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EP-4738051-A1 - MULTI-FOLDABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE COMPRISING SENSORS

EP4738051A1EP 4738051 A1EP4738051 A1EP 4738051A1EP-4738051-A1

Abstract

A multi-foldable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first housing comprising a first sensor; a second housing comprising a second sensor; a third housing comprising a third sensor; a first hinge member coupled between the first housing and the second housing; a second hinge member coupled between the second housing and the third housing; a flexible display comprising a first display area supported by the first housing, a second display area supported by the second housing, and a third display area supported by the third housing that comprises a fourth display area on the opposite surface of the third display area; a processor; and a memory for storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the multi-foldable electronic device to detect a first angle between the first housing and the second housing by using the first sensor and the second sensor, detect a second angle between the second housing and the third housing by using the second sensor and the third sensor, identify usage modes of the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing on the basis of the first angle and the second angle, and change display states of the first display area, the second display area, the third display area, and the fourth display area on the basis of the usage modes.

Inventors

  • JUN, Jaeyoung
  • CHOI, SungYun
  • CHOI, JUNYOUNG
  • Park, Cheolwoong
  • YOON, SHINHYUK
  • JEONG, JONGIL

Assignees

  • Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240725

Claims (15)

  1. A multi-foldable electronic device (200) comprising: a first housing (210) comprising a first sensor (510); a second housing (220) comprising a second sensor (520); a third housing (230) comprising a third sensor (530); a first hinge member (201) coupled between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220); a second hinge member (202) coupled between the second housing (220) and the third housing (230); a flexible display (240) comprising a first display area (240a) supported by the first housing (210), a second display area (240b) supported by the second housing (220), and a third display area (240c) supported by the third housing (230), the third housing (230) comprising a fourth display area 250d on an opposite surface of the third display area (240c); a processor (120); and memory (130) storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor (120), cause the multi-foldable electronic device (200) to: detect a first angle between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) using the first sensor (510) and the second sensor (520); detect a second angle between the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) using the second sensor (520) and the third sensor (530); identify usage mode of the first housing (210), the second housing (220), and the third housing (230), based on the first angle and the second angle; and change display states of the first display area (240a), the second display area (240b), the third display area (240c), and the fourth display area (250d), based on the usage mode.
  2. The multi-foldable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first hinge member (201) comprises an in-folding hinge, and wherein the second hinge member (202) comprises an in-folding hinge.
  3. The multi-foldable electronic device of claim 1 or 2, wherein, in case that the usage mode is such that the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are unfolded, and the third housing (230) is folded at a first specified angle relative to the second housing (220), the instructions, when executed by the processor (120), cause the multi-foldable electronic device (200) to: display a first application on the first display area (240a); display a second application on the second display area (240b); and display a third application on the third display area (240c).
  4. The multi-foldable electronic device of claim 3, wherein the third application is different from the first application and/or the second application.
  5. The multi-foldable electronic device of claim 3 or 4, wherein, in case that the usage mode is such that the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are unfolded, and the third housing (230) is folded at a second specified angle relative to the second housing (220), the instructions, when executed by the processor (120), cause the multi-foldable electronic device (200) to: display a third application on the third display area (240c); and display the third application on the fourth display area (250d).
  6. The multi-foldable electronic device of claim 3 or 4, wherein, in case that the usage mode is such that the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are folded at a specified angle, and the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) are folded at a specified angle so that the first housing (210), the second housing (220), and the third housing (230) are folded into a substantially triangular shape, the instructions, when executed by the processor (120), cause the multi-foldable electronic device (200) to display a fourth application on the fourth display area (250d).
  7. The multi-foldable electronic device of claim 6, wherein, in case that the usage mode is such that the third housing (230) is further folded at a specified angle relative to the second housing (220) in a state where the first housing (210), the second housing (220), and the third housing (230) are folded substantially into the triangular shape, the instructions, when executed by the processor (120), cause the multi-foldable electronic device (200) to display the first application on the first display area (240a).
  8. The multi-foldable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the first application comprises a virtual keyboard.
  9. The multi-foldable electronic device of claim 3, wherein the third application is identical to the first application and the second application.
  10. The multi-foldable electronic device of claim 3 or 4, wherein, in case that the usage mode is such that the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are folded at a specified angle, and the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) are folded at a specified angle so that the first housing (210), the second housing (220), and the third housing (230) are folded into a substantially triangular shape, the instructions, when executed by the processor (120), cause the multi-foldable electronic device (200) to not display an application on the first display area (240a), the second display area (240b), and the third display area (240c).
  11. A multi-foldable electronic device (200) comprising: a first housing (210) comprising a first sensor (510); a second housing (220) comprising a second sensor (520); a third housing (230) comprising a third sensor (530); a first hinge member (201) coupled between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220); a second hinge member (202) coupled between the second housing (220) and the third housing (230); a flexible display (240) comprising a first display area (240a) supported by the first housing (210), a second display area (240b) supported by the second housing (220), and a third display area (240c) supported by the third housing (230); a processor (120); and memory (130) storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor (120), cause the multi-foldable electronic device (200) to: detect a first angle between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) using the first sensor (510) and the second sensor (520); detect a second angle between the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) using the second sensor (520) and the third sensor (530); identify usage mode of the first housing (210), the second housing (220), and the third housing (230), based on the first angle and the second angle; and perform control to turn on or turn off at least one of the first display area (240a), the second display area (240b), and the third display area (240c), based on the usage mode.
  12. The multi-foldable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor (120), cause the multi-foldable electronic device (200) to change display states of the first display area (240a), the second display area (240b), and the third display area (240c), based on the usage mode.
  13. The multi-foldable electronic device of claim 11 or 12, wherein, in case that the usage mode is such that the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are folded at a first specified angle, and the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) are folded at a second specified angle, the instructions, when executed by the processor (120), cause the multi-foldable electronic device (200) to display a first application on the first display area (240a), a second application on the second display area (240b), and a third application on the third display area (240c), based on the first specified angle and the second specified angle.
  14. The multi-foldable electronic device of claim 11 or 12, wherein, in case that the usage mode is such that the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are folded at a first specified angle, and the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) are folded at a second specified angle, the instructions, when executed by the processor (120), cause the multi-foldable electronic device (200) to turn on the first display area (240a), turn on the second display area (240b), and turn on the third display area (240c), based on the first specified angle and the second specified angle.
  15. The multi-foldable electronic device of claim 11 or 12, wherein, in case that the usage mode is such that the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are folded at a first specified angle, and the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) are folded at a second specified angle, the instructions, when executed by the processor (120), cause the multi-foldable electronic device (200) to turn off the first display area (240a) and the second display area (240b) and turn on the third display area (240c), based on the first specified angle and the second specified angle.

Description

[Technical Field] Various embodiments of the disclosure disclose a multi-foldable electronic device including at least one sensor. [Background Art] The use of foldable electronic devices that fold and unfold in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction is increasing, and various functions are being provided to the foldable electronic devices. The foldable electronic device may be operated such that a first housing and a second housing are folded or unfolded about a hinge module (e.g., a hinge member). The foldable electronic device may include a flexible display that is positioned at least partially across the first housing, the hinge module, and the second housing. The foldable electronic device may use the flexible display to provide a user with a variety of information, such as text, images, and/or videos. [Disclosure of Invention] [Technical Problem] A user's demand for an expansion of a display of a foldable electronic device has been increasing. A foldable electronic device may be implemented as a multi-foldable electronic device including a first housing, a second housing, and a third housing. In the multi-foldable electronic device, the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing may operate in an in-folding and/or out-folding manner using a first hinge member and a second hinge member. The multi-foldable electronic device may include a flexible display disposed at least partially across the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing. When a plurality of housings among the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing are arranged in substantially the same direction of gravity without a sensor disposed in any one of the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing, the multi-foldable electronic device may not be able to detect an angle between adjacent housings. For example, when the angle between adjacent housings is not detected, the multi-foldable electronic device may not be able to provide various user interfaces (UIs) or applications (e.g., execution screens of applications) to the user using the flexible display (e.g., a first display) and/or sub-display (e.g., a second display). Various embodiments of the disclosure may provide a multi-foldable electronic device capable of detecting angles among the first, second, and third housings using sensors (e.g., 6-axis sensors) respectively disposed in the first, second, and third housings, and changing and displaying an application and/or user interface (UI) depending on the usage state (e.g., the arrangement state) or usage mode of the multi-foldable electronic device. The technical problems to be solved by the disclosure are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the disclosure pertains from the description below. [Solution to Problem] A multi-foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the disclosure may include a first housing including a first sensor, a second housing including a second sensor, a third housing including a third sensor, a first hinge member coupled between the first housing and the second housing, and a second hinge member coupled between the second housing and the third housing. According to an embodiment, the multi-foldable electronic device may include a flexible display that includes a first display area supported by the first housing, a second display area supported by the second housing, and a third display area supported by the third housing. According to an embodiment, the third housing may include a fourth display area on the opposite surface of the third display area. According to an embodiment, the multi-foldable electronic device may further include a processor and memory storing instructions, and the instructions may be configured to cause, when executed by the processor, the multi-foldable electronic device to detect a first angle between the first housing and the second housing using the first sensor and the second sensor, detect a second angle between the second housing and the third housing using the second sensor and the third sensor, identify usage mode of the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing, based on the first angle and the second angle, and change display states of the first display area, the second display area, the third display area, and the fourth display area, based on the usage mode. A multi-foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the disclosure may include a first housing including a first sensor, a second housing including a second sensor, a third housing including a third sensor, a first hinge member coupled between the first housing and the second housing, a second hinge member coupled between the second housing and the third housing, and a flexible display that includes a first display area supported by the first housing, a second display area supported by the se