Auxiliary Input Device for Unreachable Touch Screen Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices with touch screens often have areas that cannot be reached by a user's fingers when operated with one hand, limiting control over the touch screen interface.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with a touch screen on the front surface and an auxiliary input device on the back surface, including input circuitry and a sensor module to detect the grip area, allowing the processor to determine unreachable areas and display a pointer for control via the auxiliary input device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the touch screen area is increased to provide more display space, then the display capability is improved, but the area reachable by user's fingers decreases
Solution Approach 1:
An auxiliary input device is introduced as an intermediary between the user and the touch screen. This device, positioned on the back surface of the electronic device, allows users to control touch screen areas that are physically unreachable by their fingers when holding the device with one hand.
Solution Approach 2:
The control interface is extended from a single plane (front touch screen) to multiple dimensions by placing an auxiliary input device on the back surface. This spatial separation allows users to access different regions of the touch screen through inputs made on the opposite side of the device.
2Volume of moving object
If the electronic device size is reduced for portability, then the portability is improved, but the touch screen control area becomes limited
Solution Approach 1:
By utilizing the back surface of the compact device as an additional control interface, the patent effectively doubles the available input areas. This allows users to control the entire touch screen including unreachable regions, compensating for the limited size of the device.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary input device on the back surface serves multiple functions: it enables control of unreachable touch screen areas, provides alternative input methods, and maintains full functionality despite the device's compact dimensions.
3Illumination intensity
If the touch screen is placed on the front surface for visibility, then the display visibility is improved, but the unreachable area increases when using one hand
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary input device acts as a mediator that bridges the gap between the user's reachable area (back surface) and the display area (front surface). Users can input commands on the back while viewing results on the front, effectively controlling the visible display without needing to reach the top areas.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of placing the input device on the same side as the display (front), the patent inverts the arrangement by placing the auxiliary input device on the back surface, allowing users to control the front display from the opposite side.
Data Source
AI summary
According to various example embodiments, an electronic device may include: a touch screen disposed on a first surface of the electronic device and configured to receive a first input; an auxiliary input device disposed on a second surface of the electronic device and configured to receive a second input; a sensor module configured to detect a grip area with respect to the electronic device; and a processor configured to determine a first area of the touch screen based on the grip area and to display a pointer on the first area, when the second input is received through the auxiliary input device.