Foldable device and method of controlling the same

Abstract

A foldable device includes: a flexible display configured to display an execution screen of an application; and a controller configured to control the flexible display to display an execution screen of at least one first application on a first surface of the flexible display that is used as a display of the foldable device when the flexible display is folded, and control, in response to the flexible display being unfolded, the flexible display to display the execution screen of the at least one first application and an execution screen of at least one second application related to the at least one first application to be displayed on a second surface of the flexible display that is used as a display of the foldable device when the flexible display is unfolded.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A foldable device comprising:
 a flexible display configured to display an execution screen of an application; and   a controller configured to control the flexible display to display an execution screen of at least one first application on a first surface of the flexible display that is used as a display of the foldable device when the flexible display is folded, and control, in response to the flexible display being unfolded, the flexible display to display the execution screen of the at least one first application and an execution screen of at least one second application related to the at least one first application to be displayed on a second surface of the flexible display that is used as a display of the foldable device when the flexible display is unfolded.   
     
     
         2 . The foldable device of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface configured to receive an input of a user's selection,
 wherein the controller is further configured to control the flexible display to, while the flexible display is folded, co-display the execution screen of the at least one first application and a second application selection menu for selecting the at least one second application, and to determine the at least one second application according to the user's selection via the second application selection menu.   
     
     
         3 . The foldable device of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface configured to receive an input of a user's selection,
 wherein the controller is further configured to control the flexible display to, while the execution screen of the at least one first application is displayed, display both the execution screen of the at least one first application and a second application selection menu for selecting the at least one second application, and to determine the at least one second application according to the user's selection via the second application selection menu.   
     
     
         4 . The foldable device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the at least one second application based on a pre-stored list of related applications. 
     
     
         5 . The foldable device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the at least one second application based on an input with respect to the at least one first application. 
     
     
         6 . The foldable device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine an application related to a notification event that occurs in the foldable device as the at least one second application. 
     
     
         7 . The foldable device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the at least one second application based on an application use history of a user. 
     
     
         8 . The foldable device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a user-set application as the at least one second application. 
     
     
         9 . The foldable device of  claim 1 , wherein the second surface of the flexible display is disposed on an opposite side of the flexible display to the first surface of the flexible display,
 the foldable device further comprises a state detector configured to detect a partially-folded state in which at least one portion of the second surface is folded to face towards a same side as the first surface, and   the controller is further configured to control the flexible display to, in response to the state detector detecting the partially-folded state, display the execution screen of the at least one first application on the first surface of the flexible display that is used as a display of the foldable device in the partially-folded state, and display the execution screen of the at least one second application on a region of the at least one portion of the second surface that faces towards the same side as the first surface that is used as the display of the foldable device in the partially-folded state.   
     
     
         10 . A method of controlling a foldable device comprising a flexible display, the method comprising:
 displaying an execution screen of at least one first application on a first surface of the flexible display that is used as a display of the foldable device when the flexible display is folded; and   displaying, in response to the flexible display being unfolded, the execution screen of the at least one first application and an execution screen of at least one second application related to the at least one first application on a second surface of the flexible display that is used as a display of the foldable device when the flexible display is unfolded.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 co-displaying, while the flexible display is folded, the execution screen of the at least one first application and a second application selection menu for selecting the at least one second application;   receiving an input of a user's selection via the second application selection menu; and   determining the at least one second application according to the user's selection.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the displaying the execution screen of the at least one first application comprises co-displaying the execution screen of the at least one first application and a second application selection menu for selecting the at least one second application, and
 the method further comprises:   receiving an input of a user's selection via the second application selection menu; and   determining the at least one second application according to the user's selection.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining the least one second application based on a pre-stored list of related applications. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining the least one second application based on an input with respect to the at least one first application. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining an application related to a notification event that occurs in the foldable device as the at least one second application. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining the at least one second application based on an application use history of a user. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining a user-set application as the at least one second application. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 detecting a partially-folded state in which at least one portion of the second surface is folded to face towards a same side as the first surface;   displaying, in response to the partially-folded state being detected, the execution screen of the at least one first application on the first surface of the flexible display that is used as a display of the foldable device in the partially-folded state; and   displaying the execution screen of the at least one second application on a region of the at least one portion of the second surface that faces toward the same side as the first surface that is used as the display of the foldable device in the partially-folded state.   
     
     
         19 . A foldable device comprising:
 a first display disposed on a first surface of the foldable device;   a second display disposed on a second surface of the foldable device;   a sensor configured to detect a folding state of the foldable device; and   a controller configured to control the first display to display a first application while the flexible display is folded, and control the second display to display the first application and a second application in response to the flexible display being unfolded.   
     
     
         20 . The foldable device according to  claim 19 , wherein the controller is further configured to select the second application to be displayed based on the first application in response to the flexible display being unfolded. 
     
     
         21 . The foldable device according to  claim 19 , wherein the foldable device is configured to be partially folded such that a portion of the first display is overlapped by a portion of the second display and another portion of the first display is not overlapped by the second display, and
 the controller is further configured to, is response to the foldable device being partially folded, control the second display to display the second application on the portion of the second display overlapping the first display.   
     
     
         22 . The foldable device according to  claim 21 , wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to the foldable device being partially folded, adjust a screen size of the first application to correspond to the another portion of the first display, and control the first display to display the first application on the another portion of the first display. 
     
     
         23 . The foldable device according to  claim 19 , wherein the foldable device is configured to be partially folded into a multi-region folded state of the foldable device comprises a plurality of portions of the second display folded to overlap with non-contiguous portions of the first display, another portion of the first display is not overlapped by the second display, and
 the controller is further configured to, in response to the flexible display being in the multi-region folded state, control the first display to display the first application on the another portion of the first display and control the second display to display the second application on at least one of the plurality of portions overlapping the first display.   
     
     
         24 . The foldable device according to  claim 23 , wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to the flexible display being in the multi-region folded state, control the second display to display the second application on a first portion of the plurality of portions overlapping the first display and display a third application on a second portion of the plurality of portions overlapping the first display.