Flexible Display Capacitance Sensing for Fold-State Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices with flexible displays may incorrectly recognize a folded or unfolded state due to malfunctions caused by metals or magnets near Hall sensors.
Innovation Solution
The device uses a flexible display to determine the folded or unfolded state by measuring capacitance between surfaces, eliminating the need for additional sensors like Hall sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a Hall sensor is used to determine the folded or unfolded state, then the state recognition function is provided, but metal or magnet adjacent to the Hall sensor causes malfunction and incorrect recognition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the Hall sensor from the system and replaces it with a capacitive sensing mechanism using the touch panel. This extraction eliminates the harmful effect of metal/magnet interference on state recognition while maintaining the functionality of determining folded or unfolded states through capacitance measurements between the first and second surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the magnetic field-based Hall sensor with an electric field-based capacitive sensing system. By using the touch panel's existing capacitance measurement capability, the system replaces the mechanical/magnetic sensing approach with an electrical field approach that is not affected by metal or magnet interference.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional sensors like Hall sensors are used to determine folded state, then state identification is enabled, but internal space is reduced and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the touch panel serve multiple functions: its original touch detection function plus the additional function of determining folded or unfolded states through capacitance measurement. By using the existing touch panel infrastructure for dual purposes, the system eliminates the need for separate state detection sensors, thereby reducing device complexity and preserving internal space.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own existing components (the touch panel and its capacitance measurement capability) to perform the state identification function, rather than relying on external or additional sensors. The touch panel essentially serves itself by providing both touch input and structural state detection capabilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Prevents malfunctions in state recognition and secures internal space by using the flexible display to identify states without additional sensors.
Implementation Method 1
identifying a capacitance between the first surface and the second surface, based on the changed transmission channel and the second reception channel
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device comprising a flexible display is provided. The electronic device includes a first housing connected to a hinge device, the first housing comprising a first surface facing in a first direction, a second housing comprising a second surface facing in a second direction, the second housing being folded onto the first housing around the hinge device, a flexible display extending from the first surface to the second surface so as to form the first and second surfaces, the flexible display comprising a touch panel, a first reception channel and a first transmission channel corresponding to the touch panel disposed on the first surface, a second reception channel and a second transmission channel corresponding to the touch panel disposed on the second surface, memory, comprising one or more storage media, storing instructions, and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to control the electronic device so as to operate in an unfolded state, control the electronic device so as to change the first reception channel to a transmission channel at a designated cycle, identify the capacitance between the first and second surfaces on the basis of the changed transmission channel and the second reception channel, and in case that the capacitance between the first surface and the second surface is greater than or equal to a designated capacitance, control the electronic device to operate in a folded state.