Cascading Menu Dynamic Interface Length Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cascading menus occupy excessive page space and result in poor user experience due to increased mouse trajectory and inefficient space utilization as the number of submenu levels grows, as they maintain a fixed size for each level.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that dynamically adjust the operation interface of cascading menus by shrinking and expanding submenus in a sliding manner based on a defined threshold, maintaining a fixed total length, thereby preventing the increase in occupied page space and improving user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the size of each level of submenu in the cascading menu is fixed, then the structure is simple and easy to implement, but the total length of the operation interface increases as the number of submenu levels increases, occupying large page space and reducing space utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the submenu interface length adjustable rather than fixed. The operation interface dynamically changes its displayed length based on the user's browsing depth, shrinking as users navigate deeper into submenus and expanding when returning. This dynamic adjustment allows the menu to adapt its size to the actual content being displayed, reducing unnecessary space occupation while maintaining simple structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of interface length from a constant value to a variable that depends on browsing depth. Specifically, the displayed length is calculated as (initial length - (browsing depth × reduction amount)), where the reduction amount is determined based on the initial length and maximum browsing depth. This parameter change enables the interface to optimize its space usage according to the actual navigation state.
2Ease of manufacture
If the size of each level of submenu is fixed, then the implementation is straightforward, but the mouse trajectory becomes longer when users browse back and forth among various submenus, resulting in poor user experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the interface length dynamic based on browsing depth, which directly impacts user interaction efficiency. When users navigate to deeper submenu levels, the interface automatically shrinks, bringing the current submenu closer to the mouse cursor's starting position. This dynamic adjustment shortens the mouse trajectory required for browsing operations, improving ease of operation while keeping the implementation relatively simple through automatic calculation and adjustment.
3Loss of information
If the operation interface expands to display more submenus, then all submenu content can be displayed, but the page space utilization decreases and the interface becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and displays only the necessary submenu content based on the user's current browsing depth, rather than displaying all possible submenus simultaneously. The interface length is precisely calculated to show exactly what is needed at the current navigation level, extracting the relevant portion of the menu structure and hiding the rest. This approach ensures complete visibility of required content while minimizing page space occupation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The method determines a first submenu as indicated for browsing by a user based on a clicking event of the user. When an operation interface of the first submenu is in a collapsed mode, a number of submenus that are currently in an expanded mode within an operation interface of the cascading menu is counted. When the number of submenus that are currently in the expanded mode reaches a defined threshold, at least a second submenu is selected from the submenus that are currently in the expanded mode, and an operation interface of the second submenu is shrunk. The operation interface of the first submenu is expanded. Therefore, a size of the operation interface of the cascading menu will not increase as the number of the expanded submenus increases. The amount of a page space occupied by the cascading menu is reduced and utilization of the page space is improved.