# US 9,436,311 B2 · Mobile terminal and control method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,436,311 B2 - Document ID: US9436311B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/635,885 - Filed: 2015-03-02 - Published: 2015-06-18 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-05-03 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Jiyoung Park; Sujin Kim; Jumin Chi; Jaeho Choi; Sunghye Yoon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9436311B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)} - G06F 1/1652: {the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable} - G06F 3/03547: {Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface} - G06F 3/04817: using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) - G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus - G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) - G06F 3/0487: using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser - G09G 3/001: {using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background (slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP)} - H04M 1/0202: {Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets (constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03)} - H04M 1/0268: {including a flexible display panel} - H04M 1/67: by electronic means - H04M 1/724: User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones - H04M 1/724631: {by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad} - G09G 2340/0492: Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - 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) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract A mobile terminal including a flexible display unit configured to be bent in response to an applied physical force; a detection unit configured to detect a bending of the flexible display unit; and a control unit configured to execute at least one of a first function or a second function in response to the bending of the flexible display unit. Further, the second function is executed when the bending of the flexible display unit is maintained for a reference time, the second function being executed after the first function is executed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mobile terminal comprising: a flexible display unit configured to be bent in response to an applied physical force; a detection unit configured to detect a bending of the flexible display unit; and a control unit configured to: count a time for which the bending is maintained if the bending is detected in response to the applied physical force, and execute at least one of a first function or a second function according to the time for which the bending is maintained, wherein the second function is executed when the bending of the flexible display unit is maintained for a reference time, the second function being executed after the first function is executed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first function or the second function are executed when the bending of the flexible display unit is released. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first function and the second function are determined based on information displayed on the flexible display unit at a time point at which the bending is detected, a kind of activated application or which event occurs. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the reference time for which the bending is maintained is counted after the first function is executed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the control unit is further configured to control the flexible display unit to display the counted time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to sense an event has occurred on the mobile terminal while the flexible display is not being bent, and then to perform the first function or the second function. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein when the event is an incoming call event indicating a call is incoming, the first and second functions include at least one of an accept incoming call function for accepting the incoming call, and a reject incoming call function for rejecting the incoming call. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein when the event is an incoming message event indicating a message is incoming, the first and second functions include at least one of an accept indicating function for indicating an acceptance of the incoming message event, a message display contents function for displaying contents of the incoming message, a message execution function for displaying an input writing screen for responding to the incoming message, and an options menu option for displaying an options menu including a plurality of functions for responding to the incoming message. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first function is a locking mode function for locking the mobile terminal, and the second function is a turn-off function for turning off the mobile terminal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to display different groups of information on the flexible display unit, and wherein the first and second functions include at least one of selecting and highlight the different groups of information, magnifying content included in a selected group of information, reducing the content included in the selected group of information, and scrolling the different groups of information on the flexible display unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the flexible display unit is configured to be flexed along a longitudinal axis, along a horizontal axis and at edges of the mobile terminal. ### Claim 12 A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising: detecting a bending of the flexible display unit, wherein the flexible display unit is configured to be bent in response to an applied physical force; counting a time for which the bending is maintained if the bending is detected in response to the applied physical force; and executing at least one of a first function or a second function according to the time for which the bending is maintained, wherein the second function is executed when the bending of the flexible display unit is maintained for a reference time, the second function being executed after the first function is executed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the first function or the second function are executed when the bending of the flexible display unit is released. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the first function and the second function are determined based on information displayed on the flexible display unit at a time point at which the bending is detected, a kind of activated application or which event occurs. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the reference time for which the bending is maintained is counted after the first function is executed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising controlling the flexible display unit to display the counted time. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein an event has occurred on the mobile terminal is sensed while the flexible display is not being bent, and then the first function or the second function are performed. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein when the event is an incoming call event indicating a call is incoming, the first and second functions include at least one of an accept incoming call function for accepting the incoming call, and a reject incoming call function for rejecting the incoming call. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein when the event is an incoming message event indicating a message is incoming, the first and second functions include at least one of an accept indicating function for indicating an acceptance of the incoming message event, a message display contents function for displaying contents of the incoming message, a message execution function for displaying an input writing screen for responding to the incoming message, and an options menu option for displaying an options menu including a plurality of functions for responding to the incoming message. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the first function is a locking mode function for locking the mobile terminal, and the second function is a turn-off function for turning off the mobile terminal.