Electronic device and control method thereof

Abstract

The present application discloses an electronic device and a control method thereof. The disclosed electronic device includes a first shell, a second shell, a hinge mechanism and a flexible screen, wherein: the first shell is rotatably connected to the second shell through the hinge mechanism, the flexible screen is arranged on the first shell and the second shell, and the flexible screen has a crease area opposite to the hinge mechanism, the electronic device also includes a deformation structure, the deformation structure is arranged on the back of the crease area, the crease area includes a first display surface, and the first display surface is opposite to the back; when the electronic device is in an unfolded state, the deformation structure is used to drive the crease area to deform until the first display surface is in a flattened state. The above technical solution can solve the problem that the creases generated in the crease area of ​​the flexible screen described in the background technology cannot be eliminated, which affects the display performance and user experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of communication equipment, and specifically relates to an electronic device and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Flexible screens have the characteristics of low power consumption and bendability. Therefore, more and more electronic devices use flexible screens as electronic screens. In the process of using flexible screens, the flexibility of flexible screens is mainly reflected in the bends, but the plasticity of the material of the flexible screen itself causes creases to appear in the crease area of ​​the flexible screen and cannot be automatically eliminated, which not only affects the display performance of the flexible screen in some scenarios, but also affects the user experience. Summary of the invention

[0003] The purpose of the embodiments of the present application is to disclose an electronic device and a control method thereof, which can solve the problem described in the background technology that the creases in the crease area of ​​the flexible screen cannot be automatically eliminated, thereby affecting the display performance and user experience.

[0004] In order to solve the above technical problems, this application is implemented as follows:

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application discloses an electronic device, wherein the disclosed electronic device includes a first housing, a second housing, a hinge mechanism, and a flexible screen, wherein:

[0006] The first shell is rotatably connected to the second shell through the rotating shaft mechanism, the flexible screen is arranged on the first shell and the second shell, and the flexible screen has a folding area opposite to the rotating shaft mechanism,

[0007] The electronic device further comprises a deformation structure, wherein the deformation structure is arranged on the back side of the folding area, and the folding area comprises a first display surface, and the first display surface is arranged opposite to the back side;

[0008] When the electronic device is in an unfolded state, the deformation structure is used to drive the fold area to deform until the first display surface is in a flattened state.

[0009] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application discloses a control method of an electronic device, wherein the electronic device is the electronic device described above, and the disclosed control method includes:

[0010] detecting a state of the electronic device;

[0011] When the electronic device is in a flattened state, the deformation structure is controlled to drive the crease area to deform until the first display surface is in a flattened state.

[0012] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application discloses a control device for an electronic device, wherein the electronic device is the electronic device described above, and the disclosed control device includes:

[0013] A detection module, used to detect the state of the electronic device;

[0014] The control module is used to control the deformation structure to drive the crease area to deform when the electronic device is in the unfolded state, until the first display surface is in the flattened state.

[0015] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application discloses a terminal device, which includes a processor, a memory, and a program or instruction stored in the memory and executable on the processor, and the program or instruction, when executed by the processor, implements the steps of the control method described above.

[0016] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application discloses a readable storage medium, on which a program or instruction is stored. When the program or instruction is executed by a processor, the steps of the control method described above are implemented.

[0017] The technical solution adopted in this application can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0018] The electronic device disclosed in the embodiment of the present application improves the structure of the electronic device in the related art by providing a deformation structure in the foldable electronic device, and providing the deformation structure on the back of the crease area, so that when the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the deformation structure can drive the crease area to deform through its own deformation, so that the first display surface of the crease area is in a flattened state, that is, the crease in the crease area is alleviated or eliminated by the reverse force applied by the deformation structure, so that when the user uses the electronic device in the unfolded state, there is no crease in the crease area, thereby improving the display performance of the electronic device and improving the user experience of using the electronic device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic device disclosed in the embodiment of the present application when the flexible screen is in an unfolded state and has a crease;

[0020] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of the electronic device disclosed in the embodiment of the present application when the flexible screen is in an unfolded state and the crease is eliminated (that is, the flexible screen is in a flattened state);

[0021] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a deformed structure of an electronic device disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] Figure 4 and Figure 5is a schematic structural diagram of a deformed structure of an electronic device disclosed in an embodiment of the present application in different states;

[0023] Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of another deformed structure of an electronic device disclosed in an embodiment of the present application in different states;

[0024] Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of the electronic device disclosed in the embodiment of the present application.

[0025] Description of reference numerals:

[0026] 100-first housing;

[0027] 200- second housing;

[0028] 300-rotating shaft mechanism;

[0029] 400-flexible screen, 410-crease area, 411-back surface, 412-first display surface;

[0030] 500-deformation structure, 510-electric field induced deformation structure, 511-first deformation unit, 5111-first surface, 5112-second surface, 520-control part, 521-voltage generation chip, 530-deformation transmission unit, 531-deformation gap, 532-positive electrode end, 533-negative electrode end, 540-electric field induced deformation unit;

[0031] 1200-electronic device, 1201-radio frequency unit, 1202-network module, 1203-audio output unit, 1204-input unit, 12041-graphics processor, 12042-microphone, 1205-sensor, 1206-display unit, 12061-display panel, 1207-user input unit, 12071-touch panel, 12072-other input devices, 1208-interface unit, 1209-memory, 1210-processor, 1211-power supply. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0033] The terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of the present application are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the data used in this way can be interchangeable under appropriate circumstances, so that the embodiments of the present application can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described here, and the objects distinguished by "first", "second", etc. are generally of one type, and the number of objects is not limited. For example, the first object can be one or more. In addition, "and / or" in the specification and claims represents at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the objects associated with each other are in an "or" relationship.

[0034] The electronic device provided in the embodiment of the present application is described in detail below through specific embodiments and application scenarios in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0035] like Figures 1 to 9 As shown, an embodiment of the present application discloses an electronic device, which includes a first shell 100 , a second shell 200 , a hinge mechanism 300 and a flexible screen 400 .

[0036] Among them: the first shell 100 and the second shell 200 are the installation bases of the electronic device, the hinge mechanism 300 can make the first shell 100 and the second shell 200 rotate relative to each other, that is, the first shell 100 is connected to the second shell 200 by the hinge mechanism 300, and the flexible screen 400 is arranged on the first shell 100 and the second shell 200, so that the user can realize the unfolding state and the folding state of the flexible screen 400 through the relative rotation between the first shell 100 and the second shell 200, so as to facilitate the user to switch between the large screen and the small screen. However, due to the plasticity of the material of the flexible screen 400, a crease will be generated at the bend of the flexible screen 400, that is, the flexible screen 400 has a crease area 410 opposite to the hinge mechanism 300.

[0037] The crease area 410 includes a first display surface 412 and a back surface 411. The first display surface 412 is disposed opposite to the back surface 411. As a part of the flexible screen 400, the crease area 410 also has the display function of the flexible screen 400. The first display surface 412 is the display surface of the crease area 410. That is to say, when the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the first display surface 412 faces the user and is the user's visible area, while the back surface 411 faces away from the user and is the user's non-visible area (generally facing the inside of the electronic device).

[0038] The electronic device further includes a deformation structure 500, which is disposed on the back side 411 of the crease area 410, that is, the deformation structure 500 is disposed between the flexible screen 400 and the hinge mechanism 300, that is, the deformation structure 500 is disposed inside the electronic device. When the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the deformation structure 500 itself can be deformed to drive the crease area 410 to deform until the first display surface 412 is flattened, so that the deformation structure 500 can alleviate or eliminate the crease of the crease area 410 by deformation, so as to improve the user experience and the display performance of the crease area 410. In this case, after being flattened, the first display surface 412 can be located in the same plane as other display areas of the flexible screen 400.

[0039] Of course, when the electronic device is in a folded state, the first shell 100 and the second shell 200 are overlapped, and the crease area 410 can be restored to the bent state, that is, the crease area 410 has a crease again, thereby adapting to the folded state of the electronic device.

[0040] The electronic device disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can be an electronic device that folds outward or inward. It should be noted that the electronic device that folds inward refers to an electronic device in which the flexible screen 400 is folded between the first shell 100 and the second shell 200 in the folded state, in which case most of the flexible screen 400 is not exposed. The electronic device that folds outward refers to an electronic device in which the first shell 100 and the second shell 200 are folded between the bent structure of the flexible screen 400 in the folded state, in which case the flexible screen 400 is exposed.

[0041] The electronic device disclosed in the embodiment of the present application improves the structure of the electronic device in the related art by setting a deformation structure 500 in the foldable electronic device, and setting the deformation structure 500 on the back side 411 of the crease area 410, so that when the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the deformation structure 500 can drive the crease area 410 to deform through its own deformation, so that the first display surface 412 of the crease area 410 is in a flattened state, that is, the crease in the crease area 410 is alleviated or eliminated by the reverse force applied by the deformation structure 500, so that when the user uses the electronic device in the unfolded state, there is no crease in the crease area 410, thereby improving the display performance of the electronic device and improving the user experience of using the electronic device.

[0042] In the electronic device disclosed in the embodiment of the present application, the deformable structure 500 may be a field-induced deformable structure. In this case, the deformable structure 500 is a specific structure that can be deformed under a specific field, and the specific field may be a thermal field, a magnetic field, an electric field, etc., so that the structure of the deformable structure 500 is relatively simple, which is conducive to production and manufacturing.

[0043] In a further technical solution, the deformable structure 500 can be stacked on the back side 411 of the crease area 410, and the surface of the deformable structure 500 away from the crease area 410 is suspended. In this case, the deformable structure 500 can be used to deform and eliminate the crease, and the deformable structure 500 can also play a reinforcing role on the crease area 410 as a reinforcing layer to prevent the flexible screen 400 from collapsing at the crease area 410. The suspended setting is also more conducive to the folding or unfolding operation of the electronic device.

[0044] Of course, when the deformation structure 500 is a field-induced deformation structure, the deformation of the field-induced deformation structure is achieved through a field without contact. Therefore, this suspended setting will not affect the field-induced drive, and is also conducive to the flexible arrangement of components constituting the field-induced environment on the electronic device.

[0045] In the electronic device disclosed in the embodiment of the present application, the deformation structure 500 may include an electric field-induced deformation structure 510, and the electric field-induced deformation structure 510 may include a plurality of first strip-shaped deformation units 511 distributed side by side, the first deformation unit 511 is connected to the back surface 411 of the folding area 410, and the length direction of the first deformation unit 511 is consistent with the extension direction of the folding area 410. When the electronic device is in the unfolded state, each first deformation unit 511 deforms in the first direction so that each first deformation unit 511 cooperates to drive the first display surface 412 to the flattened state. It should be noted that the first direction is the thickness direction of the flexible screen 400.

[0046] In the above case, the extension direction of the fold area 410 (is Figure 3 The length direction of the middle strip-shaped first deformation unit 511 is parallel to the axial direction of the hinge mechanism 300, and the first direction is a direction perpendicular to the flexible screen 400. In the process of eliminating the crease in the crease area 410, the unfolded state of the electronic device can be divided into the initial unfolded state of the electronic device and the unfolded state of the electronic device. Specifically, when the electronic device is in the initial unfolded state, the crease area 410 has a crease, that is, the first display surface 412 has a concave or convex crease. At this time, in order to eliminate the crease on the first display surface 412, the multiple first deformation units 511 are deformed in the first direction, that is, the multiple first deformation units 511 can apply a force in the opposite direction to the concave or convex crease, so that the entire first display surface 412 can be in a flattened state, that is, the electronic device can be in the unfolded state after the flexible screen 400 is flattened.

[0047] The deformation of the plurality of first deformation units 511 can be extended or shortened in the first direction according to the actual situation, so that the plurality of first deformation units 511 can exert a force in the opposite direction on the concave or convex creases on the first display surface 412, so as to drive the first display surface 412 to be in a flattened state. In the above-mentioned method of eliminating creases, the electric field-induced deformation structure 510 is divided into a plurality of micro units, that is, the electric field-induced deformation structure 510 is divided into a plurality of first deformation units 511, so that the deformation structure 500 can locally adjust the crease area 410 through the deformation of the plurality of first deformation units 511, so that the flattening adjustment of the first display surface 412 is more refined, and the adjustment accuracy of the flattening adjustment of the first display surface 412 is higher, so that the local unevenness of the first display surface 412 can be avoided.

[0048] In a further technical solution, the deformation structure 500 disclosed in the embodiment of the present application may also include a control part 520, which is connected to each first deformation unit 511. When the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the control part 520 is used to control each first deformation unit 511 to deform in the first direction, so that each first deformation unit 511 cooperates to drive the first display surface 412 to the flattened state.

[0049] In this case, when the electronic device switches from the folded state to the unfolded state, it means that the user needs to use the flexible screen 400. At this time, the control part 520 can control the first deformation unit 511 to deform in the first direction, so that the deformed first deformation unit 511 can drive the first display surface 412 to be in a flattened state, so as to facilitate the user to use the crease area 410 in the flexible screen 400. The above-mentioned deformation structure 500 includes the control part 520 and the structural setting of the plurality of first deformation units 511, so that the deformation structure 500 includes a control element and an actuator, so that the control element and the actuator can cooperate to eliminate the crease in the crease area 410, and the setting of the control part 520 is conducive to more precise deformation control of the plurality of first deformation units 511.

[0050] The first deformation unit 511 in the embodiment of the present application may be a flexible piezoelectric element, or an electroactive polymer, etc. The embodiment of the present application does not impose any specific restrictions on the material of the first deformation unit 511. In a more specific solution, the first deformation unit 511 may be an ionic electroactive polymer, so that the first deformation unit 511 can generate an excitation effect under a relatively low voltage, that is, the first deformation unit 511 can be deformed under a relatively low voltage, which is beneficial to improving the safety of the use of electronic devices, and is also beneficial to reducing the energy consumption of electronic devices, thereby improving the endurance of electronic devices.

[0051] In the electronic device disclosed in the embodiment of the present application, when the electronic device is in the unfolded state, a heat dissipation gap can be formed between two adjacent first deformation units 511, and the width of the heat dissipation gap is less than the minimum length of the flexible screen 400 that can collapse. In this case, the heat dissipation gap is conducive to the heat dissipation of the two adjacent first deformation units 511, thereby avoiding the concentration of heat generated by the first deformation units 511, and because the width of the heat dissipation gap is less than the minimum length of the flexible screen 400 that can collapse, the heat dissipation gap can achieve heat dissipation without causing the flexible screen 400 to deform again. It should be noted that the minimum length of the flexible screen 400 that can collapse is not a fixed value. Those skilled in the art can determine the minimum length of the flexible screen 400 that collapses based on the specific design size and material of the flexible screen 400, and the present application does not limit this.

[0052] It needs to be further explained that, in the scenario where the area with the minimum length that can collapse on the flexible screen 400 is suspended in the air and the flexible screen 400 is in the unfolded state, the area is in a flattened state. If the flexible screen 400 is in a horizontally unfolded scenario, then this area is a horizontal area and will not collapse. If the length corresponding to the area on the flexible screen 400 that can collapse is larger and is in the same scenario as above, the area with a larger length will not maintain a flattened state, nor will it form a horizontal area when the entire flexible screen 400 is placed horizontally, but will collapse instead.

[0053] In the electronic device disclosed in the embodiment of the present application, the control part 520 may include a voltage generating chip 521, the surface of each first deformation unit 511 facing the crease area 410 is a first surface 5111, the surface of each first deformation unit 511 facing away from the crease area 410 is a second surface 5112, the first surface 5111 of each first deformation unit 511 is grounded, the second surface 5112 of each first deformation unit 511 is connected to the high potential end of the voltage generating chip 521, the low potential end of the voltage generating chip 521 is grounded, and the voltage generating chip 521 is used to control the voltage applied to each first deformation unit 511. In this case, the first surface 5111 of each first deformation unit 511 is used as a grounding surface, and the second surface 5112 of each first deformation unit 511 is used as a high potential surface, so that the electrical connection of each first deformation unit 511 can be facilitated. At the same time, each first deformation unit 511 can produce different degrees of deformation according to the different voltages applied by the voltage generating chip 521, so that the above-mentioned electrical connection method is conducive to different degrees of precise deformation of different first deformation units 511, thereby improving the accuracy of the first deformation unit 511 in eliminating the crease area 410.

[0054] In the electronic device disclosed in the embodiment of the present application, the deformation structure 500 may include a plurality of electric field-induced deformation units 540 and a plurality of deformation transmission units 530. The plurality of deformation transmission units 530 are all strip-shaped structures and extend along the extension direction of the fold, and the extension direction of the fold is parallel to the axis direction of the rotating shaft mechanism 300. The first ends of the plurality of deformation transmission units 530 are all connected to the back surface 411, and the first ends of two adjacent deformation transmission units 530 are in contact. The second ends of the plurality of deformation transmission units 530 are arranged at intervals, and a deformation gap 531 is formed between two adjacent deformation transmission units 530. The width of the deformation gap 531 increases from the first end to the second end. The second ends of the two adjacent deformation transmission units 530 are each provided with an electric field-induced deformation unit 540. When the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the electric field-induced deformation unit 540 is used to change the distance between the second ends of the two adjacent deformation transmission units 530 by deformation, so that the plurality of deformation transmission units 530 rotate relative to each other to flatten the fold area 410.

[0055] In the above case, when the electronic device is in the just unfolded state, the folding area 410 of the flexible screen 400 is as follows: Figure 7 As shown, a downwardly concave crease will be generated due to the folding of the flexible screen 400. At this time, due to the concave crease, the crease area 410 drives the second ends of the two adjacent deformation transmission units 530 to have a larger distance, so that the deformation gap 531 is also larger. In order to eliminate the crease at the crease area 410, the electric field-induced deformation unit 540 is energized, so that the electric field-induced deformation unit 540 produces a contraction and shortening deformation, thereby reducing the distance between the second ends of the two adjacent deformation transmission units 530, so that the second ends of the multiple deformation transmission units 530 can drive the first ends of the multiple deformation transmission units 530 to rotate relative to each other, so that the first ends of the multiple deformation transmission units 530 are changed from a relatively concave state to a relatively flattened state, and then the first ends of the multiple deformation transmission units 530 can drive the crease area 410 to be in a flattened state.

[0056] Of course, the above is for electronic devices that fold inward. In electronic devices that fold outward, since the flexible screen 400 generates an upwardly protruding crease when unfolded, the crease protrudes at this time, so that the crease area 410 drives the second ends of two adjacent deformation transmission units 530 to maintain a small distance, thereby making the deformation gap 531 smaller. In order to eliminate the crease at the crease area 410, the electric field-induced deformation unit 540 is energized, so that the electric field-induced deformation unit 540 generates a stretching and lengthening deformation, thereby increasing the distance between the second ends of two adjacent deformation transmission units 530, so that the second ends of multiple deformation transmission units 530 can drive the first ends of multiple deformation transmission units 530 to rotate relative to each other, so that the first ends of multiple deformation transmission units 530 can be transformed from a relatively flattened state to a relatively concave state, and then the first ends of multiple deformation transmission units 530 can drive the crease area 410 to be in a flattened state.

[0057] The above-mentioned method of eliminating the crease of the crease area 410 is to divide the deformation structure 500 into a plurality of miniature small units, that is, the deformation structure 500 is divided into a plurality of deformation transmission units 530, so that the plurality of deformation transmission units 530 can realize the bending deformation of the entire deformation structure 500 through their respective local deformations, that is, by applying a reverse force to the crease depression or crease protrusion of the crease area 410, so as to flatten the crease area 410. This method is conducive to tightening the crease area 410 and can improve the flattening effect of the crease area 410. At the same time, this deformation structure 500 can assist the folding or unfolding of the foldable electronic device through the relative rotation between the plurality of deformation transmission units 530, which can undoubtedly realize the semi-automatic folding operation of the electronic device. Of course, in this case, the deformation structure 500 can play a dual role. Of course, in this process, the direction of the electric field in which the electric field-induced deformation unit 540 is located can be changed to make it stretch or shrink accordingly, so that the deformation of the entire deformation structure 500 can adaptively assist the folding or unfolding of the electronic device.

[0058] In an optional solution, when the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the deformation structure 500 is used to drive the crease area 410 to deform, such as Figure 8As shown, the crease area 410 is in a state of further bending concave or further bending convex, and finally the crease area 410 and other areas of the flexible screen 400 are not in the same plane. In this case, the electronic device can control the crease area 410 to display the first image and control other areas of the flexible screen 400 to display the second image. The first image and the second image form a naked-eye 3D vision from the user's perspective. Obviously, this can further improve the display performance of the electronic device. Of course, in this scenario, the user's demand is no longer the problem of poor display effect of the crease area 410 caused by the crease area 410 and other areas of the flexible screen 400 not being in the same unfolded plane.

[0059] The electric field-induced deformation unit 540 in the embodiment of the present application may be a flexible piezoelectric element, or an electroactive polymer, etc. Similarly, the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific material of the electric field-induced deformation unit 540. At the same time, compared with the method of eliminating creases by multiple first deformation units 511 described above, in this technical solution, only the electric field-induced deformation unit 540 needs to be set at the second end of two adjacent deformation transmission units 530, so that when the first deformation unit 511 and the electric field-induced deformation unit 540 are made of the same material, this technical solution can save more material usage and thus optimize costs.

[0060] In a further technical solution, the second end of the deformation transmission unit 530 may be a conductive end, and one of the second ends of two adjacent deformation transmission units 530 is a positive electrode end 532, and the other is a negative electrode end 533. The first end of the electric field-induced deformation unit 540 is electrically connected to the positive electrode end 532, and the second end of the electric field-induced deformation unit 540 is electrically connected to the negative electrode end 533. In this case, multiple deformation transmission units 530 can be electrically connected to the electric field-induced deformation unit 540 through their own second ends, so that the multiple deformation transmission units 530 do not need to be configured with additional positive and negative electrode terminals, which is also conducive to simplifying the overall structure of the deformation structure 500.

[0061] In a more specific technical solution, the second end of the deformation transmission unit 530 can be a metal element doped end. In this case, the deformation transmission unit 530 with the metal element doped end is conducive to the electrical connection with the electric field induced deformation unit 540. At the same time, since the deformation structure 500 includes a plurality of deformation transmission units 530, in order to improve the preparation efficiency of the plurality of deformation transmission units 530, the second ends of the plurality of deformation transmission units 530 can be placed in the doping process chamber of the doping equipment at the same time, and the second ends of the plurality of deformation transmission units 530 can be processed and prepared at the same time.

[0062] In the electronic device disclosed in the embodiment of the present application, each deformation gap 531 may be filled with a flexible member. In this case, the deformation gap 531 filled with the flexible member can prevent other foreign objects from entering, thereby preventing the presence of foreign objects in the deformation gap 531 from hindering the deformation gap 531 from achieving its own deformation function. Specifically, the flexible member may be a sponge, a particularly soft cloth, or the like, and the embodiment of the present application does not impose specific restrictions on the structure or material of the flexible member.

[0063] The present application also discloses a control method of an electronic device, wherein the electronic device is the electronic device described above, and the disclosed control method includes:

[0064] The first step is to detect the state of the electronic device, that is, to detect whether the electronic device is in a folded state or an unfolded state;

[0065] In the second step, when it is detected that the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the deformation structure 500 is controlled to drive the crease area 410 to deform until the first display surface 412 is in the flattened state, so as to eliminate the crease in the crease area 410, improve the user experience and improve the display performance of the electronic device.

[0066] The present application also discloses a control device for an electronic device. The electronic device is the electronic device described above. The disclosed control device includes:

[0067] A detection module, used for detecting the status of the electronic device;

[0068] The control module is used to control the deformation structure 500 to drive the crease area 410 to deform when the electronic device is in the unfolded state, until the first display surface 412 is in the flattened state.

[0069] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of the hardware structure of an electronic device for implementing various embodiments of the present application.

[0070] The electronic device 1200 includes but is not limited to: a radio frequency unit 1201, a network module 1202, an audio output unit 1203, an input unit 1204, a sensor 1205, a display unit 1206, a user input unit 1207, an interface unit 1208, a memory 1209, a processor 1210, and a power supply 1211. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that Fig. 9 The structure of the electronic device 1200 shown in the figure does not constitute a limitation on the electronic device, and the electronic device may include more or fewer components than shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or arrange the components differently. In the embodiment of the present application, the electronic device includes but is not limited to a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a PDA, a vehicle-mounted terminal, a wearable device, and a pedometer.

[0071] The sensor 1205 is used to detect the status of the electronic device.

[0072] The processor 1210 is used to control the deformation structure 500 to drive the crease area 410 to deform when the electronic device is in the unfolded state until the first display surface 412 is in the flattened state.

[0073] In the control method of the electronic device disclosed in the embodiment of the present application, the control module can control the deformation structure 500 according to the state of the electronic device detected by the detection module. When the detection module detects that the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the control module can control the deformation structure 500 to drive the crease area 410 to deform until the first display surface 412 is in the flattened state, so that the deformation structure 500 can apply a reverse force to the crease of the crease area 410, thereby alleviating or eliminating the crease, and finally solving the problem that the crease on the flexible screen 400 affects the user experience.

[0074] It should be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, the radio frequency unit 1201 can be used for receiving and sending signals during information transmission or calls. Specifically, after receiving downlink data from the base station, it is sent to the processor 1210 for processing; in addition, uplink data is sent to the base station. Generally, the radio frequency unit 1201 includes but is not limited to an antenna, at least one amplifier, a transceiver, a coupler, a low noise amplifier, a duplexer, etc. In addition, the radio frequency unit 1201 can also communicate with the network and other devices through a wireless communication system.

[0075] The electronic device provides users with wireless broadband Internet access through the network module 1202, such as helping users to send and receive emails, browse web pages, and access streaming media.

[0076] The audio output unit 1203 can convert the audio data received by the RF unit 1201 or the network module 1202 or stored in the memory 1209 into an audio signal and output it as sound. Moreover, the audio output unit 1203 can also provide audio output related to a specific function performed by the electronic device 1200 (for example, a call signal reception sound, a message reception sound, etc.). The audio output unit 1203 includes a speaker, a buzzer, a receiver, etc.

[0077] The input unit 1204 is used to receive audio or video signals. The input unit 1204 may include a graphics processor (GPU) 12041 and a microphone 12042. The graphics processor 12041 processes the image data of a static picture or video obtained by an image capture device (such as a camera) in a video capture mode or an image capture mode. The processed image frame can be displayed on the display unit 1206. The image frame processed by the graphics processor 12041 can be stored in the memory 1209 (or other storage medium) or sent via the radio frequency unit 1201 or the network module 1202. The microphone 12042 can receive sound and can process such sound into audio data. The processed audio data can be converted into a format output that can be sent to a mobile communication base station via the radio frequency unit 1201 in the case of a telephone call mode.

[0078] The electronic device 1200 also includes at least one sensor 1205, such as a light sensor, a motion sensor, and other sensors. Specifically, the light sensor includes an ambient light sensor and a proximity sensor, wherein the ambient light sensor can adjust the brightness of the display panel 12061 according to the brightness of the ambient light, and the proximity sensor can turn off the display panel 12061 and / or the backlight when the electronic device 1200 is moved to the ear. As a type of motion sensor, the accelerometer sensor can detect the magnitude of acceleration in each direction (generally three axes), and can detect the magnitude and direction of gravity when stationary, which can be used to identify the posture of the electronic device (such as horizontal and vertical screen switching, related games, magnetometer posture calibration), vibration recognition related functions (such as pedometer, tapping), etc.; the sensor 1205 can also include a fingerprint sensor, a pressure sensor, an iris sensor, a molecular sensor, a gyroscope, a barometer, a hygrometer, a thermometer, an infrared sensor, etc., which will not be repeated here.

[0079] The display unit 1206 is used to display information input by the user or information provided to the user. The display unit 1206 may include a display panel 12061, which may be configured in the form of a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), or the like.

[0080] The user input unit 1207 can be used to receive input digital or character information, and to generate key signal input related to user settings and function control of the electronic device. Specifically, the user input unit 1207 includes a touch panel 12071 and other input devices 12072. The touch panel 12071, also known as a touch screen, can collect user touch operations on or near it (such as operations performed by users using fingers, styluses, or any other suitable objects or accessories on or near the touch panel 12071). The touch panel 12071 may include a touch detection device and a touch controller. Among them, the touch detection device detects the user's touch orientation, detects the signal brought by the touch operation, and transmits the signal to the touch controller; the touch controller receives the touch information from the touch detection device, converts it into contact point coordinates, and then sends it to the processor 1210, receives the command sent by the processor 1210 and executes it. In addition, the touch panel 12071 can be implemented in various types such as resistive, capacitive, infrared, and surface acoustic waves. In addition to the touch panel 12071, the user input unit 1207 may also include other input devices 12072. Specifically, other input devices 12072 may include but are not limited to physical keyboards, function keys (such as volume control keys, switch keys, etc.), trackballs, mice, and joysticks, which will not be repeated here.

[0081] Furthermore, the touch panel 12071 may be overlaid on the display panel 12061. When the touch panel 12071 detects a touch operation on or near it, it is transmitted to the processor 1210 to determine the type of touch event. Then, the processor 1210 provides corresponding visual output on the display panel 12061 according to the type of touch event. Fig. 9 In the figure, the touch panel 12071 and the display panel 12061 are two independent components to realize the input and output functions of the electronic device. However, in some embodiments, the touch panel 12071 and the display panel 12061 can be integrated to realize the input and output functions of the electronic device, which is not limited here.

[0082] The interface unit 1208 is an interface for connecting an external device to the electronic device 1200. For example, the external device may include a wired or wireless headset port, an external power supply (or battery charger) port, a wired or wireless data port, a memory card port, a port for connecting a device with an identification module, an audio input / output (I / O) port, a video I / O port, a headphone port, etc. The interface unit 1208 may be used to receive input (e.g., data information, power, etc.) from an external device and transmit the received input to one or more elements within the electronic device 1200 or may be used to transmit data between the electronic device 1200 and an external device.

[0083] The memory 1209 can be used to store software programs and various data. The memory 1209 can mainly include a program storage area and a data storage area, wherein the program storage area can store an operating system, an application required for at least one function (such as a sound playback function, an image playback function, etc.), etc.; the data storage area can store data created according to the use of the electronic device (such as audio data, a phone book, etc.), etc. In addition, the memory 1209 can include a high-speed random access memory, and can also include a non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, a flash memory device, or other volatile solid-state storage devices.

[0084] The processor 1210 is the control center of the electronic device. It uses various interfaces and lines to connect various parts of the entire electronic device. By running or executing software programs and / or modules stored in the memory 1209 and calling data stored in the memory 1209, it performs various functions of the electronic device and processes data, thereby monitoring the electronic device as a whole. The processor 1210 may include one or more processing units; optionally, the processor 1210 may integrate an application processor and a modem processor, wherein the application processor mainly processes the operating system, user interface, and application programs, etc., and the modem processor mainly processes wireless communications. It is understandable that the above-mentioned modem processor may not be integrated into the processor 1210.

[0085] The electronic device 1200 may also include a power supply 1211 (such as a battery) for supplying power to each component. Optionally, the power supply 1211 may be logically connected to the processor 1210 via a power management system, thereby implementing functions such as managing charging, discharging, and power consumption management through the power management system.

[0086] In addition, the electronic device 1200 includes some functional modules not shown, which will not be described in detail here.

[0087] Optionally, an embodiment of the present application discloses a terminal device, including a processor 1210, a memory 1209, and a program or instruction stored in the memory 1209 and executable on the processor 1210. When the program or instruction is executed by the processor 1210, each process of any of the above-mentioned method embodiments is implemented, and the same technical effect can be achieved. To avoid repetition, it will not be repeated here.

[0088] The embodiment of the present application discloses a readable storage medium, on which a program or instruction is stored, and when the program or instruction is executed by the processor 1210, each process of any of the above-mentioned method embodiments is implemented, and the same technical effect can be achieved. To avoid repetition, it is not repeated here. The readable storage medium is, for example, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk or an optical disk.

[0089] An embodiment of the present application discloses a computer program product, which is stored in a non-volatile storage medium and is configured to be executed by at least one processor to implement the steps of the control method described above.

[0090] An embodiment of the present application discloses a chip, which includes a processor and a communication interface, wherein the communication interface is coupled to the processor, and the processor is used to run a program or instruction to implement the control method described in the above embodiment.

[0091] It should be noted that, in this article, the terms "comprise", "include" or any other variant thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that the process, method, article or device including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also includes other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. In the absence of further restrictions, the elements defined by the sentence "comprise one..." do not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device including the element. In addition, it should be pointed out that the scope of the methods and devices in the embodiments of the present application is not limited to performing functions in the order shown or discussed, and may also include performing functions in a substantially simultaneous manner or in reverse order according to the functions involved, for example, the described method may be performed in an order different from that described, and various steps may also be added, omitted, or combined. In addition, the features described with reference to certain examples may be combined in other examples.

[0092] Through the description of the above implementation methods, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the above-mentioned embodiment methods can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform, and of course by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on such an understanding, the technical solution of the present application, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product, which is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk), and includes a number of instructions for enabling an electronic device (which can be a mobile phone, a computer, a server, an air conditioner, or a network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in each embodiment of the present application.

[0093] The embodiments of the present application are described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned specific implementation methods. The above-mentioned specific implementation methods are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Under the guidance of the present application, ordinary technicians in this field can also make many forms without departing from the purpose of the present application and the scope of protection of the claims, all of which are within the protection of the present application.

Claims

1. An electronic device, characterized in that: It comprises a first shell (100), a second shell (200), a rotating shaft mechanism (300) and a flexible screen (400), wherein: The first shell (100) is rotatably connected to the second shell (200) via the rotating shaft mechanism (300); the flexible screen (400) is provided on the first shell (100) and the second shell (200); and the flexible screen (400) has a folding area (410) opposite to the rotating shaft mechanism (300). The electronic device further comprises a deformation structure (500), the deformation structure (500) being arranged on the back side (411) of the folding area (410), the folding area (410) comprising a first display surface (412), the first display surface (412) being arranged opposite to the back side (411); the deformation structure (500) comprises a plurality of electrodeformable units arranged side by side; When the electronic device is in an unfolded state, the deformable structure (500) is energized and spontaneously deforms, so as to drive the fold area (410) to deform, until the first display surface (412) is in a flattened state; The deformation structure (500) is a field-induced deformation structure; The deformation structure (500) comprises a plurality of electric field-induced deformation units (540) and a plurality of deformation transmission units (530), wherein the electric field-induced deformation unit (540) is the electro-induced deformation unit, the plurality of deformation transmission units (530) are all strip-shaped structures and extend along the extension direction of the fold, the first ends of the plurality of deformation transmission units (530) are all connected to the back surface (411), and the first ends of two adjacent deformation transmission units (530) are in contact, the second ends of the plurality of deformation transmission units (530) are arranged at intervals, and a deformation gap (531) is formed between two adjacent deformation transmission units (530), the width of the deformation gap (531) increases from the direction adjacent to the first end to the direction adjacent to the second end, and the electric field-induced deformation unit (540) is arranged between the second ends of two adjacent deformation transmission units (530), When the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the electric field-induced deformation unit (540) is used to change the distance between the second ends of two adjacent deformation transmission units (530) by deformation, so that the multiple deformation transmission units (530) rotate relative to each other to flatten the fold area (410); When the electronic device switches from the folded state to the unfolded state, and the folding area (410) is recessed in a direction opposite to the direction of the flexible screen (400), the electric field-induced deformation unit (540) is used to reduce the distance between the second ends of two adjacent deformation transmission units (530) by generating a contraction-shortening deformation; When the electronic device switches from the folded state to the unfolded state and the folded area (410) bulges in the direction of the flexible screen (400), the electric field-induced deformation unit (540) is used to increase the distance between the second ends of two adjacent deformation transmission units (530) by generating a stretching and lengthening deformation; When the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the deformation structure (500) is used to drive the crease area (410) to deform, so that the crease area (410) and other areas of the flexible screen (400) are not in the same plane.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second end of the deformation transmission unit (530) is a conductive end; of the second ends of two adjacent deformation transmission units (530), one is a positive electrode end (532) and the other is a negative electrode end (533); the first end of the electric field-induced deformation unit (540) is electrically connected to the positive electrode end (532); and the second end of the electric field-induced deformation unit (540) is electrically connected to the negative electrode end (533).

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, characterized in that: Each of the deformation gaps (531) is filled with a flexible member.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The deformable structure (500) is stacked on the back surface (411) of the folding area (410), and the deformable structure (500) is suspended on a surface away from the folding area (410).

5. A method for controlling an electronic device, characterized in that: The electronic device is the electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, and the control method comprises: detecting a state of the electronic device; When the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the deformation structure (500) is controlled to drive the fold area (410) to deform until the first display surface (412) is in the flattened state.

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