Flexible Dual-Surface Display for Unobtrusive Notifications

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic devices face challenges in efficiently providing notifications without interfering with visual content, such as multimedia, when events like message reception occur.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device with a flexible display that includes a first area on a first surface and a second area on a second surface, allowing content associated with notifications to be displayed efficiently on either surface in response to events, with control methods that adjust display areas based on user inputs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If notification content is displayed on the same surface as visual content, then notification information is provided to the user, but the notification interferes with the viewing of visual content

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenotification information deliveryVSAvoidinterference with visual content viewing
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes the second surface of the electronic device as an additional display dimension. When a notification event occurs, the flexible display extends to expose the second area, allowing notification content to be displayed on the second surface while visual content remains on the first surface, thereby eliminating interference between the two types of content.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The display area is segmented into a first area on the first surface for visual content and a second area on the second surface for notification content. This spatial segmentation allows independent display of different content types without mutual interference, resolving the contradiction between information delivery and viewing quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If the display area is extended to show notification content, then notification efficiency is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenotification provision efficiencyVSAvoidflexible display structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible display is designed with dynamic extensibility, allowing it to transition between a retracted state (normal operation) and an extended state (notification display). This dynamic characteristic enables the display area to be expanded only when needed, improving notification efficiency while avoiding permanent structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible display serves multiple functions: it acts as the primary display for visual content when retracted and as an extended display area for notification content when exposed. This multi-functionality allows a single component to handle both display needs, reducing the requirement for separate notification display mechanisms and thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4095670B1Electronic device for displaying content and control method therefor
Publication Date: 2025.09.03 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP4095670B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4095670B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(b)
  • EP4095670B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

Provided is an electronic device including a display that is flexible, has a first area located at a first surface of the electronic device, has a second area located at a second surface of the electronic device, and is changeable in size to which the display is exposed to the first surface, and a controller. The controller may display content associated with an application in the first area, display, in response to an event related to a notification, information associated with the event in at least a portion of the first area, and display at least a portion of content associated with the notification in the first area in response to a first input to the second area.