Foldable electronic device with object detection sensor

Abstract

The invention relates to a foldable electronic device with an object detection sensor. An electronic device may include a foldable housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion coupled by a hinge. A flexible display may overlap the hinge and may have first and second display areas overlapping the first and second housing portions, respectively. An object detection sensor may be configured to detect an object on the display that may cause damage to the display if the device is folded closed when the object is present. The object detection sensors may include image sensors, capacitive sensors, strain gauges, and / or other suitable sensors. In response to detecting an object on the display with the object detection sensor, movement of the first housing portion relative to the second housing portion may be limited, an alarm may be issued, air may be blown across the display, and / or other actions may be taken.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 670,070, filed May 21, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates generally to electronic devices, and more specifically, to foldable electronic devices. Background Technology

[0003] Electronic devices, such as laptops, cell phones, and other equipment, may include displays. To enhance portability, devices may be foldable. Foldable devices can be unfolded and configured to increase their size, thereby facilitating user interaction. When enhanced portability is desired, foldable devices can be folded and configured.

[0004] Displays in foldable devices sometimes have a thin overlay to protect the display while also allowing it to bend when the device is folded. Accidentally folding the device with an object on the display can damage the overlay or the underlying display layer. Summary of the Invention

[0005] An electronic device may include a display mounted in a housing. The display may have a pixel array forming an effective area for displaying images. The pixel array may be formed on a flexible substrate, such that the display is flexible and bends about a bending axis as the housing is folded and unfolded.

[0006] The electronic device may include a foldable housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion coupled by a hinge. A flexible display may overlap with the hinge and may have a first display area and a second display area that overlap with the first housing portion and the second housing portion, respectively. An object detection sensor may be configured to detect objects on the display that could potentially damage the display if the device is folded closed while the object is present.

[0007] Object detection sensors may include infrared cameras, visible light cameras or other optical sensors, ultrasonic sensors, radio frequency sensors, strain gauges, capacitive force sensors or other touch sensors and / or other suitable sensors. The operation of the device can be adjusted based on information from the object detection sensor. For example, in response to detecting an object on the display using the object detection sensor, movement of the first housing portion relative to the second housing portion can be restricted (e.g., via locking hinges, stop structures, etc.), an alarm can be generated (e.g., visual alarm, audible alarm, tactile alarm, etc.), air can be blown across the display, and / or other actions can be taken. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary electronic device with an object detection sensor according to some implementation schemes.

[0009] Figure 2 It is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device with a display according to some implementation schemes.

[0010] Figure 3 This is a side view of an exemplary electronic device with a hinge, according to some implementation schemes.

[0011] Figure 4 This is a side view of an exemplary electronic device in a partially folded configuration according to some implementation schemes.

[0012] Figure 5 It is a side view of an exemplary electronic device in a folded configuration and having a tapered gap between a first display area and a second display area, according to some embodiments.

[0013] Figure 6 It is a side view of an exemplary electronic device in a folded configuration and having a non-tapered gap between a first display area and a second display area, according to some embodiments.

[0014] Figure 7 It is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device in an unfolded configuration according to some implementation schemes.

[0015] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device with an object detection sensor (such as an image sensor) according to some implementation schemes.

[0016] Figure 9 It is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device having one or more object detection sensors positioned along the hinge axis of the electronic device, according to some implementation schemes.

[0017] Figure 10 This is a side view of an exemplary electronic device with an object detection sensor (such as a touch sensor) according to some implementation schemes.

[0018] Figure 11 This is an illustration of an exemplary capacitive touch sensor for detecting objects on a display, based on some implementation schemes.

[0019] Figure 12 This is a side view of an exemplary electronic device with a retractable stop structure according to some embodiments, the retractable stop structure being used to maintain a gap between a first display area and a second display area when an object is detected on the display.

[0020] Figure 13This is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device with a hole according to some embodiments, through which air is ejected to remove particles from the display surface.

[0021] Figure 14 It is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device with a display according to some embodiments, which can be used to present a message to a user when an object is detected on the display.

[0022] Figure 15 It is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps involved in operating an electronic device when an object is detected on a display, according to some implementation schemes. Detailed Implementation

[0023] Electronic devices may include one or more displays. In some arrangements, an electronic device may be a foldable electronic device having a first housing portion and a second housing portion that rotate relative to each other about an axis (e.g., a folding axis, a bending axis, etc.). The display may be a flexible display that overlaps with the first housing portion and the second housing portion and bends along the folding axis.

[0024] Flexible displays folded along their folding axis may sometimes have a display cover layer. For example, a transparent display cover layer, formed of one or more polymer layers and / or one or more glass layers, may extend across part or all of the flexible display to protect it from damage. The display cover layer may use relatively thin polymer layers and / or thin glass layers to increase display protection while also allowing the flexible display to bend around a tight bending radius. Display cover layers can be susceptible to puncture failure if not handled carefully. For example, a blunt object pushed into the cover layer may cause puncture and / or bending of the cover layer (e.g., the glass layers within the cover layer) and / or the flexible display. If an object (such as a cellular phone or stylus) is left on the display when a user attempts to close (e.g., fold) an electronic device, the object may be unintentionally pushed into the display, resulting in damage to the cover layer and / or the underlying display layer.

[0025] To avoid unintentional damage to the display, electronic devices may include one or more object detection sensors for detecting objects on the display. If an object is detected on the display (e.g., for a period of time longer than typical touch input from a finger or stylus), the electronic device may take appropriate action by: locking a hinge (e.g., preventing the electronic device from closing completely), deploying a stop mechanism to prevent the electronic device from closing completely, displaying a warning or other message, generating an audible or tactile alarm, and / or taking other actions (e.g., blowing air across the display to remove sand or other small particles). Object detection sensors may include cameras or other image sensors, capacitive sensors (e.g., capacitive touch sensor electrodes that also detect touch input on the display and / or capacitive sensing electrodes separate from the display's touch sensor), ultrasonic sensors, force sensors, strain gauges, and / or any other suitable object detection sensors. If desired, the object detection sensor may detect the presence of an object and / or be configured to determine the object's size, shape, and / or location. If desired, actions taken in response to object detection may be based on the object's size, shape, and / or location. For example, if desired, the device may be prevented from folding beyond a specific threshold based on the size and / or location of the detected object.

[0026] An example of an electronic device that may be equipped with a foldable display and one or more object detection sensors. Figure 1 As shown herein, electronic device 10 may be a computing device such as a laptop computer, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a tablet computer, a cellular phone, a media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wristwatch, a wristband device, a headset or handset device, a device embedded in glasses or other devices worn on a user's head, or other wearable or micro-devices, a television set, a computer monitor not containing an embedded computer, a gaming device, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a system in which an electronic device with a display is installed in an information kiosk or a car, a device that performs two or more of the functions of these devices, or other electronic devices. Electronic device 10 is an exemplary configuration of a portable electronic device (such as a cellular phone or tablet computer) and may sometimes be described herein as an example. However, this is merely illustrative. Electronic device 10 may be any suitable electronic equipment.

[0027] like Figure 1As shown, electronic device 10 may have a controller 20 (also referred to herein as control circuitry 20). Controller 20 may include storage and processing circuitry for supporting the operation of device 10. The storage and processing circuitry may include storage devices such as hard disk drive storage devices, non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory configured to form a solid-state drive or other electrically programmable read-only memory), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random access memory), etc. The processing circuitry in controller 20 can be used to control the operation of device 10. This processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processors, power management units, audio chips, application-specific integrated circuits, etc.

[0028] The controller 20 may include wired and / or wireless communication circuitry. The wireless communication circuitry of the controller 20 may include one or more antennas and one or more radio frequency transceiver circuits (e.g., cellular telephone transceivers, wireless LAN transceivers, etc.).

[0029] Device 10 may include an input-output device 22 that allows data to be supplied to and from device 10 to external devices. Input-output device 22 may include buttons, joysticks, scroll wheels, keypads, keyboards, audio generators, haptic output devices (such as vibrators), LEDs and other status indicators, data ports, etc. Input-output device 22 may also include one or more displays (such as display 14) and one or more sensors (such as sensor 24). Device 22 may also include LEDs (e.g., status indicators, camera flashes, etc.) and / or other light-emitting devices. Light-based (optical) components such as these (e.g., light-emitting devices and / or light-based sensors) may be mounted below transparent window areas (e.g., transparent windows in a portion of display 14, transparent windows in the device housing, etc.).

[0030] Display 14 may be a touchscreen display including touch sensors for acquiring touch input from a user, or display 14 may be touch-insensitive. The touch sensor of display 14 may be based on an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes, an acoustic touch sensor structure, a resistive touch component, a force-based touch sensor structure, a light-based touch sensor, or other suitable touch sensor arrangements. Display 14 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a micro-LED display, or a display based on any other suitable display technology.

[0031] In some implementations, display 14 may be a flexible display. In other words, display 14 may bend along a bending axis to move display 14 between an open state and a closed state (and the angle between the open and closed states).

[0032] Sensor 24 may include a touch sensor (e.g., a capacitive touch sensor formed by an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes overlapping with display 14 and / or formed elsewhere in device 10), a microphone for acquiring ambient noise measurements and voice commands, a magnetic sensor (e.g., a compass), an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a force sensor (e.g., a two-dimensional force sensor optionally overlapping with the touch sensor and / or display 14), a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a compass, etc. Sensor 24 may also include light-based sensors, such as light-based proximity sensors (e.g., an optical proximity sensor having an infrared light-emitting diode that emits light and a corresponding infrared light detector for measuring infrared light after it has been reflected from an external object), ambient light sensors (e.g., a color-sensitive ambient light sensor that can measure the color and intensity of ambient light), and a camera (e.g., a digital image sensor) for capturing images, and / or other image sensing and / or light detection devices.

[0033] Sensor 24 may also include object detection sensors, such as object detection sensor 26 for detecting objects on the display. Sensor 26 may include force sensors (e.g., strain gauges, capacitive force sensors, resistance sensors, etc.), touch sensors and / or proximity sensors (e.g., capacitive sensors), optical sensors (e.g., optical sensors that emit and detect light), ultrasonic sensors, and / or other touch sensors and / or proximity sensors, image sensors, sensors for detecting position, orientation, and / or motion (e.g., accelerometers, magnetic sensors (e.g., compass sensors, gyroscopes, and / or inertial measurement units that include some or all of these sensors)), radio frequency sensors, depth sensors (e.g., structured light sensors and / or depth sensors based on stereo imaging devices), optical sensors (e.g., self-mixing sensors that acquire time-of-flight measurements and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors), optical sensors (e.g., visual ranging sensors that use images acquired by a digital image sensor in a camera to acquire position and / or orientation information), gaze tracking sensors, visible light cameras and / or infrared cameras with digital image sensors, and / or other sensors.

[0034] Object detection sensor 26 can be configured to determine the presence of an object on display 14, allowing device 10 to take appropriate action to prevent damage to the display if necessary. In addition to presence detection, object detection sensor 26 can also be configured to acquire additional information about the object on display 14, such as the object's size, position, shape, material, type, duration of presence on display 14, and / or other additional information. This information can be used to determine whether the object is likely to cause damage to display 14 if device 10 is closed while the object is present. If sensor data from sensor 26 indicates that no damage is expected (e.g., if the object is small enough, if the object is soft enough, if the object is in a position that would not be pressed into display 14 when device 10 is closed, etc.), no action is required, and device 10 can be allowed to close freely. On the other hand, if the object detection sensor 26 determines that an object is present (and in some arrangements, if the object has a size, location, shape, and / or material that could potentially damage the display 14 if the device 10 is closed when the object is present), the controller 20 may take appropriate action by using one or more actuators to restrict the movement of the housing of the device 10 (e.g., to lock hinges, deploy stop structures, etc.), generating visual, auditory, and / or tactile alarms or messages, blowing air across the display 14, and / or taking other appropriate actions.

[0035] Figure 2 The image shows a perspective view of a portion of an exemplary electronic device that may include an object detection sensor. Figure 2 In the example, device 10 includes a display, such as display 14 mounted in housing 12. Housing 12, sometimes referred to as a shell or enclosure, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramic, fiber composite material, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), other suitable materials, or any combination of two or more of these materials. Housing 12 may be formed in a one-piece configuration, in which a portion or all of housing 12 is machined or molded into a single structure, or may be formed using multiple structures (e.g., an internal frame structure, one or more structures forming the surface of the outer housing, etc.). Portions of housing 12 may be formed of flexible materials (e.g., elastomeric materials such as silicone and / or other flexible polymers) and / or may include hinge structures (e.g., pivoting structures, single-bar or multi-bar linkages, and / or other articulated mechanisms). Using these structures, housing 12 can be bent about a bend axis (sometimes referred to as a bending axis, fold axis, folding axis, flexural axis, etc.).

[0036] An opening may be formed in device 10. For example, an opening may be formed in display 14 to accommodate buttons, speaker ports (such as...) Figure 2 An example speaker port 18) or other components. Openings may be formed in the housing 12 to form communication ports (e.g., audio jacks, digital data ports, etc.), to form openings for buttons, openings for microphones and speakers, etc.

[0037] Display 14 may be a liquid crystal display, an electrophoretic display, an organic light-emitting diode display, or other display with an array of light-emitting diodes, a plasma display, an electrowetting display, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) pixel-based display, or any other suitable display. Display 14 may have an array of pixels 28 located in an effective area AA. The pixels 28 in the effective area AA may display an image to a user of device 10. The effective area AA may be rectangular or may have other suitable shapes. In some configurations, display 14 may have a flexible polymer substrate, such as a polyimide substrate, on which an array of pixel structures, such as an array of organic light-emitting diodes and associated pixel circuitry, is formed. The flexible polymer substrate facilitates bending. However, the use of a flexible polymer substrate to allow bending is merely exemplary. In general, display 14 may be a foldable display with any suitable flexible display substrate.

[0038] An invalid boundary region IA may extend along one or more edges of the valid region AA. The invalid boundary region IA may contain circuitry, signal lines, and other structures that do not emit light to form an image. A mask structure (e.g., a layer of black ink, etc.) may be used to hide invalid circuitry and other components in the boundary region IA, making them invisible to the user of device 10. However, including an invalid boundary region IA is merely exemplary. In some embodiments, device 10 may not include invalid boundary regions, such as the invalid boundary region IA surrounding the edge of the valid region AA. For example, the valid region AA may extend between opposite edges of device 10 and / or completely span the front surface of device 10 (or span almost the entire front surface).

[0039] In some arrangements, the invalid region IA may protrude into the valid region AA, and / or one or more isolating islands may form the invalid region within the valid region AA. Input-output components, such as cameras, ambient light sensors, infrared depth sensors, light emitters (e.g., visible light emitters (such as camera flashes), infrared light emitters emitting infrared light patterns for depth measurement, etc.), proximity sensors, speakers, microphones, and / or other input-output components, may be accommodated by the protrusions or islands of the invalid region. Accommodating input-output within the protrusions or islands of the invalid region within the valid region expands the available valid region for displaying images.

[0040] The light-based components in device 10 (e.g., light-emitting diodes for status indicators and camera flashes, light-based sensors, and / or other optical components) can be connected to one or more windows (such as...) Figure 2 The window, such as window 30, may overlap with the transparent portion of the display 14. The window may be formed by a through-hole through the pixel array in the display 14 (e.g., in the effective area of ​​the display 14), and / or may be formed by a transparent component such as glass or sapphire mounted in the housing 12 (e.g., in the rear housing wall of the housing 12). In some configurations, a thin layer of mask structure (e.g., a thin layer of black ink) may overlap with the originally transparent optical window (e.g., to help shield optical components such as an ambient light sensor from view). In such configurations, light transmission may be reduced, but sufficient light still passes through to allow the optical window with the thin black ink coating to act as an optical window for optical components (e.g., the ambient light sensor in this example).

[0041] In some configurations, device 10 may have a front surface and a rear surface, such as Figure 2 The device 10 has a front surface F and a rear surface R. When the device 10 is in an unfolded configuration, the front and rear surfaces may lie in parallel planes on opposite sides of the device 10. The display 14 may be mounted in the housing 12 on the front surface F, while the planar rear housing wall in the housing 12 forms the rear surface R. In a folded configuration, portions of the front surfaces F may face each other, while portions of the rear surfaces R may face away from each other. Alternatively, in a folded configuration, portions of the rear surfaces R may face each other, while portions of the front surfaces F may face away from each other.

[0042] Figure 3 This is a side view of a portion of device 10, showing how display 14 can overlap with a hinge (such as hinge 42) in housing 12 at a flexible region 36. Housing 12 may have a first housing portion and a second housing portion, such as first housing portion 12A and second housing portion 12B. Hinge 42 extends along a bending axis 32 and allows first housing portion 12A and second housing portion 12B to rotate relative to each other about the bending axis 32, as... Figure 4 As shown. The display 14 may include a first display area 14A overlapping with a first housing portion 12A and a second display area 14B overlapping with a second housing portion 12B. If desired, the display 14 may extend continuously across a bending axis 32, such that an image can be displayed uninterruptedly across housing portions 12A and 12B.

[0043] For example, device 10 can be bent 180°, causing a portion of housing 12 to fold backward on its own. If desired, hinge 42 can be configured to support other amounts of bending (e.g., greater than or less than 180° around axis 32). Hinge 42 may include a rotational interlocking structure, may include a multi-element linkage, may include a flexible sheet of material that flexes around axis 32 and thus acts as a hinge structure, may include folded and / or selectively thinned layers of material that facilitate flexure, and / or may include other suitable hinge structures that support rotation of portions of device 10 around axis 32.

[0044] When device 10 is folded (e.g., when the first and second halves or other parts of housing 12 are rotated until they are adjacent to each other and overlap), portions of display 14 may become hidden and invisible. Other portions of display 14 may be configured to remain exposed when device 10 is folded.

[0045] like Figure 4 As shown, the display 14 may be overlaid with a display cover layer (such as cover layer 14C). If desired, the display cover layer 14C may be attached to the display 14 using one or more optically clear adhesive layers. The display cover layer 14C may include one or more transparent layers of glass, polymer, sapphire, adhesive, and / or any other desired material. The display cover layer 14C may have high transparency (e.g., greater than 80%, greater than 90%, greater than 95%, greater than 99%, etc.). The display cover layer 14C may have a thickness of less than 200 micrometers, less than 100 micrometers, less than 50 micrometers, less than 30 micrometers, greater than 10 micrometers, greater than 20 micrometers, greater than 50 micrometers, between 20 micrometers and 90 micrometers, between 10 micrometers and 200 micrometers, etc.

[0046] Device 10 may include one or more object detection sensors 26 for detecting objects (such as object 40) on display 14. Object 40 may be any suitable object, such as a cell phone, stylus, pen or pencil, notebook, smaller objects such as sand or dirt, and / or any other suitable object. Figure 4 Various exemplary locations of the object detection sensor 26 are shown. The object detection sensor 26 may be integrated into or located on the display 14 and / or the display cover 14C, may be integrated into or otherwise located on the housing 12, may be integrated into or otherwise located therein, may be located behind the display 14, and / or may be located in any other suitable location in the device 10.

[0047] Control circuitry, such as controller 20 of device 10, can monitor object detection sensor 26 for object 40 on display 14. When sensor 26 detects object 40 (e.g., for a period of time longer than a given threshold), controller 20 can take appropriate action by locking hinge 42, deploying a stop structure to prevent device 10 from closing completely, displaying a warning or other message on display 14, generating a tactile alarm and / or an audible alarm, and / or taking other actions (e.g., blowing air across display 14 to remove sand or other small particles).

[0048] To lock hinge 42 or otherwise prevent device 10 from fully closing, hinge 42 may include one or more actuators, such as actuator 60. Actuator 60 may be configured to limit movement of housing portion 12A relative to housing portion 12B. Actuator 60 may be a pneumatic actuator, mechanical actuator, electric actuator, piezoelectric actuator, rotary actuator, and / or any other suitable actuator for adjusting the operation of hinge 42. For example, actuator 60 may be configured to deploy a pin, tighten a screw, and / or take other actions to lock hinge 42 in place (e.g., lock hinge 42 in a fully open or partially open configuration) to prevent device 10 from fully closing when an object (such as object 40) is detected on display 14. When object detection sensor 26 detects object 40 on display 14, controller 20 may send a control signal to actuator 60 to lock hinge 42 and prevent device 10 from fully closing.

[0049] In some arrangements, when the device 10 is folded closed, a gap may exist between the first display area 14A and the second display area 14B. For example... Figure 5 As shown, for example, device 10 may have a tapered gap G between the first display area 14A and the second display area 14B. Using this type of arrangement, the gap G between the first display area 14A and the second display area 14B can range from a minimum height (such as height H1 at the end 104 of device 10) to a maximum height (such as height H2 at the opposite end 106 of device 10) (e.g., in...). Figure 4(Near hinge 42). This type of tapered gap between display areas 14A and 14B allows some objects 40 to be enclosed within device 10, even when device 10 is folded closed, depending on the size and position of the object. If needed, object detection sensor 26 can be configured to determine the size of object 40 (e.g., the height of object 40 relative to display areas 14A and / or 14B) and the position of object 40 to determine whether action is required. For example, if sensor 26 detects that object 40 is near end 104 and has a height greater than height H1, controller 20 can lock hinge 42, deploy a stop structure, generate a visual alarm, tactile alarm, and / or auditory alarm, and / or take other appropriate actions. On the other hand, if sensor 26 detects that object 40 is near end 106 and has a height greater than height H1 but less than height H2, controller 20 may take no action and device 10 may be fully closed.

[0050] exist Figure 6 In the example, the gap G between display area 14A and display area 14B is substantially constant. For example, most of display area 14A and most of display area 14B are separated by a gap G with a constant height H3. If necessary, a larger gap may exist in hinge area 42 to accommodate the bending radius of display 14 (e.g., Figure 4 The hinge 42 may have a teardrop shape. Since the gap G between display areas 14A and 14B is substantially constant, the controller 20 can consider the size of the object 40, rather than its position, when determining whether to lock the hinge 42 or take other appropriate actions. For example, if the sensor 26 detects that the object 40 has a height greater than H3, the controller 20 may lock the hinge 42, deploy a stop structure, generate a visual alarm, a tactile alarm, and / or an auditory alarm, and / or take other appropriate actions.

[0051] Adjusting the operation of device 10 based on the position and / or size of object 40 is merely illustrative. If necessary, controller 20 may adjust the operation of device 10 based on the shape of object 40 (e.g., whether object 40 is blunt or sharp), the weight of object 40, the material of object 40 (e.g., whether object 40 is soft or hard), the type of object 40, and / or other characteristics of object 40 measured by object detection sensor 26. Any of these characteristics may be considered when determining whether to take action and what type of action to take (e.g., whether a hinge should be locked and in what position, whether an alarm should be generated, etc.). The size of the gap maintained between display areas 14A and 14B when object 40 is detected may be based on the measured height of object 40, or may be a predetermined gap size not based on any measurement of object 40.

[0052] Figure 7 The device 10 is shown in an expanded configuration (also known as a flat configuration, open configuration, etc.). Figure 7 As shown, the bending axis 32 may extend through the central portion of the device 10. For example, the bending axis 32 may extend through the center of the device 10, the display 14, and / or the housing 12. In other words, the bending axis 32 may be located at an equidistant distance relative to the edge 38 of the housing 12. This is merely illustrative. In general, the bending axis 32 may be located in any suitable portion of the device 10, the display 14, and / or the housing 12 to allow the device 10 to bend and / or fold at the bending region 36.

[0053] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of device 10, showing how object detection sensor 26 can be formed from an image sensor (such as camera 44). Camera 44 can be a visible light camera for capturing images and video, or camera 44 can be an infrared camera for capturing infrared images. For example, camera 44 can be an infrared camera forming part of a depth sensing system in device 10 (e.g., for capturing facial images for user identification and / or authentication purposes). With this type of arrangement, the infrared light source can emit structured infrared light (e.g., dot patterns), and camera 44 can detect reflected infrared light to measure depth (e.g., to capture a depth map of a face or other objects in the environment). Camera 44 can have a field of view A wide enough to detect object 40 on display 14. Controller 20 can analyze the captured images to determine when object 40 is present and / or to determine the size, shape, and / or location of object 40 on display 14. If desired, image recognition techniques can be used to analyze the captured images to determine the type of object (e.g., cellular phone, stylus, pen, etc.).

[0054] exist Figure 9 In the example, the object detection sensor 26 is formed by a sensor 54 comprising one or more transmitters 54E and one or more detectors 54D. The transmitters 54E may be configured to transmit a signal 50 across the display 14, while the detectors 54D may be configured to detect reflected signals from an object 40 on the display 14. Based on the transmitted signal 50 and the detected reflected signal 52, the sensor 54 may be configured to determine the presence of the object 40 (and, if necessary, the size and / or location of the object 40). An array of sensors 54 may be arranged in strips (such as strip 46) along a curved region 36 (e.g., overlapping with or adjacent to hinge 42), may be positioned along one or more edges of the display 14 (e.g., the portion of the housing 12 that borders the display 14), and / or may be located elsewhere in the device 10.

[0055] In some arrangements, sensor 54 may be an optical sensor (e.g., a visible light and / or infrared light sensor, such as an infrared proximity sensor). With this type or arrangement, transmitter 54E may include one or more infrared emitting devices, such as lasers and / or light-emitting diodes, and detector 54D may include one or more infrared light detectors for detecting reflected infrared light.

[0056] In some arrangements, sensor 54 may be an ultrasonic sensor. For example, transmitter 54E may be an ultrasonic transmitter (e.g., a loudspeaker, a micromechanical ultrasonic transducer, a vibrating element, etc.), and detector 54D may be an ultrasonic detector (e.g., a microphone, a micromechanical ultrasonic transducer, etc.). Configurations in which sensor 54 has an array of ultrasonic sensor components may also be used. These components can perform echo localization (time-based measurement) and / or signal strength measurement to determine when object 40 is present and to measure the position of object 40.

[0057] If needed, radio frequency sensors, position, orientation and / or motion sensors, force sensors, temperature sensors, magnetic sensors and / or other sensors can be used to acquire presence information and / or relative position information from object 40. The foregoing examples are illustrative.

[0058] exist Figure 10 In the example, object detection sensor 26 is formed by a touch sensor such as touch sensor 58 in device 10. Figure 10 As shown, the display 14 may include an array of pixels for displaying images and an overlapping touch sensor 58 having an array of transparent capacitive touch sensor electrodes 58E. In some arrangements, the electrodes 58E may form a two-dimensional capacitive sensor array overlapping the display 14 (e.g., the display 14 may have a touch sensor, and some or all of the touch sensor electrodes may acquire touch and / or proximity measurements to measure the position of object 40). In other arrangements, the touch sensor 58 may overlap only a portion of the display 14, or may be located elsewhere in the device 10 (e.g., facing the display 14 on the housing 12 but not overlapping the display 14). For example, the electrodes 58E may form an elongated strip extending along the edge of the display 14 and / or the housing 12. Arrangements in which the electrodes 58E form a portion of a touch sensor for detecting touch input on the display 14 are sometimes described herein as illustrative examples.

[0059] Electrode 58E may be formed from metal traces on a printed circuit, a transparent conductive structure on a printed circuit or overlapping with the display, and / or other conductive electrode structures organized in an array (e.g., a two-dimensional array or a one-dimensional array). Figure 11As shown, the capacitive sensing circuit 58C (e.g., a self-capacitance circuit or a mutual capacitance circuit) can be used to acquire position information (proximity measurement and / or touch sensor measurement) using capacitive sensor readings from electrode 58E (and, if desired, optional additional electrodes, such as effective shielding, ground, etc.). Electrode 58E can have any suitable shape (e.g., rectangular shape, trapezoidal shape, rhomboid shape, circular shape, square shape, other shapes with curved and / or straight edges, other shapes with two or more non-orthogonal edges (such as edges associated with conical finger protrusions and / or conical recesses), etc.).

[0060] For example, consider a scenario where object 40 (e.g., a device with a metal casing sensed by electrode 58E) overlaps with sensor 58, such as Figure 11 As shown. In this arrangement, capacitors C1 and C5 do not overlap, so controller 20 can conclude that object 40 is located between capacitors C1 and C5. The left edge of object 40 overlaps with electrodes C2 and C3, and the right edge of object 40 overlaps with electrodes C3 and C4. The capacitance values ​​measured using electrodes C2 and C3 can be processed to determine the position of the left edge of object 40. The capacitance values ​​measured using electrodes C3 and C4 can be processed to determine the position of the right edge of object 40. If desired, other overlapping (tiled) electrode shapes can be used in the strip capacitive sensor 58. Electrode 58E can be formed by metal traces on a printed circuit (e.g., in a configuration where sensor 58 is located below a pixel of display 14), or it can be formed by indium tin oxide pads or other transparent electrode structures (e.g., in a configuration where the electrode overlaps with a display pixel).

[0061] If needed, object detection sensor 26 can be configured to distinguish intentional touch input from a user from objects placed on display 14. For example, touch sensor 58 can be configured to determine the duration of contact between an object and display 14. Objects that remain in contact with the display for a short period (e.g., less than a given time threshold) can be assumed to be intentional user input, such as touch input, stylus input, etc. Objects that remain in contact with the display for a longer period (e.g., more than a given time threshold) can be assumed to be objects 40 placed on the display, such as electronic devices, styluses, pens, or pencils, and / or other objects placed on the display (rather than objects providing intentional user input).

[0062] Figure 12 This is a side view of the electronic device 10, showing how a stop structure can be deployed in response to the detection of an object 40 on the display 14. Figure 12As shown, the housing 12 may have a frame or bezel area, such as bezel 68. Bezel 68 may extend around part or all of the periphery of the display 14. If desired, bezel 68 may have a greater width in some parts of the device 10 than in other parts of the device 10. For example, opposing first and second edges of the device 10 perpendicular to the bending axis 32 may have relatively thin bezels 68 or may not have bezels at all (e.g., the display 14 may extend all the way to these edges of the device 10). If desired, the device 10 may have opposing third and fourth edges parallel to the bending axis 32 and having wider bezel areas 68, such as edges 108 and 110. This is merely illustrative. If desired, bezel 68 may have a uniform width around the periphery of the display 14, or may be thinner at edges 108 and 110 than at the other edges of the device 10.

[0063] like Figure 12 As shown, one or more stop structures (such as stop structure 62) may be mounted in the frame 68 of the housing 12 and may be configured to limit movement of housing portion 12A relative to housing portion 12B. When the object detection sensor 26 detects an object 40 on the display 14, the stop structure 62 may be used to maintain a minimum gap D between display area 14A and display area 14B. The stop structure 62 may be a compressible member, an inflatable member, a rubber or other elastomer structure, and / or other suitable stop structures.

[0064] If needed, the stop structure 62 can operate in both a retracted and deployed state. An actuator, such as actuator 66, can be configured to control the position of the stop structure 62 based on sensor data from object detection sensor 26. When object detection sensor 26 does not detect any object 40 on display 14 that could potentially damage it, the stop structure 62 can remain retracted (e.g., recessed) in a cavity of housing 12 (such as a recess 64 in bezel 68). When the stop structure 62 is in the retracted state within recess 64, device 10 can be fully closed without obstruction by the stop structure 62. When object detection sensor 26 detects an object 40 on display 14 that could potentially damage it, controller 20 can send a control signal to actuator 66 to deploy the stop structure 62 by pushing it out of recess 64 in direction 112. When the stop structure 62 is deployed, the frame 68 on the housing portion 12A can contact the stop structure 62 when the user attempts to close the device 10, thereby preventing the housing portion 12A from moving further toward the housing portion 12B, so that a minimum gap D can be maintained between the display area 14A and the display area 14B.

[0065] Figure 13This is a perspective view of device 10, illustrating how air can be used to remove particles from display 14 to prevent damage to display 14. Figure 13 As shown, bezel 68 may include one or more holes, such as hole 70. Hole 70 may be a speaker hole for transmitting audio from a speaker below, or it may be an opening for a fan below. In either case, hole 70 may be used to propel air (such as air 72) onto display 14. Propelling air 72 onto display 14 helps to remove smaller objects 40, such as sand and other particles, from display 14. A fan or speaker in housing 12 may be used to propel air through hole 70 based on sensor data from object detection sensor 26. When object detection sensor 26 detects small particles or other objects 40 on display 14, controller 20 may send a control signal to fan or speaker to push air through hole 70 and across the surface of display 14 to help remove particles from display 14. When object detection sensor 26 does not detect any particles or other objects 40 that may damage display 14, controller 20 may turn off speaker or fan, or may otherwise reduce the air being pushed through hole 70.

[0066] Figure 14 This is a perspective view of device 10, showing how display 14 can be used to display warnings or messages based on sensor data from object detection sensor 26. Figure 14 As shown, the display 14 may display an image 114 in response to the object detection sensor 26 detecting an object 40 on the display 14 that could potentially damage the display 14 if the device 10 is closed while the object 40 is present. The image 114 may be a message instructing the user to clean the screen or otherwise remove the object 40 from the display 14, a warning that a blunt or sharp object is present and the user should not close the device 10, a symbol or status indicator, and / or any other suitable image. When the object detection sensor 26 detects a particle, device, or other object 40 on the display 14, the controller 20 uses the display 14 to display the image 114 to warn the user of the object's presence and / or instruct the user not to close the device 10. When the object detection sensor 26 does not detect any particle or other object 40 that could potentially damage the display 14, the controller 20 may remove the image 114 or adjust the image 114 to inform the user that the object 40 has been removed and / or the device 10 can be safely closed.

[0067] Figure 15 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps involved in operating an electronic device (such as electronic device 10) having an object detection sensor (such as object detection sensor 26).

[0068] During operation of box 100, controller 20 may monitor object detection sensor 26 for the presence of object 40 on display 14. This may include, for example, analysis from image sensors (such as...) Figure 8 Image data from image sensor 44) is analyzed. Figure 9 Optical and / or ultrasonic data from sensor 54 are analyzed from capacitive touch sensors and / or capacitive force sensors (such as... Figure 10 and Figure 11 The capacitive sensor data of the capacitive sensor 58) and / or the sensor data from other object detection sensors in the device 10 (e.g., radio frequency sensors, position, orientation and / or motion sensors, temperature sensors, magnetic sensors and / or other sensors).

[0069] Operation of frame 100 may include analyzing sensor data from object detection sensor 26 to determine the duration of object 40's presence on display 14 and / or to determine the size, position, shape, and / or other characteristics of object 40 on display 14. Even when device 10 is closed, some dimensions, shapes, and positions of the object may not cause any damage to display 14 (e.g., because object 40 can safely fit within the gap between display areas 14A and 14B even when device 10 is closed), and therefore, the detection of some objects 40 may not guarantee any further action by controller 20 (e.g., device 10 may be allowed to close completely even with some objects 40 present). This is merely illustrative. If necessary, any object 40 detected on display 14 may trigger action by controller 20 to protect display 14, regardless of the size or position of the object 40.

[0070] If the time period during which object 40 is detected on display 14 is longer than a given threshold (e.g., longer than the typical time period of touch input from a finger or stylus), then processing can proceed to box 102.

[0071] During operation of frame 102, controller 20 may take appropriate action to protect display 14 from damage by locking hinge 42 (e.g., using...). Figure 4 The actuator 60), deploying a stop structure (e.g., Figure 12 The stop structure 62) pushes air through the display 14 (e.g., as shown in the image). Figure 13 As shown), a warning or other message is displayed on display 14 (e.g., Figure 14 Message 114), generate auditory and / or tactile alarms, and / or take other appropriate actions.

[0072] According to one embodiment, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a foldable housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion that rotate relative to each other about a folding axis; a flexible display overlapping the folding axis and having a first display area and a second display area overlapping the first housing portion and the second housing portion, respectively; an object detection sensor configured to detect an object on the flexible display; and an actuator configured to restrict movement of the first housing portion relative to the second housing portion in response to the detection of an object on the flexible display by the object detection sensor.

[0073] According to another implementation, the object detection sensor optionally includes an image sensor.

[0074] According to another embodiment, the image sensor optionally includes a visible light camera.

[0075] According to another embodiment, the image sensor optionally includes an infrared camera.

[0076] According to another embodiment, the object detection sensor optionally includes a capacitive sensor.

[0077] According to another embodiment, the capacitive sensor is optionally overlapped with the flexible display and configured to detect touch input on the flexible display.

[0078] According to another embodiment, the foldable housing optionally includes a hinge coupled between a first housing portion and a second housing portion, wherein an actuator is optionally configured to lock the hinge in response to detecting an object on the flexible display using an object detection sensor to limit movement of the first housing portion relative to the second housing portion.

[0079] According to another embodiment, the electronic device optionally includes a stop structure recessed within a foldable housing, wherein the actuator is optionally configured to deploy the stop structure in response to the detection of an object on a flexible display using an object detection sensor to limit movement of the first housing portion relative to the second housing portion.

[0080] According to another embodiment, the flexible display is optionally configured to display a message in response to the detection of an object on the flexible display using an object detection sensor.

[0081] According to another embodiment, the electronic device optionally includes a hole in the foldable housing, through which air is blown across the flexible display in response to the detection of an object on the flexible display using an object detection sensor.

[0082] According to one embodiment, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion folded relative to each other about a folding axis; a flexible display overlapping the folding axis and having a first display area and a second display area overlapping the first housing portion and the second housing portion, respectively; a touch sensor configured to detect touch input on the flexible display and configured to detect an object placed on the flexible display; and a controller configured to take an action in response to the detection of an object on the flexible display using the object detection sensor, wherein the action is selected from the group consisting of: restricting movement of the first housing portion relative to the second housing portion, displaying a message on the flexible display, generating a tactile alarm, generating an audible alarm, and blowing air across the flexible display.

[0083] According to another embodiment, the electronic device optionally includes an actuator configured to limit the movement of the first housing portion relative to the second housing portion in response to a control signal from a controller.

[0084] According to another embodiment, the housing optionally includes a hinge coupled between a first housing portion and a second housing portion, and wherein an actuator is optionally configured to lock the hinge in response to a control signal from a controller.

[0085] According to another embodiment, the electronic device optionally includes a stop structure recessed within the housing, wherein the actuator is optionally configured to deploy the stop structure in response to a control signal from the controller.

[0086] According to another embodiment, the touch sensor is optionally configured to distinguish the touch input from the object placed on the flexible display based on the time period associated with the touch input and the object placed on the flexible display.

[0087] According to one embodiment, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion coupled by a hinge; a flexible display overlapping the first housing portion, the second housing portion, and the hinge; and an object detection sensor configured to detect an object resting on the flexible display, wherein the hinge is configured to lock in response to the detection of an object resting on the flexible display by the object detection sensor.

[0088] According to another embodiment, the electronic device optionally includes an actuator configured to lock the hinge in response to the detection of an object resting on the flexible display using an object detection sensor.

[0089] According to another embodiment, the object detection sensor optionally includes at least one of the following: an infrared camera and a visible light camera.

[0090] According to another embodiment, the object detection sensor optionally includes a capacitive force sensor.

[0091] According to another embodiment, the object detection sensor optionally includes a sensor selected from the group consisting of: optical sensors, ultrasonic sensors, strain gauges, and radio frequency sensors.

[0092] The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described implementation. The foregoing implementation can be implemented individually or in any combination.

Claims

1. An electronic device, the electronic device comprising: A foldable housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion that rotate relative to each other about a folding axis; A flexible display, which overlaps with the folding axis and has a first display area and a second display area that overlap with the first housing portion and the second housing portion, respectively. An object detection sensor configured to detect objects on the flexible display; and An actuator configured to limit movement of the first housing portion relative to the second housing portion in response to detection of an object on the flexible display using the object detection sensor.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the object detection sensor includes an image sensor.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the image sensor comprises a visible light camera.

4. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the image sensor comprises an infrared camera.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the object detection sensor comprises a capacitive sensor.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the capacitive sensor overlaps with the flexible display and is configured to detect touch input on the flexible display.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the foldable housing includes a hinge coupled between the first housing portion and the second housing portion, and wherein the actuator is configured to lock the hinge to limit movement of the first housing portion relative to the second housing portion in response to detection of an object on the flexible display using the object detection sensor.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a stop structure recessed within the foldable housing, wherein the actuator is configured to deploy the stop structure to limit movement of the first housing portion relative to the second housing portion in response to detection of the object on the flexible display using the object detection sensor.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the flexible display is configured to display a message in response to the detection of an object on the flexible display using the object detection sensor.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a hole in the foldable housing, wherein air is blown through the hole across the flexible display in response to the object detection sensor detecting the object on the flexible display.

11. An electronic device, the electronic device comprising: An outer casing having a first outer casing portion and a second outer casing portion folded relative to each other around a folding axis; A flexible display, which overlaps with the folding axis and has a first display area and a second display area that overlap with the first housing portion and the second housing portion, respectively. A touch sensor configured to detect touch input on the flexible display and configured to detect an object placed on the flexible display; and A controller configured to take action in response to the detection of an object on the flexible display using the object detection sensor, wherein the action is selected from the group consisting of: restricting movement of the first housing portion relative to the second housing portion, displaying a message on the flexible display, generating a tactile alarm, generating an audible alarm, and blowing air across the flexible display.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising an actuator configured to limit movement of the first housing portion relative to the second housing portion in response to a control signal from the controller.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the housing includes a hinge coupled between the first housing portion and the second housing portion, and wherein the actuator is configured to lock the hinge in response to a control signal from the controller.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, further comprising a stop structure recessed within the housing, wherein the actuator is configured to deploy the stop structure in response to the control signal from the controller.

15. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the touch sensor is configured to distinguish the touch input from the object placed on the flexible display based on a time period associated with the touch input and the object placed on the flexible display.

16. An electronic device, the electronic device comprising: A housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion hinged together; A flexible display that overlaps with the first housing portion, the second housing portion, and the hinge; and An object detection sensor is configured to detect an object resting on the flexible display, wherein the hinge is configured to lock in response to the detection of the object resting on the flexible display by means of the object detection sensor.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, further comprising an actuator configured to lock the hinge in response to detecting an object resting on the flexible display using the object detection sensor.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the object detection sensor comprises at least one of the following: an infrared camera and a visible light camera.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the object detection sensor comprises a capacitive force sensor.

20. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the object detection sensor comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of: optical sensors, ultrasonic sensors, strain gauges, and radio frequency sensors.

Images