Electronic device having variable shape based on gesture of user on screen and control method thereof

Abstract

An electronic device having a variable shape based on a gesture of a user on a screen and a control method thereof are disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present document, the method comprises the following operations: detecting a gesture of a user on a first screen displayed on a flexible display screen of the electronic device; determining whether the gesture of the user is kept in a specified area of the flexible display screen for at least specified time or not; displaying a first icon used for inserting a second shell of the electronic equipment into the first shell and at least one second icon used for extracting the second shell from the first shell by a specified length around the area where the user gesture is kept; changing the shape of the electronic device by inserting the second housing into the first housing or withdrawing the second housing from the first housing by a specified length; a second screen different from the first screen is displayed on the shape-changed electronic device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device whose shape is changed based on a user's gesture on a screen and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] More and more services and additional functions are being provided through electronic devices such as smartphones or other portable electronic devices. To meet the needs of different users and improve the usage efficiency of electronic devices, communication service operators or device manufacturers are competing to develop electronic devices with differentiated and diverse functions. Therefore, various functions provided by electronic devices are also constantly evolving. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Technical Problem

[0004] An electronic device according to the prior art (e.g., a rollable smartphone device configured to change the exposed area of a flexible display screen) provides a function of terminating a multi-window mode (e.g., a display mode that simultaneously shows the running screens of multiple applications) or scrolling the screen according to a user's gesture on the screen (e.g., a drag gesture starting from one area of the screen and released in another area). However, an electronic device according to the prior art only provides a function of controlling the screen according to a user's gesture (e.g., terminating the multi-window mode and / or scrolling the screen), but cannot provide a function of changing the shape of the electronic device according to a user's gesture (e.g., changing the exposed area of the flexible display screen).

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device can be provided. When it is detected that a gesture (e.g., a drag gesture) performed by a user on the screen remains in a specified area (e.g., an area around the edge of the exposed flexible display screen) for a specified time or longer, the electronic device can simultaneously perform a function or operation of changing the shape of the device (e.g., changing the exposed area of the flexible display screen) and a function or operation of controlling the screen (e.g., terminating the multi-window view mode and / or scrolling the screen).

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for controlling an electronic device can be provided. When it is detected that a user's gesture (e.g., a drag gesture) on the screen remains in a specified area (e.g., an area around the edge of the exposed flexible display screen) for a specified time or longer, the method can simultaneously perform a function or operation of changing the shape of the electronic device (e.g., changing the exposed area of the flexible display screen) and a function or operation of controlling the screen (e.g., terminating the multi-window view mode and / or scrolling the screen).

[0007] Technical Solution

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device may include: a first housing; a second housing configured to be movable relative to the first housing and at least partially overlap with the first housing; at least one processor and a driving module disposed within the second housing; and a flexible display screen partially mounted on a surface of the second housing and at least partially exposed to the outside of the electronic device. A portion of the flexible display screen may be inserted into or withdrawn from the first housing according to the sliding-in or sliding-out of the second housing. The at least one processor may be configured to: detect a user gesture on a first screen displayed on the flexible display screen of the electronic device; based on the detection of the user gesture, determine whether the user gesture remains within a specified area of the flexible display screen for a specified time or longer; based on the determination, display, around the area where the user gesture remains, a first icon for inserting the second housing of the electronic device into the first housing of the electronic device and at least one second icon for withdrawing the second housing a specified length outside the first housing; based on a user input to the first icon or the at least one second icon, change the shape of the electronic device by inserting the second housing into the first housing or withdrawing the second housing a specified length outside the first housing; and display a second screen different from the first screen on the electronic device with the changed shape.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of controlling an electronic device may include: detecting a user gesture on a first screen displayed on the flexible display screen of the electronic device; based on the detection of the user gesture, determine whether the user gesture remains within a specified area of the flexible display screen for a specified time or longer; based on the determination, display, around the area where the user gesture remains, a first icon for inserting the second housing of the electronic device into the first housing of the electronic device and at least one second icon for withdrawing the second housing a specified length outside the first housing; based on a user input to the first icon or the at least one second icon, change the shape of the electronic device by inserting the second housing into the first housing or withdrawing the second housing a specified length outside the first housing; and display a second screen different from the first screen on the electronic device with the changed shape.

[0010] Advantageous Effects

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when it is detected that a user gesture (e.g., a drag gesture) on the screen remains within a specified area (e.g., an area around the edge of the exposed flexible display screen) for a specified time or longer, the electronic device may simultaneously perform a function or operation of controlling the screen (e.g., terminating the multi-window view mode and / or scrolling the screen) and a function or operation of changing the shape of the electronic device (e.g., changing the exposed area of the flexible display screen), fully reflecting the user's need to view the screen on the exposed flexible display screen in a size larger or smaller than the current screen size. Description of the Drawings

[0012] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 2 is a view showing a state in which a second display area of a display screen according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is accommodated in a housing;

[0014] Figure 3 is a view showing a state in which a second display area of a display screen according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is exposed outside the housing;

[0015] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 5a is a sectional view taken along line A - A’ according to various embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 2 of.

[0017] Figure 5b is a sectional view taken along line B - B’ according to various embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 3 of.

[0018] Figure 6 is an exemplary view showing a function or operation of changing the shape of an electronic device (e.g., from a closed state to a fully open state) while terminating a multi - window view mode in accordance with a user gesture detected by the electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 7a , Figure 7b , Figure 7c and Figure 7d are exemplary views showing the function or operation described above from the perspective of a user interface Figure 6 ;

[0020] Figure 8 is an exemplary view showing a function or operation of changing the shape of an electronic device (e.g., from a closed state to a fully open state) while scrolling a display screen in accordance with a user gesture detected by the electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 9a , Figure 9b , Figure 9c and Figure 9d are exemplary views showing the function or operation described above from the perspective of a user interface Figure 8 ;

[0022] Figure 10 and Figure 11 are exemplary views showing having the same as that associated with Figure 2An electronic device with a shape of the display screen expansion shape in different directions;

[0023] Figure 12a , Figure 12b , Figure 12c and Figure 12d are exemplary views that show, from the perspective of the user interface, functions or operations performed by an electronic device having the form shown by Figure 10 and Figure 11 ; Figure 6 The functions or operations described;

[0024] Figure 13a , Figure 13b and Figure 13c are exemplary views that show, from the perspective of the user interface, functions or operations performed by an electronic device having the form shown by Figure 10 and Figure 11 ; Figure 8 The functions or operations described therein;

[0025] Figure 14 is an exemplary view that shows a function or operation of changing the shape of an electronic device based on an input to at least one icon displayed on the electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 15a and Figure 15b are exemplary views that show, from the perspective of the user interface, a function or operation of displaying at least one icon around the edge of the display screen corresponding to the first direction when a gesture of the user in the first direction is detected, related to Figure 14 ;

[0027] Figure 16a and Figure 16b are exemplary views that show, from the perspective of the user interface, a function or operation of displaying at least one icon around the edge of the display screen corresponding to the second direction when a gesture of the user in the second direction is detected, related to Figure 14 ;

[0028] Figure 17 is an exemplary view that shows a function or operation of displaying an indicator indicating the expansion direction of a flexible display screen when the electronic device detects that a gesture input by the user to the electronic device is held, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 18a , Figure 18b and Figure 18c are exemplary views that show, from the perspective of the user interface, a function or operation of the electronic device displaying an indicator indicating the expansion of the flexible display screen in the first direction when a gesture of the user in the first direction is detected, related to Figure 17 ; and

[0030] Figure 19a , Figure 19b and Figure 19c is an exemplary view showing Figure 17 Relatedly, from the perspective of the user interface, when a user gesture in the second direction is detected, the electronic device displays a function or operation of an indicator indicating that the flexible display screen is extended in the first direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device 101 in a network environment 100 according to various embodiments.

[0032] Reference Figure 1 , the electronic device 101 in the network environment 100 may communicate with the electronic device 102 via the first network 198 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or communicate with at least one of the electronic device 104 or the server 108 via the second network 199 (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may communicate with the electronic device 104 via the server 108. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include a processor 120, a memory 130, an input module 150, a sound output module 155, a display module 160, an audio module 170, a sensor module 176, an interface 177, a connection terminal 178, a haptic module 179, a camera module 180, a power management module 188, a battery 189, a communication module 190, a user identification module (SIM) 196, or an antenna module 197. In some embodiments, at least one of the above components (e.g., the connection terminal 178) may be omitted from the electronic device 101, or one or more other components may be added to the electronic device 101. In some embodiments, some of the above-described components (eg, sensor module 176, camera module 180, or antenna module 197) may be implemented as a single integrated component (eg, display module 160).

[0033] The processor 120 may run software (e.g., program 140) to control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware component or a software component) connected to the processor 120 of the electronic device 101, and may perform various data processing or computations. According to one embodiment, as at least part of the data processing or computation, the processor 120 may store commands or data received from another component (e.g., the sensor module 176 or the communication module 190) in the volatile memory 132, process the commands or data stored in the volatile memory 132, and store the resulting data in the non-volatile memory 134. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may include a main processor 121 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) or an application processor (AP)) or an auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., a graphics processing unit (GPU), a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor (ISP), a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor (CP)) that is operationally independent of or combined with the main processor 121. For example, when the electronic device 101 includes the main processor 121 and the auxiliary processor 123, the auxiliary processor 123 may be adapted to consume less power than the main processor 121, or may be adapted to be dedicated to a specific function. The auxiliary processor 123 may be implemented separately from the main processor 121 or as part of the main processor 121.

[0034] When the main processor 121 is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, the auxiliary processor 123 (instead of the main processor 121) may control at least some of the functions or states related to at least one of the components of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the display module 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190), or when the main processor 121 is in an active state (e.g., running an application), the auxiliary processor 123 may control, together with the main processor 121, at least some of the functions or states related to at least one of the components of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the display module 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190). According to an embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as part of another component (e.g., the camera module 180 or the communication module 190) that is functionally related to the auxiliary processor 123. According to an embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., a neural processing unit) may include a hardware structure dedicated to artificial intelligence model processing. The artificial intelligence model may be generated through machine learning. For example, such learning may be performed by the electronic device 101 where the artificial intelligence is executed or via a separate server (e.g., the server 108). The learning algorithm may include, but is not limited to, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning. The artificial intelligence model may include multiple artificial neural network layers. The artificial neural network may be a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), or a deep Q network, or a combination of two or more of them, but is not limited thereto. Additionally or alternatively, the artificial intelligence model may include a software structure in addition to the hardware structure.

[0035] The memory 130 may store various data used by at least one component of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the processor 120 or the sensor module 176). The various data may include, for example, software (e.g., the program 140) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory 130 may include a volatile memory 132 or a non-volatile memory 134.

[0036] The program 140 may be stored as software in the memory 130, and the program 140 may include, for example, an operating system (OS) 142, middleware 144, or an application 146.

[0037] The input module 150 may receive commands or data to be used by other components of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the processor 120) from the outside of the electronic device 101 (e.g., a user). The input module 150 may include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (e.g., a button), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus).

[0038] The sound output module 155 may output a sound signal to the outside of the electronic device 101. The sound output module 155 may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker may be used for general purposes such as playing multimedia or playing a record. The receiver may be used for receiving an incoming call. According to an embodiment, the receiver may be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of the speaker.

[0039] The display module 160 may visually provide information to the outside of the electronic device 101 (e.g., to a user). The display device 160 may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector, and a control circuit for controlling a corresponding one of the display, the holographic device, and the projector. According to an embodiment, the display module 160 may include a touch sensor adapted to detect a touch or a pressure sensor adapted to measure the intensity of a force caused by the touch.

[0040] The audio module 170 may convert sound into an electrical signal and vice versa. According to an embodiment, the audio module 170 may obtain sound via the input module 150, or output sound via the sound output module 155 or via headphones of an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102) directly (e.g., wiredly) or wirelessly connected to the electronic device 101.

[0041] The sensor module 176 may detect an operating state of the electronic device 101 (e.g., power or temperature) or an environmental state outside the electronic device 101 (e.g., a state of a user), and then generate an electrical signal or a data value corresponding to the detected state. According to an embodiment, the sensor module 176 may include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0042] The interface 177 may support one or more specific protocols used to directly (e.g., wiredly) or wirelessly connect the electronic device 101 to an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102). According to an embodiment, the interface 177 may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a secure digital (SD) card interface, or an audio interface.

[0043] The connection terminal 178 may include a connector through which the electronic device 101 may be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102). According to an embodiment, the connection terminal 178 may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0044] The haptic module 179 may convert an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus (e.g., vibration or movement) or an electrical stimulus that can be recognized by a user via his sense of touch or kinesthesia. According to an embodiment, the haptic module 179 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulator.

[0045] The camera module 180 may capture a still image or a moving image. According to an embodiment, the camera module 180 may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, an image signal processor, or a flash.

[0046] The power management module 188 may manage the power supply to the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the power management module 188 may be implemented as at least part of, for example, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0047] The battery 189 may supply power to at least one component of the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the battery 189 may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0048] The communication module 190 may support establishing a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device 101 and an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102, the electronic device 104, or the server 108), and perform communication via the established communication channel. The communication module 190 may include one or more communication processors capable of operating independently of the processor 120 (e.g., an application processor (AP)), and support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to an embodiment, the communication module 190 may include a wireless communication module 192 (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 194 (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module or a power line communication (PLC) module). Each of these communication modules may communicate with an external electronic device via a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range communication network, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, or Infrared Data Association (IrDA)) or a second network 199 (e.g., a long-range communication network, such as a traditional cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or a wide area network (WAN))). These various types of communication modules may be implemented as a single component (e.g., a single chip), or these various types of communication modules may be implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module 192 may identify and authenticate the electronic device 101 in a communication network (such as the first network 198 or the second network 199) using user information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in the user identification module 196.

[0049] The wireless communication module 192 may support 5G networks and next-generation communication technologies (e.g., New Radio (NR) access technology) after 4G networks. The NR access technology may support enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine type communication (mMTC), or ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC). The wireless communication module 192 may support high frequency bands (e.g., millimeter wave bands) to achieve, for example, high data transfer rates. The wireless communication module 192 may support various technologies for ensuring performance in high frequency bands, such as, for example, beamforming, massive multiple-input multiple-output (massive MIMO), full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, analog beamforming, or massive antennas. The wireless communication module 192 may support various requirements specified in the electronic device 101, an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 104), or a network system (e.g., the second network 199). According to an embodiment, the wireless communication module 192 may support a peak data rate for implementing eMBB (e.g., 20 Gbps or greater), a loss coverage for implementing mMTC (e.g., 164 dB or less), or a U-plane latency for implementing URLLC (e.g., 0.5 ms or less for each of downlink (DL) and uplink (UL), or a round trip of 1 ms or less).

[0050] The antenna module 197 may transmit a signal or power to the outside of the electronic device 101 (e.g., an external electronic device) or receive a signal or power from the outside of the electronic device 101 (e.g., an external electronic device). According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include an antenna including a radiation element formed of a conductive material or a conductive pattern formed in a substrate (e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB)) or formed on the substrate. According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication scheme to be used in a communication network (such as the first network 198 or the second network 199) may be selected from the plurality of antennas by, for example, the communication module 190 (e.g., the wireless communication module 192). Subsequently, a signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module 190 and an external electronic device via the at least one selected antenna. According to an embodiment, additional components (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) other than the radiation element may be additionally formed as part of the antenna module 197.

[0051] According to various embodiments, the antenna module 197 may form a millimeter-wave antenna module. According to an embodiment, the millimeter-wave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna), wherein the RFIC is disposed on a first surface (e.g., a bottom surface) of the printed circuit board, or adjacent to the first surface and capable of supporting a specified high-frequency band (e.g., a millimeter-wave band), and the plurality of antennas are disposed on a second surface (e.g., a top surface or a side surface) of the printed circuit board, or adjacent to the second surface and capable of transmitting or receiving signals of the specified high-frequency band.

[0052] At least some of the above components may be interconnected via an inter-peripheral communication scheme (e.g., a bus, a general-purpose input / output (GPIO), a serial peripheral interface (SPI), or a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI)) and communicatively transmit signals (e.g., commands or data) therebetween.

[0053] According to an embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device 101 and an external electronic device 104 via a server 108 connected to a second network 199. Each of the electronic devices 102 or 104 may be a device of the same type as the electronic device 101 or a device of a different type from the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, all or some of the operations running on the electronic device 101 may be run on one or more of the external electronic device 102, the external electronic device 104, or the server 108. For example, if the electronic device 101 is to automatically execute a function or service or is to execute a function or service in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device 101 may request one or more of the external electronic devices to execute at least part of the function or service instead of running the function or service, or in addition to running the function or service, the electronic device 101 may also request one or more of the external electronic devices to execute at least part of the function or service. The one or more external electronic devices that receive the request may execute the requested at least part of the function or service, or execute additional functions or additional services related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device 101. The electronic device 101 may provide the result as at least part of a reply to the request with or without further processing of the result. To this end, for example, cloud computing technology, distributed computing technology, mobile edge computing (MEC) technology, or client-server computing technology may be used. The electronic device 101 may use, for example, distributed computing or mobile edge computing to provide an ultra-low latency service. In another embodiment, the external electronic device 104 may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server 108 may be an intelligent server using machine learning and / or neural networks. According to an embodiment, the external electronic device 104 or the server 108 may be included in the second network 199. The electronic device 101 may be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology or IoT-related technology.

[0054] Figure 2 is a view showing a state in which a second display area of a display screen according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is incorporated into a housing. Figure 3 is a view showing a state in which a second display area of a display screen according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is exposed to the outside of the housing.

[0055] Figure 2 and Figure 3Shows a structure in which when the electronic device 101 is viewed from the front, the display screen 203 (e.g., a flexible display screen or a rollable display screen) extends in the length direction (e.g., the +Y direction). However, the extension direction of the display screen 203 is not limited to one direction (e.g., the +Y direction). For example, the extension direction of the display screen 203 can be changed in design so that it can extend upward (the +Y direction), rightward (e.g., the +X direction), leftward (e.g., the -X direction), and / or downward (e.g., the -Y direction).

[0056] Figure 2 The state shown can be referred to as the closed state of the electronic device 101 or the housing 210 and the slid-in state of the display screen 203.

[0057] Figure 3 The state shown can be referred to as the open state of the electronic device 101 or the housing 210 and the slid-out state of the display screen 203.

[0058] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the electronic device 101 may include a housing 210. The housing 210 may include a first housing 201 and a second housing 202 configured to be movable relative to the first housing 201. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may be understood to have a structure in which the first housing 201 is configured to be slidable relative to the second housing 202. According to an embodiment, the second housing 202 may be configured to perform a reciprocating movement of a predetermined distance in the shown direction relative to the first housing 201, e.g., the direction indicated by the arrow η.

[0059] According to various embodiments, the second housing 202 may be referred to as a sliding part or a sliding housing and may be movable relative to the first housing 201. According to an embodiment, the second housing 202 may accommodate various electrical / electronic components, such as a circuit board or a battery.

[0060] According to an embodiment, the first housing 201 may accommodate a sub-circuit board (e.g., the second circuit board 249 in FIG. 4) electrically connected to a motor, a speaker, a SIM card slot, and / or a main circuit board. The second housing 202 may accommodate a main circuit board (e.g., the first circuit board 248 in FIG. 4) on which electrical components such as an application processor (AP) and a communication processor (CP) are mounted.

[0061] According to various embodiments, the first housing 201 may include a first cover member 211 (e.g., a main housing). The first cover member 211 may include a first sidewall 211a, a second sidewall 211b extending from the first sidewall 211a, and a third sidewall 211c extending from the first sidewall 211a and substantially parallel to the second sidewall 211b. According to an embodiment, the second sidewall 211b and the third sidewall 211c may be formed to be substantially perpendicular to the first sidewall 211a.

[0062] According to various embodiments, the first sidewall 211a, the second sidewall 211b, and the third sidewall 211c of the first cover member 211 may be formed to have side openings (e.g., on the front surface) to accommodate at least a portion of the second housing 202. For example, at least a portion of the second housing 202 may be surrounded by the first housing 201 and, under the guidance of the first housing 201, slide in a direction parallel to the first surface (e.g., the first surface F1 of Figure 4 ). According to an embodiment, the first sidewall 211a, the second sidewall 211b, and / or the third sidewall 211c of the first cover member 211 may be integrally formed. According to an embodiment, the first sidewall 211a, the second sidewall 211b, and / or the third sidewall 211c of the first cover member 211 may be formed as separate structures and combined or assembled.

[0063] According to various embodiments, the first cover member 211 may be formed to surround at least a portion of the display screen 203. For example, at least a portion of the display screen 203 may be formed to be surrounded by the first sidewall 211a, the second sidewall 211b, and / or the third sidewall 211c of the first cover member 211.

[0064] According to various embodiments, the second housing 202 may include a second cover member 221 (e.g., a sliding plate). The second cover member 221 may have a plate shape and include a first surface (e.g., the first surface F1 of Figure 4 ) that supports internal components. For example, the second cover member 221 may support at least a portion of the display screen 203 (e.g., the first display area A1). According to an embodiment, the second cover member 221 may be referred to as a front cover.

[0065] According to various embodiments, when the second housing 202 moves in a first direction (e.g., direction ①) parallel to the 1-2 side wall 211b or the 1-3 side wall 211c, the housing 210 can form an open state and a closed state. In the closed state, the second housing 202 can be located at a first distance from the 1-1 side wall 211a, and in the open state, the second housing 202 can move to a second distance greater than the first distance from the 1-1 side wall 211a. In some embodiments, in the closed state, the first housing 201 can surround a portion of the 2-1 side wall 221a.

[0066] According to various embodiments, the electronic device 101 may include a display screen 203, a key input device 245, a connector hole 243, audio modules 247a and 247b, or camera modules 249a and 249b. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may further include an indicator (e.g., a light-emitting diode (LED) device) or various sensor modules.

[0067] According to various embodiments, the display screen 203 may include a first display area A1 and a second display area A2, and the second display area is configured to be exposed to the outside of the electronic device 101 based on the sliding of the second housing 202. According to an embodiment, the first display area A1 may be provided on the second housing 202. For example, the first display area A1 may be provided on the second cover member 221 of the second housing 202. According to an embodiment, the second display area A2 may extend from the first display area A1, and as the second housing 202 slides relative to the first housing 201, the second display area A2 may be incorporated into the first housing 201 (e.g., in a slid-in state) or visually exposed to the outside of the electronic device 101 (e.g., in a slid-out state).

[0068] According to various embodiments, the second display area A2 may move while being generally guided by an area (e.g., Figure 4 the curved surface 213a) of the first housing 201, and be incorporated into the space located within the first housing 201 or exposed to the outside of the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the second display area A2 may move based on the sliding of the second housing 202 in the first direction (e.g., the direction indicated by arrow ①). For example, when the second housing 202 slides, a portion of the second display area A2 may be deformed into a curved shape at a position corresponding to the curved surface 213a of the first housing 201.

[0069] According to various embodiments, when viewed from above the second cover member 221 (e.g., the front cover), if the electronic device 210 changes from a closed state to an open state (e.g., if the second housing 202 slides to extend out from the first housing 201), the second display area A2 may be gradually exposed to the outside of the first housing 201 and form a substantially flat surface together with the first display area A1. According to an embodiment, the display screen 203 may be coupled or disposed adjacent to a touch detection circuit, a pressure sensor capable of measuring a touch intensity (pressure), and / or a digital converter for detecting a magnetic field type stylus. According to an embodiment, regardless of whether the housing 210 is in a closed state or an open state, the exposed portion of the second display area A2 may be located on a portion of the first housing (e.g., Figure 4 the curved surface 213a), and a portion of the second display area A2 may maintain a curved shape at a position corresponding to the curved surface 213a.

[0070] According to various embodiments, the key input device 245 may be located in an area of the first housing 201. Depending on the appearance and usage state, the electronic device 101 may be designed to omit the illustrated key input device 245 or include additional (multiple) key input devices. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include a key input device (not shown), such as a home key button or a touchpad provided around the home key button. According to an embodiment, at least a portion of the key input device 245 may be provided on the first - 1 sidewall 211a, the first - 2 sidewall 211b, or the first - 3 sidewall 211c of the first housing 201.

[0071] According to various embodiments, the connector hole 243 may be omitted, or may receive a connector (e.g., a universal serial bus (USB) connector) for transmitting and receiving power and / or data with an external electronic device. According to an embodiment (not shown), the electronic device 101 may include a plurality of connector holes 243, and some of the plurality of connector holes 243 may be connector holes for transmitting / receiving audio signals with an external electronic device. In the illustrated embodiment, the connector hole 243 is provided in the second housing 202, but is not limited thereto. For example, the connector hole 243 or a connector hole not shown may be provided in the first housing 201.

[0072] According to various embodiments, the audio modules 247a and 247b may include at least one speaker hole 247a or at least one microphone hole 247b. One of the speaker holes 247a may be set as a receiver hole for voice calls, and the other may be set as an external speaker hole. The electronic device 101 may include a microphone for acquiring sound. The microphone may acquire external sound of the electronic device 101 through the microphone hole 247b. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include multiple microphones to detect the direction of sound. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include an audio module in which the speaker hole 247a and the microphone hole 247b are implemented as one hole, or may include a speaker (e.g., a piezoelectric speaker) without the speaker hole 247a.

[0073] According to various embodiments, the camera modules 249a and 249b may include a first camera module 249a (e.g., a front camera) and a second camera module 249b (e.g., a rear camera) (e.g., Figure 5a and Figure 5b the second camera module 249b in . According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include at least one of a wide-angle camera, a telephoto camera, or a macro camera. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 200 may measure the distance to an object by including an infrared projector and / or an infrared receiver. The camera modules 249a and 249b may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and / or an image signal processor. The first camera module 249a may be set to face the same direction as the display screen 203. For example, the first camera module 249a may be set in an area around the first display area A1 or in an area overlapping with the display screen 203. When set in the area overlapping with the display screen 203, the first camera module 249a may capture an object through the display screen 203. According to an embodiment, the first camera module 249a may include an under-display camera (UDC) having a screen display area (e.g., the first display area A1) that may not be visually exposed but hidden. According to an embodiment, the second camera module 249b may capture an object in a direction opposite to the first display area A1. According to an embodiment, the first camera module 249a and / or the second camera module 249b may be set on the second housing 202.

[0074] According to various embodiments, an indicator (not shown) of the electronic device 101 may be provided on the first housing 201 or the second housing 202, and the indicator may include a light-emitting diode to provide status information about the electronic device 101 as a visual signal. A sensor module (not shown) of the electronic device 101 may generate an electrical signal or a data value corresponding to an internal operation state or an external environmental state of the electronic device. The sensor module may include, for example, a proximity sensor, a fingerprint sensor, or a biometric sensor (e.g., an iris / facial recognition sensor or a heart rate monitoring (HRM) sensor). According to another embodiment, the sensor module may further include at least one of, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0075] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0076] FIG. 5a is a cross-sectional view taken along line A - A' of FIG. 2 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0077] FIG. 5b is a cross-sectional view taken along line B - B' of FIG. 3 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0078] Referring to FIGS. 4, 5a, and / or 5b, the electronic device 101 may include a first housing 201, a second housing 202, a display assembly 230, and a driving structure 240. The configurations of the first housing 201, the second housing 202, and the display assembly 230 in FIGS. 4, 5a, and / or 5b may be the same as or partially the same as the configurations of the first housing 201, the second housing 202, and the display screen 203 in FIGS. 2 and / or 3.

[0079] According to various embodiments, the first housing 201 may include a first cover member 211 (e.g., the first cover member 211 in FIGS. 2 and 3), a frame 213, and a first back plate 215.

[0080] According to various embodiments, the first cover member 211 may accommodate at least a portion of the frame 213 and accommodate components (e.g., the battery 289) located within the frame 213. According to an embodiment, the first cover member 211 may be formed to surround at least a portion of the second housing 202. According to an embodiment, a second circuit board 249 that houses electronic components (e.g., the processor 120 and / or the memory 130 in FIG. 1) may be connected to the first cover member 211.

[0081] According to various embodiments, the frame 213 may be connected to the first cover member 211. For example, the frame 213 may be connected to the first cover member 211. The second housing 202 may move relative to the first cover member 211 and / or the frame 213. According to an embodiment, the frame 213 may accommodate a battery 289 (e.g., the battery 189 in FIG. 1). According to an embodiment, the frame 213 may include a curved portion 213a facing the display assembly 230.

[0082] According to various embodiments, the first rear plate 215 may generally form at least a part of the outside of the first housing 201 or the electronic device 101. For example, the first rear plate 215 may be coupled to the outer surface of the first cover member 221. According to an embodiment, the first rear plate 215 may provide a decorative effect to the outside of the electronic device 101. The first rear plate 215 may be formed of at least one of metal, glass, synthetic resin, or ceramic.

[0083] According to various embodiments, the second housing 202 may include a second cover member 221 (e.g., the second cover member 221 in FIGS. 2 and 3), a rear cover 223, and a second rear plate 225.

[0084] According to an embodiment, the second cover member 221 may be connected to the first housing 201 through a guide rail 250 and, under the guidance of the guide rail 250, perform a linear reciprocating motion in one direction (e.g., the direction of arrow ① in FIG. 3).

[0085] According to various embodiments, the second cover member 221 may support at least a part of the display screen 203. For example, the second cover member 221 may include a first surface F1. The first display area A1 of the display screen 203 may be generally located on the first surface F1 to maintain a flat shape. According to an embodiment, the second cover member 221 may be made of a metal material and / or a non-metal (e.g., polymer) material. According to an embodiment, the first circuit board 248 that houses electronic components (e.g., the processor 120 and / or the memory 130 in FIG. 1) may be connected to the second cover member 221.

[0086] According to various embodiments, the rear cover 223 may protect the components (e.g., the first circuit board 248) located on the second cover member 221. For example, the rear cover 223 may be connected to the second cover member 221 and may be formed to surround at least a part of the first circuit board 248. According to an embodiment, the rear cover 223 may include an antenna pattern for communicating with an external electronic device. For example, the rear cover 223 may include a laser direct structuring (LDS) antenna.

[0087] According to various embodiments, the second rear plate 225 may substantially form at least a part of the exterior of the second housing 202 or the electronic device 101. For example, the second rear plate 225 may be coupled to an outer surface of the second cover member 221. According to an embodiment, the second rear plate 225 may provide a decorative effect to the exterior of the electronic device 101. The second rear plate 215 may be formed of at least one of metal, glass, synthetic resin, or ceramic.

[0088] According to various embodiments, the display assembly 230 may include a display screen 231 (e.g., the display screen 203 in FIGS. 2 and / or 3) and a multi-bar structure 232 that supports the display screen 203. According to an embodiment, the display screen 231 may be referred to as a flexible display screen, a foldable display screen, and / or a rollable display screen.

[0089] According to various embodiments, the multi-bar structure 232 may be connected or attached to at least a part of the display screen 231 (e.g., the second display area A2). According to an embodiment, as the second housing 202 slides, the multi-bar structure 232 may move relative to the first housing 201. In a closed state of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the state of FIG. 2), the multi-bar structure 232 may be mostly received in the first housing 201 and may be located between the first cover member 211 and the second cover member 221. According to an embodiment, at least a part of the multi-bar structure 232 may move corresponding to a curved surface 213a located at an edge of the frame 213. According to an embodiment, the multi-bar structure 232 may be referred to as a display screen support member or a support structure and may be in the form of an elastic plate.

[0090] According to various embodiments, the driving structure 240 may move the second housing 202 relative to the first housing 201. For example, the driving structure 240 may include a motor 241 configured to generate a driving force for sliding the housings 201 and 202. The driving structure 240 may include a gear (e.g., a pinion) connected to the motor 241 and a rack 242 configured to engage with the gear.

[0091] According to various embodiments, the housing in which the rack 242 is located may be different from the housing in which the motor 241 is located. According to an embodiment, the motor 241 may be connected to the second housing 202. The rack 242 may be connected to the first housing 201. According to another embodiment, the motor 241 may be connected to the first housing 201. The rack 242 may be connected to the second housing 202.

[0092] According to various embodiments, the first housing 201 may accommodate a first circuit board 248 (e.g., a main board). According to an embodiment, a processor (e.g., the processor 120 of FIG. 1), a memory (e.g., the memory 130 of FIG. 1), and / or an interface (e.g., the interface 177 of FIG. 1) may be mounted on the first circuit board 248. The processor may include, for example, one or more of a central processing unit, an application processor, a graphics processing device, an image signal processing device, a sensing hub processor, or a communication processor. According to various embodiments, the first circuit board 248 may include a flexible printed circuit board type radio frequency cable (FRC). The first circuit board 248 may be disposed on at least a portion of the second cover member 221 and may be electrically connected to an antenna module (e.g., the antenna module 197 of FIG. 1) and a communication module (e.g., the communication module 190 of FIG. 1).

[0093] According to an embodiment, the memory may include, for example, volatile or non-volatile memory.

[0094] According to an embodiment, the interface may include, for example, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a secure digital (SD) card interface, and / or an audio interface. The interface may electrically or physically connect the electronic device 101 to an external electronic device and may include a USB connector, an SD card / multimedia card (MMC) connector, or an audio connector.

[0095] According to various embodiments, the electronic device 101 may include a second circuit board 249 (e.g., a sub-board) spaced apart from the first circuit board 248 (e.g., the main circuit board) within the first housing 201. The second circuit board 249 may be electrically connected to the first circuit board 248 through a connection flexible board. The second circuit board 249 may be electrically connected to electrical components (such as a battery 289 or a speaker and / or a SIM card slot) provided in an end region of the electronic device 101 and may transmit signals and power. According to an embodiment, the second circuit board 249 may accommodate a wireless charging antenna (e.g., a coil). For example, the battery 289 may receive power from an external electronic device through the wireless charging antenna. As another example, the battery 289 may transmit power to an external electronic device through the wireless charging antenna.

[0096] According to various embodiments, the battery 289 may be a device for supplying power to at least one component of the electronic device 101. The battery 189 may include a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell. The battery 289 may be disposed integrally or detachably inside the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the battery 289 may be formed of a single embedded battery or may include a plurality of removable batteries. According to an embodiment, the battery 289 may be located in the frame 213, and the battery 289 may slide together with the frame 213.

[0097] According to various embodiments, the guide rail 250 may guide the movement of the multi-rod structure 232. For example, the multi-rod structure 232 may slide along a slit 251 formed in the guide rail 250. According to an embodiment, the guide rail 250 may be connected to the first housing 201. For example, the guide rail 250 may be connected to the first cover member 211 and / or the frame 213. According to an embodiment, the slit 251 may be referred to as a groove or recess formed on the inner surface of the guide rail 250.

[0098] According to various embodiments, the guide rail 250 may apply pressure to the multi-rod structure 232 based on the driving of the motor 241.

[0099] According to an embodiment, when the electronic device 101 changes from a closed state to an open state, an inner portion 252 of the guide rail 250 may apply pressure to the multi-rod structure 232. The multi-rod structure 232 that receives the pressure may move along the slit 251 of the guide rail 250, and the second housing 202 may change from a slid-in state to a slid-out state relative to the first housing 201. At least a portion of the display assembly 230 accommodated between the first cover member 211 and the frame 213 may be extended to the front surface.

[0100] According to an embodiment, when the electronic device 101 changes from an open state to a closed state, an outer portion 253 of the guide rail 250 may apply pressure to the bent multi-rod structure 232. The multi-rod structure 232 that receives the pressure may move along the slit 251 of the guide rail 250, and the second housing 202 may change from a slid-out state to a slid-in state relative to the first housing 201. At least a portion of the display assembly 230 may be accommodated between the first cover member 211 and the frame 213.

[0101] Refer to Figure 5a, in the closed state of the electronic device 101, at least part of the second housing 202 can be arranged to be received in the first housing 201. Since the second housing 202 is arranged to be received in the first housing 201, the overall volume of the electronic device 101 can be reduced. According to an embodiment, when the second housing 202 is received in the first housing 201, the size of the display screen 231 visually exposed can be reduced. For example, if the second housing 202 is completely received in the first housing 201, the first display area A1 of the display screen 231 can be visually exposed, while the second display area A2 may not be visually exposed. At least part of the second display area A2 can be arranged between the battery 289 and the rear plates 215 and 225.

[0102] Referring to Figure 5b , in the open state of the electronic device 101, at least part of the second housing 202 can protrude from the first housing 201. Since the second housing 202 is arranged to protrude from the first housing 201, the overall volume of the electronic device 101 can be increased. According to an embodiment, if the second housing 202 protrudes from the first housing 201, at least part of the second display area A2 of the display screen 231, together with the first display area A1, can be visually exposed to the outside of the electronic device 101.

[0103] Figure 6 is an exemplary view showing the function or operation of changing the shape of the electronic device 101 (e.g., from a closed state to a fully open state) while terminating the multi-window view mode according to the detection of a first user gesture 740 by the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7a to Figure 7d is a view showing from the perspective of the user interface Figure 6 the exemplary view of the function or operation described above.

[0104] Referring to Figure 6 , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in operation 610, the electronic device 101 can detect a first user gesture 740 on the first screen 700 displayed on the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 203). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 7a shown, the first screen 700 can include a first running screen 710 of a first application (e.g., a calendar application), a second running screen 720 of a second application (e.g., a call application), and / or a first visual object 730 displayed at the boundary between the first running screen 710 and the second running screen 720 through a multi-window mode (e.g., a display mode in which the respective running screens of multiple applications are simultaneously displayed) to indicate the boundary between the first running screen 710 and the second running screen 720. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 7bAs shown, the first user gesture 740 may include a drag gesture along a specified direction (e.g., the first direction) on the first screen 700 (e.g., the first visual object 730). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first user gesture 740 may include various other gestures in addition to the drag gesture, such as a swipe gesture, a click gesture, a touch gesture using an external electronic device (e.g., a stylus), and / or a hover gesture.

[0105] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in operation 620, the electronic device 101 may change and display the screen ratio of the multi-window mode based on detecting the first user gesture 740, and then determine whether the first user gesture 740 is held within the specified area 760 of the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 203) for a specified time or longer and then released. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 7b shown, the first user gesture 740 may include a drag gesture of dragging the first visual object 730 to the specified area 760 of the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 203). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 7c shown, the specified area 760 may include an area around the edge of the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 203) exposed to the outside (e.g., an area around the upper edge, i.e., a rectangular area with a height of Y2 - Y1). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the specified area 760 may be predefined (e.g., when manufacturing the electronic device 101) or defined by the user. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 7c shown, based on detecting the first user gesture 740 of moving the first visual object 730 in the first direction (e.g., the direction towards the upper edge), the electronic device 101 may display the third running screen 730 of the second application in the enlarged application running screen area, where the attributes of the second running screen 720 of the second application (e.g., the sizes of various objects included in the second running screen 720, the types of visual objects, and / or the resolution or such visual elements) have been at least partially changed. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the first user gesture 740 is held in the specified area 760 (e.g., the upper edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside) for a specified time (e.g., 3 seconds). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the first user gesture 740 is held in the specified area 760 (e.g., the upper edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside) for a specified time or longer and then released.

[0106] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in operation 630, based on the determination result of operation 620, the electronic device 101 may insert the second housing 202 into the first housing 201 (e.g., switch from the open state to the fully closed state), or pull out the second housing 202 a specified length outside the first housing 201 (e.g., switch from the fully closed state to the fully open state). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 7d shown, based on determining that when the electronic device 101 is in the fully closed state, the first user gesture 740 remains in the specified area 760 (e.g., the upper edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside) for a specified time or longer and then is released, the electronic device 101 may pull out the second housing 202 a specified length outside the first housing 201 (e.g., switch from the fully closed state to the fully open state). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may change the application running screen area (e.g., window) based on the first user gesture 740 on the first visual object 730. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, based on obtaining a user input to an input device (e.g., the key input device 245 or 1041) for changing the state of the electronic device 200 (e.g., switching from the closed state to the open state and / or from the open state to the closed state), the electronic device 101 may change the state of the electronic device 200 while maintaining the multi-window mode. In this case, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may at least partially modify the attributes of the screen to make it suitable for the state-changed electronic device 200 and display the application running screen (e.g., the first running screen 710 and the second running screen 720).

[0107] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in operation 640, the electronic device 101 may display a second screen different from the first screen (e.g., the fourth running screen 750 of the first application) on the shape-changed electronic device 101 according to operation 630. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, based on detecting that the first user gesture 740 is released in the designated area 760 (e.g., the upper edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside), the electronic device 101 may display (e.g., terminate the multi-window mode) the fourth running screen 750 having properties (e.g., the size, type, and / or resolution of visual objects) at least partially different from those of the third running screen 730 in full screen on the extended flexible display screen area (e.g., the display screen 203). When the running screens of multiple applications are displayed in multi-window mode in the open state (e.g., the fully open state) of the electronic device 101, when a gesture for moving the first visual object 730 to the designated area 760 (e.g., the area around the lower edge of the exposed flexible display screen (e.g., a rectangular area with a height of Y3)) is detected, the electronic device 101 may switch its state from the open state to the closed state and display (e.g., terminate the multi-window mode) the running screen of any one application in full screen. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, operations 630 and 640 may be performed substantially simultaneously (e.g., while expanding the application running screen in real time, changing the state of the electronic device 101), or may be performed at different times (e.g., displaying the application running screen after the state of the electronic device 101 is changed).

[0108] FIG. 8 is an exemplary view showing a function or operation of changing the shape of the electronic device 101 (e.g., changing from a closed state to a fully open state) while scrolling and displaying a screen according to a first user gesture 740 detected by the electronic device 101. FIGS. 9A to 9D are exemplary views showing the function or operation described in FIG. 8 from the perspective of the user interface.

[0109] Referring to FIG. 8, in operation 810, the electronic device 101 may detect a first user gesture 740 on a first screen (e.g., a fifth running screen 910 of a third application (e.g., a launcher application)) displayed on a flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 203). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 9A, the fifth running screen 910 of the third application may be displayed substantially as a full screen on the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 203), where a specific application running screen is exposed. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a status bar area 940 (e.g., an area for displaying the current time or battery status) may be overlapped and displayed on the fifth running screen 910, or may be displayed in a separate area. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 9B, the first user gesture 740 may include a drag gesture in a specified direction (e.g., a first direction 950) on the fifth running screen 910. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first user gesture 740 may include various other gestures in addition to the drag gesture, such as a swipe gesture, a click gesture, a touch gesture by an external electronic device (e.g., a stylus), and / or a hover gesture.

[0110] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in operation 820, the electronic device 101 may display a second screen (e.g., a sixth running screen 920 of a third application (e.g., a launcher application)) by scrolling the first screen (e.g., the fifth running screen 910 of the third application (e.g., a launcher application)) based on the first user gesture 740 detected in operation 810. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 9C, the electronic device 101 may display the sixth running screen 920 on the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 203), where the fifth running screen 910 has been scrolled according to the first user gesture 740.

[0111] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in operation 830, based on detecting the first user gesture 740, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the first user gesture 740 is held in the designated area 760 of the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 203) for a designated time or longer and then released. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 9B, the first user gesture 740 may include a drag gesture starting from an area of the fifth running screen 910 towards the designated area 760 (e.g., the area around the upper edge of the display screen 203, which is a rectangular area with a height of Y2 - Y1). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 9C, the designated area 760 may include an area around the edge (e.g., the upper edge) of the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 203) exposed to the outside. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the designated area 760 may be predefined (e.g., when manufacturing the electronic device 101), or may be defined by the user. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the first user gesture 740 has been held in the designated area 760 (e.g., the upper edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside) for a designated time (e.g., 3 seconds) in a state where the sixth running screen 920 is being displayed. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the first user gesture 740 is held in the designated area 760 (e.g., the upper edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside) for a designated time or longer and then released.

[0112] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in operation 840, based on the determination result of operation 830, the electronic device 101 may insert the second housing 202 into the first housing 201 (e.g., switch from the open state to the fully closed state), or pull out the second housing 202 a designated length outside the first housing 201 (e.g., switch from the closed state to the fully open state). For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 9D, when the electronic device 101 is in the fully closed state, based on determining that the first user gesture 740 is held in the designated area 760 (e.g., the upper edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside) for a designated time or longer and then released, the electronic device 101 may pull out the second housing 202 a designated length outside the first housing 201 (e.g., switch from the closed state to the fully open state).

[0113] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in operation 850, the electronic device 101 may display, according to operation 840, a third screen (e.g., the seventh running screen 930 of a third application) different from a second screen (e.g., the sixth running screen 920 of a third application (e.g., a launcher application)) on the shape-changed electronic device 101. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, based on detecting that the first user gesture 740 is released in a designated area 760 (e.g., the upper edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside), the electronic device 101 may display, in full screen on the area of the extended flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 203), the seventh running screen 930 having attributes (e.g., the size, type, and / or resolution of visual objects) different from those of the sixth running screen 920. When the seventh running screen 930 is displayed in the open state (e.g., the fully open state) of the electronic device 101, when a gesture moving toward the designated area 760 (e.g., a rectangular area with a height of Y3, which is an area around the lower edge of the exposed flexible display screen) is detected, the electronic device 101 may switch its state from the open state to the closed state and display a running screen (e.g., the fifth running screen 910). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, operations 840 and 850 may be performed substantially simultaneously (e.g., while expanding the application running screen in real time and changing the state of the electronic device 101), or may be performed at different times (e.g., displaying the application running screen after the state of the electronic device 101 is changed).

[0114] Figure 10 and Figure 11 are exemplary views showing an electronic device 101 having a display screen expansion shape in different directions from the shape of the electronic device 101 described in connection with Figure 2 the display screen of the electronic device 101 described in connection with

[0115] Figure 10 and Figure 11 show a structure in which when the electronic device 101 is viewed from the front, the display screen 203 (e.g., the flexible display screen) expands to the right. However, the expansion direction of the display screen 1003 is not limited to one direction (e.g., the left direction), but design changes may be made such that the display screen 203 may expand to the left and / or in two directions.

[0116] Figure 10 The state shown in Figure 11 may be defined as the first housing 1001 being in a closed state relative to the second housing 1002, and

[0117] Reference Figure 10 and Figure 11 ,the electronic device 101 may include housings 1001 and 1002. The housings 1001 and 1002 may include a first housing 1002 and a second housing 1001 configured to be movable relative to the first housing 1002. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may be understood to have a structure in which the first housing 1002 is slidably disposed on the second housing 1001. According to an embodiment, the second housing 1001 may be configured to reciprocate a predetermined distance relative to the first housing 1002 in a predetermined direction (e.g., the direction indicated by arrow ①).

[0118] According to an embodiment, the second housing 1001 may be referred to as, for example, a first structure, a sliding unit, or a sliding housing, and may be configured to reciprocate on the first housing 1002. According to an embodiment, the second housing 1001 may accommodate various electrical / electronic components, such as a circuit board or a battery. The first housing 1002 may be referred to as, for example, a second structure, a main portion, or a main housing, and may guide the movement of the second housing 1001. A portion of the display screen 1003 (e.g., a first display area A1) may be disposed on the second housing 1001. According to an embodiment, as the second housing 1001 moves (e.g., slides) relative to the first housing 1002, another portion of the display screen 1003 (e.g., a second display area A2) may be received inside the first housing 1002 (e.g., a sliding-in action) or exposed outside the first housing 1002 (e.g., a sliding-out action). According to an embodiment, a motor, a speaker, a SIM card slot, and / or a sub-circuit board electrically connected to the main circuit board may be disposed in the second housing 1001. A circuit board on which electrical components such as an application processor (AP) or a communication processor (CP) are mounted may be disposed in the second housing 1002.

[0119] According to various embodiments, the second housing 1001 may include a first cover member 1011 (e.g., a sliding plate). The first cover member 1011 may include a first surface (e.g., Figure 11 the first surface F1) forming at least a part of the first cover member 1011 and a second surface F2 facing away from the first surface F1. According to an embodiment, the first cover member 1011 may support at least a part of the display screen 1003 (e.g., the first display area A1).

[0120] According to various embodiments, the first housing 1002 may include a second plate 1021 (e.g., a main housing), a 2-1 sidewall 1021a extending from the second plate 1021, a 2-2 sidewall 1021b extending from the 2-1 sidewall 1021a and the second plate 1021, and a 2-3 sidewall 1021c extending from the 2-1 sidewall 1021a and the second plate 1021 and disposed substantially parallel to the 2-2 sidewall 1021b. According to an embodiment, the 2-2 sidewall 1021b and the 2-3 sidewall 1021c may be formed to be substantially perpendicular to the 2-1 sidewall 1021a. According to an embodiment, the second plate 1021, the 2-1 sidewall 1021a, the 2-2 sidewall 1021b, and the 2-3 sidewall 1021c may be formed to have an opening on one surface (e.g., a front surface) to accommodate at least a portion of the second housing 1001. For example, the second housing 1001 may be coupled to the first housing 1002 in a state where at least a portion thereof is surrounded, and may slide in a direction parallel to the first surface F1 or the second surface F2, e.g., slide in the direction ① as indicated by the arrow while being guided by the first housing 1002. According to an embodiment, the second plate 1021, the 2-1 sidewall 1021a, the 2-2 sidewall 1021b, and / or the 2-3 sidewall 1021c may be integrally formed. According to another embodiment, the second plate 1021, the 2-1 sidewall 1021a, the 2-2 sidewall 1021b, and / or the 2-3 sidewall 1021c may be formed as separate components and combined or assembled.

[0121] According to various embodiments, the second housing 1001 may move between an open state and a closed state relative to the first housing 1002 in a first direction (e.g., direction ①) parallel to the 2-2 sidewall 1021b or the 2-3 sidewall 1021c. In the closed state, the second housing 1001 may move to a position at a first distance from the 2-1 sidewall 1021a, and in the open state, may move to a position at a second distance greater than the first distance from the 2-1 sidewall 1021a. According to various embodiments, the electronic device 101 may include a display screen 1003, a key input device 1041, a connector hole 1043, audio modules 1047a and 1047b, or camera modules 1049a and 1049b. Although not shown, the electronic device 101 may further include an indicator (e.g., a light emitting diode (LED) device) or various sensor modules.

[0122] According to various embodiments, the display screen 1003 may include a first display area A1 and a second display area A2. According to an embodiment, the first display area A1 may be provided on the first housing 1002. The second display area A2 may extend from the first display area A1. As the second housing 1001 slides, at least a portion of the first display area A1 may be inserted or received within the first housing 1002 (e.g., structure), or may be exposed to the outside of the first housing 1002.

[0123] According to various embodiments, the second display area A2 may be moved significantly under the guidance of an area (e.g., a curved surface) of the second housing 1001, and thus may be received within the first housing 1002, or received within a space formed between the second housing 1001 and the first housing 1002, or exposed to the outside. According to an embodiment, the second display area A2 may be moved based on the sliding of the second housing 1001 in a first direction (e.g., the direction indicated by arrow ①). For example, when the second housing 1001 slides, a portion of the second display area A2 may be deformed into a curved shape at a position corresponding to the curved surface of the second housing 1001.

[0124] According to various embodiments, when viewed from above the first plate 1011 (e.g., a sliding plate), if the second housing 1001 moves from a closed state to an open state, the second display area A2 may be exposed to the outside of the first housing 1002, and thus may be substantially coplanar with the first display area A1. The display screen 1003 may be provided to be coupled or adjacent to a touch detection circuit, a pressure sensor capable of measuring a touch intensity (pressure), and / or a digitizer for detecting a magnetic field type stylus. In one embodiment, the second display area A2 may be at least partially received inside the first housing 1002, and even in Figure 10 the state shown (e.g., the closed state), a portion of the second display area A2 may be visually exposed to the outside. According to one of various embodiments, the electronic device 101 may include at least one hinge structure. The hinge structure may connect the second housing 1001 to the first housing 1002. For example, the hinge structure may be connected to the first plate 1011 and the second plate 221. According to an embodiment, the hinge structure may transfer a driving force for guiding the sliding of the second housing 1001 to the second housing 1001. For example, the hinge structure may include an elastic material (e.g., a spring), and provide an elastic force in the first direction (e.g., Figure 11 the direction ①) based on the sliding of the second housing 1001. According to an embodiment, the hinge structure may be omitted.

[0125] According to various embodiments, the key input device 1041 may be located in an area of the second housing 1001. Depending on the appearance and usage state, the electronic device 101 may be designed to omit the key input device 1041 shown or include an additional key input device. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include a key input device (not shown), such as a home key button or a touchpad provided around the home key button. According to another embodiment, at least a portion of the key input device 1041 may be provided on the second-1 sidewall 1021a, the second-2 sidewall 1021b, or the second-3 sidewall 1021c of the first housing 1002.

[0126] According to various embodiments, the connector hole 1043 may be omitted, or may accommodate a connector (e.g., a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector) for transmitting and receiving power and / or data with an external electronic device. Although not shown, the electronic device 101 may include a plurality of connector holes 1043, and some of the plurality of connector holes 1043 may be used as connector holes for transmitting / receiving audio signals with an external electronic device. In the illustrated embodiment, the connector hole 1043 is provided in the second-3 sidewall 1021c, but is not limited thereto, and the connector hole 1043 or a connector hole not shown may be provided in the second-1 sidewall 1021a or the second-2 sidewall 1021b.

[0127] According to various embodiments, the audio modules 1047a and 1047b may include at least one speaker hole 1047a or at least one microphone hole 1047b. One of the speaker holes 1047a may be set as a receiver hole for voice calls, and the other may be set as an external speaker hole. The electronic device 101 may include a microphone for acquiring sound. The microphone may acquire external sound of the electronic device 101 through the microphone hole 1047b. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include a plurality of microphones to detect the direction of sound. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include an audio module in which the speaker hole 1047a and the microphone hole 1047b are implemented as one hole, or may include a speaker (e.g., a piezoelectric speaker) without the speaker hole 1047a.

[0128] According to various embodiments, camera modules 1049a and 1049b may include a first camera module 1049a and / or a second camera module 1049b. The second camera module 1049b may be located in the second housing 1001 and may capture an object in a direction opposite to the first display area A1 of the display screen 1003. The electronic device 101 may include multiple camera modules 1049a and 1049b. For example, the electronic device 101 may include at least one of a wide-angle camera, a telephoto camera, or a macro camera. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 200 may measure the distance to an object by including an infrared projector and / or an infrared receiver. The camera modules 1049a and 1049b may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and / or an image signal processor. The first camera module 1049a may be arranged to face the same direction as the display screen 1003. For example, the first camera module 1049a may be arranged in an area overlapping with the display screen 1003 or around the first display area A1, and when arranged in the area overlapping with the display screen 1003, the first camera module 1049a may capture an object through the display screen 1003. According to an embodiment, the first camera module 1049a may include an under-display camera (UDC) having a screen display area (e.g., the first display area A1) that may not be visually exposed but hidden.

[0129] According to various embodiments, an indicator (not shown) of the electronic device 101 may be provided on the second housing 1001 or the first housing 1002, and the indicator may include a light-emitting diode to provide status information about the electronic device 101 as a visual signal. A sensor module (not shown) of the electronic device 101 may generate an electrical signal or a data value corresponding to an internal operation state or an external environmental state of the electronic device. The sensor module may include, for example, a proximity sensor, a fingerprint sensor, or a biometric sensor (e.g., an iris / facial recognition sensor or a heart rate monitor (HRM) sensor). According to another embodiment, the sensor module may further include, for example, at least one of a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0130] Figures 12a to 12d are exemplary views showing the functions or operations described in FIG. 6 being performed by the electronic device 101 having the form shown in FIGS. 10 and Figure 11 shown, from the perspective of the user interface.

[0131] Referring to FIGS. 12a to 12d, the electronic device 101 may detect a third user gesture 1230 on a fourth screen 1200 displayed on a flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 12a, the fourth screen 1200 may include an eighth running screen 1210 of a first application (e.g., a calendar application), a ninth running screen 1220 of a second application (e.g., a call application), and / or a second visual object 1260 displayed at a boundary between the eighth running screen 1210 and the ninth running screen 1220 through a multi-window mode (e.g., a display mode in which respective running screens of multiple applications are simultaneously displayed) to indicate the boundary between the eighth running screen 1210 and the ninth running screen 1220. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 12b, the second user gesture 1230 may include a drag gesture along a specified direction (e.g., a second direction to the right) on the fourth screen 1200 (e.g., the second visual object 1260). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second user gesture 1230 may include various other gestures in addition to the drag gesture, such as a swipe gesture, a click gesture, a touch gesture by an external electronic device (e.g., a stylus), and / or a hover gesture.

[0132] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may change and display the screen ratio of the multi-window mode based on detecting the second user gesture 1230, and then determine whether the second user gesture 1230 is held and then released in a specified area 760 of the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003) for a specified time or longer. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 12b, the second user gesture 1230 may include a drag gesture of dragging the second visual object 1260 to the specified area 760 of the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 12c shown, the specified area 760 may include an area around an edge (e.g., a right edge) of the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003) exposed to the outside. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the specified area 760 may be predefined (e.g., when manufacturing the electronic device 101), or may be defined by the user. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the second user gesture 1230 has been held in the specified area 760 (e.g., the upper edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside) for a specified time (e.g., 3 seconds). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the second user gesture 1230 is held in the specified area 760 (e.g., the upper edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside) for a specified time or longer and then released.

[0133] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may insert the second housing 1002 into the first housing 1001 (e.g., switch from the open state to the closed state), or pull out the second housing 1002 a specified length outside the first housing 1001 (e.g., switch from the closed state to the fully open state). For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 12d shown, based on determining that when the electronic device 101 is in the closed state, the second user gesture 1230 remains in the specified area 760 (e.g., the right edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside) for a specified time or longer and then is released, the electronic device 101 may pull out the second housing 1002 a specified length outside the first housing 1001 (e.g., switch from the closed state to the open state). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may change the application running screen area (e.g., window) based on the second user gesture 1230 for the second visual object 1260. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 12c shown, based on detecting the second user gesture 1230 that moves the second visual object 1260 in the second direction (e.g., the direction toward the right edge), the electronic device 101 may display the tenth running screen 1240 of the first application in the enlarged application running screen area, where the attributes of the eighth running screen 1210 of the first application (e.g., the sizes of various objects included in the eighth running screen 1210, the types of visual objects, and / or the resolution or such visual elements) have been changed.

[0134] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may display a fifth screen different from the fourth screen 1200 (e.g., the eleventh screen 1250 of the first application) on the electronically device 101 after the shape change. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, based on detecting that the second user gesture 1230 is released in the designated area 760 (e.g., the right edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside), the electronic device 101 may display (e.g., terminate the multi-window mode) the eleventh running screen 1250 having attributes (e.g., size, type, and / or resolution of visual objects) different from those of the tenth running screen 1240 in full screen on the extended flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003). In this case, the electronic device 101 may terminate the multi-window mode. Although not shown in the figure, when the running screens of multiple applications are displayed in the multi-window mode on the electronic device 101 in the open state (e.g., the fully open state), and a gesture for moving the second visual object 1260 to the designated area 760 (e.g., the area around the left edge of the exposed flexible display screen) is detected, the electronic device 101 may switch its state from the open state to the closed state and display (e.g., terminate the multi-window mode) the running screen of any one application in full screen. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the function or operation of changing the state of the electronic device 101 and the function or operation of displaying the running screen of the application (e.g., the intermediate state screen between the eighth running screen 1210 and the tenth running screen 1240) may be executed substantially simultaneously (e.g., changing the state of the electronic device 101 while expanding the running screen of the application in real time), or may be executed at different times (e.g., displaying the running screen of the application after the state of the electronic device 101 is changed).

[0135] Figure 13a to Figure 13c is an exemplary view showing, from the perspective of the user interface, the execution of Figure 10 and Figure 11 the functions or operations described in Figure 8 by an electronic device in the form shown

[0136] Referring to Figure 13a to Figure 13c , the electronic device 101 may detect a third user gesture 1320 on the sixth screen (e.g., the twelfth running screen 1310 of the third application (e.g., the launcher application)) displayed on the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the twelfth running screen 1310 of the third application may be displayed substantially in full screen on the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003), as Figure 13aAs shown, where a specific application running screen is exposed. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a status bar area (e.g., an area for displaying the current time or battery status) may be displayed overlapping the twelfth running screen 1310 on the twelfth running screen 1310, or may be displayed in a separate area. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 13a shown, the third user gesture 1320 may include a drag gesture in a specified direction (e.g., a second direction as the rightward direction) on the twelfth running screen 1310. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the third user gesture 1320 may include various other gestures in addition to the drag gesture, such as a swipe gesture, a click gesture, a touch gesture by an external electronic device (e.g., a stylus), and / or a hover gesture.

[0137] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may display a seventh screen (e.g., the thirteenth running screen 1330 of a third application (e.g., a launcher application)) by scrolling the sixth screen (e.g., the twelfth running screen 1310 of a third application (e.g., a launcher application)) based on the third user gesture 1320. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 13b shown, the electronic device 101 may display the thirteenth running screen 1330 on a flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003), where the twelfth running screen 1310 has been scrolled according to the third user gesture 1320.

[0138] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, based on detecting a third user gesture 1320, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the third user gesture 1320 is held in a specified area 760 (e.g., the display screen 1003) of the flexible display screen for a specified time or longer and then released. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIGS. 13a and 13b, the first user gesture 740 may include a drag gesture starting from an area of the twelfth running screen 1310 towards the specified area 760 (e.g., the right edge of the display screen 1003). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 13b, the specified area 760 may include an area around the edge of the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003) exposed to the outside (e.g., an area around the right edge, which is a rectangular area with a height of X2 - X1). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the specified area 760 may be predefined (e.g., when manufacturing the electronic device 101), or may be defined by the user. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may, in a state of displaying the thirteenth running screen 1330, determine whether the third user gesture 1320 is held in the specified area 760 (e.g., the upper edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside) for a specified time (e.g., 3 seconds). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the third user gesture 1320 is held in the specified area 760 (e.g., the upper edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside) for a specified time or longer and then released.

[0139] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, based on the determination of whether it is released, the electronic device 101 may insert the second housing 1002 into the first housing 1001 (e.g., switch from an open state to a fully closed state), or draw out the second housing 1002 a specified length outside the first housing 1001 (e.g., switch from a fully closed state to a fully open state). For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 13c, based on the determination that when the electronic device 101 is in a fully closed state, the third user gesture 1320 is held in the specified area 760 (e.g., the upper edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside) for a specified time or longer and then released, the electronic device 101 may draw out the second housing 1002 a specified length outside the first housing 1001 (e.g., switch from a fully closed state to a fully open state).

[0140] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may display an eighth screen (e.g., the fourteenth running screen 1340 of the third application) different from the seventh screen (e.g., the thirteenth running screen 1330 of the third application (e.g., the launcher application)) on the electronically device 101 after the shape change. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, based on detecting that the third user gesture 1320 is released in the specified area 760 (e.g., the right edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside), the electronic device 101 may display the fourteenth running screen 1340 having attributes (e.g., size, type, and / or resolution of visual objects) different from those of the thirteenth running screen 1330 in full screen on the area of the extended flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003). Although not shown in the figures, according to an embodiment, when the fourteenth running screen 1340 is displayed while the electronic device 101 is in the open state (e.g., the fully open state), when a gesture moving towards the specified area 760 (e.g., the area around the lower edge of the exposed flexible display screen) is detected, the electronic device 101 may switch its state from the open state to the fully closed state and display a running screen (e.g., the twelfth running screen 1310). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the function or operation of changing the state of the electronic device 101 and the function or operation of displaying an application running screen (e.g., an intermediate state screen between the thirteenth running screen 1330 and the fourteenth running screen 1340) may be executed substantially simultaneously (e.g., changing the state of the electronic device 101 while expanding the application running screen in real time), or may be executed at different times (e.g., displaying the application running screen after the state of the electronic device 101 is changed).

[0141] FIG. 14 is an exemplary view showing a function or operation of changing the shape of the electronic device 101 based on an input to at least one icon (e.g., the first icon 1510, the second icon 1520, the third icon 1530, and / or the fourth icon 1540) displayed on the electronic device 101. FIGS. 15a and Figure 15b are exemplary views showing Figure 14 related to, from the perspective of the user interface, a function or operation of displaying at least one icon (e.g., the first icon 1510, the second icon 1520, the third icon 1530, and / or the fourth icon 1540) around the edge of the display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003) corresponding to the first direction when a user gesture (e.g., the second user gesture 1230) in the first direction (e.g., the right direction) is detected. FIGS. 16a and 16b are exemplary views showing Figure 14Relatedly, from the perspective of the user interface, when a user gesture (e.g., the second user gesture 1230) is detected in a second direction (e.g., the left direction), at least one icon (e.g., the first icon 1510, the second icon 1520, the third icon 1530, and / or the fourth icon 1540) is displayed around the edge of the display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003) corresponding to the second direction.

[0142] Referring to FIG. 14, in operation 1410, the electronic device 101 may detect a user gesture (e.g., the second user gesture 1230) on a first screen (e.g., the ninth screen 1500) displayed on a flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 15a, the ninth screen 1500 may include a fifteenth running screen 1505 of a first application (e.g., a calendar application), a sixteenth running screen 1515 of a second application (e.g., a call application), and / or a third visual object 1500a displayed at the boundary between the fifteenth running screen 1505 and the sixteenth running screen 1515 through a multi-window mode (e.g., a display mode in which the respective running screens of multiple applications are simultaneously displayed), to indicate the boundary between the fifteenth running screen 1505 and the sixteenth running screen 1515. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 15a, the user gesture (e.g., the second user gesture 1230) may include a drag gesture in a specified direction (e.g., a second direction in the right direction) on the ninth screen 1500 (e.g., the third visual object 1500a). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 16a, the user gesture (e.g., the second user gesture 1230) may include a drag gesture in a specified direction (e.g., a third direction in the left direction) on the ninth screen 1500 (e.g., the third visual object 1500a). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the user gesture (e.g., the second user gesture 1230) may include various other gestures other than the drag gesture, such as a swipe gesture, a click gesture, a touch gesture through an external electronic device (e.g., a stylus), and / or a hover gesture.

[0143] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in operation 1420, the electronic device 101 may determine whether a user gesture remains in a specified area 760 of a flexible display screen (e.g., display screen 1003) for a specified time or longer and then is released based on detecting the user gesture. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIGS. 15a and 16a, the user gesture (e.g., the second user gesture 1230) may include a drag gesture of dragging a third visual object 1500a to the specified area 760 of the flexible display screen (e.g., display screen 1003). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the specified area 760 may include an area around the edge (e.g., the right edge) of the flexible display screen (e.g., display screen 1003) exposed to the outside as shown in FIG. 15a, or an area around the edge (e.g., the left edge) of the flexible display screen (e.g., display screen 1003) exposed to the outside as shown in FIG. 16a. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the specified area 760 may be predefined (e.g., when manufacturing the electronic device 101) or may be defined by the user. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the user gesture remains in the specified area 760 (e.g., the right edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside) for a specified time (e.g., 3 seconds). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the user gesture remains in the specified area 760 (e.g., the right edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside) for a specified time or longer.

[0144] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in operation 1430, based on the determination result of operation 1420, the electronic device 101 may display a first icon 1510 for inserting a second housing (e.g., the second housing 1002) into a first housing (e.g., the first housing 1001) around the area where the user gesture (e.g., the second user gesture 1230) is held, and at least one icon (e.g., the second icon 1520, the third icon 1530, and / or the fourth icon 1540) for pulling out the second housing (e.g., the second housing 1002) a specified length outside the first housing (e.g., the first housing 1001). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in operation 1440, the electronic device 101 may change the shape of the electronic device 101 by inserting the second housing (e.g., the second housing 1002) into the first housing (e.g., the first housing 1001) or pulling out the second housing (e.g., the second housing 1002) a specified length outside the first housing (e.g., the first housing 1001) based on the user input to the first icon 1510 or the at least one second icon (e.g., the second icon 1520, the third icon 1530, and / or the fourth icon 1540). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in operation 1450, the electronic device 101 may display a first screen (e.g., the fifteenth running screen 1505 of the first application) and a second screen (e.g., the seventeenth running screen 1535 of the first application) on the electronic device 101 after the shape change according to operation 1440.

[0145] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the current state of the electronic device 101 is an open state to display the first icon 1510. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may change the state of the electronic device 101 from an open state to a closed state according to the selection input to the first icon 1510. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 15b shown, the electronic device 101 may display a seventeenth running screen 1535 having attributes different from those of the fifteenth running screen 1505 in a fully closed state. Alternatively, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 16bAs shown, the electronic device 101 may display, in a fully closed state, the eighteenth running screen 1620 of a second application having attributes that are at least partially different from those of the sixteenth running screen 1515. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first icon 1510 may not be displayed in the fully closed state of the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a selection input for the first icon 1510 may include a continuous touch input starting from a holding point and directed towards the first icon 1510. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a selection input for the first icon 1510 may include a discontinuous input for selecting the first icon 1510 after the release of a user gesture. To this end, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may maintain a state of displaying at least one icon (e.g., the first icon 1510, the second icon 1520, the third icon 1530, and / or the fourth icon 1540) for a specified time after the release of a user gesture. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second icon 1520 may include an icon for displaying an application running screen (e.g., the running screen of a first application or the running screen of a second application) in a 4:3 ratio. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may, based on a selection input for the second icon 1520 (e.g., a continuous touch input starting from a holding point and directed towards the second icon 1520), pull out a flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003) by a specified length outside the electronic device 101 or insert it into the electronic device 101 to display an application running screen (e.g., the running screen of a first application or the running screen of a second application) in a 4:3 ratio. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the third icon 1530 may include an icon for displaying an application running screen (e.g., the running screen of a first application or the running screen of a second application) in a 16:9 ratio. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may, based on a selection input for the third icon 1530 (e.g., a continuous touch input starting from a holding point and directed towards the third icon 1530), pull out a flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003) by a specified length outside the electronic device 101 or insert it into the electronic device 101 to display an application running screen (e.g., the running screen of a first application or the running screen of a second application) in a 16:9 ratio. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the fourth icon 1540 may include an icon for displaying an application running screen (e.g., the running screen of a first application) in a fully open state of the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may, based on a selection input for the fourth icon 1540 (e.g., a continuous touch input from a holding point to the fourth icon 1540), pull out a flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003) outside the electronic device 101 to switch the state of the electronic device 101 from the current state to the fully open state. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the current state of the electronic device 101 is an open state to display the fourth icon 1540.According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the fourth icon 1540 may not be displayed in the fully open state of the electronic device 101. Similarly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the current state of the electronic device 101 has been extended to a state where the screen can be displayed at a specified screen ratio (e.g., a screen ratio of 4:3) to display the second icon 1520 and the third icon 1530. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in a state where the state of the electronic device 101 has been extended to a state where the screen can be displayed at a specified screen ratio (e.g., a screen ratio of 4:3), the second icon 1520 and / or the third icon 1530 may not be displayed. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as. Figure 15b and Figure 16b shown, on the electronic device 101 whose shape changes according to a selection input of at least one icon, the running screen of a specific application may be displayed as a full screen.

[0146] Figure 17 is an exemplary view showing the function or operation of displaying an indicator 1840 indicating the expansion direction (e.g., to the right) of a flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003) when the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure detects the holding of a user gesture input to the electronic device. Figure 18a 、 Figure 18b and Figure 18c are exemplary views showing, from the perspective of the user interface, the function or operation of the electronic device 101 displaying an indicator 1840 indicating the expansion of the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003) in a first direction (e.g., to the right) when a user gesture in the first direction is detected, which is related to Figure 17 . Figure 19a 、 Figure 19b and FIG. 19C are exemplary views showing, from the perspective of the user interface, the function or operation of the electronic device 101 displaying an indicator 1840 indicating the expansion of the flexible display screen in a first direction when a user gesture in a second direction (e.g., to the left) is detected, which is related to Figure 17 .

[0147] Referring to FIG. 17, in operation 1710, the electronic device 101 may detect a user gesture (e.g., the second user gesture 1230) on a first screen (e.g., the tenth screen 1800) displayed on a flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIGS. 18a and 19a, the tenth screen 1800 may include an eighteenth running screen 1810 of a first application (e.g., a calendar application), a nineteenth running screen 1820 of a second application (e.g., a call application), and / or a fourth visual object 1800a displayed at a boundary between the eighteenth running screen 1810 and the nineteenth running screen 1820 through a multi-window mode (e.g., a display mode in which running screens of multiple applications are simultaneously displayed) to indicate the boundary between the eighteenth running screen 1810 and the nineteenth running screen 1820. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 15a, the user gesture (e.g., the second user gesture 1230) may include a drag gesture in a specified direction (e.g., the right direction) on the tenth screen 1800 (e.g., the fourth visual object 1800a). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 19a, the user gesture (e.g., the second user gesture 1230) may include a drag gesture in a specified direction (e.g., the left direction) on the tenth screen 1800 (e.g., the fourth visual object 1800a). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the user gesture (e.g., the second user gesture 1230) may include various other gestures other than the drag gesture, such as a slide gesture, a click gesture, a touch gesture through an external electronic device (e.g., a stylus), and / or a hover gesture.

[0148] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in operation 1720, based on the detected user gesture, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the user gesture is held in a specified area 760 of the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003) for a specified time or longer and then released. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIGS. 18a and 19a, the user gesture (e.g., the second user gesture 1230) may include a drag gesture of dragging the fourth visual object 1800a to the specified area 760 of the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the specified area 760 may include Figure 18aThe area around the edge (e.g., the right edge) of the flexible display (e.g., display 1003) exposed to the outside as shown, or the area around the edge (e.g., the left edge) of the flexible display (e.g., display 1003) exposed to the outside as shown in FIG. 19a. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the designated area 760 may be predefined (e.g., when manufacturing the electronic device 101), or may be defined by the user. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may determine whether a user gesture remains in the designated area 760 (e.g., the right edge or the left edge of the flexible display exposed to the outside) for a designated time (e.g., 3 seconds). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may determine whether a user gesture remains in the designated area 760 (e.g., the right edge or the left edge of the flexible display exposed to the outside) for a designated time or longer.

[0149] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in operation 1730, based on the determination result of operation 1720, the electronic device 101 may display at least one indicator 1840 on the flexible display (e.g., display 1003), and the indicator 1840 indicates the expansion direction of the flexible display (e.g., display 1003). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when a user gesture remains in the designated area 760 (e.g., the right edge or the left edge of the flexible display exposed to the outside) for a designated time or longer, the electronic device 101 may display at least one indicator 1840. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 18b shown, at least one indicator 1840 may be overlapped and displayed with the twentieth running screen 1830 of the first application on the twentieth running screen 1830. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 19b shown, at least one indicator 1840 may be overlapped and displayed with the twenty-first running screen 1920 of the second application. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when a user gesture remains, at least one indicator 1840 may be continuously displayed. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, if a designated time has elapsed since the time when the user gesture started to remain, at least one indicator 1840 may not be displayed. Although not shown in the drawings, when the running screens of multiple applications are displayed in a multi-window mode when the electronic device 101 is in an open state (e.g., a fully open state), when a gesture of moving the fourth visual object 1800a to the designated area 760 (e.g., the area around the left edge of the exposed flexible display) is detected, the electronic device 101 may display the direction indicated by at least one indicator 1840 to indicate the direction in which the electronic device 101 switches to the closed state (e.g., the left direction).

[0150] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in operation 1740, the electronic device 101 may detect that a user gesture is released while at least one indicator 1840 is being displayed. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in operation 1750, based on detecting the release according to operation 1740, the electronic device 101 may expand the flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003) in the expansion direction indicated by at least one indicator 1840 (e.g., the right direction). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in operation 1760, the electronic device 101 may display a second screen (e.g., the twenty-second running screen 1850 of the first application or the twenty-third running screen 1930 of the second application) that is different from the first screen (e.g., the tenth screen 1800) on the expanded display screen. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, based on detecting that the user gesture is released in the specified area 760 (e.g., the right edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside), the electronic device 101 may display, in full screen (e.g., terminate the multi-window mode), on the area of the expanded flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003), the twenty-second running screen 1850 having properties (e.g., size, type, and / or resolution of visual objects) that are at least partially different from those of the eighteenth running screen 1810. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, based on detecting that the user gesture is released in the specified area 760 (e.g., the left edge of the flexible display screen exposed to the outside), the electronic device 101 may display, in full screen (e.g., terminate the multi-window mode), on the area of the expanded flexible display screen (e.g., the display screen 1003), the twenty-third running screen 1930 having properties (e.g., size, type, and / or resolution of visual objects) that are at least partially different from those of the nineteenth running screen 1820. Although not shown, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when a user gesture in the left direction is detected in the open state of the electronic device 101, the electronic device 101 may switch the state of the electronic device 101 from the open state to the fully closed state. In this case, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may terminate the multi-window mode and display the running screen of a specific application as a full screen in the fully closed state.

[0151] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 may include: a first housing; a second housing configured to be movable relative to the first housing and at least partially overlap with the first housing; at least one processor and a driving module disposed within the second housing; and a flexible display screen partially mounted on the surface of the second housing and at least partially exposed to the outside of the electronic device. A portion of the flexible display screen may be inserted into or withdrawn from the first housing according to the insertion or withdrawal of the second housing. The at least one processor may be configured to: detect a user gesture on a first screen displayed on the flexible display screen of the electronic device; based on the detection of the user gesture, determine whether the user gesture has been maintained in a specified area 760 of the flexible display screen for a specified time or longer; based on this determination, display a first icon for inserting the second housing of the electronic device into the first housing and at least one second icon for withdrawing the second housing a specified length outside the first housing around the area where the user gesture is maintained; based on a user input to the first icon or the at least one second icon, change the shape of the electronic device by inserting the second housing into the first housing or withdrawing the second housing a specified length outside the first housing; and display a second screen different from the first screen on the electronic device after the shape change.

[0152] The electronic device according to various embodiments may be one of various types of electronic devices. The electronic device may include, for example, a portable communication device (e.g., a smart phone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a household appliance. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device is not limited to the above-described electronic devices.

[0153] It should be understood that the various embodiments of the present disclosure and the terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features set forth herein to specific embodiments, but include various changes, equivalent forms or alternative forms corresponding to the respective embodiments. For the description of the drawings, like reference numerals may be used to refer to like or related elements. It will be understood that a singular noun corresponding to a term may include one or more things, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, each of the phrases such as "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B or C", "at least one of A, B and C", and "at least one of A, B or C" may include any one or all possible combinations of the items listed together in the corresponding one of the plurality of phrases. As used herein, terms such as "first" and "second" or "1st" and "2nd" may be used to simply distinguish a corresponding component from another component, and do not limit the component in other respects (e.g., importance or order). It will be understood that in cases where the term "operatively" or "communicatively" is used or where the term "operatively" or "communicatively" is not used, if one element (e.g., a first element) is referred to as "coupled with another element (e.g., a second element)", "coupled to another element (e.g., a second element)", "connected with another element (e.g., a second element)", or "connected to another element (e.g., a second element)", it means that the one element can be directly (e.g., wired) connected to the other element, wirelessly connected to the other element, or connected to the other element via a third element.

[0154] As used in connection with the various embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "module" may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware and may be used interchangeably with other terms (e.g., "logic", "logic block", "portion", or "circuit"). A module may be a single integrated component adapted to perform one or more functions or the smallest unit or portion of the single integrated component. For example, according to an embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0155] The various embodiments described herein can be implemented as software (e.g., program 2540) including one or more instructions readable by a machine (e.g., electronic device 2501) stored in a storage medium (e.g., internal memory 2536 or external memory 2538). For example, under the control of a processor, the processor of the machine (e.g., electronic device 2501) can call at least one of the one or more instructions stored in the storage medium and run the at least one instruction with or without using one or more other components. This enables the machine to operate to perform at least one function in accordance with the at least one instruction called. The one or more instructions can include code generated by a compiler or code that can be run by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium can be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Herein, the term "non-transitory" only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not include signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), but this term does not distinguish between data being stored semi-permanently in the storage medium and data being stored temporarily in the storage medium.

[0156] According to an embodiment, a method according to various embodiments of the present disclosure can be included and provided in a computer program product. The computer program product can be traded between a seller and a purchaser as a product. The computer program product can be distributed (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) online via an application store (e.g., Play Store TM ), or can be directly distributed (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) between two user devices (e.g., smart phones). If it is distributed online, at least part of the computer program product can be generated temporarily, or at least part of the computer program product can be stored at least temporarily in a machine-readable storage medium (such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a forwarding server).

[0157] According to various embodiments, each of the above components (e.g., a module or a program) may include a single entity or multiple entities, and some of the multiple entities may be separately provided in different components. According to various embodiments, one or more of the above components may be omitted, or one or more other components may be added. Optionally or additionally, multiple components (e.g., modules or programs) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, according to various embodiments, the integrated component may still perform the one or more functions of each of the multiple components in the same or similar manner as the corresponding one of the multiple components performed one or more functions before integration. According to various embodiments, the operations performed by a module, a program, or another component may be performed sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be run in a different order or omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising: A first housing; A second housing, which is arranged to be movable relative to the first housing and at least partially overlaps with the first housing; A driving device, which is configured to slide the second housing in or out; And A flexible display screen, which is partially mounted on the surface of the second housing and at least partially exposed to the outside of the electronic device, wherein a part of the flexible display screen is configured to be inserted into the first housing or withdrawn from the first housing according to the sliding in or out of the second housing, A trigger button, which is configured to slide the second housing in or out; A touch screen, which is configured to receive a touch input from a user; At least one processor, which is operably connected to the first housing, the second housing, the driving device, the flexible display screen, the trigger button and the touch screen; and A memory, which is configured to store instructions, wherein when the instructions are run, the at least one processor: When operating in the slid-in state, when receiving a first input for sliding the second housing out, expand the display screen while maintaining the window mode in the slid-in state; and When receiving a second input for sliding the second housing out, terminate the window mode and expand the display screen in a changed window mode while in the slid-in state.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, The first input includes an input achieved by operating the trigger button, and the second input includes an input through the touch screen.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The changed window mode includes a mode setting that enables a first running screen of a first application and a second running screen of a second application to be displayed in a multi-window view mode.

4. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The display screen includes a third running screen of a third application, Wherein, the user gesture includes a drag gesture, which starts from a part of the third running screen and is held and released in a specified area (760), and Wherein, the at least one processor is further configured to scroll the third running screen based on the drag gesture on the third running screen.

5. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The second input includes a user gesture for moving a visual object to a specified area on the touch screen, and Wherein, the specified area includes an area around the upper edge of the exposed part of the touch screen.

6. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The instructions further include the following instructions to: based on detecting that the user gesture is held and then released within the specified area (760) when the electronic device is in a closed state, withdraw the second housing a specified length outside the first housing while terminating the changed window mode.

7. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The instructions further include the following instructions to: when the visual object is located in the specified area, display at least one first icon, and Wherein, the at least one first icon includes a plurality of icons, and each icon represents a screen ratio.

8. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The instructions further include the following instructions to: Based on the holding of the user gesture, determine whether the electronic device is in a closed state; And When the electronic device is in a closed state, do not display the at least one first icon.

9. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The instruction further includes the following instruction to: display at least one indicator indicating the extraction direction of the touch screen based on the holding of the user gesture.

10. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, When the user gesture is released, the at least one indicator is not displayed.

11. A method, comprising: Detecting a user gesture on a first screen displayed on a flexible display screen of an electronic device; Based on detecting the user gesture, determining whether the user gesture is held within a specified area (760) of the flexible display screen for a specified time or longer; Based on the determination, displaying a first icon for inserting a second housing of the electronic device into a first housing of the electronic device and at least one second icon for extracting the second housing a specified length outside the first housing around the area where the user gesture is held; Based on a user input to the first icon or the at least one second icon, changing the shape of the electronic device by inserting the second housing into the first housing or extracting the second housing a specified length outside the first housing; And Displaying a second screen different from the first screen on the electronic device with the changed shape.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The first screen includes a screen displaying a first running screen of a first application and a second running screen of a second application in a multi-window view mode, and wherein the user gesture includes a drag gesture for a first visual element that represents a boundary between the first running screen and the second running screen.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein The first screen includes a third running screen of a third application, wherein the user gesture includes a drag gesture that starts from a part of the third running screen, is held and released within the specified area (760), and wherein the method further includes scrolling the third running screen based on the drag gesture on the third running screen.

14. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein, The specified area (760) includes an area around an upper edge of an exposed part of the flexible display screen.

15. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein The control method of the electronic device further includes: based on detecting that the user gesture is held and then released within the specified area (760) when the electronic device is in a fully closed state, extracting the second housing a specified length outside the first housing while terminating the multi-window mode.

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