Application Icon Layout With Selective Page Updating

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Solution Overview

Problem

The flexibility of application icon display on electronic devices is relatively poor, as existing methods often require switching all icons on a page when transitioning between applications.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device updates a specific application icon on a page based on a user's input, allowing for selective movement of icons to another page, rather than updating all icons, thereby enhancing display flexibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If all icons on a page are updated when switching between applications, then the application switching function is achieved, but the application icon display flexibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication icon display flexibilityVSAvoidicon updating complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the icon updating process by introducing a selection mechanism. Users can select specific icons to update rather than all icons being updated uniformly. This is achieved through user input reception that identifies target icons for updating, while other icons remain unchanged on the current page.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by allowing different icons on the same page to have different update states. Some icons are updated to reflect application switching, while others maintain their original state. This creates heterogeneity in the icon display, where each icon can independently reflect or ignore the application switch based on user selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If all application icons are updated when switching applications, then the application state is synchronized, but the user operation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser operation complexityVSAvoidapplication state synchronization
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements partial action by updating only the necessary icons rather than all icons. When an application switch occurs, the system identifies and updates only the icons relevant to the switched application, leaving other icons unchanged. This reduces user operation complexity while maintaining necessary state synchronization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Adaptability or versatility

If selective icon updating is implemented, then the display flexibility is improved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay flexibilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service by enabling the system to automatically manage icon selection based on user input. The system receives user input, identifies target icons for updating, and executes the selective update without requiring complex user configuration. This automates the complexity management while maintaining display flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4170473B1Application icon display method and apparatus, and electronic device
Publication Date: 2026.03.25 VIVO MOBILE COMM CO LTD
  • EP4170473B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4170473B1 patent drawingFigure 4(A)~5(B)
  • EP4170473B1 patent drawingFigure 6(A)~7(B)

AI summary

Disclosed are an application icon display method and apparatus, and an electronic device. The method includes: in a case that a first page is displayed, receiving a first input performed by a user, where the first page includes a plurality of application icons, the first input is an input performed by the user on a first target application icon in the application icons, and the first target application icon is at least one of an application icon in an ith row or an application icon in a jth column of the application icons; and updating a second target application icon in the application icons in response to the first input, where the second target application icon is an application icon in the first target application icon or is an application icon that is on the first page and that is associated with the first input.