WO2022055322A1

WO2022055322A1 - Method for controlling display screen of foldable electronic device and same foldable electronic device

Info

Publication number: WO2022055322A1
Application number: PCT/KR2021/012438
Authority: WO
Inventors: 김주영; 김준; 고상혁; 정한철
Original assignee: 삼성전자 주식회사
Priority date: 2020-09-14
Filing date: 2021-09-13
Publication date: 2022-03-17
Also published as: KR20220035754A

Abstract

Disclosed is a foldable electronic device comprising: a first housing; a second housing foldable on the first housing with respect to a folding axis; at least one sensor for detecting a folding angle formed between the first housing and the second housing with respect to the folding axis; a display disposed on the first housing and the second housing; and a processor connected to the at least one sensor and the display, wherein the processor: determines the folding angle on the basis of sensing data output from the at least one sensor; in a case where the folding angle is a first angle or less, determines, as a viewing screen, at least a partial area of the screen being displayed on the display; on the basis of the size of the folding angle, determines, as an active area, at least a partial area of the entire area of the display; and displays the determined viewing screen within the determined active area.

Description

A method for controlling a display screen of a foldable electronic device and the foldable electronic device

Various embodiments disclosed in this document relate to a method of determining a partial screen to be continuously displayed among screens being displayed on a display and a partial region to be activated among all areas of the display based on a folding state of an electronic device, and an electronic device thereof .

Portable electronic devices, such as smartphones and tablet PCs, are becoming lighter and thinner for portability, and are developing in various ways for ease of use. For example, a foldable electronic device having a flexible display provides a relatively larger screen than a general bar-type electronic device, and when the electronic device is folded, its size is reduced and portable. Since performance can be improved, it is in the spotlight as an electronic device to satisfy consumer preferences. In addition, the foldable electronic device has an advantage that it can be used in various arrangement states according to a folded angle with respect to a folding axis.

In the case of a foldable electronic device, unlike a conventional electronic device, various folding states may exist according to the folding of the hinge, and an area that is easy for a user to view among the entire area of the flexible display according to each folding state is different. can do. That is, in the foldable electronic device, the area covered by the housing of the foldable electronic device in the display area may vary according to the folding state, so that the display use area (or active area) may vary in consideration of the folding state of the foldable electronic device. can

For example, the folding state of the foldable electronic device may be divided into a case in which the folding angle is 90 degrees to 180 degrees, that is, an obtuse angle, and a case in which the folding angle is 0 degrees to 90 degrees, that is, an acute angle. In particular, when the folding angle of the foldable electronic device is 0 degrees to 90 degrees, the exposed display area is more limited, so there is a need to change the UI in consideration of user convenience.

According to various embodiments disclosed in this document, based on a folding state of a foldable electronic device having a folding angle of 0° to 90°, an area of a screen to be displayed on the electronic device and/or a position to display the screen area on a display panel is determined. A foldable electronic device for controlling may be provided.

According to an embodiment, a foldable electronic device includes: a first housing; a second housing foldable with respect to the first housing with respect to a folding axis; at least one sensor for detecting a folding angle between the first housing and the second housing with respect to the folding axis; a display disposed over the first housing and the second housing; may include a processor connected to the at least one sensor and the display, wherein the processor determines the folding angle based on the sensing data output from the at least one sensor, and the folding angle is a first angle In the following cases: determining at least a partial area of the screen being displayed on the display as a viewing screen, determining at least a partial area of the entire area of the display as an active area based on the size of the folding angle, and determining the determined active area The determined viewing screen may be displayed in the area.

According to an exemplary embodiment, in a method for controlling a display screen of a foldable electronic device, the first housing and the second housing are formed with respect to a folding axis based on sensing data output from at least one sensor of the foldable electronic device. determining the folding angle; determining, as a viewing screen, at least a partial area of a screen being displayed on the display when the folding angle is equal to or less than a first angle; when the folding angle is equal to or less than the first angle, determining at least a partial area of the entire area of the display as an active area based on the size of the folding angle; and displaying the determined viewing screen in the determined active area.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, according to the folding state (eg, angle) of the foldable electronic device, at least some screens to be continuously displayed among screens being displayed on the display and at least some areas to be activated among the entire area of the display are selected. By determining and displaying the determined screen in the determined active area, a screen desired by a user can be efficiently displayed and user convenience according to a folding angle can be provided.

According to various embodiments disclosed in this document, by determining the active area by additionally considering the inclination angle of the foldable electronic device, the active area may be determined in consideration of the user's perspective according to the actual use state of the foldable electronic device. there is.

In addition, various effects directly or indirectly identified through this document may be provided.

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

2A is a diagram illustrating an unfolded state of an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

2B is a diagram illustrating a folded state of an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

3 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

4A is a block diagram illustrating a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

4B is an exemplary diagram illustrating a folding state according to a folding angle of a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a display screen of a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

6A is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of determining a viewing screen when a folding angle of a foldable electronic device is equal to or less than a first angle, according to an embodiment.

6B is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of determining a viewing screen when a folding angle of the foldable electronic device is equal to or less than a first angle, according to an embodiment.

6C is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of determining a viewing screen when a folding angle of the foldable electronic device is equal to or less than a first angle, according to an embodiment.

7A is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of displaying a viewing screen in an active area according to an application type in a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

7B is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of displaying a viewing screen in an active area according to an application type in a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

7C is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of displaying a viewing screen in an active area according to an application type in a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

7D is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of displaying a viewing screen in an active area according to an application type in a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

7E is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of displaying a viewing screen in an active area according to an application type in a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

7F is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of displaying a viewing screen in an active area according to an application type in a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

8 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of determining an active area in a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

9A is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of determining an active area based on a folding angle of a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

9B is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of determining an active area based on a folding angle and an inclined angle of a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment;

10 is an exemplary diagram illustrating an active camera according to a gripping state of a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

11 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of editing and displaying a viewing screen in an active area of a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

12 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a display screen of a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

13 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of displaying a viewing screen in an updated active area of a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment.

14 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a display screen of a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

15 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a method of controlling a display screen when a folding angle equal to or less than a first angle is maintained for a predetermined time or longer in a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment;

16 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a method of controlling a display screen when a folding angle equal to or less than a first angle is maintained for a predetermined time or longer in the foldable electronic device according to an embodiment.

17 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a display screen of a foldable electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment.

18 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of controlling a display screen according to a notification reception in a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment.

In connection with the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for the same or similar components.

Hereinafter, various embodiments disclosed in this document will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. For convenience of description, the sizes of the components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated or reduced, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to the illustrated ones.

1 is a block diagram of an electronic device 101 in a network environment 100 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1 , in a network environment 100 , an electronic device 101 communicates with an electronic device 102 through a first network 198 (eg, a short-range wireless communication network) or a second network 199 . It may communicate with the electronic device 104 or the server 108 through (eg, a long-distance wireless communication network). According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may communicate with the electronic device 104 through the server 108 . According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 includes a processor 120 , a memory 130 , an input module 150 , a sound output module 155 , a display module 160 , an audio module 170 , and a sensor module ( 176), interface 177, connection terminal 178, haptic module 179, camera module 180, power management module 188, battery 189, communication module 190, subscriber identification module 196 , or an antenna module 197 may be included. In some embodiments, at least one of these components (eg, the connection terminal 178 ) may be omitted or one or more other components may be added to the electronic device 101 . In some embodiments, some of these components (eg, sensor module 176 , camera module 180 , or antenna module 197 ) are integrated into one component (eg, display module 160 ). can be

The processor 120, for example, executes software (eg, a program 140) to execute at least one other component (eg, a hardware or software component) of the electronic device 101 connected to the processor 120 . It can control and perform various data processing or operations. According to one embodiment, as at least part of data processing or operation, the processor 120 converts commands or data received from other components (eg, the sensor module 176 or the communication module 190 ) to the volatile memory 132 . may be stored in the volatile memory 132 , and may process commands or data stored in the volatile memory 132 , and store the result data in the non-volatile memory 134 . According to an embodiment, the processor 120 is the main processor 121 (eg, a central processing unit or an application processor) or a secondary processor 123 (eg, a graphic processing unit, a neural network processing unit) a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor). For example, when the electronic device 101 includes the main processor 121 and the sub-processor 123 , the sub-processor 123 may use less power than the main processor 121 or may be set to be specialized for a specified function. can The auxiliary processor 123 may be implemented separately from or as a part of the main processor 121 .

The auxiliary processor 123 is, for example, on behalf of the main processor 121 while the main processor 121 is in an inactive (eg, sleep) state, or the main processor 121 is active (eg, executing an application). ), together with the main processor 121, at least one of the components of the electronic device 101 (eg, the display module 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190) It is possible to control at least some of the related functions or states. According to an embodiment, the co-processor 123 (eg, an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as part of another functionally related component (eg, the camera module 180 or the communication module 190). there is. According to an embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (eg, a neural network processing device) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing an artificial intelligence model. Artificial intelligence models can be created through machine learning. Such learning may be performed, for example, in the electronic device 101 itself on which artificial intelligence is performed, or may be performed through a separate server (eg, the server 108). The learning algorithm may include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but in the above example not limited The artificial intelligence model may include a plurality of artificial neural network layers. Artificial neural networks include deep neural networks (DNNs), convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), restricted boltzmann machines (RBMs), deep belief networks (DBNs), bidirectional recurrent deep neural networks (BRDNNs), It may be one of deep Q-networks or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the above example. The artificial intelligence model may include, in addition to, or alternatively, a software structure in addition to the hardware structure.

The memory 130 may store various data used by at least one component of the electronic device 101 (eg, the processor 120 or the sensor module 176 ). The data may include, for example, input data or output data for software (eg, the program 140 ) and instructions related thereto. The memory 130 may include a volatile memory 132 or a non-volatile memory 134 .

The program 140 may be stored as software in the memory 130 , and may include, for example, an operating system 142 , middleware 144 , or an application 146 .

The input module 150 may receive a command or data to be used in a component (eg, the processor 120 ) of the electronic device 101 from the outside (eg, a user) of the electronic device 101 . The input module 150 may include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (eg, a button), or a digital pen (eg, a stylus pen).

The sound output module 155 may output a sound signal to the outside of the electronic device 101 . The sound output module 155 may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver may be used to receive an incoming call. According to one embodiment, the receiver may be implemented separately from or as part of the speaker.

The display module 160 may visually provide information to the outside (eg, a user) of the electronic device 101 . The display module 160 may include, for example, a control circuit for controlling a display, a hologram device, or a projector and a corresponding device. According to an embodiment, the display module 160 may include a touch sensor configured to sense a touch or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of a force generated by the touch.

The audio module 170 may convert a sound into an electric signal or, conversely, convert an electric signal into a sound. According to an embodiment, the audio module 170 acquires a sound through the input module 150 , or an external electronic device (eg, a sound output module 155 ) connected directly or wirelessly with the electronic device 101 . A sound may be output through the electronic device 102 (eg, a speaker or headphones).

The sensor module 176 detects an operating state (eg, power or temperature) of the electronic device 101 or an external environmental state (eg, user state), and generates an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the sensed state. can do. According to an embodiment, the sensor module 176 may include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, It may include a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

The interface 177 may support one or more designated protocols that may be used by the electronic device 101 to directly or wirelessly connect with an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102 ). According to an embodiment, the interface 177 may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

The connection terminal 178 may include a connector through which the electronic device 101 can be physically connected to an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102 ). According to an embodiment, the connection terminal 178 may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (eg, a headphone connector).

The haptic module 179 may convert an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus (eg, vibration or movement) or an electrical stimulus that the user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic sense. According to an embodiment, the haptic module 179 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

The camera module 180 may capture still images and moving images. According to an embodiment, the camera module 180 may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

The power management module 188 may manage power supplied to the electronic device 101 . According to an embodiment, the power management module 188 may be implemented as, for example, at least a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

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

The communication module 190 is a direct (eg, wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device 101 and an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102, the electronic device 104, or the server 108). It can support establishment and communication performance through the established communication channel. The communication module 190 may include one or more communication processors that operate independently of the processor 120 (eg, an application processor) and support direct (eg, wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module 190 is a wireless communication module 192 (eg, 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 (eg, : It may include a LAN (local area network) communication module, or a power line communication module). A corresponding communication module among these communication modules is a first network 198 (eg, a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (WiFi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network 199 (eg, legacy It may communicate with the external electronic device 104 through a cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (eg, a telecommunication network such as a LAN or a WAN). These various types of communication modules may be integrated into one component (eg, a single chip) or may be implemented as a plurality of components (eg, multiple chips) separate from each other. The wireless communication module 192 uses the subscriber information (eg, International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module 196 within a communication network such as the first network 198 or the second network 199 . The electronic device 101 may be identified or authenticated.

The wireless communication module 192 may support a 5G network after a 4G network and a next-generation communication technology, for example, a new radio access technology (NR). NR access technology includes high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (eMBB (enhanced mobile broadband)), minimization of terminal power and access to multiple terminals (mMTC (massive machine type communications)), or high reliability and low latency (URLLC (ultra-reliable and low-latency) -latency communications)). The wireless communication module 192 may support a high frequency band (eg, mmWave band) to achieve a high data rate, for example. The wireless communication module 192 includes various technologies for securing performance in a high-frequency band, for example, beamforming, massive multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), all-dimensional multiplexing. It may support technologies such as full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), an array antenna, analog beam-forming, or a large scale antenna. The wireless communication module 192 may support various requirements specified in the electronic device 101 , an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 104 ), or a network system (eg, the second network 199 ). According to an embodiment, the wireless communication module 192 may include a peak data rate (eg, 20 Gbps or more) for realizing eMBB, loss coverage (eg, 164 dB or less) for realizing mMTC, or U-plane latency for realizing URLLC ( Example: downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) each 0.5 ms or less, or round trip 1 ms or less).

The antenna module 197 may transmit or receive a signal or power to the outside (eg, an external electronic device). According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include an antenna including a conductor formed on a substrate (eg, a PCB) or a radiator formed of a conductive pattern. According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include a plurality of antennas (eg, an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network such as the first network 198 or the second network 199 is connected from the plurality of antennas by, for example, the communication module 190 . can be selected. A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module 190 and an external electronic device through the selected at least one antenna. According to some embodiments, other components (eg, a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) other than the radiator may be additionally formed as a part of the antenna module 197 .

According to various embodiments, the antenna module 197 may form a mmWave antenna module. According to one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module comprises a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent to a first side (eg, bottom side) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high frequency band (eg, mmWave band); and a plurality of antennas (eg, an array antenna) disposed on or adjacent to a second side (eg, top or side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals of the designated high frequency band. can do.

At least some of the components are connected to each other through a communication method between peripheral devices (eg, a bus, general purpose input and output (GPIO), serial peripheral interface (SPI), or mobile industry processor interface (MIPI)) and a signal ( eg commands or data) can be exchanged with each other.

According to an embodiment, the command or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 104 through the server 108 connected to the second network 199 . Each of the external

electronic devices

102 or 104 may be the same as or different from the electronic device 101 . According to an embodiment, all or a part of operations executed in the electronic device 101 may be executed in one or more external

electronic devices

102 , 104 , or 108 . For example, when the electronic device 101 is to perform a function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or other device, the electronic device 101 may perform the function or service itself instead of executing the function or service itself. Alternatively or additionally, one or more external electronic devices may be requested to perform at least a part of the function or the service. One or more external electronic devices that have received the request may execute at least a part of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit a result of the execution to the electronic device 101 . The electronic device 101 may process the result as it is or additionally and provide it as at least a part of a response to the request. For this, for example, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used. The electronic device 101 may provide an ultra-low latency service using, for example, distributed computing or mobile edge computing. In another embodiment, the external electronic device 104 may include an Internet of things (IoT) device. Server 108 may be an intelligent server using machine learning and/or neural networks. According to an embodiment, the external electronic device 104 or the server 108 may be included in the second network 199 . The electronic device 101 may be applied to an intelligent service (eg, smart home, smart city, smart car, or health care) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

The electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may have various types of devices. The electronic device may include, for example, a portable communication device (eg, a smart phone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a home appliance device. The electronic device according to the embodiment of the present document is not limited to the above-described devices.

The various embodiments of this document and terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, but it should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutions of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, like reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of the noun corresponding to the item may include one or more of the item, unless the relevant context clearly dictates otherwise. As used herein, "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 "A , B, or C" each may include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding one of the phrases, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first", "second", or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish the element from other elements in question, and may refer to elements in other aspects (e.g., importance or order) is not limited. It is said that one (eg, first) component is "coupled" or "connected" to another (eg, second) component, with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicatively". When referenced, it means that one component can be connected to the other component directly (eg by wire), wirelessly, or through a third component.

The term “module” used in various embodiments of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and is interchangeable with terms such as, for example, logic, logic block, component, or circuit. can be used as A module may be an integrally formed part or a minimum unit or a part of the part that performs one or more functions. For example, according to an embodiment, the module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

According to various embodiments of the present document, one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (eg, internal memory 136 or external memory 138) readable by a machine (eg, electronic device 101) may be implemented as software (eg, the program 140) including For example, a processor (eg, processor 120 ) of a device (eg, electronic device 101 ) may call at least one command among one or more commands stored from a storage medium and execute it. This makes it possible for the device to be operated to perform at least one function according to the called at least one command. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The device-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not include a signal (eg, electromagnetic wave), and this term is used in cases where data is semi-permanently stored in the storage medium and It does not distinguish between temporary storage cases.

According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be provided as included in a computer program product. Computer program products may be traded between sellers and buyers as commodities. The computer program product is distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (eg compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or via an application store (eg Play Store ^TM ) or on two user devices ( It can be distributed online (eg download or upload), directly between smartphones (eg smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a part of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium such as a memory of a server of a manufacturer, a server of an application store, or a relay server.

According to various embodiments, each component (eg, module or program) of the above-described components may include a singular or a plurality of entities, and some of the plurality of entities may be separately disposed in other components. there is. According to various embodiments, one or more components or operations among the above-described corresponding components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (eg, a module or a program) may be integrated into one component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each component of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to the integration. . According to various embodiments, operations performed by a module, program, or other component are executed sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations are executed in a different order, or omitted. or one or more other operations may be added.

FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating an unfolded state of the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment, and FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating a folded state of the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment.

2A and 2B , in an embodiment, the electronic device 101 includes a foldable housing 310 , a hinge cover 330 covering a foldable portion of the foldable housing 310 , and a foldable housing It may include a flexible or foldable display 300 (hereinafter, abbreviated as “display” 300 ) disposed in the space formed by 310 . In this document, the surface on which the display 300 is disposed is defined as the first surface or the front surface 315 of the electronic device 101 . And the opposite surface of the front surface is defined as the second surface or the rear surface 335 of the electronic device 101 . Also, a surface surrounding the space between the front surface 315 and the rear surface 335 is defined as the third surface or the side surface 325 of the electronic device 101 . The side surface 325 may include a side surface 325a of the first housing structure 311 , a side surface 325b of the second housing structure 312 , and a side surface 325c of the hinge cover 530 . A side surface of the hinge cover 530 may be a side surface of a hinge structure (eg, 540 of FIG. 3 ) according to various embodiments. In an embodiment, the hinge cover 530 may be integrally formed with a hinge structure (eg, 540 of FIG. 3 ).

In one embodiment, the foldable housing 310 includes a first housing structure 311 including a sensor area 324 , a second housing structure 312 , a first back cover 321 , and a second back cover (322). The foldable housing 310 of the electronic device 101 is not limited to the shape and combination shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B , and may be implemented by a combination and/or combination of other shapes or parts. For example, in another embodiment, the first housing structure 311 and the first rear cover 321 may be integrally formed, and the second housing structure 312 and the second rear cover 322 may be integrally formed. can be formed.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A , the first housing structure 311 and the second housing structure 312 are disposed on both sides with respect to the folding axis (A axis), and have an overall symmetrical shape with respect to the folding axis. can As will be described later, the angle or distance between the first housing structure 311 and the second housing structure 312 varies depending on whether the electronic device 101 is in an unfolded state, a folded state, or an intermediate state. can In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the first housing structure 311 and the second housing structure 312 may together form a recess for accommodating the display 300 .

In an embodiment, at least a portion of the first housing structure 311 and the second housing structure 312 may be formed of a metal material or a non-metal material having a rigidity of a size selected to support the display 300 .

In an embodiment, the sensor area 324 may be formed to have a predetermined area adjacent to one corner of the first housing structure 311 . However, the arrangement, shape, and size of the sensor area 324 are not limited to the illustrated examples. For example, in other embodiments, the sensor area 324 may be provided at another corner of the first housing structure 311 or any area between the top and bottom corners. In an embodiment, in order to perform various functions, components embedded in the electronic device 101 are electronically transmitted through the sensor area 324 or through one or more openings provided in the sensor area 324 . It may be exposed on the front side 315 of the device 101 . In various embodiments, the components may include various types of sensors. The sensor may include, for example, at least one of a front camera, a receiver, and a proximity sensor.

The first rear cover 321 may be disposed on one side of the folding shaft A on the rear surface 335 of the electronic device 101 . The first back cover 321 may have, for example, a substantially rectangular periphery, and may be surrounded by the first housing structure 311 . Similarly, the second rear cover 322 may be disposed on the other side of the folding shaft on the rear surface 335 of the electronic device 101 , and an edge thereof may be surrounded by the second housing structure 312 .

In the illustrated embodiment, the first rear cover 321 and the second rear cover 322 may have a substantially symmetrical shape with respect to the folding axis (A axis). However, the first back cover 321 and the second back cover 322 do not necessarily have symmetrical shapes, and in another embodiment, the electronic device 101 includes the first back cover 321 and A second rear cover 322 may be included. In another embodiment, the first rear cover 321 may be integrally formed with the first housing structure 311 , and the second rear cover 322 may be integrally formed with the second housing structure 312 . there is.

In an embodiment, the first back cover 321 , the second back cover 322 , the first housing structure 311 , and the second housing structure 312 may include various components of the electronic device 101 (eg: A printed circuit board (or a battery) may form a space in which it may be disposed. In an embodiment, one or more components may be disposed or visually exposed on the rear surface of the electronic device 101 . For example, the sub-display 304 may be visually exposed through one area of the first rear cover 321 . One or more components or sensors may be visually exposed through an area 392 of the sub-display 304 . In various embodiments, the sensor may include a proximity sensor and/or a rear camera.

Referring to FIG. 2B , the hinge cover 530 may be disposed between the first housing structure 311 and the second housing structure 312 to cover an internal component (eg, a hinge structure). there is. In an embodiment, the hinge cover 530 includes the first housing structure 311 and the second housing structure 312 according to a state (a flat state or a folded state) of the electronic device 101 . ) may be covered by a part of it or exposed to the outside.

In an embodiment, when the electronic device 101 is in an unfolded state as shown in FIG. 2A , at least a portion of the hinge cover 530 is covered by the first housing structure 311 and the second housing structure 312 . may not be exposed.

In one embodiment, when the electronic device 101 is in a folded state (eg, a fully folded state) as shown in FIG. 2B , the hinge cover 530 is connected to the first housing structure 311 and the second housing structure 311 . It may be exposed to the outside between the two housing structures 312 .

In one embodiment, when the first housing structure 311 and the second housing structure 312 are in an intermediate state forming a predetermined angle, the hinge cover 530 is formed between the first housing structure 311 and the second housing structure 311 . Some of the two housing structures 312 may be exposed to the outside. However, in this case, the exposed area may be smaller than in the fully folded state. In an embodiment, the hinge cover 530 may include a curved surface.

The display 300 may be disposed on a space formed by the foldable housing 310 . For example, the display 300 is seated in a recess formed by the foldable housing 310 and may constitute most of the front surface 315 of the electronic device 101 .

In an embodiment, the front surface 315 of the electronic device 101 includes the display 300 and a partial area of the first housing structure 311 adjacent to the display 300 and a partial area of the second housing structure 312 . can do. In addition, the rear surface 335 of the electronic device 101 includes a first rear cover 321 , a partial region of the first housing structure 311 adjacent to the first rear cover 321 , the second rear cover 322 and the second rear cover 322 . 2 may include a partial region of the second housing structure 312 adjacent to the rear cover 322 .

The display 300 may refer to a display in which at least a partial area can be deformed into a flat surface or a curved surface. In an embodiment, the display 300 includes a folding area 303 , a first area 301 disposed on one side (upper side of the folding area 303 shown in FIG. 2A ) with respect to the folding area 303 , and the other side. It may include a second region 302 disposed at (a lower side of the folding region 303 illustrated in FIG. 2A ).

The division of regions of the display 300 shown in FIG. 2A is exemplary, and the display 300 may be divided into a plurality (eg, four or more or two) regions according to a structure or function. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A , the region of the display 300 may be divided by the folding region 303 extending parallel to the x-axis or the folding axis (axis A), but in another embodiment, the display ( 300) may be divided into regions based on another folding region (eg, a folding region parallel to the y-axis) or another folding axis (eg, a folding axis parallel to the y-axis).

The first area 301 and the second area 302 may have an overall symmetrical shape with respect to the folding area 303 . However, unlike the second region 302 , the first region 301 may include an opening depending on the presence of the sensor region 324 , but is symmetrical with the second region 302 in other regions. It may have an imaginary shape. For example, the first region 301 and the second region 302 may include a portion having a shape symmetric to each other and a portion having a shape asymmetric to each other.

Hereinafter, the operation of the first housing structure 311 and the second housing structure 312 according to the state (eg, a flat state and a folded state) of the electronic device 101 and the display 300 ) Each area of the will be described.

In an embodiment, when the electronic device 101 is in a flat state (eg, FIG. 2A ), the first housing structure 311 and the second housing structure 312 form an angle of 180 degrees and are oriented in the same direction. It can be arranged to face. The surface of the first area 301 and the surface of the second area 302 of the display 300 may form 180 degrees with each other and may face the same direction (eg, the front direction of the electronic device). The folding area 303 may form the same plane as the first area 301 and the second area 302 .

In an embodiment, when the electronic device 101 is in a folded state (eg, FIG. 2B ), the first housing structure 311 and the second housing structure 312 may be disposed to face each other. The surface of the first area 301 and the surface of the second area 302 of the display 300 may face each other while forming a narrow angle (eg, between 0 and 10 degrees). At least a portion of the folding area 303 may be formed of a curved surface having a predetermined curvature.

In an embodiment, when the electronic device 101 is in an intermediate state, the first housing structure 311 and the second housing structure 312 may be disposed at a certain angle to each other. . The surface of the first area 301 and the surface of the second area 302 of the display 300 may form an angle greater than that in the folded state and smaller than that of the unfolded state. At least a portion of the folding area 303 may be formed of a curved surface having a predetermined curvature, and the curvature at this time may be smaller than that in a folded state.

3 is an exploded perspective view of the electronic device 101 according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 3 , in an embodiment, the electronic device 101 includes a display unit 20 , a bracket assembly 30 , a substrate unit 500 , a first housing structure 311 , and a second housing structure 312 . , a first back cover 321 and a second back cover 322 may be included. In this document, the display unit 20 may be referred to as a display module or a display assembly.

The display unit 20 may include a display 300 and one or more plates (or layers) 340 on which the display 300 is mounted. In an embodiment, the plate 340 may be disposed between the display 300 and the bracket assembly 30 . The display 300 may be disposed on at least a portion of one surface of the plate 340 (eg, an upper surface with reference to FIG. 2A ). The plate 340 may be formed in a shape corresponding to the display 300 . For example, a partial area of the plate 340 may be formed in a shape corresponding to the sensor area 324 of the display 300 .

The bracket assembly 30 includes a first bracket 411 , a second bracket 412 , a hinge structure 540 disposed between the first bracket 411 and the second bracket 412 , and the hinge structure 540 from the outside. A hinge cover 530 that covers when viewed from , and a wiring member 430 that crosses the first bracket 411 and the second bracket 412 (eg, flexible printed circuit board (FPC), flexible printed circuit). can

In an embodiment, the bracket assembly 30 may be disposed between the plate 340 and the substrate unit 500 . For example, the first bracket 411 may be disposed between the first area 301 of the display 300 and the first substrate 510 . The second bracket 412 may be disposed between the second region 302 of the display 300 and the second substrate 520 .

In an embodiment, at least a portion of the wiring member 430 and the hinge structure 540 may be disposed inside the bracket assembly 30 . The wiring member 430 may be disposed in a direction (eg, a y-axis direction) crossing the first bracket 411 and the second bracket 412 . The wiring member 430 may be disposed in a direction (eg, the x-axis direction) perpendicular to the folding axis (eg, the x-axis or the folding axis (A) of FIG. 2A ) of the folding area 303 of the electronic device 101 . there is.

As mentioned above, the substrate unit 500 may include a first substrate 510 disposed on the first bracket 411 side and a second substrate 520 disposed on the second bracket 412 side. there is. The first substrate 510 and the second substrate 520 include the bracket assembly 30 , the first housing structure 311 , the second housing structure 312 , the first rear cover 321 , and the second rear cover ( 322) may be disposed inside the space formed by. Components for implementing various functions of the electronic device 101 may be mounted on the first substrate 510 and the second substrate 520 .

The first housing structure 311 and the second housing structure 312 may be assembled to be coupled to both sides of the bracket assembly 30 while the display 300 is coupled to the bracket assembly 30 . As will be described later, the first housing structure 311 and the second housing structure 312 may be coupled to the bracket assembly 30 by sliding from both sides of the bracket assembly 30 .

In an embodiment, the first housing structure 311 may include a first rotation support surface 511 , and the second housing structure 312 supports a second rotation support corresponding to the first rotation support surface 511 . It may include a face 512 . The first rotation support surface 511 and the second rotation support surface 512 may include curved surfaces corresponding to the curved surfaces included in the hinge cover 530 .

In an embodiment, when the electronic device 101 is in an unfolded state (eg, the electronic device of FIG. 2A ), the first rotation support surface 511 and the second rotation support surface 512 may hold the hinge cover 530 . The cover hinge cover 530 may not be exposed to the rear surface 335 of the electronic device 10 or may be minimally exposed. Meanwhile, the first rotation support surface 511 and the second rotation support surface 512 are curved surfaces included in the hinge cover 530 when the electronic device 101 is in a folded state (eg, the electronic device of FIG. 2B ). By rotating along the , the hinge cover 530 may be maximally exposed to the rear surface 335 of the electronic device 101 .

4A is a block diagram illustrating a foldable electronic device 400 (eg, the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1 ) according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4A , a foldable electronic device 400 according to an exemplary embodiment includes a housing 410 (eg, the foldable housing 310 of FIGS. 2A and 2B ) and a sensor 420 (eg, of FIG. 1 ). sensor module 176 ), processor 430 (eg, processor 120 in FIG. 1 ), display 440 (eg, display device 160 in FIG. 1 , display 300 in FIGS. 2A and 2B ) , and a camera 450 (eg, the camera module 180 of FIG. 1 ). However, the configuration of the foldable electronic device 400 is not limited thereto. For example, although not shown, a memory (eg, the memory 130 of FIG. 1 ) and/or a battery (eg, the battery 189 of FIG. 1 ) may be further included.

Like the foldable housing 310 of FIGS. 2A and 2B , the housing 410 according to an exemplary embodiment can form the exterior of the foldable electronic device 400 and is a component constituting the foldable electronic device 400 . (eg sensors, etc.) can have space inside. According to an embodiment, the housing 410 may include a first housing 411 and a second housing 412 foldable with respect to the first housing 411 based on a folding axis. For example, the housing 410 may be divided into a first housing 411 and a second housing 412 based on the first folding axis.

According to an embodiment, the sensor 420 may include a first folding detection sensor 421 , a second folding detection sensor 422 , a first grip detection sensor 423 , and a second grip detection sensor 424 . can

According to an embodiment, the first folding detection sensor 421 may be disposed on the first housing 411 , and the second folding detection sensor 422 may be disposed on the second housing 412 . The foldable electronic device 400 (or the processor 430) is configured to display a first housing ( A folding angle between the 411 and the second housing 412 may be determined.

According to an embodiment, the first folding detection sensor 421 and/or the second folding detection sensor 422 may include an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, and a hall ( hall) sensor, or a device for detecting a folded state of the foldable electronic device 400 using sensing data obtained from at least one of them. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various sensors capable of obtaining information about the folded angle of the foldable electronic device 400 may be used. For example, the acceleration sensor may sense information about a linear motion of the foldable electronic device 400 and/or acceleration of the foldable electronic device 400 in three axes. The gyro sensor may sense information related to the rotation of the foldable electronic device 400 , and the geomagnetic sensor may sense information about a direction in which the foldable electronic device 400 faces within an absolute coordinate system. The Hall sensor may be a magnetic sensor, and may be disposed in a hinge area of the foldable electronic device 400 (eg, the hinge structure 540 of FIGS. 2A and 2B ) or an area in contact with the foldable electronic device 400 when the foldable electronic device 400 is folded. can According to an embodiment, a digital Hall sensor among Hall sensors may be a geomagnetic sensor, and the digital Hall sensor detects a magnetic field change due to magnetism to determine whether or not the foldable electronic device 400 is opened and closed and information (eg, folding angle) of the foldable electronic device 400 . can be judged According to an embodiment, a Hall sensor (eg, a digital Hall sensor) may be used as an auxiliary or additionally to determine a folding state of the foldable electronic device 400 together with an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and/or a geomagnetic sensor. can

According to an embodiment, the first grip detection sensor 423 may be disposed in the first housing 411 , and the second grip detection sensor 424 may be disposed in the second housing 412 . The foldable electronic device 400 (or the processor 430 ) performs the function of the foldable electronic device 400 based on the sensing data obtained by the first grasping sensor 423 and/or the second grasping detection sensor 424 . The gripped state, that is, the gripped state of the first housing 411 and/or the second housing 412 may be determined.

According to an embodiment, the first grip detection sensor 423 and/or the second grip detection sensor 424 may be configured to display a folder based on a state in which the user's body is in contact with the housing 410 of the foldable electronic device 400 . Various sensors for detecting whether the electronic device 400 is gripped may be used. For example, the first grip detection sensor 423 and/or the second grip detection sensor 424 may use a grip sensor, and the grip sensor recognizes a gesture surrounding the housing 410 of the foldable electronic device 400 . In this case, the processor 430 may determine that the foldable electronic device 400 is held by the user. As another example, the first grip detection sensor 423 and/or the second grip detection sensor 424 may use a touch panel, and the foldable electronic device 400 is disposed between the housing 410 and the user's body on the touch panel. When detecting a large-area contact, the processor 430 may determine that the foldable electronic device 400 is gripped by the user.

According to an embodiment, the processor 430 may include a generic processor configured to execute a hardware module or software (eg, an application program). The processor 430 configures at least one of various sensors provided in the foldable electronic device 400 , a data measurement module, an input/output interface, a module for managing a state or environment of the foldable electronic device 400 , and a communication module. It may control the included hardware component (function) or software component (program).

According to an embodiment, in the present disclosure, the processor 430 may determine a method of controlling the screen of the display 440 based on the folding state of the foldable electronic device 400 according to the folding angle.

According to an embodiment, the display 440 may visually provide information to the outside (eg, a user) of the foldable electronic device 400 and various contents (eg, text, image, video, icon, or symbol). can be displayed. For example, the display 440 may include a display panel, a hologram device, or a projector and a control circuit (eg, a display driver IC (DDI)) for controlling the corresponding device. According to an embodiment, the display 440 may include a touch circuitry configured to sense a touch or a sensor circuit configured to measure the intensity of a force generated by the touch (eg, a pressure sensor), and A touch, gesture, proximity, or hovering input using a pen or a part of the user's body may be received. According to an embodiment, at least a portion of the display 440 may be made of a flexible material, and the corresponding area may be bent when a force is applied.

According to an embodiment, the display 440 may be divided into a first display area 441 and a second display area 442 based on a folding axis. The first display area 441 may be composed of the upper half of the first area 301 and the folding area 303 of FIGS. 2A and 2B , and the second display area 442 is the second display area 442 of FIGS. 2A and 2B . It may consist of two regions 302 and the lower half of the folding region 303 .

According to an embodiment, the display 440 may provide a rectangular screen. In various embodiments, the shape of the screen provided by the display 440 is not limited to a rectangle, and may be a rectangle with rounded corners, a circle, a rectangle having a notch region, or a partial region depending on the type or design of the foldable electronic device 400 . It may include a rectangle having a circular hole. In this document, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the display 440 has a rectangular shape and the display 440 has a rectangular shape longer than the vertical, but various modifications are possible.

According to an embodiment, the camera 450 may include a front camera 451 and a rear camera 452 , and may include an image sensor, an RGB camera, an infrared camera, and a depth camera (eg, a time of flight (ToF) camera). , a structured light (SL) camera) may be used. According to an embodiment, the front camera 451 may be disposed to face the front of the foldable electronic device 400 in the first housing 411 of the foldable electronic device 400 , and the rear camera 452 may be The first housing 411 of the foldable electronic device 400 may be disposed to face the rear surface of the foldable electronic device 400 .

According to an embodiment, the memory (eg, the memory 130 of FIG. 1 ) includes various data (eg, sensing) used by at least one component (eg, the processor 430 ) of the foldable electronic device 400 . data) can be saved. For example, the data may include input data or output data for software (eg, the program 140 of FIG. 1 ) and instructions related thereto. The memory may include a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory.

The battery (eg, the battery 189 of FIG. 1 ) according to an embodiment may be configured to store power required for the foldable electronic device 400 . For example, the battery may include a lithium-ion battery or capacitor and may be rechargeable or interchangeable. According to an embodiment, the battery may be charged using power (eg, a DC signal (direct current power)) provided from the charging circuit.

4B is an exemplary view illustrating a folding state according to a folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 according to an exemplary embodiment.

In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the folding state of the foldable electronic device 400 is at an angle formed between the first housing 411 and the second housing 412 (ie, the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 ). can be defined by For example, the folded state of the foldable electronic device 400 may be divided into an unfolded state, an intermediate state, and a folded state.

According to an embodiment, in the unfolded state, the first housing 411 and the second housing 412 form an angle of substantially 180 degrees, and the first display area 441 and the second display area 442 are oriented in the same direction. It may be in a state arranged to face. According to another embodiment, the unfolded state may be a state in which the first housing 411 and the second housing 412 form an angle close to 180 degrees (eg, 175 degrees) even if they do not form exactly 180 degrees. there is.

According to an embodiment, in the folded state, the first housing 411 and the second housing 412 form an angle of substantially 0 degrees, and the first display area 441 and the second display area 442 have opposite directions. They may be disposed to face each other (ie, disposed to face each other). According to another embodiment, the folded state may be a state in which the first housing 411 and the second housing 412 form an angle close to 0 degrees (eg, 5 degrees) even if they do not form exactly 0 degrees. there is.

According to an embodiment, the intermediate state may be an intermediate state between the unfolded state and the folded state. In the intermediate state, the first housing 411 and the second housing 412 form an angle substantially greater than 0 degree and less than 180 degrees, and the first display area 441 and the second display area 442 are different from each other. It may be in a state arranged to face. According to another embodiment, the intermediate state includes both an unfolded state or a non-folded state (eg, a state in which the first housing 411 and the second housing 412 form an angle greater than 5 degrees and less than 175 degrees). can do.

According to an embodiment, when the folding state of the foldable electronic device 400 is an intermediate state (eg, state (a) of FIG. 4B and state (b) of FIG. 4B ), the foldable electronic device 400 is displayed on a desktop It can be used in tabletop mode. The tabletop mode refers to a structure in which the foldable electronic device 400 can stand on its own without a separate accessory (eg, a cradle), and may be understood as a case in which the foldable electronic device 400 is placed on a ground surface or an object to be used. According to an embodiment, the foldable electronic device 400 in the intermediate state may be fixed upright even if a separate fixing device is used or not held by the user's hand. That is, since the foldable electronic device 400 in the intermediate state is easy for the user to gaze at, it is possible to provide the user with better usability (eg, shooting through the camera 450 while both hands are free, video call, or personal broadcasting). can For example, when the foldable electronic device 400 operates in the desk mode, a UI (eg, a watch UI, a notification UI) in an always on display (AOD) mode may be displayed on the display 440 area.

According to an embodiment, the intermediate state may be divided into two types based on a predetermined angle (hereinafter, referred to as a first angle). (a) of FIG. 4B shows a case where the angle A formed between the first housing 411 and the second housing 412 with respect to the folding axis is greater than or equal to the first angle and less than 180 degrees, FIG. 4B (b) shows a case in which the angle B formed between the first housing 411 and the second housing 412 with respect to the folding axis is greater than 0 degrees and less than the first angle. For example, the first angle may be 90 degrees, or an angle close to 90 degrees (eg, 85 degrees) if not exactly 90 degrees. Hereinafter, a description will be made based on a case in which the first angle is 90 degrees, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and other angles close to 90 degrees may be used as the first angle according to embodiments.

According to an embodiment, when the angle A formed by the first housing 411 and the second housing 412 is equal to or greater than the first angle (eg, 90 degrees or more and less than 180 degrees, right angles) or obtuse angle), there may not be a portion covered by the first housing 411 or the second housing 412 among the entire area of the display 440 of the foldable electronic device 400 . That is, in the state (a) of FIG. 4B , there is no area covered by the first housing 411 or the second housing 412 among the entire area of the display 440 from the user's point of view, so that the user can use the display 440 . It may be in a state where the entire area of .

According to an embodiment, when the angle B formed by the first housing 411 and the second housing 412 is smaller than the first angle (eg, if it is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees, if it is an acute angle), the folder A portion covered by the first housing 411 or the second housing 412 may exist in the entire area of the display 440 of the electronic device 400 . According to an embodiment, at least a portion of the first display area 441 may be covered by the second housing 412 , and at least a portion of the second display area 442 may be covered by the first housing 411 . can get That is, in the state (b) of FIG. 4B , there is an area covered by the first housing 411 or the second housing 412 among the entire area of the display 440 from the user's point of view, so that the user can use the display 440 . You may not be able to see the entire area of .

According to an embodiment, in the state (b) of FIG. 4B (ie, the state in which the second housing 412 of the foldable electronic device 400 is placed on the ground), the user sees only a portion of the lower portion of the second display area 442 . can In this case, the user can check simpler information through the narrow screen of the second display area 442 , and it is possible to reduce the exposure of content output from the display 440 to others, thereby protecting privacy. According to another embodiment, in a state in which the first housing 411 of the foldable electronic device 400 is placed on the ground, the user can see only a portion of the upper end of the first display area 441 . Hereinafter, when it is detected that the angle between the first housing 411 and the second housing 412 is changed to an angle that is less than the first angle (eg, 90 degrees), that is, an acute angle, a method of controlling the screen of the display 440 . will be described.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a screen of the display 440 of the foldable electronic device 400 according to an exemplary embodiment.

The operation of FIG. 5 may be performed by the foldable electronic device 400 of FIGS. 4A and 4B . Referring to FIG. 5 , the processor 430 of the foldable electronic device 400 according to an embodiment performs an operation 510 of activating the entire area of the display 440 to display a screen, at least one sensor 420 . ), an operation of determining a folding angle between the first housing 411 and the second housing 412 based on the folding axis based on the sensing data output from the 520, an operation of determining whether the folding angle is equal to or less than the first angle ( 530), when the folding angle is equal to or less than the first angle, determining at least a partial area of the screen being displayed on the display 440 as the viewing screen (540), when the folding angle is less than the first angle, the size of the folding angle Based on the operation 550 of determining at least a partial region of the entire region of the display 440 as the active region, the operation 560 of displaying the determined viewing screen within the determined active region, and an operation of determining at least a portion of the entire region of the display 440 , among the entire region of the display 440 . An operation 570 of deactivating a region other than the active region may be performed.

According to an embodiment, in operation 510 , the processor 430 may display a full screen on the display 440 by activating the entire area of the display 440 . According to an embodiment, the processor 430 may display the screen (or the content being executed, the application being executed, the program being executed) being executed in the foldable electronic device 400 in the entire area of the display 440 . That is, the foldable electronic device 400 may output a screen in all areas of the display 440 . For example, in operation 510, the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 may be a right-angled or obtuse-angled state (eg, the state of (a) of FIG. 4B), and in this case, the foldable electronic device 400 may display ( 440) may be in a state of displaying a full screen.

According to an embodiment, in operation 520 , the processor 430 performs at least one sensor 420 (eg, a first folding detection sensor 421 and a second folding detection sensor 422 ) of the foldable electronic device 400 . ), a folding angle between the first housing 411 and the second housing 412 may be determined based on the folding axis. For example, the processor 430 may include first sensing data obtained from an acceleration sensor (or geomagnetic sensor) disposed in the first housing 411 and an acceleration sensor (or geomagnetic sensor) disposed in the second housing 412 . The folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 may be calculated using the obtained second sensing data.

According to an embodiment, in operation 530, the processor 430 may determine whether the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 determined in operation 520 corresponds to a first angle (eg, 90 degrees) or less. According to an embodiment, when the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 changes from a state greater than the first angle (eg 90 degrees) to a state smaller than the first angle (eg 90 degrees), the processor 430 ) can detect this. For example, when the user further folds the foldable electronic device 400 so that the folding angle becomes an acute angle while the user uses the foldable electronic device 400 in a state in which the folding angle is an obtuse angle, it may be detected in operation 530 .

According to an embodiment, when it is determined in operation 530 that the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 is less than or equal to the first angle, in operation 540 , the processor 430 performs at least a partial area of the screen being displayed on the display 440 . may be determined as a viewing screen. According to an embodiment, the processor 430 may determine a partial area of the screen (or content) being displayed in the entire area of the display 440 in operation 510 as the viewing area in operation 540 . The viewing area may be an area or content to be continuously displayed on the display 440 regardless of the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 or even if the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 changes to an acute angle. For example, the processor 430 may include an area in which the user's attention is concentrated among screens being displayed in the entire area of the display 440 (an area of interest), an area displaying important content among screens being displayed in the entire area of the display 440, and / Alternatively, an area previously designated as the viewing area by the setting of the application among the screens being displayed in the entire area of the display 440 may be determined as the viewing area.

According to an embodiment, in operation 540 , the processor 430 may determine a viewing screen based on the type of content included in the screen being displayed on the display 440 , and an application running on the foldable electronic device 400 . The viewing screen may be determined based on the type (or setting) of According to another embodiment, the processor 430 may determine an area of the screen being displayed on the display 440 that changes with the passage of time as the viewing screen. A method in which the processor 430 determines at least a partial area of the screen being displayed on the display 440 as the viewing screen will be described later in detail.

According to an embodiment, when it is determined in operation 530 that the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 is equal to or less than the first angle, in operation 550 , the processor 430 determines the size of the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 . Based on , at least a partial area of the entire area of the display 440 may be determined as the active area. The active region may be a region in which the viewing screen determined in operation 540 is to be displayed, and a region covered by the first housing 411 or the second housing 412 among the entire region of the display 440 from the user's point of view. It may mean an excluded area.

According to an embodiment, the active area may be an area adjacent to an upper or lower end of the display 440 . The active area is an area (ie, the second display area 442) disposed in the second housing 412 of the display 440 except for a partial area extending from the folding axis toward the second housing 412 or the display ( It may be an area of the area 440 disposed in the first housing 411 (ie, the first display area 441 ) except for a partial area extending from the folding axis toward the first housing 411 . According to an embodiment, the size of the excluded partial region (or the size of the active region) may be determined to correspond to the size of the folding angle. For example, as the size of the folding angle increases, the size of the active region may increase, and as the size of the folding angle decreases, the size of the active region may decrease. That is, as the size of the folding angle increases, the area covered by the first housing 411 or the second housing 412 among the entire area of the display 440 is smaller, so that the processor 430 determines a larger area as the active area. can

According to an embodiment, in operation 560 , the processor 430 may display the viewing screen determined in operation 540 in the active area determined in operation 550 , and in operation 570 , the processor 430 displays the display 440 . A region other than the active region among the entire region may be inactivated. The processor 430 may display a viewing screen (ie, a screen on which a user's attention is focused or a screen displaying important content) in an active region that is an end region of the display 440 , and the remaining region is inactive (eg, a display). You can turn off the power, minimize current consumption, dim the brightness of the display, and set the AOD (always on display) mode). That is, the processor 430 may display a screen (ie, a viewing screen) containing important information in an area determined to be visible from the user's point of view, and deactivated the area determined to be invisible from the user's point of view to reduce current consumption. can be minimized Accordingly, the user can view desired content while efficiently using the power of the display 440 in the foldable electronic device 400 folded at an acute angle.

In the present disclosure, the active state of the display 440 may be a state in which the power of the display 440 is on and all functions supported by the display 440 are possible, and the inactive state of the display 440 is a state of a low power mode, In order to minimize power consumption, the function may be minimized and the screen may be black.

The above-described operations 510 to 570 are not limited to the order illustrated in FIG. 5 , and one or more operations may be executed or omitted in a different order, or one or more other operations may be added. For example, the execution order of

operations

540 and 550 may be changed or may be simultaneously executed. Also,

operations

560 and 570 may be executed in a different order or may be executed simultaneously. In another example, operation 510 and/or operation 570 may be omitted.

Hereinafter, a method of determining a viewing screen and displaying it in an active area will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6 to 7 .

6A to 6C are exemplary views for explaining a method of determining a viewing screen when a folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 is equal to or less than a first angle, according to an embodiment.

According to an embodiment, the processor 430 may determine the viewing screen based on the type of content included in the screen being displayed on the display 440 . For example, when a video content and/or image content screen exists on a screen being displayed on the display 440 , the video content and/or image content screen may be determined as the viewing screen. For another example, when the video content or image content screen does not exist on the screen being displayed on the display 440 , the text content screen may be determined as the viewing screen or the entire screen being displayed may be determined as the viewing screen. According to another embodiment, the processor 430 may determine an area of the screen being displayed on the display 440 that changes with the passage of time as the viewing screen.

6A is an example in which some screens among screens displayed on the display 440 of the foldable electronic device 400 folded at an acute angle are determined as the viewing screen 610a. According to an embodiment, when a video content and/or image content screen exists in a part of the screens being displayed on the display 440, the processor 430 displays a partial screen displaying the video content and/or image content screen. The viewing screen 610a may be determined, and the determined viewing screen 610a may be moved (or scrolled) to the active area 620a to be displayed. According to another embodiment, when the change over time is large in some of the screens being displayed on the display 440 , the processor 430 determines a screen with a large change over time as the viewing screen 610a. Also, the determined viewing screen 610a may be moved (or scrolled) to the active area 620a to be displayed. At this time, when the size of the viewing screen 610a and the size of the active area 620a are different from each other, the processor 430 may display the viewing screen 610a by adjusting the resolution or by adjusting the size of the viewing screen 610a. there is.

6B is an example in which the entire screen displayed on the display 440 of the foldable electronic device 400 folded at an acute angle is determined as the viewing screen 610b. According to an embodiment, when video content and/or image content is displayed on the entire screen being displayed on the display 440, the processor 430 displays the entire screen displaying the video content and/or image content on the viewing screen ( 610b), and the determined viewing screen 610b may be moved (or scrolled) to the active area 620b and displayed. According to an embodiment, when there is no video content and/or image content screen on the screen being displayed on the display 440, the processor 430 may determine the entire screen being displayed as the viewing screen 610b, The determined viewing screen 610b may be moved (or scrolled) to the active area 620b to be displayed. At this time, the processor 430 may display by adjusting the resolution of the viewing screen 610b or by adjusting the size of the viewing screen 610b, and a scroll bar capable of adjusting the viewing screen 610b in the active area 620b. can be displayed together.

6C is an example in which the focused screen is determined as the viewing screen 610c while the multi-window is running. According to an embodiment, the foldable electronic device 400 may be in a state (multi-window) in which two program screens are being displayed in each of the first display area 441 and the second display area 442 . In this case, the processor 430 may determine the focused screen among the two running screens as the viewing screen 610c, and move (or scroll) the determined viewing screen 610c to the active area 620c to display it. can do. At this time, the processor 430 may display by adjusting the resolution of the viewing screen 610c or by adjusting the size of the viewing screen 610c, and a scroll bar capable of adjusting the viewing screen 610c in the active area 620c. can be displayed together.

7A to 7F are exemplary views for explaining a method of displaying a viewing screen in an active area according to an application type in the foldable electronic device 400 according to an exemplary embodiment.

According to an embodiment, the processor 430 may determine the viewing screen based on the type of the application being executed in the foldable electronic device 400 or the application setting. According to an embodiment, a screen (or content) to be determined as the viewing screen may be preset in the application, and when the application for which the screen to be determined as the viewing screen is preset is running in the foldable electronic device 400 , the processor ( 430) may display a viewing screen in the active area based on the setting. The application may be, for example, at least one of an application including video content (eg, YouTube), a music playback application, a camera application, a weather application, a gallery application, and a home screen application.

7A is an example of displaying the viewing screen 710a in the active area 720a while an application (eg, YouTube) including video content is running in the foldable electronic device 400 . According to an embodiment, the application including the video content may be an application preset to determine the video content screen as the viewing screen 710a when the folding angle is acute. In this case, the processor 430 may determine the video content screen as the viewing screen 710a according to the setting, and move (or scroll) the determined viewing screen 710a to the active area 720a to display it. there is. According to an embodiment, when the size of the viewing screen 710a and the size of the active area 720a are different from each other, the processor 430 adjusts the resolution of the viewing screen 710a or adjusts the size of the viewing screen 710a. can be displayed According to an embodiment, the processor 430 creates a UI interface 701a capable of adjusting settings (eg, volume, resolution, forward movement, pause, backward movement, etc.) of the displayed video content screen within the active area 720a. can be displayed together. For example, the UI interface 701a may be displayed by a user's swipe operation or a tap operation, and the user does not use a physical button disposed on the foldable electronic device 400 within the active area 720a. You can adjust the settings of the displayed video content screen. The shape of the UI interface 701a is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. 7A and may have various shapes.

7B is an example of displaying the viewing screen 710b in the active area 720b while the music playback application is running in the foldable electronic device 400 . According to an embodiment, the music playback application may be an application preset to determine a screen of a UI interface for adjusting music settings as the viewing screen 710b in a state in which the folding angle is acute. In this case, the processor 430 may determine the screen of the UI interface for adjusting the music settings according to the setting as the viewing screen 710b, and move the determined viewing screen 710b to the active area 720b ( or by scrolling). According to an embodiment, when the size of the viewing screen 710b and the size of the active area 720b are different from each other, the processor 430 adjusts the resolution of the viewing screen 710b or adjusts the size of the viewing screen 710b. can be displayed

7C is an example of displaying the viewing screen 710c in the active area 720c while the camera application is running in the foldable electronic device 400 . According to an embodiment, the camera application may be an application preset to determine the screen output from the camera 450 as the viewing screen 710c in a state in which the folding angle is acute. In this case, the processor 430 may determine the screen output from the camera 450 as the viewing screen 710c according to the setting, and move (or scroll) the determined viewing screen 710c to the active area 720c. ) can be displayed. According to an embodiment, the processor 430 may display a UI interface 701c capable of adjusting settings (eg, brightness, filter, timer, etc.) of a screen output from the camera 450 in the active area 720c. can The shape of the UI interface 701c is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. 7C and may have various shapes.

7D is an example of displaying the viewing screen 710d in the active area 720d while the weather application is running in the foldable electronic device 400 . According to an embodiment, the weather application may be an application preset to determine the UI interface screen that outputs the current location and current weather (eg, temperature, humidity) as the viewing screen 710d in a state where the folding angle is acute. there is. In this case, the processor 430 may determine the UI interface screen for outputting the current location and the current weather as the viewing screen 710d according to the setting, and move the determined viewing screen 710d to the active area 720d. It can be displayed (or scrolled). According to an embodiment, when the size of the viewing screen 710d and the size of the active area 720d are different, the processor 430 adjusts the resolution of the viewing screen 710d or adjusts the size of the viewing screen 710d. can be displayed

7E is an example of displaying the viewing screen 710e in the active area 720e while the gallery application is running in the foldable electronic device 400 . According to an embodiment, the gallery application may be an application preset to determine a screen on which an image is output as the viewing screen 710e in a state in which the folding angle is acute. In this case, the processor 430 may determine a screen on which an image is output according to the setting as the viewing screen 710e, and move (or scroll) the determined viewing screen 710e to the active area 720e to display it. can do. According to an embodiment, when the size of the viewing screen 710e (ie, the size of the image) and the size of the active area 720e are different from each other, the processor 430 may determine a part of the image as the viewing screen 710e. . For example, the processor 430 may recognize the faces of at least one person included in the image and determine the viewing screen 710e so that the average positions of the recognized faces are disposed in the center of the viewing screen 710e.

7F is an example of displaying the viewing screen 710f in the active area 720f while the home application is running in the foldable electronic device 400 . According to an embodiment, the home application may be an application preset to determine a screen of application icons installed in the foldable electronic device 400 as the viewing screen 710f in a state in which the folding angle is acute. In this case, the processor 430 may determine the screen of application icons installed in the foldable electronic device 400 as the viewing screen 710f according to the setting, and set the determined viewing screen 710f as the active area 720f. It can be moved (or scrolled) to display. According to an embodiment, when the number of application icons determined as the viewing screen 710f is large and all icons cannot be displayed in the active area 720f, the processor 430 determines only some of the application icons as the viewing screen 710f. Alternatively, the viewing screen 710f in which the size of the application icon is reduced may be displayed in the active area 720f.

8 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of determining an active area in the foldable electronic device 400 according to an exemplary embodiment. Hereinafter, the flow of operation 550 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 8 .

Referring to FIG. 8 , the operation 550 of determining at least a partial area of the entire area of the display 440 as the active area includes the first sensing data output from the first folding detection sensor 421 and the second folding detection sensor. Determining an inclination angle of the foldable electronic device 400 with respect to the ground based on at least one of the second sensing data output in step 422 ( 551 ), and the foldable electronic device determined in step 520 ( An operation 553 of determining an active area may be performed based on at least one of the size of the folding angle of 400 and the size of the inclination angle of the foldable electronic device 400 determined in operation 551 .

According to an embodiment, the processor 430 considers not only the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 but also the inclined angle of the foldable electronic device 400 itself to at least a partial area of the entire area of the display 440 . can be determined as the active region. That is, since the size of the area of the display 440 seen from the user's perspective is different according to the angle at which the foldable electronic device 400 is inclined (that is, the angle formed with the ground), the processor 430 performs the foldable electronic device 400 . The active area may be determined in consideration of both the folding angle and the inclined angle of .

FIG. 9A is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of determining an active area based on a folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 according to an embodiment, and FIG. 9B is a diagram of the foldable electronic device 400 according to an embodiment. It is an exemplary diagram for explaining a method of determining an active area based on a folding angle and an inclined angle. 9A illustrates a state in which the foldable electronic device 400 is placed in parallel with the ground, and FIG. 9B illustrates a state in which the foldable electronic apparatus 400 is placed at a predetermined angle with the ground.

Referring to FIG. 9A , as the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 decreases, the area covered by the first housing 411 or the second housing 412 among the entire area of the display 440 may increase. , the size of the area visible from the user's perspective, that is, the active area, may be reduced.

Referring to FIGS. 9A and 9B , even when the folding angle is the same, when the foldable electronic device 400 is in a tilted state (that is, a state that forms a predetermined angle with the ground), the foldable electronic device 400 and the ground The size of the area visible from the user's perspective, that is, the active area, may be larger than in a state of being placed side by side. That is, the size b' of the active area in FIG. 9B may be greater than the size b of the active area in FIG. 9A , and the size c' of the active area in FIG. 9B may be larger than the size c of the active area in FIG. 9A .

In the present disclosure, the operation of determining the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 or determining the change of the folding angle may use the method described above with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 .

10 is an exemplary diagram illustrating an active camera 450 according to a gripping state of the foldable electronic device 400 according to an exemplary embodiment.

According to an embodiment, in a state in which the camera application is being executed in the foldable electronic device 400 , the processor 430 may display a third A gripping state of the foldable electronic device 400 may be determined based on the sensing data and/or fourth sensing data output from the second gripping sensor 424 disposed in the second housing 412 . The processor 430 may determine a camera to be activated among the front camera 451 and the rear camera 452 based on the determined holding state information.

10A illustrates a state in which the second housing 412 of the foldable electronic device 400 is gripped by a user. According to an embodiment, when the second housing 412 of the foldable electronic device 400 having an acute folding angle is gripped, the subject photographed by the front camera 451 is the second housing 412 , so the processor 430 may automatically disable the front camera 451 and activate the rear camera 452 . However, according to a user's setting, the processor 430 may change the activation states of the front camera 451 and the rear camera 452 .

FIG. 10B illustrates a state in which the first housing 411 of the foldable electronic device 400 is held by the user. According to an embodiment, when the first housing 411 of the foldable electronic device 400 having an acute folding angle is gripped, the subject photographed by the rear camera 452 is the user's hand, so the processor 430 can automatically disable the rear camera 452 and activate the front camera 451 . However, according to a user's setting, the processor 430 may change the activation states of the front camera 451 and the rear camera 452 .

11 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a method of editing and displaying a viewing screen in an active area of the foldable electronic device 400 according to an exemplary embodiment. Hereinafter, a method of editing and displaying the viewing screen 1110 in operation 560 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 11 .

Referring to FIG. 11 , when the sizes of the

viewing screens

1110a and 1110b determined in operation 540 and the sizes of the

active regions

1120a and 1120b determined in operation 550 are different from each other, the processor 430 displays the

viewing screens

1110a and 1110b. It can be edited and displayed. That is, when the sizes of the

viewing screens

1110a and 1110b determined in operation 540 are larger than the sizes of the

active regions

1120a and 1120b determined in operation 550, the processor 430 may adjust the size of the viewing screen and display it.

11A illustrates a method of cutting and editing the viewing screen 1110 to correspond to the size of the active area 1120a when the size of the viewing screen 1110 is larger than the size of the active area 1120a. . According to an embodiment, the processor 430 cuts off a part of the upper part and a part of the lower part of the viewing screen 1110 to display the edited center of the viewing screen 1110a to be located at the center of the active area 1120a. . According to an embodiment, the processor 430 may display the edited viewing screen 1110a in the active area 1120a by cutting only a part of the upper part or a part of the lower part of the viewing screen 1110 . According to another embodiment, the processor 430 may change a method of editing the viewing screen 1110 according to the type (or setting) of the application being executed in the foldable electronic device 400 . For example, when the gallery application is running, the processor 430 performs viewing using the method described above with reference to FIG. 7E (ie, editing the viewing screen so that the average positions of the faces recognized in the image are placed in the center of the viewing screen). The screen 1110 may be edited and the edited viewing screen 1110a may be displayed in the active area 1120a.

11B illustrates a method of editing the viewing screen 1110 by distorting it to correspond to the size of the active area 1120b when the size of the viewing screen 1110 is larger than the size of the active area 1120b. will be. According to an embodiment, the processor 430 displays the edited viewing screen 1110b in the active area 1120b by reducing the length of the height of the viewing screen 1110 to correspond to the length of the height of the active area 1120b. can

12 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a screen of the display 440 of the foldable electronic device 400 according to an exemplary embodiment.

The operation of FIG. 12 may be performed by the foldable electronic device 400 of FIGS. 4A and 4B . Hereinafter, operations 1215 to 1221 of FIG. 12 will be described.

Referring to FIG. 12 , the processor 430 of the foldable electronic device 400 according to an embodiment determines whether the folding angle changes to a second angle smaller than the first angle, in addition to the operation described above with reference to FIG. 5 . (1215), determining whether the folding angle changes to a third angle greater than the first angle (1217), updating the size of the active area (1219), and displaying the determined viewing screen in the updated active area; An operation 1221 of inactivating an area other than the updated active area among the entire area of the display 440 may be further performed.

According to an embodiment, in operation 1215 , the processor 430 may determine whether the folding angle changes to a second angle smaller than the first angle. That is, the processor 430 may detect a change in the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 , and when detecting that the folding angle becomes smaller, may update the size of the active area in operation 1219 . For example, when detecting that the folding angle has become smaller, the processor 430 may reduce the size of the active area in operation 1219 . According to an embodiment, in operation 1221 , the processor 430 may display the determined viewing screen in the updated active area, and inactivate the entire area of the display 440 except for the updated active area. That is, operation 1221 may correspond to operations 1211 and 11213 .

According to an embodiment, in operation 1217 , the processor 430 may determine whether the folding angle changes to a third angle greater than the first angle. That is, the processor 430 may detect a change in the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 , and when detecting that the folding angle is greater than the first angle (eg, 90 degrees), returns to operation 1201 to display ( 440) The screen can be displayed in the entire area.

According to an embodiment, when it is determined in operation 1215 that the folding angle does not change to a second angle smaller than the first angle and in operation 1217 it is determined that the folding angle does not change to a third angle greater than the first angle, this is It can be said that there is no change in the folding angle. Accordingly, if it is determined that there is no change in the folding angle, the processor 430 displays the viewing screen in the active area, that is, in the operations 1211 and 1213, and deactivates the area except the active area among the entire area of the display 440. can keep moving.

13 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method of displaying a viewing screen in an updated active area of the foldable electronic device 400 according to an exemplary embodiment.

13A is a view showing a screen displayed on the display 440 of the foldable electronic device 400 in an unfolded state, and FIG. 13A' is a foldable electronic device having a right angle or an obtuse angle when folded. A state in which a screen is displayed on the display 440 of the device 400 is illustrated. Both (a) and (a') of FIG. 13 may be a state in which a screen is displayed by activating the entire area of the display 440 . 13B illustrates a state in which the viewing screen 1310b is displayed in the active area 1320b of the foldable electronic device 400 having an acute folding angle, and FIG. 13C illustrates the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 (b) shows a state in which the viewing screen 1310c is displayed in the active area 1320c of the foldable electronic device 400, which has become smaller than in (b).

According to an embodiment, the folding state of the foldable electronic device 400 in the unfolded state or the foldable electronic device 400 having a right angle or an obtuse folding angle changes to the foldable electronic device 400 having an acute folding angle. In this case, the processor 430 may determine the viewing screen 1310b and the active area 1320b, and display the determined viewing screen 1310b in the determined active area 1320b. According to an embodiment, when the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 having an acute folding angle is changed to be smaller, the processor 430 may update the size of the active area to be reduced and the updated active area ( The edited viewing screen 1310c may be displayed in 1320c. As a method of editing the viewing screen, the method described above with reference to FIG. 11 may be used. Therefore, until the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 becomes 0 degrees, that is, until the foldable electronic device 400 is in a fully folded state, the user can view the edited viewing screen displayed in the updated active area 1320c. (1310c) can be viewed.

14 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a screen of the display 440 of the foldable electronic device 400 according to an exemplary embodiment.

The operation of FIG. 14 may be performed by the foldable electronic device 400 of FIGS. 4A and 4B . Hereinafter, operations 1415 and 1417 of FIG. 14 will be described.

Referring to FIG. 14 , the processor 430 of the foldable electronic device 400 according to an embodiment determines whether a folding angle equal to or less than a first angle is maintained for a predetermined time or longer, in addition to the operation described with reference to FIG. 5 . If the operation 1415 and the folding angle of the first angle or less are maintained for a predetermined time or longer, an operation 1417 of displaying an icon for a preset recommended function in the active area or automatically executing a preset recommended function is further performed can do.

According to an embodiment, in operation 1415 , the processor 430 may determine whether the folding angle equal to or less than the first angle is maintained for a predetermined time or longer. The predetermined time may be preset in the foldable electronic device 400 by a user. According to an embodiment, if it is determined in operation 1415 that the folding angle equal to or less than the first angle is maintained for a predetermined time or longer, the processor 430 displays an icon for a preset recommended function in the active area in operation 1417 or A preset recommendation function may be automatically executed. According to an embodiment, the recommended function may be a function (or application) suitable for use in a state in which the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 is acute or a function (or application) in a state in which the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 is acute. It may be a function (or application) frequently used by the user. For example, the recommendation function may include at least one of an application including video content, a camera application, a music playback application, a message application, and an always on display (AOD) mode function (eg, a clock function, a location function, and a notification function). may contain one. According to an embodiment, the recommendation function may be preset in the foldable electronic device 400 by the user.

Hereinafter, operations 1415 and 1417 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16 .

15 and 16 are exemplary views illustrating a method of controlling a screen of the display 440 when a folding angle equal to or less than a first angle is maintained for a predetermined time or longer in the foldable electronic device 400 according to an embodiment. 15 shows an embodiment in which an icon for a preset recommended function is displayed in the active area 1520 when the folding angle of the first angle or less is maintained for a predetermined time or longer, and FIG. 16 is the first angle or less. An exemplary embodiment in which a preset recommendation function is automatically executed in the active area 1620 is illustrated when the folding angle of ' is maintained for a predetermined time or longer.

Referring to FIG. 15 , a state in which a viewing screen 1510 (ie, an installed application icon) of a home application is displayed in the active area 1520 of the foldable electronic device 400 having an acute folding angle is longer than a preset time. If it continues, the processor 430 may display an icon 1501 for a preset recommended application. According to an embodiment, the recommended application may be an application suitable for use in a state where the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 is acute or an application frequently used by a user. The processor 430 according to an embodiment may induce the user to select and use the recommended application by displaying the icon 1501 for the recommended application.

Referring to FIG. 16 , a state in which a viewing screen 1610 of a home application (ie, an installed application icon) is displayed in the active area 1620 of the foldable electronic device 400 having an acute folding angle is longer than a preset time. If it continues, the processor 430 may automatically execute a preset recommendation function. According to an embodiment, the recommendation function may be a UI (eg, a clock UI, a location UI, a notification UI) 1601 in an always on display (AOD) mode. According to another embodiment, when the folding state of the foldable electronic device 400 having an acute folding angle continues for a predetermined time or longer, the processor 430 may turn off the power to the entire area of the display 440 , , and thereafter, when detecting a command to turn on the display 440 , the UI 1601 in the AOD mode may be displayed in the active area 1620 .

17 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a screen of the display 440 of the foldable electronic device 400 according to an exemplary embodiment.

The operation of FIG. 17 may be performed by the foldable electronic device 400 of FIGS. 4A and 4B . Hereinafter, operations 1715 to 1719 of FIG. 17 will be described.

Referring to FIG. 17 , the processor 430 of the foldable electronic device 400 according to an exemplary embodiment performs an operation 1715 of detecting reception of a notification in addition to the operation described above with reference to FIG. 5 , and a predetermined period of time after receiving the notification. determining whether the folding angle changes to a third angle greater than the first angle within 1717 (1719) can be further performed.

According to an embodiment, in operation 1715 , the processor 430 may detect reception of a notification, and in operation 1717 , the processor 430 determines that the folding angle is greater than the first angle within a preset time after receiving the notification. It is possible to detect whether the third angle is changed. According to an embodiment, if it is detected that the folding angle is changed to the third angle in operation 1717 , in operation 1719 , the processor 430 may execute a multi-window in the entire area of the display 440 . That is, the processor 430 may divide and display a window within the entire area of the display 440 . According to an embodiment, the multi-window may include a window (or screen) for the viewing screen determined in operation 1707 and a window (or screen) for the notification detected in operation 1715. For example, in operation 1719 , the processor 430 may display a viewing screen in the first display area 441 , and display an application screen for notification in the second display area 442 . As another example, in operation 1719 , the processor 430 displays an application screen for the viewing screen in the upper partial area of the first display area 441 , and displays the lower partial area and the second portion of the first display area 441 . An application screen for a notification may be displayed in the display area 442 .

Hereinafter, operations 1715 to 1719 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 18 .

18 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a method of controlling a screen of the display 440 in response to receiving a notification in the foldable electronic device 400 according to an embodiment.

18A illustrates a state in which a notification (eg, message 1801) is received while the viewing screen 1810 is displayed in the active area 1820 of the foldable electronic device 400 having an acute folding angle. did it 18B shows a third angle, that is, a right angle or an obtuse angle, at which the folding angle of the foldable electronic device 400 is greater than the first angle (eg, 90 degrees) within a predetermined time after receiving the message 1801 . It shows the multi-window that is executed when it is changed to . 18C illustrates a multi-window that is executed when the folded state of the foldable electronic device 400 is changed to an unfolded state within a predetermined time after receiving the message 1801 .

Referring to FIG. 18B , a message 1801 is received while the viewing screen 1810 is displayed in the active area 1820 of the foldable electronic device 400 having an acute folding angle, and the message 1801 ), if it is detected that the folding angle is changed to a right angle or an obtuse angle within a predetermined time after reception, the processor 430 may display a multi-window. That is, the processor 430 may display the viewing screen 1810 in the first display area 441 and the message application screen 1802 in the second display area 442 . Accordingly, the user may use the first display area 441 and the second display area 442 separately.

Referring to FIG. 18C , a message 1801 is received while the viewing screen 1810 is displayed in the active area 1820 of the foldable electronic device 400 having an acute folding angle, and the message 1801 is ) when it is detected that the folded state is changed to the unfolded state within a predetermined time after reception, the processor 430 may display a multi-window. That is, the processor 430 displays the viewing screen 1810 in the upper part of the first display area 441 and the message application screen over the lower part of the first display area 441 and the second display area 442 . (1803) can be displayed. Accordingly, the user may divide and use the entire area of the display 440 .

As described above, according to an embodiment, a foldable electronic device (eg, the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1 and the foldable electronic device 400 of FIG. 4A ) includes a first housing; a second housing foldable with respect to the first housing with respect to a folding axis; at least one sensor for detecting a folding angle between the first housing and the second housing with respect to the folding axis; a display disposed over the first housing and the second housing; may include a processor connected to the at least one sensor and the display, wherein the processor determines the folding angle based on sensing data output from the at least one sensor, and when the folding angle is less than or equal to a first angle : determining at least a partial area of a screen being displayed on the display as a viewing screen, determining at least a partial area of the entire area of the display as an active area based on the size of the folding angle, and determining the determined active area It is possible to display the determined viewing screen in the.

According to an embodiment, the processor may inactivate an area other than the active area among the entire area of the display.

According to an embodiment, when determining the viewing screen, the processor may determine the viewing screen based on a type of content included in a screen being displayed on the display, and the content may include video content, image content, and text. It may include at least one of contents.

According to an embodiment, when determining the viewing screen, the processor may determine the viewing screen based on a setting of an application running on the foldable electronic device, and the application may include the viewing screen among screens displayed on the display. The area to be determined as the screen may be a preset application.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when determining the viewing screen, the processor may determine, as the viewing screen, an area of the screen being displayed on the display that changes with the passage of time.

According to an embodiment, the processor determines an inclination angle of the foldable electronic device with respect to the ground based on the sensing data, and the active area based on the size of the folding angle and the size of the inclination angle can be decided

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the active region may be one of an area disposed in the second housing of the display except for a partial area extending from the folding axis toward the second housing or an area disposed in the first housing of the display. It may be an area excluding a partial area extending from the folding shaft toward the first housing.

According to an embodiment, when detecting that the folding angle changes to a second angle smaller than the first angle, the processor updates the size of the active area and displays the determined viewing screen in the updated active area display, and an area other than the updated active area among the entire area of the display may be inactivated.

According to an embodiment, when detecting that the folding angle equal to or less than the first angle is maintained for a predetermined time or longer, the processor displays an icon for a preset recommended function in the active area or a preset recommended function can be run automatically.

According to an embodiment, the processor detects reception of a notification message, and when detecting that the folding angle changes to a third angle greater than the first angle within a predetermined time after receiving the notification message, the display You can run multiple windows within the entire area of .

As described above, according to an embodiment, the method for controlling a display screen of a foldable electronic device (eg, the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1 and the foldable electronic device 400 of FIG. 4A ) includes the foldable electronic device determining a folding angle between the first housing and the second housing based on a folding axis based on the sensed data output from at least one sensor of (eg, operation 520 of FIG. 5 ); determining at least a partial area of the screen being displayed on the display as a viewing screen when the folding angle is equal to or less than the first angle (eg, operation 540 of FIG. 5 ); when the folding angle is equal to or less than the first angle, determining at least a partial area of the entire area of the display as an active area based on the size of the folding angle (eg, operation 550 of FIG. 5 ); and displaying the determined viewing screen in the determined active area (eg, operation 560 of FIG. 5 ).

According to an embodiment, the method of controlling a display screen of a foldable electronic device may further include an operation of inactivating a region other than the active region among all regions of the display.

According to an embodiment, the determining of at least a partial region of the screen being displayed on the display as the viewing screen may include: determining the viewing screen based on the type of content included in the screen being displayed on the display. The content may include at least one of video content, image content, and text content.

According to an embodiment, the determining of at least a partial area of the screen being displayed on the display as the viewing screen may include: determining the viewing screen based on a setting of an application running on the foldable electronic device. In addition, the application may be an application in which an area to be determined as the viewing screen among screens being displayed on the display is preset.

According to an embodiment, the operation of determining at least a partial area of the screen displayed on the display as the viewing screen includes determining an area of the screen displayed on the display that changes with the passage of time as the viewing screen can do.

According to an embodiment, the determining of at least a partial area of the entire area of the display as the active area includes: determining an inclination angle of the foldable electronic device with respect to the ground based on the sensing data; and determining the active area based on the size of the folding angle and the size of the inclined angle.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of controlling a display screen of a foldable electronic device includes: updating the size of the active area when detecting that the folding angle changes to a second angle smaller than the first angle; and displaying the determined viewing screen in the updated active area, and deactivating an area other than the updated active area among the entire area of the display.

According to an embodiment, in the method for controlling a display screen of a foldable electronic device, when it is detected that the folding angle equal to or less than the first angle is maintained for a predetermined time or longer, an icon for a preset recommendation function is located in the active area may further include an operation of displaying or automatically executing a preset recommendation function.

According to an embodiment, a method of controlling a display screen of a foldable electronic device includes: detecting reception of a notification message; and executing a multi-window within the entire area of the display when it is detected that the folding angle changes to a third angle greater than the first angle within a preset time after receiving the notification message. .

Claims

A foldable electronic device comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing foldable with respect to the first housing with respect to a folding axis;

at least one sensor for detecting a folding angle between the first housing and the second housing with respect to the folding axis;

a display disposed over the first housing and the second housing;

a processor connected to the at least one sensor and the display;

The processor is

Based on the sensing data output from the at least one sensor, determining the folding angle,

When the folding angle is less than or equal to the first angle:

Determining at least a partial area of the screen being displayed on the display as a viewing screen,

determining, as an active area, at least a partial area of the entire area of the display based on the size of the folding angle;

and displaying the determined viewing screen in the determined active area.
The method according to claim 1,

The processor is

and inactivating a region of the entire display area except for the active region.
The method according to claim 1,

The processor is

When determining the viewing screen, determining the viewing screen based on the type of content included in the screen being displayed on the display,

The content includes at least one of video content, image content, and text content.
The method according to claim 1,

The processor is

When determining the viewing screen, determining the viewing screen based on a setting of an application running on the foldable electronic device,

The application is an application in which an area to be determined as the viewing screen among screens being displayed on the display is preset.
The method according to claim 1,

The processor is

and determining, as the viewing screen, an area of the screen being displayed on the display that changes with the passage of time when the viewing screen is determined.
The method according to claim 1,

The processor is

determining an inclination angle of the foldable electronic device with respect to the ground based on the sensing data;

and determining the active area based on a size of the folding angle and a size of the inclined angle.
The method according to claim 1,

The active region may include a region disposed in the second housing of the display except for a partial region extending from the folding axis toward the second housing or a region disposed in the first housing of the display from the folding axis. 1 A foldable electronic device that is an area excluding a partial area extending toward the housing.
The method according to claim 1,

The processor is

When it is detected that the folding angle is changed to a second angle smaller than the first angle, the size of the active area is updated;

and displaying the determined viewing screen in the updated active area, and inactivating an area other than the updated active area among all areas of the display.
The method according to claim 1,

The processor is

When detecting that the folding angle equal to or less than the first angle is maintained for a predetermined time or longer, an icon for a preset recommendation function is displayed in the active area or a preset recommendation function is automatically executed.
The method according to claim 1,

The processor is

Detect receipt of a notification message,

When it is detected that the folding angle changes to a third angle greater than the first angle within a preset time after receiving the notification message, a multi-window is executed in the entire area of the display.
A method for controlling a display screen of a foldable electronic device, the method comprising:

determining a folding angle between the first housing and the second housing based on a folding axis based on sensing data output from at least one sensor of the foldable electronic device;

determining, as a viewing screen, at least a partial area of a screen being displayed on the display when the folding angle is equal to or less than a first angle;

when the folding angle is equal to or less than the first angle, determining at least a partial area of the entire area of the display as an active area based on the size of the folding angle; and

and displaying the determined viewing screen within the determined active area.
12. The method of claim 11,

The operation of determining at least a partial area of the screen being displayed on the display as the viewing screen includes:

determining the viewing screen based on the type of content included in the screen being displayed on the display;

The content includes at least one of video content, image content, and text content.
12. The method of claim 11,

The operation of determining at least a partial area of the screen being displayed on the display as the viewing screen includes:

determining the viewing screen based on a setting of an application being executed in the foldable electronic device;

The method, wherein the application is an application in which an area to be determined as the viewing screen among screens being displayed on the display is preset.
12. The method of claim 11,

The operation of determining at least a partial area of the screen being displayed on the display as the viewing screen includes:

and determining, as the viewing screen, an area that changes with time among screens being displayed on the display as the viewing screen.
12. The method of claim 11,

The operation of determining at least a partial area of the entire area of the display as an active area includes:

determining an inclination angle of the foldable electronic device with respect to the ground based on the sensing data; and

determining the active area based on the size of the folding angle and the size of the inclined angle;

The active region may include a region disposed in the second housing of the display except for a partial region extending from the folding axis toward the second housing or a region disposed in the first housing of the display from the folding axis. 1 An area except for some areas extending toward the housing.