Method for controlling a screen and apparatus thereof

Abstract

The embodiments relate to a method and apparatus for controlling a screen displayed on a display. A method for controlling a screen displayed on a display of an electronic device according to one embodiment may include: an action of identifying a trigger area within a split screen based on a layout of a split screen displayed on the display; an action of detecting that at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by a popup window based on a first user input controlling a handle area within a popup window displayed on an upper layer of the split screen; an action of changing the layout of the split screen based on at least one of the position of the trigger area overlaid by the popup window and the relative position of the handle area and the divider of the layout; and an action of indicating an area where the popup window within the split screen is to be located based on the changed layout of the split screen.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The following disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for controlling a screen displayed on a display. Background Technology

[0002] Recently, electronic devices have been providing the ability to display the execution screens of two or more programs or applications together on a single screen. For example, to display the execution screens of two or more applications, the electronic device may divide the display into two or more areas and display the execution screens of the applications in each split area, or display multiple windows displaying the execution screens of two or more applications by overlaying them. The problem to be solved

[0004] Through various embodiments, a method for controlling a multi-window screen that displays one or more execution windows of an app on a display of an electronic device can be provided.

[0005] Through various embodiments, a method can be provided to control the layout of a screen including one or more app execution windows by user input.

[0006] However, technical challenges are not limited to the technical challenges described above, and other technical challenges may exist. means of solving the problem

[0008] A screen control method for displaying on a display of an electronic device according to one embodiment includes: an operation of identifying a trigger area within a split screen based on a layout of a split screen displayed on the display; an operation of detecting that at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by the pop-up window based on a first user input controlling a handle area within a pop-up window displayed on an upper layer of the split screen; an operation of changing the layout of the split screen based on at least one of the position of the trigger area overlaid by the pop-up window and the relative position of the handle area and the divider of the layout; and an operation of indicating an area within the split screen where the pop-up window is to be located based on the changed layout of the split screen.

[0009] A screen control method for displaying on a display of an electronic device according to one embodiment includes: an operation of identifying a trigger area within a screen including an execution window of a first app driven by the electronic device; an operation of detecting that at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by the popup window based on a first user input controlling the position of a popup window displayed on an upper layer of the screen; an operation of dividing the screen including the execution window of the first app based on the position of the overlaid trigger area; and an operation of indicating an area within the divided screen where the popup window is to be located.

[0010] An electronic device according to one embodiment includes a display that outputs a screen; and a processor that is operatively coupled with the display to control the screen displayed on the display, wherein the processor identifies a trigger area within the split screen based on a layout of the split screen displayed on the display, detects that at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by the popup window based on a first user input controlling a handle area within a popup window displayed on an upper layer of the split screen, changes the layout of the split screen based on at least one of the position of the trigger area overlaid by the popup window and the relative position of the handle area and the divider of the layout, and indicates an area within the split screen where the popup window is to be located based on the changed layout of the split screen.

[0011] An electronic device according to one embodiment includes a display that outputs a screen; and a processor that is operatively coupled with the display to control a screen displayed on the display, wherein the processor identifies a trigger area within the screen including an execution window of a first app being run, detects that at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by the popup window based on a first user input that controls the position of a popup window displayed on an upper layer of the screen, divides the screen including the execution window of the first app based on the position of the overlaid trigger area, and indicates an area within the divided screen where the popup window is to be located. Effects of the invention

[0013] Through various embodiments, the user can control the electronic device to display multiple application execution windows on a single screen, and can easily change the arrangement of one or more application execution windows displayed on the display of the electronic device. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0015] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) in a network environment (100) according to various embodiments. FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating the unfolded state of an electronic device (200) according to various embodiments. FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a folded state of an electronic device (200) according to various embodiments. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of an unfolded state or a partially unfolded intermediate state of an electronic device (200) according to various embodiments. FIG. 5 is a block diagram (500) of a display module (160) according to various embodiments. FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of an electronic device (101) that performs screen control operations according to various embodiments. FIG. 7 is a drawing for illustrating a multi-window according to various embodiments. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an operation for specifying a trigger area according to various embodiments. FIG. 9 is a drawing for explaining the operation of dividing a screen according to various embodiments. FIG. 10 is an operation flowchart of a screen control method displayed on a display of an electronic device according to various embodiments. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the operation of determining the shrinking direction of windows included in a split screen according to one embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the operation of determining which window to reduce among the windows included in a split screen according to one embodiment. FIG. 13 is a drawing for explaining the operation of changing the layout of a split screen to display the position of a popup window according to various embodiments. FIG. 14 is an operation flowchart of a screen control method displayed on a display of an electronic device according to various embodiments. FIG. 15 is a drawing for explaining a screen control method displayed on a display of an electronic device according to various embodiments. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In the description with reference to the attached drawings, identical components are given the same reference numeral regardless of the drawing number, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) in a network environment (100) according to various embodiments.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, in a network environment (100), an electronic device (101) may communicate with an electronic device (102) through a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network) or with an electronic device (104) or a server (108) through a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (104) through a server (108). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a processor (120), memory (130), input module (150), sound output module (155), display module (160), audio module (170), sensor module (176), interface (177), connection terminal (178), haptic module (179), camera module (180), power management module (188), battery (189), communication module (190), subscriber identification module (196), or antenna module (197). In some embodiments, at least one of these components (e.g., connection terminal (178)) may be omitted from the electronic device (101), or one or more other components may be added. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., sensor module (176), camera module (180), or antenna module (197)) may be integrated into a single component (e.g., display module (160)).

[0020] The processor (120) can control at least one other component (e.g., hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) by executing software (e.g., program (140)), for example, and can perform various data processing or operations. According to one embodiment, as at least part of the data processing or operations, the processor (120) can store commands or data received from other components (e.g., sensor module (176) or communication module (190)) in volatile memory (132), process the commands or data stored in volatile memory (132), and store the resulting data in non-volatile memory (134). According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include a main processor (121) (e.g., central processing unit or application processor) or an auxiliary processor (123) that can operate independently or together with it (e.g., graphics processing unit, neural processing unit (NPU), image signal processor, sensor hub processor, or communication processor). For example, if the electronic device (101) includes a main processor (121) and an auxiliary processor (123), the auxiliary processor (123) may be configured to use lower power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a designated function. The auxiliary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as part thereof.

[0021] The auxiliary processor (123) may control at least some of the functions or states associated with at least one component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., display module (160), sensor module (176), or communication module (190)) on behalf of the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or together with the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., image signal processor or communication processor) may be implemented as part of another functionally related component (e.g., camera module (180) or communication module (190)). According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing an artificial intelligence model. The artificial intelligence model may be generated through machine learning. Such learning may be performed, for example, on the electronic device (101) itself where the artificial intelligence is performed, or through a separate server (e.g., server (108)). The learning algorithm may include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but is not limited to the examples described above. The artificial intelligence model may include a plurality of artificial neural network layers.An 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), a deep Q-network, or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to the hardware structure, the artificial intelligence model may include a software structure, either additionally or substantially.

[0022] The memory (130) can store various data used by at least one component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., processor (120) or sensor module (176)). The data may include, for example, input data or output data for software (e.g., program (140)) and related commands. The memory (130) may include volatile memory (132) or non-volatile memory (134).

[0023] The program (140) may be stored as software in memory (130) and may include, for example, an operating system (142), middleware (144), or an application (146).

[0024] The input module (150) can receive commands or data to be used for a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., processor (120)) from outside the electronic device (101) (e.g., 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 pen).

[0025] The sound output module (155) can 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 multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver may be used to receive incoming calls. According to one embodiment, the receiver may be implemented separately from the speaker or as part thereof.

[0026] The display module (160) can visually provide information to an external (e.g., user) of the electronic device (101). The display module (160) may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling said device. According to one embodiment, the display module (160) may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of the force generated by said touch.

[0027] The audio module (170) can convert sound into an electrical signal or, conversely, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module (170) can acquire sound through the input module (150) or output sound through the sound output module (155) or an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)) (e.g., speaker or headphones) connected directly or wirelessly to the electronic device (101).

[0028] The sensor module (176) can detect the operating state of the electronic device (101) (e.g., power or temperature) or the external environmental state (e.g., user state) and generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. According to one embodiment, the sensor module (176) may include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an accelerometer sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biosensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0029] The interface (177) may support one or more specified protocols that can be used for the electronic device (101) to be connected directly or wirelessly to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)). According to one embodiment, the interface (177) may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

[0030] The connection terminal (178) may include a connector through which the electronic device (101) can be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)). According to one 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).

[0031] The haptic module (179) can convert an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus (e.g., vibration or movement) or an electrical stimulus that the user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic senses. According to one embodiment, the haptic module (179) may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electric stimulation device.

[0032] The camera module (180) can capture still images and video. According to one embodiment, the camera module (180) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0033] The power management module (188) can manage the power supplied to the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the power management module (188) can be implemented, for example, as at least part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0034] The battery (189) can supply power to at least one component of the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the battery (189) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0035] The communication module (190) can support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between an electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102), electronic device (104), or server (108)), and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. The communication module (190) may include one or more communication processors that operate independently of the processor (120) (e.g., application processor) and support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module (190) may include a wireless communication module (192) (e.g., cellular communication module, short-range wireless communication module, or GNSS (global navigation satellite system) communication module) or a wired communication module (194) (e.g., LAN (local area network) communication module, or power line communication module). The corresponding communication module among these communication modules can communicate with an external electronic device (104) through a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, WiFi (wireless fidelity) direct, or IrDA (infrared data association)) or a second network (199) (e.g., a legacy cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN)). These various types of communication modules may be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module (192) can identify or authenticate the electronic device (101) within a communication network such as the first network (198) or the second network (199) using subscriber information (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module (196).

[0036] The wireless communication module (192) can support 5G networks and next-generation communication technologies following 4G networks, for example, new radio access technology. NR access technology can support high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB)), minimization of terminal power and connection of multiple terminals (massive machine type communications (mMTC)), or high reliability and low latency (ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC)). The wireless communication module (192) can support a high-frequency band (e.g., mmWave band) to achieve a high data transmission rate, for example. The wireless communication module (192) can support various technologies for securing performance in the high-frequency band, such as beamforming, massive MIMO (multiple-input and multiple-output), full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large-scale antenna. The wireless communication module (192) can support various requirements specified in the electronic device (101), external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (104)), or network system (e.g., second network (199)). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module (192) can support a Peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for realizing eMBB, loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for realizing mMTC, or U-plane latency (e.g., downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) each 0.5 ms or less, or round trip 1 ms or less) for realizing URLLC.

[0037] An antenna module (197) can transmit a signal or power to or from an external source (e.g., an external electronic device). According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include an antenna comprising a radiator made of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). According to one 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 method used in a communication network, such as a first network (198) or a second network (199), may be selected from the plurality of antennas, for example, by a communication module (190). A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module (190) and an external electronic device through the selected at least one antenna. According to some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, other components (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as part of the antenna module (197).

[0038] According to various embodiments, the antenna module (197) may form a mmWave antenna module. According to one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent to a first surface (e.g., bottom surface) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a specified high frequency band (e.g., mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., array antennas) disposed on or adjacent to a second surface (e.g., top surface or side surface) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving a signal of the specified high frequency band.

[0039] At least some of the above components can be connected to each other via a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., bus, GPIO (general purpose input and output), SPI (serial peripheral interface), or MIPI (mobile industry processor interface)) and exchange signals (e.g., commands or data) with each other.

[0040] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (104) through a server (108) connected to a second network (199). Each of the external electronic devices (102, or 104) may be the same or different type of device as the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations performed on the electronic device (101) may be performed on one or more of the external electronic devices (102, 104, or 108). For example, if the electronic device (101) needs to perform a function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device (101) may request one or more external electronic devices to perform at least part of the function or service instead of performing the function or service itself or additionally. One or more external electronic devices that receive the above request may execute at least part of the requested function or service, or additional function or service 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 is or additionally processed as at least part of the response to the request. For this purpose, for example, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used. The electronic device (101) may provide ultra-low latency services using, for example, distributed computing or mobile edge computing. 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 one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) or the server (108) may be included within a second network (199).The electronic device (101) can be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

[0042] FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating an unfolded state of an electronic device (200) according to various embodiments. FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a folded state of an electronic device (200) according to various embodiments. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of an unfolded state or a partially unfolded intermediate state of an electronic device (200) according to various embodiments.

[0043] The electronic device (200) of FIGS. 2 to 4 may be a foldable or bendable electronic device as an example of the electronic device (101) shown in FIG. 1.

[0044] In the drawings from FIG. 4 onwards, a spatial coordinate system defined by an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis that are orthogonal to each other is illustrated. Here, the X-axis may represent the width direction of the electronic device, the Y-axis may represent the length direction of the electronic device, and the Z-axis may represent the height (or thickness) direction of the electronic device. In the description below, the term "first direction" may refer to a direction parallel to the Z-axis.

[0045] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, in one embodiment, an electronic device (200) may include a foldable housing (201) and a flexible or foldable display (250) (hereinafter abbreviated as “display” (250)) (e.g., a display module (160) of FIG. 1) disposed within the space formed by the foldable housing (201). According to one embodiment, the surface on which the display (250) is disposed (or the surface on which the display (250) is seen from outside the electronic device (200)) may be defined as the front of the electronic device (200). The opposite side of the front may be defined as the rear of the electronic device (200). Additionally, the surface surrounding the space between the front and the rear may be defined as the side of the electronic device (200).

[0046] According to various embodiments, the foldable housing (201) may include a first housing structure (210), a second housing structure (220) including a sensor area (222), a first rear cover (215), a second rear cover (225), and a hinge structure (230). Here, the hinge structure (230) may include a hinge cover that covers a foldable portion of the foldable housing (201). The foldable housing (201) of the electronic device (200) is not limited to the form and combination shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and may be implemented by other shapes or combinations and / or combinations of parts. For example, in other embodiments, the first housing structure (210) and the first rear cover (215) may be formed integrally, and the second housing structure (220) and the second rear cover (225) may be formed integrally.

[0047] According to various embodiments, the first housing structure (210) is connected to the hinge structure (230) and may include a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction opposite to the first direction. The second housing structure (220) is connected to the hinge structure (230) and may include a third surface facing a third direction and a fourth surface facing a fourth direction opposite to the third direction. The second housing structure (220) may rotate about the first housing structure (210) around the hinge structure (230). The electronic device (200) may be variable between a folded state and an unfolded state.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (200) may have the first surface facing the third surface when fully folded, and the third direction may be the same as the first direction when fully unfolded.

[0049] According to various embodiments, the first housing structure (210) and the second housing structure (220) are arranged on both sides of the folding axis (A) and may have a shape that is symmetrical overall with respect to the folding axis A. As described below, the angle or distance between the first housing structure (210) and the second housing structure (220) may vary depending on whether the state of the electronic device (200) is an unfolded state, a folded state, or an intermediate state that is partially unfolded (or partially folded). According to one embodiment, unlike the first housing structure (210), the second housing structure (220) additionally includes the sensor area (222) where various sensors are arranged, but may have a mutually symmetrical shape in other areas.

[0050] According to various embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the first housing structure (210) and the second housing structure (220) may together form a recess that accommodates a display (250). According to one embodiment, due to the sensor area (222), the recess may have two or more different widths in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis (A). According to one embodiment, the recess may have a first width (w1) between a first part (210a) parallel to the folding axis (A) of the first housing structure (210) and a first part (220a) formed at the edge of the sensor area (222) of the second housing structure (220). The recess may have a second width (w2) formed by a second part (210b) of the first housing structure (210) and a second part (220b) parallel to the folding axis A that does not correspond to the sensor area (222) of the second housing structure (220). In this case, the second width (w2) may be formed to be longer than the first width (w1). According to one embodiment, the first part (220a) and the second part (220b) of the second housing structure (220) may have different distances from the folding axis A. The width of the recess is not limited to the illustrated example. In another embodiment, the recess may have multiple widths due to the shape of the sensor area (222) or the asymmetrical shape of the first housing structure (210) and the second housing structure (220). According to various embodiments, the sensor area (222) may be formed to have a predetermined area adjacent to one corner of the second housing structure (220). However, the arrangement, shape, and size of the sensor area (222) are not limited to the illustrated example. For example, in another embodiment, the sensor area (222) may be provided at another corner of the second housing structure (220) or in any area between the top corner and the bottom corner.In one embodiment, components for performing various functions embedded in the electronic device (200) may be exposed to the front of the electronic device (200) through a sensor area (222) or through one or more openings provided in the sensor area (222). In various embodiments, the components may include various types of sensors. The sensors may include, for example, at least one of a front camera, a receiver, or a proximity sensor. According to various embodiments, the sensor area (222) in the second housing structure (220) may be omitted or formed at a location different from that shown in the drawing.

[0051] According to various embodiments, at least a portion of the first housing structure (210) and the second housing structure (220) may be formed of a metal or non-metal material having a selected size of rigidity to support the display (250). The at least portion formed of the metal material may provide a ground plane of the electronic device (200) and may be electrically connected to a ground line formed on a printed circuit board disposed inside the foldable housing (201).

[0052] According to various embodiments, the first rear cover (215) is positioned on one side of the folding axis (A) on the rear of the electronic device (200) and may have, for example, substantially rectangular periphery, and the periphery may be wrapped by the first housing structure (210). Similarly, the second rear cover (225) is positioned on the other side of the folding axis (A) on the rear of the electronic device (200), and its periphery may be wrapped by the second housing structure (220).

[0053] According to various embodiments, the first rear cover (215) and the second rear cover (225) may have a substantially symmetrical shape with respect to the folding axis (A). However, the first rear cover (215) and the second rear cover (225) do not necessarily have mutually symmetrical shapes, and in other embodiments, the electronic device (200) may include the first rear cover (215) and the second rear cover (225) of various shapes. In yet another embodiment, the first rear cover (215) may be formed integrally with the first housing structure (210), and the second rear cover (225) may be formed integrally with the second housing structure (220).

[0054] According to various embodiments, the first rear cover (215), the second rear cover (225), the first housing structure (210), and the second housing structure (220) may form a space in which various components of the electronic device (200) (e.g., a printed circuit board, or a battery) may be placed. According to one embodiment, one or more components may be placed or visually exposed on the rear of the electronic device (200). For example, at least a portion of a sub-display may be visually exposed through the first rear area (216) of the first rear cover (215). In another embodiment, one or more components or sensors may be visually exposed through the second rear area (226) of the second rear cover (225). In various embodiments, the sensors may include a proximity sensor and / or a rear camera.

[0055] According to various embodiments, a front camera exposed to the front of the electronic device (200) through one or more openings provided in the sensor area (222) or a rear camera exposed through a second rear area (226) of the second rear cover (225) may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and / or an image signal processor. A flash may include, for example, a light-emitting diode or a xenon lamp. In some embodiments, two or more lenses (infrared camera, wide-angle and telephoto lenses) and image sensors may be disposed on one side of the electronic device (200).

[0056] Referring to FIG. 3, a hinge cover may be configured to be positioned between a first housing structure (210) and a second housing structure (220) to cover an internal component (e.g., a hinge structure (230)). According to one embodiment, the hinge structure (230) may be covered by a part of the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320) or exposed to the outside, depending on the state of the electronic device (200) (unfolded status, intermediate status, or folded status).

[0057] According to one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, when the electronic device (200) is in an unfolded state (e.g., fully unfolded state), the hinge structure (230) may be covered by the first housing structure (210) and the second housing structure (220) and not exposed. As another example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the electronic device (200) is in a folded state (e.g., fully folded state), the hinge structure (230) may be exposed to the outside between the first housing structure (210) and the second housing structure (220). As another example, when the first housing structure (210) and the second housing structure (220) are in an intermediate state where they are folded with a certain angle, the hinge structure (230) may be partially exposed to the outside between the first housing structure (210) and the second housing structure (220). However, in this case, the exposed area may be smaller than in a completely folded state. In one embodiment, the hinge structure (230) may include a curved surface.

[0058] According to various embodiments, the display (250) may be placed in a space formed by the foldable housing (201). For example, the display (250) may be seated on a recess formed by the foldable housing (201) and may be visible from the outside through the front of the electronic device (200). For example, the display (250) may constitute most of the front of the electronic device (200). Thus, the front of the electronic device (200) may include the display (250) and a portion of the first housing structure (210) and a portion of the second housing structure (220) adjacent to the display (250). And, the rear of the electronic device (200) may include a first rear cover (215), a part of the first housing structure (210) adjacent to the first rear cover (215), a second rear cover (225), and a part of the second housing structure (220) adjacent to the second rear cover (225).

[0059] According to various embodiments, the display (250) may mean a display in which at least some area can be deformed into a flat or curved surface. According to one embodiment, the display (250) may include a folding area (253), a first area (251) disposed on one side (e.g., the left side of the folding area (253) shown in FIG. 2) with respect to the folding area (253), and a second area (252) disposed on the other side (e.g., the right side of the folding area (253) shown in FIG. 2).

[0060] However, the division of the display (250) shown in FIG. 2 is exemplary, and the display (250) may be divided into multiple areas (e.g., four or more or two) depending on the structure or function. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the area of ​​the display (200) may be divided by a folding area (203) that extends parallel to the folding axis (A), but in other embodiments, the area of ​​the display (200) may be divided based on a different folding axis (e.g., a folding axis parallel to the width direction of the electronic device).

[0061] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the display (250) may be coupled to or placed adjacent to a touch panel equipped with a touch sensing circuit and a pressure sensor capable of measuring the intensity (pressure) of a touch. For example, the display (250) may be coupled to or placed adjacent to a touch panel that detects an electromagnetic resonance (EMR) type stylus pen, as an example of a touch panel.

[0062] According to various embodiments, the first region (251) and the second region (252) may have a shape that is symmetrical overall with respect to the folding region (253). However, unlike the first region (251), the second region (252) may include a notch cut according to the presence of the sensor region (222), but in other areas, it may have a shape that is symmetrical to the first region (251). In other words, the first region (251) and the second region (252) may include a part that has a shape that is symmetrical to each other and a part that has a shape that is asymmetrical to each other.

[0063] According to various embodiments, the edge thickness of the first region (251) and the second region (252) may be formed differently from the edge thickness of the folding region (253). The edge thickness of the folding region (253) may be formed thinner than the thickness of the first region (251) and the second region (252). In terms of thickness, the first region (251) and the second region (252) may have an asymmetrical shape when viewed in cross-section. For example, the edge of the first region (251) may be formed to have a first radius of curvature, and the edge of the second region (252) may be formed to have a second radius of curvature different from the first radius of curvature. In another embodiment, the first region (251) and the second region (252) in terms of thickness may have a symmetrical shape when viewed in cross-section of the first region (251) and the second region (252).

[0064] Hereinafter, the operation of the first housing structure (210) and the second housing structure (220) and each area of ​​the display (250) according to the state of the electronic device (200) (e.g., folded status, unfolded status, or intermediate status) will be described.

[0065] According to various embodiments, when the electronic device (200) is in an unfolded state (e.g., FIG. 2), the first housing structure (210) and the second housing structure (220) may be arranged to face in the same direction at an angle of 180 degrees. The surface of the first region (251) and the surface of the second region (252) of the display (250) may form an angle of 180 degrees to each other and may face in the same direction (e.g., the front direction of the electronic device). The folding region (253) may form a plane with the first region (251) and the second region (252).

[0066] According to various embodiments, when the electronic device (200) is in a folded state (e.g., FIG. 3), the first housing structure (210) and the second housing structure (220) may be arranged to face each other. The surface of the first region (251) and the surface of the second region (252) of the display (250) may face each other, forming a narrow angle (e.g., between 0 and 10 degrees). The folding region (253) may be formed of a curved surface having at least a portion having a predetermined curvature.

[0067] According to various embodiments, when the electronic device (200) is in an intermediate state, the first housing structure (210) and the second housing structure (220) may be arranged at a certain angle to each other. The surface of the first region (251) and the surface of the second region (252) of the display (250) may form an angle that is larger than the folded state and smaller than the unfolded state. The folding region (253) may be formed of a curved surface having at least a portion of a certain curvature, wherein the curvature may be smaller than in the folded state.

[0068] FIG. 4(a) shows the fully unfolded state of the electronic device (200), and FIG. 4(b) shows the intermediate state in which the electronic device (200) is partially unfolded. As described above, the electronic device (200) can be varied between a folded state and an unfolded state. According to one embodiment, the electronic device (200) can be folded in two ways: 'in-folding,' where the front of the electronic device (200) is folded to form an acute angle when viewed from the folding axis direction (e.g., axis A in FIG. 2), and 'out-folding,' where the front of the electronic device (200) is folded to form an obtuse angle. For example, the electronic device (200) may have a first surface of the first housing structure (210) facing the third surface of the second housing structure (220) in an in-folding folded state, and in an unfolded state, the first surface of the first housing structure (210) and the third surface of the second housing structure (220) may face the same direction (e.g., a direction parallel to the Z-axis).

[0069] For example, the electronic device (200) may have the second side of the first housing structure (210) facing the fourth side of the second housing structure (220) while folded in an out-folding manner.

[0070] Additionally, the electronic device (200) may include a plurality of hinge axes, although not shown in the drawing (e.g., two mutually parallel hinge axes including the A axis of FIG. 2 and another axis parallel to the A axis), and in this case, the electronic device (200) may be folded in a 'multi-folding' manner that combines the in-folding and out-folding methods.

[0071] The above in-folding type may mean a state in which the display (250) is not exposed to the outside in a fully folded state. The above out-folding type may mean a state in which the display (250) is exposed to the outside in a fully folded state. FIG. 4(b) shows an intermediate state in which the electronic device (200) is partially unfolded during the in-folding process.

[0072] For convenience, the following description focuses on the state in which the electronic device (200) is folded in an in-folding manner, but it should be noted that these descriptions may also apply to the state in which the electronic device (200) is folded in an out-folding manner.

[0074] FIG. 5 is a block diagram (500) of a display module (160) according to various embodiments.

[0075] Referring to FIG. 5, a display module (160) (e.g., the display module (160) of FIG. 1) may include a display (510) (e.g., the display (250) of FIG. 2) and a display driver IC (DDI) (530) for controlling the display. The DDI (530) may include an interface module (531), a memory (533) (e.g., a buffer memory), an image processing module (535), or a mapping module (537). The DDI (530) may receive image information, for example, image data or an image control signal corresponding to a command for controlling the image data, from another component of an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1 or the electronic device (200) of FIG. 2 to 4) through the interface module (531). For example, image information may be received from a main processor (e.g., the main processor (121) or application processor of FIG. 1) or an auxiliary processor that operates independently of the functions of the main processor (e.g., the auxiliary processor (123) or graphics processing unit of FIG. 1). The DDI (530) may communicate with the touch circuit (550) or sensor module (176) (e.g., the sensor module (176) of FIG. 1) through the interface module (531). Additionally, the DDI (530) may store at least some of the received image information in memory (533), for example, in frame units. The image processing module (535) may perform preprocessing or postprocessing (e.g., resolution, brightness, or size adjustment) on at least some of the image data based at least on the characteristics of the image data or the characteristics of the display (510), for example. The mapping module (537) may generate voltage values ​​or current values ​​corresponding to the image data preprocessed or postprocessed through the image processing module (135).According to one embodiment, the generation of a voltage value or a current value may be performed, for example, based at least in part on the attributes of the pixels of the display (510) (e.g., an array of pixels (RGB stripe or pentile structure), or the size of each subpixel). At least some pixels of the display (510) are driven, for example, based at least in part on the voltage value or the current value, so that visual information (e.g., text, image, or icon) corresponding to the image data can be displayed through the display (510).

[0076] According to one embodiment, the display module (160) may further include a touch circuit (550). The touch circuit (550) may include a touch sensor (551) and a touch sensor IC (553) for controlling the same. The touch sensor IC (553) may control the touch sensor (551) to detect a touch input or hovering input for a specific location on the display (510), for example. For example, the touch sensor IC (553) may detect a touch input or hovering input by measuring a change in a signal (e.g., voltage, light intensity, resistance, or charge) for a specific location on the display (510). The touch sensor IC (553) may provide information regarding the detected touch input or hovering input (e.g., location, area, pressure, or time) to a processor (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1). According to one embodiment, at least a part of the touch circuit (550) (e.g., touch sensor IC (553)) may be included as part of the display driver IC (530) or the display (510), or as part of another component (e.g., auxiliary processor (123)) placed outside the display module (160).

[0077] According to one embodiment, the display module (160) may further include at least one sensor of the sensor module (176) (e.g., fingerprint sensor, iris sensor, pressure sensor, or light sensor) or a control circuit for the same. In this case, the at least one sensor or the control circuit for the same may be embedded in a part of the display module (160) (e.g., display (510) or DDI (530)) or a part of the touch circuit (550). For example, if the sensor module (176) embedded in the display module (160) includes a biometric sensor (e.g., fingerprint sensor), the biometric sensor may obtain biometric information (e.g., fingerprint image) associated with a touch input through a part of the display (510). As another example, if the sensor module (176) embedded in the display module (160) includes a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor may obtain pressure information associated with a touch input through a part or the entire area of ​​the display (510). According to one embodiment, a touch sensor (551) or a sensor module (176) may be placed between pixels of a pixel layer of a display (510), or on top of or below the pixel layer.

[0079] FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of an electronic device (101) that performs screen control operations according to various embodiments.

[0080] Referring to FIG. 6, an electronic device (101) according to one embodiment (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1 or the electronic device (200) of FIG. 2 to 4) may include a display (610) (e.g., the display module (160) of FIG. 1, the display (250) of FIG. 2, the display (250) of FIG. 4 or the display module (160) of FIG. 5)) and a processor (120) (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1). The display (610) according to one embodiment may output a screen, and the processor (120) may be operatively coupled with the display (610) to control the screen displayed on the display (610).

[0082] A screen displayed on a display (610) of an electronic device (101) according to one embodiment may include at least one window. The window may be a certain area where information regarding the execution of a function of the electronic device (101) is output. Here, the information may include various screen elements related to the execution of the function. For example, the information may include at least one of various items such as text, a still image or video image, an icon, a virtual key button, a slide bar, a progress bar, a list item, a thumbnail item, etc.

[0083] According to one embodiment, the window may include an execution window for a program (e.g., the program (140) of FIG. 1) or an application (hereinafter referred to as an app) (e.g., the application (146) of FIG. 1) driven by the electronic device (101). The execution window of the app may correspond to a certain area of ​​the display (610) on which the screen output as the app driven by the electronic device (101) is executed is displayed. In the following description, the window included in the screen displayed on the display (610) is described as an example of an execution window of the app.

[0084] The processor (120) of the electronic device (101) may support a multi-window function that displays one or more execution windows of apps through a display (610). For example, the multi-window function may be implemented using a pop-up window and / or a split window.

[0085] A pop-up window may correspond to an execution window of another app (e.g., a second app) overlaid on a screen containing a home screen or an execution window of a specific app (e.g., a first app). For example, referring to FIG. 7(a), a first screen (702) containing an execution window of the first app may be displayed on a top layer of the home screen (701). The execution window of the first app may be displayed in the form of a full screen on the first screen (702). An execution window of the second app may be displayed as a pop-up window (703) on a top layer of the first screen (702).

[0086] A split window may correspond to an execution window of an app displayed in a portion of the screen created by dividing the screen. A split screen may include multiple split windows, and multiple split windows may be arranged within the screen according to the layout of the split screen. Multiple split windows included in the split screen may have the same layer level. For example, referring to FIG. 7(b), a split screen (712) containing two split windows may be displayed on the upper layer of the home screen (711). In each area of ​​the split screen (712), an execution window of a first app and an execution window of a second app may be displayed in the form of split windows. An execution window of a third app may be displayed as a pop-up window (713) on the upper layer of the split screen (712).

[0088] Referring again to FIG. 6, a processor (120) according to one embodiment may identify a trigger area within a screen displayed on a display (610) (e.g., a first screen including a window of a first app or a split screen including execution windows of a plurality of apps). The trigger area is a pre-designated area within the screen for determining whether to readjust the layout of the screen, and for example, a part of the top of the screen, a part of the bottom of the screen, a part of the left side of the screen, and / or a part of the right side of the screen may be designated as the trigger area. Additionally, according to one embodiment, the determination of whether to readjust the layout of the screen may be made using a trigger line instead of a trigger area. For example, an electronic device may designate and use one or at least two boundary lines of the aforementioned trigger area as the trigger line. The meaning or role of the trigger area may be replaced by the trigger line. In the embodiments described below, for convenience of explanation, examples are provided based on a trigger area for screen splitting, but it should be noted that this is not limited thereto and operation and implementation may be based on a trigger line.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the trigger area may be identified (or determined) based on the layout of the screen. For example, the trigger area may be identified based on whether the screen is a split screen and / or the direction in which the screen is split. For example, referring to FIG. 8(a), if the screen is a screen containing an execution window of a single app rather than a split screen, parts of the top, bottom, left, and right sides of the screen may be designated as the trigger area. Referring to FIG. 8(b), if the screen is a split screen containing multiple windows and the split direction is left-right, parts of the top and bottom sides may be designated as the trigger area. Referring to FIG. 8(c), if the screen is a split screen and the split direction is up-down, parts of the left and right sides may be designated as the trigger area. Additionally, at least one trigger line, which is the boundary of each trigger area, may be designated.

[0091] Referring again to FIG. 6, the position of a pop-up window according to one embodiment can be controlled by user input input through a display (610) or an input device of an electronic device (101). For example, the position of the pop-up window within the screen can be controlled in correspondence with the drag position by user input dragging the pop-up window. Hereinafter, the user input controlling the position of the pop-up window may be referred to as the first user input.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the first user input may include an input that controls a handle area within a popup window. The handle area corresponds to a part of the popup window and may correspond to an area related to the control of the popup window. For example, the handle area may include a predetermined area related to the position control of the popup window within the popup window. The predetermined area of ​​the handle area may have a preset size and shape and may have a position placed within the popup window. For example, it may be designated as a part of the top of the popup window, and the handle area may be displayed through a display as a visual sign (or indicator). Here, the visual sign may be displayed in various forms; for example, the display area of ​​the visual sign may be displayed in an area of ​​the display that substantially corresponds to the handle area, or the display area of ​​the visual sign may be displayed such that at least a part of it overlaps even if it does not correspond to the handle area. For example, referring to FIG. 8(a), a part of the screen may be designated as the handle area (801), and the handle area (801) may be displayed in the form of a bar through the display. The handle area (801) may correspond to a specific line corresponding to a bar displayed on the screen or a specific area including a bar displayed on the screen. Referring to FIG. 8 (b), when a split window containing multiple app execution windows is displayed on the display, a part of each execution window may be designated as a handle area (802, 803), and the handle area (802, 803) may be displayed in the form of a bar on each execution window.

[0093] For example, the handle area may be determined based on the area within the popup window where the first user input is received. For instance, when the first user input touching the popup window is received, a portion of the area (or point) within the popup window where the touch input is received may be determined as the handle area (or handle point). Additionally, the center point of the touch input corresponding to the first user input, or any point within the portion where the touch input is received, may replace the handle area as the handle point. Furthermore, the handle area may have a preset size and shape, but the position of the handle area may not be determined until the first user input is received. For instance, the position of the handle area may be specified so that the portion of the area (or point) where the touch input corresponding to the first user input touching the popup window is received is located at a specific position (e.g., the center) of the handle area having a preset size and shape. In this case, the handle area and the popup window may move in accordance with the drag movement of the first user input to match the touch position. For example, referring to FIG. 8(c), a specific area where a touch input is received by a first user input touching a specific area on the execution window (B) of the first app displayed on the display may be designated as a handle area (804), and a bar-shaped visual indicator to indicate the location of the designated handle area (804) may be displayed on the execution window (B) of the first app. For convenience of explanation, the handle area is described below as an example of a predetermined part of the top of a popup window.

[0094] According to one embodiment, the processor (120) can detect whether at least a portion of a determined trigger area is overlaid by a popup window. In other words, if at least a portion of the area within the display where the popup window is displayed overlaps with at least a portion within the display corresponding to the trigger area, the processor (120) can detect that at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by the popup window. Based on a first user input controlling the position of the popup window, the position of the popup window may be changed within the screen, and the processor (120) can detect whether at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by the popup window.

[0095] For example, the processor (120) can detect whether the trigger area is overlaid in switch mode. Switch mode is a mode in which an action to change the layout of the screen to place a popup window is executed, and it can be executed in response to user input requesting the execution of switch mode. User input requesting the execution of switch mode can be predefined as an input distinct from the first user input. For example, input requesting the execution of switch mode may be defined as input requesting the execution of switch mode, and when input requesting the execution of switch mode is received, switch mode may be executed.

[0097] According to one embodiment, when the processor (120) detects that at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by the popup window, it can adjust the layout of the screen based on at least one of the position of the trigger area overlaid by the popup window and the relative position of the divider of the screen layout with the handle area. The operation of adjusting the layout of the screen may include the operation of dividing the screen and placing a window in each area of ​​the divided screen and / or the operation of determining which of at least one window included in the screen will be reduced and determining the direction of reduction of the window.

[0098] According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may divide a screen including an execution window of a first app based on the location of a trigger area overlaid by a pop-up window. The location of the overlaid trigger area may refer to the position of the overlaid trigger area within the screen, for example, whether the overlaid trigger area is located at the top, bottom, left, or right of the screen. For example, the processor (120) may determine the direction of screen division based on the location of the overlaid trigger area and divide the screen in the determined direction. The processor (120) may divide the screen to include a plurality of areas and may indicate the area among the plurality of areas where the pop-up window is to be located. Specific operations for dividing the screen based on the location of the overlaid trigger area are described in detail below through FIGS. 9 and 10.

[0100] According to one embodiment, the processor (120) can change the layout of the split screen based on at least one of the location of the trigger area overlaid by the pop-up window and the relative location of the divider of the layout between the handle area. The layout of the split screen may include a divider which is a baseline for dividing the screen. The split screen may include a plurality of areas divided by the divider. For example, the processor (120) can determine the shrinking direction of the windows included in the split screen based on the location of the overlaid trigger area. For another example, the processor can determine at least one window to be shrunk among the windows included in the split screen based on the relative location of the divider of the layout between the handle area. The processor (120) can change the layout of the split screen by shrinking the window determined to be shrunk in the determined shrinking direction, and can indicate the area where the pop-up window is to be located within the split screen based on the changed layout of the split screen. For example, as at least one window is shrunk, a new area may be created in the split screen, and the new area created in the split screen may be indicated as the area where the pop-up window is to be located. A specific operation for adjusting the layout of a split screen based on at least one of the position of an overlaid trigger area and the relative position of a divider of a handle area and a layout is described in detail through FIGS. 11 to 14 below.

[0101] According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may place a pop-up window in an area where the pop-up window is to be located within a screen displayed on the display (610) (e.g., a first screen including a window of the first app or a split screen including execution windows of a plurality of apps) based on a second user input determining the location of the pop-up window. For example, if the first user input is an input for dragging the pop-up window, the second user input may correspond to an input for releasing the pop-up window.

[0102] According to one embodiment, when a popup window is placed on a specific screen, it may be changed to the same layer level as the placed screen. For example, when a popup window is placed on a first screen containing a window of a first app, the layer level of the execution window of a second app displayed as the popup window may be changed to the same layer level as the execution window of the first app included in the first screen. For another example, when a popup window is placed on a split screen containing execution windows of multiple apps, the layer level of the execution window of the app displayed as the popup window may be changed to the same layer level as the execution windows of the apps included in the split screen.

[0104] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) includes a display (610) that outputs a screen and a processor (120) that is operatively coupled with the display (610) to control the screen displayed on the display (610). The processor (120) identifies a trigger area within the screen that includes an execution window of a first app being run, detects that at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by the popup window based on a first user input that controls the position of a popup window displayed on an upper layer of the screen, divides the screen that includes the execution window of the first app based on the position of the overlaid trigger area, and can indicate an area within the divided screen where the popup window is to be located.

[0105] A processor (120) according to one embodiment can determine the direction of screen division based on the position of an overlaid trigger area when dividing a screen, and divide the screen based on the determined direction of division.

[0107] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) includes a display (610) that outputs a screen and a processor (120) that is operatively coupled with the display (610) to control the screen displayed on the display (610). The processor (120) identifies a trigger area within the split screen based on the layout of the split screen displayed on the display (610), detects that at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by the popup window based on a first user input controlling a handle area within a popup window displayed on an upper layer of the split screen, changes the layout of the split screen based on at least one of the position of the trigger area overlaid by the popup window and the relative position of the handle area and the divider of the layout, and can indicate an area where the popup window within the split screen is to be located based on the changed layout of the split screen.

[0108] A processor (120) according to one embodiment can determine the shrinking direction of windows included in the split screen based on the position of a trigger area overlaid by a pop-up window when changing the layout of the split screen, and determine at least one window among the windows included in the split screen to be shrunk based on the relative position of the handle area and the divider of the layout.

[0110] FIGS. 9 to 15 are drawings for explaining at least one operation of a screen control method displayed on a display of an electronic device performed in a processor according to one embodiment. For example, in FIGS. 9 to 15, the electronic device may correspond to the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1, the electronic device (200) of FIGS. 2 to 4, or the electronic device (101) of FIG. 6, the display may correspond to the display module (160) of FIG. 1, the display (250) of FIG. 2, the display (250) of FIG. 4, the display module (160) of FIG. 5, or the display (610) of FIG. 6, and the processor may correspond to the processor (120) of FIG. 1 or the processor (120) of FIG. 6.

[0112] FIG. 9 is a drawing for explaining the operation of dividing a screen according to various embodiments.

[0113] Referring to FIG. 9, a screen (910) displayed on a display of an electronic device according to one embodiment may include a screen including an execution window of a first app driven by the electronic device and a popup window displayed on an upper layer of the screen including the execution window of the first app. Hereinafter, the screen including the execution window of the first app may be referred to as the first screen. For example, the execution window of the first app may be displayed as a full screen on the first screen. For example, the popup window may correspond to the execution window of a second app. As described above, a part of the first screen may be determined as a trigger area.

[0114] As described above, the position of the popup window may be changed based on a first user input controlling the position of the popup window. For example, the first user input controlling the position of the popup window may include a first user input that touches and drags the handle area (901), and the position of the popup window within the screen may be changed by the first user input that drags the handle area (901). When the handle area (901) is dragged to the right by the first user input, the position of the popup window may be changed as shown in the screen (920), and when the handle area (901) is dragged upward by the first user input, the position of the popup window may be changed as shown in the screen (930). When the position of the popup window is changed as shown in the screen (920) or the screen (930) based on the first user input, since a part of the popup window overlaps with a part of the trigger area, the processor may detect that at least a part of the trigger area is overlaid by the popup window.

[0115] When a trigger area is overlaid by a pop-up window, the processor can divide the first screen. The direction of screen division can be determined based on the position of the overlaid trigger area within the first screen. For example, as shown in screen (920), if the position of the overlaid trigger area corresponds to the right side of the first screen, the direction of division can be determined as left-right. Also, for example, as shown in screen (930), if the position of the overlaid trigger area corresponds to the top side of the first screen, the direction of screen division can be determined as up-down. Although not shown in FIG. 9, if the position of the overlaid trigger area corresponds to the left side of the first screen, the direction of screen division can be determined as left-right, and if the position of the overlaid trigger area corresponds to the bottom side of the first screen, the direction of screen division can be determined as up-down.

[0116] The first screen is divided in a determined division direction, so that the number of areas included in the first screen may increase. As the first screen is divided, the execution window of the first app included in the first screen may be placed in the first area, which is one of the divided areas, and the second area, which is an area other than the first area among the divided screens, may be indicated as an area where a popup window is to be located. The area where the execution window of the first app is placed may be determined based on the location of the trigger area overlaid by the popup window.

[0117] For example, referring to the screen (940), if the position of the overlaid trigger area corresponds to the right side, the execution window of the first app may be determined as the left area of ​​the left-right divided area, and the right area may be indicated as the area where the popup window is located. Although not shown in FIG. 9, if the position of the overlaid trigger area corresponds to the left side, the execution window of the first app may be determined as the right area of ​​the left-right divided area, and the left area may be indicated as the area where the popup window is located.

[0118] Also, for example, if the position of the overlaid trigger area corresponds to the top when referring to the screen (950), the execution window of the first app may be determined as the bottom area of ​​the vertically divided area, and the top area may be indicated as the area where the popup window is located. Although not shown in FIG. 9, if the position of the overlaid trigger area corresponds to the bottom, the execution window of the first app may be determined as the top area of ​​the vertically divided area, and the bottom area may be indicated as the area where the popup window is located.

[0119] According to one embodiment, when a second user input determining the location of a popup window is received, a popup window may be placed in an area within the first screen where the popup window is to be located, such as screen (960) or screen (970). More specifically, the operation of placing a popup window on the first screen may include placing an execution window of the second app, which is displayed as a popup window, on the first screen and deleting the popup window.

[0120] For example, if the first user input is an input that drags the popup window, the second user input may correspond to an input that releases the popup window. When the popup window is placed on the first screen, the layer level of the execution window of the second app displayed as the popup window may be changed to be the same as the layer level of the execution window of the first app included on the first screen.

[0122] FIG. 10 is an operation flowchart of a screen control method displayed on a display of an electronic device according to various embodiments.

[0123] Referring to FIG. 10, a screen control method for displaying on a display of an electronic device according to one embodiment may include: an operation (1010) of identifying a trigger area within a screen including an execution window of a first app driven by the electronic device; an operation (1020) of detecting that at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by a popup window based on a first user input controlling the position of a popup window displayed on an upper layer of the screen; an operation (1030) of dividing the screen including the execution window of the first app based on the position of the overlaid trigger area; and an operation (1040) of indicating an area within the divided screen where the popup window is to be located.

[0124] The operation of dividing the screen (1030) according to one embodiment may include an operation of determining the direction of screen division based on the position of an overlaid trigger area and an operation of dividing the screen based on the determined direction of screen division.

[0125] An operation (1040) for indicating an area where a popup window is to be located according to one embodiment may include an operation of placing an execution window of a first app in a first area within a divided screen based on the location of an overlaid trigger area, and an operation of indicating a second area within a divided screen as an area where a popup window is to be located.

[0126] According to one embodiment, the screen may include an execution window of a first app driven by an electronic device, and the popup window may include an execution window of a second app driven by an electronic device.

[0128] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the operation of determining the shrinking direction of windows included in a split screen according to one embodiment.

[0129] Referring to FIG. 11 (a), a screen (1110) displayed on a display of an electronic device according to one embodiment may include a split screen (1111) including an execution window of at least one app and a pop-up window (1112) displayed on an upper layer of the split screen. For example, the split screen (1111) may include an execution window of a first app and an execution window of a second app. For example, the pop-up window (1112) may correspond to an execution window of a third app.

[0130] As described above, the position of the popup window (1112) may be changed based on a first user input controlling the position of the popup window (1112), for example, the position of the popup window (1112) may be changed to the top of the split screen (1111) by a first user input dragging the handle area (1101) upwards on the split screen (1111). A processor of an electronic device (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1 or the processor (120) of FIG. 6) may detect whether at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by the popup window (1112). If at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by the popup window, the processor may determine the shrinking direction of the window included in the split screen based on the position of the overlaid trigger area. For example, the shrinking direction of the window included in the split screen may be determined to be opposite to the position of the overlaid trigger area within the split screen. For example, if the position of the trigger area overlaid by the popup window (1112) corresponds to the top of the split screen (1111), the shrinking direction of the window included in the split screen can be determined to be downward.

[0131] Referring to FIG. 11 (b), the popup window (1122) can be repositioned to the bottom of the split screen (1121) by a first user input in which the handle area (1102) is dragged to the bottom of the split screen (1121). When the position of the trigger area overlaid by the popup window (1122) corresponds to the bottom of the split screen (1121), the shrinking direction of the window included in the split screen can be determined to be upward.

[0132] Referring to Fig. 11 (c), the popup window (1132) can be repositioned to the left side of the split screen (1131) by a first user input in which the handle area (1103) is dragged to the left side of the split screen (1131). When the position of the trigger area overlaid by the popup window (1132) corresponds to the left side of the split screen (1131), the shrinking direction of the window included in the split screen can be determined to be to the right.

[0133] Referring to (d) of FIG. 11, the popup window (1142) can be repositioned to the right side of the split screen (1141) by a first user input in which the handle area (1104) is dragged to the right side of the split screen (1141). When the position of the trigger area overlaid by the popup window (1142) corresponds to the right side of the split screen (1141), the shrinking direction of the window included in the split screen can be determined to be to the left.

[0135] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the operation of determining which window to reduce among the windows included in a split screen according to one embodiment.

[0136] As described above, the divider is a reference line for dividing the screen, and for example, the line (1201) shown in FIG. 12 (a), the line (1202) shown in FIG. 12 (b), and the line (1203) shown in FIG. 12 (c) may correspond to the divider of the layout of the divided screen.

[0137] According to one embodiment, a window to be reduced among the windows included in the split screen may be determined based on the relative position of the handle area and the divider. As described above, the handle area corresponds to a part of the popup window and may correspond to an area related to the control of the popup window. The handle area may be determined as a predetermined area within the popup window, or it may be determined based on the area where a first user input is received within the popup window. The relative position between the handle area of ​​the popup window and the divider may be determined based on which direction the handle area is located relative to the divider, and how far the handle area is from the divider in terms of x-coordinates or y-coordinates within the screen. For example, the relative position with respect to the divider may be determined based on the position of a reference point included in the handle area.

[0138] For example, referring to (a) of FIG. 12, when the screen (1210) is represented as an xy plane with the top left corner of the screen (1210) as (0, 0) and the bottom right corner as (W, H), the window to be reduced can be determined depending on how much smaller or larger the x-coordinate of the handle area is than the x-coordinate of the divider (1201). For example, the processor can determine the window (1211) as the window to be reduced if the x-coordinate of the handle area is greater than or equal to 0 and less than the x-coordinate of the divider (1201) - a (e.g., a is a predetermined arbitrary constant greater than 0), determine the window (1211) and the window (1212) as the windows to be reduced if the x-coordinate of the divider (1201) - a is greater than or equal to the x-coordinate of the divider (1201) + a, and determine the window (1212) as the window to be reduced if the x-coordinate of the divider (1201) + a is greater than or equal to the x-coordinate of the divider (1201). Unlike as illustrated in Fig. 12 (a), in the case of a vertically divided split screen, the processor can determine the window to be reduced by comparing the y-coordinate of the divider with the y-coordinate of the handle area.

[0139] For example, the value of a may be determined as an arbitrary fixed value, may be determined based on the width or height of the screen, or may be determined based on the size of the touch area where the user's touch input is received.

[0140] According to one embodiment, at least one window to be reduced among the split screens may be determined based on whether the position of the handle area is included in the detailed trigger area determined based on the divider of the layout. The trigger area may be divided into detailed trigger areas based on the divider. For example, referring to FIG. 12(b), the trigger area may be divided into three detailed trigger areas (1221, 1222, 1223) based on the divider (1202) that divides the screen left and right. The trigger area may be divided into a detailed trigger area (1222) of a predetermined length containing the divider (1202) in the center, and detailed trigger areas (1221, 1223) located to the left and right of the detailed trigger area (1222) or the divider (1202). If the position of the handle area is included in the detailed trigger area (1221) located to the left of the divider (1202), the window (1213) located to the left of the divider (1202) may be determined as the window to be reduced, and if it is included in the detailed trigger area (1222) containing the divider (1202), the window (1213) and the window (1214) may be determined as the window to be reduced, and if it is included in the detailed trigger area (1223) located to the right of the divider (1202), the window (1214) located to the right of the divider (1202) may be determined as the window to be reduced.

[0141] For example, referring to Fig. 12(c), the trigger area can be divided into three detailed trigger areas (1224, 1225, 1226) based on a divider (1203) that divides the screen vertically. The trigger area can be divided into a detailed trigger area (1225) of a predetermined length containing the divider (1203) in the center, and detailed trigger areas (1224, 1226) located above and below the detailed trigger area (1225) or the divider (1203). If the position of the handle area is included in the detailed trigger area (1224) located above the divider (1203), the window (1215) located above the divider (1203) may be determined as the window to be reduced, and if it is included in the detailed trigger area (1225) containing the divider (1203), the window (1215) and the window (1216) may be determined as the window to be reduced, and if it is included in the detailed trigger area (1226) located below the divider (1203), the window (1216) located below the divider (1203) may be determined as the window to be reduced.

[0142] For example, the length of the detailed trigger area containing the divider in the center may be determined as an arbitrary fixed value, may be determined based on the width or height of the screen, or may be determined based on the size of the touch area where the user's touch input is received.

[0144] FIG. 13 is a drawing for explaining the operation of changing the layout of a split screen to display the position of a popup window according to various embodiments.

[0145] According to one embodiment, when the shrinking direction and the window to be shrunk are determined, the processor can create an area of ​​a new window where the popup window will be located by shrinking the window to be shrunk determined in the determined shrinking direction.

[0146] For example, FIG. 13(a) illustrates a modified layout of a split screen where the upper trigger area of ​​FIG. 12(b) is overlaid by a popup window, and the handle area of ​​the popup window is located in the detailed trigger area (1221). As described above in FIG. 11(a), when the position of the trigger area overlaid by the popup window corresponds to the top of the split screen, the shrinking direction can be determined to be downward, and as described above in FIG. 12(b), when the position of the handle area of ​​the popup window is included in the detailed trigger area located to the left of the divider, the window located to the left of the divider can be determined as the window to be shrunk. Referring to FIG. 13(a), the execution window of the first app determined as the window to be shrunk is shrunk in the downward direction determined as the shrinking direction, thereby creating a new area where the popup window is located above the shrunk execution window of the first app.

[0147] For example, referring to FIG. 13(b), the upper trigger area of ​​FIG. 12(b) is overlaid by a popup window, and the handle area of ​​the popup window is located in the detailed trigger area (1222), illustrating a changed layout of the split screen. In this case, the execution window of the first app and the execution window of the second app may be determined as windows to be collapsed, and the direction of collapse may be determined downward. Depending on the determination, a new area may be created where the popup window is located above the collapsed execution window of the first app and the collapsed execution window of the second app.

[0148] For example, referring to (c) of FIG. 13, the upper trigger area of ​​(b) of FIG. 12 is overlaid by a popup window, and the handle area of ​​the popup window is located in the detailed trigger area (1223), illustrating a changed layout of the split screen. In this case, the execution window of the second app may be determined as the window to be collapsed, and the direction of collapse may be determined downward. Depending on the determination, a new area where the popup window is located may be created above the collapsed execution window of the second app.

[0149] In the same principle, the direction of reduction and the window to be reduced can be determined in a split screen divided vertically and a split screen including two or more regions, and as a result of the determination, at least one window is reduced so that a new region where a popup window is located can be created.

[0150] For example, the degree to which a window is reduced may be determined so that the width or height of the window is reduced by half, or so that it is reduced to a predetermined value, or so that it is determined based on user input.

[0152] FIG. 14 is an operation flowchart of a screen control method displayed on a display of an electronic device according to various embodiments.

[0153] Referring to FIG. 14, a screen control method for displaying an electronic device according to one embodiment may include: an operation (1410) of identifying a trigger area within a split screen based on a layout of a split screen displayed on the display; an operation (1420) of detecting that at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by a popup window based on a first user input controlling a handle area within a popup window displayed on an upper layer of the split screen; an operation (1430) of changing the layout of the split screen based on at least one of the position of the trigger area overlaid by the popup window and the relative position of the handle area and the divider of the layout; and an operation (1440) of indicating an area where a popup window within the split screen is to be located based on the changed layout of the split screen.

[0154] The operation (1410) of checking a trigger area within a split screen according to one embodiment may include checking a trigger area based on the splitting direction of the split screen.

[0155] The operation (1430) of changing the layout of a split screen according to one embodiment may include an operation of determining the shrinking direction of at least one window included in the split screen based on the position of a trigger area overlaid by a popup window, and an operation of determining which window among the windows included in the split screen to be shrunk based on the relative position of a handle area and a divider of the layout.

[0156] An operation to determine the shrinking direction of a split screen according to one embodiment may include an operation to determine the shrinking direction of the split screen in a direction opposite to the position of the trigger area overlaid by the popup window.

[0157] An operation to determine at least one window to be reduced according to one embodiment may include an operation to determine at least one window to be reduced among the split screens based on whether the position of the handle area is included in the detailed trigger area determined based on the divider of the layout.

[0158] A screen control method according to one embodiment may further include the operation of creating an area of ​​a new window where a popup window is to be located by shrinking the window to be shrunk in a determined shrinking direction.

[0159] The operation (1440) of indicating the area where the popup window is to be located according to one embodiment may include the operation of placing the popup window in the area displayed within the split screen based on a second user input determining the location of the popup window.

[0160] The operation of placing a popup window according to one embodiment may further include the operation of changing the level of the layer where the popup window is displayed to the level of the layer where the split screen is displayed.

[0161] A handle area according to one embodiment may include at least a predetermined portion of an area within a popup window.

[0162] A handle area according to one embodiment may be determined based on an area where a first user input is received within a popup window.

[0163] A split screen according to one embodiment may include an execution window of at least one app running on an electronic device.

[0164] A pop-up window according to one embodiment may include an execution window of a first app running on an electronic device.

[0166] FIG. 15 is a drawing for explaining a screen control method displayed on a display of an electronic device according to various embodiments.

[0167] According to one embodiment, the location of the popup window may be determined based on a predetermined target area within the screen. Referring to FIG. 15 (a), when the execution window of the first app is displayed as a popup window on a top layer of the first screen where the execution window of the first app is displayed as a full screen, a target area (1510) for determining the location where the popup window is placed within the first screen may be predetermined. A processor according to one embodiment may respond to user input to identify a specific area (1511, 1512, 1513, or 1514) within the target area (1510) containing the location of the popup window, and may adjust the layout of the first screen so that the popup window can be placed in a part of the screen corresponding to the identified area.

[0168] For example, in switch mode, if the position of a specific point within the popup window (e.g., a point corresponding to the center of the handle area of ​​the popup window) is included in the area (1511) by a first user input, the processor may shrink the execution window of the first app downward by a second user input and place the popup window on top of the shrinking execution window of the first app within the first screen. In the same principle, if a specific point within the popup window is included in area (1512) in switch mode, the processor can shrink the execution window of the first app to the right and place the popup window to the left of the shrinking execution window of the first app within the first screen; if a specific point within the popup window is included in area (1513), the processor can shrink the execution window of the first app to the upward direction and place the popup window to the bottom of the shrinking execution window of the first app within the first screen; and if a specific point is included in area (1514), the processor can shrink the execution window of the first app to the left and place the popup window to the right of the shrinking execution window of the first app within the first screen.

[0169] Referring to FIG. 15(b), when the execution window of a first app is displayed as a popup window on the upper layer of a split screen in which execution windows of a plurality of apps are displayed in each of the plurality of regions, a target area (1520) for determining the location where the popup window is placed within the split screen may be predetermined. A processor according to one embodiment may respond to user input to identify a specific area within the target area (1520) that includes the location of the popup window, and adjust the layout of the split screen so that the popup window can be placed in a part of the screen corresponding to the identified area.

[0171] The electronic device according to the various embodiments disclosed in this document may be of various forms. The electronic device may include, for example, a portable communication device (e.g., a smartphone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a consumer electronics device. The electronic device according to the embodiments of this document is not limited to the devices described above.

[0172] The various embodiments of this document and the terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutions of said embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of said items unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. In this document, 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 each include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish said components from other said components and do not limit said components in any other aspect (e.g., importance or order). Where any (e.g., 1st) component is referred to as “coupled” or “connected” to another (e.g., 2nd) component, with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicationly,” it means that said any component may be connected to said other component directly (e.g., via a wire), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0173] The term “module” as used in the various embodiments of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit, for example. A module may be a component formed integrally, or a minimum unit of said component or a part thereof that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0174] Various embodiments of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., program (140)) comprising one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., internal memory (136) or external memory (138)) readable by a machine (e.g., electronic device (101)). For example, a processor (e.g., processor (120)) of the machine (e.g., electronic device (101)) may call at least one of the one or more instructions stored in the storage medium and execute it. This enables the machine to be operated to perform at least one function according to the at least one called instruction. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code that can be executed by an interpreter. The storage medium readable by the machine may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-temporary' simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily.

[0175] According to one embodiment, the method according to the various embodiments disclosed herein may be provided by being included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between a seller and a buyer as a product. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or distributed online (e.g., download or upload) through an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily created on a device-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

[0176] According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., module or program) of the components described above may include a singular or multiple entities, and some of the multiple entities may be separated and placed in other components. According to various embodiments, one or more of the components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Generally or additionally, multiple components (e.g., module or program) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the multiple components in the same or similar manner as those performed by the corresponding component among the multiple components prior to integration. According to various embodiments, operations performed by the module, program, or other components may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

Claims

Claim 1 A screen control method for displaying a screen on a display of an electronic device, comprising: an action of identifying a trigger area within a split screen based on a layout of a split screen displayed on the display; an action of detecting that at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by the pop-up window based on a first user input controlling a handle area within a pop-up window displayed on an upper layer of the split screen; an action of changing the layout of the split screen based on at least one of the position of the trigger area overlaid by the pop-up window and the relative position of the handle area and the divider of the layout; and an action of indicating an area within the split screen where the pop-up window is to be located based on the changed layout of the split screen, wherein the trigger area is determined as a first area of ​​the split screen when the split direction of the split screen is a first direction, and is determined as a second area of ​​the split screen when the split direction of the split screen is a second direction. Claim 2 A screen control method according to claim 1, wherein the operation of changing the layout of the split screen includes: an operation of determining the shrinking direction of at least one window included in the split screen based on the position of a trigger area overlaid by the popup window; and an operation of determining the window to be shrunk among the windows included in the split screen based on the relative position of the handle area and the divider of the layout. Claim 3 A screen control method according to paragraph 2, wherein the operation of determining the shrinking direction of the split screen includes the operation of determining the shrinking direction of the split screen in a direction opposite to the position of the trigger area overlaid by the pop-up window. Claim 4 A screen control method according to paragraph 2, wherein the operation of determining the window to be reduced includes the operation of determining at least one window to be reduced among the divided screens based on whether the position of the handle area is included in a detailed trigger area determined based on the divider of the layout. Claim 5 A screen control method according to paragraph 2, further comprising the operation of creating a new window area where the popup window is to be located by shrinking the window to be shrunk in the determined shrinking direction. Claim 6 A screen control method according to claim 1, wherein the operation of checking a trigger area within the split screen includes the operation of checking the trigger area based on the splitting direction of the split screen. Claim 7 A screen control method according to claim 1, wherein the operation of indicating the area where the popup window is to be located includes the operation of placing the popup window in the displayed area within the split screen based on a second user input determining the location of the popup window. Claim 8 A screen control method according to claim 1, wherein the operation of placing the popup window further includes the operation of changing the level of the layer where the popup window is displayed to the level of the layer where the split screen is displayed. Claim 9 A screen control method according to claim 1, wherein the handle area includes at least a predetermined portion of the area within the popup window. Claim 10 A screen control method according to claim 1, wherein the handle area is determined based on the area within the pop-up window where the first user input is received. Claim 11 A screen control method according to claim 1, wherein the split screen includes an execution window of at least one app running on the electronic device, and the popup window includes an execution window of a first app running on the electronic device. Claim 12 A screen control method for displaying a screen on a display of an electronic device, comprising: an action of identifying a trigger area within a screen including an execution window of a first app driven by the electronic device; an action of detecting that at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by the popup window based on a first user input controlling the position of a popup window displayed on an upper layer of the screen; an action of dividing the screen including the execution window of the first app based on the position of the overlaid trigger area; and an action of indicating an area within the divided screen where the popup window is to be located, wherein the trigger area corresponding to the divided screen is at least a portion different from the trigger area identified before the screen is divided. Claim 13 A screen control method according to claim 12, wherein the operation of dividing the screen comprises: an operation of determining the direction of division of the screen based on the position of the overlaid trigger area; and an operation of dividing the screen based on the determined direction of division. Claim 14 A screen control method according to claim 12, wherein the operation of indicating the area where the popup window is to be located comprises: the operation of placing the execution window of the first app in the first area within the divided screen based on the position of the overlaid trigger area; and the operation of indicating the second area within the divided screen as the area where the popup window is to be located. Claim 15 A screen control method according to claim 12, wherein the screen includes an execution window of the first app driven by the electronic device, and the popup window includes an execution window of the second app driven by the electronic device. Claim 16 A computer program stored on a medium in combination with hardware to execute the method of any one of claims 1 to 15. Claim 17 An electronic device comprising: a display for outputting a screen; and a processor operatively coupled with the display to control a screen displayed on the display, wherein the processor identifies a trigger area within the split screen based on a layout of the split screen displayed on the display, detects that at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by the pop-up window based on a first user input controlling a handle area within a pop-up window displayed on an upper layer of the split screen, changes the layout of the split screen based on at least one of the position of the trigger area overlaid by the pop-up window and the relative position of the handle area and the divider of the layout, and indicates an area within the split screen where the pop-up window is to be located based on the changed layout of the split screen, wherein the trigger area is determined as a first area of ​​the split screen when the split direction of the split screen is a first direction, and is determined as a second area of ​​the split screen when the split direction of the split screen is a second direction. Claim 18 An electronic device according to claim 17, wherein the processor, in changing the layout of the split screen, determines the shrinking direction of the windows included in the split screen based on the position of the trigger area overlaid by the pop-up window, and determines at least one window among the windows included in the split screen to be shrunk based on the relative position of the handle area and the divider of the layout. Claim 19 An electronic device comprising: a display for outputting a screen; and a processor operatively coupled with the display to control a screen displayed on the display, wherein the processor identifies a trigger area within the screen including an execution window of a first app being run, detects that at least a portion of the trigger area is overlaid by the popup window based on a first user input controlling the position of a popup window displayed on an upper layer of the screen, divides the screen including the execution window of the first app based on the position of the overlaid trigger area, indicates an area within the divided screen where the popup window is to be located, and the trigger area corresponding to the divided screen is at least a portion different from the trigger area identified before the screen is divided. Claim 20 In claim 19, the processor determines the direction of screen division based on the position of the overlaid trigger area when dividing the screen, and divides the screen based on the determined direction of division, an electronic device.

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