Systems and methods for selecting a region of a flexible screen and controlling video playback

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for selecting region of a flexible screen based on a detected curvature of the flexible screen. A mobile device detects a vertex and degree of the curvature of the flexible screen. The mobile device selects a region of the flexible screen that is centered at the vertex and whose size is proportional to the degree of curvature. The mobile device highlights the region of the flexible display to visually indicate the selected region.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A method comprising:
 determining a degree of a curvature of a flexible screen;   detecting a vertex point of the curvature of the flexible screen;   selecting a region of the flexible screen, centered at the vertex point, based on the degree of the curvature of the flexible screen, wherein a size of the selected region is inversely proportional to the degree of the curvature of the flexible screen; and   visually distinguishing the selected region of the flexible screen.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the flexible screen comprises a plurality of sensors, and wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors measures strain across a different respective portion of the flexible screen, and wherein determining the degree of the curvature of the flexible screen comprises:
 receiving a plurality of strain measurements from the plurality of sensors; and   computing the degree of the curvature of the flexible screen based on the plurality of strain measurements.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein detecting the vertex point of the curvature of the flexible screen comprises:
 identifying a greatest strain measurement of the plurality of strain measurements;   selecting a portion of the display that is associated with the greatest strain measurement; and   determining the vertex point of the curvature of the flexible screen based on the portion of the display that is associated with the greatest strain measurement.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein visually distinguishing the selected region of the flexible screen comprises:
 identifying a plurality of objects generated for display in the selected region of the flexible screen;   selecting an object, of the plurality of obj ects, that is most prominent in the selected region of the flexible screen; and   visually distinguishing the selected object from the plurality of objects.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein visually distinguishing the selected region of the flexible screen comprises modifying a color associated with a plurality of pixels corresponding to the selected region of the flexible screen. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein selecting the region of the flexible screen further comprises:
 determining whether an object is generated for display at a position of the flexible screen corresponding to the vertex point; and   in response to determining that an object is generated for display at the position of the flexible screen corresponding to the vertex point, adjusting the size of the selected region based on a size of the object.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 identifying a plurality of actions corresponding to the object; and   generating for display a plurality of user selectable options, wherein each user selectable option corresponds to a respective action of the plurality of actions.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein selecting the region of the flexible screen further comprises:
 identifying an action corresponding to the selected region of the flexible screen; and   performing the action corresponding to the selected region of the flexible screen.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the degree of curvature is a first degree of curvature determined at a first time, the method further comprising:
 determining a second degree of curvature of the flexible screen at a second time, subsequent to the first time;   determining whether the second degree of curvature corresponds to a predefined minimum degree of curvature; and   in response to determining that the second degree of curvature does not correspond to the predefined minimum degree of curvature, ceasing to visually distinguish the selected region of the flexible screen.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the vertex point is a first vertex point detected at a first time, and wherein the selected region of the flexible screen is a first selected region of the flexible screen, further comprising:
 detecting, at a second time subsequent to the first time, a second vertex point of the curvature of the flexible screen;   in response to detecting the second vertex point, selecting a second region of the flexible screen, centered at the second vertex point, wherein a size of the second region is inversely proportional to the degree of the curvature of the flexible screen at the second time; and   visually distinguishing the second selected region of the flexible screen.   
     
     
         41 . A system comprising control circuitry configured to:
 determine a degree of a curvature of a flexible screen;   detect a vertex point of the curvature of the flexible screen;   select a region of the flexible screen, centered at the vertex point, based on the degree of the curvature of the flexible screen, wherein a size of the selected region is inversely proportional to the degree of the curvature of the flexible screen; and   visually distinguishing the selected region of the flexible screen.   
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the flexible screen comprises a plurality of sensors, and wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors measures strain across a different respective portion of the flexible screen, and wherein the control circuitry, when determining the degree of the curvature of the flexible screen, is configured to:
 receive a plurality of strain measurements from the plurality of sensors; and   compute the degree of the curvature of the flexible screen based on the plurality of strain measurements.   
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein the control circuitry, when detecting the vertex point of the curvature of the flexible screen, is configured to:
 identify a greatest strain measurement of the plurality of strain measurements;   select a portion of the display that is associated with the greatest strain measurement; and   determine the vertex point of the curvature of the flexible screen based on the portion of the display that is associated with the greatest strain measurement.   
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the control circuitry, when visually distinguishing the selected region of the flexible screen, is configured to:
 identify a plurality of objects generated for display in the selected region of the flexible screen;   select an object, of the plurality of obj ects, that is most prominent in the selected region of the flexible screen; and   visually distinguishing the selected object from the plurality of objects.   
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the control circuitry, when visually distinguishing the selected region of the flexible screen, is configured to modify a color associated with a plurality of pixels corresponding to the selected region of the flexible screen. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the control circuitry, when selecting the region of the flexible screen, is further configured to:
 determine whether an object is generated for display at a position of the flexible screen corresponding to the vertex point; and   in response to determining that an object is generated for display at the position of the flexible screen corresponding to the vertex point, adjust the size of the selected region based on a size of the obj ect.   
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: 
 identify a plurality of actions corresponding to the object; and   generate for display a plurality of user selectable options, wherein each user selectable option corresponds to a respective action of the plurality of actions.   
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the control circuitry, when selecting the region of the flexible screen, is further configured to:
 identify an action corresponding to the selected region of the flexible screen; and perform the action corresponding to the selected region of the flexible screen.   
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the degree of curvature is a first degree of curvature determined at a first time, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 determine a second degree of curvature of the flexible screen at a second time, subsequent to the first time;   determine whether the second degree of curvature corresponds to a predefined minimum degree of curvature; and   in response to determining that the second degree of curvature does not correspond to the predefined minimum degree of curvature, ceasing to visually distinguish the selected region of the flexible screen.   
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the vertex point is a first vertex point detected at a first time, and wherein the selected region of the flexible screen is a first selected region of the flexible screen, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 detect, at a second time subsequent to the first time, a second vertex point of the curvature of the flexible screen;   in response to detecting the second vertex point, select a second region of the flexible screen, centered at the second vertex point, wherein a size of the second region is inversely proportional to the degree of the curvature of the flexible screen at the second time; and   visually distinguish the second selected region of the flexible screen.