Context-Based Menu Launcher Indicator for Touch Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional menus are not optimized for touch and gesture-enabled devices, which have limited screen space and require more precise interactions, making them impractical for productivity tasks and content creation, especially on devices with varying screen sizes and orientations.
Innovation Solution
A launcher indicator is provided at a fixed or dynamic location on the user interface that enables activation of context-based menus through touch, gesture, keyboard, or mouse actions, dynamically adjusting its position based on content and user interactions, allowing for efficient access to commands without occupying excessive screen space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional menus are used on touch-enabled devices, then the menu structure remains simple and familiar, but the menu occupies extensive screen area and is not accessible with sufficient precision for small screens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional 2D flat menus to a 3D spatial menu structure that extends perpendicular to the screen surface. This dimensional change allows the menu to occupy less screen area while providing deeper interaction layers, resolving the contradiction between minimizing screen occupation and maintaining access precision through spatial separation of menu items.
Solution Approach 2:
The menu structure dynamically adapts its configuration based on the device state, content context, and user interaction patterns. The menu items can reposition, resize, or reconfigure themselves in real-time, allowing the system to optimize between screen space utilization and interaction precision depending on the current operational context.
2Adaptability or versatility
If menus are made flexible to changes in screen area, then the menu adapts to different orientations and resolutions, but the menu complexity increases to handle various configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The menu system automatically detects and adapts to screen characteristics, orientation changes, and resolution variations without requiring manual configuration. The system self-adjusts its layout and interaction model based on the current device state, reducing the apparent complexity for users while maintaining high adaptability across different form factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The menu structure employs a universal design framework that can function across multiple device types, orientations, and screen sizes using a single underlying architecture. This multi-functional approach allows the same menu system to serve tablets, smartphones, and other form factors without requiring separate complex configuration systems for each device type.
3Ease of operation
If touch-specific features are incorporated into menus, then the interaction becomes more natural for touch devices, but the menu may not work efficiently with traditional mouse and keyboard input
Solution Approach 1:
The menu system dynamically changes its interaction parameters based on the detected input device type. When a touch device is detected, the menu enables touch-optimized features such as gesture recognition and tap targets. When a mouse or keyboard is detected, the system adjusts parameters to support precision clicking and keyboard navigation, maintaining ease of operation across different input modalities through parameter adaptation.
Solution Approach 2:
The menu interaction model is dynamic and can switch between touch-optimized and traditional input modes based on the active input device. This dynamic adaptation allows the same menu structure to provide natural touch interaction when appropriate while maintaining full compatibility with mouse and keyboard input, resolving the contradiction between touch optimization and traditional device compatibility.
Data Source
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AI summary
A launching mechanism for context based menus is provided. A launcher indicator may be provided at a fixed or dynamic location on a user interface enabling a user to activate a context based menu through a variety of touch or gesture actions, as well as keyboard, mouse, or similar device inputs, directly related to the indicator or through inference from an action on the displayed content such as selection of a portion of the content. The launcher indicator may provide contextual information such as a type of available context based menu and appear/disappear in an animated fashion. Location of the indicator may also be dynamically adjusted based on selected content, user action location (i.e., location of a touch), available display area, and so on. Upon activation of the menu, the launcher indicator may disappear or be displayed at a center of the context based menu.