Flexible Screen Camera Switching and Inversion Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
When a flexible screen is folded, it can cause either the front or rear camera to be blocked, leading to a poor user experience as the system does not automatically switch to the non-blocked camera, and images may become inverted due to the camera change, requiring manual user selection and correction.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with a flexible screen, equipped with detection and gravity sensing units to automatically switch between front and rear cameras based on blocking conditions, and flip images when cameras are inverted, eliminating the need for manual user intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the flexible screen is folded, then the device becomes more compact and portable, but the camera may become blocked causing poor user experience
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of the folded state using detection units before the user attempts to use the camera. By detecting the fold state in advance, the system proactively switches between front and rear cameras based on which camera is blocked, preventing the usability issue from occurring rather than reacting to it after the user encounters the problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera switching system operates autonomously by detecting the folded state and automatically switching between front and rear cameras without requiring user intervention. The detection units and control unit work together to self-manage the camera selection based on the physical state of the device, eliminating the need for manual user adjustment.
2Ease of operation
If the system switches between front and rear cameras automatically, then user experience is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection units serve multiple functions: they detect both the folded state of the flexible screen and the orientation of cameras simultaneously. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve automatic camera switching and image orientation correction without adding separate dedicated sensors for each function, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the detection unit functionality with the existing camera system architecture. The detection unit integrates with the control unit that manages camera operations, merging the detection and control functions into a unified system rather than adding completely separate subsystems, which helps control overall device complexity.
3Measurement precision
If gravity sensing units are added near each camera, then image orientation can be automatically corrected, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single gravity sensing unit for the entire device, the patent places gravity sensing units locally near each camera (front and rear cameras separately). This local placement allows each camera to independently detect its own orientation relative to gravity, enabling precise orientation correction for each camera individually while maintaining a standardized assembly process using identical sensing units at multiple locations.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device includes a flexible screen capable of being folded and/or bent by a user. A first camera is disposed on a first surface of the flexible screen and a second camera is disposed on a second surface of the flexible screen. A detection unit is configured to detect, in a first condition, whether the first camera and/or the second camera is blocked because the user folds and/or bends the flexible screen. A control unit is configured to control an ON/OFF state of the first camera and/or the second camera based on a detection result of the detection unit.