Collapsible Graphical Lanes for Dynamic Interface Reordering
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Solution Overview
Problem
GUIs with multiple graphical lanes can become too large to fit on a digital display, making it time-consuming for users to find relevant information, as they need to scroll or interact extensively to view important lanes like 'in progress' or 'done' lanes.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a reordering technique that allows users to collapse and drag graphical lanes, enabling them to position high-priority lanes for easy viewing, with a 'click and drag' mechanism to rearrange lanes without affecting others' arrangements, and automatically expanding lanes to their new defined order.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple graphical lanes are displayed to provide comprehensive information, then information completeness is improved, but screen space consumption increases making the GUI too large to fit on display
Solution Approach 1:
The graphical lanes are segmented into collapsible units that can be independently expanded or collapsed. Each lane represents a categorical grouping of graphical elements, and users can collapse lanes that are not currently needed to view, allowing the GUI to fit on smaller displays while preserving the capability to access all information when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The graphical lanes transition from a static fixed layout to a dynamic collapsible/expandable structure. The lanes can change their visual presence and occupy different screen spaces based on user interaction and needs, allowing the interface to adapt to various display sizes and user priorities.
2Area of stationary object
If graphical lanes are arranged to fit on small displays, then screen space efficiency is improved, but user customization capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Users are empowered to independently customize their own GUI layout by dragging and reordering lanes according to their personal preferences and priorities. The system provides the capability and tools for users to self-configure their interface without requiring developer intervention, allowing each user to optimize the layout for their specific needs while working within available screen space.
3Adaptability or versatility
If developers update GUI layout to accommodate user preferences, then user customization is improved, but time consumption increases taking days or weeks
Solution Approach 1:
The system transfers the customization function from developers to end-users. Instead of requiring developers to manually update GUI layouts in response to user preferences, users are provided with direct tools to rearrange and customize lanes themselves through simple drag-and-drop operations, eliminating the lengthy development cycle entirely.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate mechanism (the draggable lane handles and reordering system) that allows users to directly manipulate the GUI layout without going through the developer update process. This intermediary interface layer enables users to achieve customization goals that previously required developer intervention.
4Loss of information
If graphical elements are displayed in detail within each lane, then information visibility is improved, but finding relevant information becomes time-consuming due to scrolling
Solution Approach 1:
The lanes dynamically collapse to a minimal height when not in use, allowing users to quickly scan through all available lanes and locate relevant information without scrolling through detailed content in each lane. When a lane is selected or activated, it expands to display full details, providing both quick navigation and comprehensive viewing capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A server device may be configured to transmit, to a client device, data and program code that instructs the client device to display a graphical user interface using the data. The graphical user interface may include a plurality of parallel lanes that are displayed according to a logical ordering. The parallel lanes may contain handle components for dragging the lanes in a direction substantially perpendicular to the parallel lanes. The selection, dragging, and release of a handle component of a particular parallel lane may cause the graphical user interface to: (i) upon the selection, automatically collapse the parallel lanes, (ii) upon the dragging, slide the particular parallel lane among the set of collapsed parallel lanes, and (iii) upon the release, automatically expand the parallel lanes into a different logical ordering defined by where the particular parallel lane was released.