Terminal, control method of terminal, and storage medium

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a terminal, a control method of the terminal and a storage medium, the terminal comprising: a first shell; a second shell; the first shell and the second shell having at least a folded posture or an unfolded posture; a rotating part located between the first shell and the second shell; a locking piece having a first state and a second state; wherein the first state maintains the first shell and the second shell in the folded posture, and the second state maintains the first shell and the second shell in the unfolded posture; a sensor installed on at least one of the rotating part, the first shell and the second shell, for detecting a triggering operation; and a processing module electrically connected with the sensor and the locking piece respectively, for controlling the locking piece to switch to the first state or the second state according to the triggering operation. The technical scheme of the embodiment of the present disclosure improves the use experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to terminal technology, and more particularly to a terminal, a terminal control method, and a storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Take foldable phones as an example. Foldable phones allow users to achieve different screen size requirements during folding and unfolding, enriching usage scenarios and gaining immense popularity. This feature has also made foldable phones one of the mainstream business phone models in recent years. The unfolding and folding of foldable phones has always been a technical issue worthy of in-depth exploration. Improving the operational defects of foldable phones during unfolding or folding can effectively enhance the user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure provides a terminal, a control method for the terminal, and a storage medium.

[0004] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a terminal is provided, the terminal comprising:

[0005] First shell;

[0006] A second housing; the first housing and the second housing are at least in a folded or unfolded position;

[0007] The rotating part is located between the first housing and the second housing, and is connected to both the first housing and the second housing respectively;

[0008] A locking element having a first state and a second state; wherein, in the first state, a first force is provided to hold the first housing and the second housing in the folded posture, and in the second state, the first force is not provided;

[0009] A sensor, mounted on at least one of the rotating part, the first housing, and the second housing, is used to detect trigger operations;

[0010] The processing module is electrically connected to the sensor and the locking element respectively, and is used to control the locking element to switch to the first state or the second state according to the trigger operation.

[0011] In some embodiments, in the second state, a second force is provided to maintain the first housing and the second housing in the deployed posture.

[0012] In some embodiments, the locking element includes:

[0013] A first magnet is mounted on the first housing.

[0014] A second magnet is mounted on the second housing; when the first housing and the second housing are in the folded position, the first magnet is aligned with the second magnet.

[0015] The first magnet and / or the second magnet are electromagnets, and the electromagnets are electrically connected to the processing module;

[0016] The processing module is used to switch the locking member to the first state or the second state by adjusting the electrical signal passing through the electromagnet.

[0017] In some embodiments, when the locking member is in the first state, there is a preset value of attraction between the first magnet and the second magnet;

[0018] When the locking member is in the second state, there is an attractive force between the first magnet and the second magnet that is less than the preset value; or, there is a repulsive force between the first magnet and the second magnet.

[0019] In some embodiments, the sensor includes at least one of the following:

[0020] Light sensor, fingerprint sensor, SAR sensor or accelerometer.

[0021] In some embodiments, the processing module is further configured to control the locking element to switch to the second state when at least two of the sensors simultaneously detect the trigger operation.

[0022] In some embodiments, at least one of the sensors is located on the first housing and at least one of the sensors is located on the second housing.

[0023] In some embodiments, the processing module is further configured to determine the trigger trajectory corresponding to the trigger operation based on the trigger operation detected by the sensor at different locations; if the trigger trajectory conforms to a preset trajectory, the processing module controls the locking member to switch to the second state.

[0024] In some embodiments, the processing module is further configured to: control the locking member to switch to the second state based on the different detection values ​​obtained by the sensors at different locations;

[0025] The detected value is used to characterize either distance or light intensity.

[0026] In some embodiments, the terminal further includes:

[0027] A first screen simultaneously covers the first surface of both the first housing and the second housing;

[0028] A second screen covers a second surface of the second housing; wherein the second surface is the opposite side of the first surface;

[0029] The processing module is further configured to determine whether the triggering operation is a first triggering operation or a second triggering operation; if the triggering operation is a first triggering operation, the locking element is controlled to switch to the second state.

[0030] If the triggering operation is the second triggering operation, unlock the second screen and / or the first screen;

[0031] The first triggering operation is a triggering operation detected again within a preset time after the second triggering operation, and the first triggering operation is different from the second triggering operation.

[0032] In some embodiments, the sensor is located between the back of the second screen and the second surface of the second housing; or,

[0033] The terminal further includes a rear shell, the rear shell and the first screen being located on opposite sides of the first shell, and the sensor being located between the rear shell and the first shell.

[0034] In some embodiments, the processing module is further configured to control the locking member to switch to the first state when the time when the first housing and the second housing are in the first preset posture reaches a preset threshold; wherein the first preset posture is located between the folded posture and the unfolded posture.

[0035] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a method for controlling a terminal is provided, applied to the terminal described in the first aspect embodiment; the method includes:

[0036] Detection trigger operation;

[0037] According to the trigger operation, the locking mechanism of the terminal is controlled to switch to a first state or a second state; wherein, in the first state, a first force is provided to maintain the first housing and the second housing in the folded posture, and in the second state, the first force is not provided.

[0038] In some embodiments, in the second state, a second force is provided to maintain the first housing and the second housing in the deployed posture.

[0039] In some embodiments, controlling the locking mechanism of the terminal to switch to the first state or the second state according to the triggering operation includes:

[0040] If at least two of the sensors detect the trigger operation simultaneously, the locking element is controlled to switch to the second state.

[0041] In some embodiments, controlling the locking mechanism of the terminal to switch to the first state or the second state according to the triggering operation includes:

[0042] Based on the triggering operation detected by the sensors at different locations, the triggering trajectory corresponding to the triggering operation is determined;

[0043] If the trigger trajectory matches the preset trajectory, control the locking element to switch to the second state.

[0044] In some embodiments, controlling the locking mechanism of the terminal to switch to the first state or the second state according to the triggering operation includes:

[0045] Based on the different detection values ​​corresponding to the triggering operation at different locations, the locking element is controlled to switch to the second state;

[0046] The detected value is used to characterize either distance or light intensity.

[0047] In some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0048] Determine whether the triggering operation is a first triggering operation or a second triggering operation. If the triggering operation is a first triggering operation, control the locking element to switch to the second state.

[0049] If the triggering operation is the second triggering operation, the second screen and / or the first screen are unlocked; wherein, the first triggering operation is a triggering operation detected again within a preset time after the second triggering operation, and the first triggering operation is different from the second triggering operation.

[0050] In some embodiments, controlling the locking mechanism of the terminal to switch to the first state or the second state according to the triggering operation includes:

[0051] If the first housing and the second housing are in a first preset posture for a period of time that reaches a preset threshold, the locking member is controlled to switch to the first state; wherein, the first preset posture is located between the folded posture and the unfolded posture.

[0052] According to a third aspect embodiment of this disclosure, a terminal is provided, comprising:

[0053] processor;

[0054] Memory used to store processor-executable instructions;

[0055] The processor is configured to execute the steps of the method described in the first aspect during implementation.

[0056] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon, wherein when the instructions in the storage medium are executed by a processor of an electronic device, the electronic device is enabled to perform the steps of the method described in the first aspect.

[0057] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects:

[0058] As can be seen from the above embodiments, this disclosure embodiment detects the first touch operation through a sensor and uses a processing module to control the locking member to switch between a first state and a second state based on the processing operation. This achieves the goal of maintaining the terminal's unfolded posture using the locking member in the second state, reducing the difficulty of switching from a folded posture to an unfolded posture due to the high closing strength between the first and second shells. This facilitates the user's unfolding operation of the terminal and improves the user experience. Furthermore, by opening the locking member, the processing module keeps the terminal in a folded posture, reducing the risk of the folded screen being exposed due to the easy unfolding of the first and second shells, thus improving the protection of the folded screen.

[0059] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0060] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0061] Figure 1 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of a terminal according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0062] Figure 2 This is a second schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0063] Figure 3 This is the third schematic diagram of the terminal structure shown according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0064] Figure 4 This is the fourth schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal shown according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0065] Figure 5 This is the fifth schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal shown according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0066] Figure 6 This is the sixth schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0067] Figure 7 This is the seventh schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0068] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating a terminal control method according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0069] Figure 9 This is a block diagram illustrating the structural composition of a terminal according to an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0070] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0071] A first aspect of this disclosure provides a terminal, the terminal comprising:

[0072] First shell 10;

[0073] Second housing 20; the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 have at least a folded posture or an unfolded posture;

[0074] The rotating part 30 is located between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20, and is connected to the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 respectively;

[0075] A locking member having a first state and a second state; wherein, in the first state, the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 are held in the folded posture, and in the second state, the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 are held in the unfolded posture;

[0076] Sensor 90 is mounted on at least one of the rotating part 30, the first housing 10 and the second housing 20, for detecting trigger operations;

[0077] The processing module is electrically connected to the sensor 90 and the locking element respectively, and is used to control the locking element to switch to the first state or the second state according to the trigger operation.

[0078] The first housing 10 and the second housing 20 can rotate independently relative to the rotating part 30. Through the rotating part 30, the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 can switch between a folded posture and an unfolded posture.

[0079] Figures 1 to 3 The terminals in their unfolded positions are shown as examples. Figures 4 to 7The terminals in a folded posture are shown as examples.

[0080] When in the folded position, the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 are closed, and the included angle between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 is approximately 0°. When in the unfolded position, the ends of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 away from the rotating part 30 are separated, and the included angle between the first housing and the second housing 20 is approximately 180°.

[0081] Without limitation, the rotating part 30 can be a hinge structure. For example: Figure 1 As shown, the rotating part 30 includes a rotating shaft 31 and two rotating arms 32 located on both sides of the rotating shaft 31. The first end of each rotating arm 32 is connected to either the first housing 10 or the second housing 20, and the second end of each rotating arm 32 has a bushing 33 that fits around the rotating shaft. During rotation of the rotating arm 32 relative to the axis of the rotating shaft 31, it drives the first housing 10 or the second housing 20 to rotate, thus switching between a folded and unfolded posture. The hinge structure is not limited to... Figure 1 The structure shown.

[0082] Furthermore, the rotating part 30 can also be a gear structure or a hinge structure. For example... Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the rotating portion 30 includes: two rotating arms and a connecting plate 60 located between the two rotating arms; wherein the connecting plate 60 has a first arcuate surface 61; the rotating arms include;

[0083] Gear component 50 has a plurality of first teeth 52;

[0084] The connecting arm 40 has a first end connected to the first housing 10 or the second housing 20; the second end has a plurality of second teeth 41, which mesh with a plurality of first teeth 52; the connecting arm 40 also includes a second arc surface 42 located between the first end and the second end, the second arc surface 42 being located within the first arc surface 61.

[0085] like Figure 2 As shown, the gear component 50 drives the connecting arm 40 to rotate, and the connecting arm 40 drives the first housing 10 or the second housing 20 to rotate. The connecting arm 40 is rotatable relative to the connecting plate 60 via the second arc surface 42, and the connecting plate 60 makes the two rotating arms form a whole. This gear structure realizes the relative rotation of the first housing 10 relative to the connecting plate, and the relative rotation of the second housing 20 relative to the connecting plate 60. This embodiment of the present disclosure can also employ... Figure 2 Other gear structures besides those mentioned above.

[0086] The first state refers to the state in which the locking element has a significant impact on the rotation of the relative rotating portion 30 of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20. In this state, the closing strength of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 is relatively high, and the rotational resistance of the locking element on the relative rotating portion 30 of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 is denoted as F1 (i.e., the first force). Generally, the rotational resistance F1 can ensure that the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 are tightly closed. A tight closure means that there is no gap at the end of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 away from the rotating portion 30. This state makes it difficult for the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 to unfold, ensuring that the internally folded screen is well protected by the first housing 10 and the second housing 20.

[0087] The second state refers to the state where the locking member has minimal influence on the rotation of the relative rotating portion 30 of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20. In this state, the closing strength of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 is low, and the rotational resistance of the locking member on the relative rotating portion 30 of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 is denoted as F2. F2 is less than F1, and F2 can be 0. When F2 equals 0, it indicates that there is almost no rotational resistance between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20, making it easy to unfold the first housing 10 and the second housing 20. In this second state, the locking member can easily unfold the first housing 10 and the second housing 20.

[0088] Without limitation, when the locking member is in the second state, the locking member provides a second force to hold the first housing and the second housing in the deployed posture.

[0089] The rotational resistance of the locking element on the relative rotating portion 30 of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 can also be negative. In this case, F2 is opposite to the direction of the first force. A negative F2 indicates that there is not only no rotational resistance between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20, but also a repulsive force, making it easier to unfold the first housing 10 and the second housing 20. Furthermore, under the action of the repulsive force, the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 can unfold automatically and maintain the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 in the unfolded posture.

[0090] Compared to the technical solution of forcibly resisting rotational resistance to unfold the terminal, the present embodiment reduces the difficulty of switching from the folded posture to the unfolded posture due to the large closing strength between the first shell 10 and the second shell 20 by placing the locking member in the second state, which facilitates the user's unfolding operation of the terminal and improves the user experience.

[0091] The first touch operation detected by the sensor includes, but is not limited to, tapping, pressing, clicking, or swiping.

[0092] In some embodiments, the triggering operation corresponding to the first state is different from the triggering operation corresponding to the second state. For example, tapping once controls the locking member to be in the first state, and tapping twice controls the locking member to be in the second state. Alternatively, sliding is used to control the locking member to be in the first state, and tapping is used to control the locking member to be in the second state.

[0093] In some embodiments, the processing module is further configured to determine whether the triggering operation is a first triggering operation based on the triggering operation; if the triggering operation is a first triggering operation, control the locking member to switch to the second state.

[0094] In some embodiments, the processing module is further configured to determine whether the triggering operation is a first triggering operation based on the type of the triggering operation. If the triggering operation type is a preset type, the module controls the locking member to switch to the second state. For example, if the sensor detects that the triggering operation can be either a touch or a slide, and the slide is the preset type, then the slide is used as the first triggering operation, while the touch is not used as the first triggering operation. This approach can reduce erroneous operations.

[0095] In some embodiments, the processing module is further configured to control the locking member to switch to the second state when the triggering operation is a triggering operation detected again within a preset time after the second triggering operation; wherein the second triggering operation is different from the first triggering operation. The first triggering operation and the second triggering operation can correspond to different operations. For example, the second triggering operation is used to unlock the screen, and the processing module unlocks the screen when it determines that the triggering operation is the second triggering operation. This approach can also reduce accidental operations.

[0096] The processing module may include the terminal's CPU or MCU or the controller of the rotating component, etc.

[0097] For example: Figure 5 As shown, sensor 90 is a light sensor located on the back of the screen (i.e., under-screen light touch). After unlocking the screen using the light sensor, if the finger is kept in that position for a period of time, the processing module will start to control the locking mechanism to switch to the second state.

[0098] The number of sensors can be one or at least two.

[0099] According to some optional embodiments, the sensor includes at least one of the following:

[0100] Light sensor, fingerprint sensor, proximity sensor or accelerometer.

[0101] Proximity sensors include, but are not limited to, SAR sensors or distance sensors.

[0102] The sensor detects a trigger operation, which causes the processing module to control the locking element to switch between a first state and a second state when the trigger operation is detected, so as to facilitate the switching between unfolded and folded postures as needed.

[0103] The locking mechanism uses a first state and a second state to switch the terminal between a folded posture and an unfolded posture, and the switching between the first state and the second state of the locking mechanism is controlled by the processing module.

[0104] By controlling the locking mechanism to switch between a first state and a second state, the second-state locking mechanism maintains the terminal's unfolded posture. This reduces the difficulty of switching from a folded to an unfolded posture due to the strong closure between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20, facilitating the user's unfolding operation and improving the user experience. Furthermore, by opening the locking mechanism to keep the terminal in a folded posture, the processing module reduces the risk of the folded screen being exposed due to the separation of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20, thus improving the protection of the folded screen.

[0105] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the terminal includes, but is not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, laptops, televisions, or wearable devices.

[0106] According to some optional embodiments, the locking element includes:

[0107] A first magnet is mounted on the first housing 10;

[0108] A second magnet is mounted on the second housing 20; when the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 are in the folded posture, the first magnet is aligned with the second magnet.

[0109] The first magnet and / or the second magnet is an electromagnet 80, and the electromagnet 80 is electrically connected to the processing module.

[0110] The processing module is used to switch the locking member to the first state or the second state by adjusting the electrical signal passing through the electromagnet 80.

[0111] An electrical signal can be current intensity and / or current direction, but is not limited to these.

[0112] Generally, the electromagnet 80 includes a magnet and a coil wound around the magnet. The strength of the magnetism of the electromagnet 80 can be changed by adjusting the current intensity passing through the coil. Typically, the current intensity is directly proportional to the magnetic strength. The stronger the magnetism, the more difficult it is to unfold the first shell 10 and the second shell 20, which are in a folded position.

[0113] Magnets include, but are not limited to: iron, cobalt, nickel, and their alloys.

[0114] In some embodiments, the locking element includes a motor 70 connected to the rotating part 30. If the rotating part 30 includes a gear, the motor 70 is connected to the gear shaft; if the rotating part 30 includes a rotating shaft, the motor 70 is connected to the rotating shaft. By adjusting at least one of the motor's rotational speed, rotational direction, and rotational torque, the rotational resistance of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 relative to the rotating part 30 is controlled.

[0115] The control effect on the rotation process can be improved by increasing the number of motors.

[0116] Generally, the lower the rotational speed of a motor, the greater the rotational resistance; the higher the rotational speed, the smaller the rotational resistance. Alternatively, the first state is when the motor rotates forward, and the second state is when the motor rotates in reverse.

[0117] by Figure 2 Taking the gear structure in the example, the motor 70 is mounted on the connecting plate 60 and connected to the gear shaft 51 of the gear component 50. When the motor 70 is connected to the gear shaft 51 of the gear component 50, the rotation of the motor 70 drives the gear shaft 51 of the gear component 50 to rotate, which in turn drives the connecting arm 40 meshing with it to rotate, and the connecting arm 40 in turn drives the first housing 10 or the second housing 20.

[0118] In practical applications, the motor can be controlled to stop after opening to a horizontal state using existing attitude angle algorithms or hardware devices. For example, a blocking device can be set, or the engagement angle of the gears can be set, or the opening and closing speeds of the motor can be designed to limit the maximum angle of the first and second housings, so that the motor can stop automatically after opening to a suitable angle.

[0119] By controlling the motor through the processing module, the terminal can automatically unfold to the unfolded position, further improving the user experience.

[0120] When the locking element is a motor, the locking element can be installed between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20, but is not limited to this.

[0121] Locking components can be combinations of various structures. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the locking element includes an electromagnet 80 mounted on the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 respectively, and a motor connected to the rotating part 30.

[0122] According to some optional embodiments, when the locking member is in the first state, there is a preset value of attraction between the first magnet and the second magnet;

[0123] When the locking member is in the second state, there is an attractive force between the first magnet and the second magnet that is less than the preset value; or, there is a repulsive force between the first magnet and the second magnet.

[0124] In practical applications, when the current intensity through the electromagnet 80 controlled by the processing module is greater than 0, the locking element is in the first state, at which time the electromagnet 80 is magnetic; when the current intensity through the electromagnet 80 controlled by the processing module is equal to 0, the locking element is in the second state, at which time the electromagnet 80 is basically non-magnetic.

[0125] Alternatively, the processing module can change the direction of the current to alter the polarity of the electromagnet 80, making the magnetism of the opposite ends of the first and second magnets the same. In this case, there is a repulsive force between the first and second magnets, further reducing the difficulty of opening the first housing 10 and the second housing 20.

[0126] According to some optional embodiments, the processing module is further configured to control the locking member to switch to the second state when at least two of the sensors 90 detect the trigger operation simultaneously.

[0127] like Figure 4 As shown, two sensors 90 are installed at different locations on the terminal. When both sensors 90 detect a trigger operation simultaneously, the processing module controls the locking mechanism to switch to the second state. When the user wants to unfold the terminal, both sensors 90 need to be triggered simultaneously; triggering only one of them will not switch the locking mechanism's state. This design effectively reduces the accidental touch rate.

[0128] According to some alternative embodiments, at least one of the sensors 90 is located on the first housing 10, and at least one of the sensors 90 is located on the second housing 20.

[0129] like Figure 4 As shown, the sensor 90 can be installed on the side wall of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 for easy operation.

[0130] According to some optional embodiments, the processing module is further configured to determine the trigger trajectory corresponding to the trigger operation based on the trigger operation detected by the sensor 90 at different locations; if the trigger trajectory conforms to a preset trajectory, the processing module controls the locking member to switch to the second state.

[0131] The preset trajectory can be a point or a line. Line trajectories include straight lines or curves, but are not limited to these.

[0132] For example, taking a mobile phone as an example, such as... Figure 7As shown, multiple SAR sensors are added to the phone. The distance between the hand and the phone is determined by the readings of the SAR sensors, and the hand's movement trajectory is found by observing changes in the readings. A movement trajectory is pre-set to establish the control method for this function. For example, if a SAR is installed on the right edge of the phone, sliding the hand down from there will switch the locking mechanism to a second state.

[0133] According to some optional embodiments, the processing module is further configured to: control the locking member to switch to the second state based on the different detection values ​​corresponding to the sensor 90 at different positions;

[0134] The detected value is used to characterize either distance or light intensity.

[0135] Light sensors or proximity sensors can be installed at different locations on the terminal. When different sensors detect different values, the processing module controls the locking mechanism to switch to the second state. This control method reduces the risk of erroneous operation.

[0136] In practical applications, the light sensor includes at least one first light sensor and at least one second light sensor. The second light sensor is located below the first light sensor. If the light intensity detected by the second light sensor is lower than the light intensity detected by the first light sensor, the processing module control locking mechanism switches to a second state. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the user blocked the second light sensor but not the first light sensor, indicating that this is the first trigger operation, and the user wants to close the locking device and unfold the terminal.

[0137] According to some optional embodiments, the terminal further includes:

[0138] The first screen simultaneously covers the first surfaces of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20;

[0139] A second screen covers a second surface of the second housing 20; wherein the second surface is the opposite side of the first surface;

[0140] The processing module is further configured to determine whether the triggering operation is a first triggering operation or a second triggering operation; if the triggering operation is a first triggering operation, the second screen and / or the first screen is unlocked.

[0141] If the triggering operation is a second triggering operation, the locking element is controlled to switch to the second state; wherein, the second triggering operation is a triggering operation detected again within a preset time after the first triggering operation, and the first triggering operation is different from the second triggering operation.

[0142] Without limitation, the first screen is a flexible screen, and the second screen is a rigid screen. When folded, the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 provide protection for the first screen.

[0143] Controlling the locking mechanism to close after the screen is unlocked can further reduce accidental operation.

[0144] According to some alternative embodiments, the sensor 90 is located between the back of the second screen 100 and the second surface of the second housing 20; or,

[0145] The terminal further includes a rear cover, the rear cover and the first screen are respectively located on both sides of the first housing 10, and the sensor is located between the rear cover and the first housing 10.

[0146] The sensor 90 in this embodiment can be located on the back of the second screen 100 and covered by the second screen 100, or it can be at least partially exposed outside the second screen 100. Alternatively, the sensor 90 can be mounted on the inner side of the rear shell of the terminal facing the first housing 10.

[0147] When the sensor is located inside the rear cover, different states of the locking mechanism can be switched by tapping the rear cover. For example, tapping the rear cover of the terminal twice will switch the locking mechanism to the second state.

[0148] In practical applications, the terminal may not need to have a second screen.

[0149] In some embodiments, the terminal further includes:

[0150] The first screen simultaneously covers the first housing 10 and the second housing 20;

[0151] The rear shell includes a first rear shell and a second rear shell, wherein the first rear shell and the first screen are respectively located on both sides of the first shell 10, and the second rear shell and the first screen are respectively located on both sides of the second shell 20.

[0152] The processing module is further configured to determine whether the triggering operation is a first triggering operation or a second triggering operation; if the triggering operation is a first triggering operation, the locking element is controlled to switch to the second state.

[0153] If the triggering operation is the second triggering operation, unlock the first screen;

[0154] The first triggering operation is a triggering operation detected again within a preset time after the second triggering operation, and the first triggering operation is different from the second triggering operation.

[0155] In some embodiments, the sensor 90 is located between the first rear shell and the first housing 10, or between the second rear shell and the second housing 20. According to some optional embodiments, the processing module is further configured to control the locking member to switch to the first state when the time the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 are in a first preset posture reaches a preset threshold; wherein the first preset posture is located between the folded posture and the unfolded posture.

[0156] The first preset posture refers to the posture where the angle between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 is small. For example, the first preset posture can be when the angle between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 is between 0° and 15°. If the duration of the first preset posture exceeds a preset threshold, it indicates that the user does not need to unfold the terminal temporarily. At this time, the control lock switches to the first state to keep the terminal in a folded posture, reducing the risk of damage to the first screen due to the user forgetting to manually switch the lock to the second state.

[0157] The second aspect of this disclosure provides a terminal control method, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the method is applied to the terminal described in any of the above embodiments; the method includes:

[0158] Step S110: Detect trigger operation;

[0159] Step S120: According to the trigger operation, control the locking mechanism of the terminal to switch to a first state or a second state; wherein, in the first state, a first force is provided to maintain the first housing and the second housing in the folded posture, and in the second state, the first force is not provided.

[0160] In step S110, the triggering operation includes, but is not limited to, tapping, pressing, or sliding.

[0161] In step S120, in some embodiments, the triggering operation corresponding to the first state is different from the triggering operation corresponding to the second state. For example, tapping once controls the locking member to be in the first state, and tapping twice controls the locking member to be in the second state. Alternatively, sliding is used to control the locking member to be in the first state, and tapping is used to control the locking member to be in the second state.

[0162] In some embodiments, controlling the locking mechanism of the terminal to switch to the first state or the second state according to the triggering operation includes:

[0163] Based on the triggering operation, determine whether the triggering operation is a first triggering operation; if the triggering operation is a first triggering operation, control the locking element to switch to the second state.

[0164] In some embodiments, determining whether the triggering operation is a first triggering operation includes:

[0165] Based on the type of the triggering operation, determine whether the triggering operation is the first triggering operation;

[0166] If the trigger operation type is a preset type, control the locking element to switch to the second state.

[0167] For example, the sensor can detect that the trigger operation can be either a touch or a swipe. Swipe is the preset type, and swipe is used as the first trigger operation, while touch is not used as the first trigger operation. This method can reduce accidental operation.

[0168] In some embodiments, determining whether the triggering operation is a first triggering operation includes:

[0169] When the triggering operation is a triggering operation detected again within a preset time after the second triggering operation, the locking element is controlled to switch to the second state; wherein the second triggering operation is different from the first triggering operation.

[0170] The first and second trigger operations can correspond to different actions. For example, the second trigger operation can be used to unlock the screen. When the trigger operation is determined to be the second trigger operation, the screen is unlocked. This method can also reduce accidental operations.

[0171] For example: Figure 5 As shown, the sensor is a light sensor located on the back of the screen (i.e., under-display light touch). After unlocking the screen using the light sensor, if the finger is kept in that position for a period of time, the control lock switches to the second state.

[0172] In this embodiment, by controlling the locking mechanism to switch between a first state and a second state, the terminal's unfolded posture is maintained by the locking mechanism in the second state. This reduces the difficulty of switching from a folded posture to an unfolded posture due to the high closing strength between the first and second housings, facilitating the user's unfolding operation and improving the user experience. Furthermore, by opening the locking mechanism to keep the terminal in a folded posture, the exposure of the folded screen due to the separation of the first and second housings is reduced, thus improving the protection of the folded screen.

[0173] According to some optional embodiments, the sensor includes at least one of the following:

[0174] Light sensor, fingerprint sensor, SAR sensor or accelerometer.

[0175] In some embodiments, the locking member, in the second state, provides a second force to hold the first housing and the second housing in the deployed posture.

[0176] According to some optional embodiments, controlling the locking mechanism of the terminal to switch to the first state or the second state according to the trigger operation includes:

[0177] If at least two of the sensors detect the trigger operation simultaneously, the locking element is controlled to switch to the second state.

[0178] like Figure 4 As shown, two sensors are installed at different locations on the terminal. When both sensors detect a trigger operation simultaneously, the locking mechanism switches to the second state. When a user wants to unfold the terminal, both sensors need to be triggered simultaneously; triggering only one sensor will not switch the locking mechanism's state. This design effectively reduces the rate of accidental touches.

[0179] According to some optional embodiments, controlling the locking mechanism of the terminal to switch to the first state or the second state according to the trigger operation includes:

[0180] Based on the triggering operation detected by the sensors at different locations, the triggering trajectory corresponding to the triggering operation is determined;

[0181] If the trigger trajectory matches the preset trajectory, control the locking element to switch to the second state.

[0182] The preset trajectory can be a point or a line. Line trajectories include straight lines or curves, but are not limited to these.

[0183] For example, taking a mobile phone as an example, such as... Figure 7 As shown, multiple SAR sensors are added to the phone. The distance between the hand and the phone is determined by the readings of the SAR sensors, and the hand's movement trajectory is found by observing changes in the readings. A movement trajectory is pre-set to establish the control method for this function. For example, if a SAR is installed on the right edge of the phone, sliding the hand down from there will switch the locking mechanism to a second state.

[0184] According to some optional embodiments, controlling the locking mechanism of the terminal to switch to the first state or the second state according to the trigger operation includes:

[0185] Based on the different detection values ​​corresponding to the triggering operation at different locations, the locking element is controlled to switch to the second state;

[0186] The detected value is used to characterize either distance or light intensity.

[0187] Light sensors or proximity sensors can be installed at different locations on the terminal. When different sensors detect different values, the control locking mechanism switches to the second state. This control method reduces the risk of accidental operation.

[0188] In practical applications, the light sensor includes at least one first light sensor and at least one second light sensor. The second light sensor is located below the first light sensor. If the light intensity detected by the second light sensor is lower than the light intensity detected by the first light sensor, the control locking mechanism switches to a second state. Figure 6 As shown, the user blocked the second light sensor but not the first light sensor, indicating that this is the first trigger operation, and the user wants to close the locking device and unfold the terminal.

[0189] According to some optional embodiments, the method further includes:

[0190] Determine whether the triggering operation is a first triggering operation or a second triggering operation. If the triggering operation is a first triggering operation, control the locking element to switch to the second state.

[0191] If the triggering operation is the second triggering operation, the second screen and / or the first screen are unlocked; wherein, the first triggering operation is a triggering operation detected again within a preset time after the second triggering operation, and the first triggering operation is different from the second triggering operation.

[0192] Controlling the locking mechanism to close after the screen is unlocked can further reduce accidental operation.

[0193] According to some optional embodiments, controlling the locking mechanism of the terminal to switch to the first state or the second state according to the trigger operation includes:

[0194] If the first housing and the second housing are in a first preset posture for a period of time that reaches a preset threshold, the locking member is controlled to switch to the first state; wherein, the first preset posture is located between the folded posture and the unfolded posture.

[0195] When the angle between the first housing and the second housing is small, for example, the angle between the first housing and the second housing is between 0° and 15°, and the duration of this state exceeds the preset threshold, it indicates that the user does not need to unfold the terminal temporarily. At this time, the control lock is switched to the first state to keep the terminal in a folded posture, reducing the risk of damage to the first screen due to the user's negligence in forgetting to manually switch the lock to the second state.

[0196] A third aspect of this disclosure provides an electronic device, including:

[0197] processor;

[0198] Memory used to store processor-executable instructions;

[0199] The processor is configured to execute the steps of the method described in the first aspect embodiment when implemented.

[0200] A fourth aspect of this disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein when the instructions in the storage medium are executed by a processor of an electronic device, the electronic device is able to perform the steps of the method described in the first aspect embodiment.

[0201] In an exemplary embodiment, the multiple modules in the printing apparatus may be implemented by one or more central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), baseband processors (BPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), DSPs, programmable logic devices (PLDs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), general-purpose processors, controllers, microcontrollers (MCUs), microprocessors, or other electronic components to perform the aforementioned method.

[0202] Figure 9 This is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus 800 for job grading according to an exemplary embodiment. For example, apparatus 800 may be a mobile phone, computer, digital broadcasting terminal, messaging device, game console, tablet device, medical device, fitness equipment, personal digital assistant, etc.

[0203] Reference Figure 9 The device 800 may include one or more of the following components: a processing component 802, a memory 804, a power supply component 806, a multimedia component 808, an audio component 810, an input / output (I / O) interface 812, a sensor component 814, and a communication component 816.

[0204] Processing component 802 typically controls the overall operation of device 800, such as operations associated with display, telephone calls, data communication, camera operation, and recording. Processing component 802 may include one or more processors 820 to execute instructions to perform all or part of the steps of the methods described above. Furthermore, processing component 802 may include one or more modules to facilitate interaction between processing component 802 and other components. For example, processing component 802 may include a multimedia module to facilitate interaction between multimedia component 808 and processing component 802.

[0205] Memory 804 is configured to store various types of data to support the operation of device 800. Examples of this data include instructions for any application or method operating on device 800, contact data, phonebook data, messages, pictures, videos, etc. Memory 804 can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic storage, flash memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0206] Power supply component 806 provides power to various components of device 800. Power supply component 806 may include a power management system, one or more power sources, and other components associated with generating, managing, and distributing power to device 800.

[0207] Multimedia component 808 includes a screen that provides an output interface between the device 800 and the user. In some embodiments, the screen may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a touch panel (TP). If the screen includes a touch panel, the screen may be implemented as a touchscreen to receive input signals from the user. The touch panel includes one or more touch sensors to sense touches, swipes, and gestures on the touch panel. The touch sensors may sense not only the boundaries of the touch or swipe action but also the duration and pressure associated with the touch or swipe operation. In some embodiments, multimedia component 808 includes a front-facing camera and / or a rear-facing camera. When the device 800 is in an operating mode, such as a shooting mode or a video mode, the front-facing camera and / or the rear-facing camera may receive external multimedia data. Each front-facing camera and rear-facing camera may be a fixed optical lens system or have focal length and optical zoom capabilities.

[0208] Audio component 810 is configured to output and / or input audio signals. For example, audio component 810 includes a microphone (MIC) configured to receive external audio signals when device 800 is in an operating mode, such as call mode, recording mode, and voice recognition mode. The received audio signals may be further stored in memory 804 or transmitted via communication component 816. In some embodiments, audio component 810 also includes a speaker for outputting audio signals.

[0209] I / O interface 812 provides an interface between processing component 802 and peripheral interface modules, such as keyboards, click wheels, buttons, etc. These buttons may include, but are not limited to, home buttons, volume buttons, power buttons, and lock buttons.

[0210] Sensor assembly 814 includes one or more sensors for providing status assessments of various aspects of device 800. For example, sensor assembly 814 may detect the on / off state of device 800, the relative positioning of components such as the display and keypad of device 800, changes in the position of device 800 or a component of device 800, the presence or absence of user contact with device 800, the orientation or acceleration / deceleration of device 800, and temperature changes of device 800. Sensor assembly 814 may include a proximity sensor configured to detect the presence of nearby objects without any physical contact. Sensor assembly 814 may also include a light sensor, such as a CMOS or CCD image sensor, for use in imaging applications. In some embodiments, sensor assembly 814 may also include an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a pressure sensor, or a temperature sensor.

[0211] Communication component 816 is configured to facilitate wired or wireless communication between device 800 and other devices. Device 800 can access wireless networks based on communication standards, such as WiFi, 4G, or 5G, or combinations thereof. In one exemplary embodiment, communication component 816 receives broadcast signals or broadcast-related information from an external broadcast management system via a broadcast channel. In one exemplary embodiment, communication component 816 also includes a near-field communication (NFC) module to facilitate short-range communication. For example, the NFC module may be implemented based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, Infrared Data Association (IrDA) technology, ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, Bluetooth (BT) technology, and other technologies.

[0212] In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus 800 may be implemented by one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, or other electronic components to perform the methods described above.

[0213] In an exemplary embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions is also provided, such as a memory 804 including instructions, which can be executed by a processor 820 of the device 800 to perform the above-described method. For example, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may be a ROM, random access memory (RAM), CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, and optical data storage device, etc.

[0214] The methods disclosed in the several method embodiments provided in this disclosure can be arbitrarily combined without conflict to obtain new method embodiments.

[0215] The features disclosed in the several device embodiments provided in this disclosure can be arbitrarily combined without conflict to obtain new product embodiments.

[0216] The features disclosed in the several method or device embodiments provided in this disclosure can be arbitrarily combined without conflict to obtain new method embodiments or product embodiments.

[0217] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0218] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A terminal, characterized in that, The terminal includes: First shell; A second housing; the first housing and the second housing are at least in a folded or unfolded position; The rotating part is located between the first housing and the second housing, and is connected to both the first housing and the second housing respectively; A locking element having a first state and a second state; wherein, in the first state, a first force is provided to hold the first housing and the second housing in the folded posture, and in the second state, the first force is not provided; A sensor, mounted on at least one of the rotating part, the first housing, and the second housing, is used to detect trigger operations; The processing module is electrically connected to the sensor and the locking element respectively, and is used to control the locking element to switch to the first state or the second state according to the trigger operation; A first screen simultaneously covers the first surface of both the first housing and the second housing; A second screen covers a second surface of the second housing; wherein the second surface is the opposite side of the first surface; The processing module is used to determine the trigger trajectory corresponding to the trigger operation based on the trigger operation detected by the sensors at different locations; if the trigger trajectory matches the preset trajectory, the locking member is controlled to switch to the second state; The processing module is further configured to determine whether the triggering operation is a first triggering operation or a second triggering operation; if the triggering operation is the first triggering operation, control the locking element to switch to the second state; if the triggering operation is the second triggering operation, unlock the second screen and / or the first screen; wherein, the first triggering operation is a triggering operation detected again within a preset time after the second triggering operation, and the first triggering operation is different from the second triggering operation.

2. The terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the second state, the locking element provides a second force to hold the first housing and the second housing in the deployed posture.

3. The terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking element includes: A first magnet is mounted on the first housing. A second magnet is mounted on the second housing; when the first housing and the second housing are in the folded position, the first magnet is aligned with the second magnet. The first magnet and / or the second magnet are electromagnets, and the electromagnets are electrically connected to the processing module; The processing module is used to switch the locking member to the first state or the second state by adjusting the electrical signal passing through the electromagnet.

4. The terminal according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the locking element is in the first state, there is a preset value of attraction between the first magnet and the second magnet; When the locking member is in the second state, there is an attractive force between the first magnet and the second magnet that is less than the preset value; or, there is a repulsive force between the first magnet and the second magnet.

5. The terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that, The processing module is also used to control the locking element to switch to the second state when at least two of the sensors detect the trigger operation simultaneously.

6. The terminal according to claim 5, characterized in that, At least one of the sensors is located on the first housing, and at least one of the sensors is located on the second housing.

7. The terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that, The processing module is also used to: control the locking element to switch to the second state according to the different detection values ​​of the sensors at different positions; The detected value is used to characterize either distance or light intensity.

8. The terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensor is located between the back of the second screen and the second surface of the second housing; or, The terminal further includes a rear shell, the rear shell and the first screen being located on opposite sides of the first shell, and the sensor being located between the rear shell and the first shell.

9. The terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that, The processing module is further configured to control the locking member to switch to the first state when the time when the first housing and the second housing are in the first preset posture reaches a preset threshold; wherein the first preset posture is located between the folded posture and the unfolded posture.

10. A method for controlling a terminal, characterized in that, Applied to the terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 9; the method includes: Detection trigger operation; According to the trigger operation, the locking mechanism of the terminal is controlled to switch to a first state or a second state; wherein, in the first state, a first force is provided to maintain the first housing and the second housing in the folded posture, and in the second state, the first force is not provided; The step of controlling the locking mechanism of the terminal to switch to a first state or a second state according to the trigger operation includes: Based on the triggering operation detected by sensors at different locations, the triggering trajectory corresponding to the triggering operation is determined; If the trigger trajectory matches the preset trajectory, control the locking element to switch to the second state; The step of controlling the locking mechanism of the terminal to switch to a first state or a second state according to the trigger operation includes: Determine whether the triggering operation is a first triggering operation or a second triggering operation. If the triggering operation is the first triggering operation, control the locking element to switch to the second state. If the triggering operation is the second triggering operation, unlock the second screen and / or the first screen; wherein, the first triggering operation is a triggering operation detected again within a preset time after the second triggering operation, and the first triggering operation is different from the second triggering operation.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, In the second state, the locking element provides a second force to hold the first housing and the second housing in the deployed posture.

12. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The step of controlling the locking mechanism of the terminal to switch to a first state or a second state according to the trigger operation includes: If at least two sensors detect the trigger operation simultaneously, the locking element is controlled to switch to the second state.

13. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The step of controlling the locking mechanism of the terminal to switch to a first state or a second state according to the trigger operation includes: Based on the different detection values ​​corresponding to the triggering operation at different locations, the locking element is controlled to switch to the second state; The detected value is used to characterize either distance or light intensity.

14. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, Based on the trigger operation, controlling the locking mechanism of the terminal to switch to a first state or a second state includes: If the first housing and the second housing are in a first preset posture for a period of time that reaches a preset threshold, the locking member is controlled to switch to the first state; wherein, the first preset posture is located between the folded posture and the unfolded posture.

15. A terminal, characterized in that, include: processor; Memory used to store processor-executable instructions; The processor is configured to execute the steps of the method described in any one of claims 10 to 14 when implemented.

16. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the instructions in the storage medium are executed by the processor of the electronic device, the electronic device is able to perform the steps of the method described in any one of claims 10 to 14 when implemented.

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