Batch Icon Addition via Folder Dragging and Trigger Events

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for adding multiple application icons to a folder on smartphone platforms require numerous operations, leading to low operational efficiency and poor user experience, as users need to repeatedly touch, hold, drag, and release each icon.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that allows users to rapidly add application icons to a folder by dragging the folder over the icons and using predefined triggering events, such as tapping or shaking, to move icons into and out of the folder, reducing the number of operations required.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users add multiple application icons to a folder by repeatedly touching, holding, dragging, and releasing each icon, then the folder organization function is achieved, but the number of operations increases significantly, reducing operational efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of adding icons to folderVSAvoidoperational efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple individual icon-adding operations into a single batch operation. Users can select multiple icons simultaneously and add them to a folder in one action, rather than adding each icon separately through repeated touch-hold-drag-release cycles. This combining of operations directly reduces the total number of steps required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a preliminary selection phase where users can pre-select multiple icons before performing the add-to-folder operation. This preliminary action allows users to prepare the set of icons to be added, and then execute the addition in a single subsequent step, rather than performing selection and addition as separate repeated operations for each icon.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If users follow the traditional drag-and-release process for each icon, then precise control over icon placement is achieved, but the operation steps become cumbersome and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprecision of icon placementVSAvoidtime required for adding icons
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple precision placement operations into a single batch operation. Users select multiple icons and add them to the folder simultaneously, maintaining the ability to place icons precisely in the folder while eliminating the need to repeatedly perform the full drag-and-release sequence for each individual icon.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent allows users to pre-select multiple icons that need to be placed in the folder before executing the addition operation. This preliminary selection reduces the time required by separating the selection phase from the placement phase, allowing users to efficiently prepare multiple icons for addition and then execute the placement in a single action.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If users remove application icons from a folder by opening the folder and dragging icons out, then the removal function is achieved, but the number of operations increases and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of removing icons from folderVSAvoidoperational efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the icon removal operation from the folder-opening context. Instead of requiring users to open the folder to remove icons, the system allows direct removal operations on icons within the folder view or through selection mechanisms, effectively separating the removal function from the folder-opening action and reducing operational steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables users to pre-select multiple icons for removal before executing the removal operation. Users can select icons they wish to remove and then perform a single removal action, rather than opening the folder and individually removing each icon through separate drag operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2869182B1Method for adding application icon
Publication Date: 2020.01.01 HUAWEI DEVICE CO LTD
  • EP2869182B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP2869182B1 patent drawingFigure 1B~1Bd
  • EP2869182B1 patent drawingFigure 1C~2

AI summary

The present invention provides a method for adding an application icon and a method and an apparatus for removing an application icon. The method for adding an application icon to a folder includes: dragging a folder in a touch interface of a terminal; when a preset move-in triggering event is detected, determining whether a capture area of the folder includes an application icon, where the move-in triggering event is an event used to trigger moving of an application icon from the outside of a folder to the folder, and the capture area of the folder is an area that is determined according to a location of the folder in the touch interface and whose size is within a preset range or the capture area of the folder is an area marked by a user in the touch interface; and when an application icon exists in coverage of the capture area of the folder, moving the application icon in the capture area of the folder from the outside of the folder to the folder. In the present invention, operation steps are greatly reduced, and a purpose of rapidly adding an application icon to a folder is achieved.