Apparatus having curved display

Abstract

An electronic paper display unit includes a protective case, which is made of a transparent material, a display, which is installed in the protective case, is powered to display desired image information, and includes a plurality of divided regions, and a control module, which is electrically connected with the display, and includes a first mode transmitting a divided mode signal such that many pieces of image information are independently displayed on the respective divided regions and a second mode transmitting an integrated mode signal such that one piece of image information is displayed throughout the overall divided regions. Further, a mobile communication terminal can visually display various pieces of image information thereon according to selection of a user.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: a display including a first display area and a second display area, the first display area forming at least part of a planar surface of the apparatus, and the second display area bent from an edge area of the first display area and forming at least part of a curved surface of the apparatus; and a controller operatively coupled with the display and, configured to display content continuously via the first and second display areas.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to display to the content via the first display area, and another content via the second display area, respectively.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the curved surface forms at least part of a curved edge of the apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second display area comprises a plurality of divided portions including a first divided portion and a second divided portion, wherein the controller is configured to display information via the first divided portion independently of the second divided portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to activate the second display area at least temporarily while the first display area remains inactivated.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first display area is to be operated using a first power and wherein the second display area is to be operated using a second power different from the first power.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust color information of at least part of the content displayed via the second display area based at least in part on the color information of the content displayed via the first display area.

8. A mobile communication device comprising: a display including a first display area and a second display area, the first display area forming at least part of a planar front surface of the mobile communication device, and the second display area bent from an edge area of the first display area and forming at least part of a curved side surface of the mobile communication device.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the display is extended from the first display area to the second display area continuously.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the display includes a third display area that is bent from another edge area of the first display area and forming at least part of another curved side surface of the mobile communication device.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the display is extended in a diagonal direction from the first display area.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein at least part of the second display area is configured to display information independently of the first display area.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the second display area comprises a plurality of divided portions including a first divided portion and a second divided portion, the first divided portion configured to display information independently of the second divided portion.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the first display area is configured to be inactivated at least temporarily based at least in part on activation of the second display area.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the second display area is configured to be activated at least temporarily while the first display area remains inactivated.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 8, further comprising another display forming at least part of a surface different from the planar front and curved side surfaces.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein at least one of the display or the other display comprises an electronic ink display.

18. An apparatus comprising: a flexible display including a first display area, a second display area and a third display area, the first display area forming at least part of a planar front surface of the apparatus, the second display area extended from a first edge area of the first display area and forming at least part of a first curved side surface of the apparatus, and the third display area extended from a second edge area of the first display area and forming at least part of a second curved side surface of the apparatus.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the second and third display areas face each other.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the second and third display areas face each other.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a mobile communication terminal having an electronic paper display unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a mobile communication terminal having an electronic paper display unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating the mobile communication terminal of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view taken along the line I-I′ of FIG. 1;

(7) FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view taken along the line II-II′ of FIG. 1;

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a display according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

(9) FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the operation of an electronic paper display unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(10) FIGS. 1 through 8, discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged mobile communication terminal.

(11) An electronic paper display unit and a mobile communication terminal having the same, according to the present invention, will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(12) Here, the configuration of the electronic paper display unit is substantially included in the configuration of the mobile communication terminal.

(13) Thus, the configuration of the electronic paper display unit will be described together with the configuration of the mobile communication terminal.

(14) Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, the mobile communication terminal having an electronic paper display unit includes: a main body 100, on which both the first circuit board 110 and a liquid crystal display (LCD) 120 electrically connected with a first circuit board 110 are installed; a sub-body 200, which is coupled with the main body 100, on which a second circuit board 210 electrically connected with the first circuit board 110 is installed, and on which a battery 250 supplying the power to the first circuit board 110 and the second circuit board 210 is mounted.

(15) The mobile communication terminal may be a folding type in which one end of the main body 100 can be hinged on the other end of the sub-body 200 as illustrated in FIG. 1, or a sliding type in which the main body 109 can be slid on the sub-body 209 as illustrated in FIG. 2.

(16) Thus, the electronic paper display unit of the present invention can be applied to both the mobile communication terminal of FIG. 1 and the mobile communication terminal of FIG. 2.

(17) Now, the configuration and operation of the electronic paper display unit of the present invention will be described as follows.

(18) The electronic paper display unit of the present invention includes a protective case 400 or 409 coupled to a base member, a display 300 or 309 installed in the protective case 400, and a control module 500 controlling the display 300 to display desired image information.

(19) The base member can be either the main body 100 or 109 or the sub-body 200 or 209 as illustrated in FIG. 1 or 2.

(20) More specifically, referring to FIG. 5, the protective case 400, made of a transparent material, is installed on the outside of the main body 100 and the sub-body 200 with a predetermined thickness.

(21) The protective case 400 may be made of a transparent material (e.g. plastic) or an elastic material (e.g. rubber).

(22) The protective case 400 is coupled with the main body 100 and the sub-body 200 using a coupling means.

(23) As illustrated in FIG. 6, the coupling means includes sliding ridges 401, which projects outwards from the inner face of the protective case 400, and sliding holes 101, which are formed in the outer face of the main body 100 and will be coupled with the sliding ridges 401.

(24) Further, although not illustrated in the drawings, the sliding ridges 401 may be formed on the outer face of the main body 100, and the sliding holes 101 may be formed in the inner face of the protective case 400.

(25) Of course, the protective case 400 can be coupled with the main body 100 or the sub-body 200 by means of an adhesive material (not shown) such as glue or tape.

(26) Here, the protective case 400 is provided with a recess 410 for installing the display 300 in the inner face thereof.

(27) Now, the display 300 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

(28) The display 300, installed in the inner face of the protective case 400, is powered to display desired image information, and includes a main region 310, which includes a plurality of divided main regions 311.

(29) Thus, each of the divided main regions 311 functions as an independent display to show the image information.

(30) The main region 310 further includes sub-regions 320, which are disposed in a curved shape on the outer circumference of the main region 310.

(31) Each sub-region 320 is coupled with the outer circumference of the main region 310. Each sub-region 320 is electrically connected and can be operated with the separate power.

(32) Each sub-region 320 is powered to display the image information, a contrast of which is gradually increased from one end to the other end of each sub-region 320 along the outer circumferences.

(33) The power may be supplied by the control module 500, which will be described below. The contrast can also be controlled by the control module 500.

(34) In addition, each sub-region 320 includes a plurality of divided sub-regions 321.

(35) Next, the control module 500 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 8.

(36) The control module 500 is installed in the sub-body 200 to be connected electrically with the display 300, and includes a first mode 510, transmitting a divided mode signal such that many pieces of the first image information are independently displayed on the divided main regions 311, and a second mode 520, transmitting an integrated mode signal such that one piece of the second image information is displayed throughout the overall divided main regions 311.

(37) In detail, the display 300 of the present invention includes both the main region 310 having the divided main regions 311, and the sub-regions 320 surrounding the main region 310.

(38) The main region 310 is arranged in a grid shape, and includes n numbers of the divided main regions 311.

(39) The n numbers of the divided main regions 311 are electrically connected with the control module 500.

(40) Although not illustrated, each sub-region has the shape of a bar having a predetermined length, and includes m numbers of the divided sub-regions 321.

(41) The m numbers of the divided sub-regions 321 are electrically connected with the control module 500.

(42) Meanwhile, the first mode 510 outputs the divided mode signal such that many pieces of the first image information are independently displayed on each of the divided main regions 311 of the main region 310 and each of the divided sub-regions 321 of each sub-region 320.

(43) The second mode 520 outputs the integrated mode signal such that one piece of the second image information is displayed throughout the overall divided main regions 311 of the main region 310 and the overall divided sub-regions 321 of each sub-region 320.

(44) In addition, the control module 500 further includes an input 550, which can input the source information constituted of the first and second image information.

(45) The input 550 can be adapted to select one or more of the many pieces of the source information such as moving pictures, photographs, or the color information, so that it can use the selected information as the first image information or the second image information.

(46) When the source information for the first image information or the second image information is input through the input 550, the control module 500 secures a predetermined memory, and then stores the source information in the memory.

(47) For example, when the source information for the first image information is input through the input 550, a controller 540 of the control module 500 stores the source information, and then transmits an electrical signal to the first mode 510.

(48) Thus, the first mode 510 outputs the divided mode signal, so that the first image information can be displayed on each of the divided main regions 311.

(49) Here, all pieces of the first image information, which are displayed on each of the divided main regions 311, may be equal to or different from each other.

(50) If different, the different pieces of the first image information are input into the controller 540 through the input 550. The controller 540 stores the different pieces of the first image information, which will be transmitted to each of the divided main regions 311.

(51) Meanwhile, the control module 500 further includes a selector 530, which can select at least one of the divided main regions 311 to control on/off operation of the selected region.

(52) Thus, the first image information is allowed to be displayed only on the divided main region 311 indicated by the selector 530.

(53) In contrast, when the source information for the second image information is input through the input 550, the controller 540 stores the source information, and then transmits an electrical signal to the second mode 520.

(54) Thus, the second mode 520 outputs the integrated mode signal, so that the second image information can be displayed on the divided main regions 311.

(55) Here, the divided main regions 311 function to display one piece of the second image information.

(56) Although the present invention describes the sample case where the first or second image information is displayed on the divided main regions through the first or second mode 510 or 520 of the control module 500, this case is equally applied to the sub-regions 320.

(57) Meanwhile, the sub-regions 320 are typically installed on the edges of the main body 100 or the sub-body 200 of the mobile communication terminal as illustrated in FIG. 1.

(58) Each sub-region 320 is curved from one end to the other end thereof.

(59) Thus, the contrast for the first or second image information displayed from one end to the other end of the sub-regions 320 thereof can be visually varied.

(60) When the sub-regions 320 are visually tested at a predetermined position, the controller 540 can gradually increase the contrast from one end to the other end of each sub-region 320. Thus the displayed contrast can be adjusted equally.

(61) In addition, one or more of the divided main regions 311 of the main region 310 may have the curved regions.

(62) When the display 300 having the main region 310 is installed on the main body 100 or the sub-body 200 of the mobile communication terminal, it can be installed in accordance with the shapes of the edge of the main body 100 or the sub-body 200.

(63) Although the present disclosure has been described with an exemplary embodiment, various changes and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the present disclosure encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.