# US 10,504,488 B2 · Portable device and control method therefor

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- Number: US 10,504,488 B2
- Document ID: US10504488B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/519,367
- Filed: 2014-10-15
- Published: 2017-08-10
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2014-10-15
- Assignees: LG Electroncs Inc.
- Applicants: LG Electronics Inc.
- Inventors: Sinae Chun; Sihwa Park; Juhwan Lee; Doyoung Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10504488B2

## CPC

- G09G 5/14: Display of multiple viewports
- G06F 1/1616: {with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position}
- G06F 1/1641: {the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components (G06F1/1647 takes precedence)}
- G06F 1/1647: {including at least an additional display (G06F1/1692 takes precedence)}
- G06F 1/1652: {the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable}
- G06F 1/1677: {for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment}
- G06F 3/0481: based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
- G06F 3/0483: Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
- G06F 3/1423: {controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display}
- G09G 5/38: with means for controlling the display position
- G09G 2340/0407: Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
- G09G 2340/0464: Positioning
- G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A control method for a portable device comprising a first body at the center, a second body located at one side of the first body and a third body located at the other side of the first body, according to one embodiment of the present specification, can comprises the steps of: detecting a first folded state in which the second body and the first body are folded on the basis of a first folding axis, the third body is folded with the first body, and a second display area is located in the front direction of the portable device; displaying a first application on the second display area in the first folded state; detecting the occurrence of an event related to a second application other than the first application in a state in which the first application is displayed; and displaying first visual information of the event on a partial region of a third display area while continuously displaying the first application on the second display area if it is detected that a first folding angle between the first body and the third body is changed on the basis of a second folding axis.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A portable device containing a first body positioned at the center, a second body positioned at one side of the first body, and a third body positioned at another side of the first body, comprising:
a display unit configured to contain a first display area positioned at the first body, a second display area positioned at the second body, and a third display area positioned at the third body;
a folding sensor unit configured to detect whether or not the second body is folded on the basis of a first folding axis positioned between the first body and the second body and detect whether or not the third body is folded on the basis of a second folding axis positioned between the first body and the third body; and
a processor configured to control the display unit and the folding sensor unit,
wherein the processor is further configured to:
when the second body and the first body are folded on the basis of the first folding axis, the third body and the first body are folded on the basis of the second folding axis, and the second display area is positioned at the front direction of the portable device, detect a first folded state,
display first visual information related to a first application in the second display area in the first folded state,
detect an occurrence of an event related to a second application different from the first application,
detect whether or not a first folding angle between the first body and the second body is changed,
display second visual information related to the detected event in at least a partial area of the third display area while continuously displaying the first visual information in the second display area,
set the at least partial area of the third display area as an event area, the event area is configured by an edge area exposed by the first folding angle, and
when the first folding angle increases, increase a size of the event area.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The portable device of claim 1, wherein when the first folding angle has a range equal to or greater than a first threshold angle and less than a second threshold angle, the processor is further configured to detect that the first folding angle is changed.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The portable device of claim 2, wherein when the first folding angle changed to the second threshold angle or more is detected, the processor is further configured to display the second visual information in the first display area in a manner of being expanded from the third display area.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The portable device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to set an activated area of the third display area as the at least partial area in which the second visual information is displayed based on the changed first folding angle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The portable device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display the second visual information of the second application in the event area of the third display area, and
wherein when the size of the event area increases, the processor is further configured to increase a size of the second visual information displayed in the event area.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The portable device of claim 1, wherein when the portable device is switched to a second folded state from the first folded state in a state that the second visual information is displayed in the at least partial area of the third display area, the processor is further configured to continuously display the first visual information in the second display area and display third visual information related to the second application in the first display area and the third display area.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The portable device of claim 6, wherein the second folded state corresponds to a flat state that the first body and the second body are positioned at the same plane and the first body and the third body are positioned at the same plane.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The portable device of claim 1, wherein the second visual information corresponds to information on contents provided by the second application in response to the event.

### Claim 9

A portable device containing a first body positioned at the center, a second body positioned at one side of the first body, and a third body positioned at another side of the first body, comprising:
a display unit configured to contain a first display area positioned at the first body, a second display area positioned at the second body, and a third display area positioned at the third body;
a folding sensor unit configured to detect whether or not the second body is folded on the basis of a first folding axis positioned between the first body and the second body and detect whether or not the third body is folded on the basis of a second folding axis positioned between the first body and the third body; and
a processor configured to control the display unit and the folding sensor unit,
wherein the processor is further configured to:
when the second body and the first body are folded on the basis of the first folding axis, the third body and the first body are folded on the basis of the second folding axis, and the second display area is positioned at the front direction of the portable device, detect a first folded state,
display first visual information related to a first application in the second display area in the first folded state,
detect an occurrence of an event related to a second application different from the first application,
detect whether or not a first folding angle between the first body and the second body is changed,
display second visual information related to the detected event in at least a partial area of the third display area while continuously displaying the first visual information in the second display area, and
when the event occurrence is detected, display third visual information on the second application in the second display area, and
wherein the third visual information corresponds to notification information indicating that the occurrence of the event related to the second application is detected.

### Claim 10

A portable device containing a first body positioned at the center, a second body positioned at one side of the first body, and a third body positioned at another side of the first body, comprising:
a display unit configured to contain a first display area positioned at the first body, a second display area positioned at the second body, and a third display area positioned at the third body;
a folding sensor unit configured to detect whether or not the second body is folded on the basis of a first folding axis positioned between the first body and the second body and detect whether or not the third body is folded on the basis of a second folding axis positioned between the first body and the third body; and
a processor configured to control the display unit and the folding sensor unit,
wherein the processor is further configured to:
when the second body and the first body are folded on the basis of the first folding axis, the third body and the first body are folded on the basis of the second folding axis, and the second display area is positioned at the front direction of the portable device, detect a first folded state,
display first visual information related to a first application in the second display area in the first folded state,
detect an occurrence of an event related to a second application different from the first application,
detect whether or not a first folding angle between the first body and the second body is changed,
display second visual information related to the detected event in at least a partial area of the third display area while continuously displaying the first visual information in the second display area,
when the event occurrence is detected, display third visual information on the second application in the second display area, and
when the second visual information is displayed in the at least partial area of the third display area, eliminate the third visual information displayed in the second display area.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The portable device of claim 1, wherein when the change of the first folding angle is detected within a threshold time after the occurrence of the event is detected, the processor is further configured to display the second visual information on the event in the at least partial area of the third display area while continuously displaying the first visual information in the second display area.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The portable device of claim 11, wherein when the change of the first folding angle is detected not within the threshold time after the occurrence of the event is detected, the processor is further configured to display third visual information related to the first application in the at least partial area of the third display area while continuously displaying the first visual information related to the first application in the second display area.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The portable device of claim 12, wherein the third visual information corresponds to detail information on the first application.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The portable device of claim 1, further comprising a control input sensing unit configured to detect a control input inputted on at least one of the first display area, the second display area, or the third display area and forward the detected control input to the processor.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The portable device of claim 14, wherein when the second visual information is displayed, and a control input for selecting the second visual information is detected, the processor is further configured to display third visual information related to the second application in the second display area.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The portable device of claim 1, further comprising a communication unit configured to receive a triggering signal from an external device,
wherein the processor is further configured to detect the occurrence of the event based on the triggering signal received from the external device.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The portable device of claim 1, wherein the event comprises at least one of a voice event, a text message event, a vibration event, or an image event.

### Claim 18

A method of controlling a portable device containing a first body positioned at the center, a second body positioned at one side of the first body, and a third body positioned at another side of the first body, comprising the steps of:
when the second body and the first body are folded on the basis of a first folding axis, the third body and the first body are folded on the basis of a second folding axis, and a second display area is positioned at the front direction of the portable device, detecting a first folded state;
displaying first visual information related to a first application in the second display area in the first folded state;
detecting an occurrence of an event related to a second application different from the first application in a state that the first visual information is displayed;
when a change of a first folding angle between the first body and the third body changed on the basis of the second folding axis is detected, displaying second visual information on the event in at least a partial area of a third display area while continuously displaying the first visual information in the second display area;
setting the at least partial area of the third display area as an event area, the event area is configured by an edge area exposed by the first folding angle; and
when the first folding angle increases, increasing a size of the event area.