Foldable apparatus and operating method therefor

Abstract

A foldable device and a method of operating therefrom are disclosed. The foldable device includes a base body, a first body, a first pivot, a first motor, a second body, a second pivot, a second motor, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller. The first pivot is pivotally connected between the base body and the first body. The first motor drives rotation of the first pivot. The second pivot is pivotally connected between the first body and the second body. The second motor drives rotation of the second pivot. The first sensor receives first sensing data. The second sensor receives second sensing data. The controller is coupled to the first motor, the second motor, the first sensor, and the second sensor. The controller is configured to control at least one of the first motor and the second motor based on at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a folding technology, and more particularly to a foldable device and a method of operation thereof. Prior Technology

[0002] With the development of technology, dual-screen electronic devices have become important tools for improving work efficiency and entertainment experience. However, existing dual-screen devices have some problems: Inconvenient angle adjustment: Traditional dual-screen devices usually require users to manually adjust the screen angle to suit different usage scenarios (e.g., typing, drawing, reading). This manual adjustment is not only cumbersome, but also easily interrupts the user's workflow. Lack of personalized settings: Each user has different usage habits and preferences, but most existing dual-screen devices lack personalized settings and cannot remember user habits and automatically adjust the screen angle. Complex mode switching: In different usage scenarios, users need different screen angles and modes. Existing dual-screen devices are not convenient enough in terms of mode switching, requiring users to perform cumbersome operations to complete the mode switching. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention provides a foldable device and an operating method thereof, which can automatically adjust to the most suitable usage angle or switch the screen usage mode.

[0004] The foldable device of this invention includes (but is not limited to) a base body, a first body, a first pivot, a first motor, a second body, a second pivot, a second motor, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller. The first pivot is pivotally connected between the base body and the first body. The first motor drives the rotation of the first pivot, causing the base body and the first body to rotate relative to each other. The second pivot is pivotally connected between the first body and the second body. The second motor drives the rotation of the second pivot, causing the first body and the second body to rotate relative to each other. The first sensor receives first sensing data. The second sensor receives second sensing data. The controller is coupled to the first motor, the second motor, the first sensor, and the second sensor. The controller is configured to control at least one of the first motor and the second motor based on at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor.

[0005] The operating method for a foldable device according to embodiments of the present invention includes (but is not limited to) the following steps: providing a foldable device, wherein the foldable device includes a base body, a first body, a second body, two sensors, a first motor and a second motor, the base body is pivotally connected to the first body, the first body is pivotally connected to the second body, the first motor is used to rotate the base body and the first body relative to each other, and the second motor is used to rotate the first body and the second body relative to each other; and controlling at least one of the first motor and the second motor according to at least one of the first sensing data and the second sensing data, so that the base body and the first body rotate relative to each other or the first body and the second body rotate relative to each other, wherein the first sensing data is obtained through the first sensor of the two sensors, and the second sensing data is obtained through the second sensor of the two sensors.

[0006] Based on the above, the foldable device and its operating method according to embodiments of the present invention provide three bodies and control a motor based on sensing data to rotate the bodies relative to each other. This allows the bodies to be easily adjusted to a suitable operating angle.

[0007] To make the above features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings for detailed explanation. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0008] Figure 1 is a block diagram of the components of a foldable device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2A is a perspective view of a foldable device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2B is a side view of a foldable device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a flowchart of an operation method for a foldable device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a flowchart of sensing reception according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5A is a schematic diagram of a first folding mode - a closed mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5B is a schematic diagram of a second folding mode - typing mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5C is a schematic diagram of a second folding mode - drawing mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5D is a schematic diagram of a second folding mode - reading mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 is a flowchart of mode switching according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7A is a schematic diagram illustrating the starting mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7B is a schematic diagram illustrating the target mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating the positional relationship according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the positional relationship of the starting mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the position alignment of the target pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figures 11A and 11B are schematic diagrams illustrating image-based position alignment according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 is a flowchart of a first mode calibration according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 13A is a schematic diagram illustrating the starting mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 13B is a schematic diagram illustrating angle fine-tuning according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating the position alignment of the target pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 15 is a flowchart of the second mode calibration according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 16A is a schematic diagram illustrating the user's starting position according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 16B is a schematic diagram illustrating a user updating their location according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 17 is a schematic diagram illustrating the positional relationship of a user at the starting position according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating the positional relationship of a user updating a location according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 19A is a schematic diagram illustrating the alignment of a user's position at the starting position according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 19B is a schematic diagram illustrating the alignment of a user's position during an update, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Implementation

[0009] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a foldable device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 1, the foldable device 100 includes (but is not limited to) a base body 111, a first body 112, a second body 113, a first pivot 121, a second pivot 122, a first motor 131, a second motor 132, a first sensor 141, a second sensor 142, an input device 150, a first screen 161, a second screen 162, and a controller 170. The foldable device 100 is, for example, a laptop computer or other portable device.

[0010] Figure 2A is a perspective view of a foldable device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2B is a side view of a foldable device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 2A and 2B, the base body 111 can be a support member. In some application scenarios, the base body 111 can be placed on a platform or other usage area.

[0011] The first pivot 121 is pivotally connected between the base body 111 and the first body 112. That is, one side of the base body 111 is pivotally connected to one side of the first body 112 via the first pivot 121. The base body 111 can rotate relative to the first body 112, and / or the first body 112 can rotate relative to the base body 111.

[0012] The second pivot 122 is pivotally connected between the first body 112 and the second body 113. That is, one side of the first body 112 (i.e., the other side relative to the pivot base body 111) is pivotally connected to one side of the second body 113 via the second pivot 122. The first body 112 is rotatable relative to the second body 113, and / or the second body 113 is rotatable relative to the first body 112.

[0013] Taking Figure 2B as an example, the first body 112 and the base body 111 unfold counterclockwise to form an angle D1. The second body 113 and the first body 112 unfold clockwise to form an angle D2. In this embodiment of the invention, the angle D1 is... And the included angle D2 is 180+ .angle and angle This will be described in subsequent embodiments.

[0014] A first motor 131 is disposed on a first pivot 121. In one embodiment, the first motor 131 is used to drive the rotation of the first pivot 121, causing the base body 111 and the first body 112 to rotate relative to each other.

[0015] The second motor 132 is disposed on the second pivot 122. In one embodiment, the second motor 132 is used to drive the rotation of the second pivot 122, causing the first body 112 and the second body 113 to rotate relative to each other.

[0016] A first sensor 141 is disposed on a first pivot 121. The first sensor 141 may be (but is not limited to) at least one of a camera, a depth sensor, or a radar. In one embodiment, the first sensor 141 is used to receive first sensing data. The first sensing data may be image data, depth data, or radar measurements.

[0017] The second sensor 142 is disposed on one side of the second body 113. The second sensor 142 may be (but is not limited to) at least one of a camera, a depth sensor, or radar. In one embodiment, the second sensor 142 is used to receive second sensing data. The second sensing data may be image, depth data, or radar measurements.

[0018] Input device 150 may be a microphone, camera, keyboard, mouse, touch panel, handheld controller, other device for receiving user instructions, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, input device 150 receives user instructions when the user operates the input device. The user instructions correspond to the function, parameter, content, or switch specified by the user operation (e.g., speaking, gesture, pressing, swiping, clicking, or touching).

[0019] In one embodiment, the input device 150 is disposed on the base body 111, the first body 112, and / or the second body 113. For example, if the input device 150 is disposed on the base body 111, the first body 112, and / or the second body 113, the input device 150 may be a microphone, camera, keyboard, or touch panel. In another embodiment, the input device 150 is an external device and is connected to components (e.g., controller 170) in the main body of the foldable device 100 via wireless communication technology (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or infrared). For example, if the input device 150 is an external device, the input device 150 may be a mouse, mobile phone, handheld controller, or stylus.

[0020] The first screen 161 can be an LCD, LED, OLED, or other display technology screen. The first screen 161 is located on one side of the first body 112.

[0021] The second screen 162 can be an LCD, LED, OLED, or other display technology screen. The second screen 162 is located on one side of the second body 113. For example, the side where the second sensor 142 is located.

[0022] The controller 170 is coupled to the first motor 131, the second motor 132, the first sensor 141, the second sensor 142, and the input device 150. The controller 170 may be a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a data processing unit (DPU), a visual processing unit (VPU), a tensor processing unit (TPU), or a neural-network processing unit (NPU), or other programmable general-purpose or special-purpose microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), programmable controllers, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or other similar components or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the controller 170 is used to perform all or part of the operations of the foldable device 100, and can load and execute one or more software modules, files and / or data stored in the storage.

[0023] In one embodiment, the controller 170 executes a screen adjustment assistance application. This application provides a user interface for user operation and receiving user commands. Furthermore, in some application scenarios, this application is used to calculate angles, store preference settings, and / or analyze sensor data.

[0024] It should be noted that the number and position of the first sensor 141, the second sensor 142, the first screen 161 and the second screen 162 shown in Figure 2 are only for illustrative purposes. They can be adjusted according to actual needs in other application scenarios, and the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.

[0025] The methods described in the embodiments of the present invention will be explained below in conjunction with the devices, components, and modules in the foldable device 100. Each step of this method may be adjusted according to the implementation situation, and is not limited thereto.

[0026] Figure 3 is a flowchart of an operation method for a foldable device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 3, the controller 170 controls the first motor 131 and / or the second motor 132 based on first sensing data and / or second sensing data (step S310), causing the base body 111 and the first body 112 to rotate relative to each other and / or the first body 112 and the second body 113 to rotate relative to each other. Specifically, the controller 170 can analyze the first sensing data and / or the second sensing data, obtain analysis results, and control the first motor 131 and / or the second motor 132 to rotate the first pivot 121 and / or the second pivot 122 based on the analysis results. This analysis result is used for the angle at which the first screen 161 and / or the second screen 162 are easily viewed towards the target object (e.g., face, eyes, or nose), and / or the angle at which the first screen 161 and / or the second screen 162 are easily operated towards the object (e.g., hand).

[0027] Figure 4 is a flowchart of sensing reception according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 4, when the base body 111, the first body 112, and the second body 113 are in the first folded mode, the controller 170 can receive first sensing data only through the first sensor 141 (step S410). Specifically, since the second sensor 142 is located on the edge of the second body 113 as shown in Figure 2B, and the second sensor 142 may be obscured due to the closure of the first body 112 and the second body 113, sensing can be performed only through the first sensor 141 when the second sensor 142 is obscured.

[0028] It should be noted that the foldable device 100 provides multiple folding modes. For example, FIG5A is a schematic diagram of a first folding mode 21 - closed mode FM11 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG5A, the base body 111, the first body 112, and the second body 113 are completely folded. One side of the base body 111 is against one side of the first body 112, and the other side of the first body 112 is against one side of the second body 113. In the first folding mode FM1, the angle between the base body 111, the first body 112, and the second body 113 is zero. For example, the included angle D1 is 0, and the included angle D2 is 0. At this time, the second sensor 142 (as shown in FIG2A) provided on one side of the second body 113 is shielded, while the first sensor 141 provided on the first pivot 121 is still exposed. Therefore, the first sensor data received by the first sensor 141 can be used for subsequent analysis. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the included angle D1 is 0, but the included angle D2 may not be zero. That is, the base body 111 is closed with the first body 112, but the first body 112 is unfolded with the second body 113.

[0029] Please refer to Figure 4. When the base body 111, the first body 112 and the second body 113 are in the second folding mode, the controller 170 can receive first sensing data through the first sensor 141 and / or receive second sensing data through the second sensor 142 (step S420).

[0030] For example, Figure 5B is a schematic diagram of the second folding mode FM2-typing mode FM21 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 5A and 5B, compared to the closed mode FM11 of Figure 5A, in the typing mode FM21 of Figure 5B, the first body 112 rotates about the first pivot 121 and relative to the base body 111, and the second body 113 rotates about the second pivot 122 and relative to the first body 112. In the second folding mode FM2, the angles between the base body 111, the first body 112, and the second body 113 are greater than zero. For example, the included angle D1 is 5 to 10 degrees, and the included angle D2 is 95 to 145 degrees. At this time, the included angle D1 provides a comfortable hand typing angle, while the included angle D2 provides a comfortable eye viewing angle.

[0031] Figure 5C is a schematic diagram of the second folding mode FM2-drawing mode FM22 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 5A and 5C, compared to the closed mode FM11 of Figure 5A, in the drawing mode FM22 of Figure 5C, the first body 112 rotates about the first pivot 121 and relative to the base body 111, and the second body 113 rotates about the second pivot 122 and relative to the first body 112. At this time, the included angle D1 is, for example, 30 to 55 degrees, and the included angle D2 is 120 to 180 degrees. The included angle D1 provides a comfortable hand drawing angle, while the included angle D2 provides a comfortable eye viewing angle.

[0032] Figure 5D is a schematic diagram of the second folding mode FM2-reading mode FM23 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 5A and 5D, compared to the closed mode FM11 of Figure 5A, in the reading mode FM23 of Figure 5D, the first body 112 rotates about the first pivot 121 and relative to the base body 111, and the second body 113 rotates about the second pivot 122 and relative to the first body 112. At this time, the included angle D1 is, for example, 45 to 75 degrees (i.e., not zero), and the included angle D2 is 135 to 180 degrees (i.e., not zero). The included angle D2 allows the screens on the first body 112 and the second body 113 (e.g., the first screen 161 and the second screen 162 shown in Figure 2A) to be used for browsing and viewing.

[0033] It is worth noting that in the second folding mode FM2 of Figures 5B to 5D, the second sensor 142 located on one side of the second body 113 is not shielded (i.e., exposed), while the first sensor 141 located on the first pivot 121 remains exposed. Therefore, both the first sensor data received by the first sensor 141 and the second sensor data received by the second sensor 142 can be used for subsequent analysis. Thus, the processor 170 can perform sensing through one or both of the first sensor 141 and the second sensor 142.

[0034] It should be noted that in other embodiments, the included angles D1 and D2 can be changed to meet the needs of other application scenarios. In some embodiments, the positions of the first sensor 141 and the second sensor 142 may still be changed.

[0035] Figure 6 is a flowchart of mode switching according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 6, the controller 170 can receive a first trigger command (step S610) through the input device 150. Specifically, since the foldable device 100 provides multiple folding modes, the user can select or change the mode according to their needs. The first trigger command can be a voice, press, touch, or gesture command, and is used to indicate the target mode (i.e., select one of the multiple folding modes).

[0036] For example, Figure 7A is a schematic diagram illustrating the starting mode according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 7B is a schematic diagram illustrating the target mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 7A and 7B, the starting mode is the closed mode FM11 of Figure 5A as an example. When using the foldable device 100 with a fixed distance and facial angle, the user wants to change from the closed mode FM11 to the typing mode FM21 of Figure 5B (i.e., the target mode shown in Figure 7B). The user speaks the voice command "typing mode" or presses the shortcut key for typing mode.

[0037] The controller 170 can control the first motor 131 according to the first trigger command, so that the angle between the base body 111 and the first body 112 corresponds to the folding mode corresponding to the first trigger command (step S620). Specifically, as shown in Figures 5A to 5D, the included angle D1 between the base body 111 and the first body 112 corresponds to a suitable angle for different folding modes. When the received first trigger command specifies a specific folding mode, the processor 170 can obtain the target angle, preferred angle, or angle range of the included angle D1 corresponding to the specified folding mode. Then, the processor 170 generates a drive command (e.g., to indicate rotation to the target angle, preferred angle, or minimum value within the angle range) based on the obtained target angle, preferred angle, or minimum value, and transmits the drive command to the first motor 131, causing the first pivot 121 to rotate, and causing the included angle D1 between the base body 111 and the first body 112 to reach the target angle, preferred angle, or minimum value within the angle range.

[0038] The controller 170 can determine the position of the target object based on the first sensing data and / or the second sensing data (step S630). Specifically, the target object can be the user's eyes, nose, or face. The position of the target object can be used to determine the appropriate angle between the first body 112 and the second body 113.

[0039] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating the positional relationship according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 8, the distance... The length of the first unit 112, and the distance The length of the second unit 113, and the distance The distance from the top side of the second body 113 to the target object TO (taking the user U's face as an example) (or the sensing distance of the second sensor 142 to the target object TO), distance The vertical component of the sensing distance of the first sensor 141 to the target object TO is the distance. The horizontal component of the sensing distance of the first sensor 141 to the target object TO is the distance. The sensing distance of the target object TO obtained by the first sensor 141, and the distance This refers to the maximum deployment distance between the first unit 112 and the second unit 113 at the included angle D2. The angle D1 is... And the included angle D2 is 180+ .angle For vectors The angle relative to the horizontal line. For vectors The angle relative to the unfolding angle of the horizontal line (e.g., 270°) For vectors The angle relative to the unfolding angle of the horizontal line (e.g., 0°). For vectors The angle of unfolding relative to the horizontal line (180°-) (The first sensor 141 detects the angle of the target object TO), and the angle For vectors The angle of expansion relative to the horizontal line.

[0040] At this time, distance , and angle , , These are unknowns. Based on the positional relationships shown in Figure 8, the following equations can be derived, and these unknowns can be solved: = …(1) = …(2) = …(3) = …(4) = …(5) = …(6) = …(7) =0…(8) =0…(9) =0…(10) …(11) i =0…(12) …(13) …(14) …(15) …(16).

[0041] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the positional relationship of the starting mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 9, the starting mode is FM11 of the off mode in Figure 5A as an example. The first sensor 141 can detect the distance relative to the target object TO (taking the face of user U as an example). and angle 180- Assuming distance It is 36 centimeters, and the distance is... It is 45 centimeters, the distance It is 58 cm long and the angle is 180 degrees. The angle is 38°, while the angle between the target object TO and the horizontal plane is 15°.

[0042] In one embodiment, the first sensing data and / or the second sensing data include an image. The controller 170 can identify the (image) position of a target object in the image based on image recognition technology (e.g., image feature comparison or machine learning-based classifier) ​​and determine the relative distance and angle based on the identification results.

[0043] In another embodiment, the first sensing data and / or the second sensing data include depth information and angle. The controller 170 can convert the depth information into distance.

[0044] Referring to Figure 6, the controller 170 controls the second motor 132 based on the difference between the target object's position and the reference position, so that the angle between the first body 112 and the second body 113 corresponds to the folding mode corresponding to the first trigger command, and the target object's position is aligned with the reference position (step S640). Specifically, the first body 112 and the second body 113 will face the user after unfolding. The above description of the multiple second folding modes FM2 also explains the appropriate angles corresponding to the included angle D2. For example, the appropriate angle for the typing mode FM21 is between 95 and 145 degrees, the appropriate angle for the drawing mode FM22 is between 120 and 180 degrees, and the appropriate angle for the reading mode FM23 is between 135 and 180 degrees. At these appropriate angles, the target object's position will be aligned with the reference position.

[0045] For example, Figure 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the position alignment of a target mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 10, taking the typing mode FM21 of Figure 5B as an example, the reference position RP is the position reached by the user U, extending from the normal vector of the second sensor 142. With the included angle D1 and the target object TO fixed, a change in the included angle D2 will change this reference position RP. When the included angle D2 is between 95 and 145 degrees, the reference position RP will overlap with the position of the target object TO, or the difference (i.e., distance) between the reference position RP and the position of the target object TO will be within an acceptable range.

[0046] Figures 11A and 11B are schematic diagrams illustrating the position alignment based on images IM1 and IM2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 11A and 11B, the controller 170 identifies the position of the target object TO in images IM1 and IM2, respectively. The controller 170 can move the position of the target object TO in images IM1 and IM2 to a reference position RP (as shown) by controlling the second motor 132. For example, the face and eyes are located at the horizontal center of images IM1 and IM2. When the difference between the position of the target object TO and the reference position RP is that the target object TO is above the reference position RP, the second motor 132 can drive the second pivot 122 to increase the angle D2. That is, the first body 112 and the second body 113 are further extended. When the difference between the position of the target object TO and the reference position RP is that the target object TO is below the reference position RP, the second motor 132 can drive the second pivot 122 to decrease the angle D2. That is, the first body 112 and the second body 113 are closer together.

[0047] It should be noted that the above example uses the switching from the off mode FM11 to the typing mode FM21. Users can change to other modes according to their actual needs.

[0048] It is worth noting that, in certain folding modes, the included angles D1 and D2 can also be adjusted. Figure 12 is a flowchart of the first mode calibration according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 12, in a certain folding mode, assume that the angle between the base body 111 and the first body 112 (i.e., the included angle D1) changes to a new angle. This new angle is still within the angle range of the original folding mode. For example, the angle range of typing mode FM21 is 5~10 degrees, the angle range of drawing mode FM22 is 30~55 degrees, and the angle range of reading mode FM23 is 45~75 degrees.

[0049] Figure 13A is a schematic diagram illustrating the starting mode according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 13B is a schematic diagram illustrating angle fine-tuning according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 13A and 13B, the starting mode is exemplified by the typing mode FM21 shown in Figure 5B. User U manually changes the angle D1 between the first body 112 and the second body 113. For example, the preset minimum value of 5 degrees is changed to 7 degrees to better suit users' customized typing needs.

[0050] Referring to Figure 12, the controller 170 can correspond the new angle to the preferred setting of the folding mode corresponding to the first trigger command (step S1210). The preference setting stores the preferred angle corresponding to the included angle D1 of the folding mode. The controller 170 can set the angle specified by the user for the current folding mode as the preferred angle. Alternatively, the facial recognition function of the operating system can store this new angle and correspond it to the current folding mode. When switching to the same folding mode again, the first motor 131 will drive the first pivot 121 according to this preferred angle, so that the included angle D1 reaches the preferred angle.

[0051] The controller 170 can determine the position of the target object based on the first sensing data and / or the second sensing data (step S1220). Specifically, since the angle D1 has changed but the angle D2 has not changed, the second body 113 needs to be recalibrated to face the target object, and the relative distance and angle of the target object need to be re-detected. The description of step S1220 can be found in the description of step S630 in Figure 6, and will not be repeated here.

[0052] The controller 170 controls the second motor 132 based on the difference between the position of the target object and the reference position, so that the angle between the first body 112 and the second body 113 corresponds to the folding mode corresponding to the first trigger command and the position of the target object is aligned with the reference position (step S1230). If the position of the target object does not overlap with the reference position or the difference between the two positions is greater than the allowable value, the controller 170 can drive the second pivot 122 through the second motor 132 to change the included angle D2 between the first body 112 and the second body 113. The description of step S1230 can be found in the description of step S640 in Figure 6, and will not be repeated here.

[0053] For example, Figure 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating the position alignment of the target mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 14, the target mode is maintained, and taking the typing mode FM21 of Figure 5B as an example, the included angle D1 has been adjusted to a new angle. With the included angle D1 and the target object TO fixed, the change of the included angle D2 will change the reference position RP. When the included angle D2 is between 95 and 145 degrees, the reference position RP will overlap with the position of the target object TO, or the difference (i.e., distance) between the reference position RP and the position of the target object TO will be within an acceptable range.

[0054] It should be noted that the above example only introduces the angle fine-tuning of the FM21 in typing mode. Users can apply it to the calibration of other folding modes according to their actual needs.

[0055] It is worth noting that the user's face position may change in a specific folding mode. Figure 15 is a flowchart of the second mode calibration according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 15, the controller 170 can receive a second trigger command (step S1510) through the input device 150. Specifically, the user actively notifies of the change in position. The second trigger command can be a voice, press, touch, or gesture command, and is used to indicate the calibration mode (i.e., start calibration).

[0056] For example, Figure 16A is a schematic diagram illustrating user U at the starting position according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 16B is a schematic diagram illustrating user U at the updated position according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 16A and 16B, user U changes the distance and angle of the original device (moving from the position shown in Figure 16A to the position shown in Figure 16B), and wants to recalibrate the angle and position of the foldable device 10 relative to the target object at the position shown in Figure 16B, thus enabling mode calibration. The user speaks the voice command "calibrate mode" or presses the shortcut button for calibration mode.

[0057] Referring to Figure 15, the controller 170 determines the new position of the target object based on the first sensing data and / or the second sensing data (step S1520). A description of step S1520 can be found in the explanation of step S630 in Figure 6, and will not be repeated here.

[0058] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram illustrating the positional relationship of user U at the starting position according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 17, the folding mode is exemplified by the reading mode FM23 shown in Figure 2D. The first sensor 141 detects the distance relative to the target object TO (taking user U's face as an example) when the user is in the position shown in Figure 16A. and angle 180- Assuming distance It is 35 centimeters, the distance It is 50 centimeters away. It is 61 cm long and the angle is 180- The angle is 54°, and the angle between the target object TO and the horizontal plane is 15°. At this time, the appropriate angle D1 between the base body 111 and the first body 112 is 45 degrees, and the appropriate angle D2 between the first body 112 and the second body 113 is 152.5 degrees.

[0059] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating the positional relationship of user U at the updated position according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 18, the updated position is, for example, the position shown in Figure 16B. The first sensor 141 detects the distance relative to the target object TO (taking user U's face as an example) when the user is at the position shown in Figure 16B. and angle 180- Assuming distance It is 70 centimeters, the distance It is 25 centimeters, the distance It is 74.7 cm long and has an angle of 180 degrees. The angle is 19°, and the angle between the target object TO and the horizontal plane is 10°. In this case, the appropriate angle for angle D2 will not apply to the appropriate angle in Figure 17. Calculations show that 130.5 degrees is the appropriate angle for angle D2.

[0060] Referring to Figure 15, the controller 170 can control the second motor 132 according to the second trigger command, so that the angle between the first body 112 and the second body 113 corresponds to the folding mode corresponding to the first trigger command, and the new position of the target object is aligned with the reference position (step S1530). Specifically, the position alignment of the second motor 132 can be referred to the description of step S640 in Figure 6, which will not be repeated here.

[0061] For example, Figure 19A is a schematic diagram illustrating the user's position alignment at the starting position according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 19B is a schematic diagram illustrating the user's position alignment at the updated position according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 19A and 19B, with the included angle D1 and the target object TO fixed, changing the included angle D2 will change the reference position RP. In Figure 19A, the reference position RP is located above the target object TO, so by reducing the angle D2, the reference position RP can be aligned with the target object TO (as shown in Figure 19B). At this time, the angle D2 is, for example, 130.5°. That is, the viewing angle when the angle between the target object TO (taking the eye as an example) and the horizontal line is 10° as shown in Figure 18.

[0062] It should be noted that the above example only introduces the proofreading of FM23 in reading mode. Users can apply it to the proofreading of other folding modes according to their actual needs.

[0063] In summary, the foldable device and its operating method in this embodiment of the invention provide automatic switching between multiple folding modes for the three-body foldable device, and provide corresponding mode calibration based on the fine adjustment of the body angle and changes in the user's position. Therefore, this embodiment of the invention allows users to achieve a more comfortable and smoother user experience when using the product.

[0064] Although the present invention has been disclosed above by way of embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone skilled in the art can make some modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be determined by the appended claims.

[0065] 100: Foldable device 111: Base and Body 112: First Machine 113: Second Unit 121: First Pivot 122: Second Pivot 131: First Motor 132: Second Motor 141: First Sensor 142: Second sensor 150: Input device 161: First Screen 162: Second Screen 170: Controller D1, D2: Included angle FM1: First Fold Mode FM11: Off Mode FM2: Second Fold Mode FM21: Typing Mode FM22: Drawing Mode FM23: Reading Mode IM1, IM2: Images R1~R7: Distance RP: Reference Position S310, S410, S420, S610, S620, S630, S640, S1210, S1220, S1230, S1510, S1520, S1530: Steps TO: Target U: User ~ :angle

Claims

1. A foldable device, comprising: One base unit; The first body; A first pivot is pivotally connected between the base body and the first body; A first motor for driving the rotation of the first pivot, causing the base body and the first body to rotate relative to each other; a second body; A second pivot is pivotally connected between the first body and the second body; a second motor is used to drive the rotation of the second pivot, so that the first body and the second body rotate relative to each other; A first sensor for receiving first sensing data; A second sensor for receiving second sensing data; The controller is coupled to the first motor, the second motor, the first sensor, and the second sensor, and configured to: control at least one of the first motor and the second motor based on at least one of the first sensing data and the second sensing data; receive the first sensing data only through the first sensor when the base body, the first body, and the second body are in a first folding mode; and receive the first sensing data through the first sensor or receive the second sensing data through the second sensor when the base body, the first body, and the second body are in a second folding mode, wherein the difference between the first folding mode and the second folding mode is the angle between the base body and the first body, and in the first folding mode, the angle between the base body, the first body, and the second body is zero.

2. The foldable device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first sensor is disposed on the first pivot and the second sensor is disposed on the second body.

3. The foldable device as described in claim 1, further comprising: An input device, coupled to the controller, is configured to receive a first trigger command, wherein the controller is further configured to: control the first motor according to the first trigger command, such that the angle between the base body and the first body corresponds to the folding mode corresponding to the first trigger command.

4. The foldable device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to: determine the position of a target based on at least one of the first sensing data and the second sensing data; and control the second motor based on the difference between the position of the target and a reference position, such that the angle between the first body and the second body corresponds to the folding mode corresponding to the first trigger command and the position of the target is aligned with the reference position.

5. The foldable device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the angle between the base body and the first body is changed to a new angle, and the controller is further configured to: correspond the new angle to a preference setting of a folding mode corresponding to the first trigger command; determine the position of a target object based on at least one of the first sensing data and the second sensing data; and control the second motor based on the difference between the position of the target object and a reference position, such that the angle between the first body and the second body corresponds to the folding mode corresponding to the first trigger command and the position of the target object is aligned with the reference position.

6. The foldable device as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the input device is further configured to receive a second trigger command, wherein the controller is further configured to: determine a new position of the target object based on at least one of the first sensing data and the second sensing data; and control the second motor based on the second trigger command such that the angle between the first body and the second body corresponds to the folding mode corresponding to the first trigger command and the new position of the target object is aligned with the reference position.

7. The foldable device as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one of the first sensing data and the second sensing data includes an image, and the controller is further configured to: move the position of the target object in the image to the reference position by controlling the second motor.

8. The foldable device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: A first screen is located on one side of the first machine; And a second screen, located on one side of the second unit.

9. A method of operating a foldable device, comprising: A foldable device is provided, comprising a base body, a first body, a second body, two sensors, a first motor, and a second motor. The base body is pivotally connected to the first body, and the first body is pivotally connected to the second body. The first motor is used to rotate the base body and the first body relative to each other, and the second motor is used to rotate the first body and the second body relative to each other. The first motor and the second motor are controlled based on at least one of first sensing data and second sensing data to cause the base body and the first body to rotate relative to each other or the first body and the second body to rotate relative to each other. The first sensing data is obtained through the first sensor of the two sensors, and the second sensing data is obtained through the second sensor of the two sensors. When the base body, the first body, and the second body are in a first folding mode, the first sensing data is received only through the first sensor; and when the base body, the first body, and the second body are in a second folding mode, the first sensing data is received through the first sensor or the second sensing data is received through the second sensor, wherein the difference between the first folding mode and the second folding mode is the angle between the base body and the first body, and in the first folding mode, the angle between the base body, the first body, and the second body is zero.

10. The method of operating a foldable device as described in claim 9, further comprising: Receive a first trigger command; And control the first motor according to the first trigger command, so that the angle between the base body and the first body corresponds to the folding mode corresponding to the first trigger command.

11. The method of operating a foldable device as described in claim 0, wherein the step of controlling at least one of the first sensing data and the second sensing data includes: The position of a target is determined based on at least one of the first sensing data and the second sensing data; And control the second motor based on the difference between the position of the target object and a reference position, so that the angle between the first body and the second body corresponds to the folding mode corresponding to the first trigger command and the position of the target object is aligned with the reference position.

12. The method of operating a foldable device as described in claim 10, wherein the angle between the base body and the first body is changed to a new angle, and the steps of controlling at least one of the first motor and the second motor based on at least one of the first sensing data and the second sensing data include: The new angle is then mapped to the preference setting of the folding mode corresponding to the first trigger command; The position of a target is determined based on at least one of the first sensing data and the second sensing data; and the second motor is controlled based on the difference between the position of the target and a reference position, so that the angle between the first body and the second body corresponds to the folding mode corresponding to the first trigger command and the position of the target is aligned with the reference position.

13. The method of operating a foldable device as described in claim 11 or 12, further comprising: Receive a second trigger command; determine the new position of the target object based on at least one of the first sensing data and the second sensing data; And control the second motor according to the second trigger command, so that the angle between the first body and the second body corresponds to the folding mode corresponding to the first trigger command and the new position of the target object is aligned with the reference position.

14. The method of operating a foldable device as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one of the first sensing data and the second sensing data includes an image, and the step of controlling at least one of the first motor and the second motor based on the first sensing data and the second sensing data includes: By controlling the second motor, the position of the target object in the image is moved to the reference position.

Images