Foldable electronic device for recognizing reverse folding, operating method therefor, and storage medium

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a method for recognizing reverse folding in a foldable electronic device may comprise the operations of: identifying, via a first sensor, a first angle between a first housing and a second housing when the first housing is folded to face the second housing, and a second angle between a third housing and the second housing when the third housing is folded to face the second housing; identifying, on the basis of the first angle and the second angle, that the foldable electronic device is in a first state in which the first housing is folded to face the second housing; in response to identifying that the foldable electronic device is in the first state, identifying, on the basis of a sensor value obtained via a second sensor (277), that the foldable electronic device is in a second state in which the third housing is not folded to face the second housing; and outputting, on the basis of identifying that the foldable electronic device is in the first state and the second state, a notification indicating that the folding order of the first housing and the third housing with respect to the second housing is incorrect.

Description

Foldable electronic device for recognizing reverse folding, method of operation thereof, and storage medium

[0001] One embodiment disclosed in this document relates to a foldable electronic device for recognizing reverse folding, a method of operating the same, and a storage medium.

[0002] As the variety of services and additional features offered through electronic devices such as smartphones continues to increase, a variety of applications capable of running on these devices are being developed. Furthermore, the hardware and / or software components of these devices are also continuously evolving.

[0003] In line with the recent consumer trend of placing importance on design, in the development of electronic devices, the convenience of use is also given importance along with the external design of the electronic device.

[0004] For example, electronic devices may adopt novel form factors, such as dual-display electronic devices (e.g., foldable electronic devices). Foldable electronic devices feature a foldable (or bendable) display (e.g., a flexible display) that can be used in a folded or unfolded state. Accordingly, the foldable electronic device can adaptively operate its display to respond to its folded (or folding) state or unfolded (or unfolding) state.

[0005] The above information may be provided as background art 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.

[0006] According to one embodiment, a foldable electronic device may include a foldable housing, the foldable housing including a first housing, a second housing, and a third housing, the second housing being disposed between the first housing and the third housing, a first hinge rotatably connecting the third housing to the second housing, a second hinge rotatably connecting the first housing to the second housing, a width of the second hinge being wider than a width of the first hinge so that the first housing is folded to face the third housing after the third housing is folded to face the second housing, a flexible display disposed in the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing, a first sensor, a second sensor configured to detect proximity between the first housing and the third housing, at least one processor including a processing circuit, and a memory storing instructions.

[0007] According to one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the foldable electronic device to determine, through the first sensor, a first angle between the first housing and the second housing as the first housing is folded to face the second housing, and a second angle between the third housing and the second housing as the third housing is folded to face the second housing.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the foldable electronic device to determine, based on the first angle and the second angle, that the foldable electronic device is in a first state in which the first housing is folded facing the second housing.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the foldable electronic device to determine, based on a sensor value acquired through the second sensor, that the foldable electronic device is in a second state in which the third housing is not folded to face the second housing, in response to determining that the foldable electronic device is in the first state.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the foldable electronic device to output a notification indicating that the folding order of the first housing and the third housing is incorrect for the second housing based on determining that the foldable electronic device is in the first state and the second state.

[0011] According to one embodiment, a method for recognizing reverse folding in a foldable electronic device may include an operation of checking, through a first sensor, a first angle between a first housing and a second housing as the first housing is folded to face the second housing, and a second angle between a third housing and the second housing as the third housing is folded to face the second housing.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the method may include an operation of determining, based on the first angle and the second angle, that the foldable electronic device is in a first state in which the first housing is folded facing the second housing.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the method may include, in response to determining that the foldable electronic device is in the first state, an operation of determining, based on a sensor value acquired through a second sensor, that the foldable electronic device is in a second state in which the third housing is not folded to face the second housing.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the method may include an operation of outputting a notification to indicate that the folding order of the first housing and the third housing is incorrect for the second housing based on determining that the foldable electronic device is in the first state and the second state.

[0015] In a non-transitory storage medium storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by at least one processor of the foldable electronic device, are configured to cause the foldable electronic device to perform at least one operation, wherein the at least one operation may include an operation of using a first sensor to determine a first angle between the first housing and the second housing as the first housing is folded to face the second housing, and a second angle between the third housing and the second housing as the third housing is folded to face the second housing.

[0016] In one embodiment, the at least one operation may include an operation of determining, based on the first angle and the second angle, that the foldable electronic device is in a first state in which the first housing is folded facing the second housing.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the at least one operation may include, in response to determining that the foldable electronic device is in the first state, an operation of determining, based on a sensor value acquired through a second sensor, that the foldable electronic device is in a second state in which the third housing is not folded to face the second housing.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the at least one operation may include outputting a notification to indicate that the folding order of the first housing and the third housing is incorrect, based on determining that the foldable electronic device is in the first state and the second state.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment according to one embodiment.

[0020] Figure 2 is an internal block diagram of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0021] FIG. 3A is a drawing illustrating an unfolded state on the front side of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 3b is a drawing illustrating an unfolded state at the rear of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0023] FIG. 3c is a drawing illustrating a folding state of a G-type foldable electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 3D is a drawing for explaining a folding sequence of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0025] FIG. 3e is a drawing for explaining a reverse folding state of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a foldable electronic device for recognizing reverse folding according to an embodiment.

[0027] FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining a folding method of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0028] FIG. 6a is an exemplary diagram showing a flex mode according to one embodiment.

[0029] FIG. 6b is a diagram illustrating a method for detecting reverse folding in a book mode according to one embodiment.

[0030] FIG. 7 is a detailed operation flowchart of a foldable electronic device for outputting a notification for a reverse folding state according to one embodiment.

[0031] FIG. 8 is a drawing for explaining a method of detecting folding using a sensor according to one embodiment.

[0032] FIG. 9 is an exemplary diagram showing the arrangement of sensors and magnets of a G-type foldable electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0033] FIG. 10 is an exemplary diagram showing the arrangement of sensors and magnets of an e-type foldable electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0034] FIG. 11a is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method for outputting a notification for reverse folding using a camera flash according to one embodiment.

[0035] FIG. 11b is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method for displaying a notification for reverse folding using a flexible display according to one embodiment.

[0036] FIG. 11c is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method for outputting a notification for reverse folding using a speaker or haptic module according to one embodiment.

[0037] In connection with the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for the same or similar components.

[0038] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) within a network environment (100), according to one embodiment. Referring to FIG. 1 , in the network environment (100), the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (102) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or may communicate with at least one of the electronic device (104) or the server (108) via a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). In 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)).

[0039] 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 a volatile memory (132), process the commands or data stored in the volatile memory (132), and store result data in a 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.

[0040] 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, on the electronic device (101) itself where the artificial intelligence model is executed, 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.

[0041] The memory (130) can store various data used by at least one component (e.g., processor (120) or sensor module (176)) of the electronic device (101). The data can include, for example, software (e.g., program (140)) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory (130) can include volatile memory (132) or non-volatile memory (134).

[0042] 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).

[0043] 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).

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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. According to one embodiment, the display module (160) may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of a force generated by the touch.

[0046] 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).

[0047] The sensor module (176) can detect the operating status (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device (101) or the external environmental status (e.g., user status) and generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected status. According to one embodiment, the sensor module (176) can 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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).

[0050] The 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. According to one embodiment, the haptic module (179) can include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0051] The camera module (180) can capture still images and videos. According to one embodiment, the camera module (180) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0052] 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 as, for example, at least a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0053] 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.

[0054] 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., electronic device (102), electronic device (104), or 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., 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).

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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, for example, by the communication module (190). A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module (190) and an external electronic device via the at least one selected antenna. 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).

[0057] According to various embodiments, 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.

[0058] 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)).

[0059] 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 one 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.

[0060] In the detailed description below, reference numerals in the drawings may be used interchangeably or omitted for components that can be easily understood through the preceding embodiments, and their detailed descriptions may also be omitted. The electronic device (101) according to one embodiment disclosed in this document may be implemented by selectively combining components of different embodiments, and components of one embodiment may be replaced by components of another embodiment. For example, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to specific drawings or embodiments.

[0061] An electronic device may have a deformable structure capable of adjusting the size of the display to satisfy the portability and usability of the electronic device. An electronic device having a deformable structure may include a foldable electronic device in which at least two housings operate in a manner in which they fold or unfold relative to each other.

[0062] Foldable electronic devices may have different display portions visually visible (or exposed) to the user depending on the transition between folding states. For example, in the case of multi-foldable electronic devices with two or more hinge structures, various states can be defined based on the folding or unfolding of the hinge structures. However, foldable electronic devices that require multiple folding cycles must be folded in a specific folding sequence. Failure to do so may result in damage during use or improper use.

[0063] Therefore, for foldable electronic devices that can be folded multiple times, it may be important to prevent damage due to reverse folding when the folding sequence is not consistent.

[0064] In one embodiment, a foldable electronic device, an operating method thereof, and a storage medium for recognizing reverse folding can be provided so as to prevent damage due to reverse folding by notifying a user of a reverse folding state when the foldable electronic device is not folded in a specified folding order.

[0065] In one embodiment, damage to the display panel caused by folding out of sequence can be prevented by warning the user that the display is in a reverse folding state before damage occurs due to reverse folding.

[0066] FIG. 2 is an internal block diagram (200) of a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment. In describing FIG. 2, reference will be made to FIGS. 3A to 3E. FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating an unfolded state at the front of a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment, FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating an unfolded state at the rear of a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment, FIG. 3C is a diagram illustrating a folding state of a G-type foldable electronic device according to an embodiment, FIG. 3D is a diagram for explaining a folding order of a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment, and FIG. 3E is a diagram for explaining a reverse folding state of a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment.

[0067] Referring to FIG. 2, a foldable electronic device (201) (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1) may include at least one processor (220) (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1) and a memory (230) (e.g., the memory (130) of FIG. 1). According to an embodiment, the electronic device (201) may further include at least one sensor (e.g., the sensor module (176) of FIG. 1) including a first sensor (276) and a second sensor (277) and a display (260) (e.g., the display module (160) of FIG. 1). The at least one processor (220) may include processing circuitry. Here, not all components illustrated in FIG. 2 are essential components of the foldable electronic device (201), and the foldable electronic device (201) may be implemented with more or fewer components than the components illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the memory (230) may store at least one command (or instruction) that causes at least one operation of the electronic device (201). The at least one instruction, when executed by the processor (220), may cause the foldable electronic device (201) to perform a corresponding operation.

[0069] According to one embodiment, the processor (220) may detect a transition of the folding state of the foldable electronic device (201) using the first sensor (276) and the second sensor (277). For example, the processor (220) may detect a transition of the foldable electronic device (201) from a fully unfolded state (e.g., the unfolded state of FIG. 3A) to a folded state along at least one folding axis. Based on detecting the transition of the folding state, the processor (220) may identify an area of ​​the display that is activated (or visually exposed or visible to the user) (e.g., a main display area) and another area of ​​the display that is deactivated (or not visually exposed or invisible) (a sub display area).

[0070] According to one embodiment, the processor (220) may obtain data related to the postures of the first housing (303), the second housing (305), and the third housing (307) of FIG. 3A through the first sensor (276). For example, the first sensor (276) may obtain data related to the angle between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305), and the angle between the second housing (305) and the third housing (307).

[0071] According to one embodiment, the first sensor (276) may include at least one of a proximity sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a gyro sensor. The processor (220) may obtain data related to the distance, folded angle, and / or posture between the first housing (303), the second housing (305), and the third housing (307) through the first sensor (276). In addition to the above, the first sensor (276) may also include a strain sensor that outputs a strain value used to indirectly measure the folded angle of the foldable electronic device (201).

[0072] According to one embodiment, the processor (220) may obtain data for determining the operating state (e.g., unfolded state, folded state, and / or intermediate state) of the foldable electronic device (201) through the second sensor (277). According to one embodiment, the second sensor (277) may include a Hall IC.

[0073] According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device (201) may further include a magnet (278). The number of magnets (278) may be one or more, and may be arranged within the third housing (307). The magnets (278) may be arranged at a position facing the second sensor (277) included in the first housing (303) when the third housing (307) is folded along the folding axis. For example, the processor (220) may sense a magnetic field generated by the magnets (278) included in the third housing (307) using the second sensor (277), thereby detecting proximity between the first housing (303) and the third housing (307).

[0074] A Hall sensor (or Hall IC) according to one embodiment can sense a magnetic field generated by one or more magnets (278), and the one or more Hall sensors and the one or more magnets can be placed at different locations within the foldable electronic device (201).

[0075] The positional relationship of the one or more Hall sensors and / or one or more magnets within the foldable electronic device (201) may change depending on the shape of the foldable electronic device (201). The foldable electronic device (201) may measure a change in the positional relationship through the one or more Hall sensors. The change in the positional relationship may cause a change in a magnetic field formed by the one or more magnets. The foldable electronic device (201) may obtain a power signal indicating a change in the magnetic field using the Hall sensor. For example, the foldable electronic device (201) may distinguish a state (e.g., an unfolded state, a folded state, and / or an intermediate state) of the foldable electronic device (201) using the power signal obtained from the Hall sensor. For example, the Hall sensor may output data indicating a folding state of the display (260), and the foldable electronic device (201) may receive data indicating a state of the foldable electronic device (201) from the Hall sensor.

[0076] According to one embodiment, the first sensor (276) and the second sensor (277) can obtain data related to changes in the detected distance, angle, posture, and / or magnetic field. The processor (220) can determine a first angle between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305), and a second angle between the second housing (305) and the third housing (307) based on the changes in the distance, angle, posture, and / or magnetic field. The processor (220) can determine an operating state (e.g., an unfolded state, a folded state, and / or an intermediate state) of the foldable electronic device (201) based on the first angle and the second angle.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the display (260) may be a flexible display including a first display area (or first part) (261), a second display area (or second part) (262), and a third display area (or third part) (263). The display (260) is a display area where an application screen is displayed, and may be divided into a first display area (261), a second display area (262), and a third display area (263) by being partially folded, for example, by a folding axis (e.g., axes B and C in FIG. 3A), as illustrated in FIG. 3A. Although the number of display areas is exemplified as three in FIG. 3A, the number is not limited thereto and may vary depending on the type of the flexible display. For example, the number of areas of the flexible display may increase to a fourth display area or a fifth display area, or may decrease to a first display area or a second display area.

[0078] The shape of the display (260) may change as it is folded or unfolded along a folding axis (e.g., axes B and C in FIG. 3A). For example, the Hall sensor may output different data indicating a folding state of the display (260). The data indicating the folding state of the display (260) may include an angle of the display (260) folded along the folding axis. For example, the foldable electronic device (201) may distinguish a partially folded state of the display (260) (e.g., a flex mode) in response to identifying that the angle of the display (260) folded along the folding axis (e.g., an angle between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305)) is within a specified angular range (e.g., an angular range between 75° and 116°).

[0079] FIG. 3A is a drawing illustrating a front side of a foldable electronic device (201) according to an embodiment, and FIG. 3B is a drawing illustrating a rear side of a foldable electronic device (201) according to an embodiment. The foldable electronic device (201) may include a first housing (303), a second housing (305), a third housing (307), and a display (260). The foldable electronic device (201) may include at least some of the structures and / or functions of the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1.

[0080] In one embodiment, the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) may be arranged on both sides with respect to a folding axis (e.g., C-axis) and may have a shape symmetrical with respect to the folding axis (e.g., C-axis). The second housing (305) and the third housing (307) may be arranged on both sides with respect to a folding axis (e.g., B-axis) and may have a shape symmetrical with respect to the folding axis (e.g., B-axis). The first housing (303) and the second housing (305), and the second housing (305) and the third housing (307) may be configured to fold with respect to each other. The first housing (303), the second housing (305), and the third housing (307) can be folded and overlapped based on a folding axis (e.g., B, C axis) through at least one hinge device (e.g., first hinge (310), second hinge (320)).

[0081] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 3C, the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) can be operated in an in-folding manner in which they are rotated relative to each other about the C-axis. The second housing (305) and the third housing (307) can be operated in an in-folding manner in which they are rotated relative to each other about the B-axis. For example, a case in which the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) are operated in an in-folding manner, and the second housing (305) and the third housing (307) are operated in an in-folding manner, may be referred to as a G-type or e-type foldable.

[0082] In one embodiment, the first housing (303) may include a first face (321) and a second face (322) facing in an opposite direction to the first face (321), the second housing (305) may include a third face (323) and a fourth face (324) facing in an opposite direction to the third face (323), and the third housing (307) may include a fifth face (325) and a sixth face (326) facing in an opposite direction to the fifth face (325). For example, referring to FIG. 3C, when the display (260) of the G-type foldable electronic device (201) is folded (e.g., in-folded) about the C-axis, the first face (321) of the first housing (303) may be faced to face the third face (323) of the second housing (305). When the display (260) is folded (e.g., in-folded) based on the B axis, the fifth side (325) of the third housing (307) and the third side (323) of the second housing (305) may face each other.

[0083] In one embodiment, when folded in a specified folding order, the third housing (307) may be folded to face the second housing (305), and then the first housing (303) may be folded to face the third housing (307). For example, the fifth side (325) of the third housing (307) and the third side (323) of the second housing (305) may be folded to face each other, and the first side (321) of the first housing (303) may be folded to face the sixth side (326) of the third housing (307).

[0084] According to one embodiment, the unfolded state of the foldable electronic device (201) (or display (260)) may include a state in which the foldable electronic device (201) is fully unfolded, with the first housing (303), the second housing (305), and the third housing (307) arranged side by side.

[0085] According to one embodiment, the folded state of the foldable electronic device (201) (or display (260)) may include a state in which the electronic device (201) is fully folded with respect to the B-axis and the C-axis, a state in which the electronic device (201) is folded with respect to the B-axis and not folded with respect to the C-axis, or a state in which the electronic device (201) is not folded with respect to the B-axis and is folded with respect to the C-axis. Here, a state in which the foldable electronic device (201) is fully folded with respect to the B-axis and the C-axis may be referred to as a fully folded state of the foldable electronic device (201).

[0086] The display (or flexible display) (260) is disposed within the first housing (303), the second housing (305), and the third housing (307), and may include a first display area (261) supported by the first housing (303), a second display area (262) supported by the second housing (305), and a third display area (263) supported by the third housing (307). For example, the first display area (261) may be disposed on a first side (or first portion) (321) of the first housing (303), the second display area (262) may be disposed on a third side (or second portion) (323) of the second housing (305), and the third display area (263) may be disposed on a fifth side (or third portion) (325) of the third housing (307).

[0087] Referring to FIGS. 3c and 3d, the foldable electronic device (201) may include a second hinge (320) that can foldably connect one side of the first housing (303) to one side of the second housing (305) and a first hinge (310) that can foldably connect the other side of the second housing (305) to one side of the third housing (307). The second hinge (320) may have a wider width than the first hinge (310). Here, the first hinge (310) rotatably connects the third housing (307) to the second housing (305), and the second hinge (320) rotatably connects the first housing (303) to the second housing (305). Since the width of the second hinge (320) is wider than the width of the first hinge (310), the third housing (307) can be folded to face the second housing (305), and then the first housing (303) can be folded to face the third housing (307).

[0088] As shown in Fig. 3c, the first hinge (310) is an in-foldable hinge, and the second hinge (320) can also be an in-foldable hinge.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the infolding may refer to infolding the display (260) of the foldable electronic device (201) inwardly from the front side of the display (260) when the display (260) is completely unfolded so that a portion of the display (260) is not exposed to the outside. Accordingly, when the first hinge (310) is infolded, the third display area (263) disposed in the third housing (307) connected to the first hinge (310) and the second display area (262) disposed in the second housing (305) that is not folded may face each other so that the second display area (262) and the third display area (263) are not exposed.

[0090] According to one embodiment, the first display area (261) disposed in the first housing (303) connected to the second hinge (320) by the in-folding of the second hinge (320) can be positioned to correspond to the in-folding angle of the second hinge (320).

[0091] According to one embodiment, the third display area (263) disposed in the third housing (307) connected to the first hinge (310) by the infolding of the first hinge (310) may change its position corresponding to the infolding angle of the first hinge (310), and the third housing (307) whose position has changed according to the infolding of the first hinge (310) may cover the second display area (262) disposed in the second housing (305). As described above, the foldable electronic device (201) (or the display (260)) may be folded at an equal ratio with respect to the axis, but the folding ratio with respect to the axis may be implemented differently. Although FIGS. 3A to 3C illustrate folding at an equal ratio with respect to the axis, those skilled in the art will readily understand that there is no limitation on the position of the axis.

[0092] FIG. 3D is a drawing for explaining a folding sequence of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0093] Referring to FIG. 3D, when the foldable electronic device (201) is folded in a designated folding order, the first housing (303) may be folded a second time so that the third housing (307) faces the second housing (305) in the unfolded state (or fully unfolded state) and then the first housing (307) faces the third housing (307) after the first folding. For example, the third housing (307) and the second housing (305) may face each other after the first folding, and the first housing (303) and the third housing (307) may be folded a second time so that the first housing (303) and the third housing (307) face each other after the second folding.

[0094] FIG. 3e is a drawing for explaining a reverse folding state of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0095] Referring to FIG. 3e, when the designated folding order is that the first housing (303) is folded for the second time after the first folding in which the third housing (307) is folded for the second housing (305), a situation may occur in which the second folding is performed without the first folding occurring. If the first housing (303) is folded first with respect to the second housing (305) without the third housing (307) being folded for the second housing (305) due to reverse folding, an empty space as large as the third housing (307) may occur between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) because the width of the second hinge (320) is wider than the width of the first hinge (310) and there is no third housing (307) between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305). Accordingly, damage such as a scratch may occur due to a collision between the main display (e.g., third display area, third part) (263) supported by the third housing (307) and the first housing (303) made of metal.

[0096] In one embodiment, in the case of a foldable electronic device (201) that needs to be folded multiple times, the folding state between each housing, for example, the first housing (303), the second housing (305), and the third housing (307), is checked, a designated folding order (e.g., a forward folding order) or a reverse folding state is recognized, and in response to checking that it is a reverse folding state that is not folded in the designated folding order, damage due to reverse folding can be prevented in advance by notifying the user that it is a reverse folding state.

[0097] According to one embodiment, the processor (220) may check whether a first preset condition is satisfied in order to recognize a reverse folding state. The first preset condition may include a case where a first angle (e.g., θ1 in FIG. 5) between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) is smaller than a first threshold angle (e.g., 75 degrees), and a second angle (e.g., θ2 in FIG. 5) between the third housing (307) and the second housing (305) is larger than the first angle (e.g., θ1 in FIG. 5).

[0098] According to one embodiment, the processor (220) may determine whether a second preset condition is satisfied when a first preset condition is satisfied. The second preset condition may include a case where a sensing value obtained through the second sensor (277) included in the first housing (303) is less than or equal to a threshold value. For example, when the first preset condition is satisfied, the processor (220) may recognize that the first housing (303) is folded relative to the second housing (305) before the third housing (307) is folded relative to the second housing (305) because the first housing (303) is moved less than a first threshold angle (e.g., 75 degrees) relative to the second housing (305) and the second angle (e.g., θ2 in FIG. 5) between the third housing (307) and the second housing (305) is greater than the first angle (e.g., θ1 in FIG. 5).

[0099] In one embodiment, it is possible to recognize that a reverse folding state has occurred when the first preset condition is satisfied, but in order to increase the reliability of the judgment on the result of recognizing the reverse folding state, the processor (220) can use the sensor value change amount to confirm whether actual folding is occurring. For example, since the magnet (278) is positioned at a position facing the second sensor (277) included in the first housing (303) when the third housing (307) is folded along the folding axis, the second sensor (277) can sense the magnetic field generated by the magnet (278) when the third housing (307) is folded with respect to the second housing (305). If there is no change in the sensing value obtained through the second sensor (277) included in the first housing (303) or if it is below the threshold value, the first housing (303) is folded with respect to the second housing (305), but the third housing (307) including the magnet (278) is not folded with respect to the second housing (305), so there may be no change in the sensing value.

[0100] According to one embodiment, the processor (220) may determine that the state is a reverse folding state when the preset first condition and the preset second condition are satisfied.

[0101] According to one embodiment, the processor (220) may start performing operations to recognize the reverse folding state in the unfolded state (or unfolded state) of FIG. 3d, but may start performing operations to recognize the reverse folding state in the flex mode (or intermediate state).

[0102] According to one embodiment, the processor (220) can use the first sensor (276) to determine whether the second angle (e.g., θ2 in FIG. 5) is greater than a third threshold angle (e.g., 170 degrees) if the first angle (e.g., θ1 in FIG. 5) is less than a second threshold angle (e.g., 115 degrees) and greater than the first threshold angle (e.g., 75 degrees). The processor (220) can determine whether the first angle is maintained between the first threshold angle and the second threshold angle (e.g., 75 degrees - 115 degrees) if the second angle (e.g., θ2 in FIG. 5) is greater than the third threshold angle (e.g., 170 degrees). For example, the fact that the second angle (e.g., θ2 in FIG. 5) is greater than the third critical angle (e.g., 170 degrees) may indicate that the third housing (307) is unfolded relative to the second housing (305), and the fact that the first angle is maintained between the first critical angle and the second critical angle (e.g., 75 degrees to 115 degrees) may indicate that the folding of the first housing (303) relative to the second housing (305) is maintained within a specified angle range (or hinge guarantee angle).

[0103] According to one embodiment, the processor (220) may, in response to determining that the foldable electronic device (201) is in a state where the folding of the first housing (303) is maintained relative to the second housing (305) within a specified angular range, perform an operation of determining whether the first housing (303) moves below a first threshold angle (e.g., 75 degrees). For example, in response to determining that the first housing (303) is in a flex mode where the folding is maintained relative to the second housing (305), the processor (220) may determine whether the first angle (e.g., θ1 in FIG. 5) becomes smaller than the first threshold angle (e.g., 75 degrees) to determine whether the folding is reversed outside the specified angular range.

[0104] According to one embodiment, the processor (220) may, in response to determining that the foldable electronic device (201) is in a reverse folding state, output a notification related to the reverse folding state. For example, if the processor (220) determines that the foldable electronic device (201) (e.g., the display (260)) is in a reverse folding state, the processor (220) may provide a notification in various designated ways to warn that the foldable electronic device (201) (e.g., the display (260)) may be damaged.

[0105] According to one embodiment, the processor (220) can determine the display area to be activated and the display area to be deactivated based on detecting the transition of the folding state, since in the case of the reverse folding state, the first housing (303) is folded first with respect to the second housing (305). For example, the processor (220) may display a notification message to notify that the first housing (303) is folded to face the second housing (305) through the third part (or third display area (263)) among the first side (or first part) (321) (or first display area (261)) supported by the first housing (303), the third side (or second part) (323) (or second display area (262)) supported by the second housing (305), and the fifth side (or third part) (325) (or third display area (263)) supported by the third housing (307).

[0106] According to one embodiment, the processor (220) may provide a notification to indicate a reverse folding state in which the first housing (303) is folded first rather than the third housing (307) for the second housing (305) by using at least one of a vibration generated through a haptic module, a notification sound output through a speaker, or a light output through a camera flash. According to one embodiment, a method of outputting a notification to warn of a reverse folding state may be provided in various ways other than those described above, and the methods are not limited thereto.

[0107] According to one embodiment, whether or not a notification alerting of a reverse folding state is output may be determined based on user settings. For example, if a user sets the reverse folding notification function to be activated (or turned on), the processor (220) may output a notification indicating that the folding order is incorrect in response to confirming a reverse folding state.

[0108] According to one embodiment, in a foldable electronic device (101, 201), a foldable housing, the foldable housing including a first housing (303), a second housing (305), and a third housing (307), the second housing being disposed between the first housing and the third housing, a first hinge (310) rotatably connecting the third housing to the second housing, a second hinge (320) rotatably connecting the first housing to the second housing, a width of the second hinge being wider than a width of the first hinge so that the first housing is folded to face the third housing after the third housing is folded to face the second housing, a flexible display (260) disposed in the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing, a first sensor (276), a second sensor (277) configured to detect proximity between the first housing and the third housing, and a processing circuit, at least one It may include a processor (220) and a memory (230) that stores instructions.

[0109] According to one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the foldable electronic device to determine, through the first sensor, a first angle between the first housing and the second housing as the first housing is folded to face the second housing, and a second angle between the third housing and the second housing as the third housing is folded to face the second housing.

[0110] According to one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the foldable electronic device to determine, based on the first angle and the second angle, that the foldable electronic device is in a first state in which the first housing is folded facing the second housing.

[0111] According to one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the foldable electronic device to determine, based on a sensor value acquired through the second sensor, that the foldable electronic device is in a second state in which the third housing is not folded to face the second housing, in response to determining that the foldable electronic device is in the first state.

[0112] According to one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the foldable electronic device to output a notification indicating that the folding order of the first housing and the third housing is incorrect for the second housing based on determining that the foldable electronic device is in the first state and the second state.

[0113] In one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, may be configured such that the foldable electronic device does not output the notification when the third housing is folded to face the second housing while the first housing is not folded to face the second housing.

[0114] According to one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the foldable electronic device to, when a first angle between the first housing and the second housing is smaller than a first threshold angle through the first sensor, determine a second angle between the third housing and the second housing, and, when the second angle is greater than the first angle, determine that the foldable electronic device is in a first state in which the first housing is folded to face the second housing, and, in response to determining that the foldable electronic device is in the first state, determine a sensor value through the second sensor.

[0115] According to one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the foldable electronic device to, in response to determining that the foldable electronic device is in the first state, determine whether a sensor value through the second sensor is less than or equal to a threshold value, and, in response to determining that the sensor value is less than or equal to the threshold value, determine that the foldable electronic device is in a second state in which the third housing is not folded to face the second housing.

[0116] According to one embodiment, the flexible display includes a first portion supported by a first housing, a second portion supported by the second housing, and a third portion supported by the third housing, and the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the foldable electronic device to display a notification message through the third portion of the flexible display to indicate that the first housing is folded to face the second housing based on determining that the foldable electronic device is in the first state.

[0117] In one embodiment, the instructions may be configured such that when executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the foldable electronic device determines, through the first sensor, if a first angle between the first housing and the second housing is less than a second threshold angle and greater than the first threshold angle, whether a second angle between the third housing and the second housing is greater than a third threshold angle, and if the second angle is greater than the third threshold angle, in response to determining that the first angle is maintained between the first threshold angle and the second threshold angle, determines that the foldable electronic device is in a third state in which the folding of the first housing is maintained relative to the second housing, and in response to determining that the foldable electronic device is in the third state, determines whether the first angle between the first housing and the second housing becomes less than the first threshold angle.

[0118] According to one embodiment, the second sensor may include a Hall IC, and the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the foldable electronic device to sense proximity between the first housing and the third housing by sensing a magnetic field generated by a first magnet included in the third housing using the second sensor.

[0119] In one embodiment, the second sensor is included in the first housing, the first magnet is disposed in the third housing, and the first magnet can face the second sensor included in the first housing when the first housing is folded to face the third housing after the third housing is folded to face the second housing.

[0120] According to one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the foldable electronic device to output a notification indicating that the folding order of the first housing and the third housing is incorrect with respect to the second housing by using at least one of a vibration generated through a haptic module, a notification sound output through a speaker, or a light output through a flash of a camera, based on determining that the foldable electronic device is in the first state and the second state.

[0121] According to one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the foldable electronic device to determine whether a reverse folding notification function is set, and if the reverse folding notification function is set, to output a notification indicating that the folding order of the first housing and the third housing is incorrect based on determining that the foldable electronic device is in the first state and the second state.

[0122] According to one embodiment, the first sensor includes at least one of a proximity sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a gyro sensor, and the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the foldable electronic device to obtain data related to a distance, an angle, and / or a posture between the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing through the first sensor.

[0123] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a foldable electronic device for recognizing reverse folding according to an embodiment. Referring to FIG. 4, the operation method may include operations 405 to 420. Each operation of the operation method of FIG. 4 may be performed by a foldable electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1 and the foldable electronic device 201 of FIGS. 2 to 3e) and at least one processor of the electronic device (e.g., the processor 120 of FIG. 1 and the processor 220 of FIG. 2). In an embodiment, at least one of operations 405 to 420 may be omitted, the order of some operations may be changed, or other operations may be added. To facilitate understanding of the description of FIG. 4, the description will be made with reference to FIGS. 5 to 6b. FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining a folding method of a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment, FIG. 6a is an exemplary drawing showing a flex mode according to an embodiment, and FIG. 6b is a drawing for explaining a method for detecting reverse folding in a book mode according to an embodiment.

[0124] Referring to FIG. 4, the foldable electronic device (201) can, in operation 405, detect a first angle (e.g., θ1 in FIG. 5) between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) as the first housing (303) is folded to face the second housing (305), and a second angle (e.g., θ2 in FIG. 5) between the third housing (307) and the second housing (305) as the third housing (307) is folded to face the second housing (305), through the first sensor (276).

[0125] According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device (201) can check the first angle (θ1) and the second angle (θ2) through the first sensor (276) to check the specified folding order (e.g., forward folding order) or the reverse folding state of the foldable electronic device (201). In one embodiment, based on the data obtained from the first sensor (276), a case in which the first angle (θ1) between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) and the second angle (θ2) between the third housing (307) and the second housing (305) are checked is described as an example, but the specified folding order or the reverse folding state can be checked by checking the first distance between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) and the second distance between the third housing (307) and the second housing (305).

[0126] According to one embodiment, the designated folding order (or forward folding order) may be an order in which the third housing (307) is first folded to face the second housing (305) and then the first housing (303) is secondarily folded to face the third housing (307). According to one embodiment, the reverse folding order may be a state in which the first housing (303) is first folded to face the second housing (305) without the third housing (307) being folded to face the second housing (305) unlike the above-described folding order.

[0127] In operation 410, the foldable electronic device (201) can determine, based on the first angle and the second angle, that the foldable electronic device is in a first state in which the first housing is folded to face the second housing.

[0128] According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device (201) can check each of the first angle (e.g., θ1 of FIG. 5) and the second angle (e.g., θ2 of FIG. 5). For example, the foldable electronic device (201) can check the first angle and the second angle simultaneously or sequentially.

[0129] According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device (201) can determine a second angle between the third housing (307) and the second housing (305) when the first angle between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) becomes smaller than a first threshold angle through the first sensor (276). When the second angle is larger than the first angle, the foldable electronic device (201) determines that the foldable electronic device (201) is in a first state in which the first housing (303) is folded to face the second housing (305), and in response to determining that the foldable electronic device (201) is in the first state, the foldable electronic device can determine a sensor value through the second sensor (277). For example, if the foldable electronic device (201) determines that the foldable electronic device (201) is in a first state in which the first housing (303) is first folded relative to the second housing (305), the foldable electronic device (201) can determine whether the reverse folding state is in use by using a sensor value obtained through the second sensor (277) to determine whether the second angle is greater than the first angle due to reverse folding.

[0130] According to one embodiment, an operation may be performed to determine a reverse folding state in a flex mode (or intermediate state).

[0131] According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device (201) can determine, through the first sensor (276), whether the second angle (e.g., θ2 in FIG. 5) is greater than a third threshold angle (e.g., 170 degrees) if the first angle (e.g., θ1 in FIG. 5) is less than a second threshold angle (e.g., 115 degrees) and greater than the first threshold angle (e.g., 75 degrees). The foldable electronic device (201) can determine, if the second angle (e.g., θ2 in FIG. 5) is greater than the third threshold angle (e.g., 170 degrees), that the first angle is maintained between the first threshold angle and the second threshold angle (e.g., 75 degrees - 115 degrees).

[0132] According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device (201) can determine that the foldable electronic device (201) is in a third state in which the folding of the first housing (303) is maintained relative to the second housing (305) in response to determining that the first angle is maintained between the first threshold angle and the second threshold angle (e.g., 75 degrees to 115 degrees). The foldable electronic device (201) can determine that the first angle between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) becomes smaller than the first threshold angle in response to determining that the foldable electronic device (201) is in the third state. For example, in response to determining that the foldable electronic device (201) is in a flex mode in which the folding of the first housing (303) is maintained relative to the second housing (305), the foldable electronic device (201) may determine whether a first angle (e.g., θ1 in FIG. 5) becomes smaller than a first threshold angle (e.g., 75 degrees) to determine whether the fold is reversed beyond a specified angle range.

[0133] Referring to FIG. 6A, the foldable electronic device (201) can distinguish a partially folded state (e.g., flex mode) of the display (260) in response to identifying a first angle (θ1) included within a specified angular range (e.g., an angular range between 75 degrees and 115 degrees) of the angle of the folded display (260) by the folding axis. In the flex mode, at least two consecutive housings may be unfolded and the other housing may maintain the folding within a specified angular range (e.g., a hinge guarantee angle). For example, in the flex mode, the first housing (303) may be in a state where the first angle (θ1) is maintained with respect to the second housing (305), and the folding states of the second housing (305) and the third housing (307) may be unfolded.

[0134] Meanwhile, in FIG. 6A, the second housing (305) and the third housing (307) are unfolded on the floor surface, and the first housing (303) is folded within a specified angle in a flex state, but the foldable electronic device (201) may have a state in which the lower sides of the first housing (303) to the third housing (307) stand up as they support the surface. For example, the first housing (303) to the third housing (307) may all stand up unfolded as shown in FIG. 3A, and some of the housings (e.g., the first housing (303) or the third housing (307)) may stand up while being partially folded inward. For example, in book mode, the folding state of the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) may be an unfolded state, and the folding state of the second housing (305) and the third housing (307) may also be an unfolded state, so that the user can view the screen in a hands-free state.

[0135] In the book mode state (or stand state) (e.g., 90 degree standing state) in which the first housing (303) is maintained at a first angle (e.g., 90 degrees) with respect to the second housing (305), since one axis of the three axes (e.g., x, y, z axes) is fixed, it may be difficult for the first sensor (e.g., acceleration sensor) to be used to obtain data related to the angle between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) and the angle between the second housing (305) and the third housing (307).

[0136] According to one embodiment, in the book mode state, a sensor (277c), such as a Hall sensor, is disposed in the first housing (303) as illustrated in FIG. 6b, so that when the first housing (303) is folded relative to the second housing (305), the sensor (277c) included in the first housing (303) can sense a magnetic field generated by a magnet (278c) included in the second housing (305). The foldable electronic device (201) can use the value sensed by the sensor (277c) included in the first housing (303) to determine that the first housing (303) is folded before the third housing (307), which is a reverse folding. For example, the foldable electronic device (201) can recognize the reverse folding by sensing that the value sensed by the sensor (277c) is a magnetic value corresponding to a specific angle (e.g., 25 degrees).

[0137] In operation 415, the foldable electronic device (201) can, in response to confirming that the foldable electronic device is in the first state, confirm that the foldable electronic device is in the second state in which the third housing is not folded to face the second housing, based on a sensor value acquired through the second sensor (277).

[0138] According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device (201) can, in response to confirming that the foldable electronic device (201) is in the first state, confirm whether a sensor value through the second sensor (277) is below a threshold value, and in response to confirming that the sensor value is below the threshold value, confirm that the foldable electronic device (201) is in a second state in which the third housing (307) is not folded so as to face the second housing (305).

[0139] According to one embodiment, the second sensor (277) may include a Hall IC. According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device (201) may determine, based on the sensor value acquired through the second sensor (277), that the foldable electronic device (201) is in a second state in which the third housing (307) is not folded so that it faces the second housing (305). The foldable electronic device (201) may sense a magnetic field generated by a first magnet (278) included in the third housing (307) using the second sensor (277), thereby detecting proximity between the first housing (303) and the third housing (307).

[0140] According to one embodiment, the second sensor (277) may be included in the first housing (303). According to one embodiment, the first magnet (278) is disposed in the third housing (307), and the first magnet (278) may face the second sensor (277) included in the first housing (303) when the first housing (303) is folded to face the third housing (307) after the third housing (307) is folded to face the second housing (305).

[0141] In operation 420, the foldable electronic device (201) may output a notification indicating that the folding order of the first housing and the third housing is incorrect for the second housing based on confirmation that the foldable electronic device is in the first state and the second state. Here, the notification may not be output if the third housing is folded to face the second housing while the first housing is not folded to face the second housing.

[0142] According to one embodiment, the flexible display (260) of the foldable electronic device (201) may include a first part supported by the first housing, a second part supported by the second housing, and a third part supported by the third housing.

[0143] According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device (201) may display a notification message to notify that the first housing (303) is folded to face the second housing (305) through the third portion of the flexible display.

[0144] According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device (201) may output a notification to indicate that the folding order of the first housing and the third housing is incorrect for the second housing by using at least one of a vibration generated through a haptic module, a notification sound output through a speaker, or a light output through a flash of a camera.

[0145] According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device (201) may check whether a reverse folding notification function is set, and if the reverse folding notification function is set, based on checking that the foldable electronic device (201) is in the first state and the second state, output a notification to indicate that the folding order of the first housing (303) and the third housing (307) is incorrect for the second housing (305).

[0146] FIG. 7 is a detailed operation flowchart of a foldable electronic device for outputting a notification for a reverse folding state according to an embodiment. Referring to FIG. 7, the operation method may include operations 705 to 760. Each operation of the operation method of FIG. 7 may be performed by a foldable electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1 and the foldable electronic device (201) of FIGS. 2 to 3e)) and at least one processor of the electronic device (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1 and the processor (220) of FIG. 2). In an embodiment, at least one of operations 705 to 760 may be omitted, the order of some operations may be changed, or another operation may be added.

[0147] To help understand the description of FIG. 7, the description will be made with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10. FIG. 8 is a drawing for explaining a method of detecting folding using a sensor according to an embodiment, FIG. 9 is an exemplary diagram showing the arrangement of sensors and magnets of a G-type foldable electronic device according to an embodiment, and FIG. 10 is an exemplary diagram showing the arrangement of sensors and magnets of an e-type foldable electronic device according to an embodiment.

[0148] Referring to FIG. 7, the foldable electronic device (201) can determine a first angle (e.g., θ1 of FIG. 8) between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) in operation 705. According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device (201) can determine a first angle indicating a relative position of the first housing (303) with respect to the second housing (305). For example, referring to FIG. 8, when the first housing (303) rotates with respect to the second housing (305), the first angle (θ1) may be 180 degrees in an unfolded state, and when the first housing (303) is folded, the first angle (θ1) may be 0 degrees, and thus, the first angle (θ1) may be between 0 degrees and 180 degrees. Likewise, as the third housing (307) rotates with respect to the second housing (305), the second angle (θ2) in the unfolded state may be 180 degrees, and the second angle (θ2) in the folded state may be 0 degrees, and thus the second angle (θ2) may be between 0 and 180 degrees.

[0149] According to one embodiment, when the folding state is in an intermediate state, it is called a flex mode, and in the flex mode, the first housing (303) with respect to the second housing (305) can maintain the folding within a specified angle range. For example, the specified angle range can be called a hinge guarantee angle, and the angle range can be 75 degrees to 115 degrees. In one embodiment, the specified angle range is described as being between 75 degrees and 115 degrees, but the angle range of 75 degrees to 115 degrees is merely an example, and the value representing the specified angle range can be determined in various ways. Here, the case where the first critical angle (①) of the specified angle range is 75 degrees and the second critical range (②) is 115 degrees will be described as an example.

[0150] In operation 710, the foldable electronic device (201) can check whether the first angle (θ1) is less than a second threshold angle (e.g., 115 degrees). If the first angle (θ1) is not less than the second threshold angle (e.g., 115 degrees), the operation can return to operation 705 to check the first angle (θ1). If the first angle (θ1) becomes less than the second threshold angle (e.g., 115 degrees) while checking the first angle (θ1) in operation 705, the folding states of the second housing (305) and the third housing (307) can be checked in operation 715. For example, the foldable electronic device (201) can check whether the folding states of the second housing (305) and the third housing (307) are any one of an unfolded state, a folded state, and / or an intermediate state. According to one embodiment, the operation of checking the folding state of the second housing (305) and the third housing (307) may be omitted.

[0151] According to one embodiment, if the first angle (θ1) is less than a second threshold angle (e.g., 115 degrees), in operation 720, the foldable electronic device (201) can check the first angle (θ1) between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305). In operation 725, the foldable electronic device (201) can check whether the first angle (θ1) is less than the first threshold angle (e.g., 75 degrees). For example, if the first angle (θ1) is less than the second threshold angle (e.g., 115 degrees), the foldable electronic device (201) can continuously check the first angle (θ1) to check whether the first angle (θ1) becomes less than the first threshold angle (e.g., 75 degrees). If the first angle (θ1) is less than the second critical angle (e.g., 115 degrees) but greater than the first critical angle (e.g., 75 degrees), it can operate in flex mode as in Fig. 6a.

[0152] In operation 725, when the first angle (θ1) is less than the first critical angle (e.g., 75 degrees), the foldable electronic device (201) can, in operation 730, check the first angle (θ1) between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305), and the second angle (θ2) between the second housing (305) and the third housing (307).

[0153] In operation 735, the foldable electronic device (201) can determine whether the first angle (θ1) is less than the second angle (θ2) and whether the first angle (θ1) is less than a first threshold angle (e.g., 75 degrees). For example, the fact that the first angle (θ1) is less than the first threshold angle (e.g., 75 degrees) may indicate that the first housing (303) is folded to face the second housing (305) outside a specified angle range. In addition, the fact that the first angle (θ1) is less than the second angle (θ2) may indicate that the first housing (303) is folded to face the second housing (305), but the third housing (307) is not folded with respect to the second housing (305) or is relatively less folded.

[0154] In operation 740, the foldable electronic device (201) can check the change in sensor value through a sensor (e.g., the second sensor (277)). In operation 745, the foldable electronic device (201) can recognize the reverse folding state based on the change in sensor value.

[0155] Referring to FIG. 8, the second sensor (277) may be two or more sensors (277a, 277b) and may include a Hall IC. In addition, the magnet (278) may also be two or more magnets (278a, 278b). One of the two or more sensors (277a, 277b) may be included in the first housing (303). When the third housing (307) is folded with respect to the second housing (305) and the first housing (303) is folded, the sensor (277a) included in the first housing (303) may sense a magnetic field generated by the magnet (278a) included in the third housing (307). The foldable electronic device (201) can recognize that the first housing (303) is folded relative to the third housing (307) using a value sensed from a sensor (277a) included in the first housing (303).

[0156] A magnet (278a) may be placed at a position corresponding to a sensor (277a) to detect a folding state or proximity between the first housing (303) and the third housing (307). For example, the magnet (278a) may be placed in the third housing (307), and may be placed close to a sixth surface (e.g., the sixth surface (326) of FIG. 3C) of the third housing (307) so as to face the sensor (277a) included in the first housing (303) when the first housing (303) is folded to face the third housing (307) after the third housing (307) is folded to face the second housing (305).

[0157] In one embodiment, the sensor (277a) and the magnet (278a) can be used to detect folding or proximity between the first housing (303) and the third housing (307).

[0158] According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device (201) may further include a sensor (277b) and a magnet (278b) to detect folding or proximity between the second housing (305) and the third housing (307). For example, the magnet (278b) may be disposed in the third housing (307) and may be disposed close to a fifth surface (e.g., the fifth surface (325) of FIG. 3C) of the third housing (307) so as to face the sensor (277b) included in the second housing (305) when the third housing (307) is folded to face the second housing (305).

[0159] Referring to FIG. 9, in the case of the G-type foldable electronic device (201), the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) are folded in based on the folding axis, and the first housing (307) and the second housing (305) can also be folded in based on the folding axis.

[0160] Referring to Fig. 9(a), sensors (277a, 277b) may be arranged in the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) in the unfolded state, and magnets (278a, 278b) may be arranged in the third housing (307). In Fig. 9, the arrangement positions of the sensors (277a, 277b) and magnets (278a, 278b) of the G-type foldable electronic device (201) may be any position that can detect that the third housing (307) is folded to face the second housing (305) and then the first housing (303) is folded to face the third housing (307), and thus the arrangement positions may not be limited to those illustrated in Fig. 9.

[0161] As illustrated in FIG. 9(b), when the third housing (307) is folded to face the second housing (305) and the first housing (303) is folded to face the third housing (307), the sensor (277b) included in the second housing (305) can sense the magnetic field generated by the magnet (278b) included in the third housing (307), and the sensor (277a) included in the first housing (303) can sense the magnetic field generated by the magnet (278a) included in the third housing (307). By having the sensor (277b) included in the second housing (305) sense the magnetic field and the sensor (277a) included in the first housing (303) sense the magnetic field, it is possible to confirm that the electronic device (201) is in a completely folded state.

[0162] As shown in Fig. 9(c), when there is no sensing change by the sensor (277a) included in the first housing (303) and only the sensing change by the sensor (277b) included in the second housing (305) is detected, the electronic device (201) can confirm that the third housing (307) is partially folded to face the second housing (305).

[0163] Even if it is confirmed that the angle between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) as shown in FIG. 9(d) corresponds to an angle indicating that the first housing (303) is at least partially folded relative to the second housing (305), if there is no change in sensing by the sensor (277a) included in the first housing (303), the electronic device (201) can confirm that it is a reverse folding.

[0164] In the case of reverse folding, one side of the first housing (303) (e.g., the first side (321) of FIG. 3c) and one side of the second housing (305) (e.g., the third side (323) of FIG. 3c) may be faced so as to face each other. In the case where one side of the first housing (303) and one side of the second housing (305) are faced so as to face each other, since there is no magnet at the position of the second housing (305) facing the sensor (277a) of the first housing (303), there may be no change in the sensing value detected by the sensor (277a), or a sensing value different from the sensing value detected by detecting the magnetic field generated by the magnet (278a) may be detected.

[0165] Referring to FIG. 10, in the case of the e-type foldable electronic device (201), the first housing (303) may be folded to face the second housing (305), and then the third housing (307) may be folded to face the first housing (303). For example, the first side (321) of the first housing (303) and the third side (323) of the second housing (305) may be folded to face each other, and the fifth side (325) of the third housing (307) may be folded to face the second side (322) of the first housing (303).

[0166] Referring to Fig. 10(a), magnets (278a, 278b) may be arranged in the first housing (303) in the unfolded state, and sensors (277a, 277b) may be arranged in the second housing (305) and the third housing (307). In Fig. 10, the arrangement positions of the sensors (277a, 277b) and magnets (278a, 278b) of the e-type foldable electronic device (201) may be any position that can detect that the first housing (303) is folded to face the second housing (305) and then the third housing (307) is folded to face the first housing (303), and therefore, the arrangement positions may not be limited to those illustrated in Fig. 10.

[0167] As illustrated in FIG. 10(b), when the first housing (303) is folded to face the second housing (305) and then the third housing (307) is folded to face the first housing (303), the sensor (277b) included in the second housing (305) can sense the magnetic field generated by the magnet (278b) included in the first housing (303), and the sensor (277a) included in the third housing (307) can sense the magnetic field generated by the magnet (278a) included in the first housing (303). By having the sensor (277b) included in the second housing (305) sense the magnetic field and the sensor (277a) included in the third housing (307) sense the magnetic field, it is possible to confirm that the electronic device (201) is in a completely folded state.

[0168] As shown in FIG. 10(c), when there is no sensing change by the sensor (277a) included in the third housing (307) and only a sensing change by the sensor (277b) included in the second housing (305) is detected, the electronic device (201) can confirm that the first housing (303) is partially folded to face the second housing (305).

[0169] Even if it is confirmed that the angle between the third housing (307) and the second housing (305) corresponds to an angle indicating that the third housing (307) is at least partially folded with respect to the second housing (305) as illustrated in FIG. 10(d), if there is no change in sensing by the sensor (277a) included in the third housing (307), the electronic device (201) can confirm that it is in the reverse folding order. In one embodiment, in the case where the e-type foldable electronic device (201) is not folded in the specified folding order, an operation for notifying the reverse folding state can be performed similarly to the G-type foldable electronic device (201).

[0170] According to one embodiment, a change in the folding state of the foldable electronic device (201) may be detected based on a signal detected by one or more sensors (e.g., Hall sensors) (277a, 277b) and one or more magnets (278a, 278b).

[0171] According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device (201) can determine, based on the sensor value acquired through the second sensor (277), that the foldable electronic device (201) is in a second state in which the third housing (307) is not folded so that it faces the second housing (305). The foldable electronic device (201) can detect proximity between the first housing (303) and the third housing (307) by sensing a magnetic field generated by a first magnet (278) included in the third housing (307) using the second sensor (277).

[0172] In operation 750, the foldable electronic device (201) can output a notification regarding the reverse folding state. The method of outputting the notification will be described with reference to FIGS. 11A to 11C.

[0173] FIG. 11a is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method for outputting a notification for reverse folding using a camera flash according to one embodiment.

[0174] Referring to FIG. 11A, the foldable electronic device (201) may recognize that the first display area (261) (or the first housing (303)) and the second display area (262) (or the second housing (305)) are in-folded based on the folding axis, and thus are in a reverse folding state rather than a designated folding order. In the reverse folding state, the first display area (261) and the second display area (262) may face each other, and the third display area (263) (or the third housing (307)) may be visually exposed. The foldable electronic device (201) may output light in a blinking manner through the flash (1100) of the camera to warn that the folding order of the first housing (303) and the third housing (307) is incorrect with respect to the second housing (305).

[0175] FIG. 11b is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method for displaying a notification for reverse folding using a flexible display according to one embodiment.

[0176] Referring to FIG. 11B, in the case of a reverse folding state, since the first display area (261) (or the first housing (303)) is folded first with respect to the second display area (262) (or the second housing (305)), only the third display area (263) may be visually exposed. The foldable electronic device (201) may display a notification message (1110) to inform that the folding order of the first housing (303) and the third housing (307) with respect to the second housing (305) is incorrect through the third display area (263).

[0177] According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device (201) may output a message (1110) guiding folding in a forward folding order, and may display an object (1120) indicating a notification so that the user can visually recognize the reverse folding state in addition to the message (1110). FIG. 11b illustrates an example of displaying a notification message (1110) and an object (1120) indicating a notification, but the method of visually notifying the user about reverse folding is not limited thereto.

[0178] FIG. 11c is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method for outputting a notification for reverse folding using a speaker or haptic module according to one embodiment.

[0179] Referring to FIG. 11C, the foldable electronic device (201) may provide an auditory or tactile notification to the user. For example, the foldable electronic device (201) may output a notification sound (1130) through a speaker to indicate that the folding order is incorrect. Additionally, the foldable electronic device (201) may output a vibration (1140) generated through a haptic module to indicate that the folding order is incorrect.

[0180] According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device (201) may provide a notification that the folding order is incorrect by using at least one or a combination of the following: display of a notification message, vibration generated through a haptic module, notification sound output through a speaker, or light output through a camera flash.

[0181] In operation 755, the foldable electronic device (201) can determine whether the first angle (θ1) is greater than or equal to a third threshold angle (e.g., 160 degrees). In response to determining that the first angle (θ1) is greater than or equal to the third threshold angle (e.g., 160 degrees), in operation 760, the foldable electronic device (201) can release the notification output. On the other hand, if the first angle (θ1) is not greater than or equal to the third threshold angle (e.g., 160 degrees), the foldable electronic device (201) can return to operation 745 and maintain the notification output operation according to the recognition of the reverse folding state. For example, if the first angle (θ1) is greater than or equal to the third threshold angle (e.g., 160 degrees), the folding state of the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) indicates an unfolded state, and therefore, by releasing the notification output, the user can recognize that the risk of damage due to the reverse folding has been resolved.

[0182] In one embodiment, the display panel may be prevented from being damaged due to folding out of order by notifying the user that the display panel is in a reverse folding state before damage occurs due to reverse folding.

[0183] Electronic devices according to the various 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 of this document are not limited to the aforementioned devices.

[0184] The various embodiments of this document and the terminology used therein 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 component (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.

[0185] The term "module" used in various embodiments of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. 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).

[0186] Various embodiments 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.

[0187] According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments 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.

[0188] According to various embodiments, 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 placed in other components. According to various embodiments, 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 such a 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 various embodiments, 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.

[0189] According to one embodiment, in a non-transitory storage medium storing instructions, the instructions are configured to cause the foldable electronic device (101, 201) to perform at least one operation when executed by at least one processor (120, 220), wherein the at least one operation comprises: using a first sensor (276), an operation of checking a first angle between the first housing (303) and the second housing according to the folding so that the first housing (303) faces the second housing (305), and a second angle between the third housing (307) and the second housing according to the folding so that the third housing (307) faces the second housing; an operation of checking, based on the first angle and the second angle, that the foldable electronic device is in a first state in which the first housing is folded to face the second housing; and, in response to checking that the foldable electronic device is in the first state, performing a sensor value acquired through the second sensor (277). Based on this, the foldable electronic device may include an operation of confirming that the third housing is in a second state in which the third housing is not folded to face the second housing, and an operation of outputting a notification to indicate that the folding order of the first housing and the third housing is incorrect for the second housing based on confirming that the foldable electronic device is in the first state and the second state.

Claims

1. In a foldable electronic device (101, 201), A foldable housing, wherein the foldable housing is It comprises a first housing (303), a second housing (305), and a third housing (307), wherein the second housing is disposed between the first housing and the third housing; A first hinge (310) that rotatably connects the third housing to the second housing; A second hinge (320) that rotatably connects the first housing to the second housing, the width of the second hinge being wider than the width of the first hinge so that the first housing is folded to face the third housing after the third housing is folded to face the second housing; A flexible display (260) disposed in the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing; First sensor (276); A second sensor (277) configured to detect proximity between the first housing and the third housing; At least one processor (220) comprising a processing circuit; and Includes a memory (230) for storing instructions, The above instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, cause the foldable electronic device to: A first angle between the first housing and the second housing as the first housing is folded to face the second housing, and a second angle between the third housing and the second housing as the third housing is folded to face the second housing are confirmed through the first sensor, Based on the first angle and the second angle, it is confirmed that the foldable electronic device is in a first state in which the first housing is folded facing the second housing, In response to confirming that the foldable electronic device is in the first state, based on the sensor value acquired through the second sensor, confirming that the foldable electronic device is in a second state in which the third housing is not folded to face the second housing, A foldable electronic device, wherein the foldable electronic device is configured to output a notification indicating that the folding order of the first housing and the third housing is incorrect based on the determination that the foldable electronic device is in the first state and the second state.

2. In the first paragraph, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, the foldable electronic device, Through the first sensor, when the first angle between the first housing and the second housing becomes smaller than the first threshold angle, the second angle between the third housing and the second housing is checked, If the second angle is greater than the first angle, the foldable electronic device is confirmed to be in a first state in which the first housing is folded to face the second housing, A foldable electronic device, wherein the foldable electronic device is configured to check a sensor value through the second sensor in response to confirming that the foldable electronic device is in the first state.

3. In the first or second paragraph, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, the foldable electronic device, In response to confirming that the above foldable electronic device is in the first state, it is confirmed whether the sensor value through the second sensor is below a threshold value, A foldable electronic device, wherein, in response to determining that the sensor value is less than or equal to the threshold value, the foldable electronic device is configured to determine that the third housing is in a second state in which the third housing is not folded so as to face the second housing.

4. In any one of the first to third paragraphs, the flexible display includes a first part supported by the first housing, a second part supported by the second housing, and a third part supported by the third housing. The above instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, cause the foldable electronic device to: An electronic device, wherein the electronic device is configured to display a notification message to indicate that the first housing is folded to face the second housing through the third portion of the flexible display based on confirmation that the foldable electronic device is in the first state.

5. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 4, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, cause the foldable electronic device to: Through the first sensor, if the first angle between the first housing and the second housing is less than the second critical angle and greater than the first critical angle, it is checked whether the second angle between the third housing and the second housing is greater than the third critical angle; In response to confirming that the first angle is maintained between the first critical angle and the second critical angle when the second angle is greater than the third critical angle, confirming that the foldable electronic device is in a third state in which the folding of the first housing is maintained with respect to the second housing, A foldable electronic device, wherein in response to determining that the foldable electronic device is in the third state, it is configured to determine whether a first angle between the first housing and the second housing becomes smaller than a first threshold angle.

6. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 5, the second sensor includes a Hall IC, The above instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, cause the foldable electronic device to: A foldable electronic device configured to detect proximity between the first housing and the third housing by sensing a magnetic field generated by a first magnet included in the third housing using the second sensor.

7. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 6, the second sensor is included in the first housing, A foldable electronic device wherein the first magnet is disposed in the third housing, and the first magnet faces the second sensor included in the first housing when the first housing is folded to face the third housing after the third housing is folded to face the second housing.

8. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 7, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, cause the foldable electronic device to: An electronic device configured to output a notification indicating that the folding order of the first housing and the third housing is incorrect for the second housing by using at least one of a vibration generated through a haptic module, a notification sound output through a speaker, or a light output through a flash of a camera, based on confirmation that the foldable electronic device is in the first state and the second state.

9. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 8, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, cause the foldable electronic device to: Check if the reverse folding notification function is set, A foldable electronic device, wherein when the reverse folding notification function is set, the foldable electronic device is configured to output a notification indicating that the folding order of the first housing and the third housing is incorrect for the second housing based on confirmation that the foldable electronic device is in the first state and the second state.

10. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 8, the first sensor includes at least one of a proximity sensor, an acceleration sensor, or a gyro sensor, The above instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, cause the foldable electronic device to: An electronic device configured to acquire data related to the distance, angle, and / or posture between the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing through the first sensor.

11. In a method for recognizing reverse folding in a foldable electronic device (101, 201), An operation of checking, through a first sensor (276), a first angle between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) when the first housing (303) is folded to face the second housing, and a second angle between the third housing (307) and the second housing when the third housing (307) is folded to face the second housing; An operation of confirming that the foldable electronic device is in a first state in which the first housing is folded facing the second housing based on the first angle and the second angle; In response to confirming that the foldable electronic device is in the first state, an operation of confirming that the foldable electronic device is in a second state in which the third housing is not folded to face the second housing, based on a sensor value acquired through the second sensor (277); and A method for recognizing reverse folding, comprising: outputting a notification indicating that the folding order of the first housing and the third housing is incorrect based on confirmation that the foldable electronic device is in the first state and the second state.

12. In the 11th paragraph, the operation of confirming that the foldable electronic device is in a first state in which the first housing is folded to face the second housing is, An operation of checking a second angle between the third housing and the second housing when the first angle between the first housing and the second housing becomes smaller than a first threshold angle through the first sensor; An operation of confirming that the foldable electronic device is in a first state in which the first housing is folded to face the second housing when the second angle is greater than the first angle; and A method for recognizing reverse folding, comprising an operation of checking a sensor value through the second sensor in response to confirming that the foldable electronic device is in the first state.

13. In the 11th or 12th paragraph, the operation of confirming that the foldable electronic device is in a second state in which the third housing is not folded so as to face the second housing is, In response to confirming that the foldable electronic device is in the first state, an operation of confirming whether a sensor value through the second sensor is below a threshold value; and A method for recognizing reverse folding, comprising an action of confirming that the foldable electronic device is in a second state in which the third housing is not folded so as to face the second housing, in response to confirming that the sensor value is less than or equal to the threshold value.

14. In any one of claims 11 to 13, the flexible display (260) of the foldable electronic device (201) includes a first part supported by the first housing, a second part supported by the second housing, and a third part supported by the third housing. An operation of outputting a notification to indicate that the folding order of the first housing and the third housing is incorrect for the second housing, A method for recognizing reverse folding, comprising an action of displaying a notification message to notify that the first housing is folded to face the second housing through the third portion of the flexible display.

15. In a non-transitory storage medium storing instructions, the instructions are configured to cause the foldable electronic device (101, 201) to perform at least one operation when executed by at least one processor (120, 220), wherein the at least one operation is: An operation of using a first sensor (276) to check a first angle between the first housing (303) and the second housing (305) when the first housing (303) is folded to face the second housing (305), and a second angle between the third housing (307) and the second housing when the third housing (307) is folded to face the second housing; An operation of confirming that the foldable electronic device is in a first state in which the first housing is folded facing the second housing based on the first angle and the second angle; In response to confirming that the foldable electronic device is in the first state, an operation of confirming that the foldable electronic device is in a second state in which the third housing is not folded to face the second housing, based on a sensor value acquired through the second sensor (277); and A storage medium comprising an operation of outputting a notification indicating that the folding order of the first housing and the third housing is incorrect based on confirmation that the foldable electronic device is in the first state and the second state.

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