US 11,983,355 B2
Electronic device comprising flexible display and operation method thereof
Kiwon Kim, Suwon-si (KR); Hyelin Lee, Suwon-si (KR); Dahee Lim, Suwon-si (KR); Byoungho Jung, Suwon-si (KR); and Minjung Kim, Suwon-si (KR)
Assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed by SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed on Mar. 1, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/116,078.
Application 18/116,078 is a continuation of application No. PCT/KR2021/016412, filed on Nov. 11, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2020-0154740 (KR), filed on Nov. 18, 2020; and application No. 10-2021-0004949 (KR), filed on Jan. 13, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0205351 A1, Jun. 29, 2023
Int. Cl. G06F 3/041 (2006.01); G06F 1/16 (2006.01); G06F 3/044 (2006.01); G06F 3/0488 (2022.01)
CPC G06F 3/0416 (2013.01) [G06F 1/1652 (2013.01); G06F 3/0412 (2013.01); G06F 3/044 (2013.01); G06F 3/0488 (2013.01); G06F 2203/04102 (2013.01); G06F 2203/04108 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing including a first housing and a second housing, wherein the first housing is configured to movably engage with the second housing between a retracted position and an extended position;
a flexible display coupled to the first housing and the second housing such that a size of an area of the flexible display that is visible from a front side of the housing changes as the first housing is moved between the retracted position and the extended position, wherein the retracted position is a position in which the size of the area of the flexible display is a minimum and the extended position is a position in which the size of the area of the flexible display is a maximum;
at least one sensor;
memory; and
at least one processor operably connected with the flexible display, the at least one sensor, and the memory,
wherein the memory stores instructions configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause to the electronic device to:
obtain, information about a state of the first housing with respect to the second housing via the at least one sensor, the information including a current position of the first housing relative to the retracted position and/or the extended position;
detect a touch input;
identify a portion of the flexible display, where the touch input is detected, between a first portion of the flexible display that is visible from the front side of the housing and a second portion of the flexible display that is not visible from the front side of the housing, based on the information about the state of the first housing with respect to the second housing, wherein the first portion of the flexible display and the second portion of the flexible display are changeable by the current position of the first housing relative to the retracted position and/or the extended position;
based on the identified portion being the second portion, convert the detected touch input into a first touch input on the first portion and perform, based on the first touch input on the first portion, a function related to a screen displayed via the first portion; and
based on the identified portion being the first portion, perform the function related to the screen displayed via the first portion, based on the detected touch input.
 
11. A method comprising: obtaining, information about a state of a first housing of an electronic device with respect to a second housing of the electronic device via at least one sensor of the electronic device, the information including a current position of the first housing relative to a retracted position and/or an extended position, the electronic device comprising a housing including the first housing and the second housing, a flexible display, and the at least one sensor, wherein the first housing is configured to movably engage with the second housing between the retracted position and the extended position, wherein the flexible display is coupled to the first housing and the second housing such that a size of an area of the flexible display that is visible from a front side of the housing changes as the first housing is moved between the retracted position and the extended position, wherein the retracted position is a position in which the size of the area of the flexible display is a minimum and the extended position is a position in which the size of the area of the flexible display is a maximum; detecting a touch input; identifying a portion of the flexible display, where the touch input is detected, between a first portion of the flexible display that is visible from the front side of the housing and a second portion of the flexible that is not visible from the front side of the housing, based on the information about the state of the first housing with respect to the second housing, wherein the first portion of the flexible display and the second portion of the flexible display are changeable by the current position of the first housing relative to the retracted position and/or the extended position; and based on the identified portion being the second portion, converting the detected touch input into a first touch input on the first portion and performing, based on the first touch input on the first portion, a function related to a screen displayed via the first portion; and based on the identified portion being the first portion, performing the function related to the screen displayed via the first portion, based on the detected touch input.
 
20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having recorded thereon computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions configured to, when executed by at least one processor of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to: obtain, information about a state of a first housing of the electronic device with respect to a second housing of the electronic device via at least one sensor of the electronic device, the information including a current position of the first housing relative to a retracted position and/or an extended position, the electronic device comprising a housing including the first housing and the second housing, a flexible display, and the at least one sensor, wherein the first housing is configured to movably engage with the second housing between the retracted position and the extended position, wherein the flexible display is coupled to the first housing and the second housing such that a size of an area of the flexible display that is visible from a front side of the housing changes as the first housing is moved between the retracted position and the extended position, wherein the retracted position is a position in which the size of the area of the flexible display is a minimum and the extended position is a position in which the size of the area of the flexible display is a maximum; detect a touch input; identify a portion of the flexible display, where the touch input is detected, between a first portion of the flexible display that is visible from the front side of the housing and a second portion of the flexible that is not visible from the front side of the housing, based on the information about the state of the first housing with respect to the second housing, wherein the first portion of the flexible display and the second portion of the flexible display are changeable by the current position of the first housing relative to the retracted position and/or the extended position; and based on the identified portion being the second portion, convert the detected touch input into a first touch input on the first portion and perform, based on the first touch input on the first portion, a function related to a screen displayed via the first portion; and based on the identified portion being the first portion, perform the function related to the screen displayed via the first portion, based on the detected touch input.