Calendar Time Reset via Gesture Sequence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile electronic calendar applications face challenges in navigating dense information due to their small display sizes, lacking a method for users to easily return to a specific time position (hour, day, week, month, year) on touch screen interfaces.
Innovation Solution
A user-defined pattern or sequence on the touch screen or keypad allows users to reset the calendar time and timescale to a previously viewed position, enabling intuitive navigation and dynamic adjustment based on user and context, including zooming in and out with finger gestures to change the timescale.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a touch screen interface is used to maximize display size on mobile devices, then the display area is increased, but the ability to navigate and comprehend dense calendar information is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The calendar interface is segmented into multiple navigable views (day view, week view, month view, year view) that can be quickly switched between. Each view presents information at an appropriate level of detail for the available screen space, allowing users to comprehend dense calendar information effectively on mobile devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-positions a 'today' button and implements automatic view switching based on user interactions. When users navigate forward or backward in time, the system automatically switches to the appropriate view type, so users don't need to manually configure each navigation action.
2Adaptability or versatility
If users navigate away from the origination point in the calendar, then they can view different time periods, but they cannot easily return to the original time position
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-positions a 'today' button that instantly returns users to the origination point (today's date). This button is always available regardless of the current view, providing a quick recovery mechanism without requiring users to re-trigger searches or re-open elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The calendar interface provides visual feedback about the current time position and view level. When users navigate to different time periods, the interface maintains context information that enables easy return to previous positions, creating a navigable history of user interactions.
3Quantity of substance
If the calendar displays dense information, then comprehensive calendar data is provided, but the information becomes difficult to view and comprehend on small screens
Solution Approach 1:
Calendar information is segmented into hierarchical views (day, week, month, year) that progressively organize dense data at different levels of abstraction. Each view type optimizes the presentation of information density appropriate to its time scope, making comprehensive data comprehensible on small screens.
Solution Approach 2:
The calendar interface utilizes multiple dimensions for organizing information, including horizontal time axes and vertical detail levels. Users can navigate through different dimensional perspectives (switching between view types and time periods) to comprehend dense information in a structured manner.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable electronic device including a calendar application operable to display a calendar application at a first time and first timescale as well as a second time and second timescale different from the first time and first timescale, a memory operable to store a sequence of user inputs associated with a first time and first timescale, and an input unit operable to detect the sequence of user inputs, wherein the calendar application returns from the second time and second timescale to the first time and first timescale upon detection of the sequence of user inputs.