Automatic Button Layout System for Touchscreen UI Design

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current programming methods for graphical user interfaces, such as touch-screen displays, require manual positioning and sizing of graphical and textual elements on buttons, which is inflexible, time-consuming, and often limits designs to single textual elements with graphical backgrounds.

Innovation Solution

An automatic layout system for buttons based on predefined styles, allowing graphical elements to be created once and reused, with multiple textual and graphical elements displayed on each button, where sizing, layout, and justification are determined by the style, reducing the need for manual intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If manual positioning and sizing of graphical and textual elements is performed, then precise control over element placement is achieved, but the design process becomes time-consuming and inflexible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelement placement precisionVSAvoiddesign time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining button styles that include predetermined layouts, positions, and sizing rules for graphical and textual elements. These styles are established beforehand and can be automatically applied to generate buttons without requiring manual positioning and sizing during the design process, thus reducing design time while maintaining precision through the predefined templates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If graphical elements are created specifically for each button size, then exact fit is achieved, but flexibility and reusability are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelement fit precisionVSAvoidelement reusability
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements universality by creating a library of reusable graphical elements and button styles that can be applied across multiple buttons of different sizes and configurations. The graphical elements are designed with scalable properties and can be automatically adjusted to fit various button dimensions while maintaining their visual integrity, allowing a single graphical element to serve multiple functions across different button types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies parameter changes by using scalable graphical elements that can automatically adjust their dimensions and positioning based on the target button size. The graphical elements maintain their visual appearance across different sizes through parameter transformation, allowing the same element to be reused on buttons of varying dimensions without requiring creation of size-specific versions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Quantity of substance

If multiple textual and graphical elements are displayed on each button, then information density is increased, but layout complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of elements per buttonVSAvoidlayout complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the button layout into distinct regions and zones where graphical elements and textual elements are automatically positioned. The button style definitions segment the available space into specific areas for different element types, allowing multiple elements to be organized in a structured manner that reduces perceived complexity while maintaining high information density.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9195365B2Automatic configurator of display objects
Publication Date: 2015.11.24 HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC
  • US9195365B2 patent drawing
  • US9195365B2 patent drawing
  • US9195365B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A system for configuring objects such as buttons for screens presented in a touch screen display. The configuration may be automatically based on preset styles. The graphical elements or icons and textual elements may be created once but used multiple times in various places. Multiple graphical and textual elements may be displayed on any button of the screens. The system may be based on the use of a predefined set of button styles that define the layout of each textual and graphical element in basic terms, such as left, right, and center. These styles do not necessarily prescribe a size, but a layout of the elements. The sizing, layout, justification, and clipping of each element may be determined by the button style. For each button style, the assigned textual and graphical elements may be automatically placed for the best or optimal layout and fit.