit 370. Additionally, the audio output unit 390 may output audio stored in the memory 120 under the control of the processor 110. The audio output unit 390 may include at least one of a speaker, a headphone output terminal, or a Sony/Philips Digital Interface (S/PDIF) output terminal.

The power supply unit 395 supplies power input from an external power source to components within the electronic device 100 under the control of the processor 110. Additionally, the power unit 395 may supply power output from one or more batteries (not shown) located inside the electronic device 100 to internal components under the control of the processor 110.

The memory 120 may store various data, programs, or applications for driving and controlling the electronic device 100 under the control of the processor 110. The memory 120 includes a broadcast reception module (not shown), a channel control module, a volume control module, a communication control module, a voice recognition module, a motion recognition module, an optical reception module, a display control module, an audio control module, an external input control module, and a power supply. It may include a control module, a power control module of an external device connected wirelessly (eg, Bluetooth), a voice database (DB), or a motion database (DB). Not shown modules and database of the memory 120 include a broadcast reception control function, a channel control function, a volume control function, a communication control function, a voice recognition function, a motion recognition function, and an optical reception control function in the electronic device 100. , may be implemented in software form to perform a display control function, an audio control function, an external input control function, a power control function, or a power control function of an external device connected wirelessly (eg, Bluetooth). The processor 110 can perform each function using these software stored in the memory 120.

Meanwhile, the block diagram of the electronic device 100 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is a block diagram for one embodiment. Each component of the block diagram may be integrated, added, or omitted depending on the specifications of the electronic device 100 that is actually implemented. That is, as needed, two or more components may be combined into one component, or one component may be subdivided into two or more components. In addition, the functions performed by each block are for explaining the embodiments, and the specific operations or devices do not limit the scope of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a flowchart showing a method of operating an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 4 , when the flexible display 130 includes a plurality of display areas that are not located on the same plane, the electronic device 100 uses a camera 140 provided in one of the plurality of display areas to detect the user. The eye area can be detected (S410).

When the flexible display 130 is bent, the display 130 may be divided into two or more display areas that are not located on the same plane.

The camera 140 can detect the user's location and the location of the user's eye area using a front camera located in at least one of two or more divided display areas.

The electronic device 100 may obtain the distance from the camera 140 to the user's eye area and the direction of the user's eye area based on the camera 140 (S420).

Through step S420, the electronic device 100 can accurately identify the location of the user's eye area detected in step S410. Details about this will be described later in Figure 5.

In one embodiment, the electronic device 100 can more accurately identify the user's eye area by comprehensively analyzing information acquired by the plurality of sensors 360.

In one embodiment, the electronic device 100 may identify the user's eye area by determining some of the plurality of sensors as main sensors and the remaining sensors as auxiliary sensors.

The electronic device 100 may obtain the viewing angle for each of the user's plurality of display areas based on the obtained distance and direction (S430).

The electronic device 100 may obtain a viewing angle viewing each of the plurality of display areas from the user's eye area based on the position of the user's eye area more accurately identified in step S420.

A detailed method of obtaining the viewing angle will be described later in Figure 6.

The electronic device 100 may control to change at least one of display content and settings for each of the plurality of display areas based on the obtained viewing angle (S440).

Changing at least one of the display contents and settings for each of the plurality of display areas based on the viewing angle obtained by the electronic device 100 may be a change that can increase user convenience and prevent unnecessary energy consumption.

A detailed description of this will be provided later in FIGS. 9A, 9B, 11A, 11B, and 11C.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of obtaining the distance from the camera to the user's eye area and the direction of the user's eye area with respect to the camera, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

The electronic device 100 may determine the center plane and center line (S510, S520).

In the present disclosure, the central plane may refer to a plane perpendicular to the hinge of the display that passes through the center of all display areas of the electronic device 100 and the camera 140.

In the present disclosure, the center line may refer to a line that passes through the camera 140 of the electronic device 100 among the straight lines constituting the center plane.

When the electronic device 100 detects the user's eyes, the electronic device 100 may move the central plane in the horizontal direction so that the central plane penetrates the center of the user's eye area (S530).

In this case, a 2D map may be created between the center of the user's eye area and the camera 140 of the electronic device 100.

The electronic device 100 may obtain the distance from the camera to the user's eye area and the direction of the user's eye area based on the camera based on the generated 2D map (S540).

The electronic device 100 may obtain the distance d between the user's eye area and the camera 140 on the generated 2D map. The distance (d) between the user's eye area and the camera 140 may mean the distance of the shortest path among possible paths.

In the present disclosure, the distance (d) between the user's eye area and the camera 140 may be the distance (d) between the center of the user's eye area and the camera 140.

Additionally, based on the generated 2D map, the electronic device 100 may obtain a direction in which the user's eyes are separated from the center line by an angle (β) between the straight lines representing the distance (d) from the center line.

In this disclosure, the direction of the user's eye area with respect to the camera is the angle between the straight line representing the distance (d) between the user's eye area and the camera 140 based on the center line through which the camera passes on the 2D map above ( It can be in a direction widened by β).

In the present disclosure, when the user's eye area is used as a reference for distance and direction, the user's eye area may mean the center of the user's eye area.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of obtaining a viewing angle for each of a plurality of display areas of a user according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The electronic device 100 uses the distance (d) from the camera 140 to the user's eye area and the direction (β) of the user's eye area based on the camera 140, which are obtained through the method described in FIG. 5. As a basis, the user's viewing angle (α) for each of the plurality of display areas can be obtained.

Among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas, the viewing angle for one display area is the angle (α) formed by the plane of the corresponding display area and a straight line heading from the user's eye area to the farthest part (f) of one display area. You can.

Since the viewing angle is the angle (α) formed by the plane of the display area and a straight line from the user's eye area to the furthest part (f) of one display area, it may be the smallest angle that can be obtained for the corresponding display area.

Figures 6 (a), (b), (c), and (d) all show the user's viewing angle (α) for the display area that does not include the camera 140 among the two display areas.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of determining whether a display area is viewable based on a viewing angle obtained according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

When the viewing angle of one display area among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas is greater than a predetermined angle, the electronic device 100 determines the corresponding display area as a viewable display area, and determines the viewing angle for each of the plurality of display areas. Among the angles, if the viewing angle of one display area is less than a predetermined angle, the corresponding display area may be determined as a display area that cannot be viewed.

For example, as shown in (a) of FIG. 7, when the viewing angle α for the lower display area of the two display areas is greater than a predetermined angle, the electronic device 100 views the lower display area of the two display areas. This can be determined by the available display area.

For another example, if it is assumed that the viewing angle α for the left display area of the two display areas is greater than a predetermined angle as shown in (b) of FIG. 7, the electronic device 100 may view the left display area of the two display areas. The display area can be determined as a display area where the display area can be viewed.

For another example, as shown in (c) of Figure 7, the viewing angle for the second display area from the left is α1, and the viewing angle for the third display area from the left is α2, where α1 is less than a predetermined angle and α2 is Assuming that the angle is greater than a predetermined angle, the electronic device 100 may determine the second display area from the left as a display area that cannot be viewed, and determine the third display area from the left as a display area that can be viewed.

In the present disclosure, the predetermined angle may be an angle obtained through repeated experiments or data.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for an electronic device to obtain the minimum viewable angle using artificial intelligence according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

In one embodiment, the electronic device 100 uses a neural network learned to obtain the minimum viewing angle for the display area, that is, a predetermined angle, from an input value including at least one of the position of the user's eye area, the position of the light, and the illuminance. Using the network, a predetermined angle can be determined.

Input values may include all factors that may affect the determination of the minimum viewing angle for the display area, in addition to the listed position of the user's eye area, light position, and illuminance.

In one embodiment, the input value may be obtained through a sensor unit 360, such as a camera 140.

Artificial intelligence is a computer system that implements human-level intelligence. It is a system in which machines learn and make decisions on their own, and the recognition rate improves as they are used. Artificial intelligence technology consists of machine learning (deep learning) technology that uses an algorithm that classifies/learns the characteristics of input data on its own, and element technologies that mimic the functions of the human brain such as cognition and judgment using machine learning algorithms.

For example, the element technologies include linguistic understanding technology that recognizes human language/characters, visual understanding technology that recognizes objects as if they were human eyes, reasoning/prediction technology that judges information and makes logical inferences and predictions, and human experience. It may include at least one of knowledge expression technology that processes information into knowledge data, autonomous driving of a vehicle, and motion control technology that controls the movement of a robot.

Functions related to artificial intelligence according to the present disclosure are operated through the processor 110 and memory 120. Processor 110 may be comprised of one or multiple processors. At this time, one or more processors may be a general-purpose processor such as a CPU, AP, or DSP (Digital Signal Processor), a graphics-specific processor such as a GPU or VPU (Vision Processing Unit), or an artificial intelligence-specific processor such as an NPU. One or more processors 110 control input data to be processed according to predefined operation rules or artificial intelligence models stored in the memory 120. Alternatively, when one or more processors 110 are dedicated artificial intelligence processors, the artificial intelligence dedicated processors may be designed with a hardware structure specialized for processing a specific artificial intelligence model.

Predefined operation rules or artificial intelligence models are characterized by being created through learning. Here, being created through learning means that the basic artificial intelligence model is learned using a large number of learning data by a learning algorithm, thereby creating a predefined operation rule or artificial intelligence model set to perform the desired characteristics (or purpose). It means burden. This learning may be performed in the electronic device 100 itself, where artificial intelligence according to the present disclosure is performed, or may be performed through a separate server 200 and/or system. Examples of learning algorithms include supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but are not limited to the examples described above.

An artificial intelligence model may be composed of multiple neural network layers. Each of the plurality of neural network layers has a plurality of weight values, and neural network calculation is performed through calculation between the calculation result of the previous layer and the plurality of weights. Multiple weights of multiple neural network layers can be optimized by the learning results of the artificial intelligence model. For example, a plurality of weights may be updated so that loss or cost values obtained from the artificial intelligence model are reduced or minimized during the learning process.

In an embodiment using a deep learning algorithm, the processor 110 may determine a predetermined angle using a pre-trained deep neural network model 810. The previously learned deep neural network model 810 takes as an input value at least one of all factors that can affect whether the display area can be viewed, such as the position of the user's eye area, the position of light, and illuminance, and sets a predetermined angle. It may be an artificial intelligence model trained through learning with as the output value.

The deep neural network model may be, for example, a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). However, it is not limited to this, and deep neural network models include Recurrent Neural Network (RNN), Restricted Boltzmann Machine (RBM), Deep Belief Network (DBN), Bidirectional Recurrent Deep Neural Network (BRDNN), and deep neural network (RNN). It may be a known artificial intelligence model that includes at least one of Q-Networks (Deep Q-Networks).

The electronic device 100 may implement various methods for determining a predetermined angle using various algorithms.

FIG. 9A is a flowchart showing a method of operating an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 9B is a diagram showing an example of changing a display according to a viewing angle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The contents described in FIGS. 9A and 9B may correspond to examples of step S440 of FIG. 4.

That is, the content shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B may correspond to an example of changing at least one of the display content and settings for each of the plurality of display areas based on the obtained viewing angle (α).

In one embodiment, the electronic device 100 may include (1) a display area and (2) a display area that are not on the same plane due to bending, as shown in FIG. 9B.

The electronic device 100 can (1) play a selected image in the display area and (2) display a list of images that can be played back in the display area.

In this state, the electronic device 100 can acquire the viewing angle α for each display area (S910). Specifically, the electronic device 100 may acquire (1) a viewing angle α1 with respect to the display area and (2) a viewing angle α2 with respect to the display area. Details about the acquisition method are omitted since they are the same as those already described in FIGS. 5 and 6 for steps S410, S420, and S430 of FIG. 4.

The electronic device 100 may determine whether the viewing angle α is greater than or equal to a predetermined angle (S920). The electronic device 100 may determine whether (1) the viewing angle α1 with respect to the display area and (2) the viewing angle α2 with respect to the display area, respectively, are equal to or greater than a predetermined angle.

When the viewing angle α is less than a predetermined angle, the electronic device 100 may reduce the brightness of the display area (S930). In another embodiment, the electronic device 100 may turn off the power of the corresponding display area or change it in a way to minimize power consumption.

In the embodiment of FIG. 9B, (1) the viewing angle α1 with respect to the display area may be greater than or equal to a predetermined angle, and (2) the viewing angle α2 with respect to the display area may be less than a predetermined angle. In this case, the electronic device 100 (2) determines the display area as an unviewable display area, (2) stops displaying the display area, and (2) turns off the power to the display area or enters a power conservation mode. It can be run.

In this state, the electronic device 100 can receive interaction from the user (S950). For example, the interaction may be user input such as touch input, voice input, or keyboard input.

In the embodiment of FIG. 9B, the electronic device 100 may receive (2) a user input that touches the display area.

When interaction with the corresponding display area is received from the user, the electronic device 100 may continue displaying the original content (S940). When interaction with the corresponding display area is received from the user, the electronic device 100 may end display settings to minimize power consumption.

If the viewing angle α is greater than or equal to a predetermined angle in step S920, the electronic device 100 may continue to display the original content without making any changes to the display area (S940).

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of updating the viewing angle according to a change in the user's eye position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The electronic device 100 may obtain the distance (d) from the camera 140 to the user's eye area and the direction (β) of the user's eye area based on the camera 140.

The electronic device 100 acquires the user's viewing angle (α) for one display area based on the obtained distance and direction, and displays content and information for the display area based on the obtained viewing angle (α). You have control to change at least one of the settings.

However, the position of the user's eye area with respect to the electronic device 100 is not fixed and may change.

In one embodiment, the electronic device 100 newly detects the user's eye area every time a predetermined time elapses, and determines the distance (d) from the camera 140 to the user's eye area and the user's eye area based on the camera 140. The direction (β) of the eye area can be updated.

For example, the position of the user's eye area as shown in (a) may be changed as shown in (c).

In this case, the electronic device 100 recalculates the distance (d) from the camera 140 to the newly detected user's eye area and the direction (β) of the newly detected user's eye area based on the camera 140. It can be obtained.

The electronic device 100 updates the user's viewing angle (α) for one display area based on the re-acquired distance and direction, and displays content for that display area based on the updated viewing angle (α). and control to change at least one of the settings.

In the embodiment of FIG. 10, when the user's eye area is at position (a), the lower display area of the two display areas is a viewable display area with a viewing angle (α) greater than a predetermined angle, but the user's eye area is (c) ) When the position is changed, the display area may be changed to an unviewable display area where the viewing angle (α) is less than a predetermined angle.

FIG. 11A is a flowchart showing a method of operating an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIGS. 11B and 11C are diagrams showing an example of changing the display according to the viewing angle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Contents described in FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 11C may correspond to examples of step S440 in FIG. 4.

That is, the content shown in FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 11C may correspond to an example of changing at least one of the display content and settings for each of the plurality of display areas based on the obtained viewing angle (α).

In one embodiment, the electronic device 100 may include (1) a display area and (2) a display area that are not on the same plane due to bending, as shown in FIGS. 11B and 11C.

The electronic device 100 can (1) play an image in the display area and (2) display a list of images that can be played back in the display area.

In this state, the electronic device 100 can acquire the viewing angle α for each display area (S1110). Specifically, the electronic device 100 may acquire (1) a viewing angle α1 with respect to the display area and (2) a viewing angle α2 with respect to the display area. Details about the acquisition method are omitted since they are the same as those already described in FIGS. 5 and 6 for steps S410, S420, and S430 of FIG. 4.

The electronic device 100 may determine whether the viewing angle α is greater than or equal to a predetermined angle (S1120). The electronic device 100 may determine whether (1) the viewing angle α1 with respect to the display area and (2) the viewing angle α2 with respect to the display area, respectively, are equal to or greater than a predetermined angle.

When the viewing angle α is less than a predetermined angle, the electronic device 100 may reduce the brightness of the display area (S1130). In another embodiment, the electronic device 100 may turn off the power of the corresponding display area or change it in a way to minimize power consumption.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 11B and 11C , (1) the viewing angle α1 with respect to the display area may be greater than or equal to a predetermined angle, and (2) the viewing angle α2 with respect to the display area may be less than a predetermined angle. In this case, the electronic device 100 (2) determines the display area as an unviewable display area, (2) stops displaying the display area, and (2) turns off the power to the display area or sets it to the minimum power mode. It can be run.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 11B, the electronic device 100 may display content that was displayed in the (2) display area together in the (1) display area.

Instead of displaying the content that was displayed in (2) the display area together in (1) the display area, the electronic device 100 resets (1) the layout of the display area to a layout more appropriate for displaying the two contents together. arrange) can be done.

Meanwhile, according to the embodiment of FIG. 11C, the electronic device 100 can display the content that was displayed in the (2) display area together in the (1) display area, but the layout of the (1) display area is changed as shown in FIG. 11B. Instead of changing and displaying them together, (1) the display area can be changed to be scrollable so that (2) the content displayed in the area can be checked by scrolling.

The electronic device 100 can (1) scroll the display area down to (2) view content displayed in the display area.

If the viewing angle α is greater than or equal to a predetermined angle in the determination at S1120, the electronic device 100 may continue to display the original content without making any changes to the display area (S1150).

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of changing the display according to the viewing angle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The electronic device 100 may obtain the distance (d) from the camera 140 to the user's eye area and the direction (β) of the user's eye area based on the camera 140.

The electronic device 100 may obtain the user's viewing angle (α1) for one display area based on the obtained distance and direction.

The viewing angle of the present disclosure may be the angle formed between the plane of one display area and a straight line heading from the user's eye area to the furthest part of the display area, as described in FIG. 6.

In this case, the viewing angle is the smallest angle that can be measured with respect to the display area, so the angle formed by a straight line from the user's eye area to an area within a certain distance of the display area may be larger than the obtained viewing angle (α1). there is.

In the embodiment of FIG. 12 , the viewing angle α1 for the lower display area of the two display areas of the electronic device 100 may be less than a predetermined angle. In this case, the display area below may be determined as a display area where content cannot be viewed.

However, the angle α2 formed between the plane of the lower display area and a straight line from the user's eye area to an area within a specific distance of the lower display area may be more than a predetermined angle.

In this case, the electronic device 100 determines the display area (B-C) within a certain distance from the user's eyes as the first display area where content can be viewed, and the area (C-A) other than the first display area is the second display area where content cannot be viewed. 2 It can be decided by the display area.

The electronic device 100 may reduce screen brightness, turn off power, or change settings to minimize power consumption only for the second display area, which is part of the entire display area B-C-A, where content cannot be viewed.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of changing the display according to the viewing angle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 13 , the electronic device 100 may include (1) a display area and (2) a display area that are not on the same plane due to bending.

As in the embodiment of FIG. 12, the electronic device 100 determines (2) part of the display area (B-C) as the first display area where content can be viewed, and an area (C-A) other than the first display area allows content viewing. It may be determined that the second display area is impossible.

In this case, when the first display area determined as a display area where content can be viewed is larger than a predetermined ratio of one display area (B-C-A), the electronic device 100 displays content displayed on the entire one display area (B-C-A) in (b). As shown, the layout can be changed to be displayed only in the first display area (B-C).

In one embodiment, the predetermined ratio may be 70%, but it is not limited thereto and may be determined manually through user input or automatically by the system.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of changing the display according to the viewing angle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 14 , the electronic device 100 may include (1) a display area and (2) a display area that are not on the same plane due to bending.

As in the embodiment of FIG. 12, the electronic device 100 determines (2) part of the display area (B-C) as the first display area where content can be viewed, and an area (C-A) other than the first display area allows content viewing. It may be determined that the second display area is impossible.

When the first display area (B-C) determined as the display area where content can be viewed is less than a predetermined ratio of one display area (B-C-A), the electronic device 100 displays the content that was displayed on the entire one display area (B-C-A) to the first display area (B-C-A). It may be judged that it is difficult to display only in the display area (B-C).

In one embodiment, the predetermined ratio may be 30%, but is not limited thereto and may be determined manually through user input or automatically by the system.

In this case, the electronic device 100 may display some content that can be displayed separately among the content displayed in the display area (1), where content is determined to be viewable, in the first display area (B-C).

For example, the electronic device 100 may use a control area (2) including a play/pause button, a volume button, and a progress bar present in the display area (1) where content is determined to be viewable. ) It can be displayed in the first display area (B-C), which is determined to be a display area where content can be viewed among the display areas.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of changing the display according to the viewing angle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 15 , the electronic device 100 may include (1) a display area and (2) a display area that are not on the same plane due to bending.

As in the embodiment of FIG. 12, the electronic device 100 (1) determines the display area as a display area where content can be viewed, and (2) determines a part of the display area (B-C) as a first display area where content can be viewed. And, the area (C-A) other than the first display area can be determined as the second display area where content cannot be viewed.

In this case, the electronic device 100 may (2) change to a mode that reduces brightness of the entire display area, turns off the power, or minimizes other power consumption.

In this state, when the electronic device 100 receives a notification or an unexpected event, the electronic device 100 sends the received notification or event as in (c) to (2) a display area where content can be viewed, among the display areas. It can be displayed in the first display area (B-C) determined as .

In this case, the electronic device 100 can improve user convenience by (1) receiving notifications or events without being disturbed about content being displayed in the display area.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of determining a controllable display area or a viewable display area according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The electronic device 100 may obtain the user's viewing angle α with respect to the display area in the same manner as described in FIGS. 4 and 6 .

When the viewing angle of one display area among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas is less than the first predetermined angle, the electronic device 100 determines the corresponding display area as a display area in which input is not possible, and determines each of the plurality of display areas as a display area in which input is not possible. Among the viewing angles for , when the viewing angle of one display area is greater than or equal to the first predetermined angle but less than the second predetermined angle, the corresponding display area may be determined as a display area that cannot be viewed.

In one embodiment, the display area where input is not possible may mean an area where keyboard input through a touch screen as shown in FIG. 16 or other touch input is not possible.

In FIG. 16 (a), the viewing angle for one display area is greater than or equal to a first predetermined angle, and the electronic device 100 may determine the display area as a display area in which input is possible and content can be viewed.

(b) in FIG. 16 is a case where the viewing angle for one display area is greater than or equal to the second predetermined angle and less than the first predetermined angle, and the electronic device 100 cannot input the corresponding display area, but can view content. It can be decided by area.

In FIG. 16 (c), the viewing angle for one display area is less than the second predetermined angle, and the electronic device 100 may determine the display area as a display area in which input is not possible and content viewing is not possible.

In the present disclosure, the first predetermined angle and the second predetermined angle may be obtained through repeated experiments or data.

In one embodiment, the first predetermined angle and the second predetermined angle may be angles determined using artificial intelligence, like the predetermined angles described in FIG. 8 .

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example of determining a viewable display area using a wearable device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The electronic device 100 acquires the distance from the camera 140 to the user's eye area and the direction of the user's eye area based on the camera 140 using a wearable device worn by the user, and obtains the obtained distance and Based on the direction, the viewing angle (α) for each of the user's plurality of display areas can be obtained.

The electronic device 100 can obtain a more accurate viewing angle α by receiving the user's exact location from the wearable device.

The electronic device 100 may determine the location of the body part of the user wearing the wearable device. For example, if the wearable device is a watch, the position of the user's arm can be determined, and if the wearable device is an earphone, the position of the user's ear can be determined.

The electronic device 100 may predict the location of the user's eye area based on the location of the body part of the user on which the wearable device is worn.

The electronic device 100 may calculate the viewing angle α based on the predicted position of the user's eye area.

In this embodiment, the electronic device 100 determines each viewing angle (α ) can be obtained.

The method of operating an electronic device according to an embodiment may also be implemented in the form of a computer-readable medium containing instructions executable by a computer, such as a program module executed by a computer. Computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a computer and includes both volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media. The computer-readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc., singly or in combination. Program instructions recorded on the medium may be specially designed and constructed for the present invention or may be known and usable by those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes, optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs, and magnetic media such as floptical disks. -Includes magneto-optical media and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROM, RAM, flash memory, etc. Examples of program instructions may include machine language code, such as that produced by a compiler, as well as high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc.

The above description is for illustrative purposes, and those skilled in the art will understand that the invention can be easily modified into another specific form without changing the technical idea or essential features of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. For example, each component described as unitary may be implemented in a distributed manner, and similarly, components described as distributed may also be implemented in a combined form.

Claims (20)

flexible display;
A memory that stores one or more instructions; and
and one or more processors executing the one or more instructions stored in the memory, wherein the one or more processors execute the one or more instructions,
When the flexible display includes a plurality of display areas that are not located on the same plane, the user's eye area is detected using a camera provided in one of the plurality of display areas,
Obtaining the distance from the camera to the user's eye area and the direction of the user's eye area with respect to the camera,
Based on the obtained distance and direction, obtain a viewing angle for each of the plurality of display areas of the user,
An electronic device that changes at least one of display content and settings for each of the plurality of display areas based on the obtained viewing angle. The method of claim 1, wherein the direction of the user's eye area with respect to the camera is an angle between a straight line indicating the distance and a straight line passing through the center of the camera and perpendicular to the hinges of the flexible display. Electronic devices that are as wide open as possible. The method of claim 1, wherein, among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas, the viewing angle for one display area is directed from the plane of the one display area and the furthest part of the one display area from the eye area of the user. An electronic device that is the angle formed by a straight line. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more processors execute the one or more instructions,
Among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas, when the viewing angle of one display area is greater than a predetermined angle, determining the one display area as a viewable display area,
An electronic device that determines the display area as an unviewable display area when the angle is less than the predetermined angle. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more processors execute the one or more instructions,
An electronic device that controls to reduce the screen brightness of the display area or turn off the power of the display area when the display area is determined to be an unviewable display area. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the processor executes the one or more instructions,
An electronic device that moves content displayed in one display area to another display area determined to be viewable when the display area is determined to be unviewable. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the processor executes the one or more instructions,
When the display area is determined to be a display area that cannot be viewed, and the angle between the plane of the display area and a straight line from the user's eye area to an area within a specific distance of the display area is greater than or equal to the predetermined angle. Among the display areas, an area within the specific distance from the user's eyes is determined as a first display area that can be viewed, and an area other than the first display area is determined as a second display area that cannot be viewed. Device. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the processor executes the one or more instructions,
An electronic device that displays content displayed in the one display area on the first display area when the first display area is larger than a predetermined ratio of the one display area. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor executes the one or more instructions,
When the viewing angle of one display area among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas is less than a first predetermined angle, determining the one display area as an uncontrollable display area,
Among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas, when the viewing angle of one display area is greater than or equal to the first predetermined angle but less than the second predetermined angle, the electronic device determines the one display area as an unviewable display area. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors execute the one or more instructions,
Obtain the distance from the camera to the user's eye area and the direction of the user's eye area with respect to the camera using a wearable device worn by the user, and based on the obtained distance and direction, An electronic device characterized in that the user's viewing angle for each of the plurality of display areas is acquired. In a method of operating an electronic device including a flexible display,
When the flexible display includes a plurality of display areas that are not located on the same plane, detecting the user's eye area using a camera provided in one of the plurality of display areas;
Obtaining a distance from the camera to the user's eye area and a direction of the user's eye area with respect to the camera;
Obtaining a viewing angle of the user for each of the plurality of display areas based on the obtained distance and direction; and
A method of operating an electronic device, comprising changing at least one of display content and settings for each of the plurality of display areas based on the obtained viewing angle. According to clause 11,
The direction of the user's eye area relative to the camera is a straight line indicating the distance, passing through the center of the camera and perpendicular to the hinges of the flexible display. A method of operating an electronic device in a direction that is as wide as the angle between straight lines. According to clause 11,
Among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas, the viewing angle for one display area is the angle formed between the plane of the one display area and a straight line from the user's eye area to the farthest part of the one display area. How the device works. According to clause 13,
Among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas, when the viewing angle of one display area is greater than a predetermined angle, determining the one display area as a viewable display area,
A method of operating an electronic device for determining the display area as an unviewable display area when the angle is less than the predetermined angle. The method of claim 14, wherein when the display area is determined to be a display area that cannot be viewed, the screen brightness of the display area is reduced or the display area is controlled to be turned off. The method of claim 14, wherein when the one display area is determined to be an unviewable display area, the content displayed in the one display area is moved to another display area determined to be viewable and displayed thereon. . According to clause 14,
When the display area is determined to be a display area that cannot be viewed, and the angle between the plane of the display area and a straight line from the user's eye area to an area within a specific distance of the display area is greater than or equal to the predetermined angle. Among the display areas, an area within the specific distance from the user's eyes is determined as a first display area that can be viewed, and an area other than the first display area is determined as a second display area that cannot be viewed. How the device works. The method of claim 17, wherein when the first display area is larger than a predetermined ratio of the one display area, content displayed in the one display area is displayed on the first display area. The method of claim 11, wherein changing at least one of display content and settings for each of the plurality of display areas based on the obtained viewing angle comprises:
When the viewing angle of one display area among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas is less than a first predetermined angle, determining the one display area as an uncontrollable display area,
Among the viewing angles for each of the plurality of display areas, when the viewing angle of one display area is greater than or equal to the first predetermined angle but less than the second predetermined angle, the electronic device determines the one display area as an unviewable display area. How it works. When the flexible display includes a plurality of display areas that are not located on the same plane, detecting the user's eye area using a camera provided in one of the plurality of display areas;
Obtaining a distance from the camera to the user's eye area and a direction of the user's eye area with respect to the camera;
Obtaining a viewing angle of the user for each of the plurality of display areas based on the obtained distance and direction; and
A computer-readable recording medium on which a program for implementing a method of operating an electronic device is recorded, including the step of changing at least one of display content and settings for each of the plurality of display areas based on the obtained viewing angle. .

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