Context-Based Touch Interface for POS Transaction Time Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Point of sale (POS) terminals and kiosks face challenges in providing an intuitive user interface for untrained users, leading to increased transaction time and costs due to inefficient menu-driven systems that require multiple inputs and lack context awareness.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a context-based human-computer interface that uses touch characteristics on a touch screen to perform functions with minimal interactions, where a single touch on relevant information determines the action, and behavior characteristics assess user confidence and experience to provide appropriate assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a menu-driven interface is used to provide structured options for users, then the system can guide users through available functions, but the number of interactions required to complete a function increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function information directly from the displayed content and presents it as actionable options to the user. Instead of requiring users to navigate through menu hierarchies to find functions, the system identifies relevant functions based on the currently displayed information and presents them directly, reducing the number of interaction steps while maintaining user guidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary analysis of the displayed content and pre-identifies relevant functions before the user needs to access them. By analyzing the context of displayed information and anticipating user needs, the system prepares and presents relevant function options in advance, eliminating the need for users to search through menus to find appropriate functions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple levels of drop down menus and popup windows are used to select functions, then the system can provide organized function selection, but the user interface complexity and number of required inputs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the function selection process by identifying and presenting only the specific functions relevant to the current displayed content. Instead of requiring users to navigate through complete menu hierarchies, the system divides the available functions into context-relevant subsets and presents them directly, reducing interface complexity while maintaining comprehensive function access capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a universal interface mechanism that can present multiple types of functions (selection, modification, deletion, etc.) through a unified approach. By creating a multi-functional interface layer that adapts to different contexts without requiring separate menu structures for each function type, the system reduces overall interface complexity while maintaining versatility.
3Productivity
If the system requires users to know which menus contain desired functions, then the menu structure can be organized systematically, but the ease of use for untrained users decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides feedback by analyzing user interactions with displayed content and automatically identifying which functions would be relevant to the user's current needs. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adaptively present function options based on what the user is viewing, eliminating the need for users to know menu locations in advance while maintaining systematic organization of available functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically analyzing displayed content and identifying relevant functions without requiring user knowledge of menu structures. The system autonomously determines which functions to present based on the current context, making the interface intuitive for untrained users while maintaining high transaction efficiency through systematic function organization.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, system and method are presented for implementing a user interface on a self-service or assisted service terminal. The terminal includes a computer, LCD display and touch-screen device. Software implemented by the computer receives input from the touch-screen device to determine complex interactions with the display that are then used to select and/or modify functions and features provided by the terminal.