Foldable electronic device and method for operating screen thereof

Abstract

The electronic device according to an embodiment may be configured to display a first execution screen on the display by using a first display area in a first state in which the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing are folded with respect to each other. The electronic device according to an embodiment may be configured such that, upon recognizing a transition of the second housing and the third housing from a folded state to a second state in which same are unfolded, while the first housing and the second housing remain folded, on the basis of data received from the sensing device while the first execution screen is displayed through the first display area, the first display area is deactivated on the basis of the transition from the first state to the second state, and a second execution screen is displayed on the display through the second display area and the third display area. The electronic device according to an embodiment may be configured such that, upon recognizing a transition of the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing from the first state to a third state in which same are all unfolded, on the basis of data received from the sensing device, while the first execution screen is displayed through the first display area, the first display area is expanded from the first display area to the second and third display areas and then displayed on the display on the basis of the transition from the first state to the third state.

Description

Foldable electronic device and method of operating the screen thereof

[0001] The present invention relates to a foldable electronic device and a method for operating a screen thereof.

[0002] Electronic devices are evolving to expand their displays or improve their usability to meet the needs of users seeking newer and more diverse features. For example, a housing structure in which two housings fold or unfold along a folding axis can be applied to electronic devices (e.g., foldable electronic devices).

[0003] A foldable electronic device may have two or more folding axes, and thus the housing and the screen may be divided into three or more sections. For example, the electronic device may include a first folding axis implemented in an in-folding manner, a second folding axis implemented in an out-folding manner, and a display, and the screen of the display may be divided into a first display area, a second display area, and a third display area by the first folding axis and the second folding axis.

[0004] The above information is provided as background information to aid in understanding the present disclosure. No claim or determination is made as to whether any of the above is applicable as prior art related to the present disclosure.

[0005] Foldable electronic devices having at least two folding axes can provide users with diverse and improved screen usability beyond simple expansion of the display screen compared to electronic devices having a bar-type housing structure.

[0006] However, despite the fact that foldable electronic devices can offer a variety of expansion methods unlike existing ones, they only provide a uniform usability (or environment) that changes the screen size or app content to fit the size of the display regardless of the changed structure of the electronic device.

[0007] Embodiments of the present disclosure need to support various expansion scenarios in foldable electronic devices, depending on changes in the electronic device's structure or housing structure. However, the challenges addressed by the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned challenges and may be expanded in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0008] An electronic device according to one embodiment may include a second housing, a first housing foldably coupled to one side of the second housing, and a third housing foldably coupled to the other side of the second housing.

[0009] An electronic device according to one embodiment may include a display including a first display area disposed in the first housing, a second display area disposed in the second housing, and a third display area disposed in the third housing.

[0010] An electronic device according to one embodiment may include a sensing device for detecting a folding or unfolding state of the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing.

[0011] An electronic device according to one embodiment may include a memory storing executable instructions and the processor.

[0012] The instructions according to one embodiment, when executed by the processor, may cause the electronic device to display a first execution screen on the display through the first display area in a first state in which the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing are folded relative to each other.

[0013] The commands according to one embodiment may cause the electronic device to deactivate the first display area and display a second execution screen on the display through the second display area and the third display area when, based on data received from the sensing device, the electronic device recognizes that the first state is transitioned to a second state in which the first housing and the second housing are folded and the second housing and the third housing are unfolded while displaying a first execution screen through the first display area in the first state.

[0014] The commands according to one embodiment may cause the electronic device to display the first execution screen by extending it from the first display area to the second display area and the third display area when, based on data received from the sensing device, the electronic device recognizes that the first state is transitioned to a third state in which the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing are all unfolded while the first execution screen is displayed through the first display area in the first state.

[0015] A method for operating a screen of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment may include an operation of displaying a first execution screen on the display through a first display area in a first state in which a first housing, a second housing, and a third housing are folded relative to each other.

[0016] A method for operating a screen of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment may include, when, based on data received from the sensing device, it is recognized that the first state is transitioned to a second state in which the first housing and the second housing are folded and the second housing and the third housing are unfolded while a first execution screen is displayed through the first display area in the first state, deactivating the first display area and displaying a second execution screen on the display through the second display area and the third display area.

[0017] A method for operating a screen of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment may include an operation of displaying the first execution screen on the display through the first display area in the first state, when it is recognized, based on data received from the sensing device, that the first state is transitioned to a third state in which the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing are all unfolded.

[0018] The electronic device of the present disclosure may include a computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for implementing various screen operation methods in a foldable electronic device.

[0019] Various embodiments may provide an electronic device with improved usability by supporting various expansion scenarios depending on the state of the electronic device or the state of the housing structure in the foldable electronic device.

[0020] Various embodiments may provide convenience for more efficient use of multi-folding.

[0021] In addition, the effects that can be obtained or expected by various embodiments of this document may be disclosed directly or implicitly in the detailed description of the embodiments of this document.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment according to one embodiment.

[0023] FIGS. 2A to 2D illustrate the structure of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0024] Figure 3 is a block diagram of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0025] FIG. 4 illustrates a diagram of a module configuration of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0026] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating operations for differently operating a screen expansion scenario based on a structural state of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0027] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a screen operation method of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0028] FIGS. 7A to 7C are examples of screens when the electronic device changes from a first state to a second state, and from the second state to a third state, according to one embodiment.

[0029] Figure 8 shows examples of screens when the order changes from the first state to the third state.

[0030] FIG. 9 is a screen example for explaining a method of operating the expansion of the screen of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0031] FIGS. 10A and 10B are examples of screens that provide application information grouped according to the status of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0032] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In connection with the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for identical or similar components. Furthermore, in the drawings and related descriptions, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment according to one embodiment.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 1, in a network environment (100), an electronic device (101) may communicate with an electronic device (102) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or may communicate with at least one of an electronic device (104) or a server (108) via 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) via the server (108). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a processor (120), a memory (130), an input module (150), an audio output module (155), a display module (160), an audio module (170), a sensor module (176), an interface (177), a connection terminal (178), a haptic module (179), a camera module (180), a power management module (188), a battery (189), a communication module (190), a subscriber identification module (196), or an antenna module (197). In some embodiments, the electronic device (101) may omit at least one of these components (e.g., the connection terminal (178)), or may have one or more other components added. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., the sensor module (176), the camera module (180), or the antenna module (197)) may be integrated into one component (e.g., the display module (160)).

[0035] The processor (120) may include at least one processing circuit. The processor (120) may, for example, execute software (e.g., a program (140)) to control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) and perform various data processing or operations. According to one embodiment, as at least a part of the data processing or operations, the processor (120) may store commands or data received from other components (e.g., a sensor module (176) or a communication module (190)) in the volatile memory (132), process the commands or data stored in the volatile memory (132), and store the resulting data in the non-volatile memory (134). According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include a main processor (121) (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor) or an auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor) that can operate independently or together with the main processor (121). For example, when the electronic device (101) includes the main processor (121) and the auxiliary processor (123), the auxiliary processor (123) may be configured to use less power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a given function. The auxiliary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as a part thereof.

[0036] The auxiliary processor (123) may control at least a portion of functions or states associated with at least one component (e.g., a display module (160), a sensor module (176), or a communication module (190)) of the electronic device (101), for example, 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. In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as a part of another functionally related component (e.g., a camera module (180) or a communication module (190)). In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., a neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing artificial intelligence models. The artificial intelligence models may be generated through machine learning. This learning can be performed, for example, in the electronic device (101) itself where artificial intelligence is performed, or can be performed through a separate server (e.g., server (108)). The learning algorithm can 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 can include multiple artificial neural network layers.The artificial neural network may be one of 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, or alternatively to, a hardware structure, an artificial intelligence model may include a software structure.

[0037] The memory (130) can store various data used by at least one component (e.g., the processor (120) or the sensor module (176)) of the electronic device (101). The data can include, for example, software (e.g., the program (140)) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory (130) can include a volatile memory (132) or a non-volatile memory (134). The memory (130) can include commands executable by the processor (120).

[0038] The program (140) may be stored as software in the memory (130) and may include, for example, an operating system (142), middleware (144), or an application (146).

[0039] The input module (150) can receive commands or data to be used in a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a processor (120)) from an external source (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The input module (150) can include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (e.g., a button), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).

[0040] The audio output module (155) can output audio signals to the outside of the electronic device (101). The audio output module (155) can include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes, such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. In one embodiment, the receiver can be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of the speaker.

[0041] The display module (160) can visually provide information to an external party (e.g., a 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 the device. In 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 a force generated by the touch.

[0042] The audio module (170) can convert sound into an electrical signal, or vice versa, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module (170) can acquire sound through the input module (150), output sound through the sound output module (155), or an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)) (e.g., speaker or headphone) directly or wirelessly connected to the electronic device (101).

[0043] The sensor module (176) may include at least one sensor. The sensor module (176) may detect an operating state (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device (101) or an 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 gyro sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0044] The interface (177) may support one or more designated protocols that may be used to directly or wirelessly connect the electronic device (101) with an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102)). In 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.

[0045] The connection terminal (178) may include a connector through which the electronic device (101) may be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., 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).

[0046] A haptic module (179) can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimuli (e.g., vibration or movement) or electrical stimuli that a user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic sensations. In one embodiment, the haptic module (179) can include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0047] The camera module (180) may include at least one camera. The camera module (180) may capture still images and moving images. In one embodiment, the camera module (180) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0048] The power management module (188) can manage power supplied to the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the power management module (188) can be implemented, for example, as at least a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0049] A battery (189) may power at least one component of the electronic device (101). In one embodiment, the battery (189) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0050] The communication module (190) may include at least one communication circuit. The communication module (190) may support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102), the electronic device (104), or the server (108)), and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. The communication module (190) may operate independently from the processor (120) (e.g., an application processor) and may include one or more communication processors that 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., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module (194) (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module, or a power line communication module). Among these communication modules, the corresponding communication module can communicate with an external electronic device (104) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (WiFi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range communication network such as 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 can 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 verify or authenticate the electronic device (101) within a communication network such as the first network (198) or the second network (199) by using subscriber information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module (196).

[0051] The wireless communication module (192) can support 5G networks and next-generation communication technologies following the 4G network, such as NR access technology (new radio access technology). The NR access technology can support high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (eMBB (enhanced mobile broadband)), minimization of terminal power and connection of multiple terminals (mMTC (massive machine type communications)), or high reliability and low latency (URLLC (ultra-reliable and low-latency communications)). The wireless communication module (192) can support, for example, a high-frequency band (e.g., mmWave band) to achieve a high data transmission rate. The wireless communication module (192) can support various technologies for securing performance in a high-frequency band, such as beamforming, massive multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), 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), an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (104)), or a network system (e.g., the 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 eMBB realization, a loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for mMTC realization, or a U-plane latency (e.g., 0.5 ms or less for downlink (DL) and uplink (UL), or 1 ms or less for round trip) for URLLC realization.

[0052] The antenna module (197) can transmit or receive signals or power to or from an external device (e.g., an external electronic device). In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include an antenna including a radiator formed of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). In 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 the first network (198) or the second network (199), may be selected from the plurality of antennas by, for example, the 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. In some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, another component (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as a part of the antenna module (197).

[0053] In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may form a mmWave antenna module. In one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent a first side (e.g., a bottom side) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high-frequency band (e.g., a mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna) disposed on or adjacent a second side (e.g., a top side or a side side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in the designated high-frequency band.

[0054] At least some of the above components can be interconnected and exchange signals (e.g., commands or data) with each other via a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., a bus, GPIO (general purpose input and output), SPI (serial peripheral interface), or MIPI (mobile industry processor interface)).

[0055] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (104) via a server (108) connected to a second network (199). Each of the external electronic devices (102 or 104) may be the same or a different type of device as the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations executed in the electronic device (101) may be executed in one or more of the external electronic devices (102, 104, or 108). For example, when the electronic device (101) is to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device (101) may, instead of or in addition to executing the function or service itself, request one or more external electronic devices to perform the function or at least a part of the service. One or more external electronic devices that receive the request may execute at least a portion of the requested function or service, or an 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 process the result as is or additionally and provide it as at least a portion of a response to the request. For this purpose, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used, for example. The electronic device (101) may provide an ultra-low latency service by using distributed computing or mobile edge computing, for example. In another embodiment, the external electronic device (104) may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server (108) may be an intelligent server utilizing machine learning and / or a neural network. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) or the server (108) may be included in the 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.

[0056] Electronic devices according to the embodiments disclosed in this document may take various forms. Electronic devices may include, for example, portable communication devices (e.g., smartphones), computer devices, portable multimedia devices, portable medical devices, cameras, wearable devices, or home appliances. Electronic devices according to the embodiments disclosed in this document are not limited to the aforementioned devices.

[0057] Hereinafter, the term “state” may refer to a structural form, shape, or shape of an electronic device or a component thereof (e.g., a display, a foldable housing structure) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0058] FIGS. 2A to 2D illustrate the structure of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0059] Referring to FIGS. 2A to 2D , an electronic device according to one embodiment (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1 ) may be implemented as a multi-foldable electronic device (e.g., a Z-shaped foldable device) including an out-folding type housing structure and an in-folding type housing structure. The electronic device (101) illustrated in FIGS. 2A to 2D may include the configuration and function of the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1 .

[0060] An electronic device (101) according to one embodiment may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220), a third housing (230), a first hinge assembly (240), and a second hinge assembly (250). The first hinge assembly (240) may be configured to couple the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) and allow the first housing (210) to rotate relative to the second housing (220). The second hinge assembly (250) may be configured to couple the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) and allow the third housing (230) to rotate relative to the second housing (220). For example, the first hinge assembly (240) may be implemented to connect the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) in an out-folding manner, and the second hinge assembly (250) may be implemented to connect the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) in an in-folding manner.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a display (260) disposed within a space formed by a first housing (210), a second housing (220), and a third housing (230). The display (260) may be disposed from the first housing (210) to the first hinge assembly (240), the second housing (220), the second hinge assembly (250), and the third housing (230). For example, in this document, a first surface on which the display (260) is disposed may be defined as a front surface, and a second surface opposite to the first surface, on which the display (260) is not disposed, may be defined as a rear surface. Additionally, a third surface surrounding a space between the first surface and the second surface may be defined as a side surface of the electronic device (101).

[0062] The display (260) may be flexible at least in part and may be implemented as a flexible display.

[0063] For example, the display (260) may include a first display area (261) located in a first housing (210), a second display area (262) located in a second housing (220), and a third display area (263) located in a third housing (230).

[0064] As another example, the display (260) may be implemented as a first display positioned in the first housing (210) and a second display positioned from the second housing (220) to the second hinge assembly (250) and the third housing (230).

[0065] As another example, the display (260) may be implemented as a first display positioned in a first housing (210), a second display positioned in a second housing (220), and a third display positioned in a third housing (230).

[0066] The first hinge assembly (240) may be implemented in an outfolding manner in which the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) face each other with respect to the first folding axis (A) and the first display area (261) and the second display area (262). The second hinge assembly (250) may be implemented in an infolding manner in which the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) face each other with respect to the second folding axis (B) and the second display area (262) and the third display area (263).

[0067] The structure of FIG. 2a may be an intermediate state in a process in which all of the housings (210, 220, 230) of the electronic device (101) are converted from a folding state to an unfolding state.

[0068] The structure of FIG. 2B may be such that all of the housings (210, 220, 230) of the electronic device (101) are in an unfolded state. In the structure of FIG. 2B, all of the display areas (261, 262, 263) of the display (260) may be exposed to the outside in the first direction (① or top direction). In this document, the first direction (①) may refer to the direction in which the user views the display, and the second direction (② or bottom direction) may refer to the opposite direction to the first direction (①).

[0069] As illustrated in FIG. 2a or FIG. 2b, when all of the housings (210, 220, 230) of the electronic device (101) are in an intermediate state or in an unfolded state, the active area can be determined as the first display area (261), the second display area (262), and the third display area (263).

[0070] The structure of FIG. 2c may be such that the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) are in an unfolded state, and the first housing (210) is folded out with respect to the second housing (220). When switching from the structure of FIG. 2b to the structure of FIG. 2c, the first display area (261) may be switched from the first direction (①) to the second direction (②), and the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) may be exposed to the outside in the first direction (①). As in FIG. 2c, when the first housing (210) is in an outfolded state with respect to the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) is in an intermediate state or an unfolded state with respect to the second housing (220), the active area is determined to be the second display area (262) and the third display area (263), and the first display area (261) may be switched to an inactive state (e.g., a screen turned off state, a dimming state, a power saving state, or a touch detection blocking state by stopping the supply of power to the first display area (261).

[0071] The structure of FIG. 2d may be such that all of the housings (210, 220, 230) of the electronic device (101) are in an unfolding state. In the structure of FIG. 2d, the first display area (261) is exposed to the outside in the first direction (①), and the second display area (262) and the third display area (262) may face each other without being exposed to the outside. In the structure of FIG. 2d, the first display area (261) is determined as an active area, and the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) may be switched to a deactivated state (e.g., a screen turned off state, a dimming state, a power saving state, a sleep mode, or a touch detection blocking state by stopping power supply to the second display area (262) and the third display area (263).

[0072] Figure 3 is a block diagram of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0073] Referring to FIG. 3, an electronic device according to one embodiment (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1, the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 2A to 2D) may be a portable electronic device and may have a housing structure of the multi-foldable electronic device of FIG. 2. The electronic device (101) illustrated in FIG. 3 may include at least some of the configurations and functions of the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1.

[0074] For example, the electronic device (101) may include a display (310), a display controller (315), a frame buffer (317), a processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)) (320), a memory (330), a communication interface (340), an input device (350), and a sensing device (360).

[0075] The display (310), the processor (320) (e.g., CPU), the memory (330), the communication interface (340), the input device (350), the sensing device (360), the other electronic device (104), and the server device (108) are implemented substantially identically to the display module (160), the processor (120), the memory (130), the communication module (190), the input module (150), the sensor module (176), the other electronic device (104), and the server device (108) of FIG. 1, respectively, so that they can perform the same functions, and thus, a duplicate description of their functions is omitted, and operations other than the configuration and functions disclosed in FIG. 1 will be described below. The components illustrated in FIG. 3 or FIG. 1 can transmit and receive (or communicate, exchange) data with each other through a system bus (370).

[0076] The display controller (315) (e.g., a display driver IC (DDI)) controls the display (310) and may receive, for example, image information (e.g., image data, or an image control signal corresponding to a command to control the image data) from other components of the electronic device (101). For example, the image information may be received from a central processing unit or processor (320) (e.g., a main processor or an application processor of FIG. 1) or an auxiliary processor (e.g., an auxiliary processor (123) of FIG. 1) (e.g., a graphics processing unit)). The display controller (315) may communicate with the sensing device (360) via a system bus (370). The display controller (315) may store at least a portion of the image information in a frame buffer (317) or a memory (330), for example, on a frame-by-frame basis.

[0077] The display controller (315) can control the display to output visual information to the display based on image information. The visual information can include graphics, text, icons, videos, images, and combinations thereof.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can control the operation of the display (310) through a plurality of display controllers (e.g., display driver ICs (DDIs)). For example, when the display (310) is implemented as a first display and a second display, the first display can be controlled through the first DDI, and the second display can be controlled through the second DDI. For another example, when the display (310) includes a first display area (261), a second display area (262), and a third display area (263) as illustrated in FIGS. 2A to 2D, the first display area (261) can be controlled through the first DDI, and the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) can be implemented to be controlled through the second DDI.

[0079] The sensing device (360) may include sensors for generating data necessary to determine the folding / unfolding angle between the housings (210, 220, 230) illustrated in FIGS. 2A to 2D and the electronic device status (or housing structure status), and movement information (e.g., direction, attitude, or position) of the electronic device. For example, the sensing device may include a time of flight (TOF) sensor (361), a folding sensor (362), a light sensor (363), a hall sensor (364), a motion sensor (365), and a touch screen panel (TSP) sensor (366), but these are merely examples, and some of these may be omitted, or may include other sensors for determining the electronic device status (or housing structure status) or the movement of the electronic device (101) in addition to the illustrated sensors.

[0080] According to one embodiment, the sensing device (360) can sense an angle (e.g., a folding angle) between the housings (210, 220, 230) using a hall sensor (364) and / or a folding sensor (362), and transmit the sensed angle information to the processor (320).

[0081] According to one embodiment, the folding sensor (362) can calculate the angle of the housings (210, 220, 230). For example, when the electronic device (101) is implemented with the multi-foldable housing structure (210, 220, 230) of FIGS. 2A to 2D, the folding sensor (362) can calculate the angle between the housings using data representing the movement of the first housing (210), the second housing (220), or the third housing (230). The folding sensor (362) can also receive data corresponding to the strength of a magnetic field from a hall sensor (364) attached to the hinge assembly, and calculate the angle using the received data.

[0082] The folding sensor (362) can recognize the structural state or the housing structural state (e.g., unfolded state, folded state, or intermediate state) of the electronic device (101) based on the calculated angle. For example, the folding sensor (362) can determine that the electronic device (or the housing structure) is in a folded state when the calculated angle is between about 0 degrees and about 10 degrees, and can determine that the electronic device (or the housing structure) is in an unfolded state when the calculated angle is between about 180 degrees. The folding sensor (363) can determine that the electronic device (or the housing structure) is in an intermediate state when the angle is between about 10 degrees and about 179 degrees.

[0083] In one embodiment, the Hall sensor (364) may generate data that is used to calculate the direction of force applied to the housing structure and / or the angle between the housing structures or to determine whether the housing structure is open or closed, and output the data to the folding sensor (362) or the processor (320). For example, the Hall sensor (364) may measure the strength of a magnetic field and generate data corresponding to the measured magnetic field strength. The Hall sensor (364) may be attached to the hinge assembly or disposed in the interior space of the housing.

[0084] For example, if the electronic device (101) is implemented with the multi-foldable housing structure (210, 220, 230) of FIGS. 2A to 2D, the Hall sensor (364) may include a first Hall sensor attached to the first hinge assembly (240) and a second Hall sensor attached to the second hinge assembly (250). The processor (320) may determine the angle between the housings based on the data received from the Hall sensor (364). The processor (320) may determine whether the foldable housing structure is open or closed and its state based on the determined angle.

[0085] The memory (330) can store various instructions that can be executed by the processor (320). Such instructions can include arithmetic and logical operations, data movement, or control commands such as input / output that can be recognized by the processor (320).

[0086] The processor (320) may be operatively, functionally, and / or electrically connected to each component of the electronic device (101) and may be configured to perform operations or data processing related to control and / or communication of each component.

[0087] In one embodiment, the hardware of the electronic device (101) being operatively connected may mean that a direct connection, or an indirect connection, is established between the hardware, either wired or wireless, such that the second hardware is controlled by the first hardware among the hardware.

[0088] There is no limitation to the computational and data processing functions that the processor (320) can implement on the electronic device (101), but below, operations that provide various screen expansion scenarios according to changes in the electronic device structure state or housing structure in the foldable electronic device will be described.

[0089] The operations of the processor (320) to be described later can be performed by loading instructions stored in the memory (330).

[0090] An electronic device (101) according to one embodiment may include a second housing (220), a first housing (210) foldably coupled to one side of the second housing (220), and a third housing (230) foldably coupled to the other side of the second housing (220).

[0091] An electronic device (101) according to one embodiment may include a display (260, 310) including a first display area (261) disposed in the first housing (210), a second display area (262) disposed in the second housing (220), and a third display area (263) disposed in the third housing (230).

[0092] An electronic device (101) according to one embodiment may include a sensing device (360) for detecting a folding or unfolding state of the first housing (210), the second housing (220), and the third housing (230).

[0093] An electronic device (101) according to one embodiment may include a memory (130, 330) that stores executable instructions and a processor (120, 320) that accesses the memory (130, 330) and executes the instructions.

[0094] According to one embodiment, the processor (120, 320) may be configured to display a first execution screen on the display using a first display area in a first state in which the first housing (210), the second housing (220), and the third housing (230) are folded relative to each other.

[0095] According to one embodiment, the processor (120, 320) may be configured to deactivate the first display area (261) and display a second execution screen on the display through the second display area (263) when, based on data received from the sensing device (360), it is recognized that the first state is transitioned to a second state in which the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are folded and the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) are unfolded while the first execution screen is displayed through the first display area (261) in the first state.

[0096] According to one embodiment, the processor (120, 320) may be configured to display the first execution screen on the display by extending it from the first display area (261) to the second display area (262), and the third display area (263), if it recognizes, based on data received from the sensing device (360), that the first state is transitioned to a third state in which the first housing (210), the second housing (220), and the third housing (230) are all unfolded while the first execution screen is displayed on the display.

[0097] The second execution screen may be characterized as being a different screen from the first execution screen.

[0098] An electronic device (101) according to one embodiment may further include a first hinge assembly (240) configured to allow the first housing (210) to be folded in a first direction relative to the second housing (220), and a second hinge assembly (250) configured to allow the third housing to be folded in a second direction opposite to the first direction relative to the second housing.

[0099] According to one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (240) is implemented by folding the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) in an out-folding manner so that the first display area and the second display area face each other, and the second hinge assembly (250) is implemented by folding the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) in an in-folding manner so that the second display area and the third display area face each other.

[0100] According to one embodiment, the display (260, 310) may include a first display including a first display area (261) disposed in the first housing (210), and a second display including a second display area (262) disposed in the second housing (220) and a third display area (263) disposed in the third housing (230).

[0101] According to one embodiment, the display (260, 310) may include a first display including a first display area (261) disposed in the first housing (210), a second display including a second display area (262) disposed in the second housing (220), and a third display including a third display area (263) disposed in the third housing (230).

[0102] According to one embodiment, the first state may be a state in which the first display area (261) is exposed to the outside in the first direction, and the second state may be a state in which the first display area is switched in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) are exposed to the outside in the first direction.

[0103] According to one embodiment, the processor (120, 320) may be further configured to deactivate the first display area (261) and display the second execution screen through the second display area (262) and the third display area (263), and display a preview window corresponding to the first execution screen displayed through the first display area (261) in the first state on at least a portion of the second display area (262) and the third display area (263).

[0104] According to one embodiment, the processor (120, 320) may be set to display a preview window corresponding to the first execution screen in the form of a notification bar or panel or a PIP (picture in picture) pop-up.

[0105] According to one embodiment, the processor (120, 320) may be configured to deactivate the first display area (261) and display the second execution screen through the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) in the second state, and, when recognizing that the second state is transitioned to the third state in which the housings are all unfolded based on data received from the sensing device, display the first execution screen through the first display area (261) and display the second execution screen through the second display area (262) and the third display area (263).

[0106] According to one embodiment, the processor (120, 320) may be configured to group and store information on apps (or applications, hereinafter, “Apps”) executed in the first state, information on apps executed in the second state, and information on apps executed in the third state by electronic device state.

[0107] According to one embodiment, the processor (120, 320) may be further configured to display the first execution screen in the first display area (261) and the second execution screen in the second display area (262) and the third display area (263), and when there is no application related to the first display area (261) and the application related to the second execution screen is initialized or restarted when the resolution is changed, the processor (120, 320) may be further configured to display the home screen or the recent task list as the first execution screen while maintaining the second execution screen.

[0108] According to one embodiment, the processor (120, 320) may be further configured to display the first execution screen in the first display area (261) in the third state and display the second execution screen in the second display area (262) and the third display area (263), and when there is no application related to the first display area (261) and the application related to the second execution screen is not initialized or restarted when the resolution is changed, the display of the first execution screen is omitted and the second execution screen is resized to a size corresponding to the first display area (261), the second display area (262), and the third display area (263) and displayed.

[0109] According to one embodiment, the home screen or recent task list displayed in the first display area may be set to display at least one of a first type indicator that guides an executable electronic device state for each app object, and a second type indicator that guides that the app can be restarted or initialized when transitioning from the background to the foreground, overlapping the app object.

[0110] According to one embodiment, the processor (120, 320) may be configured to display, in a grouped form, applications executed in an electronic device state different from the currently recognized electronic device state when displaying a recent task list on the display.

[0111] According to one embodiment, the processor (120, 320) may be set to reconstruct the widget screen or recent app search screen with information on apps executed in the currently recognized state or housing structure state of the electronic device and display the reconstructed widget screen or recent app search screen on the display when displaying the widget screen or recent app search screen on the display.

[0112] FIG. 4 illustrates a diagram of a module configuration of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0113] Referring to FIG. 4, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 1, 2A to 2D, and 3) according to one embodiment may be configured with various software modules. The configuration of the electronic device (101) illustrated in FIG. 4 may be understood as a function performed by a processor (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1 or the processor (320) of FIG. 3) (or CPU). The processor (120) may execute commands (e.g., instructions) stored in a memory (e.g., the memory (130) of FIG. 1, the memory (330) of FIG. 3)) to implement a software module, and may control hardware associated with the function (e.g., the communication module (180) of FIG. 1).

[0114] Some of the modules in FIG. 4 may be implemented in hardware, while others may be implemented in software. The modules may be divided into an application layer, a framework layer, a hardware abstraction layer (HAL), a kernel driver layer, and / or a hardware (HW) layer, and at least some of the illustrated configurations may be modified.

[0115] The electronic device (101) may be configured to include at least one of an application (410), a setting manager (415), a window manager (420), a view system (421), a package manager (423), a folding state manager (425), a sensor manager (426), a display manager (427), an activity manager (237), an event hub (430), a surface flinger (435), a sensor driver (440), and a display controller (445) (e.g., a display driver IC controller). The electronic device (101) may further include a sensor controller (450) and a display panel (455) in the hardware layer.

[0116] The application (410) may be an application (210) (e.g., app1, app2, app3) stored in the memory of the electronic device (101) or executable or installed by the processor. Visual information corresponding to the application (210) may be displayed on the display through the view system (421).

[0117] The setting manager (415) can determine the layout configuration of the execution screen according to the system policy and user settings.

[0118] The framework layer can provide various functions to the application (210) so that functions or information provided from one or more resources of the electronic device can be used by the application (410).

[0119] The window manager (420) can manage GUI (graphical user interface) resources used on the screen. The window manager (420) can configure a window or execution screen to be displayed on the display panel (455) based on the electronic device status (or housing structure status) transmitted from the folding status manager (425), and can provide a function to control drawing and display (view) of the window. The window manager (420) can transmit information on the display area of ​​the electronic device (101) to the application (410).

[0120] The view system (421) may include a set of scalable views used to create an application user interface. For example, the view system (421) may be a program for drawing at least one layer based on the resolution of the display area of ​​the display.

[0121] A package manager (423) can manage the installation of application packages, or simply applications.

[0122] The folding state manager (425) can analyze sensor events transmitted through the sensor manager to determine the electronic device state (or housing structure state) and transmit the electronic device structure state information to the window manager (421). The folding state manager (425) can control the application state according to the electronic device structure state.

[0123] The sensor manager (426) can control the sensor based on the settings of the application (410). For example, when a user's touch input occurs, the sensor manager (426) can control the touch sensor to generate touch data. For example, the sensor manager (426) can instruct the sensor to generate touch data corresponding to a touch press, (touch press, touch down, touch contact) signal, a touch drag (touch drag or touch movement) signal, and / or a touch release (touch up, touch release) signal in response to the user's touch.

[0124] The display manager (427) determines whether to activate or deactivate the display, manages visual information displayed on the display, and can define an execution screen (or window) (e.g., as a component of a frame unit, which may be referred to as a logical display screen) shown to the user based on information transmitted from the view system.

[0125] The activity manager (437) can control the lifecycle and activity stack of the application (410).

[0126] The event hub (430) may be an interface module that standardizes events occurring in touch circuits and sensors. The event hub (430) may be included in an abstraction layer (hardware abstraction layer, HAL) between a plurality of hardware modules included in the hardware layer and the software of the electronic device (101).

[0127] The surface flinger (435) can synthesize multiple layers and store the synthesized information in a frame buffer. For example, the surface flinger (435) can provide data representing the synthesized multiple layers to a display controller (455) (e.g., DDI). The display controller (445) may refer to a graphic display controller or a display driving circuit controller.

[0128] The kernel layer may include various drivers for controlling various hardware modules included in the electronic device (101). For example, the kernel layer may include, but is not limited to, a sensor driver (440) for controlling a sensor controller (450) connected to a sensor, and a display controller (445) for controlling a display panel (455).

[0129] The sensor driver (440) connects the operating system and the sensor, and may include information about the sensor's operating method, characteristics, and / or function. The sensor driver (440) may include an interface module that controls a sensor controller (450) connected to the sensor.

[0130] The display controller (445) can receive data representing multiple layers synthesized from the surface flinger (435). The display controller (445) can control the display panel (455) based on the data stored in the frame buffer. Graphic information can be displayed through the display panel (455).

[0131] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating operations for differently operating screen expansion scenarios based on the states of a foldable electronic device of an outfolding type and an infolding type according to one embodiment. In the drawings below, the housing in which the first display area (261) is arranged is the first housing (210) in FIGS. 2A to 2D , the housing in which the second display area (262) is arranged is the second housing (220), and the housing in which the third display area (263) is arranged is the third housing (263).

[0132] Referring to FIG. 5, according to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may support a function of applying a screen expansion sequence differently depending on the unfolding order or state change order of the multi-housing structure.

[0133] Electronic devices <501> As shown in , the housings (210, 220, 230) are all in the first folded state. <503> After transitioning to the second state, <505> It is switched in the order of the third state, or directly from the first state. <507> can be converted to the third state.

[0134] When in the first state, the electronic device (101) determines the first display area (261) located in the first housing (210) as an active area, and can display the first execution screen (510) on the first display area (261). The electronic device (101) can render the first execution screen (510) to a size corresponding to the first display area (hereinafter, the first size or the first resolution). In the first state, the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) can be deactivated (e.g., a state in which the screen is turned off by stopping power supply, a dimming state, a power saving state, or a sleep mode).

[0135] In some cases, when the electronic device (101) is in the first state, the first display area may also be operated in a sleep mode in which it is disabled.

[0136] As a first screen operation method, the electronic device (101) <501> In the first state of <502> Through the intermediate state of <503> can be changed to the second state. The electronic device (101) <503> It is possible to recognize that the electronic device (101) is changed (or transitioned) from the first state to the second state based on data received from a sensing device (e.g., sensor module (176) of FIG. 1, sensing device (360) of FIG. 3). <503> Based on the recognition of the second state, the first display area (261) can be switched to inactive, and the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) can be determined as active areas. The electronic device (101) can display the second execution screen (520) on the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) in the second state.

[0137] The second execution screen (520) may refer to a screen defined through a different layer / window from the first execution screen (510). The second execution screen (520) may be rendered to a size corresponding to the second display area and the third display area (hereinafter, the second size or second resolution).

[0138] Electronic devices <503> After changing to the second state <504> In an intermediate state of <505> The electronic device (101) may be changed to a third state. The electronic device (101) recognizes that the second state has been changed to a third state based on data received from the sensing device, determines that the first display area (261) is also an active area based on the recognition of the third state, and controls the first display area (261) to display a first execution screen (510), and the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) to display a second execution screen (520).

[0139] As a second screen operation method, the electronic device (101) <501> In the first state of <506> Through the intermediate state of <507> can be changed to the third state. The electronic device (101) can recognize the change from the first state to the third state based on the data received from the sensing device. The electronic device (101) <507> Based on the change from the first state to the third state, the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) are also determined as active areas, and the size of the first execution screen (510) can be expanded to a size suitable for the first display area (261), the second display area (262), and the third display area (263) to display the first execution screen (510-1) of the third size (or third resolution). The electronic device (101) can render the first execution screen (510-1) suitable for the third size or third resolution.

[0140] Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a screen operation method of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment. Figs. 7a to 7c are screen examples when the electronic device changes from a first state to a second state and from the second state to a third state in the order of one embodiment, and Fig. 8 is screen examples when the electronic device changes from the first state to the third state in the order of one embodiment. In Figs. 7a to 7c, the first direction (①) is the direction in which the user views the display, and the second direction (② or bottom direction) may mean the opposite direction to the first direction (①).

[0141] In the following examples, the operations may be performed sequentially, but are not necessarily sequential. For example, the order of the operations may be changed, and at least two operations may be performed in parallel.

[0142] Referring to FIG. 6, a processor (e.g., 120 of FIG. 1, 320 of FIG. 3) of an electronic device (101) according to one embodiment can recognize a first state in which all of the housings (210, 220, 230) of the electronic device (101) are folded based on data received from a sensing device (e.g., sensor module (176) of FIG. 1, sensing device (360) of FIG. 3) in operation 610.

[0143] In operation 620, the processor (120) can display a first execution screen (710) in the first display area (261) based on the electronic device (101) state or housing structure state being recognized as the first state.

[0144] For example, <701> As illustrated, the first state may be a state in which the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are outfolded, and the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) are infolded. In the first state, the first display area (261) is exposed in the first direction (e.g., ① of FIG. 2d), and the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) may be positioned to face each other due to the infolding operation of the second housing (220) and the third housing (230).

[0145] The processor (120) can calculate an angle (hereinafter, referred to as a first angle) between a first housing (210) in which a first display area (261) is positioned and a second housing (220) in which a second display area (262) is arranged, and an angle (hereinafter, referred to as a second angle) between a second housing in which a second display area is positioned and a third housing in which a third display area is arranged, based on data received from a sensing device. The processor (120) can recognize a state of the electronic device (101) or a state of the housing structure based on at least one of the first angle and the second angle.

[0146] The processor (120) determines the first display area (261) as an active area based on what is recognized as the first state, and the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) can be deactivated (e.g., the screen can be turned off, dimmed, power-saving, or touch-sensing blocked by stopping power supply to the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) of the display.

[0147] For example, the first execution screen (710) is a screen defined to fit the first size (or first resolution) of the first display area (261), and may be, for example, a home screen or an application execution screen, depending on the electronic device settings. For example, the first execution screen (710) may have the first size.

[0148] In one embodiment, the first execution screen (710) may be provided as the most recently used application execution screen in the foreground when the electronic device (101) is in the first state, but is not limited thereto.

[0149] According to one embodiment, in the illustration 7a, at least a portion of one display is defined as a first display area, but in some cases, the first display area (261) may be implemented as a first display, and the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) may be implemented as second displays. When the electronic device (101) includes a first display and a second display, when the electronic device (101) is in a first state, the first display may be activated, and the second display may be deactivated (e.g., power may be cut off to the second display to turn off the screen or enter a sleep mode), thereby deactivating the second display area (262) and the third display area (263).

[0150] In operation 630, the processor (120) can determine a structural change of the electronic device (101) (or a change in the state of the electronic device, a change in the state of the display, a change in the structure of the housing).

[0151] For example, the electronic device (101) can be distinguished into a case where the electronic device (101) state or the housing structure state changes from a first state to a second state and a case where the state changes from the first state to a third state.

[0152] In operation 640, the processor (120) can recognize that the structure of the electronic device (101) or the housing changes from a first state to a second state.

[0153] for example, <702> As illustrated, the processor (120) can recognize that the first state has changed to the second state based on the second angle being changed to a threshold angle value (e.g., about 170 degrees) or more while the first angle is maintained at about 0 degrees to about 10 degrees (or the second housing (720) and the third housing (730) are changed to an unfolded state while the outfolding of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) is maintained).

[0154] In operation 650, the processor (120) may, based on what is recognized as the second state, deactivate the first display area (261) (e.g., a state where the screen is turned off by stopping supply to at least a part of the display, a dimming state, a power saving state, or a touch detection blocking state) and determine the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) as active areas. The processor (120) may display the second execution screen (720) on the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) determined as active areas.

[0155] <702> The first direction (①) is the direction in which the second execution screen (720) is exposed, which is the direction in which the user looks at the electronic device, and the second direction ② may be the bottom direction that the user cannot look at, which is the opposite direction to the first direction (①).

[0156] The second execution screen (720) may refer to a screen defined through a different layer / window than the first execution screen (710). The second execution screen (720) may be a home screen or an application execution screen. The second execution screen (720) may have a second size or second resolution, including a second display area (262) and a third display area (263).

[0157] In one embodiment, the second execution screen (720) may be provided as the most recently used application execution screen in the foreground when the electronic device (101) is in the second state, but is not limited thereto.

[0158] <701> As in the first direction (①) <702> As the first display area (261) whose placement position is switched in the second direction ② is deactivated, entry into dimming mode and touch detection are blocked, and the application related to the first execution screen (710) is not paused and may be running in the background.

[0159] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may support a function of providing a first execution screen as a preview window when the electronic device is in a second state. The preview window may be provided as a part of a notification status window (notification bar or panel), but may also be provided in the form of a PIP (picture in picture) pop-up. For example, in FIG. 7b <703> As illustrated, the electronic device (101) can be operated by displaying a second execution screen (720) in the second display area (262) and the third display area (263).

[0160] The electronic device (101) may operate the second execution screen (720) in a second state and, based on receiving an input requesting the display of the first execution screen (e.g., an input requesting the display of a notification status window (notification bar or panel) or an input of dragging from the top to the bottom of the display), call the notification status window (730) by overlapping it on the second execution screen (720). The electronic device (101) may provide the first execution screen (710) as a preview window on the notification status window (730). The electronic device (101) may control an application being executed through the first execution screen by using the first execution screen (710) provided as a preview window.

[0161] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may be set to maintain the task of an application executed through the first execution screen (710) displayed on the first display area (261) for a preset period of time after the first display area is deactivated in the second state, and then terminate the task.

[0162] According to some embodiments, when the electronic device (101) recognizes that the display area exposed in the first direction is changed from the second state back to the first state, the electronic device (101) may determine the active area as the first display area (261) and deactivate the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) as the display area exposed in the first direction is exposed from the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) back to the first display area (261).

[0163] In operation 660, the processor (120) can recognize that the structure of the electronic device (101) or the housing changes from the second state to the third state.

[0164] For example, the processor (120) may recognize that the second state has changed to the third state based on the first angle being changed to a threshold angle value (e.g., about 170 degrees) or more while the second angle threshold angle value (e.g., about 170 degrees) or more is maintained (or the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are recognized as being in an unfolded state, and then the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are changed to an unfolded state). FIG. 7c <702> As shown, the processor (120) can recognize that the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) are switched to an unfolded (or intermediate) state while the outfolding of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) is maintained based on data received from the sensing device.

[0165] In operation 670, the processor (120) may determine the first display area (261) as an active area based on what is recognized as the third state, display the first execution screen (710) in the first display area (261), and display the second execution screen (720) in the second display area (262) and the third display area (263).

[0166] Fig. 7c <703> As illustrated, the processor (120) can display a first execution screen (710) of a first size in a first display area (261), and display a second execution screen (720) of a second size in a second display area (262) and a third display area (263). The first execution screen (710) and the second execution screen (720) can be operated independently of each other. The electronic device (101) can control not only the first execution screen (710) through the first display area (261), but also the second execution screen (720) through the second display area (262) and the third display area (263).

[0167] In operation 680, the processor (120) may determine that the recognition is from the first state to the third state, rather than recognizing the second state. For example, the processor (120) may recognize that both the first angle and the second angle change to a threshold angle value (e.g., approximately 170 degrees) or more (or that the first housing (210), the second housing (220), and the third housing (230) all change to an unfolded state).

[0168] In operation 690, the processor (120) determines the first display area (261), the second display area (262), and the third display area (263) as active areas based on recognizing that the change has occurred from the first state to the third state, and can display the first execution screen (810) by expanding it to a third size to match the sizes of the second display area (262) and the third display area (263).

[0169] Fig. 8 <801> As illustrated, the processor (120) can display a first execution screen (810) of a first size in the first display area (261) in a first state in which all of the housings (210, 220, 230) of the electronic device (101) are folded. The processor (120) <802> As shown, based on the change from the first state to the third state, the first execution screen (810) can be expanded to a third size (or third resolution) corresponding to all active areas (e.g., the first display area (261), the second display area (262), and the third display area (263)) so that the first execution screen (810-1) of the third size can be displayed through the first display area (261), the second display area (262), and the third display area (263).

[0170] FIG. 9 is a screen example for explaining a method of operating the expansion of the screen of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0171] Referring to FIG. 9, an electronic device (101) according to one embodiment may provide a different expanded layout configuration of the screen according to application resizing characteristics when changing from a first state to a third state or from a second state to a third state, and when there is no application running through the first display area (261) (or there is no execution history of the application through the first display area (261).

[0172] The first display area (261) may be deactivated if there is a history of an application being executed through the first display area (261) before it is deactivated, or it may be deactivated while the home screen is displayed or the screen is turned off.

[0173] According to one embodiment, the processor (120) can determine whether the electronic device (101) has an application running through the first display area (261) (or has an execution history of the application running through the first display area).

[0174] According to one embodiment, when there is an application running through the first display area (261), the processor (120) can display a first execution screen (710) in the first display area (261) and display a second execution screen (720) in the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) when changing from the second state to the third state, as shown in FIG. 7c.

[0175] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) changes from the second state to the third state, if there is no application running through the first display area (261), the processor (120) can check through the second execution screen (920) whether the running application has a resizing characteristic or a characteristic that requires restarting when the screen resolution is changed.

[0176] For example, if the processor (120) is an application that restarts when there is no application running through the first display area (261) and the resolution of the application running through the second execution screen (920) is changed, <901> As illustrated, a second execution screen (920) of a second size may be displayed through the second display area (262) and the third display area (263), and a home screen or a recent task list screen may be displayed as a first execution screen (910) in the first display area (261). In the case of the second execution screen (920), by maintaining the current size / resolution (e.g., second size / second resolution), the application being executed through the second execution screen (920) may not be restarted.

[0177] At this time, the home screen or recent task list screen may include app objects (e.g., app icons) (930) corresponding to applications executable on the electronic device.

[0178] The electronic device (30) can configure a home screen or a recent task list screen by including indicators (940, 941) that guide the executable electronic device state / housing structure state for each app object or guide the app to be restarted. The indicators (940, 941) can be displayed overlapping at least a portion of the app object. For example, the indicators (940, 941) can be implemented in a shape or form that guides information about the electronic device state / housing structure state that last ran the corresponding application, information about the app being restarted when the task of the corresponding application is started, but this is only an example. The user can easily select an app object suitable for the current electronic device state or housing structure state through the indicators included in the home screen or the recent task list screen.

[0179] For another example, the processor (120) may: <902> As illustrated, if there is no application running through the first display area and the application running through the second execution screen (925) is an application that does not restart when the resolution is changed, the second execution screen (925) can be resized from the second size to the third size and displayed. The processor (120) can render the second execution screen (925) of the second size to the third size (or third resolution) corresponding to all display areas (261, 262, 263), and display the rendered third-size second execution screen (925-1) through the first display area (261), the second display area (262), and the third display area (263).

[0180] FIGS. 10a and 10b are examples of screens that provide application information grouped according to the status of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0181] Referring to FIGS. 10A and 10B, an electronic device (101) according to one embodiment can group and store information on apps executed in a first state, information on apps executed in a second state, and information on apps executed in a third state by electronic device state or housing structure state, and provide information on apps grouped by state through various screens.

[0182] For example, when a running application switches from the foreground to the background, the electronic device (101) may stop the application's operation and save (or capture) the last running screen (or display data included in the running screen) as a running screen image. The electronic device (101) may record or save the electronic device state or housing structure state at the time of application switching. The electronic device may include the saved running screen image in the recent task list.

[0183] According to one embodiment, when the active area of ​​the display is switched according to a change in the state of the electronic device (101) or the state of the housing structure, the electronic device (101) can check the state of applications in which tasks are being executed and check whether to restart (or re-execute) applications executed in an electronic device state different from the current electronic device state. For example, in the case of Android, whether to restart an application can be checked based on attribute values ​​such as "screenLayout", "screenSize", and "smallestScreenSize", but this is only an example and is not limited thereto.

[0184] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) displays a list of recent tasks of different sizes depending on the electronic device state or housing structure state, and can visually guide the user through an indicator information about apps that were executed when the state of the structure is different from the current electronic device state among the app objects included in the list of recent tasks.

[0185] In one embodiment, FIG. 10a <1001> As illustrated, the electronic device (101) may display a recent task list (1010) of a first size when in a first state. The electronic device (101) may support a function of displaying an indicator that guides information about an app executed in a state other than the current state in the recent task list. For example, the electronic device (101) may display a first indicator (1030) that guides information about an app executed in a third state other than the first state among app objects (1020). <1001> App objects (1020) without indicators in the recent task list (1010) may be applications that have a history of being executed in the first state. The user can recognize applications that can be executed immediately in the first state without restarting (e.g., app objects that do not display an indicator) and applications that should be executed in the third state (e.g., app objects that display a first indicator (1030)).

[0186] In one embodiment, the electronic device (101) <1002> When in the second state, the list of recent tasks (1013) of the second size is displayed, or <1003> When in the third state, the third size recent task list (1015) can be displayed. The electronic device (101) can display at least one of a second indicator (1031) that guides app information executed in the second state, a third indicator (1032) that guides app information executed in the first state, and a fourth indicator (1040) that guides app information that is restarted (or initialized) when switching from the background to the foreground, according to the current electronic device state or housing structure state. For example, when in the second state, the electronic device (101) can display an indicator indicating the first state or the third state on app objects that have switched to the background from the first state or the third state in the recent task list, and when in the third state, can display an indicator indicating the first state or the second state on app objects that have switched to the background from the first state or the second state. According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) <1003> When selecting an app object including the fourth indicator (1040) shown in , a user interface (UI) window (e.g., a pop-up window) (not shown) may be displayed to inform that the selected application may be restarted or the screen initialized when switching from the background to the foreground and to check whether the user approves (e.g., approves or rejects). For example, <1003> If the user selects an approval item in the UI window from the recent task list (1015), the electronic device (101) can initialize the app execution screen (or application) for the selected application and display the app execution screen in a size corresponding to the current display status. If the user selects a rejection item in the user interface, the UI window can be removed and the display of the recent task list (1015) can be maintained.

[0187] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may provide a function to recommend and display an app optimized for each state according to the electronic device state or housing structure state, as illustrated in FIG. 10b.

[0188] In one embodiment, the electronic device (101) <1004> As illustrated, information on apps executed by electronic device status or housing structure status can be grouped in the recent task list (1050), and the grouped information can be provided in the recent task list. For example, a first group (1051) displayed in the recent task list (1050) may include app objects executed in the first state, a second group (1052) may include app objects executed in the second state, and a third group (1053) may include app objects executed in the third state.

[0189] In one embodiment, the electronic device (101) <1005> As illustrated, a quick launch list (1060) provided in at least a portion of the display (e.g., an edge bar) may also group information on apps executed by electronic device status or housing structure status and provide the grouped information. For example, a first group (1061) displayed in the quick launch list (1060) may include app objects executed in a first state, a second group (1062) may include app objects executed in a second state, and a third group (1063) may include app objects executed in a third state.

[0190] In one embodiment, the electronic device (101) <1006> As shown in , app objects included in the recently executed app search screen (1070) can be selected and provided as apps that match the current electronic device status or housing structure status.

[0191] In one embodiment, the electronic device (101) <1007> As shown in , in the widget screen (1080), widgets (1081, 1082, 1083) of various sizes can be listed and provided according to the electronic device status or housing structure status.

[0192] An electronic device according to one embodiment comprises a first housing (210), a second housing (220), a third housing (230), a first hinge assembly (240) configured to couple the first housing (210) to one side of the second housing (220) and to allow the first housing (210) to rotate, a second hinge assembly (250) configured to couple the third housing (230) to the other side of the second housing (220) and to allow the third housing (230) to rotate, a first display area (261) disposed in the first housing (210), a second display area (262) disposed in the second housing (220) and facing in a direction opposite to the first display area (261) when the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are folded, and a third display area (262) disposed in the third housing (230) and facing in a direction opposite to the first display area (261) when the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) are folded. It may include a display (260, 310) including a third display area (263) facing the second display area (262) in a folded state, a sensing device (360) for detecting a folding or unfolding state of the first housing (210), the second housing (220), and the third housing (230), a memory (130, 330) for storing executable instructions, and a processor (120, 320) for accessing the memory (130, 330) and executing the instructions.

[0193] According to one embodiment, the processor (120, 320) displays a first execution screen using the first display area (261) in a first state in which the first housing (210), the second housing (220), and the third housing (230) are folded relative to each other, and while the first execution screen is displayed through the first display area (261), if it is recognized that the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) are converted from a folded state to a second state in which the first hinge assembly (240) is fixed by rotation of the second hinge assembly (250), the processor deactivates the first display area (261) based on the conversion from the first state to the second state, and displays a second execution screen through the second display area (262) and the third display area (263), and the first display While the first execution screen is displayed through the area (261), if it is recognized that the first housing (210), the second housing (220), and the third housing (230) are switched from the first state to the third state in which they are all unfolded based on the data received from the sensing device, the display can be controlled to display the first execution screen by expanding it from the first display area (261) to the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) based on the switching from the first state to the third state.

[0194] According to one embodiment, the processor (120, 320) may be further configured to display a preview window corresponding to the first execution screen executed through the deactivated first display area (261) in at least a portion of the second display area (262) and the third display area (263), as an operation of deactivating the first display area (261) and displaying a second execution screen through the second display area (262) and the third display area (263).

[0195] According to one embodiment, the processor (120, 320) may be configured to deactivate the first display area (261) and display the second execution screen through the second display area (262) and the third display area (263), and, when recognizing that the second state is transitioned to the third state in which the housings are all unfolded based on data received from the sensing device (360), display the first execution screen on the first display area (261) and display the second execution screen on the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) based on the transition from the second state to the third state.

[0196] According to one embodiment, the processor (120, 320) may be further configured to display the first execution screen in the first display area (261) and the second execution screen in the second display area (262) and the third display area (263), and if there is no application executed through the first display area (261) and the app displayed on the second execution screen is an app that is initialized or restarted when the resolution is changed, the processor (120, 320) may be further configured to display the home screen or a recent task list as the first execution screen while maintaining the second execution screen.

[0197] According to one embodiment, the processor (120, 320) may be further configured to display the first execution screen in the first display area (261) and the second execution screen in the second display area (262) and the third display area (263), and, if there is no application executed through the first display area (261) and the app displayed on the second execution screen is not restarted when the resolution is changed, omit display of the first execution screen and display the second execution screen by resizing it to a size corresponding to the first display area (261), the second display area (262), and the third display area (263).

[0198] According to one embodiment, the processor (120, 320) may be configured to group and store information on apps executed in the first state, information on apps executed in the second state, and information on apps executed in the third state by electronic device state or housing structure state, and to reconstruct and display the widget screen, recent app search screen, or recent task list of the electronic device with information on apps executed in the currently recognized electronic device state or housing structure state.

[0199] A method of operating a screen of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment may include an operation of displaying a first execution screen on the display using a first display area (261) in a first state in which the first housing (210), the second housing (220), and the third housing (230) are folded relative to each other.

[0200] A method for operating a screen of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment may include, when recognizing, based on data received from the sensing device (360), that the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are folded and the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) are switched from a folded state to a second state in which they are unfolded while a first execution screen is displayed through the first display area (261), deactivating the first display area (261) based on the switching from the first state to the second state, and displaying a second execution screen on the display through the second display area (262) and the third display area (263).

[0201] A method for operating a screen of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment may include an operation of displaying the first execution screen on the display by extending the first execution screen from the first display area (261) to the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) based on the transition from the first state to the third state, when recognizing that the first housing (210), the second housing (220), and the third housing (230) are all unfolded from the first state based on data received from the sensing device (360) while the first execution screen is displayed on the display.

[0202] The embodiments of this document and the terminology used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, but should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the 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 the items, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this document, each of the phrases "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" can include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase among those phrases, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used merely to distinguish one component from another, and do not limit the components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order). When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as "coupled" or "connected" to another (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicatively," it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0203] The term "module" used in the 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. A module may be an integral component, or a minimum unit or part of such a component 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).

[0204] One embodiment of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., a program (140)) including one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., an internal memory (136) or an external memory (138)) readable by a machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)). For example, a processor (e.g., a processor (120)) of the machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)) may call at least one instruction among the one or more instructions stored from the storage medium and execute it. This enables the machine to operate 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 executable by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently or temporarily on the storage medium.

[0205] According to one embodiment, the method according to one embodiment disclosed in this document may be provided as a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between sellers and buyers 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 may be provided through an application store (e.g., Play Store). TM ) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smart phones), online distribution (e.g., downloading or uploading). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored or temporarily created in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or an intermediary server.

[0206] According to one embodiment, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include one or more entities, and some of the entities may be separated and arranged in other components. According to one embodiment, one or more components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to the integration. According to one embodiment, the operations performed by a module, program, or other component 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

1. In electronic devices, Second Housing; A first housing foldably coupled to one side of the second housing; A third housing foldably coupled to the other side of the second housing; A display including a first display area disposed in the first housing, a second display area disposed in the second housing, and a third display area disposed in the third housing; A sensing device for detecting the folding or unfolding state of the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing; memory for storing executable instructions; and Contains a processor, When the above instructions are executed by the processor, the electronic device: Controlling the display to display a first execution screen through the first display area in a first state in which the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing are folded relative to each other; While the first execution screen is displayed through the first display area in the first state, if it is recognized based on data received from the sensing device that the first state is transitioned to a second state in which the first housing and the second housing are folded and the second housing and the third housing are unfolded, the first display area is deactivated and the display is controlled to display the second execution screen through the second display area and the third display area. While the first execution screen is displayed through the first display area in the first state, if it is recognized that the first state is transitioned to a third state in which the first housing, the second housing and the third housing are all unfolded based on data received from the sensing device, the display is controlled to display the first execution screen by extending it from the first display area to the second display area and the third display area. An electronic device, characterized in that the second execution screen is a different screen from the first execution screen.

2. In paragraph 1, The first housing further comprises a first hinge assembly configured to fold in a first direction relative to the second housing, and a second hinge assembly configured to fold in a second direction opposite to the first direction relative to the second housing. An electronic device characterized in that the first hinge assembly is implemented so that the first housing and the second housing are folded in an outfolding manner so that the first display area and the second display area face each other, and the second hinge assembly is implemented so that the second housing and the third housing are folded in an infolding manner so that the second display area and the third display area face each other.

3. In paragraph 2, The above display is, An electronic device implemented to include a first display including the first display area disposed in the first housing, and a second display including the second display area disposed in the second housing and the third display area disposed in the third housing.

4. In paragraph 2, The above display is, A first display including the first display area disposed in the first housing; a second display including the second display area disposed in the second housing; and An electronic device implemented to include a third display including the third display area disposed in the third housing.

5. In either of the clauses 3 or 4, The above first state is a state in which the first display area is exposed to the outside in the first direction, An electronic device in which the second state is a state in which the first display area is switched in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and the second display area and the third display area are exposed to the outside in the first direction.

6. In paragraph 5, The above commands cause the electronic device to: An operation of deactivating the first display area and displaying the second execution screen through the second display area and the third display area, An electronic device that causes a preview window corresponding to the first execution screen displayed through the first display area in the first state to be displayed on at least a portion of the second display area and the third display area.

7. In paragraph 6, The above commands cause the electronic device to: An electronic device that displays the above preview window in the form of a pop-up notification bar or panel or a picture in picture (PIP).

8. In paragraph 5, The above commands cause the electronic device to: An electronic device that, while displaying the second execution screen in the second state, if it is recognized that the second state is transitioned to the third state in which the housings are all unfolded based on data received from the sensing device, activates the first display area to display the first execution screen in the first display area, and displays the second execution screen on the display in the second display area and the third display area.

9. In paragraph 8, The above commands cause the electronic device to: An electronic device that groups and stores information on applications executed in the first state, information on applications executed in the second state, and information on applications executed in the third state by electronic device state.

10. In paragraph 9, The above commands cause the electronic device to: An operation of displaying the first execution screen in the first display area in the third state and displaying the second execution screen in the second display area and the third display area, An electronic device that displays a home screen or a recent task list in the first display area as the first execution screen, when there is no application related to the first execution screen and the application related to the second execution screen is an application that is initialized or restarted when the resolution is changed.

11. In paragraph 10, The above commands cause the electronic device to: An operation of displaying the first execution screen in the first display area in the third state and displaying the second execution screen in the second display area and the third display area, An electronic device that, when there is no application related to the first execution screen and the application related to the second execution screen is an application that is not initialized or restarted when the resolution is changed, skips displaying the first execution screen and resizes and displays the second execution screen to a size corresponding to the first display area, the second display area, and the third display area.

12. In paragraph 10, The above commands cause the electronic device to: An electronic device that displays at least one of a first type indicator that guides an executable electronic device status for each application object in relation to a home screen or a recent task list displayed in the first display area, and a second type indicator that guides that the application can be restarted or initialized when switching from the background to the foreground, overlapping the application object.

13. In paragraph 12, The above commands cause the electronic device to: An electronic device that, when displaying the recent task list in the first display area, displays applications executed in a state of the currently recognized electronic device and in a state of another electronic device in a grouped form.

14. In paragraph 12, The above commands cause the electronic device to: An electronic device that, when displaying a widget screen or a recent app search screen on the display, reconfigures the widget screen or the recent app search screen with application information running in the state of the currently recognized electronic device and displays the reconfigured widget screen or the recent app search screen on the display.

15. In a method of operating a screen of a foldable electronic device, An operation of displaying a first execution screen through a display of a first display area disposed in the first housing in a first state in which the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing are folded relative to each other; An operation of deactivating the first display area and displaying a second execution screen through the display of the second display area arranged in the second housing and the third display area arranged in the third housing, when recognizing that the first housing and the first housing are switched to a second state in which the first housing and the first housing are folded and the second housing and the third housing are unfolded while displaying the first execution screen through the display of the first display area in the first state; and A method comprising: when it is recognized that the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing are all unfolded in the first state while displaying the first execution screen through the first display area in the first state, displaying the first execution screen through the display of the first display area, the second display area, and the third display area, wherein the second execution screen is a different screen from the first execution screen.

Images