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EP-4187359-B1 - ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR PROVIDING VARIOUS USER INTERFACES THROUGH PLURALITY OF DISPLAYS, AND METHOD THEREFOR

EP4187359B1EP 4187359 B1EP4187359 B1EP 4187359B1EP-4187359-B1

Inventors

  • CHUNG, JINKYO
  • KWON, YONG
  • KIM, Joonhwan

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20210804

Claims (11)

  1. An electronic device (101) comprising: a housing comprising a first housing (231) and a second housing (233); a hinge unit (235) configured to enable the first housing and the second housing to rotate; a first display (240), the first display comprising a first portion which is exposed to an outside through a first area of the first housing and a second portion which is exposed to the outside through a second area of the second housing; a second display (250) exposed to the outside through a third area of the first housing facing in the opposite direction of a facing direction of the first area; a first sensor (530) configured to detect a folding angle formed by the first housing and the second housing; a second sensor (540) configured to detect a posture of the device; a memory (130, 520) configured to store data for providing a user interface based on a plurality of folding angles; and at least one processor (120, 510), wherein the at least one processor is configured to: acquire information on the folding angle through the first sensor; when the folding angle is less than a first angle, provide a first user interface for an application on the second display if a mode of the second display is an activation mode; characterized in that the at least one processor is further configured to: when the folding angle is larger than or equal to the first angle and less than a second angle and the posture of the electronic device is determined to be one in which the first housing is positioned above the second housing, provide the first user interface on the first portion of the first display and a second user interface on the second portion of the first display, the second user interface comprising one or more buttons or icons for controlling the application, if a mode of the first display is an activation mode; when the folding angle is larger than or equal to the first angle and less than a second angle and the posture of the electronic device is not determined to be one in which the first housing is positioned above the second housing, provide the first user interface on the first display, if a mode of the first display is an activation mode; and when the folding angle is larger than or equal to the second angle, provide the first user interface on the first display, if a mode of the first display is an activation mode.
  2. The electronic device (101) of claim 1, wherein, after the second display (250) is activated in a state where the first portion of the first display (240) and the second portion of the first display are identified as being folded, based on the folding angle, when the electronic device is switched to a folded state in which the folding angle is less than the first angle, the at least one processor (120, 510) is configured to maintain the display of the first user interface on the second display.
  3. The electronic device (101) of claim 1, wherein, when the electronic device is switched to a folded state in which the folding angle is less than the first angle and a designated time or longer is elapsed, the at least one processor (120, 510) is configured to display the first user interface if a mode of the second display (250) is an activation mode.
  4. The electronic device (101) of claim 1, wherein, when the electronic device is switched to a folded state in which the folding angle is less than the first angle and is switched to a state in which the folding angle is larger than or equal to the first angle before a designated time or longer is elapsed, the at least one processor (120, 510) is configured to switch the second display (250) to an inactivation mode.
  5. The electronic device (101) of claim 4, wherein the inactivation mode of the second display (250) comprises a mode for displaying a designated content.
  6. The electronic device (101) of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor (120, 510) is configured to provide a key button for changing or fixing an operation mode of a screen of the first display or an operation mode of a screen of the second display (250) on at least one of the screen of the first display (240) or the screen of the second display.
  7. A method of an electronic device (101), wherein the electronic device comprises: a housing comprising a first housing (231) and a second housing (233); a hinge unit (235) configured to enable the first housing and the second housing to rotate; a first display (240), the first display comprising a first portion which is exposed to an outside through a first area of the first housing and a second portion which is exposed to the outside through a second area of the second housing; a second display (250) exposed to the outside through a third area of the first housing facing in the opposite direction of a facing direction of the first area; a first sensor (530) configured to detect a folding angle formed by the first housing and the second housing; and a second sensor (540) configured to detect a posture of the device, wherein the method comprises: acquiring information on the folding angle through the first sensor; when the folding angle is less than a first angle, providing a first user interface for an application on the second display if a mode of the second display is an activation mode; characterized in that the method further comprises: when the folding angle is larger than or equal to the first angle and less than a second angle and the posture of the electronic device is determined to be one in which the first housing is positioned above the second housing, providing the first user interface on the first portion of the first display and a second user interface on the second portion of the first display, the second user interface comprising one or more buttons or icons for controlling the application, if a mode of the first display is an activation mode; when the folding angle is larger than or equal to the first angle and less than a second angle and the posture of the electronic device is not determined to be one in which the first housing is positioned above the second housing, providing the first user interface on the first display, if a mode of the first display is an activation mode; and when the folding angle is larger than or equal to the second angle, providing the first user interface, if a mode of the first display is an activation mode.
  8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, after the second display (250) is activated in a state where the first portion of the first display (240) and the second portion of the first display are folded, based on the folding angle, when the electronic device is switched to a folded state in which the folding angle is less than the first angle, maintaining the display of the first user interface on the second display.
  9. The method of claim 7, further comprising, when the electronic device (101) is switched to a folded state in which the folding angle is less than the first angle and a designated time or longer is elapsed, displaying the first user interface if a mode of the second display (250) is an activation mode.
  10. The method of claim 7, further comprising, when the electronic device (101) is switched to a folded state in which the folding angle is less than the first angle and is switched to a state in which the folding angle is larger than or equal to the first angle before a designated time or longer is elapsed, switching the second display (250) to an inactivation mode.
  11. The method of claim 10, wherein the inactivation mode of the second display (250) comprises a mode for displaying a designated content.

Description

Technical Field Various embodiments of the disclosure relate to an electronic device which provides various user interfaces through a plurality of displays including a foldable display according to a using state of the electronic device, and a method thereof. Background Art Recently, electronic devices including foldable displays are being developed. Since an electronic device including a foldable display can be carried in a folded state, it can provide enhanced portability. In addition, the electronic device including the foldable display can provide a screen of a large size in an unfolded state. US 2020225706 A1 discusses an electronic device including a housing including first housing and second housing, and a hinge unit to rotate the first hosing and the second housing. EP 2977850 A1 discusses a mobile terminal including first and second body sections connected to each other via a hinge portion. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem A related-art electronic device including a foldable display may display a first image through a first display when the electronic device is unfolded, and may display a second image through a second display when the electronic device is folded. Various embodiments of the disclosure provide an electronic device for providing user interfaces of various types or combinations through a plurality of displays (or different portions of a foldable display) in various using states, which include a folded state, an intermediate state, and an unfolded state, and a method thereof. The technical objects to be achieved by the disclosure are not limited to that mentioned above, and other technical objects that are not mentioned above may be clearly understood to those skilled in the art based on the description provided below. Solution to Problem The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended independent claims. Optional features are specified by the dependent claims. Advantageous Effects of Invention The electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure can provide enhanced user experience by providing user interfaces of various forms and combinations through a plurality of displays (or different portions of a foldable display) in various using states including a folded state, an intermediate state, and an unfolded state of the electronic device. Brief Description of Drawings FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to various embodiments;FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a front view and a rear view of an electronic device in an unfolded state according to various embodiments;FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a using state of an electronic device according to a change of a first state variable including a folding angle of the electronic device while the electronic device is changing from a folded state to an unfolded state according to various embodiments;FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a using state of an electronic device according to a change of a first state variable including a folding angle of the electronic device and a change of a second state variable including a using direction (posture) of the electronic device according to various embodiments;FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device for providing various user interfaces according to a change in the using state use of the electronic device according to various embodiments;FIG. 6 is a flowchart to explain a method for providing various user interfaces according to a change in the using state of an electronic device according to various embodiments;FIG. 7 is a flowchart to explain a method for providing various user interfaces according to a change in the using state of an electronic device according to various embodiments;FIGS. 8 and 9 are exemplary views to explain a method for providing various user interfaces according to a change in the using state of an electronic device according to various embodiments;FIGS. 10 to 13 are exemplary views to explain a method for providing various user interfaces according to a using state of an electronic device according to various embodiments;FIGS. 14 to 18 are exemplary views to explain various methods for selecting and/or changing a user interface according to a using state of an electronic device according to various embodiments; andFIGS. 19 to 21 are exemplary views to explain a method for providing various user interfaces by using all of a plurality of displays according to a using state of an electronic device according to various embodiments. Mode for Carrying out the Invention Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device 101 in a network environment 100 according to various embodiments. Referring to Fig. 1, the electronic device 101 in the network environment 100 may communicate with an electronic device 102 via a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or at least one of an electronic device 104 or a server 108 via a second networ