Patent Description:
In many electronic devices, such as laptop and notebook computers and mobile devices such as smart phones, a display of the electronic device is one of the highest power consuming components. These types of electronic devices are typically powered by battery power during use at least some of the time, and thus the high power consumption of the display reduces the battery life, where the battery life is the time for which the battery can power the electronic device. The power consumed by display components in an electronic device may be particularly high in foldable electronic devices, such as a foldable smart phone, phablet and tablet type devices. A foldable electronic device is a type of device that includes a display in which the device may folded to provide access to a smaller active area of the display and unfolded to provide access to a larger active area of the display. These foldable electronic devices are relatively new and may have a variety of configurations for the display. The Royole Flexpai, Huawei Mate X and Samsung Galaxy Fold are examples of foldable electronic devices. The term "foldable electronic device" is many times utilized as being synonymous with devices having a flexible display, but as used herein the term also includes devices having multiple smaller displays that may be folded and unfolded to provide access to smaller and larger active displays for the device.

When unfolded, the larger active display area of a foldable electronic device may have a large power consumption that greatly reduces battery life. In general, it would be advantageous to lower display power consumption and extend battery life in foldable electronic devices.

<CIT> discloses an information handling system with two display screens including a first integrated display device and a second integrated display device attached via a hinge. A processor determines a first relative orientation of the first integrated display device to the second integrated display device from a plurality of orientation sensors and further determines working software application context by detecting at least one software application running on the information handling system. The system further includes a controller module deploys a power savings strategy to restrict power usage to the first or second integrated display device based on the first relative orientation and the working software application context.

<CIT> discloses a portable device and a control method thereof for convenient and accurate dimming control. The portable device includes a foldable display unit, a state sensor unit to detect folded and unfolded states of the foldable display unit, an input sensor unit to sense user input and a processor to control the respective units. The processor converts the portable device from a first dimming mode to a second dimming mode upon detection of change of the foldable display unit from the unfolded state to the folded state, perform dimming of the foldable display unit based on a dimming time different with the second dimming time when the user input is sensed in the second dimming mode within a second dimming time, and performs dimming of the foldable display unit after the second dimming time has passed when the user input is not sensed in the second dimming mode within the second dimming time.

<CIT> discloses methods and devices to conserve power on a mobile device, by determining an active region on a display and dimming a portion of the display backlight corresponding to the non-active regions. The method includes detecting an active region and a non-active region on a display. The detection may be based on a user interaction with the display or processing an image of the user to determine where on the display the user is looking. The method may control a brightness of a backlight of the display depending on the active and non-active region.

<CIT> discloses a portable information handling system with rotationally coupled housing portions having an OLED film display disposed over the housing portions automatically adapts presentation of visual images at the display based upon detection of a peripheral keyboard placed on the display.

Advantageous, optional features of the invention are then recited in the accompanying dependent claims.

In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous examples and specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention as expressed in the claims may include some or all of the features in these examples, alone or in combination with other features described below, and may further include modifications and equivalents of the features and concepts described herein.

<FIG> is a functional block diagram of a foldable electronic device <NUM> including a processor <NUM> that executes a usage mode based adaptive brightness control algorithm <NUM> to control brightness of a display <NUM> according to the invention. The usage mode based adaptive brightness control algorithm <NUM> controls the brightness of the display <NUM> based on a usage mode of the foldable electronic device <NUM> and other user inputs, such as eye attention or focus indicating where on the display a user is looking. Sensors <NUM> sense user inputs of the foldable electronic device <NUM> that are utilized by the usage mode based adaptive brightness control algorithm <NUM> to control brightness of the display and thereby lower the power consumption of the foldable electronic device, as will be explained in more detail below.

<FIG> is a perspective view of a foldable electronic device <NUM> implementing the usage mode based adaptive brightness control algorithm of <FIG> according to the invention. A display <NUM> of the foldable electronic device <NUM> includes two portions in the case of <FIG>, which are designated as display areas <NUM> and <NUM> in the figure. The foldable electronic device <NUM> is foldable along an axis <NUM>, with the position of the two portions of the display <NUM> rotated about the axis <NUM> defining various usage modes of the device, as will be described in more detail below. Several cameras 210A-210C are positioned along edges of the two portions of the display <NUM>, each of these cameras being utilized or not during operation in a corresponding usage mode of the device <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a display <NUM> of a foldable electronic device including two display areas <NUM> and <NUM> like in the device <NUM> of <FIG>. One or both of the display areas <NUM> and <NUM> may be active depending on the usage mode of the foldable electronic device. <FIG> illustrates that when the foldable electronic device is unfolded about an axis <NUM> as shown in the figure, both display areas <NUM> and <NUM> may be active. Conversely, when folded one display area <NUM> over the other display area <NUM> about the axis <NUM>, only one of the display areas may be active. The size of an active display area of the foldable electronic device <NUM> doubles when unfolded compared to being folded, which approximately doubles the power consumed by the display <NUM>. The size by which a battery in a foldable device may be increased is limited, and thus this doubled power consumption in usage modes where the display <NUM> is unfolded may unduly shorten the battery life of the device.

<FIG> illustrate several usage modes of a foldable electronic device according to the invention. The description set out below are for a foldable electronic device that includes two display areas that may be folded or unfolded to varying degrees about an axis of rotation at which the two display areas are joined. It is however to be appreciated that the present disclosure is not limited to including only two display areas but may include three or more display areas in further alternative variations of the invention. The same may also be said of all the usage modes illustrated in <FIG> and they may include additional usage modes or fewer than all the illustrated usage modes in further alternative variations of the invention.

<FIG> illustrates a flat or unfolded usage mode of a foldable electronic device, such as may occur where the device is functioning as a tablet computer, or as a display or monitor along with a physical keyboard to form a laptop computing device. This is illustrated on the right in <FIG> illustrates a first folded usage mode of a foldable electronic device that will be referred to as a laptop usage mode in the present description. The laptop usage mode corresponds to the foldable electronic device being operated as a laptop computer including a virtual keyboard displayed on one of the two display areas, with the other display area functioning as the screen or monitor of the laptop. The laptop usage mode also includes the usage mode where the screen is folded inward and the user is holding the foldable electronic device as a person would when reading a book or newspaper. <FIG> illustrates a second folded usage mode of a foldable electronic device that is referred to as a tent usage mode in the present description. The tent usage mode corresponds to usage of the foldable electronic with the display folded outward as a dual display device where a user may face each display area of the device and view content being displayed on that display area. Finally, <FIG> illustrates a closed usage mode of the foldable electronic device in which each of the display areas is turned off. The display consumes no or very little power in the closed usage mode and thus this usage mode will not be further described herein.

<FIG> illustrate an example of a centered usage mode based adaptive brightness control algorithm for an active display area of a foldable electronic device according to the invention. <FIG> shows a display <NUM> of a foldable electronic device in the unfolded usage mode of <FIG> according to the invention. The display <NUM> includes first and second display areas <NUM>, <NUM> on the left and right halves. These display areas <NUM> and <NUM> rotate about an axis <NUM>. A center or focus area <NUM> is in the center of the display <NUM> as shown, with non-focus areas <NUM> and <NUM> around the focus area on the left and right sides of the focus area in this example.

<FIG> illustrates a dimming profile <NUM> implemented by the centered usage mode based adaptive brightness control algorithm on the display <NUM> in this example. The vertical axis of the profile <NUM> illustrates the percentage illumination or brightness B (B%) at a given display position DP on the active areas <NUM>, <NUM> of the display <NUM>. The zero-display position DP corresponds to the left side of the display <NUM> while the display position DP on the right side of the profile <NUM> corresponds to the right side of the display. In this example, a user's eyes are assumed to be looking at or focused on the focus area <NUM> in the center of the display <NUM>. As a result, the brightness B is maintained at <NUM>% for the content being displayed in the focus area <NUM>. In the non-focus areas <NUM> and <NUM>, the brightness B is gradually decreased from <NUM>% at inner sides of these non-focus areas adjoining the focus area <NUM> to a lower percentage on the outer sides of the non-focus areas (i.e., on the left and right sides of the display <NUM>). In the illustrated example, the brightness B is reduced or dimmed to <NUM>% on the outer sides of the non-focus areas <NUM>, <NUM>.

In the example of <FIG>, decreasing the brightness B in the non-focus areas <NUM>, <NUM> decreases a brightness of groups of pixels from the inner side to the outer side of each of these non-focus areas. This approach could be utilized, for example, where the display <NUM> is a liquid crystal display (LCD) having segmented backlighting. The horizontal width along the display position DP axis represents a segment of the backlighting of the display <NUM> where the display is an LCD.

Dimming or reducing the brightness B of groups of pixels in the display <NUM> in this way may result in undesirable banding on the display in the non-focus areas <NUM>, <NUM>. This banding may be unacceptable to some users. <FIG> illustrates a dimming profile <NUM> implemented by the centered usage mode based adaptive brightness control algorithm on the display <NUM> where the display may be controlled at the pixel level, such as in light emitting diode (LED) or organic light emitting diode (OLED) types of displays. Where the display <NUM> is an LED or OLED display, the display includes an array of pixels arranged in rows and columns. The dimming profile <NUM> gradually dims columns of pixels in the non-focus areas <NUM>, <NUM> from <NUM>% adjoining the focus area <NUM> to a reduced brightness percentage at the outer edges of the non-focus areas, which is <NUM>% in the illustrated example.

The brightness B in the non-focus areas <NUM>, <NUM> may be linearly decreased as illustrated by the dashed lines <NUM> in <FIG> or may be decreased through some other relation as a function of display position DP, as illustrated by curves <NUM>. In the unfolded usage mode of a foldable display <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>, the display has a larger field of view (FOV) that extends across a user's FOV. The human eye has a higher sensitivity in the center of the eye's FOV, and this sensitivity decreases at points away from the from the center the user's FOV to points on a periphery of the user's FOV. The example of <FIG> takes advantage of this sensitivity change in a user's FOV.

<FIG> illustrate an eye detection usage mode based adaptive brightness control algorithm for a display <NUM> of a foldable electronic device according to the invention. The display <NUM> includes first and second display areas <NUM>, <NUM> that may be folded and unfolded about an axis <NUM>. Once again, a focus area <NUM> and non-focus areas <NUM>, <NUM> on the display <NUM> are identified. In the example of <FIG>, however, the focus area <NUM> is detected based on an eye position or eye movement instead of being placed in the center of the display as in the example of <FIG>. The eye gaze or position of the user's eyes in the example of <FIG> is represented through a cross <NUM> as shown in the center of the focus area <NUM>. Thus, in <FIG>, the location of the user's gaze on the display <NUM> (i.e., where the user is looking on the display <NUM>) is detected and the focus area <NUM> is thereafter determined around this detected location of the user's gaze.

<FIG> illustrates a dimming profile <NUM> implemented by the eye detection usage mode based adaptive brightness control algorithm on the display <NUM> in this example. In this example, the brightness B is maintained at <NUM>% for the determined focus area <NUM>, which is determined based on the detected user eye position as represented by cross <NUM>. Thus, the brightness B is maintained at <NUM>% for the content being displayed in the focus area <NUM>. In the non-focus areas <NUM>, <NUM>, the brightness B is gradually decreased from <NUM>% at inner sides of these non-focus areas adjoining the focus area <NUM> to a lower percentage on the outer sides of the non-focus areas (i.e., on the left and right sides of the display <NUM>).

Because the focus area <NUM> is no longer centered on the display <NUM>, the dimming in the non-focus areas <NUM>, <NUM> is not symmetric in this example. In the illustrated example, the focus area <NUM> is positioned closer to the left side of the display <NUM>. As a result, the non-focus area <NUM> to the left of the focus area <NUM> is smaller than the non-focus area <NUM> to the right of the focus area. If the change in brightness B from the inner side of the non-focus area <NUM> adjoining the focus area <NUM> to the outer side of this non-focus area (i.e., the change of the brightness B over the non-focus area) is too large, this variation may be undesirably perceived by the user. Accordingly, in <FIG>, the change in brightness B over the smaller non-focus area <NUM> is different than the change over the larger non-focus area <NUM>. As seen in <FIG>, the brightness B is decreased from <NUM>% at the inner side of the non-focus area <NUM> adjoining the focus area <NUM> to <NUM>% at the outer side of this non-focus area on the left side of the display <NUM>. The larger non-focus area <NUM> has the brightness B decreased from <NUM>% at the inner side of the non-focus area <NUM> adjoining the focus area <NUM> to <NUM>% at the outer side of this non-focus area on the right side of the display <NUM>. Thus, the total change in brightness across the smaller non-focus area <NUM> is less than the total change in brightness across the larger non-focus area <NUM>. The dimming or change in brightness in the non-focus areas <NUM>, <NUM> is thus not symmetric in this example. Due to the larger size of the non-focus area <NUM>, although the total change in brightness B across this non-focus area is greater than for the smaller non-focus area <NUM>, the gradient or rate of change of the brightness B may be smaller for this non-focus area and thus be less likely to be undesirably perceived by the user.

In the example of <FIG>, the dimming profile <NUM> decreases in an asymmetric way the brightness B across the non-focus areas <NUM>, <NUM> of groups of pixels from the inner side to the outer side of each of these non-focus areas as previously discussed with reference to <FIG>. <FIG> illustrates a dimming profile <NUM> implemented by the eye detection usage mode based adaptive brightness control algorithm on the display <NUM> where the display may be controlled at the pixel level, such as in LED or OLDE types of displays. The dimming profile <NUM> gradually dims columns of pixels asymmetrically in the non-focus areas <NUM>, <NUM>. For the non-focus area <NUM>, the profile <NUM> dims the brightness B from <NUM>% adjoining the focus area <NUM> to a reduced brightness percentage of <NUM>% at the outer edge of the non-focus area corresponding to the left side of the display <NUM>. This dimming may be done either linearly as illustrated by the dashed line <NUM> or may be decreased through some other relation as a function of display position DP, as illustrated by curve <NUM>. For the non-focus area <NUM>, the profile <NUM> dims the brightness B from <NUM>% adjoining the focus area <NUM> to a reduced brightness percentage of <NUM>% at the outer edge of the non-focus area corresponding to the right side of the display <NUM>. Once again, this dimming may be done linearly as illustrated by dashed line <NUM> or through some other relation as a function of display position DP as shown by curve <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrate a variable zone eye detection usage based adaptive brightness control algorithm for a display <NUM> of a foldable electronic device according to the invention. The variable zone symmetric eye detection usage based adaptive brightness control algorithm is similar to the brightness control algorithm described with reference to <FIG>. The features <NUM>-<NUM> are similar to the corresponding features <NUM>-<NUM> in <FIG> and will not again be described in detail with reference to <FIG>. In the approach of <FIG>, the dimming profile <NUM> for the non-focus areas <NUM> and <NUM> is symmetric in terms of the change of brightness over each of these non-focus areas, but the sizes of groups of pixels being dimmed are different in the two non-focus areas <NUM> and <NUM>. Once again, as shown in <FIG> the dimming may be done linearly as illustrated by dashed line <NUM> or through some other relation as a function of display position DP as shown by curve <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrate a usage mode based adaptive brightness control algorithm for a display <NUM> including a virtual keyboard in one of a display area <NUM>, <NUM> in a laptop mode of operation according to the invention. Two cameras <NUM> and <NUM> are included in display area <NUM> as shown, and dimming is based on user eye detection as previously described for the examples of <FIG> and <FIG>. Dimming profiles <NUM> and <NUM> as shown in <FIG> may be used for this mode of operation. In this example, the foldable electronic device including the display <NUM> is operating in the laptop mode with a virtual keyboard (not shown) displayed in the display area <NUM>. The keys of the virtual keyboard may be presented on the display area <NUM> with a high contrast ratio while the brightness B of these keys may be kept relatively low. In this way, an on pixel ratio (OPR) in the display area <NUM> may be reduced, reducing the power consumption of this display area.

<FIG> illustrate a usage mode based adaptive brightness control algorithm for a display <NUM> where a physical keyboard is used in a laptop mode of operation according to the invention. Two cameras <NUM> and <NUM> are included in display area <NUM> as shown, and dimming once again may be based on user eye detection as previously described. Dimming profiles <NUM> and <NUM> as shown in <FIG> may be used for this mode of operation. In this example, the foldable electronic device including the display <NUM> is operating in the laptop mode with a physical keyboard <NUM> in the display area <NUM>. In this example, the physical keyboard is placed on the display area <NUM> as illustrated. Sensors in the foldable electronic device including the display <NUM> detect the utilization of the physical keyboard and in this situation the display areas <NUM> and <NUM> are dimmed according to dimming profiles <NUM> and <NUM> as seen in <FIG>. In each of these dimming profiles <NUM>, <NUM> the portion of the display area <NUM> over which the physical keyboard is placed is turned OFF (i.e., pixels are black in this portion) to thereby lower the power consumption of this display area.

Referring back to <FIG>, another usage mode for the tent usage mode will now be described in more detail. In the tent usage mode, the foldable display is folded outward as a dual display device where a separate user may face each display area of the device and view content being displayed on that display area. The tent usage mode effectively provides a split screen that enables two users sitting across from one another to interact with the foldable electronic device through the respective display areas. In this situation, the foldable device includes sensors, such as a camera, in each display area to detect human presence proximate each of the display areas. When there is no human presence detected proximate a display area, the corresponding display area of the display will be turned OFF or put into sleep mode to reduce power consumption of the foldable electronic device.

<FIG> is a flowchart of a usage mode based adaptive brightness control process <NUM> according to the invention. The process <NUM> begins at <NUM> and proceeds to <NUM> where the foldable electronic device implementing the process <NUM> is initialized and the process then proceeds to <NUM>. At <NUM>, the process <NUM> determines, through suitable sensors in the foldable electronic device as previously discussed with reference to <FIG>, whether the foldable electronic device is operating in the unfolded mode (<FIG>). If the determination at <NUM> is positive, the process <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> and detects, once again through suitable sensors in the foldable electronic device, the eye focus of the user on the display of the foldable electronic device (i.e., where is the user looking on the display). After <NUM>, the process <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> and applies a brightness control algorithm based on the eye focus of the user, such as the algorithms described with reference to <FIG>.

At <NUM>, the process <NUM> and determines whether the user has manually disabled dimming control of the display of the foldable electronic device. For example, although the battery of the electronic device may be low, the user may know that he or she can quickly finish a desired task on the device before the battery runs out and would like to do so without brightness control on the display being implemented. If the determination at <NUM> is positive, the process <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> and ends, implementing no brightness control or dimming on the display of the foldable electronic device. When the determination at <NUM> is negative, the process <NUM> returns to <NUM> and again determines whether the foldable electronic device is operating in the unfolded usage mode.

If the determination at <NUM> is negative, the process <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> and determines, through suitable sensors in the foldable electronic device, whether the foldable electronic device is operating in the tent usage mode (<FIG>). When the determination at <NUM> is positive, the process <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> and determines whether a user is present proximate a second display area of the display of the foldable electronic device. In this example, a user is assumed to be proximate a first display area of the display. From <NUM> the process <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> and determines whether a user has been detected proximate the second display area. When the determination at <NUM> is positive, the process <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> and dimming or brightness control according to one of the previously described algorithms is implemented on both the first and second display areas of the display. From <NUM>, the process <NUM> again proceeds back to <NUM>. If the determination at <NUM> is negative, indicating no user has been detected proximate the second display area, the process <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> and brightness control according to one of the previously described algorithms is implemented on the first display area while the second display area is turned OFF to lower power consumption. From <NUM> the process <NUM> again proceeds back to <NUM>.

When the determination at <NUM> is negative, the process <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> and determines, through suitable sensors, whether the foldable electronic device is operating in the laptop mode. If the determination at <NUM> is negative, the process <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> and detects eye focus of the user and thereafter at <NUM> applies brightness control on the display of the foldable electronic device according to one of the previously described brightness control algorithms. From <NUM>, the process <NUM> proceeds back to <NUM>.

When the determination at <NUM> is positive, indicating the foldable electronic device is operating in the laptop usage mode, the process <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> and determines whether a physical keyboard is being utilized with the foldable electronic device. If the determination at <NUM> is positive, the process <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> and applies a brightness control algorithm such as that described above with reference to <FIG> to dim the display and thereby lower the power consumption of the foldable electronic device in this usage mode. From <NUM>, the process <NUM> proceeds back to <NUM>.

If the determination at <NUM> is negative, the process <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> and determines whether a virtual keyboard is being utilized in one of the first and second display areas of the display of the foldable electronic device. When the determination at <NUM> is positive, the process <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> and applies a brightness control algorithm such as that described above with reference to <FIG> to dim the display and thereby lower the power consumption of the foldable electronic device in this usage mode. From <NUM>, the process <NUM> proceeds back to <NUM>. If the determination at <NUM> is negative, the process <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> and detects, once again through suitable sensors in the foldable electronic device, the eye focus of the user on the display of the foldable electronic device (i.e., where is the user looking on the display). After <NUM> the process <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> and applies a brightness control algorithm based on the eye focus of the user, such as the algorithms described above with reference to <FIG>. From <NUM> the process <NUM> again returns to <NUM>.

<FIG> is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of a computing device <NUM> to implement brightness control algorithms discussed herein with reference to the examples of <FIG>. The computing device <NUM> may be, for example, a foldable mobile device such as a smart phone, phablet, or tablet computer, or other type of computing device that would benefit from the power savings provided by the usage mode based brightness control algorithms of the present application. The computing device <NUM> would typically be a mobile device running on battery power, which would then utilize the brightness control techniques of the present application to extend the life of battery for a given charge by lowering the power consumption of the system. The computing device <NUM> need not be a mobile device, however, where there is a need to reduce the power consumption of the system even though the device is not being powered through battery power. Finally, the computing device <NUM> of <FIG> illustrates an example of a suitable computing system environment in which examples of the present disclosure may be implemented. The computing device <NUM> is an example of one suitable computing environment and should not be considered to suggest any limitation as to the implementations of examples of the present invention.

In the example of <FIG>, the computing device <NUM> includes a processor <NUM>, such as a central processing unit, which is configured to execute stored instructions. A memory device <NUM> stores instructions that are executable by the processor <NUM>, and may be any suitable type of memory such as read only memory (ROM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), flash memory (FLASH), or a combination these and other different types of memory. The memory device <NUM> stores instructions executed by the processor <NUM>, including instructions of OS and graphics driver GD loaded into memory, and instructions executed by the processor to implement the display power-reduction processes of <FIG>. The processor <NUM> is coupled to the memory device <NUM> through a bus <NUM> of the computing device <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may be a single core processor, a multi-core processor, a computing cluster, or any number of other configurations. Furthermore, the computing device <NUM> may include more than one processor <NUM> and more than one memory device <NUM>.

The computing device <NUM> further includes a graphics processing unit (GPU) <NUM>, and the processor <NUM> is coupled through the bus <NUM> to the GPU. The GPU <NUM> performs any number of graphics functions and actions within the computing device <NUM>, such as rendering or manipulating graphics images, graphics frames, videos, or the like, to be displayed to a user of the computing device <NUM>. An image capture device <NUM>, such as a camera, scanner, infrared sensor, or other type of suitable device, is also coupled to the bus <NUM> to communicate with the processor <NUM> and memory device <NUM>. The processor <NUM> is coupled through the bus <NUM> to one or more displays <NUM>, which may include displays that are internal to or "built-in" component of the computing device <NUM>. The displays <NUM> include a foldable display or multiple individual displays that collectively function as an overall display of the computing device <NUM>.

The processor <NUM> is also be connected through the bus <NUM> to an input/output (I/O) interface <NUM> configured to connect the computing device <NUM> to one or more I/O devices <NUM>. The I/O devices <NUM> may include, for example, a keyboard, a pointing device such as a touchpad or a touchscreen, a storage device, and other types of electronic devices. The I/O devices <NUM> may include built-in components of the computing device <NUM> or may be devices that are externally connected to the computing system. In some cases, the I/O devices <NUM> are touchscreen devices integrated within a display device, such as one or more of the display devices <NUM>.

The computing device <NUM> may also include another storage device or devices <NUM>, which may include a physical memory such as a hard drive, an optical drive, a thumb drive, an array of drives, or any combinations thereof. The storage device <NUM> may also include remote storage drives. A network interface controller (NIC) <NUM> connects the computing device <NUM> to a network <NUM>, which may be a wide area network (WAN), local area network (LAN), the Internet, or the like. The computing device <NUM> is powered through a power supply unit (PSU) <NUM> that communicates with the processor <NUM> through the bus <NUM> to communicate control signals or status signals to the PSU. The PSU <NUM> includes a rechargeable power source such as a battery in some examples, and is coupled to a power source <NUM> external the computing device <NUM> to receive electrical power, charge the rechargeable power source when present, and to supply provide electrical power to the other components in the computing device <NUM>. The block diagram of <FIG> is not intended to indicate that the computing device <NUM> must include all the components shown. Furthermore, the computing device <NUM> may include any number of additional components not shown in <FIG> based on the specific implementation or utilization of the computing system.

The methods and processes described herein are also not limited to any particular sequence, and the blocks or states relating thereto can be performed in other sequences that are appropriate. For example, described blocks or states may be performed in an order other than that specifically disclosed, or multiple blocks or states may be combined in a single block or state. The example blocks or states may be performed in serial, in parallel, or in some other manner. Blocks or states may be added to or removed from the disclosed examples.

Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, "can," "could," "might," "may," and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain examples include, while other examples do not include, certain features, elements, and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or steps are in any way required for one or more examples or are to be performed in any particular example.

Claim 1:
A method (<NUM>), comprising:
detecting (<NUM>) a usage mode of a foldable electronic device (<NUM>) including a display (<NUM>) with a first display area (<NUM>) and a second display area (<NUM>) that may be folded and unfolded about an axis;
detecting (<NUM>) eye focus of a user of the foldable electronic device as user input to the foldable electronic device; and
controlling (<NUM>) a brightness of an active area on the display based on the detected usage mode and detected user input,
wherein controlling a brightness of an active area on the display comprises dimming a non-focus area of the active area around a focus area (<NUM>) of the active area, the non-focus area comprising a first non-focus area (<NUM>) on one side of the focus area and a second non-focus area (<NUM>) on a second side of the focus area opposite the first side, with the first non-focus area included in the first display area and the second non-focus area included in the second display area.