Active Design Scaling Content Across Multiple Form Factors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for scaling content on screens across multiple form-factors are unpredictable and require extensive design and development efforts, leading to inconsistent user experiences due to their reliance on absolute measurements and limited scalability.
Innovation Solution
The Active Design system analyzes content to determine active blocks and blank spaces, maintaining the ratio of these elements across form-factors, and modifies the size or shape of active display components within these blocks based on preset parameters to ensure consistent and harmonious scaling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fixed design with absolute measurements is used, then ease of control for one screen size is improved, but adaptability to different screen sizes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter system from absolute measurements to relative measurements based on the active block ratio. Instead of fixing elements to absolute positions and sizes, the system defines active blocks as ratios of the total display area, allowing automatic adaptation to different screen sizes while maintaining design consistency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If fluid design with relative units is used, then adaptability to form-factor changes is improved, but design harmony and predictability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display area into active blocks with defined ratios, creating a structured framework that guides element placement. This segmentation provides predictability and design harmony while maintaining adaptability, as elements are positioned within these structured blocks rather than using unrestricted relative units.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes from using relative units based on screen ratios to using active block ratios that define structured zones. This parameter change maintains adaptability while improving predictability by confining elements to specific proportional zones rather than allowing free relative positioning.
3Adaptability or versatility
If responsive design with multiple layouts is used, then adaptability to different form-factors is improved, but device complexity and maintenance burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal active block system that functions across all form-factors. Instead of maintaining separate layouts for different devices, this single system adapts to all screen sizes by calculating active block ratios, reducing complexity while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes from maintaining multiple discrete layouts to using a continuous parameter-based approach where active block ratios are calculated dynamically. This single adaptable system replaces multiple fixed layouts, reducing maintenance burden while preserving form-factor adaptability.
4Ease of operation
If element-based scaling is used, then individual element control is improved, but overall design harmony deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display into active blocks that maintain consistent ratios across form-factors. Elements within these blocks inherit the block's proportional structure, ensuring individual element control is maintained while overall design harmony is preserved through the unified active block framework.
Data Source
AI summary
Active Design maintains overall active and inactive space of a display by scaling active display components on a screen according to active and inactive blocks. By scaling the blocks relative to the screen size and maximizing active display components for ‘best-fit’ within the scaled blocks, a predictable scaling system is created that can deliver a more consistent experience for users across multiple form-factors. Active Design allows designers to use a single base display resolution for an entire class of form-factors and uses grid blocks to arrange elements.