Abstract:
A device includes a flexible display for displaying media; an actuator for changing a shape of the flexible display; and a processor executing a shape determination application to apply a rule to a shape input to determine a desired shape for the flexible display in response to the shape input; the processor generating a command signal and providing the command signal to the actuator to place the flexible display in the desired shape.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates generally to flexible displays, and more particularly, to methods, systems, and computer program products for automatic shape adjustment of a flexible display. 
     A developing technology in the wireless device space is the use of flexible displays. Flexible displays are device screens that can be bent and flexed without damaging the internal components. Current designs allow for bending and twisting of a screen in order to provide an input or command to a device. Other techniques for controlling the shape of a flexible display include preset commands that dictate a specific shape for the display. The existing techniques for controlling the shape of a flexible display use predetermined commands and predetermined display shapes. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Exemplary embodiments include a device including a flexible display for displaying media; an actuator for changing a shape of the flexible display; and a processor executing a shape determination application to apply a rule to a shape input to determine a desired shape for the flexible display in response to the shape input; the processor generating a command signal and providing the command signal to the actuator to place the flexible display in the desired shape. 
     Other exemplary embodiments include a method to control a shape of a flexible display, the method including obtaining a shape input for the flexible display; executing a shape determination application to apply a rule to the shape input to determine a desired shape for the flexible display in response to the shape input; and generating a command signal and providing the command signal to an actuator to place the flexible display in the desired shape. 
     Other exemplary embodiments include a computer program product embodied on a tangible computer readable storage medium, the computer program product including instructions for causing a processor to execute a method, including obtaining a shape input for the flexible display; executing a shape determination application to apply a rule to the shape input to determine a desired shape for the flexible display in response to the shape input; and generating a command signal and providing the command signal to an actuator to place the flexible display in the desired shape. 
     Other systems, methods, and/or computer program products according to embodiments will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon review of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, and/or computer program products be included within this description, be within the scope of the exemplary embodiments, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several FIGURES: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a mobile device with a flexible display in an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a flexible display in an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a system for controlling a flexible display in an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a process for controlling display shape in an exemplary embodiment; and 
         FIG. 5  depicts encoding a shape input in media in an exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     The detailed description explains the exemplary embodiments, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  depicts a mobile device  10  with a flexible display in an exemplary embodiment. Mobile device  10  may be a phone, tablet, personal digital assistant, etc., equipped with communications components (e.g., cellular, wife, NFC, Bluetooth) for communicating over wireless or wired networks. Mobile device  10  includes a housing  12  that supports flexible display  14 . Flexible display  14  may be any known type of flexible display such as a flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) display of flexible liquid crystal diode (LCD) display. 
     Mobile device  10  includes a microphone  16 . Microphone  16  is used for voice communications and for receiving spoken commands from a user. A camera  18  may be located on a back side of housing  12 . Camera  18  receives gesture commands from a user to control the flexible display  14 . Camera  18  may also serve as a light sensor to control flexible display  14 . A speaker  20  provides audio output to the user. Mobile device  10  also includes one or more buttons  24  for controlling the device. Buttons  24  may be permanent components built into housing  12  or may be virtual buttons, presented on display  14 , activated by touching display  14 . One or more sensors  22  are positioned on housing  12  to sense various parameters such as contact, temperature, motion, etc. 
       FIG. 2  depicts a flexible display  14  in an exemplary embodiment. A plurality of actuators  30  are positioned on a back side of display  14 . The actuators  30  may be implemented using known force transmitting devices (e.g., electromagnetic, pneumatic, hydraulic, electromechanical, etc.). The actuators  30  operate to adjust shape and/or size of display  14 , in response to commands from a processor, as described in further detail herein. In exemplary embodiments, actuators  30  include muscle wires, which change shape when the appropriate electrical current is applied. A variety of three-dimensional shapes may be assumed by display  14 . Actuators  30  may be interconnected by links  32  (e.g. wires, pins, etc.) to provide support for display shapes. Since the arrangement of the actuators  30  is known, the necessary signals required to create a desired display shape can be calculated by a processor. 
       FIG. 3  depicts a system for controlling a flexible display in an exemplary embodiment. A processor  40  is coupled to buttons  24 , camera  18 , microphone  16 , and sensors  22  to determine if a change of shape of display  14  is commanded. Processor  40  may be implemented using a general-purpose microprocessor executing a computer program stored in a computer readable storage medium to execute the processes described herein. Processor  40  also receives at least a portion of media  42  to be displayed on display  14 . Processor  40  can interpret the media  42  to determine a shape for display  14  as described in further detail herein. Processor  40  also receives status signals from actuators  30  identifying a current position of display  14 . Based on the various inputs, processor  40  generates command signals to actuators  30  to change the shape of display  14 . 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a process for controlling display shape in an exemplary embodiment. Processor  40  receives a shape input from one or more sources, such as a shape input from a user gesture at block  50 . The user gesture may be captured by camera  18 . For example, a user moving two fingers toward or away from each other could signal the desire to bring the edges of the display  14  closer or farther apart. Processor  40  may receive shape input from a voice input at block  52 . The voice input may be captured by microphone  16 . Processor  40  may receive shape input from a button  24  at block  54 . Buttons  24  may be configured to increase or decrease display size or command a certain shape. Processor  40  may receive shape input from sensors  22  at block  56 . Sensors  22  may detect how device  10  is being held in one&#39;s hand (e.g., via contact sensors) which would result in processor  40  adjusting display  14  in response to contact with the device  10 . Sensors  22  may also provide helpful input in determining whether a shape can be assumed by display  14 . For example, if a user commands a shape inadvertently, sensors  22  may indicate that the shape cannot be currently assumed because device  10  is in an enclosed space (e.g., a user&#39;s pocket or purse) based on light, contact, and/or heat sensors. Thus, the shape input from sensors  22  can override other shape inputs from different inputs. Camera  18  and/or microphone  16  may also be used to provide information about whether a shape can be assumed. 
     Processor  40  may receive shape input from media  42  at block  58 , either prior to or during presentation of the media on display  14 . Processor  40  may examine the media to determine a format of the media and a corresponding display shape. For example, if the media is an incoming voice call, then the display may be kept relatively small. By contrast, if the media is an incoming video conference, the display  14  may be enlarged and tilted towards the user. Detection of the media by processor  40  may be based on file extensions (e.g., mpeg, txt, pdf, avi) or based on an operational mode of the device (e.g., placing a call, incoming call, playing movie, browsing internet). 
     In alternate embodiments, the media includes a header that includes a shape input field for controlling a shape of display  14 .  FIG. 5  depicts an exemplary header  100  for a media file. The header  100  may accompany a media file sent by a sending device and be generated by the sending device. Header  100  may include a sender field  102  and receiver field  104  identifying addresses for each party. Further, a format field  106  may identify the type of media (e.g., txt, pdf, mpeg, etc.). A display shape field  108  includes a shape input that is used by processor  40  to control the shape of display  14 . For example, the media may be an e-card wishing the receiving party a happy birthday. The display shape field  108  may include shape input to cause processor  40  to configure the display  14  as cube, to display a three dimensional cake. Through the display shape field  108 , a sender of media can also provide a shape input to control the shape of flexible display  14 . 
     In alternate embodiments, processor  40  may derive a shape input from the media itself, rather than relying on a file extension or header. Processor  40  may examine the media itself and determine a desired shape from the media contents. For example, processor  40  may detect certain keywords in a text message that initiate a desired shape. Alternatively, musical content may be processed to derive a desired shape by, for example, extracting a vector of attributes of the music and determining a desired shape from the attributes of the media. Thus, the media itself may serve as a shape input. 
     In further alternate embodiments, the shape input may be directly commanded from an external communication, rather than derived from media received at device  10 . For example, a group of users may be meeting at a certain time, but have not decided a place to meet. One user can send a communication (e.g., an SMS message) to the other user devices, the communication including a shape input that causes the display  14  to assume a shape of a familiar landmark (e.g., St. Louis Arch) where the group should meet. In such embodiments, the shape input is the content received at mobile device  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , at block  60  the processor  40  receives the various shape inputs and executes a shape determination application to determine a desired shape for display  14 . The goal of the shape determination application is to determine the desired shape for display  14  by applying rules to the shape inputs. For example, the shape inputs may have different priorities, such that a higher shape input priority would take precedence over a lower priority shape input in the event of a conflict. For example, the shape input from buttons  24  may have the highest priority as these inputs are often directly from the user. For example, even if the media shape input identifies an oversized display, the user may override the media shape input using buttons  24 . Similarly, shape input from sensors  22  may indicate that the display  14  should not be reshaped, as it is sensed that the device  10  is in an enclosed space (e.g., pocket, purse, desk drawer). 
     Once the desired shape for display  14  is determined, the desired shape is compared to a current shape  62  at block  64 . The current shape is known by processor  40  based on the state of actuators  30 . Processor  40  can poll actuators  30  to determine if the display shape has been changed, for example, by the user physically. If the desired shape and current shape match, then no shape change is needed and the process ends at block  66 . 
     If the desired shape and current shape do not match, then flow proceeds to block  68  where processor  40  determines appropriate command signals to transition the display  14  from the current shape to the desired shape. At block  70 , the command signals from processor  40  are applied to actuators  30  to place display  14  in the desired shape. 
     The changes in shape of display  14  may include a wide variety of deformations, including stretching to permit any bending or twisting. Such deformations enable a display in a small mobile device (such as a smartphone) to expand to many times its original size. This expanded display may be capable of folding. Such an expanded folded display may permit multiple users that are facing each other to see the same content simultaneously on the same device, or to operate independent user interfaces on the same display on the same device. 
     As described above, the exemplary embodiments can be in the form of processor-implemented processes and devices for practicing those processes, such as processor  40 . The exemplary embodiments can also be in the form of computer program code containing instructions embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD ROMs, hard drives, or any other computer-readable storage medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes a device for practicing the exemplary embodiments. The exemplary embodiments can also be in the form of computer program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into an executed by a computer, the computer becomes an device for practicing the exemplary embodiments. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc., do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc., are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc., do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.