Electronic device and control method therefor

Abstract

Provided are an electronic apparatus and a control method therefor, the electronic device providing a multi-display system by being connected to at least one another electronic device. The electronic device includes: a display; at least one speaker for outputting an audio signal; at least one first sensor for detecting a folding angle between the electronic device and at least one another electronic device; a communication interface for communicating with the at least one another electronic device; a memory; and a processor that obtains information about the folding angle between the electronic device and the at least one another electronic device through the first sensor while the electronic device is connected to the at least one another electronic device and operates in a multi-display mode, identifies channel mapping information of an audio signal corresponding to the folding angle, processes an input audio signal through a plurality of channels on the basis of the channel mapping information, outputs audio signals of some of the plurality of channels through the at least one speaker, and controls the communication interface to transmit information about audio signals of remaining some of the plurality of channels to the at least one another electronic device.

Description

Electronic device and method of controlling the same

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device that provides a multi-display system by being connected to at least one other electronic device, and a method for controlling the same, and more particularly, to an electronic device that provides an audio signal according to the state of a multi-display in a multi-display system, and a method for controlling the same.

[0002] Recently, there's a growing trend toward using multi-display systems, connecting multiple displays using various electronic devices. Furthermore, connecting multiple displays to form a single screen provides users with an expanded display environment.

[0003] Multi-display systems often don't support extended audio signals to accommodate the expanded screen. In other words, they simply provide an expanded screen and often don't process audio signals based on the changed display configuration. For example, even when displays are connected, sound is only provided through the speakers of the device containing the main display.

[0004] In this way, when only the screen is expanded without processing the audio signal, a problem of incongruity can arise between the audio signal and the expanded screen. In other words, when expanding the screen by connecting multiple displays, it is necessary to process the audio signal to account for the expanded screen.

[0005] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device connected to at least one other electronic device to provide a multi-display system includes: a display; at least one speaker for outputting an audio signal; at least one first sensor for detecting a folding angle between the electronic device and the at least one other electronic device; a communication interface for communicating with the at least one other electronic device; a memory; and a processor for controlling the communication interface to obtain information about a folding angle between the electronic device and the at least one other electronic device through the first sensor while the electronic device is connected to the at least one other electronic device and operates in a multi-display mode, identify channel mapping information of an audio signal corresponding to the folding angle, process an input audio signal into a plurality of channels based on the channel mapping information, output audio signals of some channels among the plurality of channels through the at least one speaker, and transmit information about audio signals of the remaining some channels among the plurality of channels to the at least one other electronic device.

[0006] The processor may process the input audio signal into a plurality of channels according to first channel mapping information when the electronic device and the at least one other electronic device are in an unfolded state, and may process the input audio signal into a plurality of channels according to second channel mapping information when the electronic device and the at least one other electronic device are folded at a first folding angle.

[0007] The processor may control the communication interface to transmit information to the at least one other electronic device to identify volume information of audio signals of each of the plurality of channels according to the folding angle, and to output audio signals of some of the channels at a first volume through the at least one speaker based on the volume information, and to output audio signals of the remaining some at a second volume.

[0008] The first volume is larger than the second volume, and the second volume may become smaller as the folding angle increases.

[0009] The processor may control the communication interface to transmit information to the at least one other electronic device to identify delay information of audio signals of each of the plurality of channels according to the folding angle, and to control the audio signals of some of the channels to be output through the at least one speaker based on the delay information and to delay and output the audio signals of the remaining some for a first time period.

[0010] As the above folding angle increases, the first delayed time may become longer.

[0011] A second sensor for detecting a user's location is further included, wherein the processor detects the user's location through the second sensor and adjusts at least one of a volume and a delayed time of audio signals of the plurality of channels based on the user's location and a distance between the electronic device and the at least one other electronic device.

[0012] The processor adjusts the volume of an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a first distance from the user's location to a first volume, and adjusts the volume of an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a second distance further than the first distance from the user's location to a second volume, wherein the second volume may be louder than the first volume.

[0013] The processor may be adjusted to output an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a first distance from the user's location with a second delay compared to an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a second distance further than the first distance from the user's location.

[0014] Channel mapping information of audio signals corresponding to the above folding angles may be stored in the memory.

[0015] A method for controlling an electronic device that is connected to at least one other electronic device and provides a multi-display system includes the steps of: obtaining information on a folding angle between the electronic device and the at least one other electronic device while the electronic device is connected to the at least one other electronic device and operates in a multi-display mode; identifying channel mapping information of an audio signal corresponding to the folding angle; processing an input audio signal into a plurality of channels based on the channel mapping information; and outputting audio signals of some of the plurality of channels through at least one speaker and transmitting information on audio signals of the remaining some of the plurality of channels to the at least one other electronic device.

[0016] The processing step may process the input audio signal into a plurality of channels according to first channel mapping information when the electronic device and the at least one other electronic device are in an unfolded state, and may process the input audio signal into a plurality of channels according to second channel mapping information when the electronic device and the at least one other electronic device are folded at a first folding angle.

[0017] The method further includes a step of identifying volume information of audio signals of each of the plurality of channels according to the folding angle, and the step of transmitting may transmit information for controlling the audio signals of some of the channels to be output at a first volume through the at least one speaker and the audio signals of the remaining some to be output at a second volume to the at least one other electronic device based on the volume information.

[0018] The first volume is larger than the second volume, and the second volume may become smaller as the folding angle increases.

[0019] The method further includes a step of identifying delay information of audio signals of each of the plurality of channels according to the folding angle, and the step of transmitting may transmit information to the at least one other electronic device for controlling the audio signals of some of the channels to be output through the at least one speaker based on the delay information and the audio signals of the remaining some to be output by delaying them for a first time period.

[0020] As the above folding angle increases, the first delayed time may become longer.

[0021] The method may include: detecting the location of the user; and adjusting at least one of the volume and delay time of the audio signals of the plurality of channels based on the location of the user and the distance between the electronic device and the at least one other electronic device.

[0022] The above adjusting step adjusts the volume of an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a first distance from the user's location to a first volume, and adjusts the volume of an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a second distance further than the first distance from the user's location to a second volume, wherein the second volume may be louder than the first volume.

[0023] The above adjusting step may be adjusted to output an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a first distance from the user's location with a second delay compared to an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a second distance further than the first distance from the user's location.

[0024] Channel mapping information of audio signals corresponding to the above folding angles may be stored in the memory of the electronic device.

[0025] Figures 1a and 1b are drawings illustrating a multi-display system;

[0026] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device;

[0027] FIGS. 3a to 5b are drawings for explaining implementations of remapping channels of audio signals according to the configuration of a multi-display system.

[0028] Figure 6 is a graph for explaining the increase in acoustic characteristics in a multi-display system.

[0029] FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams illustrating implementations for remapping channels of audio signals according to folding between electronic devices in a multi-display system.

[0030] FIGS. 8A to 8C are drawings for explaining implementations for adjusting the volume of an audio signal according to folding between electronic devices in a multi-display system.

[0031] FIG. 9a, 9b and 9c are drawings for explaining an implementation of delaying the output time of an audio signal according to folding between electronic devices in a multi-display system.

[0032] Figure 10 is a flowchart for explaining a method of processing an audio signal according to the configuration and folding of a multi-display system, and

[0033] Figure 11 is a flowchart for explaining a control method of an electronic device.

[0034] The present embodiments may be modified and have various embodiments, and specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the scope to specific embodiments, but should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, and / or alternatives within the scope of the claims. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar components.

[0035] In this disclosure, if it is determined that a specific description of a known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the principles of the present disclosure, a detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0036] In addition, the following embodiments can be modified into various other forms, and the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, but is defined by the claims.

[0037] The terminology used in this disclosure is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the rights. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0038] In this disclosure, expressions such as “has,” “can have,” “includes,” or “may include” indicate the presence of a corresponding feature (e.g., a component such as a number, function, operation, or part), and do not exclude the presence of additional features.

[0039] In this disclosure, expressions such as “A or B,” “at least one of A and / or B,” or “one or more of A or / and B” can include all possible combinations of the listed items. For example, “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” or “at least one of A or B” can all refer to (1) including at least one A, (2) including at least one B, or (3) including both at least one A and at least one B.

[0040] The expressions “first,” “second,” “first,” or “second,” etc., used in this disclosure can describe various components, regardless of order and / or importance, and are only used to distinguish one component from another, but do not limit the components.

[0041] When it is said that a component (e.g., a first component) is “(operatively or communicatively) coupled with / to” or “connected to” another component (e.g., a second component), it should be understood that said component may be directly coupled to said other component, or may be coupled via another component (e.g., a third component).

[0042] On the other hand, when it is said that a component (e.g., a first component) is "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component (e.g., a second component), it can be understood that no other component (e.g., a third component) exists between said component and said other component.

[0043] The expression "configured to" as used in the present disclosure may be used interchangeably with, for example, "suitable for," "having the capacity to," "designed to," "adapted to," "made to," or "capable of." The term "configured to" may not necessarily mean only "specifically designed to" in terms of hardware.

[0044] Instead, in some contexts, the phrase "a device configured to" may mean that the device, in conjunction with other devices or components, is "capable of" performing A, B, and C. For example, the phrase "a processor configured (or set) to perform A, B, and C" may refer to a dedicated processor (e.g., an embedded processor) for performing those operations, or a general-purpose processor (e.g., a CPU or application processor) that can perform those operations by executing one or more software programs stored in a memory device.

[0045] In the embodiments, a 'module' or 'part' performs at least one function or operation, and may be implemented as hardware or software, or as a combination of hardware and software. Furthermore, a plurality of 'modules' or 'parts' may be integrated into at least one module and implemented as at least one processor, except for a 'module' or 'part' that needs to be implemented as a specific hardware.

[0046] Meanwhile, the various elements and areas in the drawings are schematically drawn. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited by the relative sizes or spacings drawn in the attached drawings.

[0047] Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described in detail so that a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present disclosure pertains can easily implement the present disclosure.

[0048] Figures 1a and 1b are drawings illustrating a multi-display system.

[0049] As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the multi-display system (1) may include a plurality of electronic devices having displays. In particular, the multi-display system (1) may include a main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2). In this case, the main electronic device (100) may be referred to as a first electronic device or an electronic device, and the sub-electronic device (200) may be referred to as a second electronic device or another electronic device. In addition, the plurality of electronic devices (100, 200-1, 200-2) may be implemented as a digital TV, but this is merely an example, and may be implemented as various display devices such as a monitor, signage, a notebook PC, a tablet PC, etc.

[0050] The main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) may be electronic devices of the same type, but this is merely an example and they may be electronic devices of different types.

[0051] Additionally, the main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) may include different speaker configurations. For example, as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B , the main electronic device (100) may include two speakers (20-1, 20-2) and one woofer speaker (10) in the lower region, and the sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) may include one speaker (30). However, this is merely an example, and it is to be understood that the main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) may include the same speaker configuration.

[0052] A main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) may be connected to each other to form a multi-display system (1). At this time, the main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) may be connected not only electrically but also physically.

[0053] Specifically, the main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) can be electrically connected via a communication interface (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB interface, HDMI interface, etc.). Accordingly, various information (e.g., information about the electronic device, information for controlling another electronic device, etc.) can be transmitted and received between the main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2).

[0054] Additionally, the main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) may be physically connected to be rotatable by various fastening members. For example, the main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) may be physically connected to be rotatable by means of a pogo pin or a hinge. Accordingly, the main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) may be foldable by means of the fastening members.

[0055] When the main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) are connected to each other, the multi-display system (1) can operate in a multi-display mode to provide an expanded screen and audio signals. At this time, the multi-display mode may be a mode that provides at least one screen through multiple displays included in multiple electronic devices (100, 200-1, 200-2). At this time, while operating in multi-display mode, one screen can be provided using all of the multiple electronic devices (100, 200-1, 200-2), but this is merely an example, and it is of course possible to provide one screen using at least two of the multiple electronic devices, and to provide another screen using the remaining electronic devices.

[0056] In particular, the multi-display system (1) can provide an extended screen through multiple displays included in each of multiple electronic devices (100, 200-1, 200-2) while operating in a multi-display mode, and can provide an extended audio signal using speakers included in each of the multiple electronic devices (100, 200-1, 200-2).

[0057] In particular, the multi-display system (1) can process and provide audio signals in multiple channels based on configuration information of the multi-display system (1). At this time, the configuration information may include information on electronic devices constituting the multi-display system (1) (e.g., information on speakers included in the electronic devices), information on the connection status of electronic devices constituting the multi-display system (1), etc.

[0058] In particular, the main electronic device (100) can identify channel mapping information of an audio signal based on configuration information of a multi-display system (1) including an extended display, and process an input audio signal according to the identified channel mapping information of the audio signal. At this time, the channel mapping information may include information about a channel through which the input audio signal is processed (or scaled), and may include information about a type of channel and information about a channel to be processed by multiple speakers. Information about the type of channel may include a channel format, and may include, for example, 2 channels, 3 channels, 4 channels, 5.1 channels, etc.

[0059] For example, if the input audio signal is 2 channels, the main electronic device (100) can obtain information on 4 channels as channel mapping information based on the configuration information of the multi-display system (1) while operating in multi-display mode, and process and output the input audio signal as 4 channels.

[0060] In addition, the multi-display system (1) can process and provide an audio signal as a channel corresponding to the folding state of the extended display. Specifically, when a plurality of electronic devices (100, 200-1, 200-2) are folded while operating in a multi-display mode, the main electronic device (100) can identify channel mapping information of an audio signal according to a folding angle and process an input audio signal according to the channel mapping information of the identified audio signal. For example, when the input audio signal is 2.1 channels, when a plurality of displays are folded while operating in a multi-display mode, the electronic device (100) can obtain information on three channels as channel mapping information corresponding to the folding angle, process the input audio signal into three channels, and output it.

[0061] Additionally, the multi-display system (1) can output audio signals by adjusting the volume or delay time according to the folding angle when the extended display is folded. The above-described contents will be described in more detail later with reference to the drawings.

[0062] In addition, the multi-display system (1) can further secure speaker performance through display expansion. Specifically, in order to secure speaker performance in a multi-display system (10) in which a display is added in a horizontal direction, an additional duct / back chamber or an additional transmission line can be applied to at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2). For example, at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) can include an additional duct (10-2, 10-3) as illustrated in FIG. 1A, and when the main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) are connected, the duct (10-1) of the main electronic device (100) and the additional duct (10-2, 10-3) can be connected through a fastening part (e.g., a clamp, etc.) to provide an audio signal with a richer bass range. As another example, at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) may include an additional transmission line (40-2, 40-3), as illustrated in FIG. 1B, and when the main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) are connected, the transmission line (40-1) of the main electronic device (100) and the additional transmission lines (40-2, 40-3) may be connected to provide an audio signal with a richer bass range. At this time, when folding occurs between the electronic devices, a sealing structure may be further included to prevent audio from leaking out between the transmission lines or duct lines.

[0063] Meanwhile, according to one embodiment, the multi-display system (1) may be implemented with multiple electronic devices having displays, but this is only an example, and may include multiple display devices and electronic devices for controlling the multiple display devices (e.g., set-top boxes, notebook PCs, etc.).

[0064] According to one embodiment, the multi-display system (1) may include a main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2), but this is only an example and may include a plurality of main electronic devices.

[0065] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an electronic device. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the electronic device (100) may include a display (110), at least one speaker (120), a sensor (130), a communication interface (140), a user input unit (150), a memory (160), and at least one processor (170). However, this is merely an example, and it is to be understood that some components may be removed or added depending on the type of the electronic device (100). For example, if the electronic device (100) is implemented as a set-top box, the electronic device (100) may not include a display (110).

[0066] The display (110) may include various types of display panels such as, but not limited to, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel, an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) panel, an AM-OLED (Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode), an LCo (Liquid Crystal on Silicon), a QLED (Quantum dot Light-Emitting Diode), a DLP (Digital Light Processing), a PDP (Plasma Display Panel) panel, an inorganic LED panel, and a micro LED panel. Meanwhile, the display (110) may also configure a touch screen together with a touch panel, and may also be formed of a flexible panel.

[0067] In particular, the main body on which the display (110) is mounted may further include a fastening portion for physically connecting with another electronic device. At this time, the fastening portion may be implemented as a pogo pin or a hinge, etc., to fasten the electronic device and the other electronic device so that they can be folded.

[0068] The display (110) can provide a single image together with the display of another electronic device. For example, the display (100) can provide various content images, such as movie content images, game content images, and Internet content images, together with the displays of other electronic devices.

[0069] At least one speaker (120) can output an audio signal processed by at least one processor (170). At this time, at least one speaker (120) can output audio signals of multiple channels. For example, at least one speaker (120) can include two speakers and one woofer speaker. At this time, the two speakers may be tweeter speakers, but are not limited thereto.

[0070] Additionally, at least one speaker (120) may be located in the lower area of ​​the electronic device (100), but this is only an example, and may be located in the upper area or side area of ​​the electronic device (100).

[0071] At least one speaker (120) can output audio signals of different channels depending on the configuration or folding angle of the multi-display system (1). This will be described in more detail later with reference to the drawings.

[0072] The sensor (130) can detect the state of the electronic device (100) (e.g., movement) or the external environmental state (e.g., user state) and generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state.

[0073] In particular, the sensor (130) may include a first sensor (131) for obtaining a sensing value for a folding angle between the electronic device (100) and another electronic device (100) and a second sensor (132) for detecting a user (or the user's face).

[0074] The first sensor (131) may be implemented as a sensor that detects the position of a pin that changes according to the folding angle, or a jog sensor that detects the folding angle between the electronic device (100) and another electronic device (100) by detecting the rotation angle located in one area of ​​the electronic device (100).

[0075] The second sensor (132) is a sensor for detecting the distance between the electronic device (100) and the user, and can be implemented with various sensors such as a camera, a depth camera, an ultrasonic sensor, etc.

[0076] The communication interface (140) includes at least one circuit and can communicate with various types of external devices or servers. The communication interface (170) can include at least one of a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) module, a Wi-Fi communication module, a cellular communication module, a 3G (third generation) mobile communication module, a 4G (fourth generation) mobile communication module, a 4th generation LTE (Long Term Evolution) communication module, and a 5G (fifth generation) mobile communication module.

[0077] Alternatively, the communication interface (140) may include a wired communication interface for inputting and outputting at least one of an audio signal and a video signal. For example, the communication interface (140) may be an HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface), but this is only an example, and may be any one of an MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link), a USB (Universal Serial Bus), a DP (Display Port), a Thunderbolt port, a VGA (Video Graphics Array) port, an RGB port, a D-SUB (D-subminiature), and a DVI (Digital Visual Interface). Depending on the implementation example, the communication interface (140) may include a port that inputs and outputs only an audio signal and a port that inputs and outputs only a video signal as separate ports, or may be implemented as a single port that inputs and outputs both an audio signal and a video signal.

[0078] In particular, the communication interface (140) can communicate with other electronic devices included in the multi-display system (1). The communication interface (140) can receive information about other electronic devices (e.g., information about speakers, etc.) and transmit at least one of a control signal, an audio signal, and a video signal to the other electronic devices.

[0079] The user input unit (150) may include a remote control receiver, a button, a lever, a switch, a touch interface, etc. In this case, the touch interface may be implemented in a way that receives input by the user's touch on the display (110) screen of the electronic device (100).

[0080] In particular, the user input unit (150) can receive a user command for operating in a multi-display mode. In addition, the user input unit (150) can receive a user command for controlling an audio signal in the multi-display mode.

[0081] The memory (160) may store an operating system (OS) for controlling the overall operation of the components of the electronic device (100) and instructions or data related to the components of the electronic device (100). In particular, the memory (160) may include a plurality of modules for providing a function for expanding audio signals in a multi-display mode. In particular, when the function for expanding audio signals in a multi-display mode is executed, the electronic device (100) may load data for various modules stored in a non-volatile memory to perform various operations into a volatile memory. Here, loading means an operation of loading and storing data stored in a non-volatile memory into a volatile memory so that the processor (190) can access it.

[0082] Meanwhile, the memory (160) may be implemented as a non-volatile memory (e.g., hard disk, SSD (Solid state drive), flash memory), volatile memory (which may also include memory within at least one processor (170)), etc.

[0083] At least one processor (170) can control the electronic device (100) according to at least one instruction stored in the memory (160).

[0084] In particular, at least one processor (170) may include one or more processors. Specifically, the one or more processors may include one or more of a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), an Accelerated Processing Unit (APU), a Many Integrated Core (MIC), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a Neural Processing Unit (NPU), a hardware accelerator, or a machine learning accelerator. The one or more processors may control one or any combination of other components of the electronic device, and may perform operations related to communication or data processing. The one or more processors may execute one or more programs or instructions stored in a memory. For example, the one or more processors may perform a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure by executing one or more instructions stored in a memory.

[0085] When a method according to one embodiment includes a plurality of operations, the plurality of operations may be performed by one processor or by a plurality of processors. That is, when a first operation, a second operation, and a third operation are performed by the method, the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation may all be performed by the first processor, or the first operation and the second operation may be performed by the first processor (e.g., a general-purpose processor) and the third operation may be performed by the second processor (e.g., an artificial intelligence-specific processor).

[0086] One or more processors may be implemented as a single core processor including one core, or may be implemented as one or more multicore processors including multiple cores (e.g., homogeneous multicores or heterogeneous multicores). When one or more processors are implemented as a multicore processor, each of the multiple cores included in the multicore processor may include internal processor memory, such as cache memory or on-chip memory, and a common cache shared by the multiple cores may be included in the multicore processor. In addition, each of the multiple cores (or some of the multiple cores) included in the multicore processor may independently read and execute a program instruction for implementing a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, or all (or some) of the multiple cores may be linked to read and execute a program instruction for implementing the method.

[0087] When a method according to one embodiment includes a plurality of operations, the plurality of operations may be performed by one core among the plurality of cores included in the multi-core processor, or may be performed by the plurality of cores. For example, when a first operation, a second operation, and a third operation are performed by the method, the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation may all be performed by a first core included in the multi-core processor, or the first operation and the second operation may be performed by a first core included in the multi-core processor, and the third operation may be performed by a second core included in the multi-core processor.

[0088] At least one processor (170) obtains information about a folding angle between the electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) through the first sensor (131) while the electronic device (100) is connected to at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) and operates in a multi-display mode. The at least one processor (170) identifies channel mapping information of an audio signal corresponding to the folding angle. The at least one processor (170) processes an input audio signal into a plurality of channels based on the channel mapping information. The at least one processor (170) controls the communication interface (140) to output audio signals of some of the plurality of channels through at least one speaker (120) and to transmit information about audio signals of the remaining some of the plurality of channels to the at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2).

[0089] In one or more embodiments, when the electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) are in an unfolded state, at least one processor (170) may process the input audio signal into a plurality of channels according to first channel mapping information. In addition, when the electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) are folded at a first folding angle, at least one processor (170) may process the input audio signal into a plurality of channels according to second channel mapping information. At this time, the first channel mapping information and the second channel mapping information may be different from each other. That is, the electronic device (100) may process the audio signal using different channel mapping information depending on the folding state between the electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2).

[0090] At least one processor (170) can identify volume information of audio signals of each of a plurality of channels according to a folding angle. At least one processor (170) can control a communication interface (140) to transmit information to at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) for controlling to output audio signals of some channels at a first volume through at least one speaker (120) based on the volume information and to output audio signals of the remaining some channels at a second volume. At this time, the first volume is greater than the second volume, and the second volume may decrease as the folding angle increases. As a result, a difference in audio signal volume that may occur depending on the distance between the electronic devices and the user depending on the folding angle can be reduced, thereby maintaining sound balance.

[0091] At least one processor (170) can identify delay information of audio signals of each of a plurality of channels according to a folding angle. At least one processor (170) can control a communication interface (140) to transmit information to at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) for controlling to output audio signals of some channels through at least one speaker (120) based on the delay information and to delay and output the remaining audio signals for a first time period. At this time, as the folding angle increases, the first time period for which the delay is performed may become longer. That is, a distance difference occurs between the electronic devices and the user due to folding, and this may break the balance of the audio signals that the user hears through the left and right speakers. However, as in the present invention, by delaying and outputting audio signals of some electronic devices, the left and right balance of the sound can be adjusted, and the problem of the screen and the sound being inconsistent can be solved.

[0092] At least one processor (170) can detect the location of the user through the second sensor (132). The at least one processor (170) can adjust at least one of the volume and delay time of audio signals of a plurality of channels based on the location of the user and the distances between the electronic device and the at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2). Specifically, the at least one processor (170) can adjust the volume of an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a first distance from the location of the user to a first volume, and adjust the volume of an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a second distance further than the first distance from the location of the user to a second volume. At this time, the second volume can be louder than the first volume. In addition, the at least one processor (170) can adjust an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a first distance from the location of the user to be delayed for a second time compared to an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a second distance further than the first distance from the location of the user. By this, a personalized audio signal environment can be provided by adjusting the volume and delay time of the audio signal depending on the user's location.

[0093] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 3A to 5B are drawings for explaining implementations of remapping channels of an audio signal according to the configuration of a multi-display system.

[0094] The multi-display system (1) can identify channel mapping information corresponding to the configuration information of the multi-display system (1), and process an input audio signal based on the channel mapping information. That is, the multi-display system (1) can identify channel mapping information based on the connection locations of the main electronic device (100) and the sub-electronic device (200), information about speakers included in the electronic devices (e.g., the number of speakers, the positions of the speakers), etc., and process an input audio signal based on the identified channel mapping information.

[0095] When the main electronic device (100) is not connected to the sub-electronic device, the main electronic device (100) can process the input audio signal into a two-channel audio signal and output it, as shown on the left side of FIG. 3A. That is, the main electronic device (100) can output the audio signal of the left channel through the left speaker (121) and the audio signal of the right channel through the right speaker (122). However, when the sub-electronic device (200) is connected to the right side of the main electronic device (100), the main electronic device (100) can identify channel mapping information based on information and position information about the speakers of the main electronic device (100) and the sub-electronic device (200) that constitute the multi-display system. That is, when a sub-electronic device (200) is connected to a main electronic device (100), the main electronic device (100) can receive information about a speaker included in the sub-electronic device (200) from the sub-electronic device (200), and the main electronic device (100) can identify channel mapping information based on the received information about the speaker included in the sub-electronic device (200), information about the speaker included in the main electronic device (100), and location information to which the sub-electronic device (200) is connected. At this time, the main electronic device (100) can process and output an input audio signal into three channels (right channel, left channel, center channel) based on the identified channel mapping information, as shown on the right side of FIG. 3A. At this time, the main electronic device (100) can output an audio signal of a left channel through a left speaker (121), and an audio signal of a center channel through a right speaker (122). In addition, the main electronic device (100) can transmit a control signal to the sub-electronic device (200) to output an audio signal of the light channel, and the sub-electronic device (200) can output the audio signal of the light channel through the speaker (210) in response to the control signal.At this time, the control signal may include information about the audio signal of the light channel.

[0096] As illustrated in FIG. 3B, while the main electronic device (100) outputs a two-channel audio signal, the sub-electronic device (200) may be connected to the left side of the main electronic device (100). As in the case of FIG. 3A, the main electronic device (100) may identify channel mapping information based on information and location information about speakers of the main electronic device (100) and the sub-electronic device (200) constituting the multi-display system. In particular, the main electronic device (100) may receive information about speakers included in the sub-electronic device (200) from the sub-electronic device (200), and the main electronic device (100) may identify channel mapping information based on the received information about speakers included in the sub-electronic device (200), information about speakers included in the main electronic device (100), and location information to which the sub-electronic device (200) is connected. At this time, the main electronic device (100) can process and output the input audio signal into three channels (right channel, left channel, center channel) based on the identified channel mapping information, as shown on the right side of FIG. 3B. At this time, the main electronic device (100) can output the audio signal of the center channel through the left speaker (121) and the audio signal of the right channel through the right speaker (122). In addition, the main electronic device (100) can transmit a control signal to the sub-electronic device (200) to output the audio signal of the left channel, and the sub-electronic device (200) can output the audio signal of the left channel through the speaker (210) in response to the control signal.

[0097] As illustrated in FIG. 4a, when the second main electronic device (100-2) is connected to the right side of the first main electronic device (100-1) while the first main electronic device (100-1) outputs a two-channel audio signal, the first main electronic device (100-1) can identify channel mapping information based on information and location information about the speakers of the first and second main electronic devices (100-1, 100-2) that constitute the multi-display system. In particular, the first main electronic device (100-1) can receive information about a speaker included in the second main electronic device (100-2) from the second main electronic device (100-2), and the first main electronic device (100-1) can identify channel mapping information based on the received information about the speaker included in the second main electronic device (100-2), information about the speaker included in the first main electronic device (100-1), and location information to which the second main electronic device (100-2) is connected. At this time, the first main electronic device (100-1) can process and output an input audio signal into four channels (right channel, left channel, surround left channel, surround right channel) based on the identified channel mapping information, as illustrated on the right side of FIG. 4A. At this time, the first main electronic device (100-1) can output an audio signal of a surround left channel through a left speaker (121-1) and an audio signal of a left channel through a right speaker (122-1). In addition, the first main electronic device (100-1) can transmit a control signal to the second main electronic device (100-2) to output audio signals of a light channel and a surround light channel, and the second main electronic device (100-2) can output an audio signal of a light channel through a left speaker (121-2) and an audio signal of a surround light channel through a right speaker (122-2) in response to the control signal.

[0098] As illustrated in FIG. 4B, when the main electronic device (100) outputs a two-channel audio signal while the first sub-electronic device (200-1) is connected to the left side of the main electronic device (100) and the second sub-electronic device (200-2) is connected to the right side of the main electronic device (100), the main electronic device (100) can identify channel mapping information based on information about speakers and location information of the main electronic device (100) and the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2) constituting the multi-display system. In particular, the main electronic device (100) can receive information about speakers from the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2), and the main electronic device (100) can identify channel mapping information based on the received information about speakers, information about speakers included in the main electronic device (100), and location information about where the sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2) are connected. At this time, the main electronic device (100) can process and output the input audio signal into 4 channels (right channel, left channel, surround left channel, and surround right channel) based on the identified channel mapping information, as shown on the right side of FIG. 4B. At this time, the main electronic device (100) can output the audio signal of the left channel through the left speaker (121) and the audio signal of the right channel through the right speaker (122). In addition, the main electronic device (100) can transmit a control signal to the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2) to output the audio signals of the surround left channel and the surround right channel, and the first sub-electronic device (200-1) can output the audio signal of the surround left channel through the speaker (210-1) in response to the control signal, and the second sub-electronic device (200-2) can output the audio signal of the surround right channel through the speaker (210-2) in response to the control signal.

[0099] As described in FIGS. 3A to 4B, when another electronic device is connected horizontally to the main electronic device (100), by processing it into a 3-channel or 4-channel audio signal, the sound stage becomes wider as the physical distance between the speaker outputting the left channel and the speaker outputting the right channel increases, and immersive audio can be provided.

[0100] In one embodiment, as illustrated on the left side of FIG. 5A, when a second main electronic device (100-2) is connected to the top of the first main electronic device (100-1) while the first main electronic device (100-1) outputs a two-channel audio signal, the first main electronic device (100-1) can receive information about a speaker included in the second main electronic device (100-2) from the second main electronic device (100-2), and the first main electronic device (100-1) can identify channel mapping information based on the received information about the speaker included in the second main electronic device (100-2), information about the speaker included in the first main electronic device (100-1), and location information to which the second main electronic device (100-2) is connected. At this time, the main electronic device (100) can process and output the input audio signal into 4 channels (right channel, left channel, top right channel, top left channel) based on the identified channel mapping information, as shown on the right side of FIG. 5A. Specifically, the first main electronic device (100-1) can output the audio signal of the left channel through the left speaker (121-1) and the audio signal of the right channel through the right speaker (122-1). In addition, the first main electronic device (100-1) can transmit a control signal to the second main electronic device (100-2) to output the audio signals of the top right channel and the top left right channel, and the second main electronic device (100-2) can output the audio signal of the top left channel through the left speaker (121-2) and the audio signal of the top right channel through the right speaker (122-2) in response to the control signal.

[0101] In one embodiment, as shown on the left side of FIG. 5B, when the main electronic device (100) outputs a two-channel audio signal while the first sub-electronic device (200-1) is connected to the left side of the main electronic device (100) and the second sub-electronic device (200-2) is connected to the right side of the main electronic device (100), the main electronic device (100) can identify channel mapping information based on information and location information about speakers of the main electronic device (100), the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2) that constitute the multi-display system. That is, when the first sub-electronic device (200-1) is connected to the left side of the main electronic device (100) and the second sub-electronic device (200-2) is connected to the right side, the main electronic device (100) can receive information about speakers (the number of speakers and information about the position of the speakers) from the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2), and the main electronic device (100) can identify channel mapping information based on the received information about the speakers, information about the speakers included in the main electronic device (100), and information about the positions to which the sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2) are connected. At this time, the main electronic device (100) can process and output the input audio signal into 4 channels (right channel, left channel, top left channel, top right channel) based on the identified channel mapping information, as illustrated on the right side of FIG. 5B. At this time, the main electronic device (100) can output the audio signal of the left channel through the left speaker (121-1) and output the audio signal of the right channel through the right speaker (122-1).And, the main electronic device (100) can transmit a control signal to output audio signals of a top left channel and a top right channel to the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2), and the first sub-electronic device (200-1) can output an audio signal of a top left channel through a speaker (210-1) in response to the control signal, and the second sub-electronic device (200-2) can output an audio signal of a top right channel through a speaker (210-2) in response to the control signal.

[0102] As shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b, when electronic devices are connected in a vertical direction or electronic devices with speakers positioned at the top are connected, the multi-display system (1) can implement audio of a top channel corresponding to ATMOS by adding a top channel (or height channel).

[0103] As described in FIGS. 3A to 5B , the electronic device (100) can identify channel mapping information based on configuration information of the multi-display system (e.g., information about the locations of other connected electronic devices and information about speakers included in the other electronic devices) to expand audio signals. Accordingly, a user can receive content through expanded audio signals along with an expanded screen.

[0104] In particular, as shown in FIG. 6, when the main electronic device (100) and another electronic device provide audio signals together, not only can the bass characteristics (610) be improved compared to when the audio signal is provided only through the main electronic device (100), but also the sound volume characteristics (620) can be improved.

[0105] In addition, the main electronic device (100) can detect a folding angle between the main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2), and identify channel mapping information based on the detected folding angle. In addition, the main electronic device (100) can process an input audio signal into a plurality of channels based on the identified channel mapping information. In addition, the main electronic device (100) can control the communication interface (140) to output audio signals of some of the plurality of channels through at least one speaker (120), and transmit information on audio signals of the remaining some of the plurality of channels to at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2).

[0106] Specifically, when the main electronic device (100) and the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2) are in an unfolded state (e.g., aligned in a straight line) as illustrated in FIG. 7A, the main electronic device (100) can output an audio signal of a left channel through the left speaker (121) of the main electronic device (100), and can output an audio signal of a right channel through the right speaker (122OEC14159EP), as described above.

[0107] And, as illustrated in FIG. 7b, the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2) may be in a folded state (e.g., folded inward toward the listener). In this case, the main electronic device (100) may obtain information about a first folding angle between the main electronic device (100) and the first sub-electronic device (200-1) and a second folding angle between the main electronic device (100) and the second sub-electronic device (200-2) through the first sensor (131). At this time, the first folding angle and the second folding angle may be the same, but this is merely an example, and they may be different angles.

[0108] The main electronic device (100) can identify channel mapping information corresponding to the first folding angle and the second folding angle. At this time, the channel mapping information may be pre-stored in the memory (160) according to the folding angle. For example, if the first folding angle and the second folding angle are each 30 degrees, the channel mapping information may include information for mapping the input audio signal to three channels.

[0109] The main electronic device (100) can process and output an input audio signal into three channels (left channel, right channel, center channel) based on channel mapping information, as illustrated in FIG. 7B. At this time, the main electronic device (100) can output the audio signal of the center channel through the left speaker (121) and the right speaker (122). In addition, the main electronic device (100) can transmit a control signal to output the audio signal of the left channel to the first sub-electronic device (200-1), and can transmit a control signal to output the audio signal of the right channel to the second sub-electronic device (200-1). The first sub-electronic device (200-1) can output the audio signal of the left channel through the speaker (210-1) in response to the control signal, and the second sub-electronic device (200-2) can output the audio signal of the right channel through the speaker (210-2) in response to the control signal.

[0110] That is, the main electronic device (100) can process and output the input audio signal based on different channel mapping information in the unfolded and folded states of the multi-display system (1). Specifically, when the multi-display system (1) is unfolded, the audio signals of the right channel and the left channel are output through the main electronic device (100) to correspond to the expanded screen, and the audio signals of the surround channels are output through the plurality of sub-devices (200-1, 200-2), thereby providing a wide range of sound stage. In addition, when the multi-display system (1) is folded, the audio signals of the center channel are output through the main electronic device (100) to provide focused audio to the user, and the audio signals of the left channel and the right channel are output through the plurality of sub-devices (200-1, 200-2), thereby providing a sound stage customized for the user.

[0111] Meanwhile, the main electronic device (100) can process the input audio signal based on different channel mapping information according to the folding angle. For example, when the folding angle is less than a first threshold value (e.g., 30 degrees), the main electronic device (100) can process the audio signal inputted in 4 channels (e.g., light channel, left channel, surround light channel, surround left channel). When the folding angle is greater than or equal to the first threshold value, the main electronic device (100) can process the audio signal inputted in 3 channels (e.g., light channel, left channel, center channel). In this case, the first threshold value may be preset during manufacturing, but this may be only an example and may be set by the user.

[0112] In addition, the main electronic device (100) can identify information about the volume information and delay time of each audio signal of a plurality of channels according to the folding angle, and output audio signals of the plurality of channels based on the identified volume information and delay time information. At this time, the delay time may mean a time delayed based on the time at which the speaker of the electronic device outputs the audio signal when in an unfolded state. At this time, information about the volume information and delay time of each audio signal of the plurality of channels may be pre-stored in the memory according to the folding angle.

[0113] Specifically, the main electronic device (100) can identify volume information of audio signals of each of a plurality of channels according to the folding angle. Then, the main electronic device (100) can transmit information to at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) for controlling the output of audio signals of some channels at a first volume through at least one speaker (120) and the output of audio signals of the remaining channels at a second volume based on the volume information.

[0114] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8a, when the multi-display system (1) is in an unfolded state, the speakers of the main electronic device (100) and the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2) can all output audio signals at 100% volume.

[0115] And, as shown in FIG. 8b, when the multi-display system (1) is folded, if the speakers of the main electronic device (100) and the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2) all output audio signals at 100% volume, the audio signals output through the speakers of the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2) that are relatively closer to the user may be perceived as louder, which may cause a problem of sound balance being broken.

[0116] Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 8b, when the multi-display system (1) is folded, the main electronic device (100) may output audio signals of some channels among the plurality of channels at a first volume (e.g., 100%), and may transmit information for controlling the output of the remaining audio signals at a second volume (e.g., 70%) to at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2). That is, the second volume output by the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2) close to the user may be lower than the first volume output by the main electronic device (100) located far from the user. At this time, the information for controlling the output to the second volume may include information about the audio signals of the remaining channels and information about the second volume.

[0117] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 8c, when only the second sub-electronic device (200-2) among the plurality of sub-electronic devices included in the multi-display system (1) is folded with respect to the main electronic device (100), the main electronic device (100) can output audio signals of some channels among the plurality of channels at a first volume (e.g., 100%), and transmit information for controlling audio signals of the remaining first some channels to be output at the first volume (e.g., 100%) to the first sub-electronic device (200-1), and transmit information for controlling audio signals of the remaining second some channels to be output at the second volume (e.g., 70%) to the second sub-electronic device (200-1).

[0118] Meanwhile, according to an example, as the folding angle increases, the second volume may become smaller. That is, as the folding angle increases, the distance between the sub-electronic device (200) and the user becomes closer, and therefore, as the folding angle increases, the second volume may become smaller.

[0119] In addition, the main electronic device (100) and the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2) can change the volume of the audio signal in the pre-DSP stage according to the folding angle, and can optimize and process the volume in the amplifier stage, which is the post-DSP stage.

[0120] In addition, the main electronic device (100) can identify delay information of audio signals of each of the plurality of channels according to the folding angle. Then, the main electronic device (100) can transmit information to at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) for controlling to output audio signals of some of the plurality of channels through at least one speaker (120) based on the delay information and to output audio signals of the remaining some of the channels by delaying them for a first time period.

[0121] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9a, in order to allow the user to hear audio signals output by multiple electronic devices at the same time when the multi-display system (1) is in an unfolded state, the main electronic device (100) may output audio signals of some channels at a second time, and the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2) may output audio signals of the remaining some channels at a third time that is a preset time (e.g., 10 ms) later than the second time.

[0122] And, as illustrated in FIG. 9b, when the multi-display system (1) is in a folded state, if the speakers of the main electronic device (100) and the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2) output audio signals in the same manner as in the unfolded state, the audio signals output through the speakers of the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2) that are relatively close to the user may arrive at the user's hearing before the audio signals output through the speakers of the main electronic device (100). Since the user perceives that the sound is reproduced from the speaker that can be heard the fastest, a problem of sound balance being broken may occur.

[0123] Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 9b, when the multi-display system (1) is in a first angle folded state, the main electronic device (100) can output audio signals of some channels among the plurality of channels at a second time, and transmit information for controlling the output of the remaining audio signals at a second time delayed by a preset time (e.g., 10 ms) from the existing third time to at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2). That is, by delaying and outputting audio signals output by the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2) that are close to the user, the user can hear audio signals output by the plurality of electronic devices at the same time. Thereby, the multi-display system (1) can adjust the left / right balance of the sound image, and can solve the problem of the screen and the sound image not being inconsistent.

[0124] Additionally, according to one embodiment, the first delayed time may be longer as the folding angle increases. That is, as the folding angle increases, the distance between the sub-electronic device (200) and the user decreases, and thus, the delayed time may be increased as the folding angle increases.

[0125] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9c, when the multi-display system (1) is folded at a second angle greater than the first angle, the main electronic device (100) can output audio signals of some channels among the plurality of channels at a second time, and transmit information to at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) for controlling the output of the remaining audio signals at a fourth time that is delayed by a preset time (e.g., 20 ms) from the existing third time. That is, as the folding angle increases, the audio signals output by the first and second sub-electronic devices (200-1, 200-2), which become closer to the user, are further delayed and output, thereby enabling the user to hear audio signals output by the plurality of electronic devices at the same time.

[0126] As described above, by adjusting at least one of the volume and delay time depending on the folding angle, it is possible to provide a sound environment with a balanced sound image to the user.

[0127] In addition, the main electronic device (100) can detect the user's location (or the user's face location) through the second sensor (132). In addition, the main electronic device (100) can adjust at least one of the volume and delay time of the audio signals of the multiple channels based on the user's location and the distance between the main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2).

[0128] The main electronic device (100) can adjust the volume of an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a first distance from the user's position to a first volume, and can adjust the volume of an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a second distance further than the first distance from the user's position to a second volume. In this case, the second volume may be louder than the first volume.

[0129] That is, by adjusting the volume of the audio signal output by the electronic device located farther from the user so that the volume of the audio signal output by the electronic device located closer to the user is greater than the volume of the audio signal output by the main electronic device (100), the sound balance of the multi-display system (1) can be maintained.

[0130] Additionally, the main electronic device (100) can be adjusted to output an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a first distance from the user's location with a second delay compared to an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a second distance further than the first distance from the user's location.

[0131] That is, the main electronic device (100) delays and outputs the audio signal output by an electronic device close to the user at a volume greater than that of the audio signal output by an electronic device far from the user, thereby maintaining the sound balance of the multi-display system (1).

[0132] Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method of processing audio signals according to the configuration and folding of a multi-display system.

[0133] The main electronic device (100) can identify whether at least one sub-electronic device is connected to the main electronic device (100) (S1010).

[0134] When it is identified that at least one sub-electronic device is connected to the main electronic device (100) (S1010-Y), the main electronic device (100) can obtain configuration information of the multi-display system (1) (S1020). At this time, the configuration information may include information about the electronic devices constituting the multi-display system (1) (e.g., information about speakers included in the electronic devices), information about the connection status of the electronic devices constituting the multi-display system (1), etc.

[0135] The main electronic device (100) can process audio signals according to configuration information (S1030). That is, in the same manner as described in FIGS. 3A to 5B, the main electronic device (100) can process input audio signals into multiple channels according to configuration information.

[0136] The main electronic device (100) can output a portion of the processed audio signal and transmit the remaining portion to at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) (S1040). That is, the main electronic device (100) can output audio signals of some channels of the processed audio signal through a speaker, and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) can output audio signals of the remaining portion of channels through a speaker according to a control signal received from the main electronic device (100).

[0137] The main electronic device (100) can identify whether the main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) are folded (S1050).

[0138] When the main electronic device (100) and at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) are folded (S1050-Y), the main electronic device (100) can identify the folding angle and the user position (S1060). That is, the main electronic device (100) can identify the folding angle through the first sensor (131) and can identify the user position through the second sensor (132).

[0139] The main electronic device (100) can process audio signals based on the folding angle and user position (S1070). That is, the main electronic device (100) can process input audio signals into multiple channels and adjust volume and delay time in the same manner as described in FIGS. 7A to 9C.

[0140] And, the main electronic device (100) can output a part of the processed audio signal and transmit the remaining part to at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2). The main electronic device (100) can transmit the processed audio signal to at least one sub-electronic device (200-1, 200-2) based on information about volume information and delay time. In this case, the sub-electronic device (200) can output the received audio signal right away. The main electronic device (100) can transmit information about volume information and delay time and an audio signal of a channel corresponding to the sub-electronic device (200). In this case, the sub-electronic device (200) can process and then output the audio signal of the channel corresponding to the sub-electronic device (200) based on information about volume information and delay time.

[0141] Figure 11 is a flowchart for explaining a control method of an electronic device.

[0142] First, while the electronic device (100) is connected to at least one other electronic device and operates in a multi-display mode, the electronic device (100) obtains information about a folding angle between the electronic device (100) and at least one other electronic device (S1110).

[0143] The electronic device (100) identifies channel mapping information of an audio signal corresponding to a folding angle (S1120).

[0144] The electronic device (100) processes the input audio signal into multiple channels based on channel mapping information (S1130). At this time, if the electronic device (100) and at least one other electronic device are in an unfolded state, the electronic device (100) can process the input audio signal into multiple channels based on the first channel mapping information. If the electronic device (100) and at least one other electronic device are folded at a first folding angle, the electronic device (100) can process the input audio signal into multiple channels based on the second channel mapping information.

[0145] An electronic device (100) outputs audio signals of some of the channels among a plurality of channels through at least one speaker, and transmits information about audio signals of some of the remaining channels among the plurality of channels to at least one other electronic device (S1140).

[0146] In addition, the electronic device (100) can identify volume information of audio signals of each of the plurality of channels according to the folding angle. In addition, the electronic device (100) can transmit information to at least one other electronic device for controlling the output of audio signals of some channels at a first volume through at least one speaker (120) based on the volume information, and the output of audio signals of the remaining portion at a second volume. In this case, the first volume may be greater than the second volume, and the second volume may become smaller as the folding angle increases.

[0147] Additionally, the electronic device (100) can identify delay information of audio signals of each of a plurality of channels according to the folding angle. Based on the delay information, the electronic device (100) can transmit information to at least one other electronic device for controlling the output of audio signals of some channels through at least one speaker (120) and the output of audio signals of the remaining portion after delaying them for a first time period. In this case, as the folding angle increases, the first delayed time period can become longer.

[0148] In addition, the electronic device (100) can detect the user's location. In addition, the electronic device (100) can adjust at least one of the volume and delay time of audio signals of multiple channels based on the user's location and the distance between the electronic device (100) and at least one other electronic device.

[0149] At this time, the electronic device (100) can adjust the volume of an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a first distance from the user's location to a first volume, and can adjust the volume of an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a second distance further than the first distance from the user's location to a second volume. At this time, the second volume may be louder than the first volume.

[0150] Additionally, the electronic device (100) can be adjusted to output an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a first distance from the user's location with a second delay compared to an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a second distance further than the first distance from the user's location.

[0151] Meanwhile, the methods according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be provided as included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) through an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product (e.g., a downloadable app) may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

[0152] The methods according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented as software including instructions stored in a machine-readable storage medium that can be read by a machine (e.g., a computer). The device may include an electronic device according to the disclosed embodiments, as a device capable of calling the instructions stored in the storage medium and operating according to the called instructions.

[0153] Meanwhile, a device-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, the term "non-transitory storage medium" simply means a tangible device that does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves). This term does not distinguish between cases where data is permanently stored in the storage medium and cases where data is temporarily stored. For example, a "non-transitory storage medium" may include a buffer in which data is temporarily stored.

[0154] When the above instruction is executed by the processor, the processor may perform the function corresponding to the instruction directly or by using other components under the control of the processor. The instruction may include code generated or executed by a compiler or interpreter.

[0155] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made by a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electronic device capable of being connected to at least one other electronic device and providing a multi-display system, display; At least one speaker for outputting audio signals; At least one first sensor for detecting a folding angle between the electronic device and the at least one other electronic device when the electronic device is connected to the at least one other electronic device; A communication interface for communicating with at least one other electronic device; memory; and While the electronic device is connected to the at least one other electronic device and operates in a multi-display mode, information about a folding angle between the electronic device and the at least one other electronic device is obtained through the first sensor, Identifying channel mapping information of audio signals corresponding to the above folding angle, Processing an input audio signal into multiple channels based on the above channel mapping information, An electronic device comprising a processor that controls the communication interface to output audio signals of some of the plurality of channels through at least one speaker and transmit information about audio signals of the remaining some of the plurality of channels to at least one other electronic device.

2. In paragraph 1, The above processor, When the electronic device and at least one other electronic device are in an unfolded state, the input audio signal is processed into multiple channels according to the first channel mapping information, An electronic device that processes the input audio signal into multiple channels according to second channel mapping information when the electronic device and at least one other electronic device are folded at a first folding angle.

3. In paragraph 1, The above processor, Identifying the volume information of the audio signal of each of the plurality of channels according to the folding angle, An electronic device that controls the communication interface to transmit information to the at least one other electronic device to control outputting audio signals of the some channels at a first volume through the at least one speaker and outputting audio signals of the remaining some channels at a second volume based on the volume information.

4. In paragraph 3, The above first volume is larger than the above second volume, An electronic device characterized in that the second volume becomes smaller as the folding angle increases.

5. In paragraph 1, The above processor, Delay information of audio signals of each of the plurality of channels is identified according to the folding angle, An electronic device that controls the communication interface to transmit information to the at least one other electronic device to control the audio signals of the some channels to be output through the at least one speaker based on the delay information and the audio signals of the remaining some channels to be output by delaying them for a first time period.

6. In paragraph 5, An electronic device characterized in that the first delayed time becomes longer as the folding angle increases.

7. In paragraph 1, further comprising a second sensor for detecting the user's location; The above processor, Detecting the user's location through the second sensor, An electronic device that adjusts at least one of the volume and delay time of audio signals of the plurality of channels based on the location of the user and the distance between the electronic device and the at least one other electronic device.

8. In paragraph 7, The above processor, Adjusting the volume of an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a first distance from the user's location to a first volume, and adjusting the volume of an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a second distance further than the first distance from the user's location to a second volume, An electronic device wherein the second volume is larger than the first volume.

9. In paragraph 1, The above processor, An electronic device that controls an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a first distance from the user's location to be output with a second delay compared to an audio signal output by an electronic device located at a second distance further than the first distance from the user's location.

10. In paragraph 1, An electronic device in which channel mapping information of audio signals corresponding to the above folding angles is stored in the memory.

11. A method for controlling an electronic device capable of being connected to at least one other electronic device and providing a multi-display system, A step of obtaining information on a folding angle between the electronic device and the at least one other electronic device while the electronic device is connected to the at least one other electronic device and operates in a multi-display mode; A step of identifying channel mapping information of an audio signal corresponding to the above folding angle; A step of processing an input audio signal into multiple channels based on the channel mapping information; and A control method comprising the steps of: outputting audio signals of some of the plurality of channels through at least one speaker, and transmitting information about audio signals of some of the remaining channels of the plurality of channels to at least one other electronic device.

12. In paragraph 11, When the electronic device and at least one other electronic device are in an unfolded state, the input audio signal is processed into multiple channels according to the first channel mapping information, A control method comprising: a step of processing the input audio signal into a plurality of channels according to second channel mapping information when the electronic device and at least one other electronic device are folded at a first folding angle.

13. In paragraph 11, Further comprising a step of identifying volume information of audio signals of each of the plurality of channels according to the folding angle; A control method comprising: a step of transmitting information for controlling the audio signals of some of the channels to be output through at least one speaker at a first volume and the audio signals of the remaining some channels to be output at a second volume to at least one other electronic device based on the volume information; 14. In paragraph 13, The above first volume is larger than the above second volume, A control method characterized in that the second volume becomes smaller as the folding angle increases.

15. In paragraph 11, Further comprising a step of identifying delay information of audio signals of each of the plurality of channels according to the folding angle; A control method comprising: a step of transmitting information for controlling the audio signals of some of the channels to be output through at least one speaker based on the delay information, and the audio signals of the remaining some to be output with a delay for a first time period to at least one other electronic device.

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